There's No Place Like Home...

The last few months have been a whirlwind.  I've missed blogging about so many events, and, I'm not sure that I could keep up, even if I tried.

May was full of the Southern Maine AIDS Walk, Dragapalooza (and I feel like there was something else...)  June was full of Pride stuff.   July was all about moving.  August has been about settling in, loss, and the beginning of a second run of the Midsummer Night Queens show in Portsmouth.  September is going to be about my brother's wedding, and a night to "Remember the Underground" (the previous incarnation of Styxx in Portland...before I was "allowed" to go out to the gay bars, so before my time...)

The AIDS Walk was three days of awesome.  Porcia Chanel and Scarrlett Couture came from New Hampshire, and spent the weekend in Ogunquit with us.  As usual, because they were essentially, new people, to me, I was kinda freaked out.  But, they made me feel like I belonged there, which is always a big thing for me.  The fundraising part of the Walk bypassed last years $100,000, which will go to benefit the Frannie Peabody Center, and all the work that they do with local people who are coping with HIV/AIDS and the struggles that come with it.  And, as it always does, the weekend itself makes me proud to know the people who I know, because they make me strive to be a better, more understanding person.

Dragapalooza was a huge show this year.  Like 39 numbers, or something like that.  As always, it was a fundraiser for Lewiston/Auburn Outright, and there were quite a few student entries, in conjunction with the professionals.  A couple of returning acts from last year. I'd brought two cameras, because I knew that I was going to need them, for pictures...and I wasn't wrong.  I drained the batteries from both cameras before the end of the show.  (Which, prompted me to go Ebay shopping, and bought myself two extra rechargeable batteries for my good camera, for less than I could buy them in an actual store.)

1920's Steve and Shaunna Rai
Photo by Steven Bridges

June started off with the Great Gatsby party, to kick off Pride.  It was a great time.  I looked like a cross between Mario and a News Boy from the 20's...Apparently, I can't pull off a mustache properly, and should probably just give it up...

Shaunna Rai and Miss E,on were asked to perform for a cruise out on Portland Harbor.  In spite of the fact that I am deathly afraid of drowning, I went, and had an amazing time.

I came thisclose to actually getting to go to Pride, but stupidly decided that I needed to work that day.  The closest that I got was that I drove by the set up sites, while everything was getting set up for the parade...and then I got to drive by the park at the end of the afternoon, when things were starting to be taken down.  I think I learned my lesson.

Dan and Ariel

July was the month that I didn't expect to make it through.  The old apartment had begun to leak, badly, in places that it shouldn't have been leaking, especially, since it was in the ceiling of the second floor of a three story building... Dan and I ended up in a time crunch, and I'll just leave it at there being a lot of yelling.  Things have since calmed down.  But, it was a very stressful time.

August sadly, marked the passing of Ariel Maranda Gibbs.  She's one of the few people who Dan/Shaunna talked about a lot, who I never actually met.  When things calm down, I would like to talk to a few people about her, so that I can get some idea of who she really was, and give her a nice "send off."

We're finally getting settled into the new place in Lewiston.  Dan has a car of his own again, for the first time in three years.  And, although it's had a couple of issues, he appears to be less stressed out than he has been in a long time.  Shaunna Rai's drag rooms are still in transition (no pun intended) as Shaunna is still half packed away.  I've claimed myself a corner of the garage for doing my own thing.  I have my drafting table set up for drawing, a 300 disc CD changer set up for music (that I need to update with some newer drag-ish music), and more space than I will be able to use...at least when the car(s) aren't parked in it.

Which brings us to the Midsummer Night Queens.  Last year was a blast...Manila Luzon, Jessica Wild and Joslyn Fox, along with Bunny Wonderland, Shaunna Rai and Miss E,on.  Tonight, August 16th, starts the Ru-Turn...another three part, weekly show.  It starts off with Jujubee (one of my favorites), and will feature Joslyn Fox (week 2) and BenDeLaCreme (week 3), along with Bunny Wonderland, Shaunna Rai, Lili Whiteass, Rainbow Frite, and Cherry Lemonade.  I will again be taking pictures of the three evenings, and am looking forward to sneaking a little bit of backstage time with the queens, to say hi, and geek out...(and hopefully creep BenDeLaCreme out less than I did when I met her after the BOTS tour.)

So, that's been the summer, in a nutshell.  I'll get back in the swing of things.  And, hopefully, be less stressed out about everything.  I managed to get a new job, where it's highly likely that I will have weekends off, and be able to do more with weekend shows...and have a life, like a real person, in a normal job...

Midsummer Night Queens: A Ru-turn

Last year was so much fun they decided to do it again. I can't wait.  As usual, I will be there with my camera for Jujubee, Joslyn Fox and BenDeLaCreme. Hope to see you there starting August 16th.

A Change Could Do You Good

After three years at our Portland apartment, it's time to say good bye to it. This is our last week here. We move this weekend. Tensions are high. We are trying to make sure that we get every thing for that we need to do.

So for the next week or so, it'll be a test of both of our sanities. This could either be the best thing ever for us, or be really super bad. I'm the eternal optimist though, so it has to be good.

Of course, moving means packing. And, I had not taken into consideration when the move was becoming a reality, how much stuff Shaunna Rai actually has. I mean, for real, she has two rooms devoted to her stuff, here. But it wasn't until we started packing her up that it dawned on me, just how much stuff she has either purchased, made, had made for her, or inherited over the last three years. So much clothing and shoes.

While I dread the act of loading and unloading the truck, I have to say, I'm excited about where we are moving. It's away from ocean water (which I am not crazy about), but it's quiet and country-ish. It's near the Auburn mall exit. It's a whole house to ourselves with a garage and two decks and a yard. (It's too bad that we work so much and the landlords don't want pets, because it would be the perfect place to have a dog.) We will be able to grill on the deck, get a fire pit set up. It will be fun. But, that's all dependent on whether we look each other during the move or not.

