From the thrill of live storytelling to the nuances of humor and audience reactions, this episode is all about finding your voice. Writer and performerCarlos Garbiras joins us to share his journey from writing on Medium to taking the stage at Story Slams and comedy open mics. We dive into the process of refining a performance, navigating audience dynamics, and the surprising ways humor lands—or doesn’t—depending on the crowd. Carlos even gives us a live run-through of his latest Story Slam piece, a hilarious and heartfelt tale about the chaos of Christmas parenting.

If you’ve ever thought about stepping up to a mic, testing your storytelling chops, or just want to hear a great conversation about creativity, this one’s for you!

Listen now and get inspired to tell your own story.

Links:

Unequivocally Ambiguous - Humorous Essays:equivocal.me

The Story Frame - Storytelling Lessons: thestoryframe.com

Video of performance: Parenting during the holidays warrants a message from the US Surgeon General.

Medium Essay:One Brown Nation Under God, Indivisible With Libertad, Tortilla Chips, and Salsa Para Todos

Kristi and Chris discuss their experiences and feelings surrounding the holiday season, particularly focusing on family dynamics, navigating personal space, the pressures of holiday expectations, sobriety, and the impact of alcohol on past gatherings.

This week's episode features writer and podcaster Christina Jumper of the Pickles and Vodka Podcast. Christina shares her journey through mental health struggles, addiction, and the evolution of her podcast. She reflects on her past experiences, the importance of writing, and how podcasting has become a platform for her to discuss mental health openly. We also touch on the challenges of recovery, the significance of honesty in writing, and the transformative power of sharing personal stories. To read Christina's stories visit https://xtinajumper.substack.com/ or listen to The Pickles and Vodka podcast at https://picklesandvodka.substack.com/