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1

General Discussion / Registration for the High Desert Haiku Competition is now open!

« on: December 01, 2012, 04:57:55 PM »

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/295469

We will accept 32 registrants for this competition.

The tournament is currently structured to be double elimination so you will have at least two opportunities to Haiku in Prelims. There will be two Prelim Bouts on Friday, April 26th. There will be a number of side events as well.

Finals will be the top 16 (two wins) from Prelims. Finals is Saturday April 27th.

Prize money for winners is:
1st Place - $575
2nd Place - $275
3rd Place - $175
4th Place - $75

There will be additional prizes and perks, its just way too early to announce them all.

If you have questions about the competition, you can email me at highdeserthaiku@gmail.com

also, check out twitter @HighDesertHaiku

Web info will be posted at http://www.silvercityslam.com

Basic Schedule:
Thursday, April 25th 7:30 PM - Opening Ceremonies and Registration
Friday, April 26th 3:00PM to 5:00PM - Late Registration
Friday, April 26th 7:30PM Prelim Round One (16 Poets)
Friday, April 26th 9:00PM Prelim Round Two (16 Poets)
Saturday, April 27th 7:30PM FINALS!

***side events, workshops and other activities are planned***

Sunday, April 28th - Post Festival Hot Springs soaking and campout - location and cost TBD.

NOTE: If you do not know where Silver City NEW MEXICO is, look it up! We are going to do everything we can to facilitate travel, we've got some great ideas already to try to coordinate some shuttles, but please realize that the closest major airport is El Paso - 2 1/2 hours away. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED! We're going to make travel work. But please know that we are a little off the beaten path. But it is totally worth it!

2

General Discussion / Sam Castello running for EC

« on: February 05, 2012, 12:24:47 PM »

PSi Experience
I have been a member of PSi and co-founder of Silver City Poetry Bread since 2007. I have been on the EC since late October of last year, when I was invited to fill a vacancy. Since then, I have participated in the creation of a Finance Committee and with the departure of our last Finance Manager, I have stepped in as Interim FM until PSi can hire a new FM.

I do write and perform. I enjoy slamming, but I try not to take it too seriously. It has been a struggle at times to organize and keep alive a Slam and reading series in a town our size, but every time I think this is the last show, someone goes and makes me cry with their words or a new poet takes the stage and the audience showers them with love, or we get an out of town feature roll through that brings the house down and I realize that it is all worth it.

We host about a dozen events each year; all of our features do a workshop for youth the day after or day before the slam.

Work Experience
At my day job, I am the Executive Director of The Wellness Coalition (www.wellnesscoalition.org), a non-profit that develops and supports the vitality of the people of southwest New Mexico and the community organizations that serve them.

The Wellness Coalition (TWC) operates in two main areas: Youth Development and Organizational Development. In the field of Youth Development we are the second largest AmeriCorps program in the State of New Mexico, placing corpsmembers in Forestry Crews, Health Care Centers, Domestic Violence Shelters, Schools and Early Childhood Centers. We catalyze community change by providing people and organizations the opportunities to be a part of the National Service movement. In the field of Organizational Development, we host trainings, provide technical assistance and facilitate peer networks for non-profits in our area and across New Mexico. We hold group trainings on Board Development, Financial Management, Fundraising, Strategic Planning and other topics. I conduct trainings on Positive Youth Development, Information Systems and other technology.

I have worked at TWC for 8 years, serving as the ED for the last 4. My previous employment includes 3 years in the cycling and outdoor recreation industry and 5 years in the natural foods industry at Wheatsville Co-op in Austin, TX.

Sam Castello Experience
I live in a town of about 10,000 people. The closet major town to the north is two hours away and has 500 people living there. An hour to the southwest is Lordsburg (population 2000), and to the southeast is Deming (population 12,000). You have to drive two hours to get to a bookstore and three hours to get to an airport. The upside is that my backyard is 3.5 million acres of wilderness and my small town has an incredible coffee shop, farmers market, co-op and zero traffic. I grew up in Houston, so I know all about the big city and I don’t miss it except for the occasional 3am craving for Pho that must go unfulfilled. I appreciate knowing my neighbors, walking to work, and getting excited when the new phonebooks arrive.

I am a DJ and comic-book nerd. I like Linux, but I run windows. I grew up on Lord British and Steve Jackson Games. Kirk is my hero, but Picard is my role model. I am married and the proud father to two boys who just turned 7 and 5.

I welcome any questions you have for me. I hope to continue my current service on the EC. I plan to be in Denver for WOWps and would love to talk in person or here on the Forums.

3

General Discussion / Slam Poetry Social Networking links

« on: July 02, 2011, 11:32:37 AM »

Hey all,

 Not sure how to get this going, so I'll just go for it:

Here is a link to Silver City Poetry Bread's Facebook page-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Silver-City-Poetry-Bread/109504665770183

Here is a link to PSi's facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Poetry-Slam-Inc/114950255191505

 I hope that:

1) Folks will reply to this thread with their own pages' links
2) You will "like" these pages as individuals
3) You will "Add to my Page's Favorites" if you are an admin on a page

thanks,
sam castello
slammaster - Silver City Poetry Bread

4

General Discussion / New Mexico Poet needs your clicks...

« on: June 27, 2008, 01:13:55 PM »

Hey all,

 please read the info below and consider taking three minutes to click on the link and listen to the piece by Zach Kluckman, an Albuquerque based poet. Zach is really talented and is one of those poets who genuinely listens to and cares for other poets work. He promotes all sorts of other folks and is a part of select few Albuquerque poets who made the 4 hour drive to our venue many times this year help jump start our inaugural season. Plus, its a great piece. thanks...

Ok,
 
I hope you will forgive me for being overly enthusiastic, but I just got TREMENDOUS news and really wanted to share it with you all as people I respect....and ask a small favor.
 
Clear Channel Entertainment (who operate a ton of radio stations nationwide) have posted my poem 'Rain in the Desert' to their NEW! program, which basically means that over 10 million people a month now have access to my poem by tapping into any of over 500 radio station websites around the country!!!!!!
 
This kind of exposure is huge for me, and a true blessing. My hope is to make this poem a 'hit' and get it featured on a special page they have created for the most listened to tracks, because this would be a huge personal milestone and also because I really want to see poetry become something radio stations will actually pay attention to as a vital for of expression and musicality, so...
 
if you would please be so kind as to take three minutes and listen to my poem, and maybe pass the link on to others who love poetryt and spoken word...it would be a huge blessing and mean a ton to me. You can click on the link below to hear it and access the page.
 
http://www.94rock.com/cc-common/artist_submission/player.html?art=150897
 
Please excuse the self-promotion but this is such a thrill I really do want to share it with you and I want you to know I appreciate your help and support by listening to the poem!
 
Have an amazing day!
 
Zach

 

Zachary Kluckman
Chairman of the Board - NM Poetry Tangents
CEO / Senior Editor - Horse & Tiger Press
Senior Editor - Shadows Caste Magazine
'What we need is more people who specialize in the impossible.' - Theodore Roethke