tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474512283724666342011-12-28T18:11:57.266-05:00A virtual roadmap of the my synaptic misadventures, misfires and miscellaneous activity. A collision of gender theory, activism, art and glitter.Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.comBlogger771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-42633431858234159182011-10-30T18:39:00.000-04:002011-10-30T18:39:01.642-04:00

Thank you for taking the time to call your representatives in Congress to help pass the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) and the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA). Below are the scripts for calling your representatives. Since the bills have different numbers in each house of Congress, you will see that there is one script to use for you two Senators, and a second script to use for your

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-42989287705904968682011-07-20T21:26:00.000-04:002011-07-20T21:26:34.222-04:00

As many of you know, I am a huge fan and supporter of the William Way Community Center, having helped design their Homecoming event in June, including co-producing the entertainment portion of the evening.  Now, separately, another fine group of folks is putting on a series of shows at William Way which will simultaneously pay local artists, as well as raise funds for the Center. Talk about a win

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-29058812826006135732011-04-20T12:55:00.000-04:002011-04-20T12:55:24.287-04:00

A few friends have asked about (and had concerns about) my Facebook posts about the HIV vaccine trial that I'm participating in, so I thought I'd create a post about it to let everyone know what's up.  The primary reason that I post about it quite candidly is because there is still far too much stigma around HIV, and also because I hope that some of my friends will consider enrolling.

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-42353386894864080592011-02-16T23:30:00.017-05:002011-03-23T15:09:14.483-04:00

Here's the latest on my upcoming performances in March and April in Philly. xoxOMG Photo Credit: Tara Lessard of Freedom G Photography Sister's Burlesque ShowcaseRSVP on FacebookSistersFriday, March 25Doors at 9 PM, show at 111320 Chancellor Street Bravissimo BurlesqueRSVP on FacebookWineoSaturday, March 26Doors at 9:30, show at 10:30447 Poplar Street Gay it Forward Philadelphia! A Bachelor

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-28490438823438199842011-02-01T11:52:00.000-05:002011-02-01T11:52:44.924-05:00

Buck Angel is trans man and an award winning, pioneering producer and performer in the adult entertainment industry.  I recently saw on his Twitter feed that he was heading to the UK, and was tweeting BBC (@bbcentertain) saying that he'd love to be the host on Graham Norton's show.  While I do work for Buck's talent agency and know so pretty fabulous people, I'm not *quite* at that level where I

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-58299296007918625222011-01-24T11:50:00.000-05:002011-01-24T11:50:03.584-05:00

I am very, very, extremely excited to say that starting today, I have a job that I love. In my final semester at TCNJ I interned with PhinLi Bookings, LLC, a talent agency which represents LGBTQ and Sex Positive artists, performers, and authors, and now I am working for them.  Since I am both writing a book and pursuing acting, with a full run of a play happening in May, I have been seeking a job

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-11365466609876986512011-01-19T14:06:00.000-05:002011-01-19T14:06:50.274-05:00

I don't have only one gender, use one dominant hand for doing everything, think that "top or bottom?" does the miraculous possibilities of sexuality any justice whatsoever, or generally fit into any binary, so this just made my whole day. This marks the first time I've ever seen a web form that requires an answer for gender, and yet lets you choose an answer other than "male" or "female," with

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-74038231656908256502011-01-13T15:53:00.000-05:002011-01-13T15:53:54.818-05:00

If you follow my Twitter and/or Facebook, you have likely heard that I am writing a book, specifically a collection of essays, and it's on gender and some of the messy places that it touches upon in our lives.  As my friend Scout put it "My gosh, that could be an encyclopedia. Good luck whittling that down to fit into a single volume."  Indeed, Scout, indeed. I am whittling down and speaking

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-13419538781516269452011-01-08T19:00:00.000-05:002011-01-08T19:00:19.130-05:00

