nobody does it like AUSTIN!

so now im in austin. in my plush ass hotel room. acting bougie like a mutha -- peering at the ants below me. lol

last we talked i was in corpus christi. it was here that drove on the beach (yes DROVE) for almost 2 miles. i learned to fly a kite, stepped in the Texas gulf and prayed. it was so beautiful. will show the pics - i promise.

afterwards, i went to san antonio -- they have the closest thing to a Texan Nuyorican ever. the spot is known as house of the hecklers to natives, but as Puro Slam to us other folk. cats had me shook to even rock there. i was warned they will yell at you during your slam. talk over you. make you cry and invite you out to fight afterwards.

none of this happened...not to me anyway. it was fly as hell! beautiful people. vocab picked me up from the bus station and jo, kim and bryan met me at the spot to escort me back to austin. very flyy indeed.

next day was the conference. since i didnt get into kim's crib until 3 something (cause homegirl lives in HUTTO - i say it like puttwo with an H?) got up fresh and early like 8 and headed to the conference. i asked for specific poets to accompany me in the substance abuse conference presentation. and i must say - we ripped dat bytch apart! people were sneaking into the conference room, as they were told we were too full and they weren't allowed to sign up. puhleez!

you know me, you know i don't give a damn. so we had chairs on the makeshift stage, people sitting on the stairs and it was gorgeous! there were so supportive and happy to be there and alive, that i felt like giving them my product for free. but i didnt cmon, now?! lol

after that 3 hour session we got some grub at the cheesecake factory, then had to get in the obligatory nap. i hit ego's that night as a special guest. this is where i witnessed my first MOONING ON STAGE (courtesy of Big Poppa E's bright ass). whoa///

right after i rocked on stage, i had to young blond haired southern college frat boys come up to me and thank me til my hand went numb. i was more surprised at the color line poetry crossed - and that's some powerful shyt to swallow.

left for neo souldier's new spot Antonio's which was on fire as soon as i stepped in the door. booked for double features is hard and here i was -- rocking 4 different sets in the same day. with the limp! holla lmao - but it was so worth it. my people's kevin (who dates ms. bell's lil sista small ass world!) was in the spot - we rocked together twice in LA so it was good to see him traveling and prosperous. this white boy got more soul than a little. trust dat! and i get to hobble on stage for the last time in Austin. so i think i just poured it out on stage like water. i left hobbling after 3 poems with a standing ovation.

i love austin... it's like a warm sweatshirt that never fades and is always fitted, comfortable and in style. and i'm so very lucky that austin loves me back! i get to go bowling tonite ya'll! wish me and the ankle luck. then i'm headed back to nyc to recouperate and get ready for the nationals in new mexico (aug 9 - 14)!

love ya like cooked food -- dat's right: collard greens, sweet cornbread, candied yams and mac n cheese.