Tuesday 10/12/2010
Fortune
"You can do several things at once and do them all well" read my fortune cookie sunday night. Hmmm... Alright. I put it on the table and ate half of it, only because it was chocolate - I usually don't like fortune cookies because I think they taste like plastic. I mean, they even have a sheen on them like they've been sprayed with hairspray. Yuck.
But this fortune is kinda cool, I ended up taking that little piece of paper home and putting it on the tack board above my desk. I don't know if there's going to be something else coming my way soon, or if it's one of those fortunes that comes the day after. But I'm busy doing lots of things, and I hope they all go well - that's for sure... It's odd how my fortune has changed since getting it.
Earlier in the day sunday, it was blazing hot, you know one of those 85 degree humid chicago days, and I decided to wear my booty-shorts around boystown while me and a friend shopped. It's a friend that I like alot, that is becoming more and more friendly ;) So I knew that if he really liked me for just me I could get away with just about anything. The booty shorts, as you can see, are bright pink - and he didn't say anything at all when I wore them out! I would have been slightly embarrassed to be with someone wearing them, but my friend totally passed the test. Cat call after cat call, he laughed with me and kept on walking as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Needless to say, I gained an enormous amount of respect for him and feel totally myself. That's what's most important in a new relationship, friends or otherwise.
RECAP: Lucky to have made a friend with someone who likes me for exactly who I am and what I do.
Back to my fortune:
The two of us hit up Threadless for their $10 T-shirt sale and of course, wearing my bright pink booty shorts I garned some looks coming in the store, one of which was from Steve, a friendly Threadless Employee. He told me I was his hero, LOL and when I asked him about a certain T-shirt advertisement that I couldn't find the t-shirt for, he said it wasn't supposed to be out until Monday because it's a re-release of last month's best seller; but he kindly went back and got me one my size to give me anyways :D I can't thank him enough, I love the shirt, called "Wake" featuring blue stripes on white being pushed aside by a graphic of a boat. I should have taken a picture of it but I wasn't thinking. Anyways, go get one they're awesome!
RECAP: Lucky to have gotten that T-shirt ahead of time.
Threadless is one of the coolest stores in Boystown. Shout out to Steve, you'll probably hear me mention him again on Friday's show :)
The other great thing that happened since getting my fortune Sunday... drumroll please...
I got a B+ on my humanities paper!
Do it, do it, ya do it, do it, you're doin it wellllllllll - J Lo
Saturday 10/9/2010
Hilarious First Show
I was so nervous for my first show! But, I got through it. It's like that with alot of things.
For example, I can't catch a ball to save my life. But the good news is, I can always pick it up. And hey, if Iit hits me in the face and makes someone laugh - that's just as fun for them to watch as me catching it. Probably funnier, depending on the speed of that ball.
That's how I feel about my first show. I told you all how I expected to mess up the first time. And I did, luckily JUST the online broadcast, which isn't monitored by the FCC. Whew! The radio broadcast was flawless - but during my first quarter of the show the online broadcast was a hott mess. Perhaps it makes sense that's what my booty shorts say on the ass right now. But I picked it up, just like that ball i mentioned. And now that I've learned more, next time it's gonna be better :) That's how we get through life, we're all just people trying to get by. Thank you for listening! And if you heard the radio broadcast, go to the site and listen to the online recording, it's hilarious!
In case you're wondering what the heck went wrong, let me tell you... I left the microphone on during the first song, and forgot to change the audio over to the track (too bad, it was Katy Perry and I love her). As a result, you could hear the conversation going on in the studio during the break - Bill joking about sex (the champagne) and armoured cars on the southside of Chicago. And you got an introduction to my friend Jen, whom the radio listeners didn't meet until our formal introduction later. So it was a blooper. What of it? LAUGH AT ME :D
Also. the quality of the music. not great, i'm working on it. Our station had a server crash about a month ago and it still hasnt been put back up, so I'm currently bootlegging my online broadcast via Ustream.com, an everyday internet radio provider. not really an excuse, but that's the status of the station and I have alot of friends and family back on the west coast who want to listen in. Thank you for tuning in and I hope you all listen again next week and catch more of my blunders as time moves forward ;)
Tonight I'm going to the Mathew Yew Gallery, it should be fun! I love love love art and my good friend Hadley Rue is giving me the oppurtunity to see some really amazing stuff. If you're going, or if you're in and around Boystown, look for me and say Hi!
