Happy Birthday Marcos

Not a day goes by that I don't think about Marcos. He passed on a little over five years ago. I have reached that place where I am at peace with knowing a part of his spirit is always with me, and that his influence continues to guide me. 

Today, would have been his 56th birthday. In celebration I decided to send him flowers!

In The 21st Century...People Will Draw 3D Objects in the Air

I am just so grateful to be alive to continue to see the fantasy of George Jeston's world become reality. Get into this fierce tech xtravaganza here:

Prince's Turn at Metamorphosis

 I think I will honor his legacy by sharing what his music and persona meant to me.

• The first time I heard Little Red Corvette I gasped because I truly thought I was listening to grown folks have sex in a car. 
• The song Controversy turned me out as a little boy. I couldn't believe this man on the radio was singing about people wondering if he is black or white, straight or gay. And, all he wanted was to be free of the bullshit. 
• When Purple Rain came out, I went to go see it with my cousin. We caught the first showing at around 11:30 am, we didn't leave the theater till after 5:00 pm. We kept watching it over, and over again. 
• I would try to dissect the sounds swirling in my headphones as I listened to his music. The layers of genius left me mesmerized.
• While I was never a big fan of his fashion, I applauded the fact that he turned it out the way he wanted to turn it out. The brother was bold!

Thank you Prince. Your music still transfixes me no matter how many times I hear it. You have lived to see many dawns. I suppose right about now you are meeting up with Vanity and the two of you are going to smoke a peace pipe. Travel on!

Music Is My Medicine

So here is music that has been transporting my spirit into those virtual spaces where I can heal, rejuvenate, and embrace being here.


I always enjoy Miguel's voice. Very cool to have that voice thrive in a lush soundscape.


Not something new, but worth revisiting. This song is so tight lyrically, it makes me wanna put on some copious amounts of black eyeliner, tight jeans, and go buy a 40 oz.


Makes me think about all the benevolent spirits that brush by my side to say hello.


Sit back, prepare, you are about to go on a sonic journey. Sublime!


Ms. Rene turned me onto her awhile back. I keep coming back for more. A true talent!

My New Reoccuring Day Dream

Viktor & Rolf continue to play with this high fashion as soft sculpture idea. If you recall in a previous post about this divine duo, I shared a video of their 2015 couture show. It was genius. Click here to revisit the fantasy. 

Well, the two designers are being a bit more ethereal about the sculpture, and have softened it up. Get into the drama. I love the choir singing Creep by Radiohead. Everything came together and made quite the fashion moment. 

I now want to wear all white for the entire summer.

21st Century Fashion

So, this fairly new designer Thomas Tait done showed some serious fashion in Paris recenlty. Get into the fierceness below and by clicking here.

Happy New Year

Hey good people, I wish you all health, happiness and prosperity in the new year. Also, let me share some of my reflections from my own past year on this big blue marble in space:

• It is so important to have a daily mantra, affirmation or song in your head that will make you show up for life and push through.
• Playing papa bear to the yungins in my cohort has kept both me and them focused and motivated to get the work done. By sharing my strengths I make myself better and give others a boost up.
• Money is really truly at the root of all evil. Be careful about compromising yourself for that mean green. My how the pursuit of it can change people into something ugly.
• The impact poverty has on children's lives is profound. The ones who are able to come out of that abyss of the "odds against you" are truly exceptional. I continue to have tremendous respect for me and my siblings. We came from nothing, and made something happen, because of grit. I pray I develop that inner grit in my students, that also come from impoverished homes.
• For the first time since Marcos' passing I hosted Thanksgiving dinner at my house. I am grateful I shared the space in which I live with the people I love. I need to continue to do this hosting in order to fully enjoy giving and receiving love.
• Fear is always the enemy. Working from fear either immobilizes you or leads to poor choices. I am still working on knowing when I am feeling fear or using caution in my choices. 
• Show up for life, be grateful for another day, know that you are blessed and that miracles happen everyday.