I suppose this blog will need a prequel at some point to explain how exactly it is that, after an exhaustive year of reading and writing (and writing, and writing) for school, I've decided write a collection of essays to be published as a book.  Directly, it's about gender, which is to say indirectly it's about loving oneself, loving others, and celebrating diversity.   And when I say celebrate

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-33820731498665809072010-11-13T11:51:00.000-05:002010-11-13T11:51:26.340-05:00

To writers (& all artists): don't ever wait to begin. There is no time, ever, that you will be so prepared and inspired as to immediately birth the perfect, complete piece. I just allowed myself to write five incoherent pages and realized that, while I already had the support of my advisor to insert my own narrative into my thesis, to write truthfully about drag, I must totally radicalize the

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-74669927280076261872010-11-09T04:27:00.001-05:002010-11-09T06:05:47.602-05:00

There is something extremely thrilling about the research I am currently undertaking on drag kings for my thesis, which is the capstone experience of my baccalaureate education in gender studies.  Since returning to school to complete my B.A., all of my research has been relatively trying, primarily because I have consistently chosen to examine the largely unexamined, ie, LGBTQ, non-white, and/or

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-22211826929279725062010-11-05T22:27:00.000-04:002010-11-05T22:27:31.647-04:00

"To make trouble was, within the reigning discourse of my childhood, something one should never do precisely because that would get one in trouble.  The rebellion and its reprimand seemed to be caught up in the same terms, a phenomenon that gave rise to my first critical insight into the subtle ruse of power: the prevailing law threatened one with trouble, even put one in trouble, all to keep one

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-16473943255016100942010-10-26T14:31:00.000-04:002010-10-26T14:31:53.940-04:00

I met Sarah Green, of the band Dangerous Ponies, a while back when we both performed at QueerChannel to benefit The Attic Youth Center here in Philadelphia.  I performed as a drag king that night, complete with flannel and a false mustache, but was headed out to the Bar AIDS fundraiser afterwards in full fabulosity - AKA a twenty four inch lime waist cincher with rhinestones and paillettes.  

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-90328605067873281272010-08-17T20:25:00.000-04:002010-08-17T20:25:59.193-04:00

My mother used to tell me I only ran at two speeds - slow and reverse. That's no longer true, but one thing that remains is I tend towards extremes. Extremes, for example, like going from running sporadically to training for a half marathon in about three weeks. (It went surprisingly well). Another example would be my twenty two inch corset, three layers thick with steel coil boning. Yes,

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-31155574707100188642010-08-17T01:19:00.000-04:002010-08-17T01:19:54.082-04:00

This past Sunday, I was the MC for the 2011 calendar release party for The Liberty City Kings, aka LiCK. They are Philadelphia's only drag king and burlesque queen troupe, and I was extremely excited to be invited by their fabulous leader and co-founder, Heather Coutts, to be the MC for this event. I met Heather two years ago at QFest, and worked with her immediately thereafter on my first ever

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-37248732321813903852010-06-25T14:45:00.000-04:002010-06-25T14:45:14.451-04:00

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-57425673432307417732010-06-14T11:29:00.000-04:002010-06-14T11:29:19.328-04:00

OK, actually they were debating whether I was Guy Pearce in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, but that makes for a less fabulous blog title.  Read from the bottom up for the conversation chronologically; I was too lazy to screen shot each individual tweet and put them in the right order.  Besides, then they wouldn't have come out the same exact size and I would be shedding sad, perfectionist, Virgo

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-35920541026708659572010-06-11T01:09:00.000-04:002010-06-11T01:09:25.770-04:00

Where do you go when you meditate?  Today I might as well have been on another planet.  I did my psoas release work as I have been every day and did some energy work at the same time.  Then I moved into yoga.  I decided before going right into savasna, I would release my hips in supta baddha konasana.  That is is reclining pose with your hips open and the soles of your feet touching.  From there

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-7072016429006683412010-06-10T00:13:00.000-04:002010-06-10T00:13:59.888-04:00

