2014: A Year in Drag

Each year, I realize that I'm getting older.  A thought that I am still not ready to succumb to.  This year, like every year before, has gone by faster than I would have liked for it to.  Some awesome things happened.  Some horrible things happened.  Some things that are really sad happened, and some things that I will never forget, (because I took the time to write about them, so when I get to be old and senile, I'll at least have some kind of record of what I have done).  Over all, I don't have a lot to complain about for the year.  And, yes, I know I still have 4 days, technically, before the year is over...but the news channels have been pushing this end of the year crap for a week now, already, even before Christmas...

Manila Luzon

I'll start with the sad stuff, first, and get it out of the way.  This year marked the passings of Crystal Eaton, Scott Randall, Chase Wakeling, and Mildred Poland.  These are all people who at some point have had some kind of impact on my life.  Only one did any kind of drag.  Evie Does-It/Scott, made an otherwise exciting day, less so, as his passing happened to coincide with Latrice Royale's appearance at Styxx.  Crystal, who got her own post at the beginning of the year, was my babysitter, when I was a kid.  Chase invited Dan to live with him and his husband, when Dan had to evacuate an apartment, with only days notice, and Dan was still living there, when we met.  Chase was a supporter of us as a couple, from the very beginning, and it's still a shock to me that he's gone.  And, Mildred was my ex's aunt.  She reminded me an awful lot of my grandmother, and even after the breakup, she kept in contact with me via Facebook.  Her passing was a shock, but, it wasn't unexpected, and she had already made plans that it was her time to go.  Out of respect to the family, I opted to not go, because I didn't want anything to be weird, nor did I want to make it about me.  

Jessica Wild

2014 also marked the passing of one of the first "drag queens" that I was exposed to...Robin Williams, as Mrs. Doubtfire.  When I first heard the news, I thought it was another hoax, like, Macaulay Culkin's three deaths.  When it turned out to be true, it brought up a lot of things, for the kids I work with, as well as myself.  If nothing else, Robin Williams, as Mrs. Doubtfire, taught me that there is sometimes a thin line between the place where Love is Everything, and Love just isn't enough.  And, his final teaching, was that life is short, and let the people who mean anything, and everything to you, know that, because you never know for sure, when you won't get the chance to tell them again.

Joslyn Fox

There, now that the sad stuff is out of the way, I'll focus on some of the big things that happened this year.

2014 brought about my biggest year in RuPaul girls, yet.  I will have met, by the end of tonight, seven different RuPaul girls... Jujubee, Joslyn Fox (twice), Manila Luzon, Jessica Wild, Alyssa Edwards, Latrice Royale, and Mimi Imfurst.  It also brought about the first time I've ever won any kind of contest.  It only took me 34 years to win something more than a participation ribbon... This was the year, that I accidentally won a VIP ticket to see Alyssa Edwards...accidentally, because I forgot that I had entered, and, given that it was a Facebook contest, I didn't actually expect to win...

Alyssa Edwards

While my attempt to create a graphic novel, featuring drag came to a screeching halt, due to a lack of interest (on my part), and an attack on my creativity and imagination, due to doing some actual research by interviewing some queens, I put it aside.  It hasn't been scrapped entirely.  But, it's not a main focus.  At this point, I'd do better, writing a book..."The Boyfriend's Guide to Drag Husbandry." While it wouldn't necessarily be a best seller (or maybe it would), it would give me an opportunity to write what I know, and then nobody could attack me based on a lack of creativity, or plagarizing stories, by using bits and pieces of someone else's life...

Latrice Royale

I learned just how much my parents love the drag.  I have to admit, when I first started dating Dan, the biggest fear, was how they would react to the drag.  I obviously had nothing to worry about, since my mom's goal for this year was to start getting picture

s of her with the RuPaul queens, and, she's now working on hunting down DVD's of all the seasons of Drag Race.  It's been through this whole process, that I realized just how cool my parents really are.  They probably always have been, but you never think that your parents are cool, when you're a kid.  

Mimi Imfurst 

The year has been a giant teaching experience for me. I started to take my blog seriously, as a soapbox of sorts. On top of teaching about the acceptance of drag as an art, and an understanding of trans issues, I have also tackled why drag is dying in Maine, why we need to continue to teach about AIDS, and I grew a beard for testicular cancer. 

My No-Shave November Beard

At work, I've also been able to teach more about acceptance as well.  We took the kids to Salem, Massachusetts back in October, just before Halloween.  While we were there, the (at the time) Duchess Gigi Gill was out and about taking pictures with the tourists.  The boys all saw her, and started saying really mean things about her. So, it was my job to talk about the fact that not all drag is RuPaul "grade". And that it is as much about playing a character, as it is about dressing in the opposite gender's clothes.

Cherry Lemonade

Over the course of the year, I made some friends, and lost some friends. The friendscape of my life is in a big time flux right now. People are moving away. Other people just have stopped making the effort. And, I've done the same. Yet other people have surprised me. Cherry Lemonade has become someone  I consider to be a good friend...and she's going to be famous now. Starting January 7th we'll get to see her journey on American Idol.  

I went to so many shows throughout the course of the year.  Two fundraisers in January, March Dragness,  Jujubee at Styxx, Joslyn Fox at Mainestreet,  the Frannie Peabody AIDS Walk weekend in Ogunquit, Dragapalooza,  Zumba Wekend at Point Sebago,  all the Pride events and fundraisers, the shows at Seacoast Rep with Manila Luzon, Jessica Wild and Joslyn Fox,  Alyssa Edwards at Paradym, Latrice Royale at Styxx, the Miss AIDS Awareness Pageant, and Mimi Imfurst at Styxx. And I'm sure I missed a few shows as well.

The year gave me a totally different view of RuPaul's Drag Race, as a show. While it is still one of my favorite shows on tv, I learned through listening to stories from some of the girls, just how much the show is edited. What you're seeing on air, likely is not necessarily the way things happened in reality. 

I learned that some people just don't get how to promote. If you're trying to get people to come support your venue with a show,  it's important to get the word out on the street as early as possible. A last minute, "I need a poster for tomorrow,"  is NEVER going to get you the same business that you would get if you let people know a month or more in advance. 

I'm looking forward to New Year's Eve in Lynn, Massachusetts. I'm hoping that this will be the beginning of a year when I finally step out of the role of silent photographer, and start mingling on my own. I've done it a couple times this year, but it's always awkward.  I just have to keep trying. You know, "Fake it til you make it."

And, here's to a great 2015,  to all of you, my readers. Thank you for your support!

You're Kinda Famous, You Know?

