I want to address an issue that I’ve been thinking about for a long time. It’s about the subject of the use of photos on this blog. I received a comment this morning from the photographer of a photo I used in a post last April, and though his comment was not threatening at all, it sounded off some bells and whistles that I’d always been afraid of.

One of the best things about writing a blog is that I can put multiple pictures with my posts to enhance their effectiveness. I think the visual additions make for a more appealing post, and though I use many photos that I myself take, I often take photos from Google images or elsewhere on the web.

I’ve been meaning to put a disclaimer on the blog about how any and all pictures posted on it are believed to be of public domain and if anyone has an issue with a photo I add, they simply have to contact me and I will remove it. I plan to do that sometime today, but in the meantime I just wanted to add to this issue one more piece of commentary.

Unfortunately this whole subject has to do with money. A person who takes a photo or writes a piece of music or an article is the creator of that piece and needs to get paid for it in order to be used. I accept that fact, but I still think that it stinks. I make very little money off of this blog, yet it’s something I enjoy doing, and I think the visuals I add to my pieces add a certain quality to them. If I use a photo that someone else owns the rights to, I do not do it with any sort of malicious intent. My work has been plagiarized in the past and I know how offsetting that can be, especially when I’m not given credit for the work.

From here on in, I will do my best to give credit to the sources of the photos I use on this blog and if anyone out there who owns copyright to such picture wants it removed, I will do it gladly. It’s something I should have done all along and for now I will thank my commenter for pushing me to this long awaited point. Thank you!

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A long, long time ago I received a pretty nasty comment on an article I wrote for what was then Associated Content. It was one of the first nasty comments I ever received and upon reading it I was angry and a little hurt by the whole thing. I mean, I always try to put my best out there, and I know that I’m always taking chances when I do, but criticism is not always easy to take.

After thinking about it I decided to do a follow-up article to respond to the anonymous comment. As I usually am with my writing, I write from my own truth, and I like to put things out there that are plain and honest, as I see it, and I think it’s the best way for a writer to handle such a situation. In my haste I deleted the original comment, but I did quote it in the subsequent article. Ever since, I’ve tried to make a habit not to wipe out the negative, as I should be able to take the bad with the good, and I always try to respond in accordance with my style.

Innocently enough, this morning I began a weeklong special in my “Song of the Day” posts of Janet Jackson videos, and I started off with one of my favorites, “That’s the Way Love Goes.” Just a few minutes ago I received an email telling me that I had a comment on the post and it read something like this:

“Ummmm Janet is on a sold out world tour and she doesn't need new material when she can perform her 36 number one songs and still sell out globally. You should be more concerned about your shitty ass cheap looking hole in the wall blog that gets about 2 hits a day. I’m laughing my ass off right now don't feel sorry for Janet she was just in 2 blockbuster movies and on a sold out tour and she has a movie deal with lions gate to make her own feature film. Janet is making millions every time she steps on stage...how much do you earn from your dumb ass blog??? “

Of course, upon reading such a comment, my blood began to boil. It still always does, even for just a little bit. Oftentimes I just respond with a comment of my own, hopefully to counteract whatever the commenter said, but this time I am once again moved to write an entire response to this “anonymous” person because I think it deserves it…and now I will speak directly to him or her:

Hey Mr. (or Ms.) Anonymous,

First of all, thanks for checking out my “shitty ass cheap looking hole in the wall blog.” As you pointed out, I could really use the hit. I try to make a habit of not deleting nasty comments such as yours because I think the words speak for themselves as to the type of person you must be to leave such malicious and uninstigated insults for no apparent reason.

For the record I love Janet Jackson...I even met her once. I didn’t say that her star has faded to insult her or you or any other fan. I was just stating a fact. Janet’s last top ten song was “Someone to Call My Lover” back in 2001, and the highest rated song she’s attained since was 2007’s “Feedback,” topping out at #19. She’s released three studio albums since 2004, the year of the “stupid nipple incident” (2004’s “Damita Jo,”, 2006‘s “20 Y.O,” and “Discipline,” from 2008), and although they all sold well, none of them produced any significant hits like from her earlier days. Of course, she’s a legendary star, but you can’t say that her status hasn’t waned in the past seven years or so.

Also, when you comment and put things out there, you should always check your facts. I did some checking and here’s what I found out:

You said she has “36 number one songs.” Well, not so much. Janet’s had 10 songs to reach #1 and 13 more to reach top ten status. I think it’s very impressive…it’s one of the reasons I love her so. But even if you add the 10 plus the 13, that’s still only 23, so I have no idea where the number 36 came from.

