#YayLife: @SaintPepsi in Los Angeles

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet Jordan. He's been writing for us for a while now ... actually come to think of it, he was one of the first writers on this site - so he's been here a superly duperly long time. He lives in Kansas, and recently came out to LA to hang out. Hit it Jordan!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @SaintPepsi

So, when you are completely submerged in social media it goes without saying that you will no doubt know people in other states. You may even know more than a few and for me it's quite a lot. I know people all over this world and I interact with them daily through the beauty of social media.  Leaving our digital mark on people from coast to coast. So, when it comes to facebook and twitter you will see events posted that are usually a little outside of your driving distance. Let's just say I tend to get invited to things in California a lot. While I appreciate the fact that I have been invited by my friends in these other cities, generally it's slightly depressing to turn down all these exciting events. So when my dear friend Crystal invited me to her birthday in LA. I was done saying no. I hopped on Expedia and checked ticket prices. Oddly enough only three weeks before her birthday I found a round trip flight for 250 bucks (found out later that was because of Carmageddon). How could I say no to that? I asked for the time off from work and booked my flight. She was obviously stunned and super excited I was coming and I was just as excited to take a vacation. Also, it was 110 degrees in Kansas and only like 80 in LA. So I couldn't wait to get out of this Hell-like sauna. My flight left on a Thursday and to supplement my loss of hours and therefore income, I had picked up a few art commissions. I got them finished the night before I left at around 4. I had to pack on the fly in the morning to head out to LA. I forgot some pictures I wanted to give to some of my friends that I had drawn, but over all a pretty decent packing job.

I took off from Manhattan around 10 in the morning. I had a date with a beautiful girl named Alex in Lawrence. What better way to kick off a vacation than in the company of a beautiful artist? Swung into Lawrence and picked her up; we went to Free State Steak house on Mass. Street and had an amazing lunch and some fantastic beers. Check out Free State if you have a chance. One of my best friends from high school is actually a brew-master there. He recommended a Cyclone Black Lager and my god; these are heaven for beer drinkers. We went back to her place and she showed me her paintings and no that is not a crude double entandre. She's a really amazing artist. Took off from there and headed to the airport stopping of for a bit to chill with my sister in law. The plane was on time which is good because the flight right next to ours had some complications. Those complications were that the pilot and the stewardesses were still at the hotel. SHADY!!!! lol. Flew out for Salt Lake City and from there to LA. I forgot how much I hate flying. I am way too tall for flying. I really really do not fit into planes. Landed in LA and Crystal was already at the airport ready to go. We drove back to her place and the news was all a twitter about the impending Carmageddon. Pretty relaxing night that first day though; I just read Crystal a part of a book from one of my favorite authors Fritz Lieber. Check this man out his works are super awesome as far as reading goes especially if you like buddy fantasy works.

Day 1 in LA. The adventure begins. Saw Crystal off to work and prepped for my day in Beverly Hills, where she lives. Threw on my Chucks and walked down to Beverly Hills shopping district. Last time I was in LA I discovered this place called Nonna's Empanada's, some seriously good food if you have a chance and it's very reasonably priced. Then I headed over to The Beverly Hills Bloomingdales shopping center to find a nice shirt. We were going to be going to a really nice place to eat that night and I had only packed one nice shirt. I'm a T-shirt and jeans kind of guy. So I meandered all over this mall and found nothing in the way of nice shirts except Plaid. Read my rant here. When I did finally find a really awesome shirt I thought it was 42 bucks; which I still thought was pricey... nope 420 bucks. Hell NO!!. No one should ever spend that much on a shirt. Like EVER! Walking back to Crystal's in defeat I hopped on my computer and wrote up my frustrations. After I was done with that I took a smoke break. I have recently quit smoking but I took it back up for a road trip. I know I'm dumb but dropping it again this week. Still had I not stepped outside for a smoke I would have never noticed Jason Bateman on the other side of the street doing an interview for CBS. HOLY CRAP!!!! I love Jason Bateman. So I casually sauntered over, after I was sure the interview was over and said, “Hey!” He was super nice. I told him I had just flown in from Kansas and he commented, “Wow! Just in and you have already had your Hollywood moment with a big actor.” I said I loved his work and called him fantastically amazing. He turned to the apparently still rolling camera and asked if they got that. I laughed and he asked me if I had seen Horrible Bosses yet. I hadn't but I promised him I would. I caught a photo with him and keeping my composure walked away without geeking out in a big way. I uploaded it to facebook and holy balls my feed and phone blew up like fireworks. I guess I have the luck of the devil. I attribute my lucky read excited robot shirt to it. I will say I kept my promise and saw Horrible Bosses. That movie is a laugh a second you should all go see it. Great cast and fantastic one liners. Also the old spice guy has a cameo. I LOVE THAT GUY!!!