Shaunna Rai: Photo by Jason Poulin

I've never been what you would call popular.  I keep mostly to myself.  And, I have a hard time letting people get close to me.  I have issues with speaking.  I don't stutter, or anything like that.  But, I just have a hard time, stringing words together on the fly, when I speak.  You might not know that, reading what I write, because, generally, I do much better writing than I do speaking.  It's a thing, you know?

Having lived with both Shaunna Rai, and Vanila Honey-Bush for a year, I learned quickly, that keeping to myself is boring.  People wonder what's wrong.  And, I often wonder what's wrong with me.  Since I started the blog, I've had a number of people come to me, while I'm out, and tell me how much they love it.  This is always an awkward situation for me, because on the one hand, I'm all like, "Go on, tell me how much you love it," and on the other hand, "I'm like, you read my blog?  Really? And, you think it's good!? What's wrong with you?"

I find it funny, sometimes, to know that Dan feels the same way about Shaunna Rai as I do about the blog.  Shaunna Rai has been around for two decades.  She's worked all over the Northeast.  She's worked with some big names...Joslyn Fox, Manila Luzon, Latrice Royale...She's performing with Mimi Imfurst this coming weekend...And I remind him, often that Shaunna Rai, is famous in her own right.

Dan went to get his hair cut, by his daughter, and while I was there, she was telling us that she had cut someone's hair, and told him that she was Shaunna Rai's daughter.  According to the story, the guy went wild! He couldn't believe that she knew Shaunna Rai, much less, that she was his daughter.  These are the kind of stories that I try to remind him of.

Why?

Drag in Maine, is on the decline.  There are shows on a semi-regular basis, but those have been trickling away.  This is a sad thing, because people love it.  Dragapalooza sells out every year, as well as the Royal Majesty Drag Show.  People want the drag...but they don't want to pay for it.  And the performers don't want to do it, if they're not getting paid for it.  It's kind of a vicious cycle.  Why would I work for free, when other queens have a booking fee of $2000 or more, plus transportation, lodging and free drinks on the house?

The truth of the matter is, though, that the only way to get that kind of recognition, aside from being on RuPaul's Drag Race, is to put yourself through all the free benefit shows, and the "you're working for tips, and the door", and the, "Hey, you wanna work with a Ru Girl?" shows.  Because the Ru Girls talk.  Joslyn remembered Shaunna from the AIDS Walk weekend in Ogunquit, and recommended her by name to do the shows at the Seacoast Rep over the summer (if memory serves correctly).  

Shaunna really is, the "IT Girl" of Maine. If there's a show, she's usually there.  If there's a show she's doing, it's promoted more than anything has ever been promoted in the history of promotion.  Dan promotes it, Shaunna promotes it, and I usually promote it both on my Facebook page, and here, either with a poster, or a shout out to it.  This is really how to make yourself famous.  Because it works.  Everyone knows what Shaunna is doing when.

This became most apparent, after the announcement of the RuPaul's Drag Race Battle of the Seasons's announcement that it was coming to the State Theater, here in Portland, in March.  As soon as it was announced, Shaunna and Dan were both promoting it like crazy.  And, it paid off.

During the Drag at Sea cruise, which Dan/Shaunna have been dying to get on for the last two years, a friend of ours went.  He was hobknobbing with Michelle Visage, one of the judges (my favorite, aside from Ru) of RuPaul's Drag Race.  He was talking to her about the upcoming Battle of the Seasons in Portland.  She told him that she didn't really "know much about Maine, other than it's cold, it's near Canada, it's pretty redneck, and there is this one queen there, Shaunna Rai, who comes across my feed all the time."

If Michelle Visage knows who you are, and talks about you to people, then you're definitely doing something right.  With a following of over 2,700 people, you're doing something right.

 Meanwhile, I'm limping along on Facebook, with a following of 137 people.  But, it's enough people to remind me that in my own little way, I'm a little famous too.

New Year's Eve Plans

So, it's inevitable.  Every year, I end up working New Year's Eve.  And, every year, I end up being so tired at the end of the night, that I struggle to make it to the ball dropping.  And, then, when it's all over, I conk out, and I'm not heard from again, until the following year... (haha).

Because I'm so flexible, and I worked Thanksgiving, and will be working both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, work decided to honor my request to have New Year's Eve evening, and New Year's Day off.  Which is a good thing, because Shaunna Rai booked a show in Lynn, MA, for New Year's Eve.

 I'm excited about this, because it's a New Year's Eve party with Shaunna and E,on, and that in itself should be a ton of fun.  But, along with seeing Asia again, and meeting some new girls, I'm going to be working the event.  This will be an opportunity for me to start off the New Year, by cracking my shell a little bit.  I'll be taking pictures of the event, the audience, and whatever I feel like taking them of, really.  And, I have the okay to actually sell photo cd's, which will be sent out in the days following the event, while I'm there.  So, just a heads up, if you're reading this, and will want to get a copy of the photo CD, it will be $10, you can email me here.  I'll need mailing info, and will be able to send you to my paypal.

My biggest nervousness, comes from the fact that the last few shows that I've done, my battery has run out before the end of the show.  So, I have to have a backup camera ready, just in case, because I generally am not taking pictures of the audience as well.

Anyhow, it should be an amazingly fun night.  I can honestly say that I've never spent New Year's Eve out of state with Drag Queens.  I encourage all my friends who are available to come and hang out with us and make this a night that we won't forget any time soon.

Also, I heard a rumor, that Shaunna may bring out some "Old School" (before I ever knew her) music for the night.  So, on top of getting to see a show, I get to see some numbers that, while not exactly new, are new to me.

And, I want to throw out a big thank you to Fran's Place, and Dineen Bartolo for having me as the photographer, and promoting me and my photography for your show!  I hope I can do it justice.

Gender.....Fuck!

I have a bad habit of believing that because drag is a constant in my life, that it makes me a scholar, when it comes to the topic of gender. And, then, events come along that prove to me that I still have a long way to go before I will ever be able to teach a gender studies class.

Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I got my schooling. Pride! Portland had posted a request for ideas of entertainment for the week. Dan/Shaunna Rai suggested getting some talent that originated in the area, and Ian Harvie was on the list. As Dan told me this, a couple things clicked. Ian was the first trans person that I knew of. I followed him on MySpace, back in the pre-public Facebook days. And, Ian is in the Amazon Prime show, Transparent. And, since I just got a subscription to Amazon Prime, we decided to watch it. And, I'm hooked. I'm actually disappointed that we binge watched it, as there are only 10 episodes, and I have no idea when the new season comes out.

Anyway, the timing was good, because just after we watched it, University of Southern Maine had their annual USM Royal Majesty Drag Show.

And with all the understanding that I had developed, just from watching Jeffrey Tambour's character out himself as a trans woman, and begin his journey, it was all undone, walking into the conference room they used as a dressing room. I, of course walked in with Shaunna Rai, and dropped off her suitcase with her costumes for the show.

