Listing the List Slam

Last week I hosted two List Slams to celebrate the release of To-Do List. A List Slam is sort of like a poetry slam, but instead of reading poetry, people read their lists.

At the beginning of the evening, before giving a talk and a slideshow presentation on my favorite lists in the book, I pass around a sign-up sheet and then call each person up. These List Slams were held at two bookstores in Ssn Francisco: Red Hill Books and Modern Times.

Here were some of the highlights:

* The woman who said her to-do list was totally boring but the first time item was "get goat or chicken" (I thought she must be one of those hipster urban farmers but it turned out she worked for an eco-school).

* The woman whose resolution was "don't get defensive when people ask why you are still single" (the question is especially awkward, she said, because she hosts speed dating events).

* The young man who asked the audience to come up with ten things that he should accomplish this year.

* A young lady whose resolution was "see myself the way God sees me when I look in the mirror."

* Another woman whose resolution was to "make love to make up for lost time." (Amen to that.)

* A six-year-old girl who read her list with the help her mother "List of What to Do": Go hom, take off shoes and socks, find stick (remote control), push 'on' button, find 'Lazytown.'" The list is written in pink and orange markers with checkboxs to the left of each item.

Stay tuned for another List Slam in San Francisco February 26. Details to come! Host your own. It's super easy to do and VERY entertaining. Send me an email if you do so I can share news of your List Slam on this blog.

Thanks to Ario for the photo and Tina and Dia for help with hosting these events!