Yes, by popular request, a Portland, Oregon get-together.
Of course there are endless possibilities. Any ideas?
Bradley and I have been trying to connect for a while and it looks like Monday evening at Powell's for the Smallpressapalooza marathon reading session. But that will likely be more listening than interaction.
What do you guys want to do? Any ideas Bradley? Nikki? Charles? Vanessa? Lidia? Suzy? Chester?
We could do Portland-based any time and regularly. Well, not to the point of we are sick of each other.
But it would also be really cool to organize something around Wordstock for out-of-town Reactors to converge around a lit event that is also a huge word party. In Twain in the Membrane.
Dennis and Kirk, you guys should look into getting a booth! Or at least an ad in the annual program. And of course a t-shirt and matching thong for Randy the Unicorn (See Nikki, your little Randy is going viral).
Chime for chimers!
Alabaster
October?
Ohhhh. October could be doable...215 days to save up for a flight and hotel space...anyone wanna buy some blood? I'm clean...
I'll take your blood, and raise you a kidney ma'am.
If only I had semen to sell.
portlanders, by which i mean chet, brad, me, nikki, and a couple others....
we can meet at jim frost's thing on the 22nd at mississippi pizza
I'M MOVIN' IN.
I could do the wordstock thing, that looks interesting but I don't want to meet any of you. Just kidding, of course I would love to meet you all.
We need a meeting place besides wordstock. Chuck-E-Cheese perhaps? You guys have one of those right?
mcmennimans!!!
it'll be a good excuse to try the zeus cafe
I hate McMenamins. Horseshit service, and I like to be treated like a god when I drink.
Yes, The Frost event. There's that. We could have a Lit table and not tell anyone that we are Literrorists.
Renee, you have semen, you just have to remember to freeze it upon collection.
I am serious about the Wordstock thing though. You guys would love it. Through the years I have seen some amazing shit go down there.
Two years ago Lidia walked around in a Clifford the Dog costume. Only nobody knew she was inside. Meanwhile her husband, the talented filmmaker Andy Mingo was filming the entire thing. It became the film
Georgie's Big Break (Based on Monica Drake's short story). And yes, that is Zia from the Dandy Warhols there at the end:
I will go if you guys all buy me food and drinks.
Danny is high class like that.
Husband just reminded me we have a wedding in NOLA in October. Looks like a no go :(
Same exact dates?
No, but in the realm of plane tickets and babysitting and all of that, it's probably not going to happen after we finish remodeling the house, do my ten year reunion in Sept, and go to NOLA in October.
I'm up for hanging out sometime. Right now I'm remodeling and moving and up the yang with writing but things should cool down in a month or two. Also up for wordstock. I might even be able to put up an out of towner. Not sure yet though. I have so much going on. We should all just rent a big place that way we can get shitfaced and be central and away from any responsibilities.
Shit, more remodelers. Should I start that remodeling thread?
Well, Renee, I hear that. You can't do it all. But let us know if you are ever in town and we can throw something together--and that goes for others too.
I could probably put up a couple out-of-towners as well for Wordstock, though I like Shiznikki's idea of a party house. That would be ludicurious fun, not to mention downright dangerous. I would have to start selling the wife on that one last month. She knows shit gets crazy around Wordstock though. Last year I ended up boarding this very handsome fellow from Bombay (Sarabh Tak), a wonderfully funny writer. Things got kinda wobbly.
@Nikki: You are remodeling 'and' moving? That sounds familiar. As hell, familiar as hell.
Yup remodeling and moving. Craziness.
Definitely--I know a few people in Portland, so I should make an effort to get up that way.
When you say things got wobbly, Chester, what does that mean? lol
Danny, I will give you a tutorial when you come down, or I will hire Randy to do it. Hopefully Nikki has his horn up and running again by then. But then again, maybe Bob is a better tutor.
Renee, I bet Randy knows the people you know in Portland.
Who is Randy? I am so confused.
Serious? You don't know Randy or Bob?
Seriously???
Funny. I guess Nikki and I are in our own little enchanted world. Snickerfest. Figures.
edit: Nikki and me. We.
Next time you see a rainbow you might want to check the end to see if there's a very drunk unicorn. If he has a small pizzle and limp horn that's Randy but if he's big and black with a massive schlong and very erect horn that's Bob. But if he's a she with a flaming cooch that's my girl unicorn, David.
also, portland folks: there's a big fundraiser comedy event to help Ron Shock with the cost of his cancer treatments. i'll post more when i know more about it, but we should all go and support him, and the local stand-up/storytellers. anything you can donate for the silent auction would also be cool.
i'll be there as a photographer, and i will be donating some one-of-a-kind prints. there may also be a signed first edition of GEEK LOVE that i'll offer up for the right price.
Who is Randy? I am so confused."
It's best not to ask such questions.
I wouldn't mind taking in a MLS game. The Timbers Army is sick. Great team too, I hope they have a better season this year.