(I ALSO MADE THE CBS NATIONAL NEWS!!! Click here to watch)

That night Crystal's boyfriend Eugene, his friend Morpheus, and I went out to Yamashiro's which I can safely say is the best Sushi Restaurant I have been to in the states. We had some amazing food and the waitress was a friend of Crystal's and kept hooking us up with drinks because of Crystal's Birthday. The view at this place was incomparable. Stepping out I looked across the shimmering surface of LA. There are no words to describe the beauty of LA at night. I had told Jen I would meet up with her at Barny's Beanery at 9 but our dinner ran a little late. So I got there around 10. Jen, Kristi, and I proceeded to get our drink on. It was interesting to see Jen interact with the men that seemed to champion awkward around her. This one fellow got into a conversation with her and I leaned over and asked Kristi if she thought Jen had tuned off yet. Having read a lot of Jen's articles I knew it was something she did if she lost interest in the conversation. What I had forgotten was Jen's uncanny super power for hearing anything in a 50 foot radius. She answered the question. If she hadn't tuned out yet she certainly did when this guy said he didn't think twitter was a big deal and that social media in general was just a fad. The understanding that passed between Jen and I in a single expression spoke volumes. So as the night went on Kristi, her BF (whom happened to be from Kansas too, weird right?) and I met some guy who had directed something Kristi was in and we all got to talking. The bars closed and I said my goodbye to Jen knowing I probably wouldn't see her again as she's a busy little bee in LA. We took off down the street with our new friends. All of us very over the legal limit and glad I wasn't driving. Hung out at the director’s house and had a beer. Except to my surprise the thing I thought was a beer was in fact a THC beer. It was called Orange Hydrotonic and it laid me on my ass. I was now drunk and high. Really high. Kristi let me crash out at her place that night thank god, because walking back to North Hollywood would have been near impossible in that state. (side note- Kristi is a pretty well known voice actress in anime and let’s just say I was a bit of an otaku for quite a while. Still geeking out about hanging out with her too.) So the night ended there under a license plate on the wall from K-state of a wildcat... my home town lol.

Saturday I woke up and bid Kristi and her man goodbye and started what turned out to be quite a long walk back to Crystal's boyfriend’s house. I did get to walk through Hollywood again though. Probably took me an hour and a half but I made it with a little more color on my skin. I promptly got made fun of for walking, apparently no one in LA walks. When I got there everyone was packing up to head out and prep for the party. So I hopped in with Eugene and Morpheus and we took off to run errands. This was kind of a big deal as this was the start of Carmageddon. Carmageddon really should have been called Carmaheaven. No one was on the freeway or roads for that matter. We got all the stuff we needed from Costco and headed to China town to pick up the cake for Crystal's birthday from Phoenix Bakery. This place is a legend for having some of the best pastries in the country. I got some pastries while I was there. Seriously, heaven in your mouth. Back to Eugene's to clean up and get ready for the crazy night ahead of us. The party was scheduled to start at 8. But in classic Hollywood fashion everyone showed up 1 to 2 hrs after the start time (actually, this is the fashion for all parties everywhere until you get married and only invite other married people over). It was a lot of friends I had made when I was here for Halloween last year and some new faces as well. I felt way more at home this time and had a blast. Gotta say Stan Kent was one of the jewels of the party. This man is in all ways amazing, so check him out. Also got to hang with one of Crystal's Ex’s Kino, who is a super cool artist. I gotta love artists whenever I meet them, especially when they have succeeded in the industry. So I may have gotten a little drunk that night and by a little I mean pretty smashed and that lead to smoking someone's hash pipe. Having never had hash this left me somewhat debilitated. In fact, after eating a decent amount of Crystal's cake I ended up out for the count and woke up the next morning. Luckily, the party was in the wind down state and I was all the way down. A good night for sure. No drama and everyone seemed to have had a great time.

