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.  

What've You Done to Make You Feel Proud?

Pride, has always been an elusive thing for me.  Something that the "good" gays went to, and something that I always managed to miss out on.  I've been in the Portland area for going on 3 years, and only managed to make it to one and a half prides.  The first one, I was new in town, had no idea when pride was, and it just happened to fall while I was working.  Boo!  The second one, I was actually in the parade, with the bank, but I planned poorly.  I dressed for the cold weather that we had in the morning, not thinking about the fact that the parade route is about a mile, and the temperature was probably going to go up.  So, although I was part of it, I ended up going home, crashing, and missing out on the majority of the afternoon/evening events.

Needless to say, when I found out in January/February, that there were going to be some changes, I remained skeptical.  I knew that the previous incarnation of Pride was not as all inclusive as it should have been.  And, with the idea of a whole new committee, I didn't expect a lot...especially, as time went on and I found out that the starting budget for pride was $0...

The next few months, became a frenzy of fundraising.  Between the GoFundMe campaign, the Guest Bartenders, and the seemingly hundreds of other fundraisers, for a while, it seemed like that was all that Portland was about.  And, it made me feel good to know that the community was coming together, to put together a Pride event that the city hasn't seen (at least since I've lived here.) Over the course of four months, leading up to Pride, a whopping $40,000 was raised.


Instead of the one day Pride, that was the extent of things the previous two years, this year, was 10 days worth of Pride events.  (Eleven if you count the kickoff party in mid May.)  I can't even remember all the events, without looking them up.  There was bowling one night, a Wizard of Oz viewing and costume party, Drag Bingo, a Kickball Tournament, The Requiem to the Disco, Blackstones and Styxx shuttled people back and forth for an event called Styxx and Stones.  This all led up to the Parade on Saturday, and then the Pride Finale Tea Dance on Peaks Island on Sunday.

"Porn 'Stache"

I have never in my life been so amazed by what people can do when they all work together.  I didn't attend a lot of the events, due to scheduling, and the occasional lack of interest.  But, the ones that I did attend, were amazing.  We started out with Requiem to the Disco.  Basically, a night of Disco and drinking at Grace Restaurant.  I'd never been to Grace before, so had no idea what to expect of a former Church, turned Restaurant, much less a former church that was being overrun with the gay community.  Shaunna Rai and
Miss E,on attended, along with a porn 'stached me.  And, for the first time, since I moved here, I felt like I really was a part of the community.  I wasn't just Shaunna's boyfriend.  I wasn't just Dan's boyfriend.  I was an actual person on my own.  People were coming to talk to me.  Granted, most of it was to tell me how ridiculous the moustache was, and/or that they didn't recognize me with it.  But, this was a huge thing for me.

The ride home from the Disco was almost as much of an event as the Disco itself was.  A local singer had asked for a ride home, and I agreed to it.  She had performed, and blew everyone away, as she usually does.  I have to admit, one straight woman, two drag queens and me, makes for interesting conversation...unfortunately, most of the anecdotes from that night, have gone from my mind, because I put off writing this.  But, we have some pictures of E,on, that prove that something was HILARIOUS, while we were waiting in the drive thru at Burger King.

Madam Sheena and
 Miss Jo Ann

Next up, was the day of the parade.  Shaunna was putting her face on at 7am, to be ready to go to the Blackstones Annual Pride Breakfast.  Given that this was the 40th year for pride, and the theme of the Parade, and Blackstones's float was Ruby, Shaunna got to do her Best Dorothy look.  The routine of putting on the face, is nearly always the same.  The dressing is the biggest difference.  And, once the Dorothy outfit went on, I didn't know quite what to think.  It was Shaunna, but it was Dorothy.  And, to be quite frank, outside of tear-away outfits, I haven't seen Shaunna wear that much clothing in the entire time that I've known her.