A lot is different now, as opposed to last semester, which ran from January to May.  I'm still in class, and an intensive one at that.  And yep, I'm already behind in the reading, though I'm catching up.  Plus, being as it's a gendered history of food class, I really like the material and it's not hard to get through.  All of this makes me feel like I can breathe and actually take the time to do

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-16081088821055333552010-06-08T12:50:00.000-04:002010-06-08T12:50:54.820-04:00

I don't know exactly when or how these things became so appealing, but it seems every time you turn around there is another opportunity to write or go to the gym or complete items on your bucket list over some fixed period of time.  I tried my hand with National Novel Writing Month (fifty thousand words over thirty days) last year and it didn't quite take.  My first week of November was hellish

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-80085334150903895732010-06-06T17:31:00.001-04:002010-06-06T17:34:35.397-04:00

An amazing experience to me is one in which, before we are old or educated or wise or experienced enough to put words to something, we have an unbelievably strong, pre-linguistic reaction.  (To clarify, I'm 25 and very nearly a (late) college grad and there are plenty of things that I lack wisdom or experience  or education to express adequately; I'd consider this a phenomena largely, but not

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-80728655174230393672010-05-06T18:50:00.002-04:002010-05-06T18:53:28.749-04:00

Below is a paragraph excerpted from the final paper I am currently writing for my Women, Culture and Society class.  I chose to analyze the trans denying/hating/phobic arguments of radical feminists vs post-modern gender theorists who are trans-positive.  See as I tear Janice G. Raymond (of "The Transsexual Empire: The Making of a She-Male" fame) a new one.  As the title suggests, I pulled the

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-65623877353863184742010-05-05T23:56:00.000-04:002010-05-05T23:56:21.905-04:00

I'm wearing Nanny's charms right now. I wear them a lot when I need support, like finals week. I think it's funny that Poppy died before I was even born, and I've felt him close by since even before my first memory (as my parents have told me) and yet Nanny always felt so far away after she died. I remember being given her cross at the luncheon after her funeral and even sort of understanding

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-14400654919695495542010-05-05T00:44:00.000-04:002010-05-05T00:44:25.398-04:00

Today I had a callback for a print ad I'd initially auditioned for on Saturday. The spot is an LGBT focused ad for AMTRAK and they are casting LGBT models. Since they already had four pictures of me and a resume, I figured this was the point at which I was going to have to be handsome and charming and win over casting directors on the spot, and I was right. The instructions were something like

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-26686718078301803362010-04-07T14:41:00.000-04:002010-04-07T14:41:55.390-04:00

Another day, another poetry slam video for you.  This is from three young gentleman in Chico, CA, with a poetry group called "Chico Speaks Out."  Their anger, sensitivity and art stuns and inspires.  Enjoy.

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-89479110882196239322010-04-06T14:36:00.000-04:002010-04-06T14:36:12.691-04:00

In case you haven't been aware for the last five days, today is the sixth day of national poetry month.  I have to say, I like a fair amount of poetry and I hate it when people claim to dislike it categorically .  To me, that's like saying you hate all vegetables when you've only ever had peas and carrots.  There is Swiss chard, broccoli and many a variety of pepper, ya know?  There are ee

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-51491408442249299792010-03-28T01:38:00.001-04:002010-03-28T01:40:17.544-04:00

I just had one of those "Eureka!" moments when something you've been mulling over for years shifts in a big way.  It's like the first time I understood the double slit experiment in particle physics.  It was so simple and yet so difficult, like a yoga pose that you can't seem to muscle in to.  There's all this work that you have to do - it's action, it's yang energy, it's whatever you want to

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-89874812694685296002010-02-26T16:35:00.000-05:002010-02-26T16:35:30.759-05:00

