This past weekend I did an exciting thing: I presented my creative non-fiction at the Sigma Tau Delta International Convention in Minneapolis. This is exciting for several reasons:

1. This is the first time I went “out there” with something that I created in a considerable while.
2. This is my first time presenting my non-fiction outside a college classroom setting.
3. This is my first time presenting a part of MLEWC* to people who aren’t my friends.

*MLEWC stands for Major Life Events With a Cat. It’s a concept I’ve been developing for a while–it has its own blog so you know it’s legit :). It’s a personal account of my life’s hopes, dreams, and failures told largely from the perspective of my cat Marla. The general idea is that my life’s struggles are very relatable, in your typical lonely-millenial-against-crumbling-economy-and-own-illusions-of-grandeur way, but they are often pretty depressing, you know, in your typical lonely-millenial-against-crumbling-economy-and-own-illusions-of-grandeur kind of way. That’s where Marla comes in: she’s always there for me, a fluffy furball of purr, offering a silent judgement of everything I do. Basically, we all get our share of curve balls, and we all try to hit them or duck in our own ways, but life is a lot better if you trip over a cat in the process.

The story I read at the Convention is an origin story for my close relationship with my cat, which ultimately formed the foundation for MLEWC. It’s called “The Utility of a Shoelace” and it’s about Marla’s medical emergency, and how I dealt with it despite being completely unprepared for anything like it, not only practically and financially, but also ideologically.

I am very happy about how my reading went. People laughed–they even seemed to laugh with me, not at me ;). I’m glad that the tone resonated with people because that’s exactly what I’m going for with all of MLEWC.

Here’s a couple photos from the trip, beginning with a rare behind-the-scenes photo from my preparation. To be perfectly honest with you, I’m making a big deal about my reading, but the time since my last public performance pales next to the streak for which I’ve managed to avoid ironing. But special times call for special measures, so I ironed my best crazy cat lady shirt.

 

Don’t worry, though, I have not gone completely insane. I held onto the comfort of my feet with my usual resolve, and half a day of snow did not stop me. Sliding on slippery sidewalks is actually really fun in Five Fingers, I’ve discovered.

I had a few days in the city after my presentation, so I walked around aimlessly and saw cool things. I even got to meet up with an old friend whom I hadn’t seen in ages–that was really nice to catch up!

The nicest part of it all was the creative boost, however. Between the feedback on my reading and talking to other attendees, I feel  motivated, excited even, to write more and get out there more. Wish me luck!

The hardest part of my Minneapolis trip was being separated from Marla. Right as I returned, she made sure to show me what the real power dynamic of our relationship is, as you can see below.