Sunday was a total rehab day. Pretty much just cleaned up the house, went and had lunch at this place called Magnolia in Hollywood. The best ravioli you will ever have in your life. I was going to go to the new Harry Potter film with Kino later that night but ended up just relaxing and hanging out with Morpheus all day. Nothing to horribly exciting about Sunday.

Monday we were back at Crystal's and she went to work. I took off to the Beverly Hills area to get some of that amazing fruit they sell at those tiny fruit vendor stands. Had a long conversation with some homeless Asian lady who wanted me to buy her a sandwich. Headed back to the shopping center after to wait for Satine to pick me up and just drew random people walking around. Satine had intended to take me to a restaurant in the area. She had been following me on Twitter and knew I hadn't left the Beverly Hills, Hollywood area so we took a ride in her smart car to Santa Monica. It was a beautiful day and after a lying car garage told us it had spaces and didn't, we found a place to park and took off down third street to Monsieur Marcel's French Restaurant. We had fried Brie, Calamari, and Sheep Cheese. Neither of us had ever had sheep cheese. It was awesome. Just chilled there talking about all sorts of things and headed back to Beverly Hills around four. Satine was one of the highest points of my trip. She's so laid back and insanely gorgeous. This girl is the reason guys spend their lives looking for THE ONE. She's not only an artist but she's a super nerd and loves it. The two of us met through Jen and we have had the pleasure of collaborating on some art, too. For this company called Rao Entertainment. Still, Satine is super great at writing so check her stuff out. She dropped me off on Sunset where I met up with another friend of mine Shaiquann. He's putting together a website that I am doing art for as well. I talked with him for a while and walked back to Crystal’s where we were just going to chill for a bit before I hopped on the plane back to Kansas. Eugene stopped by and surprised us with a dinner at some Italian place off Santa Monica. Then it was off to the plane. Saying goodbye to Crystal was hard because of how rarely I get to see her. I was lucky I was able to sleep on the plane because for some reason we flew all the way to Georgia. Keep in mind I live in Kansas. That's half a continent out of the way. Getting home I had to get right to work and then after that had a pretty Epic Pub crawl with my Co-workers. I literally didn't get any sleep for about 6 days straight but it was worth it.

So that's my adventure to LA and back. Hope some of you were entertained by the craziness I get myself into.

#lovela

Click here to follow Jordan on twitter!

#BreakItDownNow: @SaintPepsi on Fashion

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet Jordan. He's been writing for us for a while now ... actually come to think of it, he was one of the first writers on this site - so he's been here a superly duperly long time. He lives in Kansas, and recently came out to LA to hang out. Here was his take on the fashion ... </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @SaintPepsi

Ok, I'm not going to claim to know everything there is to know about fashion. In fact, I'm generally a T-shirt and jeans kind of guy. Still, my friends and the girls I have dated have told me I've got an eye for it. So when I come to California; I get excited to see some fashion conscious peoples. While Kansas isn't that bad fashion wise, you are usually stuck with some pretty set fashion statements. One of those particular fashion statements is plaid. In fact my dad who is a farmer has been rocking plaid for his whole life. To my surprise and slight horror what did I find in every top notch fashion store? Plaid! I went to Armani, Prada, Hugo Boss, all over looking for a nice shirt for dinner tonight only to find my options were all in plaid. Had I known, I would have stolen some shirts from my dad. Because button up plaid shirts have been fashionable for farmers sense farming started. Even if I shelled out the cash for a designer plaid shirt here in LA, as soon as I stepped off the plane in Kansas I would be one of many in the agriculture area of fashion. I would have been endlessly mocked for wearing a plaid shirt that cost more than 10 bucks too. We are frugal people in Kansas.

