Tuesday, November 8, 2016

An Election Poem


A student asked who I was
voting for

I said
"I can't tell or
sway you
only provide tools
to cast your own when it's
your turn."

She was confused,
So I said

"Ask yourself my expectations as your teacher

Nice words
Kind hands
Constant learning
Complicated solutions
Books
Music
Love
An open mind

I want for my country the same as my classroom
Nothing more. Nothing less.

Ask yourself which candidate would be most welcome here."

The student nodded and said

"I think I get your point."

Friday, November 4, 2016

Fearless Friday -- Breathing New Life Into a Blog Series

UPDATED 11/6/2016: It's been two days since I livestreamed "One Man Band" on Facebook, and the response was great!

You can view the live video here!

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Authors (especially debut authors) spend a lot of time being scared. Of rejection. Of strangers reading our work. Of reviews. Of writing the next book. So facing our fears is a part of our process.

Before my first publisher closed down, I was a member of the Fearless Fifteeners debut author group (I still consider myself an honorary 15er, but that's another post).

During my time with the group, I got some of my fellow debuters to participate in a blog series called FEARLESS FRIDAYS, where one author on one Friday would face one of their fears.

We ended up with some pretty cool posts. An author read the worst line from their first unpublished manuscript. Another slept in a room with creepy dolls. Another sang in a video. And I walked out onto the Skydeck at Sears Tower (never Willis Tower) in this silly video to face my horrible fear of heights:



I loved hosting this blog series, and I want to try it again.

So I'm kickstarting it later this afternoon by Facebook Livestreaming a song, performed with multiple instruments, entirely by myself with the help of a JamMan looping station.

I may do well, or I may blow the whole thing. I'm afraid it will be the latter. But isn't that the point? I'm scared to do it, but I'm going to do it anyway.

Connect with me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/mike.grosso.12 and wait for the stream to start between 5:00 and 5:30 this afternoon, right before you enjoy your wonderful dinner.