brand new day

brunch at hamburger mary's ( i don't know where marc and lannie are)

bryan and portia potty

that's me in the middle.


i am completely thrilled with the road my life took this last weekend. it has been a complete departure from the norm and has offered me a fresh perspective and new drive. i would highly recommend throwing a party for a hundred or so people and getting out of your own head. it works wonders.

i got a chance to see people i haven't seen in awhile, as well as many people i have never seen before. and i am changed forever i think. the guest count at UB2 was 104 and it was a night full of really good energy. we played an icebreaker, we told jokes, we introduced guys who didn't know each other to each other, lannie sang and told stories about her career beginnings at a gay bar in denver.

bryan levinson has really made space for this change to move into my life. his not-for-profit endeavor (strength in numbers) has given me the space to grow in a way i didn't even know i was needing. thank you bryan.

and marc olmsted makes me laugh and opens my heart. it is a joy to know that he was able to connect with a friend he hasn't seen in years through this event. and with his help, much of what made this event seem magical was able to come into being. i totally love you marc.

now i have heard talk from colleagues that this sort of event should continue. i heard many kudos, which were lovely and welcome and easy on the ears. however i know that without bryan, marc, lannie, anthony, and bob, this change might not be awaking in me and in denver this morning.

here's a link for more photos: flickr

supergay

image credit: dead robot
i really love the original caption with the photo- supergay and his sidekick bagpussy

well another saturday night in gotham and our 3 superheroes did what most big city do-gooders find themselves doing- staying in and chillin'. bryan is a guest at my house and marc is staying with lannie and we had enough superpowers to order in and get some rest. they both were so phenomenally gracious in helping with some last minute details and we were all pooped. at least i was.

bryan and i ordered pizza and watched "suberbad" another teen-coming-of-age farce that is newly out on video. it was so stupid and i loved it. the lead character "seth" gets hit by different cars a few times and it is so slapstick it made me belly laugh. and that is great medicine for me. it is sexist in ways, it is not pc, and i thoroughly enjoyed its nonsense.

if you need a good laugh with friends, nothing serious, just stoopid fun, this may be a good choice. i guess there's still a teenager locked inside me who likes to get out once in awhile. supergay is a term used in the film to describe seth's juvenile obsession with drawing penises. believe me, some of the drawings are outrageous.:p

i've included the dick drawing segment and i also wanna shout out about the soundtrack 'cuz it's an homage to 70's funk. i was a schoolboy when 70's funk was hot and i still dig it like a schoolboy.

obviously it's a fun weekend for me in denver.

we belong together

image: jack mackenroth (currently on project runway)

so i have a couple of guests coming into town today. one from sf and one from la. it is going to be a festivity-filled weekend. the ub2 is happening on sunday evening and it will be good to see marc again. i haven't met bryan but i am looking forward to that, too. i mean, he started a social network to help himself and it has blossomed into an international thing.

you can even vote for a strength in numbers member who is part of the current project runway airing right now. that's pretty sensational considering SIN started with a pot luck dinner with the hopes of meeting other poz guys.

MESSAGE FROM DAVID (SIN NYC):
Hey Everyone -

Not sure if you watch PROJECT RUNWAY, but one of the designers this
season, Jack Mackenroth, is HIV+, is a member of SIN NYC and he needs
your vote! Please do me a favor and forward/post this email to each of
your individual sites. Jack had to leave the show early due to medical
reasons but it wasn't for lack of talent. I won't go into details, you
can just read Jack's message below. It will just take a minute (or two)
to show a little support for someone who has been a positive (and
talented) representative of our community:

You can vote here:



i am nervous and excited about the evening on sunday, however, i will survive no matter what. i certainly know that the activities i find myself involved in these days are not at all what i had envisioned for this time of my life. but i have found some peace of mind and i have wrestled with many of my demons. i am thankful.

UB2

i co chair a committee of persons living with hiv in denver. the committee has become aware that an estimated 5000 persons in colorado are currently living with hiv and not in health care. this is disturbing.


we think that having questions about hiv healthcare and about hiv in general may not be as socially acceptable as it once was. we are attempting to create a safer and friendlier environment for those questions from persons infected and affected. and we are gonna have some fun while we do this. in larger cities, it is commonplace to find visible support around hiv, but in a smaller city like denver, it is not necessarily so.

so we are teaming with strength in numbers colorado and the mile high council to produce the 1st of what we hope will be many future get togethers for poz guys called UB2. it will be at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret on Sunday 27 January. Bryan Levinson (the founder of Strength In Numbers) will be joining us from california to share some of his experience getting involved with other poz guys.

as a gay poz man living in denver, i feel i am ready for a bit stronger community among my peers. i run into new positives on a regular basis and would like to make myself a bit more available for moral support if i can. i know i needed it when i tested poz.

my friend marc is flying out from LA also to help. he is a longtime friend of lannie and hooked me up with her to get this started. marc and i met in person in october at the provincetown roundup and i will love seeing him again. i am going to try to put him to work on a project he suggested to me.

i am posting copies of the flyer i had produced to give out. yes virginia, it looks like a ticket. i am giving people enough to give to their friends as well. feel free to copy one for yourself if you'd like to come. i know i plan on going and having a great time and hopefully meeting quite a few new people.