I heard about The Moth before I moved to Louisville, but it wasn't until Louisville started hosting monthly storySLAMs at Headliners that I really got hooked.

Because Gabe is a regular Moth host at the live event, I have been to most of the story nights. We were at the very first one, we've been to both the GrandSLAMs, and tonight, we'll go to our last Louisville Moth for a while.

After almost three years of the Moth, I know the rules, and I know the faces and names of the regular storytellers. You can always count on a good story (usually on topic) from them, and I love learning a little more about the regulars. But it's exciting when the host pulls a new storyteller's name out of the tote bag. And when a new person tells a really, really good story (and maybe even wins on their first night)? I love that.

I love the anonymous mini-stories the hosts read between the real stories. I love seeing someone I know at their first Moth and hearing about how much they loved it on their way out. I love hearing how far people drove, just to come to this one event, and telling them all the places in town they should go before they leave the next day. I love trying to think of my own story to share, but prefer to sell you t-shirts, mugs, and answer your questions as volunteer.

I did get up there once to tell a story. There are some things I feel like I need to try a few more times to really know whether I like them or not (like paragliding off a mountain). I do not have to ever tell another story at the Moth. Yikes (you CAN see people in the audience, despite the lights. No features, but you can tell there are people out there. That's enough to make me shake).

Boston has three monthly Moth events (Boston, Cambridge, Somerset), so if I need to hear some live stories, I'm set. But I will not know all those storytellers. I will not know the volunteers, the hosts, and the producer. For me, the Moth has meant the Louisville StorySLAM, and I will miss knowing what I'm doing the last Tuesday night of the month.