So here's hoping that a new start in a new place that has just been renovated well be better than the start we got here, that turned into a leaky ceiling on the second floor of a three floor building kind of problem.

The Rainbow Connection

Last Friday, it finally became legal in the United States for every person to marry a same sex partner, if they so choose.  This is huge.

And, while I wish that I were as thrilled about it as so many of my friends are, well, it's just a thing to me.  It doesn't really have an effect on my life...like how Obamacare doesn't really effect me, since I have private health insurance through work.

"But, wait," you're probably thinking, "you're gay.  Now you can get married! Aren't you happy about that!?"

Yes.  I'm happy that if I choose to marry, that it will be recognized as an actual marriage in all 50 of the United States, and a handful of other countries around the world.  But, maybe, I'm a bad gay.  Maybe, I'm an emotionless lump, who doesn't see the need to make something legal with the government, if there's even the slightest possibility of it going down the toilet in the end anyway.  Without all the legal mumbo jumbo that goes with weddings and the like, it's easier to just walk away.  There's no long drawn out court battles.  No divvying up the belongings...(although that part for me would be pretty easy.  I have a bed, a few dishes, and a bunch of cd's, dvd's and clothes that are mine.)

A friend of mine when I tried to tell him these thoughts on what it all meant, told me that I was too cynical about relationships.  I think my response was "maybe you're right."  But, what I actually meant was, "Who are you to judge how I feel about this?  Were you there when I put 11 years into someone who told me daily that they loved me, who then threw me out like a piece of trash to move on with a guy he was having an affair with while we were still together?  Were you there when I started dating again, and found that my naive belief that everyone is inherently good was proven to be...well, wrong?  It's not up to you to decide for me if I want to get married...especially, since I did the whole commitment ceremony thing, and ended up losing everything in the end. (Especially my PS2, with Dance Dance Revolution, which I miss dearly.)

If the opportunity presents itself, at some point, my mind probably could be changed.  But, for the moment, I'm happy with my life the way it is.  A piece of paper, and a couple of tax breaks are not really important to me.  I'd rather stay in a relationship working through my day to day crap, and know that if I'm making someone miserable, that nobody is going to be stuck in the system, miserable, for any extended period of time.

I'm not going to have my parents' life.  I'm not going to have my grandparents' life.  And, I'm okay with that.  I want to have MY life.  I need to make my own mistakes.  And I have to be okay with making the decisions that I want this, or I don't want this. And, just because I don't want it now, doesn't mean I won't want it later...(Ask the freezer...at 9pm, I decide to not eat ice cream, but at 12am, I'm in the freezer, digging out my ice cream.)

Anyway, now that the rant is over, I do want to remind everyone that the ruling in favor of Marriage for ALL is a good thing.  And, I'm happy that it happened.  It means that my friends who have already been married (Jim and Nelson, Patrick and Brian, Ted and Larry, etc.) and those who are about to get married (Jay and Dennis) can be legally recognized as spouses everywhere in the country, not just where they got the marriage license from.

I was really happy to see so many positive reactions on my Facebook from both my gay and lesbian friends, and my straight friends. With the rainbow filter for profile pictures, I was amazed at just how many people I knew, who were celebrating the decision.  I was actually surprised by a couple of people who I didn't realize were Allies.

And, as with everything, there were those who disagreed with the Supreme Court's decision.  So many people who posted that they had lost Facebook friends over opposing views on the decision.  But, really, if they were really your friends in the first place, it shouldn't matter what they say.  The Supreme Court made the decision to be followed, throughout the land.  If someone doesn't like it, they can suck it.  If deleting themselves or being deleted made them feel better about themselves, is there really anything else we can do?  The blissfully ignorant don't want to be taught, because they don't realize that they don't know everything.  We can continue to try.

Now that we've won marriage equality though, we can't just sit on our laurels and twiddle our thumbs for the rest of our lifetimes.  There are still a lot of issues that we (humanity as a whole and specifically the LGBT community) need to continue to address until things change.  We need to continue to educate about HIV/AIDS and make sure that we have resources for those living with it, and those who will develop it, until a clear cut cure has been found.  We need to continue to work closely with the Transgender community, to drop some of the statistics that are overwhelmingly sad, such as the murder and suicide rates.  We need to teach that it's okay to be different.  And, we need to teach that it's not okay to bully...and in doing so, not be bullies ourselves.

While Friday's monumental decision was a step forward for the Gay Rights Movement, it is not, and cannot be the end of the fight.  

Where's the Love?

I don't want to beat a dead identity, but I feel the need to say one more thing about the controversy surrounding Caitlyn Jenner, and the fact that because I support her, I therefore cannot support our troops, nor can I support any person with cancer or another disease, nor anyone who raises money for the search for a cure.

Within minutes of my last post about Caitlyn, and what I hope to see from her and what I hope I see from the rest of the world, a friend on Facebook had posted that Jenner is not a hero, and if you support Jenner, then you don't support our troops.

Part of this argument comes from the decision to honor Caitlyn Jenner with the Arthur Ashe award for bravery, over a young woman who had raised over 1 million dollars for Cancer research, who sadly passed away after her own battle with cancer this year. Noah Galloway, the veteran who appeared on Dancing With The Stars this season, supposedly was up for this award as well, and was passed over.

In no way was I involved in either decision. Do I think Caitlyn Jenner is more deserving than anyone else? Honestly, not yet. Was it brave confirming what people have been thinking for the past few years, on national television? Yes. Braver than losing half your limbs to a land mine? Yes and no. There are different kinds of bravery. Essentially making a spectacle of your private life is in no way the same as trying to make the world a better place for future generations and losing limbs in the process. They're both bravery. And in no way are they comparable.

