REJECT
INVISIBILITY!

Oh, to be the KING of the world; powerful enough to eradicate nationalism , corporate greed, and narrow straight people. But maybe most of all--to be able to erase the differences that divide us...for to a lessor or greater degree, we all have our pride of country, our arms race mentality, and certainly our fear of difference. A world of fear and hurt has tread on the feathered shoes of our fabulous fairy friends in and out of the closet for to long. Or I could let all that power go to my head and become an unspeakable despot. Speaking of us and them, it is evidently a time for war--literally, figuratively, certainly in the eyes of the news media. But it isn't just about the Middle East; not about arbitrarily invading Iraq or any other country given to maniacal rulers or religious fanaticism or bombs or oil--its about the current consumptive hetero paradigm of Christian so-called normalcy! The media would have us riding a consumer driven culture of greed lead by a pResident who's own children fake drug prescriptions in order to cope? Call me a paranoid left-wing liberal, but is there not a pattern here?

So enough is enough--the time for renewal is now. And if that means only momentarily forgetting those domestic charges brought up by your ex-, and if you're not too intimidated by the written word (you got this far didn't you?), then bring your radical self, your pumps and a frilly skirt or two--and learn what I mean by VISIBILITY! Hetero dominance has been in need of a blow job and a case of crabs for far to long! If you're gay, recently out of the closet, or been loud and proud for longer than you'll ever admit--you're only as screwed up as society made you! Join me now in an alternative place, where religion is separated from spirit, and getting to know the unknown is the basis for PEACE.

(Left) A Whatcom County firefighter gets the mud out after a game of Extreme Volleyball (Mark's photo).

For What Its Worth (or about me)--

For now I'm trying just to enjoy the benefits of country living (see photo, left), having moved from Seattle a year ago. When I'm not at my computer, I'm dabbling in cartoons and other imagery, in an attempt to create an atmosphere of discord--I'll succeed if somehow I have put the viewer on an unexpected edge. That isn't easy, given the saturation of images via TV advertising, movies, x-box, etc. But I think there is lots of room for exploration, beyond the flood of vampires, alien invasion, flying cars, etc. Not that flying cars can't be fun too, but for me, its about the proximity of the edge.

I seem to have made it out of the closet in more or less one piece, sort of ironic to think that I've returned to the rural life after longing for years as a child to FLEE it. And in making it this far, I've somehow become an engineer, which may or may not surprise you. BSME. Engineers are not born but contrary to what a lot of fundamentalist preachers tell you, queers are. Harry Hay who passed away this year, gets the credit for recognizing the true spirituality inherent in "faeries", and perhaps all gay men. A faerie to me is someone who can snap back the insult that most ignorant straight men assign the feminine role to; and I'm not talking about sex. The best summation that I've found of what being a radical faery is all about is written by Rawley Grau, who describes faeries as having "a light-hearted camp sensibility that is unmistakably queer" who believe that "gay people are a special tribe with a unique role to play in the evolution of human consciousness". If you're interested, another description of what it means to be a rad fey may be found here.

Thanks for visiting.

Musings, Journal Entries, Rants

OCT 22, 2003 Well I'm back. From outer space. Or rather, Berkeley. What a fun ride this summer was. Met some great people and had more fun than I thought possible with heteros. Gradually even my own stereotypes have to break down. These people are all artists, go figure they would help expand my horizons. For more on all that click here .

Otherwise, life continues in a good way. I've got a new goddess for my resume--or at least for the personal satisfaction of a job well done as it were. I've got more comics on the way soon (this time I mean it). I've got new plans and new hopes and new and increasingly complex designs on what happens next to the art car. And folks to get to know, gay and straight, in both Canada and the USA. Not bad, huh? Now if I could just learn how to market myself.

JUN 26, 2003 I don't remember the last time I heard good news on TV. Today the supremo court of the USA decided that sodomy isn't such a road to hell after all. Go figure. Could it be that someday I'll want to revise my ten fundamental truths ?

APR 2003 An entire war is underway and precious little to say about that here. Except this.

NOV 2002 --Hideously Motivated. I fear only that life will not grant me the time to undo all that I've wasted. I'd like to begin finally the gathering of threads. "Overwhelming burden of work" is an understatement. Still must try. This on the heals of near clinical depression brought on by not acknowledging the natural chemical processes present during conception, pregnency, and not least, life itself. The clouds above me grow only darker, and times that allow me lucidity are more rare than cherries in January. This my current thinking anyway, in light of certain realizations I had in Saint John's namesake city. Things along the tedious lines of, for example, failing to love or at least acknowlege the human-ness in others is a form of murder. We all do it, but at that time and place I was crucifying myself for caring to much about some past abuse I was responsible for (I was seven at the time). Leading to thoughts about my ability to love or at least deal with other people, and the steps across that gaping canyon. It was a new low that I am scarcely out of. As I am beginning to see it, I'm happier when given ample solitary time to pursue this undreamable work that I'm about. My relationship with people is about the most important thing there is to me, but it seems I cannot fully realize it (them) without committing a lot of time--alone, to art.

November 6, 2002 --Election results flowing in; Republicans carry the day. No surprise there, considering we're in the midst of a pendulum sweep to the far right. Times of war evidently bring out the worst in stupid selfish people.

JULY 2002 --Outrageously Happy. I'm living the large dog lifestyle. Work consists of time in front of a computer, barefoot, with coffee the way I like it. I take Sadie for a walk around the park sometimes. For free time there's Canada, either Vancouver or Boston Bar. There's time for friends, time for Mark, and even the occasional amorous encounter. And we've got faith, wonder, and a little bit of the future (well barring the end of civilization due to war).

