Purple, Prisons, and Poetry

Mondays are my favorite. Classes don't start until 2pm,

giving me a chance to catch up on all of the sleep I don't seem to get here.

Today was a PARTICULARLY exciting Monday, because class

was replaced with a super cool field trip to the Kilmainham Gaol:

a former Dublin prison now turned museum. Neat-0.

And so, I slept in until my heart's desire, slipped on my brand new...

super awesome...

ultra funky...

oober fresh...

BuRnT OuT PUrPle Tee ShIrT

and headed for jail.

Pretty fly, for a white guy.

Then in my ultra chic walking field trip prison viewing gear,

I started my prison viewing.

But not without a ticket.

The place was pretty scary. With capacity at about 200 prisoners,

imagining a full house was not a nice thought.

Lot's of cells. and I ain't talking bout no bloodstream.

Imagine this place cold and damp. Not the most humane of conditions...

Get me OUTTA HERE.

Surprisingly, the prison did have a church, so prisoners...

could pray to escape?

The cells were bleak. Dark. Cold. Small. Isolated.

Not digging the idea.

And what's the most surprising is some of the insane reasons people were sent to jail.

Examples:

- stealing a deer

- stealing apples

- stealing potatoes

Considering many of the jailings occurred during the Irish Famine

when resources were scarce...

what did they expect people to do?! LAME.

After an educating but disturbing day of jail talking, hanging talk and starvation...

I was in need of a mood lighten-upper. And then I realized.

MONDAY NIGHTS ARE SLAM OPEN MIC NIGHTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL BAR.

Glór Sessions here I come! ("Glór Sessions"= the name of the open mic night)

...When someone cancelled out from the set list last minute,

I managed to snag a spot!

And my suite came for moral support :)

Don't worry. Bulmers was there for moral support too...

(The place: Underground. Beer. People. Tables. THE WORKS.)

Want a taste of the slam? TAKE Ittttttttt!

Sorry about the commercial breaks, but just take it as a sneak peak!

The show was fun and I'm so happy to be testing the slam waters here in Dublin...

hopefully I keep it up.

Until then,

Keep it Glór-ious.

Best. Night. Of. My. Life.

Pinch me. Tonight, the unthinkable happened. I actually brought my SLAM to Ireland.

After A LOT of googling, I found a small pub that had an open mic night for comedians, singers and poets. I gave them a quick ring around 7pm and they informed me that I was more than welcome to join their set list for TONIGHT, which was set to start at 9:30pm. Nervously and excitedly, I dragged my bum (and Lauren and Beth's as well) out of DCU and into the city. I was about to hit the crowd with some SLAM... (fun fact... no one in Ireland knows what SLAM poetry is... I learned that out the hard way)

After a jittery bus ride, and 4 tourists who gave us the completely wrong directions, we arrived at: THE BATTLE OF THE AXE at Ha’ penny Bridge Inn... a comfy little pub which an easy-going crowd. Things were looking good.

want more info? -----> http://www.battleoftheaxe.com/#Thursmcs

It took me a while to find ya, but well worth the search!

When we walked inside, I was a bit perplexed to find a lot of people drinking beer, but no stage area. Then after some investigation, I realized that the open mic night was on the second floor... phew. That got me worried.

When we walked into the correct room, this is what we found:

Telling you that I was nervous would be an understatement.

2 hours into the show, my heart was pounding. I could hardly focus knowing that my act was coming up. Would I forget a line? Would they even get the American jokes? I was a wreck.

Luckily... my Bulmers Hard Cider gave be a smidgen of liquid courage. Just a smidgen. (Man, smidgen is a great word. Say it. Say it right now. I know you want to. Smiiiiiiiidgen.)

You're on candid camera...

An example of past entertainment at the Battleoftheaxe open mic...

And the moment that changed my life forever:

**FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY**

After a 6 minute rhyming throw-down on stage, I was finished and reclaimed my seat in the audience... and exhaled. I had done it! AND the crowd was super receptive and friendly -- Ireland rocks!

I sat through the rest of the show, laughing hysterically at the comedians and pleasantly serenaded by the singers. Then finally, the show was over. It was time to choose a Battle of the axe winner. Drum roll please...

I WON?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The coolest thing that has happened to me! EVER. Gahhhhhh... and I won a rubber duck. So legit.

Updates shall follow soon!

And remember...

why close a door, when you can SLAM it? ~ Sam