And, the need to box people into a gender all of a sudden went into overdrive. A few, I knew for sure, because they're people I interact with on a regular basis...drag queen...cis male...cis female...but then there were the ones I didn't know. And I couldn't stop second guessing myself. That's a boy. That's a girl. And, then I caught myself doing it.

I excused myself from the room, figuring,  "ok, I have my camera, and I'll be shooting like a fiend, so I should go find a seat." Going to get a seat would be the distraction I needed to get back to my "genderless" normality.

Only, because the show has been a staple for 15 years, it's a draw for all people. And, I found myself trying to box people in the audience, as well. (Is that a gay boy in a leather harness, or a drag king? I just don't know.) And, it just would be rude to walk up to someone you don't know, to ask.

Finally, the show starts.  I'm glad,  because,  now, I have something to focus on. Between the performances and the music itself, I no longer am concerned with who's a boy, who's a girl, who used to be a boy, who used to be a girl, or who is just fucking with perceived genders. I have pictures to take. I have music that I can lip sync to, along with the performers.  And, all is right in the world again.

Except, I'm not the official photographer, this time. There are actually a couple of other pro photographers there. And we're all going for the same shots. And, we're trying to avoid getting each other in our pictures.

A few performers in, I'm intrigued by someone I've not seen perform before. I wish I could remember his drag name...but he came out with a glam rock look, with  Stephen Amell's Green Arrow eye makeup on. And suddenly, something that happened years ago made sense to me.

I had taken a group of kids that I worked with to see the show I participated in a year or two later, Guys in Gowns. One of the acts was done by Kings, who called themselves the "Whoa Men." And on the way back someone asked about them. And I explained that it was a group of women dressed as men. It later came out that there was a crush going on, and it became an issue, because "...I'm not a lesbian..."

And, now, not only have I been transported back in time, but I'm the "lesbian" in the equation now. The number was good. And, by the end of it, I had talked myself into just enjoying the show, and not even worrying about gender, for the rest of the show. Because, gender is what's on the inside and not what's on the outside...although, it's important for some people to have both match.

Shaunna did her number, a Pussycat Dolls mix, ending in Hush Hush/I will Survive (a song I could watch her do every show and never get bored.) Her tear away outfits had people gasping,  and left them wanting more.

Prodigy Diamond was up next, and got read by Cherry Lemonade, who was hosting, for being late. A mix including Evanescance's Bring Me to Life. The outfit was along the lines of Beetlejuice, as a blonde drag queen. And the performance left people wondering how much of her tottering around acting like she was drunk was for the performance, and how much was her actually being drunk.

During intermission, I talked to a couple of the judges,  then went out to see what was going on in the dressing room. Shaunna came out and took my chair, as I had decided that the way to go for this show was sit at the end of the stage, on the floor.

The show started up again,  and this time it was the "contestants's" turns to perform. It was almost all Kings competing this year, with one Queen. E standouts were, Michael Jackson, and John Legend. There was another one, but I can't remember the song.

John Legend was good.

Michael Jackson was amazing,  and, in my mind should clearly have won first place. She knew the dance from the music video step for step. And, looks-wise, until she looked you dead on, she was a dead-ringer.

The song I don't remember,  ended up winning. And, she earned it. The lip sync was on point, as was the dancing. And she's deaf. Until they asked her her "pageant" question,  and an interpreter answered for her, I never would've guessed.

Speaking of interpreters, because they want to be inclusive of everyone, they always have ASL interpreters at the show. And, sometimes, it's actually more fun to watch them perform than to watch the actual performance.  They lip sync to it, and occasionally, they get swept up in the music and start dancing, themselves.

The night was fun. And not a bad way to spend the eve of Dan and my 3 year (Facebook official) anniversary. We went home early, ordered pizzas,  and relaxed, before a trip to Boston the next day.

But, the night was the slap in the face that I needed to realize that even I am not immune from putting people in gender boxes. And, I'm one of the people preaching to others not to... And, I again realize that there are still so many questions I have that I don't know how to get answered, without coming off ignorant and rude...

Miss AIDS Awareness 2014

For as long as I've known them, Dan and Shaunna Rai have been synonymous with Miss AIDS Awareness.  Given the fact that the pageant hadn't been held in three years, for various reasons, I, more or less expected Shaunna Rai to carry on the title, indefinitely.

However, after a three year break, the pageant was held again this year.  It was hosted at Paradym (the former Club 313), presented by Envy Chanel's alter ego, and the NH Task Force.  

Chantel Chanel

Tatoola Tess Tosterone

I've taken a long time to write about the pageant, because there was a lot of things that I needed time to process, and think about how to best sum it up.  I was involved in creating the poster for the Pageant, which became a task all in and of itself.  For a donated piece of artwork, I put far more work into it than I have ever put into my paid work, due to multiple change requests.  (That however, I won't get into, because it'll just make me mad about it again.)  I got the poster out as quickly as I could, once I had the information, and had made all the changes to it.  Unfortunately, for the fundraising part of it, the poster wasn't distributed in enough time for there to be a particularly large audience.  

Countess Morticia

Competitors couldn't register online, or early.  Registration happened about an hour before the show.  Sadly, there were only four entrants. For a title that helps fund raise for what is still known as a primarily "Gay Disease," I would have thought that there would have been more interest in helping out with the fight to find a cure.  (But, maybe I'm in the minority, because I want to spread awareness about this kind of thing?)  Scarrlett Cuntyfierce Couture, Tatoola Tess Tosterone, the Countess Morticia, and Chantel Chanel were the contestants, and former title holders, Miss E,on, Shaunna Rai and Porcia J. Chanel all performed, and the whole thing was hosted by Violencia Exclamation Point.

There was a lot of down time, during the personal interviews, to which I was not privy, so I ended up sitting alone, drinking, waiting for the show itself to start.  The show began, and I was impressed.  I was a little sad that Mercadies Chanel wasn't able to host, due to illness, but I was quite impressed with Violencia.  

Scarrlett Cuntyfierce Couture

The things that stood out the most for me, for the night, were: Dueling Chers with the Newspaper wigs, Honey Boo-Boo's entry into the "Gown Competition", the Disney's Pocahontas montage act, and the fact that all of the contestants, when asked why they would be the best pick for Miss AIDS Awareness, they all kind of skirted giving an actual answer.

Going into the night, knowing a little bit of history, I was not surprised that a couple of the entrants brought people with them to tip, given that tips make up part of the points that you earn overall, and can actually change the final outcome.  E,on won the crown over Shaunna Rai, one year, by one point, because E,on brought in more tips.

Tatoola's "Rose's Turn"

I went into the night, rooting for Tatoola, because we're friends.  But, I know that Tatoola is less into the performing than she is the dressing up.  And, the audience was less than receptive of her.  Although, I thought that she was great.  I loved her "Rose's Turn" performance.

