Kiss my

Your back’s against the wall

There’s no-one home to call

You’re forgetting who you are

You can’t stop crying

It’s part not giving in

And part trusting your friends

You do it all again

And I’m not lying The Gossip – Standing in the way of control   If your not pushed over by how powerful those lyrics are or by lead singers Beth Ditto’s voice; I think you need to shut up and take a seat.  She has one of the most powerful voices I’ve heard in a long time. This song encapsulates the lost and found of adolescence. For years we’ve complained about Britney’s lack of vocal skills yet her albums continue to be number 1 on US Charts. I like everyone in the world don’t mind her record studio induced vocals at a club but I need my real kick you in the face singer twice as much.   I remember re-hearing “Standing in the way of control” on the British TV show Skins. It was used in their promotional videos, commercials, and has become the unofficial Skins theme song. I highly recommend you check out that show if you haven’t.   But back to Beth & The Gossip, Constantly charting #1 on the UK Charts and embraced in the  UK Fashion & Club Scene. It shames me that such an amazing voice and well put together band can’t seem to get the mainstream recognition I know they have in UK and abroad. Is it because she’s Big? Constantly in a state of Undress? A Lesbian? or because America rather see a talentless Bi-Polar Bi-Sexual Thin Pop Singer that we can’t give the Gossip the much due respect they deserve?   Beth Ditto, a Punk Lesbian Feminist with the Incredible Voice. I’m proud to say she has also launched a Plus Size Clothing Line. She’s also spoken out about having a positive self-image. I couldn’t think of a better role model.   Beth Ditto, OYE!   The Gossip – Standing in the way of Control – Music Video    

Beth Ditto of The Gossip

[Via http://hottline.wordpress.com]

Getting out of the 'box'

I had a lot of time in my hands these days. My roommates went home and this is the third day alone. It’s boring, but somehow it feels really good… Since I had nothing to do, all I did was thinking and studying…

I think that it’s true when people say that you have to feel the cold ground so that you could see that the way you are living isn’t the best one. I think I got it now. I seriously need change and these days I’m definitely making progress when it comes to that… I talked to her yesterday and she told me that she’s having a great time with her new boyfriend and that she’s really happy. I think this is one of the signs for me to move on, to take my life in MY OWN hands and change stuff. I have to struggle, I have to do it for myself. Since I’ve met her pretty much every step that I took it was something for her and because of her. Everything in my life was somehow connected to her, and now I realise that I was blinded by ‘love’. I stopped seeing anything that mattered to me personally. I was locked in this small box, alone, but always with her on my mind. The only thing I could see out of this box it was her and nothing else mattered to me… I don’t want to be that blind person in the box anymore. I have to get out of there and start seeing daylight and start being happy. I have to start searching for the pieces that are left and start rebuilding that house called ‘the old me’… I have to finally turn this page of this book called ‘life’… I have to start making progress at school, to feel proud of myself again and make other people proud of me again… No matter how much I hate my school, I can do it, I can make it work and I have to for the sake of my future and who I’m going to be in a few years.

Most importantly I have to try to get over her. I have to start replacing her and what matters to her with me and what matters to me. I have to stop doing all the stuff I did for her, just because this stupid fool thought that maybe one day she will fall in love with her too…

I have to learn how to open that small box and get out of it from time to time and see the world and make up all the things that I’ve been missing during these 3 years…

I know it’s going to be hard to let go of her and to leave behind all that, that I used to call ‘life’ during the last few years, but I have to close this door and open a new one so that I could walk in to a better and brighter room… I know that life has a lot more to offer than this and I have to get up and find out all the good offers that life has for me… And I guess this is what life’s about sometimes, moving on and leaving behind…!

[Via http://lovehurts988.wordpress.com]

Notice.

So, I’ve come to “notice” someone. It’s horrible. I am not a “noticing” people period in my life. She’s cute and well, she makes me laugh. I need all the laughter I can get right now. She’s driven and has goals I admire (nothing better than a driven, goal-oriented, ATTRACTIVE, professional woman. There’s nothing like it.

