Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids

The third episode of the GRTTWaK podcast comes from the March 10, 2008 live event. It’s Fiona reading about her love for her parents. (mp3 download)

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The music is a version of All Of Me by Paul Whiteman with Mildred Bailey.

No worries.

According to my sources, the episode of CBC Radio’s GO featuring GRTTWaK will be re-aired on Saturday, March 29, 2008. Check their website for full broadcast information.

The second episode of the GRTTWaK podcast comes from the March 10, 2008 live event. It’s Roz reading her story, “The Cat.” (mp3 download)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You can subscribe to this podcast via RSS, or subscribe via iTunes.

The music is a version of All Of Me by Paul Whiteman with Mildred Bailey.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Now that I have some readers’ permission to post their recordings online, I’m going to do it. Introducing Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids: The Podcast.

Twice a week (Saturdays and Wednesdays), you’ll find a new, short recording of someone reading their childhood writing.

First up, from March 10, 2008, here’s Mark reading “Empty Bottle.” (mp3 download)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You can subscribe to this podcast via RSS, or subscribe via iTunes.

The music is a version of All Of Me by Paul Whiteman with Mildred Bailey.

The fourth installment of Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids was, like each of the previous events, a lot of fun.

This time around, we moved to a new venue: The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom. It turned out to be a great room for the event, with (almost) enough seating.

It’s my constant fear that I’ll put one of these events on, and a whole bunch of people will show up to listen, and no one will read. Luckily, that didn’t happen. We had 26 readers, a nice crowd of spectators (150+ said the bartender), and the whole thing was done in just under two hours. Jenna and I took a handful of photos, and some are in this Flickr set.

Also, for the first time, I asked readers’ permission to put their readings on the web. Most said yes. So once I get all the audio sliced up, I plan to start releasing Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids: The Podcast. Stay tuned for that.

A big thanks to everyone who came out to read, everyone who came out to listen, and to the fine folks at the Gladstone who helped make it happen (especially Penny and Connie).

The next event will likely be in late May/early June.

A message from Mara in my inbox tonight:

I’m very interested in attending the Grownups Read event on Monday, but the start time isn’t mentioned on the website. It would probably help if I knew when to show up.

I’ve had a couple of very valid questions like this over the past little while, so here’s a little FAQ about the next reading event, which happens at the Gladstone Hotel Ballroom this Monday, March 10, 2008.

1. When should I show up?

Doors open at 8:00. We’ll get started as soon as possible after that.

2. Where do I get tickets?

You don’t. It’s free. Just show up before we run out of space.

3. Can I bring something to read?

Yes, please. This is an open-mic event, and it only works when people actually bring things to read in front of other. Too many spectators makes for a short and boring night. Sign-up is on a first-come, first-served basis, but I’d really appreciate an email if you plan on bringing something, just so I can gauge the numbers.

4. What does “kid” mean?

Kid = whatever you consider kid to mean. One of the best things about GRTTWaK is the wide variety of things people bring to read. We’ve had stuff from early elementary school all the way up to college age writing. Bring whatever you want.

5. How long should my piece be?

Short. See the third rule of GRTTWaK:

1. You have to be the one who wrote it, as a kid
2. You have to be the one who reads it, as an adult
3. It has to be short (<5 minutes-ish)

That should cover most of the frequently asked questions. If you have another one, email me. Hope to see you out on Monday night. Here’s the official blurb:

GROWNUPS READ THINGS THEY WROTE AS KIDS is an open-mic evening of adults reading things they wrote as children — poems, book reports, and diary entries. Monday, March 10 at 8:00pm. Free. The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom. http://read.danmisener.com

This morning, the CBC Radio One show GO! featured Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids. If you’re here because you heard about the event on the radio, welcome!

If you’re wondering about the next event, it’s on March 10, 2008.

If you’d like to be notified of upcoming events, send me an email and I’ll add you to the list.

If you’d like to know more about me, visit my website.

Thanks for listening. I really hope you’ll dig through the boxes in your basement or attic and bring something to the next show.

I’m really happy to announce the date for the next GRTTWaK night of juvenilia.

It’s Monday, March 10, 2008.

This time, we have a new venue: the fabulous Gladstone Ballroom. It’s a bit sad to leave the Victory, but I hope this new room will give us enough… room.

If you’re on the Facebook, here’s the event.

More details to follow.

I’m a little late posting this, seeing as the event was almost two weeks ago, but I have to say: the third Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids was an awful lot of fun.

It was also well-attended. Some might say a little too well-attended.

Thanks no doubt to some pimping by Torontoist, BlogTO, and Here and Now, a lot of people showed up.  So many people, in fact, that we spilled into the side of the Victory that lacked sightlines to the stage.
I think perhaps we have outgrown our home at the Victory Cafe, lovely as it is (especially after the new bar installation). I’m afraid the next event will probably have to take place elsewhere, unless we can reconfigure the newly-reconfigured room. Speaking of the next event, it will probably happen in early-ish 2008, probably February or March.  If anyone has suggestions for a slightly larger venue, please leave them here or drop me a line.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the event, either to read or to listen.

It’s a real treat to see this thing start to take off.

At the first two Grownups… nights at the Victory, everyone had to go downstairs to the bar for drinks. But I’m happy to say that for the third installment, the beautiful new bar upstairs will be open.

So come have a drink on November 19th.