Earlier this week, David Badash over at The New Civil Rights Movement responded to Chelsea Handler's tweet "You say 'Ice Dancing,' I say 'Gay.'"  Initially I found the comment mildly amusing, if bland and a bit been-there-done-that.  On the other, I think David makes a very valid point that it reinforces a stereotype.  Personally, I love a politically incorrect comedian.   George Carlin is a god

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-31301049279135406942010-02-23T13:42:00.000-05:002010-02-23T13:42:37.304-05:00

I once saw John Leguizamo speak and he said something that I really liked, which, at this remote later date I will paraphrase to "I'm not here to be a shining example.  I'm here to be a screaming warning."  I think this may have been related to his story of passing on "Philadelphia" to make "Super Mario Brothers: The Movie" because he thought he was too good looking to play Tom Hanks' lover.  I

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-75531743086451871642010-02-22T12:26:00.000-05:002010-02-22T12:26:30.695-05:00

I was very joyful to get out of the house this weekend.  I was nearing a total meltdown with school, and frankly that didn't fully resolve until late last night when I cleared a thesis with a professor, realized I had plenty of time to write it, and calmed my raggedy over-achieving Virgo ass down.  But I digress.  This Saturday, my fabulous sex blogger flatmate Sarcastabitch reminded me that

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-2517467385129697072010-01-28T13:29:00.000-05:002010-01-28T13:29:17.901-05:00

While wandering my apartment trying to get into a rather dry history book outlining women in Asia in just a few hundred pages (for the world's largest continent with incredibly diverse languages, cultures, religions and so on mind you) I tended to get, well distracted.  I need to go in depth, to analyze or synthesize theory based on primary and secondary sources, to see the art.  A very factual

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-79522489050829197012010-01-25T23:11:00.000-05:002010-01-25T23:11:19.552-05:00

This is my life right now: as most of you I was (joyfully) fired from my job at the University of Pennsylvania Health System in November.  I had applied to return to The College of New Jersey, which I had originally attended from 2002-2006 without attaining a degree, less than a week before I was fired.  There is something to be said about a responsive Universe that meets us where we are when we

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-78343780050038709622010-01-11T13:02:00.000-05:002010-01-11T13:02:20.818-05:00

Here is Father Tony interviewing Cynthia Nixon at the ACLU's launch of a campaign to overturn the ban on adoption by same sex couples in Florida.   I find her very well spoken and I appreciate that she addresses  the heteronormativity that pervades our society and can make it difficult to talk about our queer families.  On a personal and somewhat random note, I met Father Tony as an extra on the

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-89912609036049853942010-01-09T00:51:00.000-05:002010-01-09T00:51:00.379-05:00

Alexander Chee is a novelist that I follow on Twitter, and who I recently got to meet when he was in Philly for  work.  When I made my Christmas wish list of books by queer authors for my Mom to buy me from Giovanni's Room, his debut novel Edinburgh was on the list, and is next on my "to read" list. (It was really exciting to support queer artists who I knew or that were recommended by PhinLi

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-16373889144781038722010-01-08T11:09:00.000-05:002010-01-08T11:09:54.500-05:00

The first order of business, the posting of the yays, the nays, those abstaining and those absent.  YES (14) Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic) (609) 383-1388Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex) (732) 752-0770Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) (732) 205-1372Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak (D-Union), co-sponsor (908) 624-0880Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) (973) 731-6770Sen. Teresa M. Ruiz (D-Essex) (973) 484-

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-24781169564774044302010-01-06T23:53:00.000-05:002010-01-06T23:53:45.541-05:00

This is a continuation in my blog series about tribes as youth, adults, elders and ancestors. The essential traits of elders in the tribe are: Before transitioning to elder status in the tribe, they were adults who were community leaders and cornerstones, and who actively participated in helping youth in the tribe transition to adulthood. They care deeply about the whole community, and provide

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-12968169412893376432010-01-05T15:41:00.000-05:002010-01-05T15:41:23.919-05:00