I don't know what world everyone else lives in, but in my world, it is possible to support the bravery in a trans woman's coming out publicly (whether for profit, fame, infamy or, just because it needs visibility) and also support the service men and women who give up life and limb for the good of the rest of the world. To think otherwise, is foolish.

Whether that post was in reaction to my blog, or not, there is enough love to go around.

Trans issues are close to my heart, because I know people who are transitioning or have made their transition already. I know the battle is a long one that, for some, will never be over. Not everyone has the resources that Caitlyn Jenner, Laverne Cox, or Chaz Bono have.

Both of my grandfathers, my great uncle and my brother have done service for the United States. While I may not blog about military service (usually, because there isn't a lot to do with drag, that becomes public knowledge), I have the utmost respect for anyone selfless enough to give up everything for the safety and freedom that I enjoy. Those are the people who give me the right to talk about Drag and not worry about whether someone is going to kill me for it, because "those are the rules." They also allow for me to freely say that I disagree with someone who believes that I cannot support more than one cause at a time. 

Cancer has taken its toll on both family and friend/acquaintances. Whenever possible I donate what I can to help with the search for a cure. The same goes for HIV/AIDS. While I may only be a child of the '80's, that does not exclude me from those affected by it.  I officially know one person who has died from AIDS complications. I know a number of people who live with HIV, and I wish that in their lifetime, we can progress enough with research that they can end their lives healthy, happy people, not as statistics. Thus the reason that for the last three years, I have taken time off from work to do what I can for the Southern Maine AIDS Walk weekend.

I am not a one trick pony. I support who and what I believe in. 

Let's get over the fear and transphobia, and stop treating each other like we're incapable of being caring. We can try to understand that which we do not without putting it down. We can show care for the veterans who have risked it all for us. And we can support research to end some of this generation's killers. But, we can do none of this through hate. It must come from a place of love. Ask questions. Remember that not everyone knows your life, nor how you think...but also not everyone is going to agree with you. And that is ok.

Respect everyone, including those who disrespect you. You may be the reason that they finally turn the corner and stop the hate.

#CallMeCaitlyn

Caitlyn Jenner on the cover of Vanity Fair,
photographed by Annie Leibovitz

 Yesterday, the internet was broken.  And, it wasn't by Kim Kardashian.  Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair shoot was released, and all the social media sites blew up with the news.

For anyone who may have been living under a rock, and doesn't watch the news, or know anything about the Kardashians, I'll give a brief rundown of why this is such an important story, and then I'll get into why I didn't post anything about it "in real time."

Caitlyn Jenner was formerly known as Bruce Jenner.  Bruce, (in case you don't know) was a gold medal winner, in the men's decathlon in 1976 in Montreal.  Bruce was also, for a number of years, married to Kris Jenner, the mother (momager) of the Kardashian clan.  In April, Bruce sat through an interview with Diane Sawyer, in which he announced that he was completing a transition into a woman.  Throughout the interview, he requested that media sources use the pronoun he, until he debuted "Her."

"She", Caitlyn, was finally revealed to the world, yesterday, and to an overwhelming amount of support.  While the majority of my Facebook feed was very supportive, there were a few people, here and there, who were less than supportive, and, occasionally, just mean.

When I first saw her, I was at work, and it was all I could do to not gasp, and say how amazing she looks.  Having watched the gradual transition through the show, Keeping up with the Kardashians, and the tabloids at the supermarket, I was actually shocked by the change.

Caitlyn Jenner, photographed by Annie Leibovitz

So, why is this such an important story?

Bruce Jenner is a name that is known to the majority of the world, for two vastly different reasons...  1.) He was an Olympic gold medalist. 2) He was the dad on Keeping up with the Kardashians.

Caitlyn Jenner is one of the first transgender people who many "average" people will "know."  (I don't discount any of the others who have paved the way for Caitlyn...Laverne Cox, Christine Jorgensen, etc.)  But, she has been public about the transition throughout it.  She also opened up about what life as a trans person is like, as a way of opening up conversation about trans issues.

The biggest thing that Caitlyn's debut did, was start sparking conversations that show just how far we have to go, in accepting all people.  For every 10, "You go girl," posts that came across my feed, there was probably 1, "Is anyone else over this whole Bruce Jenner thing?" And, every one of those "Who else is over this?", there were people coming out of the woodwork, in support of Caitlyn, explaining that I never expected.

Caitlyn is important, not because she "gives the gays a new cause," but because she gives a very public face to those dealing with gender dysmorphia, and transitioning.  She, whether she intended to or not, has made herself an advocate, for those who don't know how to advocate for themselves.  And, she has become a role model for a whole new generation.

Because of Caitlyn, people are going to learn when to use the proper pronouns, and why it's offensive not to.  People are going to make mistakes.  People are going to learn, through Caitlyn, much as they have through Laverne Cox and other trans people who have made a name for themselves, that they are not stereotypes.

And, the hope, for many people, is that with the very public transition, Caitlyn can help bring some attention to the issues that plague the trans community.  Suicide is one of the most prevalent issues, that needs to be addressed.  We have on average 41% of our trans community attempting suicide.  Trans people who don't kill themselves are also at a much higher risk of being murdered.  In 2012, 53% of LGBTQ murders were committed against transgender women...and 73% against non-white people.  If Caitlyn's "coming out" (of sorts) can help even just one or two young people choose not to end their lives...If her coming out can teach just one or two people that trans lives matter just as much as the rest of us...then, she will have done what is "expected" of her.

Caitlyn still has a long road of acceptance to go through herself.  And, I for one will be supporting her, every step of the way.

So, if I'm such a supporter, then why did I choose not to write immediately after having seen the photographs?  Well, for one, I was at work, so I didn't really have time to sit down and write out my thoughts.  Second, Caitlyn Jenner is a real person...and with the advent of the internet, it's possible that she could read it...and I wanted to have all my thoughts in order, so that I didn't come off like an ass...(like I did that time that Pandora Boxx read my blog in which I said that she wasn't one of my favorite performers that night, and commented on it.)  Along with that, I wanted to make sure that I had the right pronouns, and that I was being sensitive to what name I use when discussing the different parts of Caitlyn's former life.