JUNE 2002 --Well, life in America in the new millennium is finally looking up I suppose. So long as we can depend on the religious dogma of the fearful masses we can be sure that GOD will surely forgive those of us who are right in his eyes (Christian, and suitably verbal in our fervor.) So hopefully so long as enough zealots are around to sling praises and hunt for more godless homosexuals to bash, GOD will see fit to spare the planet from his smighting, or whatever. GOD being a merciful GOD and all that. So I'm just a little fed up with all this "Nation Under God" crap. Like if it weren't for the pledge of allegiance, we'd somehow be a less noble (and GOD fearing) country? As if GOD gives a shit what we force our future little economic wage slaves to pledge? And lets just ignore the beliefs of all the Jews and Muslims and Pagans and Athiests out there, since this is "primarily" a country polluted with Christians? Never mind what treaty John Adams signed in Tripoli, which provides that "The Government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion"?

OCTOBER 2001 --I suppose everything reveals itself in a new light--now less than a month after the tragic events in NYC and elsewhere. That is to say that rants about consumerism and heteroism take on a certain meaninglessness when held up against the probability of the entire world, or the United States at least, plunging into a very deep and bloody pit indeed. War is not the answer, and beyond that I don't have much to say. All this mindless flag waving and "God Bless America (and screw the rest of the world)" leaves me cold. God willing some day we'll learn why those in Israel and Palestine cannot get along. The former Archbishop of Seattle, Raymond Hunthousen, is a great peacemaker and great man, for a Catholic. He said a long time ago that it takes more courage to posture for peace than it does for war. I think his words are as true today as when he spoke them, at that time regarding the Trident nuclear sub program located in nearby Hood Canal. Putting down our arms and instead building houses and desalinization plants in Iraq is something that not enough people have thought about. That's what I would call peacekeeping! Here's a petition to sign if you see things the way I and others do.

JUNE 2001 --It seems to me like you're expected to lead a certain way of life based on 'your station' or more to the point, your job. Generations past, living and dead, that brought us 'the good life' generally want you to thank them on your knees for all their hard-won sacrifices. That's valid and all, but along with all those truly good things they helped bring to pass is a global economy that destroys individuality while pretending to cater to it, that allows wilderness areas to be reduced to nothing more than a mass of 'natural resources'--for the use and disposal of a population that cannot seem to control itself. (Justified somehow by the Bible of all things.) Entire species disappear, part of business as usual. Meanwhile I am expected to work away in a cubicle for 40 hours a week to help feed a system bent on nothing less than economic and military domination? This is why we're here? To become slaves to our possessions? And it would appear that through peer pressure and mass marketing, anyone who doesn't fit the social mold (have you watched an Old Navy commercial lately?) is told to reject their own lives. Social conformity is way out of control. I think people by and large are a little too secure in their falsely fortified self-righteousness, lulled to stupor by messages about America's greatness and righteousness repeated ad nauseum, during a time when the earth's warning signals should be waking us all the hell up. Its getting to me.

Now that I've explored my self-righteousness (and yes I'm right); here's a photo of my car. How can I be indignant over the ubiquitous SUV's that litter our highways--while driving an American barge on wheels myself? Its not easy, but when you consider the purely 'arms race' mentality of many SUV drivers...to whit, buy a larger vehicle to protect yourself from all those other large vehicles? I resisted until my Honda was totalled. So be it, but what really gets me is that you're burning more fuel to carry that extra differential (500+ lbs), which is useless weight unless your vehicle is actually IN four wheel drive. Certainly a four wheel drive vehicle has its uses, but the zeal with which many consumers have embraced these monsters is simply self-absorbed American arrogance. Anyway, if you find yourself behind my car on the road some day, at least you'll have something to read...click on the pik.

Whines from the '90's (or things I'm glad I wrote down)... --So I wound up taking Rusteria to the Holloween Bump... Went home with him, "bumped pussies" etc. no spillage mind you, just a little heavy breathing. Odd to have sex without coming, but then Rus is a mixed bag of fruit. More to the point, given my perpetual theatrical 'coolness', that is lack of warmth--toward potential lovers, tailors , bodybuilders , poets not to mention orphaned kittens, racoons, etc--I wonder if it isn't closer to the new norm. What with only physical desire lately mushrooming out of the compost of life--isn't it more a question of who I'll be doing next, rather than who I'll be dating? Flush that 'I need somebody to love' mentality into the sewer, in favor of 'what can you do for me'? Alienation with attitude--the worst of what the gay community can spit up--is leaning on the opposite wall cruising me. And he's hot.

Perhaps a new kind of freedom can be won, one that doesn't allow for the giving away of my heart for the capricious, much-distracted amusement of a casual partner. Casual in his mind, but all to often a lover in mine. Daryl has been preaching to me the benefits of promiscuity; multiple sex partners each week the norm in his case (he's been cutting down a lot). All wrapped up in shiny latex condoms of course. Daryl and Dan Savage and practically everybody else in the gay community chime in with Gay Sex Mantra No 1: "Get sex as often as you can while you're still young." Followed by GSM No 2: "Look young for as many decades as you can." It seems unlikely that I'll change in the way many would like me to, yet time was that I slept around as much as possible. I just always wanted the experience to continue, meaningfully, ideally into an eventual reflection of the usual, conventional, straight marriage as modeled by my parents. Go figure that its the most uninspired unoriginal path I can think of. Boring but reassuring, like a large dog.


One option--cease and desist all overt contact initiated to meet men. Consider tending your own garden instead, and turning it into a raging hard-on delight. I'm talking excess with Dick Eliot and wife Jane. Pallet fencing, bottle caps, totems, and tricycles.

email: bronnz@seanet.com