A Review On The Late Train

So, after all those previous posts about my excitment for The Wiz Live! Here I am almost a week later posting about it. I am a mess. LOL. I have to say I really enjoyed the production for the following reasons:

• Stephanie Mills still has it! I was happy to see her looking and sounding great. God bless her.
• Shanice Williams held her own despite being a newcomer. 
• Ne-Yo really turned it out when he sang "If I Can Feel." Who knew he could convey such a feeling of pathos. Plus he was kinda cutish, looking like a little tin can man.
• Elijah Kelly can win. Child!
• David Alan Grier is a seasoned pro. This man can do it all! 
• Mary J. Blige reached out of her comfort zone and delivered.
• Queen Latifah, bravo, you have been in the game for a long time and you still challenge yourself.
• Uzo Audba, you sold that song with feelilng. I believe in you!
• Amber Riley you are just too cute with yourself. 
• Vogueing in Emerald City! But of course! 
• I loved the layering of actual sets with the projected screen images. Very 21st century.
• Costumes went from cute to couture, to down right futuristic. I see a new category being served at the next Ball....Emerald City Realness vs. Munchkin Land Madness
• The songs still hold up after all these years. I have been humming them since Dec. 3.
• I felt everyone put their hearts into every moment, both on stage and backstage.

Overall, it was fun to watch. Yes, there were some missteps but nothing so heavy that it brought me down while watching it. I am eager to see if it makes it to B'way as planned. I want to relive it all really, truly, live!

Quick Update On My Current State of Affairs

Love it! Inspires me to keep on easing on down the road.

Hello Good People,

Well, the past several weeks have been periods of frenzy, focus, frustrations and freedom. Yup, basically a mix bag emotions that I have come to know and love about life on this planet. Here are some updates:

• I got an A in both of the classes I took over the summer. It was mad work. I spent each day in the library from 1-4 pm. 
• I've been celibate for six months and will be rectifying that very soon. I have two friends with benefits paying me a visit. Mind you, the visits will be on separate days. I am not a young thing anymore and I can't pull of certain stunts like I did back in the day. Okay!
• The new principal at my school is only 32 years-old. He is lazy, full of himself, regurgitates cliche after cliche, points out the painfully obvious, and lacks the teaching experience and intellect to inspire others. It is no wonder he was fourth of fifth choice. 
• I have been managing my money a bit better, and will set up a bi-weekly payment arrangement with my mortgage company that will improve my overall cash flow. Handling my business makes me feel like a grown up.
• I remain grateful for my family and friends that motivate me to keep on, keeping on.

What Summer Vacation?

Good people, this is how my summer went down:

• I took two courses towards my Masters over the summer.
• I taught summer school for children with severe and multiple disabilities.
• I finally earned the extra funds needed to buy a new sofa.
• Now, I am moving my furniture and materials into a larger classroom.

This has left me realizing I didn't have a break. I have been up and running since the last day of school. Hopefully next year I will get an actual summer vacation. I should go somewhere fab!

Friday Fun with Fierce False Females aka Draq Queens

Happy Friday! I just need some draq queen silliness to get my weekend going. Enjoy the kiki!

The Shade of It All



The New ABCs

UPDATE: Putting It Together...The Wiz

So Shanice Williams is going to play Dorothy in the live TV version of The Wiz. Oh sooki, sooki, now. It is all coming together.

In case ya missed it, Queen Latifah is going to play The Wiz, Mary J. Blige is going to be Evillene, and David Alan Grier is going to be The Cowardly Lion, and as I mentioned in a previous post, B'way's original Dorthy, Stephanie Mills, is going to be Aunt Em.

I'm ready to ease on down that road with this cast.

New Casting Updates! (from left to right):
Elijah Kelley will be the Scarecrow
Ne-Yo has joined the cast as the Tin Man
Common will be playing the role of the Gatekeeper to Oz

Miss Piggy Breaks It Down

I am teaching during the summer for the same program that I worked last year. I am concerned about my pay getting to me right. Last year the program coordinator really screwed up the payroll and my money came late, and came up short!  They better get it right!

A Change Is A Comin'

The previous principal at my school had to scale it back, so she left to run a much smaller school. I now have a new principal at my school. I worked with him before, briefly; about 6-7 years ago. He is much younger than me, and was a teacher at the time. We were kinda of cool yet a bit indifferent towards each other. This dynamic may be due to the fact we really didn't work that closely together.

These days he is a married man with two small children and is "living out loud for Jesus, unashamed and determined to see His glory shine!" He has five years of teaching experience and about the same years of experience as an administrator.

I am curious to see how this all works out. He is taking on the largest Pre-K-8 school in the district with half of the student population identified as English Language Learners, and over 90% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Oh and our school has over 800 kids! Yup! It's one huge challenge to take on.

It concerns me that someone so young and relatively inexperienced as both a teacher and administrator was selected for this school. I would have placed an interim principal, moved this guy over for the experience, and done a complete search for an experienced principal from a school similar to my school.

Alas, the superintendent didn't ask me for my personal take on how things should be handled. With all this said, I will do my part to be a part of the solution. In life there is nothing permanent except change, and I will embrace this change.

Doppelganger Around The Corner

So it seems I have or had a doppelganger living just a few blocks from my house. I have been stopped twice by two men that were 100% sure I was Elvin Rios. I mean both of these guys jaws dropped when they realized I wasn't really their friend.

The first incident of being mistaken for this Elvin guy occurred back in April. This guy was driving down the street, came to a screeching halt and called out, "Elvin!" He got out of the car, walked up to me and went to shake hands with me! When I looked at him with a confused expression, he realized his mistake and said, "Oh my god you look exactly like my friend."

Today I went on the bus; the bus driver looked at me with his jaw on the floor and he said, "Wow! You look like this guy that use to live near here. His name is Elvin Rios. He's a christian. You know down with the church. He moved to Texas."  I told the driver that someone else had mistaken me for this guy.

I really would have like to have seen this guy. I am curious to see how we are similar. It's also kinda strange this dude is or was literally around the corner from me.

A Thousand Words

Some images that have caught my eye over the past few days.

Source: Jeremiah's Vanishing New York - a blog dedicated to recording the rapid extinction of NYC. Click here for the lamentable story.

Gomez-Peña as El Warrior, Gringostroika 

2015 Fall Couture for Y'all

So Viktor & Rolf really went to a twisted but beautiful place for their Fall 2015 Couture collection. They had a vision of taking beautiful art off the walls and wrapping it around the female form. Is it a groundbreaking idea or fantasy, no not really, other designers have used paintings as an inspiration in designing a dress. Think of the Mondrian dress done by Yves St. Laurent.

However, Viktor & Rolf pulled off a construction idea that was truly genius. Check out the artistry and craft below.

Channing Tatum Giving FA-CHE

Well okay! You better serve it!

My Ongoing Education on PrEP

So a lot of conversations, among gay men, are being had about using PrEP in order to prevent HIV infection. According to the poster I saw at the Pride event over the weekend, PrEP or this pill is changing HIV prevention.

Aaron over at Relentless Egomania has been posting about of his exploration into using PrEP as his primary method of HIV prevention. Click here to see what his experience has been like over in Canada.

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation has also created an excellent site that answers some FAQs about PrEP. Click here for the website. A hat tip to Ms. Izzy for connecting me to this resource.

I have been considering using it myself, but have concerns about what the long term use of PrEP could have on the human body. I know with medications such as, Truvada, there is an increase in kidney function and lower bone mineral density. Moreover, I haven't even explored whether or not my insurance would cover the cost of the medication.

I need to get some answers to a few questions I have to make the decision.

SCOTUS Gets It Right -

Hey Bert! Put a ring on Ernie's finger. It's long overdue.

Hallelujah, that the SCOTUS got it right in their decision legalizing same-sex marriage. At the end of the day everyone has a right to equal protection under the law.

Here is an excerpt from Justice Kennedy's majority opinion:

"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right."  --Justice Kennedy

Now, for the folks that range from unhappy to down right outraged about the decision, I say this to you, "Get over it! Move on!"  There are other important issues to contend with, that directly affect you, which are occurring in our country, and on our planet. Why not put your energy into issues regarding the environment, public education, gun violence, racism, poverty, etc. etc.