Don't get me wrong plaids can be exciting with so many colors. Each of these colors interwoven and subtle. Plaids have a long and wonderful history. The Irish and Scottish used them to distinguish clans. I wonder are their certain clans in the fashion world that know who their enemies or allies are based on the colors of plaid they wear.  Do they walk by each other sneering and glaring with the intent to harm because their opposing clans plaid was worn so blatantly in public. Do runway models purposely bump into each other to show their dominance for their clans worn plaid. Maybe plaid is like gang affiliation colors of the modeling world. Sporting west side manufacturers or East side designers. Do battles go down in the dressing rooms with hair spray set to flame, and hair picks being thrown like shurikins. Screams of agony as a pleated plaid skirt gets ripped in the fray or a popped plaid collar gets put down in it's proper position. Breaking bottles of conditioner and raising forces of spartens over the colors of a tarten.  Checking others out with a fist of foundation for their checkered cloth choice. I can only assume the battle rages on as the models rush out for fear of joining the fray. So where did this surge of plaids come from in the fashion world.  What brought about this illogical leaning towards the fashion of the dust bowl.

This happened years ago when Nirvana made it big into the music scene with Flannel.  Yes sir yet another in the plaid family.  Flannel coats and shirts started popping up all over. This wasn't fashionable it was merely copying the clothing of the most influential band at that time. When asked about it Kurt Cobain said something to the effect that he didn't care about the fashion of it, he wore flannel because where we lived it was cold and flannel was comfy and warm. So in relation to that statement I wonder where button up plaid shirts got their fashion momentum. I'm thinking the large influx of country music in America. Honestly, I don't know. All I know is that paying 420 dollars for a Prada plaid shit that may be very nice; but still looks a lot like the same flannel my dad has been sporting for years just doesn't make sense. I got to say I feel like you are dropping the ball fashion industry. Last time I was here people were wearing winter gear in 80 degree weather. Why? Because it was the fashionable. I know it doesn't make sense. While I was in San Francisco it was fugly ugg boots and shorts or skirts. Sigh...

So in summary knock it off fashion world. Practical while it can be fashion, doesn't make one's head turn. I want jaw dropping inspiration. I want to be forced to rubber neck because your statement is spoken over a body no longer a blank canvas. Spin your woven wonders and place them on god's or rodeo drive plastic surgery's greatest works of art. Plaid may make a few heads turn in LA but give me a style that makes the world wonder of it's origins. Craft me perfections in the folds of cloth surrounding a goddess and gracing her with it's glory.

#truth

Click here to follow Jordan on twitter!

#MovingOn: Heartbreak in the key of Adele

Editor's Note: Jordan Mizell is a down to earth Kansas livin nerd, who like us all - tends to wear his heart a bit on his sleeve. He shares with you now his journey through heartbreak in the key of Adele. *sigh*

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @SaintPepsi

Adele is haunting me. Ever since my last relationship. Honestly, I don't know if I can call it a relationship. I will admit she drove me insane and I ended up committed to her. Still I'll stick by the assumption on my part that it was a relationship. That aside, the last time we were together before she kissed me goodbye and meant it, she introduced me to a musical artist named Adele. Now like most of you, I had heard Adele's music on the radio and so in the back of my mind I knew I had heard it before she had introduced me to it. However, I had never really listened to her music… if you know what I mean. Hearing and listening are different things. She told me to close my eyes and just listen. She said she wanted to watch me fall in love. I asked her, “haven't you witnessed that these last 4 months?” In retrospect possibly a damning thing to say - hind sight and all that jazz of my friends. So I listened and she was right this artist was amazing so soulful and powerful. So much raw untempered emotion in her words and voice. You cannot conceal the levels of passion and pain this woman brings to her music. When I got home I listened to both of her albums again and again. See at this time I was... well... unaware of my impending doom. Dun dun duuuuun.