Scarrlett took the show.  The minute that she came out and started doing the medley of Pocahontas songs, I was pretty sure that she had it in the bag.  I love the theatricality of drag, and given that she had backup dancers to perform the parts of John Smith and Powhatan...I may have had to pick my jaw up off the floor.  I agreed with the judging, that Scarrlett deserved the crown.

The Passing of the Crown

Overall, it was a great night.  After the show, I found out some things that made me really sad.  There is so much information that needs to still be redistributed over and over to the gay community about HIV/AIDS.  While it may have just been nerves, none of the contestants could answer how you get the disease, and one contestant actually said that there is a cure for it.  Now, I get that we're not living in the 80's and 90's, when the majority of the gay community actually knew someone who had, or had died from AIDS.  But, there is so much information out there about how it's transmitted, that you would hope that someone would at least know that it's passed through bodily fluids, and not just liquids.  Yes, people still live healthy, productive lives, on a cocktail of meds, once they contract the disease, but that is, by no means a cure.  

I can only hope that Scarrlett will help bring awareness to the younger generation of the community, that while it's not a death sentence anymore, it's still far from being cured, and that the best things to do are get tested, talk about it often, and use protection.  Because, I know that Shaunna, in spite of giving up the crown, will still be doing as much as she can for education and fundraising.

I Like Your Beard

9 Days worth of Growth.

It's November, which means you'll be seeing a lot more "hipster" looking guys, due to Mo-vember (where guys grow mustaches) or No-Shave November (where guys just stop shaving) in honor of bringing recognition to Male Health Problems, such as Testicular Cancer.

Every year, since I moved to Portland, I've said that I was going to participate in it, and then always found a reason why I couldn't.  The clients wouldn't recognize me, I've never grown a full out beard, so I don't know how it would look, I'm starting a new job.  Let's just say, I'm really good at finding reasons for not doing something, and not so good at finding reasons to ACTUALLY do them.

For the first time in years, I had Halloween off.  And, I'm with someone, who actually celebrates it.  So, I got into the mood to do something different this year, and decided that for one of the Halloween parties, that I would dress as Captain "Killian Jones" Hook, from Once Upon A Time.  Shaunna Rai, of course went as Maleficent.  Hooray for Disney Villains!  And, given that Killian/Hook has a face full of scruff, I started my No Shave November early.

Mathu Anderson, because, who knew a bearded lady could be so sexy?

So, how does this tie in to Drag, you're probably asking?  Well, for one, it's just as possible for a drag queen to get testicular cancer, as it is for anyone else.  For two, I wanted an excuse to post pictures of Mathu Anderson (RuPaul's bearded makeup artist, and drag queen). For three, I wanted to show off what I look like with full facial hair, before it gets too itchy and I shave it all off.  And, lastly, I wanted an excuse to talk about testicles, and use the word testicles as many times as possible, because the word is funny to say, and I still think like a 12 year old, when it comes to funny body part names.

As we all know, in October, you fondle your chest, to search for lumps, that shouldn't be there.  Susan G. Komen has beaten that into our heads.  But, nobody ever talks about their testicles.  I work in a group home, with young men, and I can't go more than five minutes, without seeing someone adjusting their junk, or just randomly shoving their hand down their pants, to make sure that their penis is still there.  It happens all the time in public.  I can't tell you how many times, I've been out shopping, and seen someone slip a hand down their pants.  My point being, as men, it is almost expected for you to touch yourself.  But, it's surprising how many people touch, but don't check, nor do they acknowledge that there are issues going on with their health.  Over the last two years, I've heard of at least three people I know, who have been affected personally by either Prostate or Testicular Cancers.  I would like to think that that number is far more than I should know.  And, that I'm just lucky that I know fighters, who have survived.

No Shave Gear available at No-shave.org

If you haven't already checked it out, go to No-shave.org, to find out how you can participate in No Shave November, and help by spreading the word, buying gear or donating toward finding a cure.

So, if you're feeling odd, or if, you feel a lump, have it checked out by a doctor.  And, if you're not already doing a monthly self-check, do it.  Not that I need to be the one to do so, but I'm giving you permission to fondle your testicles.  Touch yourself, for your health.  

Death of a Gay Bar...

Here in Portland, there are a group of gays, who on a monthly basis, take over a straight bar, just because they can.  They call themselves Guerrilla Queer Bar.  I understand the "We're Here, We're Queer, Get Over It" mentality.  Because, let's face it, it's 2014, not 1950.  We've become a visible.  

I've never participated in this, because, to be quite frank, even though, it's totally acceptable for a gay man to frequent "straight" establishments, I've never felt comfortable enough to do so. I would much rather spend my time either hanging out at the local "Cheers" environment, where everybody really does know my name...and everything about me, or go to a dance club, where nobody cares who I am.  But, a club where I'm the minority, that's just not my thing.  Maybe I am still living in a 1950's world, but I think we need the gay bars.

Unfortunately, gay bars, in the Easternmost states, are becoming a rare commodity.  When I first came out, the state of Maine had far more than it has now.  Bangor had a couple of bars, Augusta had one, Portland had (I believe) three at one point, and well, Ogunquit being Ogunquit, the gay capitol of Maine, had a couple.  Over the course of the last few years, the bars have been going out of business.  Bangor has "gay friendly" clubs, but none that cater to an exclusively gay clientele.  Augusta has none.  Portland still has two gay bars, which rumor has it, neither is doing as well as they could be...Lewiston, since I met Dan/Shaunna Rai, has had not one, not even two, but three different gay bars open and close.  And, Ogunquit has Mainestreet and the Front Porch (a dance club and a piano bar.)  

And, the blight that has been taking away the Maine gay bars, has moved on to New Hampshire, as well.  Over the summer, Shaunna Rai hosted a bag night at Elements, a bar in Manchester, NH.  And, a couple of weeks later, they announced that they would be closing.  (They've since reopened...)  And, then, this week, Paradym/Club 313 (whichever name you prefer to use, because it's the same club, under different management) announced that this weekend, they would be closing their doors.

Sadly, the state of business for many of these bars, is that everyone believes that they're doing fine, and then, all of a sudden, they're closed for good.  And, who is to blame?  

As a group, we, the gays, like to complain.  He's too ugly, he's too fat, he's too much of a whore.  This club is too dirty.  That club doesn't pay enough attention to their clientele.  This one has the same five performers, every week.  That one has too many performers, but they're always performing the same act.  We're never happy.  We need something newer.  Something flashier.  Something different.

And yet, the community as a whole, goes berserk when something happens to the club that they've been complaining about for years.  

