#24 Go to "The Moth."

"The Moth" is a storytelling program that is done all across the country and broadcase on NPR. Random people just get up on stage and tell a short story. It's awesome. I'd listened to it on NPR and then found out that they do Moth sessions in Chicago the last Tuesday of every month. In fact, the Chicago location is about a block and a half from my apartment. And it still took me 2.5 years to actually go.

The motivational Angela Mioglionico got my butt moving the quarter mile walk on a hot night. The way I gather it works is that you submit your name prior to the event and they then draw 10 random names to actually tell their stories on stage. Then, after each reader, an MC does some funny gabbing while 3 groups of judges calculate scores based on some set of criteria the Moth organizers give them. There is also an audience-participation piece. The organizers leave out little slips of paper with half a sentence, and the audience is encouraged to complete the sentence. The organizers then pick some good ones to have the MC read out loud to the crowd while the judges are tallying scores.

The July theme was fireworks, and the audience-participation sentence was "I knew there were going to be sparks when..."

There were some really great stories. And some really bizarre stories. The hipster hippie liberals were offended by some parts of some of the stories. I enjoyed that. Particularly the army guy who mentioned he shot and killed a guy as part of his story of how fireworks happen in Iraq right now. They were all appalled. I was like, really, hipsters? He was in a war. That's what happens in wars. Sure, you'll go protest it but you can't actually listen to veterans stories? really? I also enjoyed the story by a girl who talked about how she had been struggling with self harm and how common it is. People were freaking out a little. But it was her story. And she was brave to get up and tell it.

Some of the stories were hilarious and/or really well performed. One of my favorites was about this guy's first love, and how on their first date they were in a graveyard and saw fireflies, and she said, "Fireflies are real? I thought they were mythical." And he said, that probably should have been a sign. And another guy talking about making out with his dream girl, who ended up just being a bit of a slut, but then in the end they became the best of friends. The best part was when he was explaining the making out and how we all know what it feels like to have so much build up (their year-and-a-half long pre-romance) and then to have it be totally disappointing... and how this make-out session was NOTHING like that. It was f'ing amazing! Ha. He was great.

So I'm pretty mad at myself for not walking a block and a half and paying $8 for a very thoroughly entertaining night once a month at Martyrs, but I'm so glad Ang made me realize it! Really great night. I can't wait for next month: food. And next year, I'm totally submitting a story to read! (I'll read it too. My fear is letting people read my writing, not public speaking.)