As NYC blogger Joe Jervis writes, "At least, as in New York, we'll learn where to aim our efforts for the 2010 election."  I couldn't agree more.  A failure to pass marriage equality at the 11th hour of Governor Corzine's lame duck period would be a disappointment, we must prepare for that possibility now.  Maine and New York have demonstrated that there are just enough Democrats who are either

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-87947802209256053132009-12-31T16:09:00.000-05:002009-12-31T16:09:13.342-05:00

I don't celebrate the New Year because it has no personal or astrological significance, except for the coincidental full moon this year.  The only New Year's Eve celebration I have enjoyed in my adult life was staying home alone last year and going to bed before midnight.  In terms cleansing rituals or resolutions, I find them far more powerful at my birthday, which I celebrate as a personal new

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-61388952673382311252009-12-28T16:30:00.000-05:002009-12-28T16:30:14.814-05:00

Perhaps at some point later this week when I've snagged photos from friends and family and I'm ready to parse out what about the holidays and what was emotionally traumatic, I'll review the whole week.  For just now I'd like to make this post all about our trip to Manhattan yesterday.  My Christmas Saturnalia gift to Sarcastabitch was a trip up to Joe's Pub in to see Our Lady J, our very favorite

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-54650746771179668392009-12-24T11:40:00.000-05:002009-12-24T11:40:19.698-05:00

Growing up, Christmas was THE holiday for me.  I didn't care for Thanksgiving all that much - I hated turkey and being shunned to the kid's table.  Easter was joyful, but it was already Spring, so he needed an upper?  Christmas was it.  At the darkest time of year, Christmas was a celebration of lights, my favorite foods, gift giving and decorations.  And oh, the decorations.  All of those handed

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-79029195036513783842009-12-23T13:17:00.000-05:002009-12-23T13:17:38.050-05:00

I'm feeling humored about this, but also curious in an anthropology and psychology sort of way - none of the porn emails that end up in my spambox in Gmail are ever gay or bi or queer in any way.  Ditto the porn bots on Twitter up until a few days ago.  Since then two bots with some variation on the handle "Gay Live" have followed me, most likely because I used a keyword like "fag" in one of my

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-75980018904521704612009-12-22T17:33:00.000-05:002009-12-22T17:33:24.975-05:00

Thursday - I started my internship with First Person Arts and, as with pretty much everything in my life right now, it's not just that it's fantastic and contributing to the fact that this is the happiest I've been in my whole life (see also: I got fired from a job I hated, I adore my flatmate and my puppy, I've been hanging with fab New York authors and performers).  This is more than just an

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-78048703659564738242009-12-21T13:13:00.000-05:002009-12-21T13:13:41.205-05:00

Someone asked me once to succinctly describe the Radical Faeries in one sentence.  I said something to the effect of: "Radical Faeries are queer, often don't fit into or like mainstream gay cultures, are open-minded and open-hearted, often have pagan or other older and/or nature based spiritual practices, and are often artists, activists, and freaks."  As far as I understand the history, we

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-75410022791033889832009-12-20T01:19:00.000-05:002009-12-20T01:19:44.307-05:00

Embedded here is the story I told at a First Person Arts story slam.  I had a LOT of fun doing it and it made me want to start writing fictional short stories based on my (ridiculous) life.  Since I've been blogging here as much as possible and trying to generally organize my life post leaving Penn I haven't done that, but I definitely hope to at least tell a story at another slam sometime soon.

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-3081396434966951842009-12-18T15:48:00.001-05:002009-12-18T15:48:33.259-05:00

Today I will examine the adult archetype in a youth/adult/elder/ancestor view of tribes. The essential traits of adults are: Although they will (hopefully) continue to learn and grow intellectually and spiritually across their lifetimes, adults have synthesized their varied life and learning experiences in the youth phase of life and tribal membership into a relatively stable world view,

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-8665339900830628792009-12-17T15:03:00.000-05:002009-12-17T15:03:58.092-05:00

The following is a guest blog from The Phaggot.  He is a self described artist, writer, wine drinker, objector, citizen, homosexual, computer geek, activist, super hero, and grad student. Most importantly, a CUTE homosexual.  He does a lot of great work in Philadelphia, and I am very appreciative to him for sharing his story below: I grew up in a poorer section of the great NorthEast corridor.

