Shameless Self-Promo Moment: Be My (Abridged) Valentine?

Interrupting your regularly unscheduled programming to plug a genius story-telling event I've been asked to participate in this coming Valentine's Day at NYC's 92Y Tribeca. The event, produced by SMITH Magazine, is a Time Out New York's Critic's choice, made The New Yorker's list of notable goings on and is going to be an ever-loving blast. If you're in town, please come be my six word valentine.

Details: SMITH Magazine is famously known for its six word memoir project, an abridged story-weaving exercise that's spread like wildfire and spawned books, story-slams, party games, etc. The memoirs range from hilarious ("Married by Elvis, divorced by Friday.") to disturbing ("Dear Glee, you saved my life.") to gut-wrenching (Hemmingway, regardless of how you feel about him, was the master. His: "Baby shoes for sale. Never worn.").

The NYC Valentine's Day themed event includes live music, getting sloshed at 92Y's well-stocked bar, audience members sharing their own memoirs, and featured memoirs + their back stories from a panel of well-loved and/or up-and-coming writers. Here's the line-up:

Deborah Copaken Kogan ("Shutterbabe")

Elizabeth Wurtzel ("Prozac Nation")

Baratunde Thurston (The Onion & co-founder, Jack & Jill Politics)

Darin Strauss ("Half a Life")

Rachel Sklar (Editor-at-Large, Mediaite.com)

Michele Carlo ("Fish Out Of Agua: My Life On Neither Side Of The (Subway) Tracks")

Sara Barron ("People are Unappealing")

me, parentheticalled with ("The Trouble With Poet" blog and forthcoming book, "Delicate Fucking Flower: Sweet Poems by Sour Girls")

.... as well as Michael Hearst of One Ring Zero turning audience members' six word memoirs into short songs.

How I ended up getting asked to participate with this list of writers is beyond me; I'm out of my depths. My goals are to not fall down en route to the stage and to not nervously shake like an f-ing crackbaby while I read off my memoir and the story behind it. I won't post the memoir and set-up I'll be slamming that night, but I will post the six words I almost used:

"Next Station: Your Worst Date Ever."

 The story involves a potential reject from the cast of The Jersey Shore, a set of train tracks, a Ford Probe, six police cars and one wet, gold, snakeskin dress. Tickets HERE. Hope to see you there.