I am in the WAY beginning phase of a ….. crush. We’ve been corresponding back and forth through a pretty random CRAIGSLIST post. Imagine that. CraigsList being a LEGITIMATE posting site. I have NEVER read the personals to CraigsList, or any other site for that matter, but boredom brings about random behavior. So, there I was, poking through the personals for good laughs and I came across a LEGITIMATE posting. I read it, laughed and then becamse super curious. “Who wrote this?”

So, what did I do? I replied. I had my doubts that any truly educated person was sitting on the opposite side of that post. I also thought “no way will this person respond back.” Within 30 minutes I replied and sent, dismissing it from my thoughts.

The next morning I check my emails. Reply from… yes, HER. I read through and the intellegence put forth in the post was there on my email. SURPRISE & JACKPOT. So, long story short we’ve been corressponding via email, text and phone. We both made it clear that friends are always welcomed (no real display of intent there on either side).

Educated, indeed.

Humor, hilarious.

Pictures, adorable.

Intellegence, YES.

Voice, adorable.

Now, here’s the issue (don’t act like you didn’t know it was coming)…….

She’s busy. Super busy. Beyond unavailable type busy. Conversation currently MINIMAL. Now, I am a busy ass person, but HELLO, when I “notice” you, I make time to give my attention (even if it is via text).

But, I’m not one to get my hopes to high. HOWEVER, so far so good. I don’t know if I am really taking “notice” of this woman, or I am just curious as hell to get to know her better…..

……..but I just want to put out notice, that I’ve noticed you, and I’m wondering if I noticed, you noticing me too.

[Via http://much2inspired.wordpress.com]

Whew, Wednesday

How is it that you always have a millions things to do in ONE DAY. No matter how you try to spread things out, there is always ONE DAY in your week that if just backed with errands, deadlines, appointments or commitments? Today is that day this week. I have a million errands to run, two client appointments, random job deadlines AND I have to take my car to be serviced.

whew, wednesday.

I love busy days though. They seem to go by the fastest and I feel extremely accomplished by the end of the night. [sidebar: I'm exceedingly exhausted - if that makes any sense].

I had major plans on making moves to the city this weekend, but of course there’s a bad weather forecast. So, cross your fingers some light showers come BEFORE Saturday morning. Thanks.

In other news, I am emotionally put back together. The whole “I miss Storm” period has passed and I feel like a million bucks. I wrote it, published it, and now that it is off my chest, I feel much better.

[Via http://much2inspired.wordpress.com]

Gay Madrid: Out for Drinks

Aside from an extense cultural offer by day and by night, Madrid has an infinite array of places to go out for drinks. Here are our suggestions:

Girls / Lesfriendly:

Fulanita de Tal. Conde Chiquena Street, 2. Chueca (Take the Green Line on the Underground, L5) Website.

La Ochenta. La Sombrerería Street, 8. Lavapiés (Take the Yellow Line on the Underground, L3) Website.

Classic Night Clubs:

Escape. Gravina Street, 13. Chueca (Take the Green Line on the Underground, L5) Website

Ohm. Callao Square, 4. Callao (Take the Green Line on the Underground, L5) Website.

Guys / Leather, Army Men, Nude and Bears:

Eagle Bar. Pelayo Street, 30. Chueca (Take the Green Line on the Underground, L5) Website.

Leather Club. Pelayo Street, 42. Chueca (Take the Green Line on the Underground, L5)

Odarko. Loreto & Chicote Street, 7. Callao (Take the Green Line on the Underground, L5) Website. Nude Night.

Bears Bar. Pelayo Street, 4. Chueca (Take the Green Line on the Underground, L5) Website.

Copper Bar. San Vivente Ferrer Srteet, 34. Tribunal (Take the Blue Line on the Underground, L1) Website. Nudist.

