I try not to, but occasionally I find myself stumbling into questions about death, my death, and what will be. I think about where I used to be and how those are days to which I can never return. My father used to tell me about driving himself into mad frenzies thinking about the same things and the best advice anyone could ever give him was that no one has those answers, so there is no reason to waste life pondering those questions. Right?

I usually don't swim into these waters on here like this but lately it just seems like everywhere I turn I'm seeing ways that I could have potentially died. I feel like I'm perpetually on Final Destination 703. I constantly dream about dieing. Always in water, not by drowning. Always with something "chasing" me. So I always feel in a state of flux. I'm either questioning my death. Or continually realizing that life only moves forward to death and you never get a chance to loop back around. No passing "Go" and no $200. It may be a big circle of life, but you're only one rotation on it. Well shit.

On my way home tonight I recalled my years on the track team. Yes you bitch, I did a sport. No one said I was any good, but I was persistant. Anygay, for any length running event, you succeeded if you kept looking to the horizon. Looking back at anyone behind you only slowed you down considerably. So I have to keep my sights only looking forward in life. Looking forward to possibilities and experiences. Maybe only if I submit to this will these dreams and uneasy thoughts subside. Hell, if not then maybe I should lay off the midnight pork skins and ambien martinis.

Over and Out,
CampusQueer

A new blogger worth reading has hit Tuscaloosa bringing up-to-date music scoops that are simply fantastic. It's my new favorite haunt on my daily round of blog reads. Adrian Garcia, occasional bartender at Icon, operates The A List on www.theadrianlist.com. He has been getting mass traffic and definitely worth sliding onto your favorites. He has already found his way to the CQ navigation. I can't wait to see what else happens in the future of the A List as Adrian adds to the queer dialogue of Tuscaloosa! Werk.


Over and Out,
CampusQueer

Birthdays are not a big deal for me. They come and go and the less of a big deal you make about them, the better off everyone is. People are just on a heightened sensitivity level on birthdays whether or not it's theirs or someone they know for some reason. That's why I typically would rather just eat somewhere quiet with a couple of people and treat it like another day. I used to be a big birthday boy until my parents divorced when I was six. We had a huge party every year and since then I've just rather it come and go without a big to-do.

But I just couldn't let this one pass me by without somewhat of a fuss. In case you didn't realize, the Queer just turned 21 this past Thursday, July 14. This one was a big deal for me. Not only did it legalize my favorite past time, but it really meant to me that I could now go anytime and anywhere to the places where my favorite people frequented. There are plenty of places in town that you just can't always enter on the arm of a regular or flash your ID and a wink too quick for the door guy to do the math in his head. And you sure as hell can't sneak around a bar where everyone knows your name, age, and tendencies for disaster. So last week was very special and I thank everyone who made it so beautiful. A midnight toast at Icon, a fabulous dinner at Evangeline's, the premiere of Harry Potter, the Glitter Bomb, and a brunch on Saturday to bring it all to a terrific end. My sister, Jaja Kardashian, and my beautiful boyfriend, Brian, have gone above and beyond and I'm just beside myself reflecting on last week.

I guess I learned that what has happened in your past does not always have to be your present. It's never to late break tradition and try something new. I also learned that the liquor store really is as glamorous as I always imagined.



Over and Out,
CampusQueer

The day has come for the city to burn queerlings. July, 14th your CampusQueer turns 21! It has been a long time coming. Since my childhood officially ends the night of the 14th with my 21st burfenday AND the release of the final Harry Potter film at midnight, I will be saving the blowout for Friday night. And there could be no better place for it to all come down than Icon. Genesis will be hosting the G-Spot with Bambi Kira and her very special guest, Miss Continental, Mokha Montrese! Some of you know about all that mess. Some of you will find out. I expect fantastically fabulous outfits and such fucked-upness this side of the Mississippi has never seen. You will dance. Click the poster now to RSVP.

Bring your fierce face and all the trannies you know.


 It's GLITTER BOMB.


Out and About,
CampusQueer

Around 8th or 9th grade I told all my friends that this "Hip Hop Nation" trend would very soon evolve into a dance/electro trend. Like much of every other trend mainstream America eventually embraces, it descended from European club scenes and gays everywhere. As I was posting my most recent string of QueerHear videos, I noticed several were all featuring Ultra Records artists pairing up with hot hip hop artists. This isn't necessarily sudden. It's been trickling in with records such as David Guetta's hits with Kelly Rowland and Will. I. Am. in the past couple of years. Recently at Icon we all heard a song that made us all look at each other asking, "What the fuck is this sextastic song?" Now we know it was Chris Brown and Benny Benassi's "Beautiful People." This trend is on it's way to defining the gay club scene and then of course mainstream radio after we're over it. For a while at least. I'd say you can start looking at the UltraRecords YouTube to keep up with what's hot in music. Not saying that's anything new at all since UR is the host to all the major dance gods. But pay particular interest to ones that feature vocals by hip hop artists, because what dance has always been lacking is a strong lyrical base. So keep an eye out for the big blue splat. Those are the hits waiting to happen.


