• What we’re all about

Fresh Ground Stories

Fresh Ground Stories

Monthly Archives: May 2017

Thank you :)

29 Monday May 2017

Posted by Paul Currington - Fresh Ground Stories in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Thanks to everyone who came out Thursday and helped make it such a great night. I say all the time that FGS is the best night of the month for me but last Thursday was something special.

Bill started off the evening with a hilarious story of trying to buy a new car but not wanting the salesman to know that one of his requirements is that it’s big enough to sleep in. I was happy to find out that I’m not the only one who buys cars based on that metric. If you’ve ever had to live in your car it’s always in the back of your mind that you might have to do it again one day. I’m pretty sure that no one driving a Mini Cooper has ever been homeless.

Dan, a first-timer, followed that with a story that went straight into my heart. He told us the story of his 25-year marriage ending and the first kiss a year later that gave him hope that maybe one day he could find love again. I know what it’s like to feel like you’ll never be kissed again. It’s the worst feeling in the world. I wish I could go back and tell every woman who kissed me after years of loneliness and tell them how much it meant to me.

I was very happy I pulled Stephanie’s name out of Mr. Coffee because she got bumped last month and I hate having to look at someone when they give me the “two times in a row?” face. Stephanie has an interesting hobby of getting a tattoo for each adventure she’s been in around the world. Next time I see her at FGS I’m checking her arms for new ink to see if she’s telling a story that night.

Colby told a touching story of having to give up his career as a healer and it reminded me of all the people who have helped me heal through various techniques. I can’t imagine what it would be like for them if they lost that ability. When I listened to the story again I heard something I missed the first time. He also talked about how sometimes we give up one thing in order to get something else and how different that is from losing something and getting nothing in return. That’s a situation I rarely hear spiritual people talking about and now it’s something that I’m going to be thinking about for a while. Thank you Colby.

We had so many great tellers last night I feel like I’m letting you down by not telling you about all of them. Unfortunately, I only have so much time to get this email out and you only have so much time to spend reading it. I wish I could tell you about Janet falling out of a raft in Zambia and instead of being eaten by crocodiles she was rescued by the the most handsome man in Africa. And I’d love to talk more about how Eric grew up with the coolest dad in the world who played air guitar in the living room and still sends his son classic rock mix tapes. Unfortunately, all I have time to say is that if you weren’t there that night you missed a great show.

One teller I want to take time to thank personally is a woman I’d never seen before. I don’t know if she wants her name out there so I’ll just call her C. I happened to standing next to Mr. Coffee when C put her name in and I could tell she was having a rough night. Her eyes were red and puffy and she hesitated before writing her name down. We talked for a moment and she told me a little bit about the story she wanted to tell. I told her I didn’t know a safer place to tell that story in public than where she was.

The story she told was how the year she didn’t make the usual call to her little brother to wish him a happy Thanksgiving. She found out later that it was the night she lost him to suicide. Even though her story was heartbreaking for me to hear I was grateful she chose us to share it with. I don’t know another group of people, who are mostly strangers to each other, who could receive that story with the grace and compassion that you guys did. Thank you for supporting C and all the other tellers over the years who have told these difficult stories. And thank you C for having the courage to tell it. It made a difference to me and I know it did for others.

I wish I could name everyone who told that night but I don’t have my notes with me and I don’t want to forget anyone. As always, special thanks to the first-timers, though, many of whom had never been onstage before. You guys always amaze me.

The audio levels on the recording were a little low but still worth keeping. It just means you’ll have to either turn up the volume or wear headphones. I’m still trying to get this audio stuff dialed in. Send me an email if you told a story that night and I’ll send you the audio of your performance. I only send audio to the people who told a story and it’s only of the story they told. A lot of the stories were hear at FGS are pretty personal so I don’t send them out to anyone but the teller.

Our next show in June 22 and the theme is “Stories of Discovering What You Love.” I’ll get the invite out as soon as I can.

One last thing before I go. I forgot to mention at Roy St. that Transportationchoices.org is hosting a storytelling show and they’re looking for people with public transit stories. If you have a 3-5 minute story about something memorable that happened to you on the bus or other form of public transit they’d love to hear it. I’m not sure if you should just show up at the event or if you need to contact them beforehand so email Rachel Logo at rachel@transportationchoices.org for details.

I pasted the text of her email below:

“I wanted to reach about a program we have coming up that I thought might be of interest to you and your audience. This June we are celebrating public transportation, with our annual Ride Transit Month program, which includes prizes, fun events, and more! On June 15th we are presenting a special live storytelling event that highlights the unique way that transit connects to people, places and community. We are looking for riders of all kinds to share a short 3-5 minute story of a moment they have had on transit.

I’d love to make sure there’s the opportunity for all voices to be included in this event, and would appreciate any help connecting with voices and stories that don’t always get heard.