So later that week when I got the call, yes the call. It would have happened in person, but there's like a two hour drive and neither of us would have wanted to make that drive, after that talk. So a call worked out fine, still way better than a text. The next day I had three teeth extracted, a friend threaten to commit suicide and ended up in jail, and another old friend died. It was a hard weekend. So I turned to my most recent discovery thanks to this girl. It's as if she knew I would need a soulful fixer. See Adele is great for breaking up if you think there is a chance of getting back together. I thought and hoped for a chance of renewed interest. To be honest there are vestiges left in my heart that will always hope for that. Here in lies the most damning thing ever about Adele's music. It's all about how she will do anything to get back together with this person. How she knows that everything could work out perfectly. How they were the best together and nothing will ever come close to what they had. She sings about how much better life would be if the couple that was, could be again. This becomes a problem after the first week of silence. I mean I should have been listening to Yael Naim, Lilly Allen, or Ingrid Michaelson. All artists that are positive for building back yourself motivation.

No dice though. I was listening to Adele and she was tearing at my soul like a dog tears at annoying stitches they got after a surgery at the vets office. I'd like to say I learned my lesson quickly and moved on to lighter music. Still that's not the way these stories ever go. I may have been a little down trodden for a while and good 'ole Adele keeps you down like no other. I cannot deny how absolutely beautiful her voice is. So it took about a month and I was able to pull myself away from her soul crushing lyrics and sympathetic voice, moving on to new music and new bands that I found. You can't just escape Adele like that though. Oh no! She is currently heavily played on the radio, not just any station either.  She is one of those artists that can bridge any category almost. Throw her in pop music, jazz, country even. Hell her songs are even being remixed and used in house music. She fits and because she fits there is no escaping her. At work, at the gym, driving somewhere and I even have her on my own personal music player. I ought to take her off that, but she's just so damn good. I can't exclude her from the countless other artist I have on there. I can only hope her songs don't come on back to back. She in fact usually ends up back to back with other songs that always bring me back to the love I had for this girl.

Let’s drop some lines from Adele's lyrics and examine just what draws our crushed souls into the meat grinder over and over again. Starting with, “Best for Last”

Why is it every time I think I've tried my hardest

It turns out it ain't enough, you're still not mentioning love

What am I supposed to do to make you want me properly?

I'm taking these chances and getting nowhere

And though I'm trying my hardest you go back to her

And I think that I know things may never change

I'm still hoping one day I might hear you say 

There you have it that's not... “OH wait” no that's very much so we could be great together because I'm trying everything in my power and yet you still won't accept my love. So as the person that gets broken up with and is stuck with hope, lyrics like these do not facilitate moving on - at all. Maybe that's a fluke let’s try a different song. Surely, they aren't all tempered in lost hope. Let’s move on to, “Chasing Pavements”

Should I give up,

Or should I just keep chasin' pavements?

Even if it leads nowhere

Or would it be a waste

Even if I knew my place

Should I leave it there

Should I give up,

Or should I just keep chasin' pavements

Even if it leads nowhere

Yeah this one's easily about moving on... NO! It's about constantly landing on your face in attempt after attempt to tell the one you love, about your love and hope they stop denying you. Do you know the definition of insanity? It's doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results… as the local AA/NA chapter would tell us.  Speaking of crazy! “Crazy for you”

Pacing floors and opening doors,

Hoping you'll walk through

And save me boy,

Because I'm too crazy for you.