I will be the first to admit that in spite of the fact that I actually have friends who are trans, that I know through the world of drag, I am pretty trans-ignorant.  So, I was also trying to be as respectful as I could to any of my friends who could potentially read this, and be offended.  If I have been at all offensive, in any way, PLEASE let me know.  I will re-edit and be more sensitive the next time I write anything about trans issues.  (Or if you, or anyone you know is trans and would like to help educate me with what is proper and what is offensive, I beg you to let me know...because I don't want to be known as that insensitive fuck who makes things up when he doesn't understand them to begin with.)

But, anyway, I will leave you with a quote from Caitlyn, that I think is important to end with...because, it's things like this, that will help people like me, and the rest of the general public, get educated.

"The uncomfortableness of being me never leaves me all day long. I’m not doing this to be interesting. I’m doing this to live … if I was lying on my deathbed and I had kept this secret and never ever did anything about it, I would be lying there saying, ‘You just blew your entire life. You never dealt with yourself.’ And I don’t want that to happen."

Good Morning, Baltimore!

Penny and Seaweed.

Tracy and Edna

"What are you guys doing Wednesday night?"

It's staggering how little Dan and I are invited out. Usually, we're promoting someone else's thing,  and inviting people to come out to it.

So, when we were invited to a closed dress rehearsal of the Portland Players doing Hairspray, I wanted to make the effort to go.

Now, when it comes to drag related stuff I'm usually pretty on top of things. I knew of Hairspray, because I watched the movie version with John Travolta as Edna Turnblad, but, aside from clips of Divine in the original role, I was totally ignorant of the Divine version.

So, going into the play, I didn't know what to expect. After all, local theater tends to be a little...flat, I think, compared to professional theater.  And, having no idea who was even in the play, I really just went to have a fun date night with Dan.  It took a lot of self-control to leave my camera home.

The play started and I was amazed at the actors. They were good. Most fit their parts quite well. A few of the characters I liked, because, you're supposed to, like Tracy. I was totally entranced by Edna, because the actor brought something to the role that John Travolta just didn't. Dan said that he was channeling Divine. (I played along like I knew what that meant, then admitted that I had never seen the original.) The characters of Penny Pingleton and her mother, were standouts in this version. Mrs. Pingleton was a company actor, so we got to see her in three completely different roles. The best of which, was as the gym teacher. When it came to Penny, the transformation from geeky sidekick to made over, integrated girlfriend of Seaweed, it was amazing. She kind of stole the show from Tracy.

During the break, Dan and I both discussed how weird it was to be at a show as audience members. Which shows just how much life has changed for me over the last few years. A few years ago, I never would have thought of taking a camera with me to any show I went to...and here I was, at times watching the official photographer, thinking, "Why would you take that from there, when it would be a much better picture from center stage?" And, well, Dan being out as a boy, and Shaunna Rai not being part of anything, it was weird for him too.

On the way home, the only criticism we had for the show was, Edna should've had boobs. Big, gigantic boobs. And Dan talked about what he would've done with the hair. Given that the play is about big hair and the hair was a major player in both the play and the movie, they could've done so much more...And part of that, is that he's a hairdresser, and lives for that kind of thing...thus the reason that he has a whole room in the apartment devoted to Shaunna Rai's hair.

The show was a great time, and quite well done. It plays through the first week of June at the Portland Players, on Cottage St. in So. Portland.

Upon leaving we thanked Steven and Michael, who had invited us to the show. It'd been forever since we'd had a date night, and this was a good one. And, it gave me a task, as well...to watch the original.

So, two nights after seeing the play, we decided that it was time for me to get taught about "the real Hairspray."  Not really understanding that the movie version with Divine and Ricki Lake came before the musical, I spent a good portion of the movie waiting for someone to bust out in song.

It was amazing, seeing what started it all. Divine was believable as a woman. It was so funny. And, I was excited that I could finally cross one movie off my list of movies that I should've seen by now, but haven't.  And, while I will always have a love for Queen Latifah as Motormouth Maybelle, Divine as Edna has moved the original to the list of movies that I will watch again and again.

I'm Bringing Lobster Back, Yeah...

Shaunna Rai performs a Pink
mix.

One of my favorite events that Shaunna Rai does is a private party for Zumba at Point Sebago.  Of all the many events that she does, this one is probably the most relaxed of them all.

I missed out on a good portion of last year's event, so I made sure to put in for it this time.

Coming down off the Pride! Portland Launch party the night before, I was a little bit dragging (no pun intended). I had a half finished album of pictures to post, and add the rest to. I did that while waiting for Dan to pack Shaunna's bags, so I could load the car.

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to do, as when it was time to go, we still needed gas for the trip to Point Sebago. So, a conversation was had about how I should've been filling the gas tank instead of playing games on the computer.

Prodigy Diamond

Finally, we were on the road. I was texting back and forth with Prodigy Diamond,  as she was going to meet us,  and follow us to Point Sebago.  We got there, checked in and dropped our stuff in the rooms we were staying in.

The fun began then. We walked the grounds, stopping by a few of the Zumba classes. We said hi to Dinah, who hires the girls for this show every year. A few of the other ladies who I have met over the last three years came over to say hi and tell us that they couldn't wait for the show. (And, as usual, with this event, they're looking for me to also be a performer, not just a boring old photographer.)

Miss E,on and The Loophole.

We got lunch, and the lady who two years ago, basically told the girls that they would not be able to stay in drag after their performances,  because it would make people uncomfortable,  came over and was real friendly. Lunch was a barbecue buffet...burgers, hot dogs and BBQ chicken. And with my gluten free diet, I was still hungry after I ate, because a) no bread or dessert,  and b) I didn't want to eat all the food there and have other people go hungry.

