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  #1  
Unread 03-29-2020, 04:29 AM
Mark McDonnell Mark McDonnell is offline
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Default Isolation Reading

Hey folks,

Ten days ago, which seems like the distant past, I was going to read some of my poems aloud for the first time at an open mic in Stoke, England (well, I did it once in a pub in my tiny home town, but the 'crowd' was the landlord, the woman who organised the night and her boyfriend. True). This one was going to be better attended, being fairly well established and publicised. I was quite excited!

Then, of course, it was cancelled. It went ahead 'virtually', but was a bit shambolic due to the short notice.

Anyway, I was moaning about this to Mary (because this virus is all about me obvs) and she invited me to a virtual open mic in Arkansas. Thanks Mary! So, here is my first public (sort of) reading. Next stop, actual humans in a room!

https://www.facebook.com/skailight8/...7226582979422/


Hope the link works. It only exists on facebook, I think.

Edit: I see Andrew S has a similar story! Nice one, Andrew. Stay safe everyone.

Edit edit: changed the link because the first one didn’t work. See below...

Last edited by Mark McDonnell; 03-31-2020 at 01:47 AM.
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  #2  
Unread 03-29-2020, 11:06 PM
Julie Steiner Julie Steiner is offline
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Oh, darn, the link won't work for me. (Probably because I'm not on Facebook, and it wants me to log in.) Anyone else have better luck?
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Unread 03-29-2020, 11:23 PM
Andrew Frisardi Andrew Frisardi is offline
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I had no luck either. I don't use Facebook but I have an alias account for occasions like this, yet the link didn't lead me anywhere. And with a quick search I could only find "Mark McDonnell Quality Meats."

Mark, is there another link we could use? I'd love to hear and see your reading.
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Unread 03-29-2020, 11:28 PM
Mark McDonnell Mark McDonnell is offline
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Oh dear, sorry Julie and Andrew. Me and technology never get along. Andrew, shhhh. Nobody is supposed to know about Quality Meats...

Does this work?

https://www.facebook.com/skailight8/...7226582979422/

If not, never mind. Rest assured it was spectacular (ahem)
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Unread 03-29-2020, 11:40 PM
Andrew Frisardi Andrew Frisardi is offline
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That did it, Mark! So good to see and hear you, and I remember and love that poem. Sapphics, no less. Well done, Quality Meats indeed!
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Unread 03-30-2020, 08:26 AM
Julie Steiner Julie Steiner is offline
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I enjoyed it, too! The poem was new to me, so it must have been posted during one of my Sphere hiatuses. Excellent, vivid sapphics.

(I would have liked the delivery just a tad slower, but I almost always complain about that when I can't see the text. Well done!)
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Unread 03-30-2020, 09:23 AM
Roger Slater Roger Slater is offline
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Well done, Mark. Nice to put a face to the poet and personality.

Like Julie, I would also suggest you read a bit more slowly.

Lots of people I know are starting to use Skype or Zoom to stay connected with people. My son has had piano lessons with Zoom, and it works. I'm also told that Zoom can easily allow for groups of people to interact. I know someone whose six person critique group now meets on Zoom. And I believe you can have up to a hundred people under their free account. If anyone wants to set up a poetry reading it might be well attended by our lot. I'm not volunteering, though, only suggesting.
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Unread 03-30-2020, 10:27 PM
Cally Conan-Davies Cally Conan-Davies is offline
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Well, it turns out Zoom does indeed work, and it's fun! I just did my first yoga session on Zoom, and co-taught a Greek literature course, all in one morning! Something Sphere-related, talking about or reciting poems, to hone performance, would be a good thing, I reckon.

Well done, Mark! I like your style, mate!!

Cally
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Unread 03-31-2020, 01:55 AM
Mark McDonnell Mark McDonnell is offline
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Hi Andrew, Julie, Roger and hi Cally!

Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I’ll think about slowing it down in future. I perhaps got carried away with the poem’s fairground frenzy. I keep hearing about Zoom. It could be fun, couldn’t it, a Sphere video thingy?

Anyway, here’s a wonderful reading by Mary from the same event. I’m sure she won’t mind me sharing.

https://www.facebook.com/skailight8/...7226584519422/

Cheers again!

Last edited by Mark McDonnell; 03-31-2020 at 02:01 AM.
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  #10  
Unread 03-31-2020, 03:56 AM
Clive Watkins Clive Watkins is offline
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Bravo, Mark!

Clive
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