Crazy for you

Illustrating just how insane we go for the ones we love. Especially, if that love is labored for and not returned. We are driven to madness. I remember crying and having panic attacks. I mean I'm an emotional person, but never THAT emotional. I had no idea what was going on. I had never had a panic attack. Those are fiendish, I just knew everything inside of me felt like it was collapsing. It became physically draining. Still I labored on with nothing but hope and always absent a “yes” or” no.” I was lost at sea without a light house to show me the rocks that were coming up quickly. Let's try “Melt my Heart to Stone.”

And I hear your words that I made up

You say my name like there could be an us

I best tidy up my head I'm the only one in love

I'm the only one in love

Oh that's better at least this one's admitting she's the only one in love. So there's a chance to move on from the wake of collapsing dreams. Wait for it... Nope! It continues.

Each and every time I turn around to leave

I feel my heart begin to burst and bleed

So desperately I try to link it with my head

But instead I fall back to my knees

As you tear your way right through me

I forgive you once again

Without me knowing

You've burnt my heart to stone

You see there just isn't any escape here. She'll turn on you so fast and bring you back to the hope and desire you displaced - like the Titanic when it sank to the bottom of the ocean. Showing just what horrors have been unleashed. Hopes floating to the surface and laying dead in the waves.There are no scars from this only a heart of stone. I would cut and paste from the song, “Make you feel my love,” but I'd have to paste the whole damn song. It's one whole homage to how great two people could be if given the chance. Let's knock out her radio hit, “Rolling in the Deep.”

The scars of your love remind me of us

They keep me thinking that we almost had it all

The scars of your love, they leave me breathless

I can't help feeling

We could have had it all

I see a theme. Do you see a theme? Seriously, all these lyrics only point to getting back with the person who threw you away or kept you on the side like a consolidation prize. Hoping that just the memory of what you had would bring them back to you. Clearly illustrated in, “Don't you Remember.”

Gave you the space so you could breathe,

I kept my distance so you would be free,

And hope that you find the missing piece,

To bring you back to me,

That was something I did. I gave her space and left her be. We all go through these trials hoping our diligence will pay off. In, “Set Fire to the Rain.” The very first song of her's I heard she brings it back with all sorts of pain again, admitting defeat. As if there is no chance to win. That your heart is lost forever and there is no saving it. Salvation is off the table.

But there's a side to you

That I never knew, never knew.

All the things you'd say

They were never true, never true,

And the games you play

You would always win, always win.

So how does Adele move on from defeat... She doesn't, she goes on looking for someone just like the person that left her. As illustrated in, “Someone Like You.”

Never mind

I'll find someone like you

I wish nothing but the best for you too

"Don't forget me," I begged

"I'll remember," you said

Sometimes it lasts in love

But sometimes it hurts instead.

Sometimes it lasts in love

But sometimes it hurts instead

So that's Adele for you. She's the most detrimental musician to listen to if you have any hope of reconciliation. She won't allow you to move on and even if you can move on, you are looking for someone like the last person you fell in love with. You are searching for heart break. You are searching for the same thing all over again. So really you aren't moving on, you are moving right back into that fire pit because to find someone just like that person would be a constant reminder that you lost the girl of your dreams. Just promise me as a collective audience you will never listen to Adele after someone you deeply care for breaks up with you. I wish I could conclude this by saying I moved on easily and that everything was alright and that it was a mental victory. That I learned so much about myself and how to avoid situations like this in the future. I guess that is all left to be seen. The world keeps on turning and I am in a better place now than I was a month age. The pain of what might have been peeks into my life here and there. Still, the lesson I am taking away from this is once you gave your all you can never allow yourself to pursue that person again. If they come for you it will be because they want you back. I will move on and life will offer me new and amazing things to experience. Of that I am sure. Still think through any relationship you are in and who is doing the giving and if that is almost equal. With that I'll leave you with true advice for those of you lost in the endless circle of hope or stuck in the friend zone. Let Adele open your eyes just a bit.

I'm tired of trying

Your teasing ain't enough

Fed up of biding your time

When I don't get nothing back

And for what, and for what, and for what

When I don't get nothing back

Boy I'm tired of trying

Your teasing ain't enough

Fed up of biding your time

When I don't get nothing back

And for what, and for what, and for what

When I don't get nothing back

Boy I'm tired

#nerdsunite

Click here to follow Jordan on Twitter!

