I'm not gonna lie or even exaggerate here...to date, 2009 has been the best year of my life. Lets review, shall we
January
+ I release my first Chapbook: Humble Shell Casings
+ Watched the first Black Person elected President being sworn into office
February
- Lost my job (in a manner of speaking) at Cardinal Health
+ Started the Upwords Youth Poetry Slam
March
+ Signed on with Penmanship Books
April
+ Started Projecting Murals LLC
+ Hosted the first Columbus All District High School Slam
+ Won the Writing Wrongs National Team Grand Slam
May
+ Was on the winning 2009 Rustbelt Regional Slam Team and finished 3rd overall as an individual
August
+ Coached the Writing Wrongs National Team to a top 30 finish (a personal best for me and the highest finish for a Columbus team since 2004)
+ Released my first full manuscript on Penmanship, In The Event you are Caught Behind Enemy Lines
September
+++ I got married...Can you believe that shit?
October
+ Made my first Finals stage at the Individual World Poetry Slam
November
+ I turned 30 years old (yes, I'm putting this as a plus. A big one actually. The only thing worst than getting old is not getting old)
December
+ Went on a mini tour to the west coast
Yeah, I'd call that a pretty good year. The highlight of my year without question was finishing 3rd at Rustbelt...I kid.
Seriously, without a prolonged amount of mush, meeting Leah years ago (let alone marrying her in September) was the kind of life altering experience you wish for. And life was pretty damn good before I met Leah, but now, it seems so dismal to think what might have happened had we not crossed paths. From a poetry aspect, I expected good things to happen, but had no idea what that would really entail. Having just finally gotten around to doing a chapbook (and only because I was approached to do one, not because it was in my original plans), I find it hard to fathom that I would put out a full manuscript of new work just over 6 months later. And the book has done really well as I've sold thru half of my second run already.
The biggest revelation to me this year in poetry was that I had no idea how people felt about my work. Sure, I got the usual compliments and I think I'm a pretty decent poet because I've really put in the work, experimented and always tried to be original within my voice. But between IWPS and doing the tour at the beginning of December, I learned of an appreciation for the work that I hadn't anticipated. And you know what, it makes me want to be a hell of a lot better because I know where the walls are I have yet to knock down. Gives me something to climb towards for 2010.
I hope everyone got that the wanted for Christmas and get what you want for New Years (which in many cases is just a fresh start at something), but I hope to see you all in prosperous winds in the New Year
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