Well, what can I say.  I'm not the next one rocketing to the top off the heap, but I'm making a steady ascent.

Here are the highlights.

• I published my first chapbook
  
• I've had several spoken word features in Toronto
  
• I've been offered spoken word features when I go back to Vancouver
  
• I've competed in slams in Toronto, Vancouver and Berkeley
  
• Placed second in Toronto and Vancouver (story slam) and was asked to do an encore at Berkeley
  
• Sold chapbooks to random people who happened to catch part of a poem as they were passing by
  
• Competed in the Rustbelt qualifier slam and placed as the first alternate

But more than the slam scores and such is the feedback I've received.  I had someone buy a chapbook, and come back up to me, pointing to a poem, and all he could say was "wow."  I had someone in Berkeley tell me my poetry is a gift from the heart.  I had someone compare me to / tell me I reminded them of Shane Koyczan (holy shit).  And I always get at least one or two people every show/performance/slam who come up to me afterwards and say "thank you," "that meant a lot," or "I really got that poem," "it really touched me."  And I guess that's what means the most to me.  The fact that my words can touch, or have that profound an effect on someone who may not have known I existed mere moments before. 

And I feel I've finally gained the respect of my peers - poets who have inspired me, to whom I've looked up.  When I mentioned having to go up against some of the talent I went up against in tonight's slam, the reply was "well, they had to compete against you too."  I had never really thought of it that way - that I was a serious contender.  It's kinda nice