I have some suggestions:

1.)  Instead of forcing ourselves on the straight people, why don't we invite them once in a while, to our world?

2.)  Even if you've seen the same seven drag queens at the same bar for the last seventeen years, performing the same seventeen numbers, let them know that you appreciate what they're doing.  More often than not, they're being paid minimal amounts, and getting by on tips.  

3.)  If you want to keep your gay bars around, so that when you feel like being gay, you can be gay, and nobody will give a fuck, SUPPORT YOUR BARS!!!!  I can't stress this enough.  People bitch the most about the bars that appeared to be doing well, that all of a sudden, BANG, they're gone.  Well, if you had been going there, instead of trying to "make a point of your queerness", maybe they'd still be around...

4.)  If you have suggestions for your bars, of what they could do to make things better, find out who you need to talk to, and talk to them!  The worst thing that can happen, is that they're going to say, "Hey, we tried that, and nobody liked it, but thanks for the idea." The best that can happen is that they say, "OMG! I hadn't even thought about that!  Thanks for the idea.  We'll try that!"  

5.)  A cover charge is not a rip off.  Often times, the cover charge is split between the bar and the entertainment for the evening.  If you're not interested in paying a cover charge, you might want to consider buying your alcohol, and having drinks with friends at home.  (You have less of an opportunity for getting picked up for an OUI that way...)

Some things just can't take the place of other things.  Your straight bar with a "gay night", is never going to take the place of your local Gay Bar.  It's not the same.  It's like saying that a Kindle is the same as reading a real book.  It's not.  While I love my Kindle, while I'm reading on it, I miss actually turning the pages, and the smell of the paper.  

Respect your present, because eventually, it is going to be your past.  And, if things keep going the way they have been over the last couple of years, in Maine and New Hampshire, the Gay Bar scene is going to be non-existent.  

Sure, you can still go play Guerrilla Queer Bar-hopper, but don't forget that you can go to your ACTUAL Queer Bar, and support them.  Because eventually, if we're not supporting our bars, they won't be there.  And we'll start bitching about the lack of a place to go where you can be gay, and not have to worry about being gay.

Evie Does It

Sometimes, people creep into your life, and make their way into your heart. Often, I fight against letting this happen.  I have a bad habit of pushing people away, who want to be close to me, because I have this fear of them leaving.  So, if I don't let them in, they can't hurt me when they leave. (I know, it's lame.  But, it's real. Working in Social work, I see it all the time.)

When I first moved to Portland, it was to get away from having been hurt.  I figured, if I moved somewhere, where nobody knew me, that I could start over fresh.  And, really, I didn't expect that I would end up with friends...all my friends were from other places, and eventually, I would let those friendships lapse, as I got busier and busier with my new life.

Somewhere along the lines about two and a half years ago, I went to Blackstones, for the first time.  I knew of it, because of my roommate at the time, talking about it.  It had a reputation, from what I had heard of being a "leather bar," a "daddy bar", and "a dive bar," but above all else, it was most decidedly, "a GAY bar."  I was terrified.  I did the straight boy thing, and worried that everyone in the bar was going to hit on me, because I was a new, fresh face in the bar.  (I wasn't entirely wrong...)

Scott was one of the first people that I met.  He came over, and started talking to me, and introduced himself.  He intimidated me, at first.  We connected over the fact that I work in the social work field, and was at the time, working with a population of people with developmental disabilities, because he had a son who was disabled.

The first time I met Evie Does-It, I was flustered.  I couldn't figure out why I knew her, but I knew that I knew her.  Evie had a bad habit of talking more than she should, and throwing attitude at the wrong people.  At first I didn't get it.  But, when Shaunna Rai started bartending at Blackstones earlier this year, things started to finally make sense.

A lot of people have a bad habit of talking too much, when they shouldn't about people who don't deserve it.  Scott/Evie had medical problems, and a lot of ribbing came at the expense of those medical problems.  And, so, Evie did what I do, and pushed people away, by being bitchy to them.  She tried it with Shaunna once, and was read the riot act.  After that, their relationship changed, more to a mentoring kind of relationship.  Evie would ask Shaunna for advice about drag, and that was that.

Evie came to every drag show that I ever went to, in Portland.  She loved it.  And, a few months ago, she was talking about the fact that she was going to have a surgery to help lose some weight. Then, after the surgery, watch out world, because Evie is going to hit the stage.

Evie had started having wigs done by Dan, and her look was evolving, somewhat.  I would have loved to have seen what she could have become, with more time and guidance.

Unfortunately, Scott passed away last Saturday.  His timing couldn't have been worse.  Latrice Royale, from RuPaul's Drag Race, was coming to Styxx that night, and he was really looking forward to going.  Scott even had a date for the night.

I found out that he had passed, while I was at work.  And, working in the field I work in, it's hard to keep your emotions in check all the time. Especially for me, because my poker face is busted, and everything that goes through my mind shows up on my face. And, the kids I work with have been in the system long enough that they know how to read someone.  I was worried that something was going to happen to him, because he'd been in the hospital, and Dan, after one of the last shows, had said that he thought that something bad was going to happen, because Scott's skin looked off colored.  What I didn't expect, though, was how hard it would hit me.

Any time I tried to talk about him, I got choked up.  And, twice, before the show, I almost broke down in tears.  I would have skipped the show altogether, if I hadn't been tasked as the official photographer for the show.  And, then I thought about what he would have said to me.  And, realized that for as long as I've known him, he always wanted happiness for everyone he knew.  And, he would have wanted me to go, enjoy the drag, to know that he wasn't in pain anymore, and that he was there in spirit...

My heart goes out to Scott's family and friends.  I'm not able to go to his funeral, which makes me sad.  So, I will figure out some other way to say my goodbyes to him.

Evie, you'll be missed, and Blackstones will never be the same place without you. Good bye my friend.

I Want To Swing From The Chandelier...

Saturday, I started the morning with an open mind. Today was the day that I was going to hear back about the car I looked at, and, it was also Alyssa Edwards at Paradym.

I got a call from the car place, and it was bad news. The check from the insurance company hadn't been received yet, and so, there was nothing they could do this weekend. It would be at least Tuesday before I would hear back...and Tuesday was the last day that I would be able to drive my rental car.

So, I made other plans. I went to a different dealership, and within two hours, was able to walk away with a new car. And, I'd talked my parents into going to Manchester with us to see Alyssa Edwards.

I dropped off the car at Knaughty, so that Dan would have something to drive home. I went out to eat with Mom and Dad, and then a quick shopping trip,  before going back to the house. By the time we got back, Shaunna Rai was putting on face.

While we waited, Mom asked about upcoming shows, and I gave her a preview of what Latrice Royale will be like.