Look dude (or dudess), I’m a Janet Jackson fan. We’re on the same team. We should be nice to one another. Hey, I even wrote an article on my picks for her top ten songs (click here and leave a comment if you don’t agree, but be nice!) and I’ve seen her in concert six times, so I think I qualify as a bona fide fan.

As to the tone of your comment, I have to say there’s really no reason to be so nasty. I have one big mantra in life and you really should try and abide by it. It says “don’t be a hater,” and all it means really is that you shouldn’t hate on people for no apparent reason. It just makes the world an uglier place, don’t you think? If you disagree with something I or anyone else says, there’s a nice way to do it, ya know?

And for the record about this blog, I’m happy to report that I do get more than two hits a day here. In fact, out of all of the places I write, this is where I get the most hits, between 450 and 700 hits per day. Not too shabby, huh? As for what it looks like, well you’re entitled to your opinion, but I think it’s pretty cool looking for what it is. Hey I’m no expert, and I’m still learning tricks and stuff about working with a blog.

So please, if you or any of my other readers choose to respond to something I say, all I ask is that you come at me correct. I can choose to delete whatever it is you say anyway, or I can just leave it up there for others to make their own judgments as to your character (now there’s a reason to hate!), if you even care what that is (and I think maybe you might because you don’t leave your name!). Once again I thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my blog. I hope you’ll take heed of what I said and be a little nicer from now on…

Sincerely,

John



Here’s a little treat for any of you kids who love Miss Janet. It’s one of my favorite tunes, inspired by Carly Simon’s “You're So Vain,” and employing the singer's vocals in a cool way. Though it was remixed and released as a single featuring guest raps by Missy Elliot, I like the album version a lot better. It’s got a very bassy, funky beat and it’s great to dance to. Be warned though if you’ve got kids within earshot, the lyrics feature explicit language in this version.

Enjoy!

Son of a Gun




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Well it’s Monday afternoon and the third time I’m giving this post a try. Another weekend has come and gone, but that’s okay, though, cause summer’s right around the corner and I’ll have plenty of time to sleep and relax then, lol. It was a pretty good weekend, albeit a tiring one…



Macy’s Private Men’s Sale

This weekend was Macy’s semi-annual private men’s sale, which is usually the time I buy most of the clothes I have. This sale is the best Macy’s has, as it’s the one sale that I know of where there are (almost) no exclusions. Since I normally like to buy designer clothes, this one’s always a win-win for me, and so every time they have one I take the opportunity to get to Macys. The problem is, at first they used to have them two, maybe three times a year and now they’re running them way too often, luring me in almost bi-monthly with the promise of 25% off.

I wouldn’t normally bring up a shopping excursion such as this, but I experienced once again something I’ve written about before. In the article Invasion of the Men’s Department: Who’s to Blame?, I discuss an issue that has plagued me for years. Every time I go shopping for clothes, I always seem to have to fight with women everywhere, at the clothes racks, the underwear department and yes, even in the fitting room. It’s a pet peeve that never ceases, and I experienced it once again on Saturday.



After gathering some new frocks to try on in the Inc., Ecko and Calvin Klein areas, I headed off to the fitting room to try everything on. I hopped into a stall near the entrance and started to change. Within moments I heard a couple right outside my door.

“Is it okay if I come in?’ a woman’s voice whispered.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it,” her apparent boyfriend answered.

My blood began to boil as the woman stood right outside my stall, making the usual commentary on the clueless male shopper. I had wanted to scream “no” in answer to her question, but that’s not my style. The two of them continued on in his little fashion show as if there were nothing extraordinary about it.

“Ooh, that makes your butt look hot!”

“Nope….I don’t like the color.”

“Those are too long.”

As this went on I was screaming inside my head. I so wanted to tell the woman to get the heck outta there. If I were to walk into the ladies fitting room while she was trying things on, I’m sure she would have freaked out and the authorities would’ve been called in.

When I was done, though, the young, pretty woman gave me a smile and all I could do was smile back and think “bitch” under my breath. Nah, this wasn’t worth fighting for, but still: grrrrrrr!!!!!