After lunch, we headed back to the big house on the island to relax for a bit. On the walk back, discussion turned to why a former performer was not there, and then, to how much fun the evening was going to be.

We got back to the house, and at 2pm, Prodigy started getting her face on, even though the show didn't start until 8. I went on a cigarette run, to the general store, and returned empty-handed, because they didn't have the right cigarettes. So, I took the car, and went for a drive, to find cigarettes.

Shaunna Rai and Joyce share a quick twirl
during Proud Mary.

At the time, I just needed to get out for a bit. But, looking back, a couple days after the fact, I needed to go to try to regain some semblance of calm. With the amount of flack that I got in the morning, and then again after the aborted cigarette mission, and then just for stating that I was taking the car for a bit, I was angry. And, I needed to do something that I haven't done in forever, and just go for a drive to clear my head.

When I got back with food (I'd grabbed a couple of snacky things and eaten them on the way back to Point Sebago, from Raymond) I was ready to start the evening, with a fresh start.

Miss E,on is All About That Bass

A quick cigarette break, with a discussion about new queens and entitlement, and a lack of understanding of how drag, for the Queens I hang out with is a business,  for which payment (for wigs, outfits, etc. and for some gigs) is expected. A word of advice to new queens: unless you have something to offer in trade,  don't expect something for free.

The faces start going on. A few of the ladies come back down to the house and start watching the girls put on their faces. This is where I have the most fun. At this point, they've seen the girls with no makeup,  and so getting to watch the transformation, they're in a bit of awe. Questions are asked about how did you learn to do makeup and how long ago did you start.

Prodigy was dancing with the crowd.

One of the ladies, Carol, brought out Pinot Noir, and sang it out,  when asking I'd anyone wanted any. This turns into a discussion of the most popular shows on Netflix, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and the new Grace and Frankie. And, I get my moment to shine when I can show off my random useless knowledge of actors' names.

Normally, I follow the lead of the Queens for the rest of thr day, which usually means no dinner, and then a lot of drinking on an empty stomach. But, Shaunna talked me into going to get some food, and bringing lobster back.

I went down to get dinner with Carol, and we got there a tad bit too early. So, we had a seat in the hallway and waited for the door to open. I learned a lot about how she came to be in Maine, of all places, and about her family. And, I actually opened up and had a conversation with her. If you've been following me for any amount of time,  you know that this is a huge step for me.

Miss E,on

Finally, they motioned for us to come get dinner. The doors were opened.  We got tickets for lobsters, and headed to get our meals. I was sad about the food choices,  because I'm not keen on rare beef, and I don't like lobster. But, I ate the beef and I took the lobster.

Now, for a person who has lived in Maine, for his whole life, it's almost ridiculous to say that I have not ever opened up a lobster. Up until this weekend, that was true. Carol walked me through the process, being cheerleader the whole way. I may have put some blood and sweat into it...no tears, but I was proud of myself in the end.

At some point, another diner gave us her lobster tickets. At this point, I spilled the T that I needed to find a way to smuggle out at least one lobster for Shaunna. My first thought was that I could shove a (paper) salad bowl in my pocket, filled with lobster. Only, that didn't work.  My pocket was too small. And, begging to bring a lobster back for the entertainment didn't work either. Finally an idea hit. Opaque coffee cups would be a perfect hiding place for a de-shelled lobster and some butter.

Shaunna Rai Just Wants to Dance

And, at the table next to us, we found a Co-conspirator. The theme for the evening was Fantasy Island, or something like that, and so our neighbor at the table was an older lady, who was already in costume, as a (self-proclaimed) Oriental Hooker. She went on to tell us a story about having gone to Asia (I think) when she was younger, and that her costume was inspired by belly dancers, who were, well, quite unattractive.  All the while, she was making lobsters disappear into a cooler that doubled as a purse.

Dinner was over, and I walked out of the restaurant with my "coffee". The girls were almost ready. I started to reload the vehicle for the show. I also had a couple drinks, to get me ready for the time that I would be on my own.  As an unofficial stage hand, and official photographer, I tend to get all kinds of busy...which is great.  I love being busy.  But, sometimes, it's not so great.  After bringing in all the luggage and music for the girls, I went out to grab a seat so I'd have a good place for pictures.  And, then, I was summoned out back, to make sure that the DJ knew what song to play when...and a group of Zumba ladies, in sashes and homemade crowns took my seat.  

After writing on my hand the order of the show, because otherwise, I never would've been able to get the proper order to the DJ, because I kept having Miss E,on go on twice in a row, with no gap for Prodigy to fill in, where she actually went.  

So, I went back out to find my seat taken, and grabbed my camera bag, and went in search of a new seat.  I started out in the back of the room, taking pictures, and quickly realized that it just wasn't going to work for me.  I've gotten so used to taking pictures in venues where no flash is allowed, that from the back of a room, no flash, means no picture.  And, when I was flashing, I was reflecting off people's heads, and, still not getting the desired pictures.  So, I moved again.  Ideally, I should've just asked if I could crash a table in the middle of the front row, because, well, I'm the photographer for the night, AND Shaunna Rai's partner...But, I try not to get all snobby like that, because, well, it  makes people look bad...look at Kris Jenner...

Shaunna Rai opened the show, with a P!nk mix, followed by Prodigy Diamond with a Beyonce song.  Next up was E,on, with Garfunkle and Oates's Loophole...if you've never heard it, look it up...but be forewarned, it's dirty-ish...and totally hilarious.  Shaunna was back with Proud Mary...in a totally unplanned, but totally appropriate nod to Joyce, who had done a class with it earlier in the day, when we stopped in to see what was going on.  And, Joyce had spotted me and gave me a big smile, like somehow I made it happen that Shaunna "just happened" to use her song.  E,on did Meghan Trainor's All About That Bass, which the women loved...so many of them got into the songs and were singing along with them.  Then, Prodigy was back, with another Beyonce song...although it was slowed down, and quite a bit different than what I normally see out of Prodigy...she tends to be more dancy.  E,on was back with her final song, which, I unfortunately, don't recall what it was...and finally Shaunna closed out the show with I Just Wanna Dance, knowing that the DJ would mix into regular dance music, and then the Zumba ladies would get up and dance.

