Hi All,

Before I get to the reminder for this week’s show, I want to thank everyone who donated to the GoFundMe campaign to help me get a new computer. Thanks to Tracey, one of our regulars, it was completely unexpected. She knows me well enough to know I’d never ask for help so she did it on the sly. Thank you, Tracey. I was at the point of asking friends to borrow their computer once a month so I’d have a machine that could handle a Zoom show.

FGS will always be free to everyone because I think we need a place to share stories without wondering if someone’s making money off them. Luckily, there are other people who feel the same way. Dave, who runs the monthly FGS storytelling workshop, doesn’t make a penny off it. Bill, who runs the weekly Stay Awesome storytelling workshop, doesn’t charge either. And I’m always willing to help people with their stories over the phone for free as well. 

I happily support anyone who does want to make money from storytelling because running a show is never free, and talent deserves to be paid. But for me, it’s always been about making friends and helping people figure themselves out through storytelling. So support shows and tellers with money when you can, and FGS will always be here for you’re living in Medina or in your car at the Park & Ride in Lacey like I was when I was telling stories in bars.

Thanks again for the ability to get a computer made in this decade. I’m finally able to record the shows again so I can give any teller a copy of their story if they want it. I’ve been doing that for years and it was hard not being able to do it on our Zoom shows. 

Here’s the official reminder that our next show is coming up this Thursday. We have a bunch of new people telling stories and that’s always exciting for me. Also, my son is going to tell a story. If you’ve ever been to one of our live shows you know how nervous that makes me. I never know what he’s going to say and I think he secretly likes seeing me sweat. So if you want to see a nervous dad, tune in on Thursday 🙂

I’ll be sending out the Zoom registration link Wednesday afternoon to everyone in the Meetup group. Let me know If you don’t get that email by 5 pm so I can send you the link personally. 

Here’s a little storytelling inspiration to get you through till Thursday. It looks like it’s from one of the Moth’s school shows. I wish something like The Moth’s story education program had existed when I was a kid. That really would have saved me.

 BTW – If anyone knows where Mrs. Knutson is who taught 12th grade English at West Anchorage High in 1984 would you tell her I turned out ok?

Hope to see a bunch of you this Thursday 🙂

Paul
freshgroundstories@gmail.com