Matt, those matches are fun. Went to a couple last year. We were in the Army section, sang and danced the whole time. Those guys are psychotic. Supposedly they are 'supposed' to be better this year.
I think they are already talking about expanding the stadium they just expanded.
Nikki, do girl Unis have horns? I the cooch-flame rainbow colored?
I love stand-up comedy Chuck, keep us posted. I really need to read Geek Love.
Karaoke could be fun as another event. As spectator or participant.
I am out in Vancouver, BC often and could possibly maybe make the trip across the boarder. I've never been to Portland and this would be a great reason for a first visit. I should know in September what my schedule is for October.
Andrea, you would love, love, love it.
I do believe you are correct! I could literally trip across a boarder if there was a big writer flop house for the weekend <typo facepalm>
Will definitely see what fall brings and if I can swing it.
@Chester, it looked like it. I mean I am a DC United fan, but, from watching the game the Timbers Army knows how to party.
Since the season just started (currently watching a game on the ol DVR) I'll get ya in the spirit. Here ya go Portland people.
I came in with the promise of an orgy and I'm posting disappointed.
What'd you say, Jason? Sorry we missed your post. We were busy having an orgy, fo shiz.
I'm guessing that all of you are like me and on a budget, so the biggest expense would be the plane ticket and I'd def try to crash somewhere. I think I might have a few friends in Portland, but if anyone on this workshop lives there and can spare the floor space for me and possibly my girlfriend (as she'd love the chance to visit Portland), I'd for sure plan a trip in the fall to see Portland and meet some other Litreactors.
Well Andrea, let's meditate on that and see if we can make it happen.
Jason, you have to be aggressive. They don't call it a pig pile for nothing. Words and Fingers. Fingers and Holes.
Matt, thanks, that clip gave me timber. Well, as crazy as the Army is, I think part of that is because we don't have Pro Football here. Plus the Stadium is small. Kind of like strapping a speedo over a package to enhance it. I will have to pay closer attention to DC united so we can trash talk.
Bill, that would be cool. Plus it is good to have a partner to swap. But seriously, let's keep thinking about this. The thing is, it really would be a lit-together revolving around writing. And that is exciting. A Wordstock flophouse?
Everyone can crash at my place but they have to sign a release stating that they won't pursue any of the profits from the film we make.
I wonder if I should tell my wife about this? Nah. Too soon for that.
Leaving litreactors unsupervised. Oh no.
"Leaving litreactors unsupervised. Oh no."
For real. We really need more boundaries.
Let's take a trip to the Enchanted Forest.
i've never been to THE Enchanted Forest but i've been to AN enchanted forest. And there I met my three unis Randy, Bob and David. They asked me what my favorite sexual position was and I said Lit Reactor and they asked if they could come live with me and I said okay and they followed me home. And that is my Enchanted Forest story so I'm totally game to go to another Enchanted Forest. I mean, who knows what I will bring home this time?
there's also a stand up comedy event and silent auction to benefit Ron Shock. he has cancer, and all the proceeds will go to helping with his expenses.
I went to the Enchanted Forest when I was little. Last Century. There were a lot of slides (wink, wink) and it was quite enchanted. It is probably even better now. I bet Randy and Bob and David would have a ball.
Hiya. I'm new to this literactor thing, (virgin post) but I'd like to attend the Frost event on 3/22 as well as the Shock benefit on 3/31.
I live in SW Portland and want to get morre involved in Portland writing events. Just want to introduce myself and tell you I'm on the radar.
Hello stripedthing. You into unicorns? I think maybe Randy needs some virgin meat. He's got a small pink dong and a bad case of limp horn but other than that he tells a wicked joke and farts rainbows. Can you shake your stick at that?!
Hello Portlanders, I will be visiting your neck of the woods the first week of April. Anything happening? If no, where's a good place for me to land if I want to do some people watching (by which I mean research for future writings) and drinking?
@stripe: good to have you. the frost thing is gonna be packed (jim says this to me last night) but it promises to be one of the most memorable readings i have ever been to. and i saw chuck palahniuk hand out severed arms and tell a story about how his box of arms got to colorado before he did, and were mistakenly given to the author of ROCK AND A HARD PLACE (later the movie 127 hours) who cut his arm off....
Smallpresspalooza is tonight at Powell's. I'm going to take a bus down there once I figure something out concerning a story.
Thanks Nikki and Charles! @Nikki: Stripedthing does sound like a porn name doesn't it. Hmm. Nope, not into unicorns but maybe leprechaun with pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. Since I'm Irish I am happy to celebrate this week with a pint of Guiness.
@Charles I look forward to the 22nd. How will I know you, will you wear a red carnation behind your ear?
Is anyone going to Cheryl Strayed reading at Powell's on the 21st? I'll be there with bells on!
Love that so many Portland authors are seeing such success. Huzzah!
@stripe: im probably the only long-haired wheelchair user who is also a published author and underpaid freelance photographer in town. BUT in case im not, i'll probably be wearing a black leather jacket and some sort of outdated dress casual headpiece.