Finally, Shaunna asked me to help with the corset, and then it was time to go. The trip was uneventful, with the exception of a couple of nails popping off, and not having any nail glue. I stopped and got nail glue, and then it was a hop, skip and a jump to Paradym.

Having won my VIP ticket, I expected that I'd be right on the list. And, for some reason, I wasn't, but the bouncer/check in guy let me in, because "it sounds reasonable."

We get there, and our friend Wendy, from the Portsmouth shows, was already there. We had a seat, and I introduced her to my parents.  We got drinks and munched on fries that Wendy had ordered.

Before the show, we talked about blogs and writing books, and coming out stories. Then, it was time for the show.

Alyssa came out with Miss Toni Weaver, who is a regular performer at Paradym, and told us that she had been doing drag do 50 years. (I'm always in awe of the older queens, because I can only imagine the stories they could tell.)

I forget, when I'm in the karaoke room at Paradym, that the best place to be is toward the middle of the room. Only because if you're at the front, the performers are usually really far away, and if you're in the back of the room, you get a lot of back/butt shots and the lights glare in the pictures.

Monique Toosoon, Lady Sabrina, Britney Lynne, Laila McQueen, Candice Caron, Ivy League-O'deria and Miss Toni Weaver, all did their numbers. Laila looked a bit like Ben Dela Creme, and I loved it. Ivy,  came out looking like an ice queen. These girls all nailed it. And then, out comes Alyssa again. She was a lot funnier than I expected.  (I think a lot of my surprise came from her feud with Coco Montrese on her season.)

This time, she performed Sia's Chandelier.  I was very impressed with her. I hadn't seen the music video, at that point, but Dan showed me the next day that Alyssa actually was doing the dance from the video.

A break, then the spotlight show in the other room. Monique, Lady Sabrina, and  then Alyssa. I spend half the time taking pictures and half the time trying to get mom into a better position, so that she can get some pictures...because, Mom is shorter than I am, so if I'm having trouble, then she definitely is.

Then, it's time for the Meet and Greet. This is the part of these shows that I absolutely hate. Not because I think I'm better than a line, but because I'm against rude people in lines. Much like when I met Raven, I didn't know what to say to Alyssa. Alyssa was not originally a Drag Race girl that I liked very much. I was glad that for the most part, the night did not revolve around the Coco Montrese drama from the show. 

Finally, it was time to go. I really enjoyed the night. I was really happy that I got to share the night with my mom, who was more excited that it was Alyssa than I was.

Luck is a Many Splendored Thing

A week ago today, we brought Benni home, to Lewiston, and my world was shaken up. On the way back home, a lady on her way to work, made a left turn and smashed into us. Everyone was ok, with the exception of my having had a meltdown on the side of the road.

Cue a week of stress, dealing with insurance companies, and being told, "Talk to this person," "No, you need to talk to this person." Finally, I got someone to inspect the car. And, it was considered totalled.

So, in the course of a week, I went from having to dragmobile, to more or less, nothing. I have a rental, and I'm working on a new vehicle. But, the point is, luck has not been on my side (and usually isn't).

So, how I managed to win a ticket to see Alyssa Edwards, at Paradym this weekend, is totally beyond me. Maybe,  it was just time for my luck to change? Maybe the Gods (Goddesses?) of drag had a soft spot for me? Anyway, it happened, and I was shocked.  (Partly because I entered, then promptly forgot that I had, because the likelihood of my winning was nil.

Thank you to Paradym, Monique Toosoon, and especially to the person who was unable to make it, who gave back a pair of VIP tickets to be given away. I really needed something like this, this week. So, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Dress Has Always Been My Strongest Suit

The universe has a strange way of making me totally aware that I have little control over other people. And, it tends to like to do so, at the most inconvenient times for me.

Asking for time off, so I can drive to a show is no big deal. Nor is getting the time off. But, getting out, on time, in a field of direct care, is nearly impossible,  when you need it to work for you.

The morning started off quiet. Too quiet. Which means something is brewing.  And sure enough, two hours to go, and all hell broke loose. And, my perfectly planned escape, to start my pick ups went to hell.

After a couple of intense texts, I had to resist the urge to sit out the last show, AND the urge to throw my cell out the window on 295. I picked up Benni, then headed back home to get Dan.

Recovering from stress, I stayed quiet for most of the ride to Portsmouth. And, given that Dan was driving,  and we were behind schedule,  I was a bit white knuckled the whole ride there.

Once we got there, I was sent on a quick shopping trip. Snacks for Shaunna, and something gluten-free for me, since I hadn't eaten anything all day. So, I walked around downtown Portsmouth, and saw a lady who had fallen on the sidewalk, surrounded by at least 7 EMT's. She seemed disoriented,  and I walked by as quickly as possible. I got back to the theater, and the "girls" were putting on faces. So, I did what I do best. I mowed down on Ruffles and Reserve's Pieces, and watched the transformations happen.

Shaunna Rai and Miss E,on base heavy, and work it out from there. Bunny Wonderland starts with the eyes, then works out the rest of her face. 

There are a lot of mixed feelings around this show. Happiness,  because tonight's show is sold out, with a two page waiting list for cancellations.  Sadness, because we haven't really done much with Bunny,  in spite of the fact that Shaunna was there for Bunny's inception. So, there was a lot of we have to do more like this (which I sincerely hope happens,  because not only is Bunny super sweet, but she's hilarious...and only her eyebrows scare me.) I'm excited to see Joslyn Fox again, because she was so kind in May when Shaunna worked with her in Ogunquit. And, because the other two shows went well, Bunny seems a little stressed out that something is going to go wrong.

Kitti Chanel arrives first,  with her entourage of boys, and comes bearing gifts of Mimosas. I gladly accept, and then quickly remembered why I dislike Champagne.

Joslyn arrived,  and I went back to the dressing room.  There was a quick introduction, and then Joslyn turned to me. "We're friends on Facebook, aren't we?" I said we are, because we are. She remembered that I had congratulated her on her marriage, as well. And, I kinda Geeked out, because, here is this tv personality,  and she knows who I am, and remembers me. At that point it was close to the start of the show, and to hide my fangirl-ing, I went up to claim my seat for the show.

Seating arrangements are backward this time. My new friend Wendy was on my left, and one of the Pinnacle vodka event people was on my right, with a couple of friends. The crowd was huge. I was shocked at how many people were there. And, I was reminded that a good reason for so many people was Joslyn herself. 

This show, in particular, seemed to be almost a show specifically for me. With me being photographer, everyone was posing for me anyway.  But this show, queens were seeking me out. During one of Joslyn's numbers,  there was a line about a bald man...so she came at me to rub my bald head...and almost fell in my lap. There was a one or two inch edge on the stage that she didn't realize was there. Later, Kitti Chanel came over, sat in my lap, turned sideways, with her head in the Pinnacle lady's lap and feet in Wendy's lap. Then, during Shaunna's final number, she was going for tips, and crawled up in my lap, chest in my face, to get her tip. 