Splash/Ritz Saturdays

After resting up at home on Friday night, I headed out to the city one last time before Fire Island summer weekends start next week. (Not that I won’t be going into the city anymore, just not as much, which I’m thankful for, especially with the price of gas these days.) I got off to a late start, but that was okay because I beat the midnight deadline when the Splash cover doubles from $10 to $20.

Splash was great fun from the get go. It was more crowded than usual and the music was smoking. I’m not sure if it was just because I was in a good mood or what last night, but I was just having such a good time dancing and talking with people I really could’ve stayed at Splash all night. I did have one uncomfortable moment when this dude kept grabbing me on the dance floor around the waist every time I put my hands in the air, but I handled him okay and escaped downstairs to my favorite bartender.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned him before, but there’s this guy who works downstairs behind the bar. I have no idea how he came to be my bartender, but he is. Now all (or most) of the bartenders at Splash are good looking and their uniform is a pair of skivvies, and this dude is no exception. He’s tall, sculpted, beautiful, and a heck of a nice guy. I’ve been going to him for months, but I have no idea what his name is, lol.



Anyway, as I sat at the bar for a drink, this really big, shirtless dude came and sat next to me. We exchanged a glance or two and just as I thought to myself that he really should put his shirt back on, he turned to me and asked me if he looked gross. Being the good liar that I am, I told him that he wasn’t and turned back towards my drink. The dude then leaned over the bar and whispered something to my bartender. All he did was shake his head and the guy walked away.

“But your face is…” the bartender said aloud once the dude had moved away. He turned to me and smiled. Ah, we had a moment, lol!

Wild Night at Ritz

As I said earlier, I was having such a good time at Splash I really could’ve stayed there all night, but at around 1:30 I had a sudden urge to go to the Ritz. I have yet to have a bad time there and I guess I was just curious enough to check out the scene. All I can say here was that I’m glad I went, because I had one of the best times in recent memory. For the first time in like forever, I was up and dancing with these two guys when suddenly the lights went on and the music stopped.

At first, I thought it might be a raid or something, but then I realized it was 4AM. The bar was closing and it was time to go home, but not before spilling out on to the street and chatting with the guys I had been dancing with earlier. By the time I got home, it was almost 6AM. I can’t wait to move into the city!

Out Magazine

This month’s Out Magazine features two of my favorite female singers. Cover girl and piping hot songstress Adele sat down for an interview with the gay periodical’s Aaron Hicklin on the eve of her current US tour. The interview is a great read and the photos, by photographer Perry Ogden, are slamming, especially the cover shot. Click the pic below to check it out:



The other singer featured in the June issue is none other than Robyn, who played such a big part of my life just a few short months ago. The talented Swedish pop star talks to Out’s Noah Michelson about her very un-pop-like approach to being successful, as well as her popularity within the gay culture. It’s another great read!



It’s too bad that lately I no longer listen to either of these lovely and talented young ladies. I’m afraid their music, although absolutely wonderful, brings up too many painful memories for me and I can’t help but hit the ‘next’ button whenever one of their songs comes into play on my iPod. Maybe one day I’ll listen again!

Well, I think I’ve said more than a mouthful today and I’m going to finish up with a new semi-regular feature. I recently published a piece on Y!CN called Retweeting Great Quotes on Twitter for Both Inspiration and Followers. It features some of my favorite things about Twitter: great quotes. Since there are so many great quotes tweeted each and every day, I figured I may just have to share a good one or two at the end of my posts. Today I share two quotes that I believe in wholeheartedly. Hopefully they will give you inspiration:

“Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it and let it become you and you will find great things happen for you, to you and because of you.”

@InflictTheTruth

“Life is too short so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly.”

@OMGloveislouder

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s post and once again, thanks for reading! Enjoy Adele's 'Rolling in the Deep':





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I'm feeling very mellow today and so I wanted to come up with a song to match my mood. Since I haven't done a Nelly Furtado song, I went to her playlist thinking I was going to feature the mellow 'Say it Right,' but then I found this one.

'All Good Things Come to an End' is such a sad song about loss, the loss we all feel whenever a relationship dies. I remember playing this one a lot after Joe and I broke up almost four years ago now, and it almost always made me cry. Though I may have felt that way about him a couple of months ago I purposely stayed away from it, not wanting to let it affect me the same way.

The title of the song is a cliche, but one that's true. In reality all things, period, come to an end, but Nelly is referring to relationships, of course, and unfortunately I agree with that, especially. I've written before about my belief that 'til death do us part' is nothing but a pipe dream that holds true only for a select few. I think that whether or not couples stay together, inevitably in many cases the fire eventually dies and the 'good' part of the relationship is gone. The good times and the excitement that come with the start of a new relationship can only last so long. This is what happened between Joe and I..."flames to dust, lovers to friends."