Transit Talks – Moments in Motion

https://www.facebook.com/events/202917646892106/

Date: June 15th, 6pm

Location: Jewelbox Theater

Reserve your spot

https://transportationchoices.secure.force.com/donations/CnP_PaaS_EVT__ExternalRegistrationPage?event_id=a28A0000001IcX4IAK

To celebrate Ride Transit Month this June we are bringing you a very special version of our quarterly Transit Talks: Moments in Motion. This live storytelling event will feature a collection of stories about connections, told by riders of all kinds, about a moment they’ve had on transit.

A conversation with a stranger, an unexpected reunion, a date. It can all happen when we step out of our bubbles and onto transit.

These true stories will highlight the unique ways that public transportation connects us to people, places, and community.”

That’s all I got, though I suppose it’s enough given the length of this email. I hope you’re all out enjoying the weather. Remember the sunblock! We live in the PNW and are defenseless against the sun.

Paul

freshgroundstories@gmail.com

Advertisement

See you this Thursday!

24 Wednesday May 2017

Posted by Paul Currington - Fresh Ground Stories in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

I hope to see you at our next show coming up on Thursday.
 
Here are a couple of stories from last month’s show to whet your appetite 🙂
 
One from our regular, Lauren:
https://soundcloud.com/paul-currington-45306251/fgs-lauren-never-in-a-million-years-4-27-2017
 
and another from first-timer, Sam:
https://soundcloud.com/paul-currington-45306251/fgs-sam-never-in-a-million-years-4-27-2017
 
The theme of the night was “Never in a million years”

Got any family mysteries laying around?

17 Wednesday May 2017

Posted by Paul Currington - Fresh Ground Stories in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Hi Guys,

I was just contacted by one of the producers of a new podcast called, “Family Ghosts.” He’s looking for true stories from families that have been haunted, in a way, by something that happened to their family in the past. Below is the text I copied directly from Sam’s email:

______________________________________

Here’s a quick breakdown of the Family Ghosts project:

Each episode will feature someone investigating the truth behind a person whose legacy has haunted their family for generations – an aunt who vanished without a trace, a father who turned out to have a secret family, a cousin who absconded with the family fortune, etc. In each episode, we’ll hear the dinner-table version of these stories that’ve been making the rounds for years – and then we’ll dig into what actually happened, potentially altering the narrator’s perception of themselves and where they come from.

I’m looking for stories that can hold a listener’s attention for about 30-45 minutes – so naturally these will have to be stories with high stakes, rich characters, lots of history, and difficult questions at the center. Most importantly, I’m interested in what’s important to the storyteller about getting to the bottom of this mystery – what effect they think it might have on their life, and why. If you want to get a feel for it, the pilot episode is available from iTunes, or you can stream it here: https://megaphone.link/PPY1805389984.

___________________________________

This sounds like a really cool project and I hope some of you send Sam a brief summary of a story from your family that might fit the podcast. Send all your pitches to: familyghosts@panoply.fm. Use the same address for any questions you have.

I actually pitched my own family mystery to him earlier today and I’m curious to see what he and his team think of it. I’ll let you know what happens.

Leave a comment here on our page if you do send one in. I’d love to know how many stories he gets from FGS people 🙂

Paul

FGS storytellers doing good things.

16 Tuesday May 2017

Posted by Paul Currington - Fresh Ground Stories in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Hi Guys,

Some more special storytelling events just popped up and I want to pass on the info to anyone who’d like to attend.

The first is a storytelling fundraiser for NAMI that’s produced by one our own FGS tellers, Bill Bernat. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and even though we aren’t partnered with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) we do get a lot of stories at our show that focus on recovering from mental health issues. NAMI is one of the organizations working to make it ok to talk about this stuff more openly so I try to do anything I can to help them.

Naturally, I’m super happy NAMI asked Bill to help them with their first Seattle storytelling show and I’m honored that he asked me and another FGS teller, Jenny Heddin, to perform at this show along with the NAMI tellers. Below is an email straight from Bill with more info.

___________________

Hello,

In celebration of mental health month (May), Seattle’s Great Wheel will be lit green for three days leading up to the NAMI WA premier event: Mental Health Stories: The Brainpower Chronicles.

I have held a series of workshops with six amazing storytellers selected by NAMI. The tellers have been working extremely hard to prepare–it will be a riveting show with a strong message of recovery and hope. I’ll be hosting.

The show is May 20th at 7pm at the beautiful Taproot Theater in Greenwood (Seattle). You can get more information here:

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Seattle-Great-Wheel-Going-Green-for-Mental-Health-Month.html?soid=1119340035877&aid=xucg-VPaqFc

Because it is a fundraiser, pricing is between $50 and $100. For those who would like to attend but would have difficulty at those prices, please call or write NAMI at 206-783-4288 or office@namiwa.org and they will work with you to make it doable.

If this interests you, I look forward to seeing you there!