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I realized shortly after posting that I had completely neglected the photographs from the most recent instalment of "This Week in Fabulosity" so, voila: First up two pictures taken after "Christmas Spells" with  Justin Bond and the Pixie Harlots. Here, Sarcastabitch and I pose with Mx Bond herself.  Now that is one hell of a sassy hairpiece, but if only you had seen her rocking out in a dress

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Last week I started to explore our society in terms of its views on youth, adults, elders and ancestors.  I felt it was vital to first break down some of the less helpful ways that these are constructed in our society and now would like to look at the first phase of identity, youth. Although these archetypes are largely associated with age brackets, I submit that they are not necessarily age

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Thursday - I interviewed with my favorite Philly arts org, First Person Arts, for an internship.  I'm not sure yet when I'll start with them but I really look forward to picking up a whole new set of skills and learning about the behind the scenes work of event production, contract writing and all of the nitty-gritty of making art happen.  More on that as it unfolds!   Saturday - An almost

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The following blog is penned by solidad decosta, who graciously agreed to lend to her time and her voice to my efforts to keep Giovanni's Room open, and to bring you the best and brightest, latest and greatest in the queer worlds of art, activism and blogging.  (And it is a small queer world friends. I found solidad via twitter and she was one of the first people I reached out to for this series;

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-60655108403162540012009-12-11T14:14:00.001-05:002009-12-11T14:27:17.405-05:00

In my previous post on Ronald Gold's insensitive, inaccurate, and offensive "'No' to the Notion of Transgener" blog at the Bilerico Project, I rebutted specific points.  Today, let's get right to the root of the problem: Mr. Gold is a white man with white male privilege and his incoherent, factually inaccurate blog, which sites no research or even anecdotes yet purports to speak for the mental

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-80717254353115100472009-12-11T01:29:00.001-05:002009-12-13T16:24:58.734-05:00

This blog is in response in Ronald Gold's post at the Bilerico Project entitled "'No' to the notion of transgender." (If the link goes dead, we can assume that Bilerico has pulled the post.) Update: Bilerico did indeed pull the post, but over at Pam's House Blend they have the original article in PDF  that you can view and even download in case you missed it. Interestingly, the blog opens with

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-38177928033747906412009-12-10T16:13:00.000-05:002009-12-10T16:13:06.439-05:00

I met my Friend Rafe through Twitter and appropriate to our queer/nerd bond, first met him in person at Giovanni's Room.  When I first heard that they were in need of fund raising events I had no idea that a hopefull tweet about Kate Bornstein doing a reading for them would not only be read by her, but that plans would start being laid that same day.  It was several months later that Rafe and I

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-8885427243357091502009-12-09T19:00:00.003-05:002009-12-18T15:51:15.357-05:00

In any society/community/tribe there are generally recognized stations of life, each of which correlates to certain responsibilities to the community held by the individuals in that station,  as well as responsibilities of the community to those individuals.  For example, in one dominant view, adults are often charged with the rearing of children, either literally or figuratively.  Inspired by

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I was extremely disappointed to read that Lambda Rising, a queer bookstore with two locations serving LGBTQ communities in Washington DC and Rehoboth Beach, DE, will be closing its doors.  This comes less than a year against the closing of the Oscar Wilde Bookshop in NYC, then the oldest independent queer bookstore in the nation.  However, this blog is not intended to be a lament, but rather a

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From the religion that has brought us over two millenia of patriarchy and all of the related opression - misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, and complete lack of compassion for those suffering with and dying from AIDS, to name just a few - come especially hurtful, insensitive words from one Edward Egan via the New York Times.  The NYT, along with three other newspapers, spent seven years in court

