Photos from the October 14th Teen Reading at the NYPL!

JEFFERSON MARKET BRANCH LIBRARY

Many amazing things happened at the last reading:

1) We changed locations last-minute to the New York Public Library Jefferson Market Branch (from Barnes & Noble West Village) and we started almost on time.



2) As our readers read their prose, memoirs, poetry, and scripts, the audience (of about 55) laughed and gasped at all the right moments.



3) It turns out that our young literati are phenomenal actors, too. It was incredible to hear Lena Beckenstein's script read aloud so... dramatically. :-)

4) The editors of the forthcoming teen anthology of six-word memoirs came and answered all pressing questions, relaying info such as:


a) the book will be published sometime over the next year



b) emails will go out within a couple of months to all those whose memoirs they choose to include



c) and of course, you'll get a free book along with it!



5) The "Six-Word Memoir Blast" inspired the writing of more six-word memoirs... which can still be submitted to the website --and can still be featured and commented upon by others.




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Live Earth

While most of us were out enjoying our summer vacations, there was probably one of the best concerts of the year playing on your television live all day on Saturday July 7. The concert was Al Gore's Live Earth, developed to raise global warming awareness. It took place all day in seven continents and included acts such as Madonna, John Legend and the Police. But the draw for this all day long concert on t.v. was not very big. While the people who actually were able to attend the concert was huge, nobody really wanted to sit home on the couch and watch people at a concert.

I happened to see a segment in which they showed the various environmentally safe home designs available. My personal pick was the old wool sweaters that were used as seat cushions. Perhaps I have a space in my heart for sitting on soft itchy substances.
I wasn't surprised to see that the numbers of viewers was below expected, but it did make me wonder if this is the best way to raise environmental awareness. The concert goers could organize themselves to do some community service in local parks. Rather than driving to the concert in SUV's and then going back to work in places that give off fossil fuels, they could sit down and read about how to help the environment.
Instead of just flying performers on big company airplanes, which pollute, and giving them merits for singing a song, they could also give large amounts of their own money to organizations supporting environmental safety. I always feel like none of these performers really care about the causes that they are performing for, I mean if most regular people don't care, then why would rich people care??
But hey, that's just some cynicism. Wear sunscreen, stop using Styrofoam, and plant a tree. That's just some general advice. Or watch Live Earth on re-runs and make some Eco-friendly toothbrushes out of twigs and mint leaves.

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