La Vía Láctea, another Rock'n'Roll classic at Malasaña

This guide is updated thanks to your contributions, as well. If you like, you can recommend some other bar or club. Write to us: gaynest@gmail.com.

The guys at Nighttours have a list with more suggestions. Here.

Photos by Alejandra Gómez S.

[Via http://gaynest.wordpress.com]

LGTB in Kenya

Last year in Mombasa, Kenya’s most socially conservative city, a new lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) group was formed to provide psycho-social and health support to their often repressed community. It calls itself PEMA, which means “place of solace” in kiSwahili, the national language.

From HIV/AIDS awareness to feeding programmes, PEMA is determined to gain acceptance and tolerance for Kenya’s LGBT community. Trough their monthly “gay parties,” they help the LGBT community network and, as Erica, a PEMA member, says, “let loose.” In a society where homosexuality is punishable by a jail sentence (and informally by death or stoning), PEMA is making a daring move against the status quo. “Erica” has begun speaking on the radio about her experiences as a lesbian in Kenya. She does not dare reveal her identity, however. She described returning to her office after one radio show to find coworkers talking about the audacity of speaking out on a taboo subject. However, she believes that only by telling people publicly about homosexuality can she help dismantle the many barriers her community faces.

Hatred towards the LGBT community in Kenyan has been fostered primarily by strict Christian and Muslim views of homosexuality as an abomination. There are also claim that it was introduced by Westerners and is therefore something that one adopts culturally in cities like Mombasa and Nairobi, where there is a high concentration of Westerners. Few in Kenya understand the biological complexity of homosexuality, and that is something Erica is trying to change through radio shows and PEMA. By increasing Kenyans’ exposure to LGBT individuals, she is hoping that people will realize that homosexuality is a fact of life. Furthermore, by assisting new LGBT groups in more remote areas like Kisumu and Eldoret, PEMA and the national LGBT network is hoping to educate Kenyans on the fact that homosexuality is not a foreign doctrine.

“The moment you show that the gay person on the radio could be that favorite niece of yours, people become more tolerant,” she said. During her last radio show, a man called in – among all the negative commentary – and told her that he was fine with homosexuality provided that she “respected his space” and vice-versa. She views that mild show of tolerance as a step in the right direction for Kenya’s LGBT community.

[Via http://blogsjc.wordpress.com]

Supermassive Black Holes

Last evening we were in a gigantic rageout. Really since Monday but it sort of…tipped ovah with the coming of the dark. We could not move so at seven o’clock we just went to bed and surfed the channels for junk food tv. Saying chants for panacea on the boob tube.

What we found was several hours of documentaries on supermassive black holes. As is common with children we firmly believe that the world revolves around our bad influences thru our very existence within it. We were enchanted.

So of course we decided that what we are is in essence a supermassive black hole. Here follow some bits of information about them that sealed the deal on our somewhat…unclear? thinking.

Supermassive holes live in the center of every galaxy. Perfect, no matter which of us is Out there we are smack dab in the centre of the chaos.

Supermassive black holes have such a huge gravitational pull that they obfuscate any light that comes their way. They just selfishly gobble it up. Well that is is for certain.

Supermassive black holes spit out 25% of the energy that exists in the Universe. Well, perfect for our system in it’s blinding rage.

Supermassive black holes have at their centre something called the Singularity. Infinitesimally small and beyond density at the same time. Wow does that ever fit!

Supermassive black holes are invisible. Well yes that is certainly true.

Nobody really knows if supermassive black holes really exist. Hah perfect!

Not even Albert Einstein could understand supermassive black holes. Since we can’t understand ourself this is yet another obvious truth.

The moral of this story about supermassive black holes is that one should never go to bed in a fury at seven o’clock at night and watch public television. Because we have this image now that is gonna be impossible to explain to T. And honestly the images of all those swirling galaxies has given us a supermassive headache.

[Via http://splinteredones.wordpress.com]