By the end of the show, I was a bit worn down. I'd been up since 5:30am, and was going to have to be back up at 5:30 the next morning. We get to the Portsmouth Gaslight Co., and I realize that I'm starving and I'm running out of steam. Unlike the last After Party, I don't feel like being social, and taking a hundred and fifty billion pictures.  I just want to hang out and relax, before the long ride home.

Shaunna and E,on do their thing and socialize, and I follow along with my camera, just in case. I get a few pictures with Joslyn and some of her fans. I get a few pictures of My girls and their fans. Somewhere in the midst of this, Shaunna manages to get me hooked up with a couple who is looking to have engagement pictures redone by a new photographer, and would like to have someone do their wedding pictures.

I get my own picture with Joslyn, just before we go. And, on the way home, Dan tells me that Joslyn (Patrick) and Andre would like to come to Portland and hang out with us. And, all I can think about, is how cool this night was. How much I can't wait for this to happen again next year. And, how much I'm going to hate waking up in three hours to get ready for work.

But, I want to give a huge thank you to Bunny Wonderland, Shaunna Rai, Miss E,on, Manila Luzon, Jessica Wild, Joslyn Fox, Kitti Chanel, and Vanila Honey-Bush, for letting me tag along for these three shows, and not making me feel like I'm in the way. You're all amazing!

I'll Be Your Paparazzi

Any day that I am off before a show is a good one off.  Usually.  

It's rare for me to not be stressed out before a show. Usually, these are the days that I'm off all day before the should can have some time to do whatever it is that I need to, to relax.  Picking up Benni (Miss E,on) goes off without a hitch. So, the day is going to be awesome. How can it not be? I'm going to a show. I'm going to meet Jessica Wild. What can possibly go wrong?

We get the car packed up, and go on our way. We're supposed to pick up Vanila Honey-Bush,but nobody has heard from her. So, we swing by her work, and nobody there has heard from her in a couple of days. We now have a mystery on our hands, and I finally get to start stressing out, because now, "do we wait around and try to find her, or do we just go without her?

After a few minutes of speculation, and frustration, we decide to go without her, and hope that everything is okay.

We get there, Dan explains the situation to Bunny Wonderland, and the determination is made that the girls will just rearrange numbers, and/or do extra numbers, to fill time.

Up to this point, I have been writing out handwritten business cards, because, I'm planning to take audience pictures this time, at the suggestion of Dan, because pictures of people having fun, will make people more likely to want to see what they missed at the last show.  Which, frankly, makes a lot of sense.  So, writer's cramp and all, I get my 40 business cards made out, then head upstairs, to buy drinks.

There are two lines, which have thrown everyone off. One is for mixed drinks, the other for wine and beer. And, I spend five minutes explaining this to people. I order my drinks: a Creamsicle for me and a Rum Bucket for Shaunna Rai. Feeling all proud of myself, I scurry back to the changing room through the vomitorium, and get back without an issue...and then, BAM! 

Miss E,on makes a grand gesture at just the right time, and the bucket goes flying. Christine, the stage (hand? manager? I'm not quite sure what her title actually is) person, takes the majority of thr spill...on her pants. It goes all ip my arm, and all over the floor. And, I just stanf there like a deer in the headlights, because I just can't believe that it happened.

Then I'm back in line, in a much longer line than I just left, now that people know where to get their booze. I get another Bucket for Shaunna, and make my way carefully back down, making sure to announce myself this time.

Then, I run back upstairs, and snap a few pictures of random people, some I know, some I don't. I hand out a few of my freshly made business cards, then I check on Shaunna one more time, before I stake out my seat.

Jessica arrives. She does a quick run through of the opening with Bunny. I'm introduced as Shaunna's partner, and photographer for the show. I go grab my seat, and the people I met last time are on either side of me. The lights go down, the spotlight comes up, and the show starts.

Jessica, who on Season 2 of RuPaul's Drag Race, had a language barrier, when it came to English,  seems to have gotten a much better grip of it. She and Bunny chat it up on the microphone, and I'm surprised by how funny she is, and she's kinda dirty, but in a fun way.

Intermission starts, and again, I go up to get some pictures. And, Shaunna and I are bought drinks. Shaunna starts the show when intermission is over, so I get to guard both drinks (hers and mine) and give it to her after her number.

The audience tipped less well this show than with Manila, but, was extremely interactive. This was my kind of audience. They sang along, and really got into it, like I usually do.

Then, the show's over, far too soon, as far as I'm concerned. We head over to the Gas Light Co., for the After Party. Shaunna and E,on are given free Prozac Punch drinks by one of the alcohol sponsors. And, I start getting pictures of the girls with their fans.

When Jessica shows up, I end up snapping pictures like crazy. Before the end of the night,I've actually killed my battery. And, Jessica starts referring to me as her Paparazzi, because I'm getting annoying with asking her for other people if we can get a picture.

When the crowds have more or less disappeared, Jessica takes some time to talk to us about what it was like being on Drag Race.  Long days.  Sometimes, long periods of just standing around waiting on Ru. And, lots and lots of creative editing. Things said on the show may have been said, just not necessarilyin the context that they're portrayed to be in. Thus, how you get villains on a show like Drag Race. And, then she compliments Shaunna, E,on and Bunny on how good they are, and reminds them that just because you're not on Drag Race doesn't mean that you're bad. And, just because people get on the show, it doesn't necessarily mean that they're good...or at least better than anyone else. Because drag is a sisterhood, and "all the girls that I work with, wherther you, or Nina Flowers, are my sisters."

Bring It!

"So, I volunteered you for taking pictures, for three weeks of shows."  Every so often, this happens to me. This time, it's important though. I'm the official photographer for three RuPaul's Drag Race girls, for the Midsummer Night Queens shows at Seacoast Rep Theater in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

As such, I get into the shows for free, and get to meet the girls.  And to put the icing on the cake, some of my pictures are going to be published in the newspaper.

The day of the show, I'm in a rush to get out of work, on time, which given that I do social work, is nearly impossible. I manage to get out only 10 minutes late. But, I'm still behind schedule.

I have to get Shaunna Rai packed into the trunk, pick up E,on and pick up Vanila. In the meantime, there's a bank trip, and I manage to get us onto the highway...headed the wrong direction. So, the night is off to a great start.

We get everyone, and start the trek to Portsmouth. Everything is good. I'm stressed out, because I have this ginormous responsibility for A) taking good pictures, B) making sure I don't kill my camera battery before the end of the show, and C) finding a spot to take the best possible pictures from.

