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April is almost here and it means the writing/photography project with local infamy is almost here. April is also Autism Awareness Month. April is also National Poetry Month and to kick it off, as he has done for the past seven years, Scott Woods' will be doing his annual 24 hour reading.

You can see his schedule here. Its should also be streaming on the web this year. I usually hang for a couple hours in the beginning, show up to watch the sunrise and keep him awake, and witness the end. This year I have to work on Sunday so I'm not sure if I'm going to show up early. I admit to being nervous about the 7AM slot. Could be epic, could be he'll need help getting through.

Writers' Block had a qualifying slam for the National Poetry Slam this past Wednesday. I'll admit to being a bit burned out of slam. I had a long day at work and was burnt after yet another meeting at Kafe Kerouac for the Columbus Arts Festival. I was going to head home and call it a day. In the middle of the meeting, Scott got a phone call from another poet who was in a car accident. No one was hurt, but her car was totaled and she needed a ride to poetry. I volunteered to pick her up, which gave me some badly needed time to chill.



Ended up reading at the open mic, which had poets reading some very solid work, and provided the sacrificial poem for the slam. Read "Children in Cells", which is relevant to autism and the current health care debate in this country. Felt energized and witnessed one of the best slams I've seen in some time. Have to say I'm pumped for IWPS season now.