The story of how Shaunna Rai got involved in the Moosestock Zumba Weekend was the lead in to one of the songs, and it's such a funny story, that I get a kick out of it every time that I hear it.  Shaunna had done the Dragapalooza on a Sunday, and the following Wednesday, she got a call from an unknown number.  Shaunna/Dan doesn't answer unknown numbers, but for some reason picked up for this one.  On the other end, as the story goes, was this crazy woman, "Hello, is this Shaunna Rai?"

Dinah, the lady in charge of Moosestock.

"Yes?"  "A friend of mine saw you at Dragapalooza and said that you're amazing.  I would like to hire you for a women's retreat this weekend, because, my entertainment cancelled on me."  (I'm paraphrasing here, because I wasn't actually part of the conversation...)  Shaunna agreed, and got another performer to go with her, but never expected it to be what it was.  Shaunna totally believed that she was going to be performing for a group of lesbians camping in the woods.  And, had some reservations about it, because in general, lesbians and drag queens don't get along so swimmingly.

So, anyway, Shaunna and the girls came back out to start mingling, and then Shaunna asked me to go backstage and undo her corset, because she wasn't feeling so hot.  So, I did, and then, for the first time, that I've seen, she got sick.  Which immediately, sends me into caretaker mode, even though, I know that neither Shaunna NOR Dan like being waited on hand and foot when they don't feel well.  So, we gathered Shaunna's stuff up, and I ran her back to the big house on the island, so she could rest up and start feeling better.  

And, then, I did something that I, until this point in time, never would have done before.  I went back and mingled.  I bought myself a drink, and then went to talk to all the ladies that I knew from previous years.  And, I talked to a few people that I hadn't met.  I didn't die.  I didn't have a heart attack.  I didn't even have an anxiety attack.  In fact, I was more anxious about the fact that Shaunna was back at the house, and didn't have anyone to take care of her, than I was about the fact that I was talking to people.  

It was, probably one of the most freeing nights of my life...aside from the night that I went out after I first moved to Portland, to escape my old life officially.  It was also the night that I learned that you don't take Excedrin Extra Strength on an empty stomach, because that's what made Shaunna sick.  

Anyway, it was such a fun night, and it's always a fun weekend.  And, I can't wait until next year, when it happens again.

A Few Things Coming Up...

So, I know, I normally write about events that have already happened.  And, I know, that I'm behind by about three events.  But, I have a couple of events coming up that I want to talk about, because they're for causes that are close to my heart.

If you follow me on Facebook, you probably know that this weekend is the Southern Maine HIV/AIDS Walk, in Ogunquit.  It's an amazing event that raises money for the Frannie Peabody Center, to help with their funding.  The Frannie Peabody Center offers free HIV testing, goes to schools to talk about prevention, and also assists with care for those who are currently dealing with HIV or AIDS diagnoses.  At one point, when I was single, and stupid, a free test from the Frannie Peabody Center helped me to realize how dumb I was by not being a little more careful.

With Shaunna Rai, having been Miss AIDS Awareness for like 4 years running, it is also a cause near to her heart.  Shaunna and I, along with Miss E,on will be at the Red Party: Roundup at the Front Porch this Friday evening, with an after party and show at Mainestreet afterward.  This is always a fun event.  I'm actually excited, because this year, I actually have a red outfit to wear.  (Yes, there will be pictures later, I promise.)

The Walk itself will be on Saturday afternoon.  Shaunna, E,on, and I will be around to cheer on the walkers/runners.  I'll be snapping pictures, like crazy, just like I did last year.  The walk is followed by a cookout at Mainestreet, then a Tea Dance.  If you're not able to make it, and want to make a donation, you can do so here.  Tell Jimmy I sent you!

The only thing missing this year, is the Brunch on Sunday at Bessie's.  Well, and having Joslyn Fox around for the weekend.  That was pretty cool last year.

Dragapalooza is coming up the following weekend...There's a ton of performers this year, so it'll be a good show.  I'll be there with my parents.  You'll be able to tell that it's us, because there will be three cameras going, right in a row.

Of course there are a bunch of other events coming up, but one that I want to get some attention, is a fund raiser for Ariel Maranda Gibbs, who is a good friend of Shaunna's.  While I have yet to meet her, I am friend with her on Facebook, and have been following the heartbreaking Mouth Cancer diagnosis last year, through the treatments, to the seeming remission, and back to another round.

Cancer has been a biggie in my family, and with people around me.  So, it's another thing that is close to my heart.  July 26th, at Jacques Cabaret in Boston, Shaunna and a whole host of kings and queens will be performing for us to benefit Ariel.  ALL proceeds will go to Ariel to help pay for medical bills.

A GoFundMe has been set up for her as well.  So, if you are able, make a donation here, as well.

I enjoy the shows at Jacques, and I'm very much looking forward to this show, due to the number of performers that will be at the show.  Many of whom I have not seen before.  Their names, I recognize, but that's about it.  It will be an emotional show, I would imagine, but it will definitely be worth checking out.  So, if you can, make sure to be there.

Let The Battle of The Seasons Begin...

We bought tickets for the RuPaul BOTS (Battle of the Seasons) show, at the State Theatre, as soon as the tickets were available.  It was almost a no brainer, that we would go, and get the VIP tickets.  And, literally, since the day that we bought them, I'd been looking forward to the show.  We had printed out our tickets, and they had a place of honor on the fridge, so that I wouldn't forget that the show was going to happen.  Finally, the wait was over and we were going to get to make use of the tickets.

