So what are some ways that you have evolved as a storyteller?

My storytelling has been fed an awful lot more recently with heavy doses of listening.

And it's so funny that people will see me show up, and there's a circuit of storytellers now, and they'll see me show up for a slam or an event and say, you got one for tonight.

And I always use the same line when I don't have one.

I always say, tonight, I'm a learner.

And that's what I want to remain.

For the first five years of my teaching career, I literally lived inside the building where I taught.

no, brother,

[laughs] Is that good?

Uh, yeah.

It's, it's right there.

Thank you so much.

For most of my life, I've been a teacher.

In the last 15, 16 years of my life, I've been the senior manager at an educational nonprofit.

Biggest responsibility I have is I mentor all the new interns, all the new grad students, all the people entering the job force for the first time.

[laughs]

[cheering]

[laughs] So there I was in my cutoff jeans and my Doc Martens, looking fierce as can be, and scared witless.

All of a sudden, I feel somebody coming by me.

He circles, and he touches my side, and I jump, and I flinch.

And he looks at me, and in the most beautiful Southern drawl, which I never learned how to imitate, he said, "Precious, what is wrong? Don't you wanna have some fun?" I said, "Yeah, but I'm afraid you're gonna lift my wallet." He said, "Ah, I'm not gonna lift your wallet.

Might lift your spirits.

Love to lift other things on you, too.

[laughs]