Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Moth

Among my favorite podcasts  is The Moth-- true stories told live.  I listen to these stories, narratives from typical Americans, wondering how their lives became so interesting that they ended up nationally broadcasted on NPR.  Then I realized that The Moth is a contest of everyday citizens, telling stories in Louisville every month.  I went with my buddy Drew to Headliners and we sat in the "moth pit" while the storytellers dished about this month's theme: FIRSTS.

From first trips to the urologist, to baby daddy tales, bourbon binges, and climbing mountains, the heroes of the night were plain old people, just brave enough to tell their tales in front of a critical audience.  In between tales the MC reads anonymous blurbs about the evening's theme.  Tonight's request was "tell us about your first kiss, your first car, or your first job."  Mine was read in the first set:

On my first day of nursing school I was supposed to ask my patients about their physical health.  After asking my patient about his exercise routine and lecturing him about the importance of physical activity when he told me he didn't walk, I pulled back the covers, only to discover that he had a bilateral knee amputation.  Oops.

I loved the whole night!  I can't wait to go back.  There is an equation that goes into a good story and although I haven't quite figured out what it is, I am excited to go again to hear the stories of my neighbors.

Themes for Louisville's Moth:
February- Love Hurts
March- Resourcefulness
April- Duped
May- Revenge


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