So this is my answer to Nelly's question. It's a sad fact of life, no doubt, but it just is. So checkout Nelly Furtado's 'All Good Things (Come to an End)' and try not to cry. It's a great song, really!






All Good Things Come to an End

Honestly what will become of me
don't like reality
It's way too clear to me
But really life is dandy
We are what we don't see
Missed everything daydreaming

[Chorus:]
Flames to dust
Lovers to friends
Why do all good things come to an end
Flames to dust
Lovers to friends
Why do all good things come to an end
come to an end come to an
Why do all good things come to end?
come to an end come to an
Why do all good things come to an end?

Traveling I only stop at exits
Wondering if I'll stay
Young and restless
Living this way I stress less
I want to pull away when the dream dies
The pain sets in and I don't cry
I only feel gravity and I wonder why

Flames to dust
Lovers to friends
Why do all good things come to an end
Flames to dust
Lovers to friends
Why do all good things come to an end
come to an end come to an
Why do all good things come to end?
come to an end come to an
Why do all good things come to an end?

Well the dogs were whistling a new tune
Barking at the new moon
Hoping it would come soon so that they could
Dogs were whistling a new tune
Barking at the new moon
Hoping it would come soon so that they could
Die die die die die

Flames to dust
Lovers to friends
Why do all good things come to an end
Flames to dust
Lovers to friends
Why do all good things come to an end
come to an end come to an
Why do all good things come to end?
come to an end come to an
Why do all good things come to an end?

Well the dogs were barking at a new moon
Whistling a new tune
Hoping it would come soon
And the sun was wondering if it should stay away for a day 'til the feeling went away
And the sky was falling on the clouds were dropping and
the rain forgot how to bring salvation
the dogs were barking at the new moon
Whistling a new tune
Hoping it would come soon so that they could die.

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This afternoon we continue with our A-Z Challenge and today’s letter is “O”…




O is for Out

The word ‘out’ is used in many common English phrases. “Out of this world,” “Outta sight,” and “Get out of here” are all ones that come to mind. As a gay person, though, the phrase I think of when I hear the word “out” is “out of the closet.”
Coming out of the closet, for a gay person, means to let the world know that you’re gay. A common question amongst gay people when they first meet is “are you out?” Of course, with the world being what it is today, more people are “out” than ever before, but there are still many who aren’t, for whatever reason, and that’s a real shame.

Outing oneself is never an easy thing. Because of how the world is, you really never know how people will react, and that’s what makes it hard. I’ve been out to my family since I was 19 years old. I have many friends today that know I’m gay, more now than ever before, but there are still people in my life who don’t know. I made a vow to myself that if anyone ever asked me if I was gay I wouldn’t lie, and I haven’t. In fact, that’s how my family found out…my mother asked me. (You can read all about it here.)

There is still one situation, though, where I would surely break that promise. Once again, my teaching job is a quandary for me. Since I teach ESL to six different grades in a small school district, I am very close with my students. I have the same base of kids year after year and we all get to know each other pretty well. I often find myself playing the fatherly role in addition to my teaching duties, but I haven’t and probably never will come out to them directly. I once wrote a deeply reflective piece on it which you can read here.

Overall, the people who matter in my life all know about me and that’s something I can be satisfied with, for I can remember a time where I lived a double life, terrified at the very prospect of being “outed.” With that said, I can understand, yet still regret the fact that there are so many gay people out there that people don’t know about. Though celebrities come to mind, really anyone who chooses to out themselves helps the cause by breaking down the barriers of prejudice that exist for gay people everywhere.

I often tell my Hispanic students that when they interact with Americans, they are representing all Latinos and the quality of those interactions will work to show some people that their prejudices are unwarranted. The same goes for gay people. The more any homophobic person gets to know an out gay person, the more they will realize that their preconceived notions are not true for every gay person. Gay people are just as varied and diverse as any other group and we don’t all fit the so-called “gay” stereotype.

As for celebrities, of course they have the biggest opportunity to break down the barriers of hate. Many gay outlets choose to try and “out” celebrities on purpose, whether for vindictiveness or for publicity for themselves. This action, known as “outing,” is wrong, plain and simple. People must come out of the closet when they know it’s right for them, and it’s no one else’s business if and when they do. I understand the frustration of those who engage in the practice of outing, because they know what another famous person coming out of the closet would do for the rest of us. But just as it is personal for all of us, it is personal for them, too, and they must do it in their own time.