The night before, Facebook started blowing up with announcements that the girls were in town (and on Grindr.)  Which only heightened my excitement.  It meant that it was almost time.  

Finally, the afternoon of the show, Shaunna started getting ready.  The outfit was made, and matched the shoes perfectly.  The hair, which had been a question, looked perfect with the outfit.  And, so it was finally time to walk out the door, and head to the theater.  Foolishly, because I didn't think that we could afford it, we didn't take a taxi, so I had to drive.  With my love hate of parallel parking, let's just say it wasn't fun.  Or, it was about as fun as standing outside in 10 degree weather, with a wind chill for half an hour, waiting for the door to open.

Me, Michelle Visage and Shaunna Rai

The wait was actually pretty interesting.  We'd seen Wendy (at the front of the line) and the boys (from New Hampshire) we'd invited.  And, we took our place in line, letting them know that we'd meet up with them, after we got inside.  At this point, the Famous Drag Queens of Maine Facebook page was only about a week or so old, and was still being talked about a lot.  And, I got to meet someone from it.  Cheeta, a queen from before my time, and his partner and a friend were in line right behind us.  So, the page was discussed extensively on the trek to the inside of the theater.  

Cheeta hyping up the audience

Once we got inside, it was time for the meet and greet with the queens, and Michelle Visage.

First in line was Mimi Imfurst, who had texted Dan earlier in the evening asking if he had anything that she could use to look like Maya Angelou  (which I had misheard as more like May-a Ann Jello and thought must be a new drag queen).  The search was on, and nothing but a couple hats could be found in Shaunna's extensive closet.  We talked to her for a couple minutes, and I thanked her for retweeting my blog about her Christmas show at Styxx.  

Then, came the pictures.  Ivy Winters, Darienne Lake, Jiggly Caliente, Alaska Thunderfuck, Michelle Visage, and Jinkx Monsoon.  Jinkx would only do selfies, and I didn't quite know what to do...but I got my selfie with her.

Michelle Visage starts the show.

If I'd died right after I got my last picture with the girls, I would have died happy.

Walking into the theater, I remembered, that the last time I was at the State Theater, I was there with my ex, and we saw Ellen Degeneres.  It was a fleeting thought, and I came back to the present.  Getting to our seats, it dawned on me, that I was surrounded by pretty much everyone that I know.  The majority of the Pride committee was in the row in front of us, Wendy and the boys were in the row behind us.

While waiting for the show to start, I was reminded that "local" queens have a little spark that not all queens have.  Cheeta, who was there as his male self, stood up, and tried to get the audience involved in a bit of a warm up for the show.


And then, the show started.  Michelle Visage came out, and introduced the show.

Dress has always been Ivy Winters's
Strongest Suit

Alaska was the first act, with Whitney Huston's "I Have Nothing," which morphed into a discussion about what was allowed during the show...tipping, photos, drinking, and a reminder that if you don't want to be there, LEAVE.  Oh, and I can't forget the ever famous:   HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

BenDeLaCreme performs a
burlesque number.

Ivy Winters was up next, with one of my favorite songs/acts of all time.  "My Strongest Suit," from Disney's Aida, with her bajillion costume changes. After having seen the act from the livestream in Chicago, I spent most of the time trying to figure out for myself how she managed to accomplish 3/4 of the costume changes that she did.  Because, it totally didn't seem possible that she could have done it all in the amount of time that she had...

Next up was BenDeLaCreme.   Ben was one of my favorites during season 6 of the show, and I was really upset with the fact that she didn't make it further.  Her burlesque number showed me that I was right.  She's hilarious.  From the acting, to the lack of a lip sync, to the tassles, to the hidden stash of glitter (I won't say where), it was amazing.  The first time she sprinkled her glitter on the front row, I lost it.  (And, I'm pretty sure, I didn't recover until well after the show was over.)

Darienne Lake

Darienne Lake was up next.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect from her.  She wasn't part of the show in Chicago, and I hadn't really seen much of her, aside from on Drag Race.  She blew me away.  While a majority of the acts were live singing, Darienne did a killer lip sync of "Total Eclipse of the Heart."  (I was glad to hear many of the people around me singing along with it, so that I didn't feel like a total fool, like I usually do, when I'm singing or lip syncing, myself.)

Jinkx Monsoon 

After Darienne, was Meryl Streep's witch from Into The Woods...er....Jinkx Monsoon.  The mash-up of the garden rap and The Last Midnight, was amazing.  While I was disappointed in the transition on the video from the Chicago show, due to the fact that it was in HD, and there was no blending of the two wigs, in real life, it was much better.  There were places where you could tell that the tear away was there, but it wasn't like it was a glaring, LOOK WHAT'S COMING, like I had half expected it to be.  And, she sang it live.  Her performances in Chicago put me #teamjinkx.  If there was any question, the performance here in Portland made me wonder what it was about her on Season 5 of Drag Race that I didn't like.  She is amazing!

James in the Fashion Design
Challenge

The weakest part of the show, although, one of the funniest, as long as you knew who James was, was the design challenge.  I get that Battle of the Seasons was supposed to be a "beginner's guide to Drag Race," sort of.  And, during every show, there's the design/makeover challenge.  Taking three random people from the audience, and bringing them up on stage and making a look out of trash...well, it was interesting.  BenDeLaCreme, Ivy Winters and Jiggly Caliente were the "contestants" and they had 3 minutes to make some kind of outfit, and the audience would choose a winner.  James, who is a bartender at Styxx, got to be one of the makeovers.  From what I hear, people were upset that he was really drunk when he got up on stage...but, it made for good viewing.  He kind of stole the show, and displayed major amounts of attitude...and photobombed most of my pictures of the other two contestants.  In the end, though, his personality lost to Jiggly's design asthetic...causing the first LOSS for Ivy (who designs clothing in real life).  By the end of the act though, my face hurt from laughing so hard.  In spite of what other people thought, I thought it was hilarious.