Mr. New England Leather
 and Dorothy

Starting off the day with a mimosa or two, was nice.  I had a little bit of a buzz going before the parade started.  Chad and his man met up with us at Blackstones, before the float left, so I spent the morning with them.  Then stopped to get Starbucks for Dorothy before the parade started. The Starbucks line was crazy long...longer than it was last year at the same time.  Then, it was a race to get to Shaunna and back to my spot before the parade actually started.  I managed it, and got some pictures with Shaunna and Mr New England Leather 2014.  As usual, I forgot to get any pictures of myself with them...But, I had a parade to get back to...

Taffy Pulls

The Dykes on Bikes led the parade, as they have for many years, with the exception of last year, followed by numerous corporate supporters, churches, political candidates, and floats.  All followed up by a 900 foot Rainbow Pride flag, which pretty much made Congress Street, and the rest of the streets on the parade route look like it was being over-run by a stream of gay lava...Needless to say, it was really cool.  It then became a race to figure out how to get Shaunna back to the car, to get her home, to change, to get her back to Blackstones for Happy Hour.  At that point, the parade still hadn't finished, and roads were blocked off, so trying to drive down, wasn't going to work.  So, we walked.  Drove home, Dorothy changed into Shaunna.

Mat with the Frannie
Peabody Center

Shaunna as Dorothy

 I grabbed a Loopy cosmo, then went to the park, to see what was going on there, and to see if I could get a peek at Mimi Imfurst.  I managed the first, ran into every other drag queen that was there at the same time, and then left to get another drink.  I never did run into Mimi, but I'm willing to bet that this will not be the only chance that I get to meet her.  I normally don't do Shaunna's Happy Hours, until about the last hour or so, just because it's a little weird for me, occasionally seeing other people flirting with her.  But, I figured, "hey, it's Pride, I don't want to be stuck at home, passed out at 3pm again this year."  So, I stuck it out.  I don't remember exactly what led up to it, but one of the morning bartenders, and a regular ended up taking off their shirts.  I was told that I should take mine off, and shot back with, "I will if you'll buy my next drink."  And, so, the shirt came off.  And, from what I hear, it surprised a lot of people.  Honestly, it surprised me too, because the self-conscious Steve that I've always been was nowhere to be found that afternoon.

Shaunna's Happy Hour
 with JR

Shaunna's shift ended, and we went home.  I picked up some dinner, and then Dan and I went back to Blackstones.  I, unfortunately, faded pretty quickly, because I overdid things earlier in the day. But, it was a blast.

Sunday on Peaks was the culmination of Pride.  And, it was an interesting study of the Portland LGBT community. There are many people who don't attend the gay bars (Styxx or Blackstones) who I have probably seen on the streets of Portland, and never knew they were "family".  And, it's always interesting to see who interacts with whom at these events, because "types"who you wouldn't expect to interact, do.  It started out with the Ferry ride to Peaks Island, during which, I discovered that there was way more capacity on the boat than there were life jackets.  (For someone who doesn't swim, this is very concerning!) Once I got over my fear of going down like the Titanic, it was okay.  I took pictures along the way.  We were greeted by the Pride Committee, who were already on Peaks, setting up.  I met a bunch of people who Dan knew, who I had no idea who they were.  We spent the majority of the day with Darren and his boyfriend, David, and Miss Evie, along with appearances by Ralph from Blackstones, and a friend of Dan's who had moved away to DC.

My only issues with the day were: when I ordered my burger with no bun, and got one anyway, and at the end of the day, when we were given a cup of Coke with some kind of alcohol (tasted like Rubbing Alcohol) by guys from New Hampshire, who we met while waiting for the Ferry back to Portland.  Otherwise, the day was perfect.

All in all, the Pride Experience was one of the best experiences that I've had.  And, while I was hardly able to contribute anything to it, for this Pride, I want to do whatever I possibly can to make next year's Pride bigger and better.  And, I want to thank everyone involved with every part of planning the events that made this year such a success.  You all deserve the biggest pats on the back, and the most heartfelt thank you's.  You all are amazing, and I'm so grateful to you all for giving me an event that essentially made me feel that it's really okay to be me...because, essentially, that's what Pride is all about.