BROAD Comedy: A Tribute to Women Humorists

It has been over three weeks since I hosted Broad Comedy: A Tribute to Women Humorists over at The Studio@620 but I am finally having a moment to share some photos and talk about my experience working with these fabulous women where proceeds of over $600 went to benefit Girls Inc. of Pinellas.  

Reading from my "twin" Kathy Griffin.

I made these literary shoes & hat
just in time for the event!

Performing my literary parody songs.

First, I want to give a huge shout out to Stephanie Hayes and the Tampa Bay Times for featuring me the week leading up to the event with the story "Stand-Up Librarian DIYs her way to comedy happiness" with a photo of me in my bedroom.  It really helped bring an awareness to where I do most of my DIY work but also helped promote the event.  It was a huge success with standing room only at around 150 people with the highest bar sales ever at The Studio@620. Thank you Stephanie!

With Times reporter Stephanie Hayes,
author of Obitchuary.

This incredible event honoring funny women was organized by Gina Vivinetto and Tiffany Razzano of Wordier Than Thou, and thanks to their connections throughout the Tampa Bay area, we had over a dozen women reading excerpts from their favorite female humorists including Kristina Fortner (Amy Poehler), Cathy Wos (Dorothy Parker), Jenny Miller (Ellen DeGeneres), Sarah Fryett (Sarah Vowell), Julie Garisto (Fran Lebowtiz), Heather Jones (Wendy Wasserstein), Lisa Lanser Rose (Paula Poundstone), Meredith Myers (Sarah Bernhard & Kathy Griffin), Emily Nipps (Mindy Kaling), Nadine Smith (Tina Fey), Mitzi Gordon (Mary Karr) and Tenea D. Johnson (Lily Tomlin).  Thank you Gina and Tiffany!

With event organizers Gina V & Tiffany Razzano.

We also had a variety of donations from Tampa Bay authors and organizations to give out as raffle prizes so thanks to Gypsy Stage Repertory Company, Deadly Rival Roller Derby, The Body Electric Yoga Company, Dance Forever, Lucky Star Salon, Stand-Up Librarian Designs, Heather Jones, Natty Moss Bend, Rebekah Pulley, Lynn Waddell, Gina Vivinetto, Deborah Frethem, Von Simeon, Stephanie Hayes, Lisa Lanser Rose and Tenea D. Johnson.

Gina helps with the raffle.

Raffle items.

Von helps choose the winner.

Lisa donates one of her books.

Once again, I want to thank all of the people that came out to participate and support this event honoring women and showing the world once again that women ARE funny and can absolutely pack a room!!!!!

Emily reads Mindy.

Julie reads Fran.

Jenny performs Ellen.

Cathy reads Dorothy.

Kristina of Girls Inc.

Heather reads Wendy.

Mitzi reads Mary.

A special thanks to Desiree Fantal of It's Worth A Shot Photography for all of these photos. For more photos from the event, please visit my Facebook page here. 

BLOOMSDAY - BYOBook Event - June 16

So excited to announce an event I have been wanting to do for years...

To celebrate the life of Irish writer JAMES JOYCE and his groundbreaking novel ULYSSES, Wordier Than Thou, StandUpLibrarian.com and Wilson's Book World present BLOOMSDAY - BYOBook on Monday, June 16 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. at Wilson's.

Hosted by Stand-Up Librarian Meredith Myers and Jeff Morris of Wilson's Book World, BLOOMSDAY - BYOBook will feature readings from Ulysses and performances honoring Joyce, plus offer a variety of Irish-themed refreshments all with the mission to unite the community in reading one of the most important works of modernist literature. The event is completely FREE and will also feature special Bloomsday/James Joyce-inspired literary accessories by Stand-Up Librarian Designs.

Your literary hosts Meredith Myers & Jeff Morris. 

"Think of this night as one kick-ass book club 

because if you are going to read a tough novel like Ulysses, 

why not do it with a Guinness in one hand and a microphone in the other? 

St. Petersburg, get your books out and let's JOYCE Around!" 

- Stand-Up Librarian Meredith Myers

To RSVP for the event, visit our FB event page here. For more information or to get involved with reading or submitting any Bloomsday/Joyce-inspired art or performance piece, please contact Tiffany Razzano at WordierThanThou@gmail.com or Meredith Myers at StandUpLibrarianMM@gmail.com

***Leading up to the event on June 16th, Meredith and Tiffany will be also be sharing their personal experiences reading Ulysses on Twitter. To get involved and read along, follow Meredith @StandUpLibraryN and Tiffany @WordierThanThou

For a direct link to Meredith's "JOYCE Around" literary music video honoring James Joyce, click here.

Graduating With Honor

It only just dawned on me that four years ago today, I graduated with my Masters degree in Library & Information Sciences from the University of South Florida.

My graduation photo hangs
on the wall of my library design studio.

Earning that degree was one of the hardest things I've ever done...that is, until I created Stand-Up Librarian.  When you are in school, there is a plan.  Assignments with study guides.  Support from professors and classmates.  Advice from career counselors.  There are also days off and spring break.  Finally, if you study hard and get good grades, you get to put on that cap and gown, walk across a stage, shake a hand and take a photo while hearing your name on the loudspeakers.  Your parents cheer and you go to a nice dinner to celebrate.  Then if you are one of a chosen few, you might even have a library job to go to the following week.   

Graduation day, 2010. Will I get a job?

But when that job doesn't come and you are sitting alone in your room wondering why you studied so hard, you are left with none of that.  Instead your mind is filled with stories of not being good enough, smart enough, nice enough.  That your job application got lost or your email never really went through.  Or maybe someone is talking shit about you from that restaurant job you got fired from ten years ago.  Yeah, and then as if things can't get worse, the one man you ever loved tells you he met someone else.  

You sit there at your computer staring at a blank screen wanting someone to reach out to you, tell you what to do, that things will get better.  Your stomach screams for food but you can't move.  Instead you laugh.  You write.  You create StandUpLibrarian.com because the person you need, is YOU.

It has taken me four long years and a lot of job applications to finally realize that earning my LIS degree was not necessarily about working at the library but more about using that knowledge combined with my own abilities, experiences and passions to create the job I am most suited for.  After all, it is only when you are authentically yourself that you are best able to serve your community and the people who reside in it.

So the next time you feel lost, alone, defeated, come find me.  If anything, I'll at least write you back :) 

Librarian, May 8, 2010.

Stand-Up Librarian, May 8, 2014.