The year 2016, is a year that many people would like to erase from memory. From the numerous celebrity deaths, to the Trump win at the election, it's clear that the year sucked.
On a personal level, it wasn't a great year for me. There were some good parts to it... I got to help design a line of t-shirts for Shaunna Rai, which is available at DragQueenMerch.com. I also created a couple of limited edition t-shirt runs on my own. (Which, only my mom bought...)
But, it was a super weird year. In March, I had full time hours cut back severely to 5 hours a week on a good week, and ended up on unemployment. I spent the next few months on a quest to find a new job. I chose to go to the first place that offered me relatively good money, with a Monday through Friday schedule. I lasted a full 6 months there. The full time that I was told would happen "eventually" never materialized. So, I picked up a second job as a cashier at a local salvage store. They worked around my first job, and treated me like they really wanted me there. Then, they offered me what the other job couldn't produce...Full time hours with benefits. So, over the course of a year, I've had three jobs...And the one I least expected to like, is the one I am happiest at.
Dan and I split up in June, just before Pride. Which made it awkward at pride, as we still only had one vehicle, and I brought him down so that Shaunna Rai could be a judge for the parade, and we made the announcement on Facebook prior to Pride...So everyone was asking if we were OK. The truth is, we weren't able to be for each other what we each needed. We work better a friends. And, though it makes me sad that after almost 5 years we ended it, I'm glad that I got to at least keep a friendship.
Over the second half of the year, I had a mostly hate relationship with anything drag related. Not because of the breakup, mind you, but because of what was being expected of me, and a lack of respect as a person that I was getting.
I don't feel like I demand respect, ever. But, if I offer to do something for you, the least that you can do is thank me. This was a theme for a big part of the year.
"Steve, can you make me a poster?" OK. "Well, can you change this and that and that and this and give me the poster that I really wanted, yesterday?" Um, sure. I'll do that.
"Steve, we know you like taking pictures at shows...If you take them at this show, you'll get in for free..." OK, I'm good with bartering, but, you do realize that I do have a job, and that I take thousands of pictures at a show. And, I go through them to filter out bad photos and edit the ones that might be able to make it. "Yeah, but can you have the pictures you take up, before the performers go home for the night? They want to know how they looked." Um...Yeah... I'll get right on that.
Cherry Lemonade moved to New York.
It became a little too much for me to deal with, so I took a break from all things drag for a little bit.
At Halloween, Hurricane Bianca had come out, and I decided that I wanted to try doing something fun for Halloween. So, I became Bianca Del Rio...Sort of... The goal was that I was going to do my own makeup and then we would go to the Great Pumpkin Ball, a benefit for Equality Maine. I couldn't figure out what to do with the makeup, and Dan did it for me, which made him angry, as he was trying to do his own makeup, as he was performing. We arrived, I dropped Shaunna Rai and Miss E,on off at the door, then drove all around town to find a place to park...then walked about 4 blocks or so, in heels back to the venue. The highlight of the night was the girl who came up to me, and said, "I don't want to offend you, but, you look just like Bianca Del Rio. And I couldn't stop staring at you, trying to figure out why Bianca would be here, in Maine."
After another couple of shows, I again remember why I took the break in the first place. Because it all becomes a drama fest...
And, the year was capped off with the closing of my first gay bar experience in Maine, Portland's own Styxx. Not just like a "closed for a week for vacation," but a "closed for good. Kiss 30-something years of gay history goodbye." Mimi Imfurst came back for one last Christmas show. And, Brita Filter came from New York for one last show...And so did Cherry Lemonade. New Year's Eve was the last night, and I was glad that it was a busy night. It reminded me of the Styxx that I first experienced, years ago. Packed, with shot boys running around in tight undies. And everyone having a good time.
Here's to hoping that 2017 is going to be a better year. Less drama. Less sadness. More adventures and more real friendships that don't take backseats to relationships. (OK, I know, I'm grasping at straws with the last one...But, you never know.)
