The Moth provides another great memory
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> When I was in high school, I was lucky enough to travel to New York City and attend something called The Moth.
A few special teachers took a group of students involved in the school newspaper to Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in SoHo and I experienced my first-ever live storytelling event.
This is one of my favorite high school memories, and it was part of a trip that made me realize I wanted to pursue writing and journalism as a career.
But for quite a while my encounter with The Moth was just that, a memory. I thought it was something that only happened in large cities, and maybe one day I’d get back to that cool bookstore in the Big Apple to see it again.
Then a few years ago a dear friend encouraged me to check out the Podcasts app on my iPhone. It didn’t take me long to find The Moth and joyfully discover that I had thousands of stories available for listening right at my fingertips.
Each week I listen to The Moth Radio Hour and get my fix of good storytelling. The Moth specializes in true stories told live, and avid listeners like me eat up every second of the podcast audio, recorded from live events like the one I attended in the city.
Until very recently, I thought that was enough. I was a happy podcast subscriber eagerly waiting for each next episode.
But then a few weeks ago I got an email announcing that The Moth was coming to Saratoga Springs! Even among hundreds of press releases in my inbox every day - I haven’t heard news this exciting in a while.
I claimed my tickets, which were free for the entire audience, and anxiously waited for the Sunday night show when I’d be reunited with The Moth.
The event was held at Skidmore College, and the storytellers were students. To be honest, I went in wishing the stories were going to be told by adults, as they would naturally have more life experiences to use as compelling material than a college kid.