I’ll always have Dayton…
"There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor & hurt" —Erma Bombeck.
Sitting among the authors, humor writers, essayists, stand-up comedians and teachers at the Erma Bombeck Workshop at the University of Dayton last weekend, I truly felt at home. It was as if I took off on a spaceship and landed back on my home planet, relieved to finally be back. These were my people.
The weekend-long workshop is held every two years and sells out quickly for good reason. The authors, keynote speakers and teachers are top-notch. I’ve never met a group of women (and a few men) who were more brave, funny & kind. From comedian & host Leighann Lord, to keynote speakers such as Kelly Corrigan and Stephen Rowley, the belly-laughs were plentiful as were a few heartfelt tears. As Erma and the keynote speakers reminded us, humor and pain live side by side. Two sides of the same coin.
I love you Erma!
When I was a young girl, my mom Betty had all of Erma’s books and I’d sneak them into my room and read them over and over, delighting in the stories and the way they made me feel. Giddy, irreverent, silly, powerful and funny as hell. Erma got me to not only laugh out loud at her stories, but come away feeling something more. Somewhere beyond the giggles, there was real substance—real life. Her writing was timeless and appealed as much to me as to my middle-aged mother. That was her magic and her soul and legacy lives on in Dayton every two years. The workshop fully embraces Erma’s personality and humor and her family is present at each one too - how proud they must be of their mom!
The workshops were fantastic and ranged from a sit-down style conversation with the lovely, hilarious and super-talented Jacquelyn Mitchard, a children’s book primer, and branding and marketing courses. One of my favorite classes was taught by two stand-up comedians. We split off into groups where we had timed pitches of our stories. It was frightening and exhilerating at the same time and by the end of the class, I had “sold” my story successfully to my classmates. The fact that I had somehow forgotten the business cards I’d rush-printed, fully with QR codes, didn’t matter much. The connection and camaraderie was present nonetheless.
In addition to the workshops, keynotes and amazing food, they also had a stand-up comedy night and an open-mic night, both of which I was too exhausted to attend, but wish now that I had. Oh well, I have two more years to build my stamina! :)
If you have the time, money and desire, I would highly suggest attending this workshop. It is a game-changer. I came home filled with so much energy and enthusiasm to not only finally publish my novel, but also to perhaps try my hand at writing some essays. Not sure how humorous they will be, but we’ll see.
Remember, as Erma says “You Can Write"!
XO
Nancie
Goodby Erma! See you in two years!
(Sunrise at The University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio)