Divas Never Die

And bloggers never shut up.

barrylikethefruit.wordpress.com

Maybe I’ll do it for a while, who knows?

the end.

Today marks the official end of QueerCincinnati.com.

I’ve pondered the decision quite a bit — even got myself a fancy-schmancy new layout to make it better — but I decided that I knew the project was over when I began the new site. When I originally proposed the idea, I had a lot of people say no and make great suggestions for improvements, and I thank you all for your time and your suggestions. My heart just is not into it like it was six months ago, and I would rather provide a succinct end rather than slowly die out.

I read First Wives Club today — that is, in less than 24 hours … all 500 pages of it. It’s given me some new ideas. I’m tossing some ideas around, separate from queercincinnati.com.

I’ll keep you updated on my new twitter name (well, twitter rename) — http://www.twitter.com/BFlooreandAfter — but I’m not setting deadlines. It will come when it does. For those of us who live their lives in the public eye … well … you know it won’t be long before something new strikes my fancy :-).

I love you all, I thank you all for your involvement and for your readership, you do not know what joy this blog has brought me, or what it has brought me through. I just know that I’m glad you were all here; I’m thankful for the friends I’ve met; I’m looking forward to seeing you all in the real world.

And, trust me, if you need a snarky opinion, I’m always here. I’m sure you’ll hear from me.

I’ll end with a quote from The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Please believe that things are good with me, and even when they’re not, they will be soon enough.

finis

(God, I’ve always been a sucker for the dramatic — what a queen!)

aids is dc’s katrina

Article from the DCist lays the epidemic squarely at the feet of both our current and previous Presidents.

Posters are from the activist organization, changeAIDSobama.org. Thanks to Towleroad.

wearing what wednesday

Click over to the Wearing What Wednesday page for this week’s hunk: Mark Feuerstein, of the summer fill-in show and my new obsession, Royal Pains.

what i’m reading

My mother gave me The First Man in Rome, by Colleen McCullough, years ago and I never got past the first few pages. I realized why I never got much further this round: it has too many words. The sentiment sounds absurd for a book, but McCullough goes through so many individual histories and asides that it is hard to keep the storyline straight. The book has exceptional historical accuracy, down to the minutiae, and it’s an amazing read for history buffs. If you don’t want the detail, however, it drags on. 200 pages later, I still wonder if I can finish it.

It does not weave the history in gracefully as Gone With the Wind does. Rather than using it as context, the history overwhelms the story.

quick note

Welcome to my visitors! Some of you may have received an e-mail (unexpectedly, on my part) regarding the new URL for QueerCincinnati.com. Please note that this site is still in production and is a testing site for possible changes to the nearly two-year-old site. All posts are experimental; they will remain if this site goes live, but I want to see what the site looks like with information on it rather than just a blank slate.

As of now, nothing is official. Please continue to use “QueerCincinnati.com” or “CincyWestsideQueer.Blogspot.com” for any updates.

Thank you.

what i’m reading: james agee’s death in the family

A Death in the Family, by James Agee

The Pulitzer prize winning final novel from James Agee reads slowly, but only for the simple artistry of his words. He writes like I think, which can be obnoxious, but will floor you with the emotion detailed in the posthumously published classic.

Page 82:

I hear my father; I need never fear.

I hear my mother; I shall never be lonely, or want for love.

When I am hungry it is they who provide for me; when I am in dismay, it is they who fill me with comfort.

When I am astonished or bewildered, it is they who make the weak ground firm beneath my soul: it is in them that I put my trust.

When I am sick it is they who send for the doctor; when I am well and happy, it is in their eyes that I know best that I am loved; and it is towards the shining of their smiles that I lift up my heart and in their laughter that I know my best delight.

I hear my father and my mother and they are my giants, my king and queen, beside whom there are no others so wise or worthy or honorable or brave or beautiful in this world.

I need never fear: n or shall I lack for loving-kindness.

Page 149:

“I know it’s unmitigated tommyrot to try to say a word about it. To say nothing of brass. All I want is to warn you that a lot worse is yet to come than you can imagine yet, so for God’s sake brace yourself for it and try to hold yourself together.” He said, with sudden eagerness. “It’s a kind of test, Mary, and it’s the only kind that amounts to anything. When something rotten like this happens. Then you have your choice. You start to really be alive , or you start to die. That’s all.” Watching her eyes, he felt fear for her and said, “I imagine you’re thinking about your religion.”

My copy runs 318 pages, and I am enthralled though I purchased the book years ago and failed to finish the first go, then.

social vibe

One of the benefits of hosting on WordPress.com is the existence of the social vibe widget. Social vibe allows my readers to help causes with a few clicks. I have chosen to support To Write Love on Her Arms, whose vision is “dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide” (vision statement). QueerCincinnati.com’s sponsor is Showtime, which means that, rather than requiring you to watch product advertisements, you get to watch television show previews. Not so bad, eh?

Scroll down, click on the “Help Now!” button, and watch the television preview. On posting, Nurse Jackie is currently showing. Totally fabulous.

Kissing Mary

Hamburger Mary’s – Cincinnati is reopening its doors for lunch on July 29th (that’s — ahem, tomorrow), and tonight for dinner. The bar — entitled “Dirty Mary’s” — is still underconstruction and will be open in approximately a month. Business Courier article, thanks to @winemedineme and the Wine Me, Dine Me, Cincinnati website.

Cincinnati will be participating in the Great Nationwide Kiss-in to protest police actions against same-sex PDA across the country, thanks to ImpactCincinnati and Cincinnati Guerrilla Queer Bar. Facebook Event.

Ha — this is me “on vacation.”

"The Sign"

Out of Fort Worth, thanks to Towleroad…

Discuss.