#NerdsUnite: Confessions of a local celebrity

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @saintpepsi

I've been called a local celebrity, and I think it's only because I've lived in this town for far too long. I tend to blend into any group of people because I am generally, pretty social. I suppose this is good. Recently, I found out that I can even make my mark with the Frat-tastic community of Chads. Basically, the only group I've avoided in this town since I got here. Downing 3 beers in less than 2 min in a pony keg race will get you some mad cred with the GREEKS.  However, I'm not that big of a drinker... Well I'm a very big man so in that I guess I'm a big drinker. I rarely get drunk or even tipsy. I don't like losing control of my senses. This doesn't stop me from acting a little drunk, because let’s face it; you tend to act like the people you are around. If you hang out with people that have strong accents you'll walk away with a mock accent. At least I tend to pick up on and immerse myself into these situations. When people think you are drunk you're more approachable. Lord help me if I actually do get drunk. I have decent reasons not to I assure you. It usually involves the loss of clothing and while I have been losing weight I still shouldn't be naked in front of strangers. So why am I a local celebrity. Cause I'm a giant! You can not be as tall as me and not get noticed. I'm 6'6” and 258lbs. In one word, “EPIC!” The people who aren't intimidated by my size want to know about the giant in the room. I’m kind of like an elephant in a china shop.  This has afforded me the chance to talk with lots and lots of people. I have had so many random conversations with people and then never seen them again. The ones I do see again, I generally don't remember their names. I just don't feel the need to learn someone's name unless I'll be interacting with them more than once. Still they find me on facebook and twitter and attempt to add me anyway. Leaving me confused and wondering. Side note. Dear facebook, if someone tries to add you on facebook please allow their full profile to be seen.  I hate having to add people just to figure out who they are, only to delete them seconds later. Anyway, back to me. I know I'm a narcissist.

Being a local celebrity is interesting for sure. You can get free drinks anywhere. Seriously, once you know enough people, there are people that you won't see for a while every time you go out who want to buy you a drink and catch up. This is by far one of the coolest things that happens to me. You develop a legend that follows you around. Have you heard of Jordan? Well I heard this happened the last time he was out. For instance last night I slapped my friend in the face with a Jimmy John's Sandwich. View it here. Sometimes that legend is as fantastic story, other times it's crazy. You really can never tell what story about you people have heard when you meet them. One of the last girlfriend's I had hated it. Every time she went to tell her friends about the new man in her life they had already heard about me. So I guess it's not always a beneficial thing. Still I haunt this town like a ghost. Shifting through walls of peer groups seamlessly. Well for them anyways. I'm boisterous and easy to get along with. Still I never really have fit in with any set group. The closest I've come is with the Ella house crowd. Some friends of mine who all hang at the same dive bar. The other groups were the Manhattan goth crowd which has long sense gone the way of the buffalo. Each of these groups where closely regarded as elitist. Still when you got right down to it they were very non-judgmental and accepting so long as you weren't scared to approach thanks to their assumed status of eliteness.  This is what I look for in my core group of friends and let’s face it if you are non-judgmental you will most likely get along with everyone except judgmental people. So size aside, I think my acceptance of anyone I meet grants me access into everyone's lives. People so dearly desire to be accepted for who they are and not the front they have to put up to the world. I live my life without masks or lies. So while I'm brutally honest... I'm also someone you know will always give you the straight up truth. The people who don't know me will soon realize this. I've also been known to lose a bit of that PC censorship. My mouth gets me into trouble sometimes. Still generally I do this all with in the confines of random crazy situations so that it's passed off as another Jordan moment. So to those of you who don't know me and would like to send me a message I'll always respond and talk. Much like Jen. I'll always get back to you and let you know who I am. Message me first. Like I said above friend requests freak me out, especially if I have no idea who you are. 