So I am glad I’m out…mostly, lol. My own life has been better since the people in my life have learned this part of me, and I like to think that I’ve broken down some prejudices along the way, too. There’s a tune that was written for the show La Cage Au Follies that says it all. The song was recorded by disco diva Gloria Gaynor and it not only fits the life of a gay person, but everyone who is unique in their own special way. Enjoy ‘I Am What I Am’:





Here are the lyrics to the song:

I Am What I Am

I am what I am
I am my own special creation
So come take a look
Give me the hook or the ovation

It's my world that I want to have a little pride in
My world and it's not a place I have to hide in
Life's not worth a dam
Till you can say, hey world, I am what I am

I am what I am
I don't want praise, I don't want pity
I bang my own drum
Some think it's noise, I think it's pretty

And so what if I love each feather and each bangle
Why not try to see things from a different angle
Your life is a sham
Till you can shout out loud, I am what I am

I am what I am
And what I am needs no excuses
I deal my own deck
Sometimes the ace, sometimes the deuces

There's one life and there's no return and no deposit
One life so it's time to open up your closet
Life's not worth a dam
Till you can say, hey world, I am what I am

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This is the first time I’m ever writing about this subject. It’s a sensitive one, and I’m going to try to tread very carefully upon it. A recent experience in my classroom inspired me to talk about it, and so here goes…

N is for the “N” Word

That’s right, I’m talking about that “N” word. There aren’t a lot of words in the English language that I don’t like, but this is certainly one of them. I want to preface this by saying that I work in a lower to mid upper class school district that’s about 99.9% white. Though the few black students that go to my school don’t seem to experience any significant discrimination or bullying as far as I can tell, I don’t think it helps anyone’s situation to hear that word thrown around as much as it is.

Kids are always listening to music. IPods, iPhones and all sorts of gadgets never leave a child’s person these days and occasionally I allow the students in my study hall to partake in listening to music as they do their homework. It never bothers me too much as long as they’re working. The other day, one of the students in that class was listening to his iPod and a song came on that he wanted to share with me. After a few minutes of him begging me to give the song a try, I finally relented.

Within seconds of putting the song on I heard the “N-word” for the first time. I immediately told him to shut it off, but not before I heard it at least four or five more times…and this was only within the first 30-40 seconds of the song. I only shook my head and asked him why he listened to that stuff. You see, this particular student is half African American, and his answer was, “It’s no big deal. I’m black!”

Well to me it is a big deal. It seems to be okay these days for people within a target group to use the negative words associated with their group. It’s okay to use the word “faggot” when a gay person says it and it’s okay to use the “N-word’ as long as an African American is the one saying it, right? Wrong! I say that these and other hateful words and expressions should never be spoken, and in the case of the “N-word,” Houston, we have a problem, and much of today’s hip-hop is its source.

Hip hop music is as popular today with the younger generation as it ever was, and sometimes it’s hard to find a rap song without that word in it. The rappers who use it in their songs are predominantly black, and since the music is cool and popular, the lyrics within those songs are learned and of course repeated by those who listen to it.

Hip hop, or rap, is popular with kids of all stripes, including whites, and when they enjoy the songs and are singing along, they’re learning that that word is okay to use. It’s even fun. Just knowing that it’s a taboo word makes them want to use it more when their listening, and they figure it’s no big deal because “just singing a song.” They’re not really using the word itself for what it really means. Isn’t that right?

Well, that’s not so. Having that word ingrained into their young minds through music lyrics puts it into their vernacular and voila, it gets used! In a predominantly white school like the one I work in, that word is uttered more times than one could shake a stick at, and where does it come from? It comes from the music they listen to, which is made by the very people who would never want to be called that by a white person ever.

So, if only some of these rappers, like Lil Wayne, Kanye West, P Diddy, Nelly, Jay Z and so many more could see what they are doing by including this hateful word in their songs. If they saw that though they think they’ve made the word cool by changing its spelling to end in an “a,” it’s still a word no one should ever have to hear. Maybe if they’d stop using, so would the children, and in the future we’ll never have to hear it again!

