Hello, reader. How are you doing? A good friend of mine for 30+ years, Jason Burton, is a comedian in Portland, Oregon. He spoke at a Moth performance in February. This video is great storytelling. The topic of the night was Love Hurts.
I like how Jason talks about our shared high school years–I knew the choir teacher he mentions. Religion was a big topic for us then. It feels healing to face this examination of teen life; I almost forget about those years and don’t much identify with the kid I was.
Story telling and standup comedy have some things in common with the writing I do. We’re reflecting– mining our lives for material. We’re coming back to powerful experiences that shaped who we are. There’s some social commentary and insight from our perspectives now as middle aged adults. Sexuality / relationships is a big topic.
Jason and I are both being extraordinarily vulnerable to strangers, and I think this kind of truth telling is important to the world. Telling the truth is powerful.
All this to say I’m happy that Jason was my friend in the 1990s, and grateful he’s my friend still. I speak to almost no one else from my homeland. Friendship is amazing for helping me feel less alone. Ming and I don’t fly, so I haven’t been back to my homeland in a long time.
But I visit Jason sometimes, and we can co-understand. I’m glad this Moth performance is helping people hear his ideas.
art
I made some queer rage prayer cards. Proselytizers from the church across the street included them in our gift bags. So I painted over the Bible verses and wrote my own words. Thank you for the art supplies.
queer rage prayer cards
marker and acrylic on church propaganda
late April 2024
Laura-Marie Strawberry Nopales
Kalapuya land
Queer rage is a powerful force that helps me do what I need to do. So it feels proper to ask Mother God for more. I will channel it to do good in the world.
Right now Ming is out serving some beans I cooked for Food Not Bombs. Not sure queer rage is what fuels my need to do mutual aid. But disabled and queer people make up a disproportionate amount of houseless, impoverished people. I’m happy to feed them.
questions for discussion
Would you speak a story for the Moth?
What do you pray for?
How vulnerable and honest are you willing to be with strangers?
Do you like to culture jam / repurpose offensive materials?
What’s your favorite way to subvert a paradigm?
What do you like to give away?
What do you cook for Food Not Bombs?
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[…] made this art on a religious tract. Christians from the church across the street visited. They gave residents here gift bags that included a $35 Grocery Outlet […]