#thatisall

#AwesomeSauce: Meet N' Greet ... with Sierra DeMulder

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @SaintPepsi

Have you ever had your mind melt out of your ears because of something someone said? Literally, I mean it. Just KO'd your brain so hard there is no way to recover from it. Final bout, you are left stammering and fall to the ground type of words. This recently happened to me, and I am, in my own opinion, pretty good with words. So to have someone come along and destroy my brain with lyrical content - blows me away. To say this girl is amazing is an understatement. Every word from her mouth comes with the potential to crumble buildings. She is so intense, you are literally on the edge of your seat until you realize you are falling.

It was another Auntie Mae's poetry night, in my hometown of Manhattan, KS. Yes we do have culture here. When my friend Michael Mlekodaj told me they would be having a special guest, I figured “cool.” The last time they had a special guest it was Uncomfortable Laughter another one of Michael’s connects - you may remember the article I wrote about them. Michael Mlekodaj knows some pretty rad poets, to say the least. What I didn't realize was just what we were about to see that night. For 45 min we got our minds professionally broken down and built back up by the one-and-only Sierra DeMulder. I am ashamed to say that as a fellow poet, I had not heard of her. I really should have done my homework before going to Mae's that night.

From her website:
 

Sierra DeMulder grew up in a tiny town in upstate New York.  She first encountered slam poetry at 14 when she watched her father compete (a morbidly embarrassing experience for her).  After getting her start with the Intangible Collective in 2007, she moved to Minnesota to pursue her interest in poetry and to slowly freeze to death. Sierra earned *Best Female Poet* at the College Union Poetry Slam Invitational in 2009.  Less than two months later, she was awarded a coveted publishing deal from Write Bloody Publishing, which lead to her first full-length book, *The Bones Below*, published in January 2010.  With Sierra’s help the St. Paul Slam Team won the 2009 National Poetry Slam in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Sierra continued on to rank ninth in the world in the Individual World Poetry Slam in Berkeley, California. She was a finalist at the 2010 Women of the World Individual Poetry Slam in Columbus, Ohio.  One year later, the Saint Paul Slam Team won the National Poetry Slam, making Sierra one of the only poets to touch every final stage in a calendar year.

Outside of her competitions, Sierra coached the Macalaster College team at the 2010 CUPSI where they placed third in the nation.  She also launched her own teaching initiative, in which she conducts weekly poetry classes geared towards aspiring poets of all ages in the Twin Cities community.  Sierra has featured in hundreds of venues across the country, performing her poetry and facilitating writing workshops in high schools, colleges, homeless shelters, prisons, churches, farmers’ markets, and people’s basements. When not doing poetry, she enjoys making and imbibing coffee, making full use of public transportation, and waxing on about feminism.

Slam isn't even a word I would use to describe her poems. Eviscerate, would probably be a better term. She spins tales like few aged authors can, and is still very young. She captures moments with words, churns them until they fall from her lips like battering rams to your head. Pushing through every preconceived notion you ever had about slam poetry. I would copy and paste lines from her poems but it doesn’t do them the justice that she does when she speaks. For she speaks with such heart and conviction that hearing her live, will pull laughs from your gut, tears from your eyes, and sighs from your soul.

Sierra DeMulder is the future of slam poetry.  She is a budding role model for the youth that seek their own voice and they will find passion within her lines. I cannot praise this creator more. It was odd to sit next to her and talk and not know just how powerful she was until she came off that stage. I barely managed words of praise as she came back to our table and sat. My lips trembled to speak and I am rarely without words.  How haphazardly I spoke of random topics with her like she was just another random friend in town for the week. She probably appreciated that kind of brazen-fool-hearted randomness. Lord knows she probably blushes at such adoration, still I can't fathom any amount of praise that does her work justice. I can only say after you watch the video below you need to go and find more of her work online. See for yourself, the power she possesses. Know her words as they pierce through your core. See her lay line after line like train tracks taking you on a voyage you will never forget.


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