Pandora Boxx, was up next.  With the Hunger Games Captiol/Showgirl look, I had really high hopes for her.  She's one of those queens that I just liked watching on the show.  She lip synced to one of her own songs (which one, though, I can't remember.)  Nothing really stood out about this performance.  I was disappointed by this, because it felt a bit like what sometimes happens here in the Northeast with RuGirls...like, "I'm in Maine, I don't have to be at the top of my game."  Whatever it was, this act just didn't quite do it for me.

Gotta Have A Gimmick

Next up was "Gotta Have A Gimmick".  Jinkx, Bendela, and Michelle.  Can I just say, that these three made my night that night?  Michelle with her horn, Bendela with her light up costume, and Jinkx with her wings.  And, they all sang it live.  I loved it.

Jiggly Caliente as
The Queen of Hearts

Next up was Jiggly.  I really didn't know anything about Jiggly.  What I did know, was that she was famous for jump splits.  She came out, dressed as the Queen of Hearts, and did a mash-up of Gaga's "Poker Face" and "Heads Will Roll".  While she didn't do any of her famous splits (for medical reasons, which I later found out), she turned it out.  High kicks, and dancing.  I loved it.

Snatch Game was up next.  I was supremely fearful of this, because in Chicago, I hated it.  I didn't really feel like it was all that funny.  Alaska as LaGanja, Darienne as Adore Delano, Jinkx as Bette Davis and Pandora as Alaska, thankfully saved this version.  I don't even know how to describe how funny this act was. The best I can do, is let you watch for yourself.  Thanks to Chris Merrill, for posting the video from the show, so that I could share it.  Just watch.  You'll want to thank Mr. Merrill too.

Michelle Visage does
Amy Winehouse

At the end of Snatch Game, Michelle took a seat, and sang us an Amy Winehouse song.  Someone from the audience brought her a shot, which she thanked them for, but, didn't drink.  She then explained that she doesn't drink alcohol, and never has.  I'm not sure why this surprised me, but it did.  And, it leaves me a little in awe of her.

Ivy Winters

Ivy came back out for her next number, and I was super excited.  She was doing her stilts/butterfly number again.  I'd seen it before on the livestream.  And, it was amazing.  It was even better in person.  The couple of times that she came close to the edge of the stage, it was a little scary, because, in order to keep her balance, her feet were always moving...and there was always the question of, is she going to step too far forward?  She didn't.  Thank God.

Mimi from Titanic

Mimi was up next.  Again, I'm at a loss for words about how to describe her act.  Mimi pretty much acted out the entire movie of Titanic.  From the Old Rose, on the video screen behind her, to the giant hat, boarding outfit, to the outfit that she wore on the bow of the boat when Leo was King of the World, to the nude "Draw me like one of your French girls, Jack" body suit.  This was one of my favorite parts of the evening, because it was Mimi's birthday, and she was "home" for it.  They brought out a cake on the stage, and Mimi made a speech about how it was good to be home.  (And, it was kind of good to hear, again, that she's admitting to being a girl from Maine...even if it's only when she's home.)  Either way, she has cemented a place in my mind as one of the best queens I've seen.

Pandora Boxx as Elsa

Pandora came back out for her final number, a mix of Let it Go and Try Some Blow.  This one had me cracking up.  I felt a little bad, because, literally, as a part of her Titanic act, Mimi had done Let it Go, and so I was kind of like, why didn't they check against each other's music before hand?  She came out with a bag of blow glitter snow, that she would sprinkle around the stage, and then later in the act, would "snort".  And, I think my favorite part, was when she accidentally dropped the bag into the audience. My only issue with this, was that she still didn't seem to have the level of energy as the rest of the cast.  So, her Alaska Thunderfuck, was the best of her acts during the show.  And, I wish that they would have showcased a little more of her comedic timing than her lip sync.

Jinkx Monsoon performs Creep

Jinkx was back for her "Creep" number.  With the amount of live singing that she did during the night, I was surprised that she could sing.  And, I was reminded of how much I loved this song, when I was a kid.  At the end of the song, she showed us what she had to go through to get the dress to look the way it does...with an under-bustle (if that's a thing...)  And, then, she sat down on the stage, and took some time to talk to us.  She proceeded to tell us how 10% of us would talk about how drunk she was, and how bad the show was.  She pretty much wrote off that 10%.  She then reminded the rest of us that these girls are the ones who care.  They're the ones who made the trek cross country to be here.  And, that it does them good to see that we care, and want to see them, to be there to support them.  It was the most heartfelt thing that I've heard, and I'm not sure whether that was actually part of the show "storyline" or if that was something special that we in Portland, Maine got that nobody else did.  Either way, it was awesome.

Alaska battles the Hair Monster

The show ended with Alaska and "This is my Hair", and her epic battle with the Hair Monster. (I kinda want a hair monster of my own...)  I was trying to conserve my camera battery at this point, because just before Jinkx's last number, my battery started screaming that it was dying.  And, then, I realized that I still had battery power in my phone, and took pictures that way.  I still missed out on a lot of pictures, because the phone camera doesn't make up for shaky hands...

The show got over, and Wendy went home, since she had to be in Boston the following day.  The boys went back to their hotel, and we (Shaunna Rai and I) went to Styxx for the After Party.  The hope was that the girls from the show would come down and raise some hell.  And, we weren't denied that.  Mimi, Alaska and Bendela came down, out of drag, and spent the rest of the night at the bar.  I, as usual, felt a little odd, because I didn't know Alaska or Ben and I only know Mimi a little.  But, I was happy that I got to be a part of the after party, and the after after party.  Now, what I need to do is learn to stop being the listener, and start being a talker.  Because, otherwise, (in the words of Radiohead), "I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo, What the Hell am I doing here? I don't belong here."