Cynthia’s Yearlong 50th Birthday Bash–May Update
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J0341653As I described back in April (you can read the post here), I’m celebrating my 50th birthday with a year of activities and challenges designed to honor this milestone. I’m calling it Cynthia’s Yearlong 50th Birthday Bash, and so far it’s been a blast.

Here’s what I did in May to mark this big and badass year:

 

 

 

 

 

  • Launch—To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Storied Nights: An Evening of Spoken Word, I launched the Whistlestop Writers Open Mic at Swirl on the Square in downtown Livermore. This is something I’ve wanted to do ever since I took over Storied Nights and people kept asking me if it included an open mic. It took me almost a year to find the right venue, but wow, did we luck out with Swirl. A lovely historic brick building that houses a lovely and inviting wine bar with an even lovelier owner and manager who are thrilled to be supporting local writers and poets. I’m so incredibly grateful to be able to provide this opportunity for my fellow writers and community at large. The first open mic was last night and we had a good turnout. Great wine, great food, and great writing—how can anyone lose?
  • Submission—I submitted a story to the brand new LitQuake Basement Reading Series in San Francisco. I wasn’t accepted, which kind of sucked, but that’s not the point.
  • New Things—1) I went on the blind date and had a blast, even if I did get a beer spilled in my lap. (Thanks, Melanie!) Then went on another date, just to see if the first one was a fluke. And then a few more…. 2) I read my story at Flash Fiction Forum in San Jose before a crowd of strangers (rather than a sea of friendly faces). It went really well, even though I forgot my reading glasses when I headed for the podium.
  • Challenge—I ran in the Vintage Hills Fun Run with Katie in blistering 90-degree weather. Not sure exactly how far we ran, but I know it was over a mile. I could have gone further, but Katie was annoyed at the noise and the heat. Now I’m ready to tackle a 5K!

I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year will bring!

Until next time,
Cynthia Patton

About Cynthia J. Patton

Writer, Editor, Advocate, Speaker, Special Needs Attorney, and Autism Mom. Also the Founder and Chairperson of Autism A to Z, a nonprofit providing resources and solutions for life on the spectrum.
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4 Responses to Cynthia’s Yearlong 50th Birthday Bash–May Update

  1. Karen Hogan says:

    Cynthia, well you sort of cleaned up the story . . . saying you took it over but including it in the launch category. The implication is still there that you launched Storied Nights. You had nothing to do with its inception. I applaud you for running with it, but I will never understand why you insist on erasing me from the real history. You would not have had Storied Nights were it not for my efforts. It’s a matter of integrity and shame on you for lacking it. You didn’t life a finger to get it going. Again, I’ll be interested to see if you have the ovarios to leave this comment or if you delete it.

    • Karen,
      Once again, I have never claimed that I launched Storied Nights, nor do I do so in this post. The launch that I’m referring to is the Whistlestop Writers Open Mic at Swirl on the Square. I have ample integrity and all the ovarios I need, thank you.

  2. prosewriter100 says:

    Karen,
    I have watched your interactions with others over the years and watching this most recent public interaction is disheartening, to say the least. In all the time I have had contact with you over the years, I have noticed a pattern you may not have seen. Maybe this has been pointed out to you in the past but I think this is important. You have alienated and held grudges and had fall outs with probably 30 + individuals in the Tri Valley Area. Each and every time you portray it as you having been “betrayed” and “not recognized” in some way, when in reality you have conducted yourself as a literary bully. Bossing people around and proceeding with a “my way or the highway” attitude. And then amazingly, you act surprised when people did not want to entertain your ideas or ways of thinking. You have said hurtful things to people, called them out publicly, written incorrect and distorted statements of reality, and in the end, you always, always portray yourself as the victim. I challenge you to maybe meditate about this. To ask “who is the common denominator of all this conflict”. If you don’t see that you are the common denominator, then I see that as tremendously sad.

    Many, many people in this community are aware of your heavy handed ways and bullying behaviors and it is time for someone to say it is unacceptable. I would imagine in your normal pattern you will “go for the jugular” and accuse the writer of this post as an “angry person” who does not understand you and “all you have done”. There is a part of me, in writing this post that helps you to see that this has really very little to do with writing or prose but more to do with chronic needs for validation and recognition. Yes, maybe you have wounds and anger from your previous life. many of us do, but it is our job to make peace with that. I see you taking out your anger on the stage of writing and prose and not taking responsibility for those you have alienated and hurt. I challenge you to find some inner peace, and know that these conflicts you create really are deeply rooted in other pains you may have. But I do hope you can see this as an attempt to stand up against some of your very hurtful behaviors and possible have you see that you are not a victim of distorted realities of others, but merely a victim of your own internal anger.

    • Karen Hogan says:

      Wow! 30+ people! Did you do a Facebook poll? Or did you interview the 30+ people?
      Chronic need for validation and recognition? Because wanting to be recognized for what one has done and accomplished is a character flaw?
      I have no idea whether you are one of the 30+ people I alienated or hurt or if we even had a relationship. I might or might not know who you are. This is an anonymous response. So how can I possibly take seriously your observations?
      I do not see myself as a victim. Bullying is a serious charge. And anonymous posts are cowardly.