Sources:

http://lyrics.filestube.com/s/songs+with+the+word+nigga+in+the+chorus

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Okay, so I’m finally getting an opportunity to post two A-Z Challenge posts in the same day. I missed yesterday anyway, so what’s the difference really? I’m determined to get all the way through to the letter “Z” and that’s all that really matters. I think the challenge has given me nice topics to write about and so if that’s all I get out of it, that’s fine. Now what letter am I up to? Well, the last entry was “K is for Karma” so I guess I’m on to “L.” Now what word starts with “L”??? I know…



L is for Love

Love is a tricky word, isn’t it? We all love lots of things…and lots of people, too, don’t we? Yes, we love our favorite television programs and our favorite music, hobbies, foods and more. We love our friends and our families, too, but that’s not the kind of love I want to talk about here. No I want to talk about “LOVE.”

Now, I’ve always been a big believer in the two “love” terms: when you love someone, as in a partner, and when you’re “in love” with someone. They definitely both exist and they’re definitely different from one another.

So what is “loving” someone?

When you love someone, there’s a deep, genuine care for the other person. Whether or not there’s any romanticism involved, the love is something that evolves over time as two people learn and grow together through all sorts of times, good, bad and in between. I think that love is what most long-term relationships are made of. The comfort of knowing your partner intimately and the familiarity of having survived trials and tribulations together, as well as happy times, makes you develop the kind of bond that is love. Unfortunately, sometimes that’s not enough for some people, people who dare to dream of being “in love” for forever and a day.

Being “in love”

Being in love with someone is sort of like an intense infatuation. When you’re in love with another person, you think about them constantly, your smile brightens up a room with any thought of that person, and you’d do just about anything to make them happy. It hurts to be separated from them. I believe that many relationships start out with the two partners being “in love,” but unfortunately that love fades in time with many of them. In the better of these times, the deeper, shared love develops and true happiness can endure, but other times the lost love may lead the relationship to fall apart.

It’s even worse when being “in love” is not reciprocated. These situations can only lead to a lot of hurt, and that’s never a good thing. One thing is for sure, and that love is an enigma. There’s no one way to determine who you’re going to love or who will love you back. It’s one of those frustrating mysteries of life that will probably never be uncovered. Love is one of the most magnificent, scary, precarious, and puzzling things about life and yet without ever experiencing it at least once, you’re surely missing out!

Now here's a song about being in love....

All the lovers, that have gone before
They don't compare...to you!





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Happy Saturday everybody! Today is the first of a ten day vacation for me. Spring Break is always the best of the yearly breaks that we get in school, if not only for the weather, and since my Christmas and winter breaks totally sucked, I’m going to make for it this time, for sure. Instead of venturing out into the city last night as I normally would do on the first night of a long vacation, I went to the Bunkhouse again for their ‘Da Bunk Fridays.’ All in all I had a great time and my visit gave me the inspiration for today's “E” post…

E is for Express Yourself

In the gay world, youth and beauty are everything. If you’re not young and beautiful, you’re nothing, especially here on Long Island, where the young ones are as pretentious as their parents. Now I’m no slouch for someone my age. I think I carry myself off pretty well. I’m in shape, I look a lot younger than my real age, and I believe I dress pretty well. I understand many of the workings of life, and I can see the parallels between generations.

As I made my way around the bar last night, I couldn’t help but take notice of how the young ones dress these days. There seems to be no one particular style that everyone adheres to…a hoodie here and there, a few Mohawks, and an occasional oddity or two. Many my age refuse to give these kids props for dressing the way they do. They think they're just plain weird. I disagree.




Other than the particular styles I mentioned, people dress in a wide variety of styles, just as it was when I was their age. I saw people wearing sunglasses in the dark, a couple of guys in nice shirts and ties, and a few young ladies looking very nice in pretty dresses. Dressing is a means to express yourself and what we choose to wear is an extension of who we are as a person. Individuality is one of the spices of life and I celebrate it, not demean it.

I particularly admire those who take care in dressing the way they feel, without worry of what others think. It’s their way of expressing themselves and I say they should. In the early 1980’s when I was first introduced to clubbing, I partook in the latest fads, too. I had two pairs of parachute pants that I wore endlessly, one in black and one in red, I wore ear cuffs, and I even had a blond tail once. I'm sure anyone reading this post can remember something 'crazy' they once sported. It's totally normal and totally cool!


Parachute pants from the 80's

So, for those folks with the nose rings and tattoos, the strangely colored t-shirts and such, I say bravo. Show the world who you are. Express yourself!




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