This month we’re going back to a theme we haven’t done since 2015. “Fish out of water – Stories of not fitting in.”

Every one of us, no matter how mainstream we may look to others, has felt like we don’t fit in. Back in 2015, I told the story of how my mother was a missionary and how embarrassing it was as a kid to knock on strangers’ doors and talk about religion. It was 30 years before I revealed that to anyone. I suppose that experience might have prepared me to start doing comedy and storytelling later on but I can’t help but think there were better ways to learn those skills. At the very least, it taught me the importance of minding my own business, and how to go from a smile to a slammed door in two seconds.

But that’s the kind of story we’re looking for. Come tell a story about a time when you didn’t fit in. What was it and how did you handle it? What did you learn? Do you still feel that way today? Are you grateful for what you learned or do you wish you had never had to deal with it?

Remember to practice your story out loud on as many people as possible and time yourself when you’re doing it. All stories have to be under 8 minutes. Stories can be as short as you want but not over 8 minutes. Stories also have to be clean in both language and content. Send me an email if you have any questions about that.

The rest of the rules and guidelines are below:

Storytelling Rules and Guidelines

Workshops are a great way to get feedback on a story you’re working on. Here is one I highly recommend. It’s run by two people who have told many times at FGS and other shows in the area:  

https://www.meetup.com/Fresh-Ground-Stories-Storytelling-Workshop/

I’m also happy to help anyone with a story they’re working on. Send me an email and we can set up a phone call.

See you on Thursday, October 19 at 7 pm, at the Chabad of Queen Anne – Magnolia. 1825 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 (Remember, no non-kosher food in the building)

Paul

Freshgroundstories at gmail dot com

Thank you for such a great night! Mr. Coffee was overflowing with names but I couldn’t bear to bump anyone to next month so the show went longer than usual. We also had three amazing first-timers share stories with us who I hope will come back and share more. 

Life has been busy this week so I’m not able to get my usual overly-ambitious 1,200 word thank you email out this month. But if you missed the show, know that you missed a great one.

I’ll get the invite out to the October 19th show later today. In the meantime, I want to let you know that Susan Fee, one of our long-time regular tellers, was on The Moth podcast last week. I loved her story so of course I have to share it with you.

https://themoth.org/storytellers/susan-fee

Thanks again to everyone who told a story last week and everyone who supported them. Extra special thanks to Obie, Ashley, and Chad who talked to me after the show about my own story and how my issues around money can be overcome. There was a lot of love in the room that night. It means a lot that they would talk to me afterward about their own experiences with what I was talking about onstage.

Two of the three recorders worked that night so send me an email if you told a story and would like the audio from it.

Hope to see you all next month on the 19th! The theme is “Fish Out of Water – Stories of not fitting in.”

Paul

Hi Everyone,

I hope you’re looking forward to next week’s show and that some of you are bringing stories to share. I’m working on a new story myself this month and I hope to have it ready by Thursday. It starts in 2015 and ends a week ago. It has to do with a princess, the UN, and a giant hat. I know, it sounds like a fable, but it’s all true. 

Here’s the invite for more info on the show: https://www.meetup.com/fresh-ground-stories/events/295102140/

I’ve also asked one of our regular tellers, Zoe, to tell a story about The Beatles that I hadn’t heard in years until she told it again at a show in her backyard last month. She shared the story with us back in 2017 and hearing it again made me want to hear it again. 

Our friends in Burien have their own 7Stories show the day after FGS on Friday the 22nd. They still have openings if you’d like to tell. This month’s theme is Reinventing Yourself – Stories of Transformation. Follow this link below for more info. https://burienculturehub.org/7stories Sept. 22 · 7:00 – 8:30.

Write me if you have any questions or want help on a story. 

See you Thursday!

Paul

Freshgroundstories at Gmail dot com

Hi Everyone,

There’s an old saying in storytelling, “Don’t kill your audience.” I like that saying. It’s a good one. And it’s why I’m postponing Thursday’s show until next month on September 21. 

If you’ve been to the shows this summer, you know how hot our room can get on a normal day. I don’t want to find out what it’s like when it’s 90 outside and no AC inside. We’ll keep the same theme for September so everyone who worked on a story for this month can tell their story next month.

The silver lining in moving the show to September is that I will have a story of my own to share. I’ve been waiting for one piece of information I need in order to finish it and I wasn’t sure I would have it by Thursday. But I’ll definitely have the info by next month so you’ll get to hear a rare new story from me.

You’re also going to get a story from a special guest teller I invited to share with us. She’s a regular FGS’er who hasn’t told with us in quite a while. She told it at a story show she held in her backyard last weekend and I loved it so much that I asked her to tell it at our next show. It’s a story that happened 43 years ago that brought back a lot of memories for me.

That’s all for now. I’ll get the Meetup invite changed to September 21. Stay cool and take care of yourselves. I don’t want anyone to get a story about heatstroke this week.

See you next month.

Paul

Freshgroundstories at gmail dot com

It’s just under a week until our next show on Thursday, August 17. The theme is “Close Calls – Stories of things that almost happened but didn’t”. I hope you can make it.

https://www.meetup.com/fresh-ground-stories/events/295102140/

I’m also excited to tell you that one of our FGS tellers is getting ready to perform in the NYC Moth Grand Slam next week. I was so happy when Harjas emailed me a few weeks ago to ask for feedback on the story he was preparing to tell. It’s always a joy to help people on a story so don’t be shy about asking me for help whether you’ll be telling at FGS or not.

Here’s a beautiful story Harjas told last year at a Moth slam. I think it’s the story that qualified him to perform in the grand slam.

We also have a wonderful free monthly workshop that anyone can attend on Zoom.

https://www.meetup.com/fresh-ground-stories-storytelling-workshop/

I also might have some exciting news about how storytelling can change your life. I’m still waiting on confirmation but if I have it by Thursday I’ll let everyone know what it is at the show.

That’s all for now. Hope to see you next Thursday at the show!

Paul

Freshgroundstories at gmail dot com