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-37054122551912707022009-12-08T11:05:00.000-05:002009-12-08T11:05:24.707-05:00

I read about this  ad rom Virgin Mobile Canada yesterday over at Joe. My. God and it got me thinking about a few things, like for starters how much cooler than the US Canada must be if they put this up in the first place.  Aside from that, it makes me think about representations of gay people in main stream advertising.  I would suspect that this is targeted to bus shelters in neighborhoods with

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Tuesday - My fellow actors at the Ward Studio in both Philadelphia and New York agreed to extend our semester of Mesiner Technique II by a day in order to do a joint showcase of our work for one another, performing at the new studio space at 150 West 28th Street in New York. My classmate Brandon and I performed a scene from the Odd Couple and I was (perhaps obviously) cast as Felix Unger. I

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-16252594266537117242009-11-17T09:58:00.007-05:002009-11-17T11:09:17.785-05:00

In last week's post I talked about the ways in which I came to have a rudimentary understanding of the world of transsexuality, but my journey through sex and gender certainly didn't end there, nor can I imagine it ending in my lifetime. It seemed that not long after I was able to put my head around transitioning from one discrete sex to another, there were suddenly new options to understand.

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-17614746860470170422009-11-15T23:53:00.008-05:002009-11-24T00:20:03.313-05:00

1) The beginning is to ask why. This often may not occur to you to do in the face of conventional wisdom, a boss, a parent, etc. For example, you suggest a new idea like going back to school, changing careers, adopting a dog, adopting a child, adopting a new political party, spiritual belief or religion. This is then countered with "but you have to," or "but you can't..." And then fill in

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I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't have some awareness of transsexuality. My cousin Erica is a male to female (MTF) transsexual person. (Aside: Some people just say "a transsexual," including some trans people that I know, but in the same way I wouldn't say "a black" or "a gay" I will generally use transsexual as an adjective that modifies an aspect of a person's humanity rather

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To me, family is just about anybody who supports me to be the happiest, most productive and creative version of myself that I can be. Today I found that support from the attending neurosurgeon for with whom I have worked directly for the past two years. In fact, our anniverary, as it were, is this Saturday. Since that time I haven't received any raises or promotions at work, though I've

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-50005964413289782902009-09-11T14:04:00.002-04:002009-09-11T14:13:26.190-04:00

Buju Banton, virulent and violent homophobic rapper, is scheduled to play the Trocadero tomorrow night. His charming lyrics call for such violence as the flaying, burning and murder of gay men. is this the same Trocadero where I have seen homo-punk band Pansy Division and sung along to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, both as part of Q-Fest?!Call to complain at 215-922-5483.

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-68633232229098434012009-08-13T21:59:00.003-04:002009-08-13T22:03:34.067-04:00

As a queer person, when I'm asked to self identify or someone chooses to apply a certain label to me, I consistently feel like I'm not being given the right options, or not enough, or the suffer for an ability to mix 'n match. Nor is it generally considered legitimate that on Tuesday I'm definitely a gay man, but by Thursday I'm genderqueer and a little bi-curious. Or a lot, for that matter.

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-79969674698169369382009-06-08T00:19:00.006-04:002009-06-08T01:26:47.589-04:00

I found the cutest dress today. I tried it on and fortunately nobody once called me a faggot or tried to hit me with sticks. In fact, nearby shoppers made helpful suggestions for footwear and accessories: "Those pumps might fit." "I recommend a beige shoe. "I just love your tiara." Granted, I was at Philly AIDS Thrift with hipsters, hippies, queers and just good old fashioned American

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-15074173869993838742009-04-09T02:14:00.003-04:002009-04-09T02:52:35.698-04:00