P.S. Joe, you're awsome, I love your sunglasses and I hope everyone on the boat has fun today ;)
Friday 10/8/2010
First Broadcast!
Wow! It's the big day, I'm going to be on the air for the first time in Chicago! I'm very excited to give you all a great show, my stomach is in knots just thinking about it! Make sure to go to themonstermash.weebly.com to tune in @ 8PM and let me know what you think afterwards!
Today I'm having one of my good friends Bill Pritchard on the show to talk about the upcoming Mayoral Election in Chicago. As we all know, Mayor Daley has been very generous to the gay community and we'll miss him dearly as he leaves office. So who's gonna take his place?! Bill is gonna help me figure out who gets the vote as we discuss the candidates various positions and of course, catch up on all the ins and outs of Boystown as well, where one candidate made an appearance earlier this week...
In addition, Joshua Bradley, the President of Illinois Institute of Technology's LBGTQ group, GLAM (gays, lesbians, allies, and more), will be on to give us the scoop on the current statewide elections as well.
Note: I'm so nervous, there's a million little things I'm doing to get ready, so if some tragic calamity happens my first time running the studio, please forgive me! eek!
Tuesday 10/5/2010
You're in there
So the weekend is finally over. Whew. I made it through to tuesday and now I can relax, or at least that's what I thought before I got into a fight with charcoal this afternoon in my Freehand class.
Sox game Thursday (they won!), House party on Friday, Foam party Saturday, all nighter Sunday, out on the town and the yacht on Monday. I'm pooped. Try to tell me I didn't have a busy weekend! I also moved my friends into their new apartment, had a lively business meeting, got coffee with a friend, and did all my homework for school.
RECAP: Do not attempt, closed course with professional nutcase. Could result in serious hangover and exhaustion.
I learned something else, too: the Onion News Network reports that Americans get most of their exercise while drunk! I believe it.
And in another odd moment of my weekend I encountered a man passing out the new testament to passersby on the sidewalk. This isn't all that odd, we've all seen them and thought about the appropriate response... Those of us who are religious probably own one already, those in need of one may not be able to make out the tiny words in the fine print, and those of us who do not want one for any other assortment of reasons, well... What do you say? Maybe nothing. But as I approached this particular gentleman, my mind began to wander and speculate; why the suit? Probably to look respectable. But if I know that's what he's trying to show, is there a reason he needs to look the part? Maybe he isn't a respectable guy, so he's really making an effort today. I'm not sure, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's a very nice and respectable, one might say generous, gentleman. As I got closer still, he asked me if I'd like a copy - I was listening to my iPod so I simply shook my head and proceeded to pass him (seeing as I hadn't come up with anything more appropriate than that by the time I got there). The funny thing was, he already had a response for me, and I quote: "it's the word of God"
I continued to walk on,
"you're in there."
WAIT. I'm in the new testament? No, trademark. But he was certainly implying that based on what he saw of me, i fit into the category of people that God speaks to in the new testament. You get what I'm saying, how this combined with the observation that he's on a random corner giving them out to anyone leads you to think that EVERYONE is in the new testament from his perspective. So what if I told him that I'm gay? This long debated and researched topic came into my presence of mind for the next few hours as I went about my evening, wondering if his response would be different had I been wearing a patch of rainbow as I walked by. Would he talk to me at all? Maybe not him, but someone else even? I know these questions go on forever, and in endless circles, but i'm more interested in the perspective of the street-corner guy. It would seem god-sent anyhow that he and I cross paths, so to have boldly said the words, "you're in there." seems like a call to investigate. What do you know of the street corner guys? I think I may have a guest on the show to talk about it sometime.