I'm pretty sure (at this point) I have an inflated sense of my responsibility. Let's face it, at the end of the day, I'm really just a chauffeur with a camera, who occasionally takes an amazing picture or two.

I always enjoy the pre-show process, and even more, when the queens involved aren't queens I see on a regular basis, if only for the fact that the makeup is so much different. So, I watch the makeup go on, and then it becomes a waiting game for Manila Luzon to arrive. She's been at the hotel, waiting for her luggage to get there.

Suddenly, she's there. Apparently, this is one of the first times that she has had an airline lose her bags. And, unfortunately, it's not like a queen can just go to Wal-Mart, to get her makeup. I get to meet Manila before the show. I'm intoduced as both the show photographer and Shaunna's partner. And, I'm struck by how kind Manila is.

After a quick run through of the opening of the show, I'm in the audience, waiting for it to start. (And for the rest of the audience to arrive.)

A couple to my right, one row back is trying to recall who Manila is, and having gone over all the info about the girls who will be performing for the next three weeks, I get to pretend like I know what I'm talking about. I let them know that Manila was runner up in Season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race.

The lights go down, the theater quiets, and the introduction starts. I start snapping pictures, for low light, no flash, and pretty much, pray that they're going to come out. Unfortunately, all the intro pictures came out unusable.

As I'm snapping away, the girls all start mugging for me. Which is perfect. With the no flash thing, the less they move, the better the pictures come out.

When the audience begins to really tip, Shaunna does a number, then finds me and throws her tips in my lap.

Suddenly, it's intermission. The lady sitting on my immediate right, (who I am now Facebook friends with) starts chatting with me about the show.  She at one point, says that I must be something special, because a) everyone was posing for me, and b) Shaunna threw her money at me...So I had to either be "her boyfriend, or her pimp." We had a little laugh about that. Then I was off to grab Shaunna a drink before the intermission was over.

The show starts back up. Bunny introduced Shaunna Rai as her "fairy drag mother." I didn't know Bunny when she and Shaunna used to hang out, because I wasn't in the Portland area then.  (And, this is the best part of everything,  as far as I'm concerned. I love hearing about the old days...even if those days are only a few years ago. )

Then, the show is over. And, it's time to head to the Gas Light Co. for the After Party.  This of course, is the part that I was dreading.  After parties mean socializing.  And socializing means people.

We get shown outside to the patio, where we get put in a back corner, where Manila was supposed to be signing things. Instead, she opted for mingling with the fans and taking pictures.

I'm struck again by how nice she is. I think a lot of this comes from the disbelief that I have with reality tv that says that nobody on a t.v. show can possibly be nice on purpose. (Although, Joslyn Fox, Raven and Jujubee had all already proven otherwise.)

While waiting around for it to be over, Shaunna and I started talking to a couple, who ended up buying us drinks.  The wife is a fan of drag, and the husband came because she wanted to. The wife is also the head of a support group for people who do cross dressing and/or drag. They were super sweet, and seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say, and not just what the drag side of things is like.

I fell behind with taking pictures at the party, so didn't get much...although, I did get my picture with Manila...which was my ultimate goal for the night.

Manila left, because she had an early flight to Florida the next morning. And the remaining girls, Shaunna, Vanila and E,on had a drink, then started talking to a table full of nurses...I did my usual stay in the background thing, and then it was time to head back home.

Graphic Art is Hard

My first Drag Show Poster

Over the past few weeks, I haven't really had much to say about drag, because, well, there hasn't been anything going on.  I mean, for real, we live in Maine.  Unfortunately, it's not like there's a drag show every night everywhere here, like there is in Boston.

So, instead of doing my usual escort/chauffeur/bag boy thing, I've been doing the other side of what a good drag husband would do.  I've been making posters, and helping get out the word about shows that are coming up. (Quick plug for Seacoast Rep theater in Portsmouth, NH, tomorrow night, August 6th, with RuPaul's Drag Race past contestant, Manilla Luzon.)

Sept 13, 2014

Originally, my posters started off as a "Hey, can you just throw something together for me for this show?" from Shaunna Rai.  A couple of them, have come off because I had time, and I was excited for the show, like my old Jujubee poster, and the new Latrice Royale poster.

In my own mind, these posters are going to make me famous, somehow.  I'm going to be like Brian Kinney's character from Queer as Folk, only with a lot less sex and drugs.  In my mind, I'll be making money off from my posters, instead of just doing them because I can. The truth of the matter is, I have a lot of fun making the posters.  Until I don't.

Sept. 6, 2014

Generally, I ask the patron for an idea of what they're looking for in a poster (unless it's an "I'm bored, so I'm just making one".)  From there, I can usually get something put out really quickly.  This, to me, is a good thing.  If I were getting paid, the more that I could do, keeping the client's idea in the forefront, the better I would be making off from them.

My biggest pet peeve, however, is a client who says, "I don't really know what I want, so just use your own judgment."  Because, really, they do know what they want, and it usually isn't the same as what I want.  Dan tells me all the time, "You need to use your words, and tell me what you want, because I can't read your mind."  It's good advice if you ever decide that you need a poster from me.  Because what I think looks good, may be far different than what you think looks good.  So, we need to have a common ground somewhere, where we can start off, and go from there.

Honestly, it's not a big deal if I'm working up a poster, and you say, "Scrap the idea, it's not working, try this."  It's not even a big deal if I have seven different saved copies of your poster...unless after the seventh, you decide to go with the first after all.

April 12, 2014

My issue here, is that I'm currently working for free, to get myself some experience, and some exposure.  I don't always mind that.  For instance, back in December, I had done a quick poster for Styxx/Frannie Peabody Center, to advertise that they were doing free HIV testing.  Given that Frannie, through Shaunna Rai, has become my charity of choice, I would have done the poster for free anyway, because it's a way for me to give back.  And, the Styxx shows with the RuPaul girls, I'm getting tickets for not only myself, but, my parents too.  These posters, I don't mind doing, because I'm getting some kind of "reimbursement" for...be it the ability to feel like I'm doing something important, or the opportunity to get to go to a show that I don't have to pay for.

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I do art.  That's my thing.  I can't always do it on command.  I may start a project 5 times, before I show you what looks like the first version of it that you can critique and change.  It takes time.  It takes the right mood.  And, it takes a little bit of understanding from the person ordering the poster to get that I have a full time job, and I do this on my own time.  Art is fun for me.  But, when a poster turns into a monster, I'm going to want to be done with it as soon as I possibly can, to never think about again.

And, now for the shameless plug for myself.  I'm open to doing posters.  You can shoot me a message on Facebook, or via email.  We can work something out.  A little cash would be appreciated, because I do have bills to pay, but as I said before, I'm willing to barter as well.  If it's a show, I'll work for tickets, if it's realistic for me to get to it.