Cottonmouth.org.au

Didn't get much sleep coz i put everything off till the last minute, so didn't really prep till 11 last night.

Work all day, training course actually that was a little full on.

Bought typewriter ribbons then home to eat and rest.

Get to the Rosie at 7.30 for 8. Kinda empty , kinda scared but at least I can busy myself with setting up; hanging Tawd's poster, putting out the polishes, making sure I find a good pozzie for the table and the secrets jar.

It's a performance poetry, music and writing gig. Tawds is gonna do a secret wrap up at the end after doing a bunch of punters' nails.

Here's my intro:

Hi Cottonmouth
I’m Tawdry Heartburn and I’m a nail technician
I do your nails if you give me a secret (assumed names only)
I'm going for a world unburdened by secrets; a world without
secrets that one set of nails at a time
heartburn is tawdry don’t you think
Then again, Dorothy says ‘Confession is weakness’. She
goes on, ‘The grave soul keeps its own secrets and takes its
punishment in silence.’
Though Ben says, ‘Three can keep a secret if two are dead.’
Of course Sigmund says, ‘He that has eyes to see and
ears to hear may convince himself that no mortal can keep
a secret. If his lips are silent, he chatters with his
fingertips; betrayal oozes out of every pore.
Zola says if you shut up the truth it gathers explosive power
and bursts threw blowing up pretty much everything in it’s way
Geewiz google is fun huh?
For me the jury is still out so I pretty
much pick my battles, burden being foremost, and suck it and
see
And my clients tonight and I’ve done a bunch of them???
Lets see what’s keeping them awake shall we?

I took up about 8 secrets to read (all posted on www.aworldofsecrets.com soon!)
Some were funny some sad. Didn't have to be rude or cutting about them. I think underplaying ti worked better and for me is much more respectful.

But it worked and people responded well and I know my structure is right (performatively speaking)

I could do a little get it off your chest dance at the end too, might be silly
I could do a spontaneous 'everybody turn to the person next to you and blurt out a secret!

Probably if I had a bunch of my own that I could rapid fire vomit up each getting progressively worse it might be funny. Specially if I hyped up the crowd before to get all 'walk over hot coals with me' and they leave me high and dry...

Shoulda started with, "What if you could tell your deepest darkest and get away with it, really get away with it. No one would ever ever know it was you? Would you?

With the 'I have no secrets' variations that seem to come in with each gig I think I can respond with lots of silence and then maybe a questioning, this is your big chance to get rid of the shit that's been hanging over your head all your life, keeping you downtrodden with guilt and fear and shame and you... (re-read secret very dead pan)

Hmmm so I was feeling crappy beforehand as usual but had a good night. A big bunch of folks I know showed up and some newbies had some nice things to say. All in all, pretty good.

The MC introduced me as a woman which was kinda fun but I coulda made more of that. Still I know it's kinda obvious but I am gonna pat myself on the back for going through with it. For being open to learn new stuff and see new ways Tawds can grow.

Had a convo with a artist who's nails I did this eve and who has a sibling who is also an artist. Long story, long history but the gist is the sibling isn't winning the making war atm. That is to say fear is winning and no work is being made. I know that story. I know it well. I found the discussion sad but also re-affirming. It's never gonna not be scary, and that's getting more and more ok.

Time Marches On

A whole month nearly, but if you discount these ramblings, then months have passed. OMG...
initial interest and early momentum have waned and the choice is obvious.

What is going on with the Manic Cures Project?

Where is Tawdry Heartburn now?

Happy to report he is around and though almost dormant, not quite!

In fact, in a few days time he's gonna be out and about doing nails again, getting secrets and doing a live 'secret report' at the end of the night at a Cottonmouth gig.

www.cottonmouth.org.au

Spoken word performance and the like every month at the Rosemount Hotel in North Perth...

How will it go?
How will the new aspect of reporting work?

Suck it and see. That's what Tawdry usually says in these situations.

So, if you are around and you wanna 'Get it off your chest"

Come see Tawds at the Rosie Hotel this Thursday from 8pm

Chookas

TH