Marching on - NYC Gay Pride 2010

Such a great day. I marched with the Gay Community Center this year. A very large and fun group of people and families. We pushed off of 40th Street onto 5th Avenue around noon and finished the whole route thru Midtown, the village and onto Christopher St. by 2. The Centers School bus had speakers blasting dance music out the back door the whole route and kept the marchers and the cheering crowds up and dancing.

Later in the afternoon I walked up to the Pridefest street fair on Hudson. There was food, a variety of booths including 3D Porn, Zipcar, Undergear, G-vacations, local organizations and entertainment. The line to the Ben and Jerry's ice cream stand went for days. From past experience, I've learned to restrain from gathering up all of the free giveaways. I did get a Pride handkerchief from Macy's.

As the sun was getting low in the sky, I made my way up to 28th street to the Eagle for a burger and a pint on the rooftop. Perfect sunset and ending to a very long day.

Tonight: Universal Diversity 15

ArtGroup for Gay and Lesbian artists fifteenth annual Universal Diversity exhibit is tonight at the Center.

My painting "All Dressed Up", 10 year old Keith Haring, will be in the show.

The Center is at 208 West 13th Street here in Manhattan off of 7th avenue. The reception is tonight, 24 September, between 6 and 8pm. See you there~!

Keith Haring, All Dressed Up

Today I prepped and framed my Keith Haring painting for an upcoming show. I was in a rush and wish now I would have floated it on a black mat instead of a white one, but it's done. The opening is next Thursday at the Center. I came up with the above image by taking a quarter of the painting and messing with it in photoshop.

"All Dressed Up" is a painting of Keith Haring when he was 10 years old. The photograph that I used for the painting really caught my eye, made me smile. At some point every kid gets dressed up. It's never comfortable, but one always felt special. I'm not sure why he was dressed up on this particular day, but the emotions in his face and his stance evoked memories of my own life as a kid when I got to dress up for a special day.

ArtGroup Night

If it's the first Tuesday of the month, it's my night with ArtGroup. The Gay and Lesbian Art Group meets at the Gay Community Center here in New York City.

Tonight will be an "Open Art Forum":

Artgroup members and non members that attend the meeting are invited to bring work for all of us to see and respond to. The April meeting had the same venue and many of the artists attending brought artwork and/or photographs of work that was new or had not been seen before. It was good getting the work out of the studio and getting feedback from other artists.

I will be bringing the above card of my most recent painting with a link to my TOAST weekend experience.

ArtGroup is under the Art umbrella of All Out Arts. Since 1993, ArtGroup has hosted a variety of speakers, demonstrations from art companies and organizations, it's members over the years have presented their works individually and as a group collectively on our popular "Slide Night". Artgroup produces a e-newsletter as events and exhibits arise, and the group is a great asset and support to the Gay and Lesbian artists here in NYC.

We also exhibit several times a year at various locations. Last December/January our "Encryptions" exhibit was held at the MH Art & Framing Gallery. Our annual group show, "Universal Diversity XVI" will be in September at The Center.

First Date or Sex First?

Several years ago, I attended a dating event at the Gay Community Center here in NYC. At that time it was called "Date Bate". I arrived with my friend Kevin several minutes before the event. We scoped out who was walking in and the guys inside. We had all ready agreed that we were going to do this and check it out. Kevin kept asking me if we should 'leave'? after several minutes it was too late to leave and the program was underway.

The moderator went around the room, had us introduce ourselves and say a few sentences about ourselves. This took some time as there were a lot of guys there. The next step was in 3 minute segments where we would mix and match socially for 3 minutes and then on to the next guy when the bell rang. I think the moderator gave us a question or a topic to discuss. And at some point we exchanged numbers. Not our phone numbers but some sort of card or number and these were placed in a computer and out came the matches.

Kevin got matched with 3 guys. I got matched with none. Such is life.

Kevin had to go on these 'dates without sex' or he could never do the Date Bate thing again. I just went home.

For the past few years Deeper Dating has been the dating event at the The Center. The theory is that you go on three dates first and get to know someone and then have sex later. Ken Page, the founder of Deeper Dating states "For those of us who base our lives upon deeper values, it is essential that we choose others with similar commitments". This sounds good for making close friends. But does it work for making boyfriends?

But I do wonder, does this really work? Most guys I know who have been in Long Term Relationships had met their partners at a sex party, bath house, bar, on the street, or wherever and had sex first... and then figured out the relationship later. What if you date someone several times and get along with them great, and then the sex is bad. What then? What do you do?

I really feel to be in a long term relationship sexual chemistry is essential. Sex and intimacy is what really what holds the relationship together. Picking out the bedroom set and what restaurant to go to or who does the dishes is all negotiable. The "relationship" can be worked out later,, but if the sex is not good and consistent,,, the relationship will end.

Deeper Dating also offers specialty nights like Deep Bear Dating and A DATE, A DREAM AND A DIAPER for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender singles who want kids or who have them already.