RECAP: Trademark was offered a new testament by a total stranger and now realizes that on any random day it would seem even more strange to be offered one from a friend. Street Corner guy inspires great curiosity.
Monday 10/4/2010
My Chicago Welcome
This is a welcome to those of you just starting to follow my blog in it's infant state. Thank you for reading, I hope you have as much fun as I did writing it!
My welcome to Chicago has been unorthodox (but then again it's the only one I know, how can I judge). I came for the architecture program at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and I've been really happy with school so far. It's a world away from home, which for me means north of Seattle, WA and south of Vancouver, BC - both I love dearly. So why come to a new city? Why spend your only time at home on flights between LA and Chicago rushing to pack everything you own into two large cardboard boxes? And yes, shipping is cheaper than extra bags on your flight. Chicago is bigger! It's full of fun new adventures I couldn't have back in the northwest! ...Or anywhere else. It's a unique city, something more manageable than New York (don't get me wrong, it still takes effort and a friendly smile) and easier to navigate than Los Angeles (socially and physically). For me, moving in meant leaving my car that I just paid off back home in Washington, getting up at 6AM to catch a flight to O'Hare, staying in a hotel for two days before getting the key to my dorm, finding the place where the college received my boxes, scrambling to get my student ID before the office closed, and racing to get to my dorm at the same time as my room mate so we could discuss who got the better side of the room. Then I met a great guy, went to a party together, and the rest of my social construct is history.
Recap:
If you're thinking about moving to a new city (especially Chicago) - DO IT! Best decision I've ever made, come with a plan and be nice to everyone you meet.
ABC's: A is for awsome, B is for Boystown, and C is for Chicago. Get with it guys
Great guy=genuine guy, not the hottest one or the guy who hits on you even when you spill barbeque sauce on yourself at the welcome dinner (he's desperate, you aren't that cute - trust me).
The unorthodox part:
I was told my eyebrows were gorgeous for the first time in my life, which is odd because I've grown up with friends telling me they remind them of Sandy Cohen (of the OC). And the great guy I met on campus happened to be a well-connected one also, introducing me to a handful of other equally great guys in Boystown who really know how to have a good time. I can't really promise that experience to every college transfer or freshman in Chicago. BUT! That's why you arrive with a smile, because everyone can relate to that. We all know that we're attracted to smiles. Admit it.
So that great guy took me to a fantastic rooftop party in Boystown, with an open bar and more guys than I could even meet in one night! I definitely can't say this will happen to you either, but chances are your adventures, whatever they may be, will be just as grand.
Then I got this idea, I was like HEY! I want to connect with my community here and maybe even give back in the process. So I noticed my college radio station was looking for DJ's and I pitched this idea to them: Talk Show from an LGBTQ perspective. They loved it, trained me, and now I'm broadcasting my first show this Friday, a little over a month later. This you can probably do too. Colleges want people involved, they want students to take charge, and anyone with a voicebox and a life will have something to talk about. So hey, try that one on for size!
I encourage everyone to listen to my show online, at themonstermash.weebly.com fridays at 8PM
because it's about living in Chicago, not necessarily always LGBTQ issues or events. Rather, what makes it unique is the perspective that I and my community of LGBTQ people in Chicago have to offer. For instance, my show this Friday will feature a guest to talk about the Mayoral Election - everyone can relate to that.
RECAP:
Arriving to a warm and social welcome was awesome, I've loved going all the baseball games, the parties in Boystown, and the fancy dinners; but there's something to be said for the traditional homecoming carnival I missed out on in the process.
No matter who you know (I came knowing no one) or what you come for (I came for school and ended up with a whole lot more), you're bound to find the YOU in you here - or at least hook up with areal cute (great) guy.
Listen to The Monster Mash, and tell me what you wanna talk about!
Thanks to the guys who gave me my welcome, welcome to my blog, and you're welcome for the past few minutes of entertainment :)
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