I've been kicking around this theory lately that being queer today is a little bit like being a child of immigrant parents.  The way that immigration often plays out in America is that the first generation gets here and does an unbelievable amount of grunt work. They scrimp, save, and work two jobs, often  while facing considerable racial, ethnic or religious bigotry while they're at it.  They

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Here goes my @weeklyblogpost on dream jobs.  (I think I still owe a blog on education and I'm excited to see what the new blog for this week will be.)Since I can't tell you exactly what I want to do, here's some of the things I'd like to see out of my dream job or, since I have diverse interests and abilities, dream jobs that I would weave together the way that actors now all have clothing lines

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-85957566285362408702009-02-28T23:09:00.005-05:002009-03-01T00:25:27.626-05:00

(Better late than never.)I think about grids, about living on them, about living off them, and about the Taoist notion that there is no paradox.  (A copy of the Tao Te Ching would be handy here for a brief quote, but alas, I've given away every copy I've ever purchased.  I'm sure I should get another, if only to have it at the ready to pass on yet again.)  Here are the grids I'm thinking about:

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Notes.  1) I've be writing and rewriting this blog both literally and in my head for an hour and some days now, respectively. 2) The break in blogging was due to an unusually intense and, thankfully unusually short major depressive episode. 3) I have long been drawn to Hindu god and goddess stories and art and, while I am not a religious person, often find these to be useful in my meditative

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-91035040904889098992009-02-16T21:37:00.006-05:002009-02-20T11:07:41.713-05:00

sweet gear ratiomoves well from city to trailversatile. (like me)

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-75820812435407542142009-02-16T21:33:00.003-05:002009-02-19T16:59:50.648-05:00

these are merely a few my favorite things(the dog would not pose)

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-67712677977445111922009-02-16T21:29:00.002-05:002009-02-19T16:59:50.649-05:00

making a quick lefti forget the hand signalthe dead save no time

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-12492525694862601792009-02-16T21:12:00.004-05:002009-02-19T16:59:50.649-05:00

sure the studs look coolbut sadly all bike seats hurt(i ride standing up)

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-40386560960251317212009-02-16T17:57:00.002-05:002009-02-16T18:52:01.855-05:00

At the request of @FirstPersonArts, I am here to share with you the story behind the title of my blog.Picture it.  Philadelphia, January of 2007.  I am slightly cold lying in my hospital bed, waking up at the tender age of twenty two from my first colonoscopy.  (There's really no gentle introduction for medically prescribed sodomy with a camera attached to a flexible tube, so I figured you, dear

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-89399174380777334722009-02-16T08:42:00.008-05:002009-02-19T16:59:50.651-05:00

This post draws on some inspiration from @weeklyblogpost when I originally thought I was going to do my "Transit" post on my new bike. I thought some pictures would be appropriate, snapped away on my iPhone, and then wrote something completely different. However, I still really liked some of the shots (minus the graininess of some, but hey, when you can't afford a fancy new Cannon D whatever at

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-19626504285088496352009-02-15T11:44:00.009-05:002009-02-16T17:57:20.067-05:00

I am inspired by artists who surprise us by leaving their messages of hope, beauty, frustration and anguish all around the city for me to find.Sometimes they exist in communities like The Tiberino Museum in Powelton Village.Other times they reclaim an area of urban decay.Artists embolden me to speak my own truth, and to do so from a place of unconditional love.Most amazing of all, when I need a

Pistol<br><br>http://www.blogger.com/profile/00167039376585745367noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547451228372466634.post-2962135694405537612009-02-15T09:46:00.003-05:002009-02-16T17:57:12.354-05:00

When I saw @stellargirl tweet about@weeklyblogpost I knew that my excuse for not regularly blogging had come to an end.  It is true that this blog was due a week ago yesterday and that, having moved the due dates to Sundays, that I will be turning in my "Muse" themed blog later today.  That's fine.  Whatever keeps me writing.Beyond those blog assignments I intend for this blog to be a repository

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