Over and Out,
CampusQueer

We've seen it all from her. She has given us murder, money, and molta bella. Our Lady has never spared one resource or re-take to deliver videos that are artistically astonishing and leave us craving more. 'Edge of Glory' took us back somewhere and sometime where all that was unnecessary and it's been received both well and . . .  not so well.

This song at first lost me. Wasn't interested. With every new song, it usually takes a hot second for me to find my connection with it and a romance with it as well. This video sparked that romance. It is clean, simple, and honest. No controversial rhetoric, no astounding visuals. In fact it's that less-than-astounding factor that makes it astounding. The set looks fake and forced. There's no massive wardrobe. No beautiful dancers or rehearsed choreography. Just Gaga doing Gaga. And some sax. It's as if she showed up, pressed play, and told the camera crew to just keep up. The released video is different than the original concepts developed between Gaga and former director Joseph Kahn. Kahn has produced "Love Game" and "Eh Eh" videos, but was dismissed for this video after some type of disagreement between the two. Instead, Gaga took over as director.


I feel this speaks to the perfect New York in her head where her music comes from and without a doubt to 80's videos for this very 80's inspired song. This is the space from which all her creative force pours and we've been invited inside for a very personal moment between her and the viewer. This is a truly special song for her. It is inspired by her first experience of personal loss - the death of her grandfather.


"My Grandma said, 'Joey (her Grandpa) just go,'" says Gaga. "And we left the room and he died. And I remember he just gave this look to her that said ‘I won.’ Like I’m a champion. So the ‘Edge of Glory’ is not just about falling in love or about dying, but it’s about being on the glorious edge of that glorious championship of your life.” I absolutely teared up after reading that.

Over and Out,
CampusQueer

Attention queerlings. Pull out those feather boas, glitter bombs, and other various cliche homosexual paraphernalia. It's Pride! Now with the reinstated blessing of President Obama, we are in the throes of Pride Week in Birmingham and the big stuff is yet to come. This Saturday you can be present for the parade from Highland Avenue, through 5 Points South and to 24th St. in downtown Birmingham. Stepoff will be at 8.30pm, but be a little early to secure your spot along the route. Serving as our Grand Marshall will be Rev. JR Finney II, Senior Pastor of Covenant Community Church. Judas be with us. Afterwards, all of B'hams gay bars will be alive with throngs of queers drunk and ready to revel.

And no need to consider your hangover, because Sunday holds even more inebriated possibilities at the actual PrideFest at Sloss Furnace starting at 1pm. I was there last year and I will be honest. It starts off slow. And it's hot as balls. Not gonna skirt around that. The focus early on is more family-friendly performances. But as it starts to get later, the show really gets started with all the fabulous performers Birmingham has to offer. Your Mr (CQ) and Miss Druid (Genesis) will be hitting the stage around 5pm to represent the Krewe of Druids along with Bambi Kira and her brothel of sultry ladies for a reprise of their performance for the Bal Masque, which was the shit. I'm going to be honest. I have no clue yet what I plan on doing with my time. Me doing things at the last minute? Who would have thought? I may or may not pull it together, but either way I plan on letting my drink dance for me. Our big entertainers this year are FLAVA the Artist and Christa Jackson!  After parties of course throughout the night. I will be sure to see you there. Watch out for the CQ logo walking around!

Over and Out,
CampusQueer

As the end of my most previous trip to the Big Easy was nearing close, imagine the look at my face when this video popped up on the screens at the Bourbon Pub! I was bewildered, inspired, and slightly moist. Most videos get plopped into the QueerHear, but this demanded much more than the obscurity of that list. I hope one day to bring innovative looks like these into my club repertoire. Will I? Probably not. I get far too plastered before I'd be able to accomplish all this. I'd rather just smear some black paint on my face and call it a night.



Over and Out,
CampusQueer

OK. Here goes.

So I haven't been able to bring myself to post since what happened in Tuscaloosa and across the South on April 27. I'm still not sure what gave me such a strong block, but nothing seemed to come out right. I actually have drafts that I couldn't bring myself to finish and post. But with the month of June brings us LGBT Pride Month and Central Alabama Pride Week and I can't let disaster stop me from bringing you queer newsish tidbits. I have a self-appointed duty to you, myself, and especially the new class of freshmen coming to our campus. Thank you to those who have sent messages to my inbox about CQ. Came across them today and reminded myself to get over the bullshit. So without gushing on and on, let's just get back to it without all the mess.
 

Over and Out,
CampusQueer