Cheers,
-billb
Bill Bernat

___________________________

If you can’t make it to the NAMI show there are two other places to hear some great personal stories in the next couple of weeks.

This Friday, “Something to Tell,” Tacoma’s only storytelling open mic will start at 7pm at the B Sharp Cafe.

Big Tim, who you might have heard tell at FGS, just started running it and he’d love to see some folks from Seattle come down and tell a story. I’ll be there this week along with anyone I can get from Olympia to come with me.

Something To Tell

Tacoma, WA
29 Members

Tacoma’s only open mic storytelling show where people tell true stories about their lives based on the theme of the night. We hold it the third Friday of each month from 7-9pm…

Next Meetup

“I never really thought it would play out that way. …”

Friday, May 19, 2017, 7:00 PM
2 Attending

Check out this Meetup Group →

Also, on the 26th, Folklife is happening and I think it’ll be the first time they’ll be doing personal storytelling like the kind you here at FGS and The Moth. David Schumer, FGS’s official doctor, will be telling a story about The World’s Most Hateful Llama. That may not be the actual title but that’s how I always remember it.

Tantalizing Tales Showcase

http://sched.co/AbUF
Fri. May. 26th
8:00 PM – 8:25 PM
Folklife Café

That’s all the news from the Seattle storytelling world. If I hear about anything else I’ll just put in on our Facebook page so you can just check there once in a while.

Paul

3 Storytelling opportunities coming up

07 Sunday May 2017

Posted by Paul Currington - Fresh Ground Stories in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Hi Everyone,

Below are three great opportunities to catch some great storytelling in Seattle.

Next Sunday, David Schumer, one of our regulars, is hosting Seattle Words n Music. You’ll see storytellers you’ve heard at FGS here and in between stories you’ll see some cool musicians. I always enjoy this show and it’s a great way to support the people you’ve seen tell stories at Roy Street.

Click the link below for full description and a short video teaser:
http://shoutout.wix.com/so/cLkYuhA_?cid=ef26a55d-7396-46e4-9be2-5b0a1971f175#/main

Seattle Words n Music 5
The “Gotcha” show
Stories with shocking twists
Sunday may 14th 7pm
Jewelbox Theatre in Belltown
tickets $12.50 online

The Seattle Storytellers Guild has some really interesting events that I like to attend when I’m in town. You can find their monthly event listing below.
http://seattlestorytellers.org/ssg/home.html

Lastly, the LA-based storytelling show Risk! asked me to send along a request for stories for their Seattle show next month. Risk! is a great podcast and their live shows are always fun. If you have a story you’d like to pitch them read the info below and send one in. It’d be great to hear one of our FGS tellers on the podcast or see them perform at the Vera Project downtown. I copy-and-pasted the email from them below. If you have any questions please email them directly.

Send pitches to: pitches@risk-show.com

Submission deadline: 5/13/17
RISK! Live Show
The Vera Project
305 Harrison Street
Show date: 6/10/17
Showtime: 7:30 PM

“Theme: Destructive (Stories are not required to fit under this theme. It’s just a jumping off point to help you brainstorm about stories you have. We cast excellent true stories over stories that simply fit the theme but are less compelling.)

RISK! Is a live show and podcast “where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public” hosted by Kevin Allison, of the legendary TV sketch comedy troupe The State. RISK! has featured people like Janeane Garofalo, Lisa Lampanelli, Kevin Nealon, Margaret Cho, Marc Maron, Sarah Silverman, and regular folks from around the world, dropping the act and showing a side of themselves we’ve never seen before. The RISK! podcast gets over 1.5 million downloads each month. Slate.com called it “jaw-dropping, hysterically funny, and just plain touching.”

RISK! is not like other storytelling shows. It’s “where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public.” We encourage our storytellers to step out on a limb, be brutally candid and emotionally raw. This is an uncensored show where taboos are tackled and people talk about things they ordinarily might not share in mixed company, but might save for their therapist.

To hear some of our stories, go to http://risk-show.com/listen

For more information about what we look for in story pitches and how to submit, go to http://risk-show.com/submissions and send us your pitch by 5/13/17 to be considered!”

That’s all I got for you. I hope you’re all having a great time in the sun 🙂

Paul
freshgroundstories@gmail.com

← Older posts

Follow Us on Meetup

  • Meetup

Fresh Ground Stories

Fresh Ground Stories

Rules and General Info

  • What we’re all about
Follow Fresh Ground Stories on WordPress.com

Recent Posts

  • FGS: Starting Over – Stories of moving forward
  • Thank you!
  • See you tomorrow!
  • Good news!
  • December’s show is cancelled due to storyworthy 24 hours

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • October 2013
  • June 2013
  • January 2013
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
stats for wordpress

Recent Comments

FGS: Strangers… on Storytelling Rules and Gu…
FGS: Cravings… on Storytelling Rules and Gu…

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Fresh Ground Stories
    • Join 47 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Fresh Ground Stories
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar