Tag: Orlando

Gay Life: 1978-1982

I’m working diligently on a memoir about my life in the gay community between 1978 and 1982, the time immediate preceding, then immediately post-AIDS. The writing is going well and I am loving where it is headed and how it’s unfolding.

I have so many stories from that time, I considered naming the book Sex, Drugs & Disco, but there already is one from pre-AIDS San Francisco. Not that books can’t have the same name, it just seemed too easy. The working title is In the Bushes which comes from when I pimped for a gay friend in Lake Eola, looking for sex for him. We were 17-years old.

Lake Eola Navelgazing Writer
An example of how much foliage was in Lake Eola back before they pruned so people would stop having sex in the bushes.
Lake Eola Navelgazing Writer
Another example of hidden places to have sex at Lake Eola.

Then there were my first forays into the gay bar scene, the drag queens, the drugs, the copious amounts of alcohol… and the sex. Lots and lots of sex. One of my girls asked to read some of what I had written and then pushed it away in the first couple hundred words. I knew then I was on the right track. laughing She shan’t be a Beta Reader!

During that time, I lived with several gay men in a few places, including the Parliament House, a gay complex. Lots of naughtiness ensued.

Parliament House Navelgazing Writer
This was circa when I was there 1978-ish. Notice the balconies where guys cruised each other. Also, you used to be able to drive through the place; not anymore.

I ran away to New York City, ran out of money in DC on the way home, was present for momentous occasions in our nation’s history and took part in many side trips into the infamy of DC life.

Watergate Complex Navelgazing Writer
The Watergate Complex. I had sex in there in 1979.

At the time, I had no idea I would write this book in 40 years.

But I am. And I am very excited about it.

Hurricane Matthew: Feeling the Bands

10/6/16, 5:31pm

The hurricane’s bands are now in effect.

hurricane-matthew-rainbands

The bands are when, for awhile, it is raining, then pouring… then it clears up and is almost sunny again. You can see the spiral effect in the radar image above.

Hurricane Preparedness

I’ve spent the last couple of days out in the mass of Orlandoans gathering supplies like a new resident.

I started with Costco yesterday morning where, when I arrived at 9:45am, there was a line… waiting for carts! I briefly considered the machinations, especially since I needed an electric cart (clearly long gone as well), and then veered the car out of the parking lot and back towards home.

Traffic traffic traffic. Ugh.

Then into the Walmart Market parking lot by my house (blech on Walmart; I’d rather have been at Target).

Walmart was packed, but not quite as much as Costco. The shelves were somewhat full still, but water was long gone. I went to Walmart again this morning and the shelves were e-m-p-t-y! No water still.

I did get gas at 6am this morning, though. Yay! Filled that up, thank goodness.

I got mostly fake, non-perishable, boxed food that carry the instructions: 1 minute to microwave. I figure if the electricity goes out and it becomes sweltering, it would be like being microwaved for 1 minute.

I moved the car to higher ground earlier.

I duct taped the air conditioner pokie-out-the-window part so water cannot seep in. (Thanks, Zack!)

Night’s Here

It’s 7:14am… dark, but I hear the rain (hitting hard on the roof!) outside. We are supposed to get the brunt by morning. Trying to decide when to close the blinds in case the windows blow in.

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been in a hurricane.