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From Zanzibar to Barclay Square
Apr. 25th, 2005 10:55 pmNow that my laundry's done, I can get down to answering Larry's (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lfkbear) questions. Of course I could use someone to come over and help me find some of these socks, but I don't know where they've gone, so we'll just move on.
Otherwise, I guess we'll get these five questions out of the way, and probably get this meme over with. You're still welcome to ask me for questions if you like. Still, I couldn't resist getting questions from a real live journalist, you know? Still, I had to promise I would plug his new Sirius music show on Sunday afternoons starting May 8th. Now that the shilling is over, let's get on to the questions:
1. At what point do you think you begin to seriously pursue a career as a writer/journalist? Why haven't you yet?
My "career" started in high school when I started writing for the Conroe High School Triumph. It was always secondary to wanting to act. As i went into college I originally majored in theater, but when it wasn't working, I decided to change to my minor, Journalism. Still, the college didn't help students with getting internships, and none of the internships paid. Since I worked my way through school, I couldn't afford to work for free, and I didn't get a good chance to get started.
Again, most of it comes down to money and laziness, I don't have the ability to afford to start over with my career right now, and I'm not really motivated enough to get out and do something on the side - like freelance, though I have thought about it.
the other thing is simply being scared of being turned down - what a surprise. It's a lot of what kept me from pursuing acting more seriously (though really, I'm pretty bad) and as one who doesn't do criticism well, it's easier to stay away from those situations than go after it. At times I wonder how I got here at all.
2. When you sit down to write, what will get your fingers flying over the keyboard faster? Tension? Good news? Self-reflection?
Self reflection mostly, I guess it's really just having a good story or a strong opinion. I have to have something to work with - unlike this answer. Really, I think most writing has to start with some interest from within, and I guess that's why "police blotter" stories that I was assigned on the college paper never interested me, so I looked for other outlets. For a long time I really wanted to be a baseball writer since I do have a passion for the game, even if I've never played it.
3. What did you think/feel after first discovering the bear community?
I'd say I found it almost by accident, and I've heard that from a lot of people my age in the middle of the country. I found it through Bear Magazine, #14, somewhere around 1987. Now, you may be thing, wow, that was a long time from then until you came out! I was in college, and I started buying a few gay magazines, and kept them well hidden, first in my dorm room, then in my first apartment. The earliest ones were Advocate Men issues, and they had maybe one hairy guy in each issue, and certainly not anyone a little bulkier. Otherwise, other jack-off material was muscle mags. Finding Bear at least showed me that there was another side. There was another group out there besides the plucked and tweezed 1980's man.
Of course in issue #14 Bear looked more like bikers (strung-out, stringy bikers) rather than the Bears we know today, but the magazine got better over then next several issues, before it went out of business. Still, those issues stood out to me showing that there was a home for me in the gay community. I think it was really all brought home to me when I attended my first TBRU and saw the dance at TMC where everyone got out and danced - regardless of size, and had a good time. It looked great and felt great. It was still one of my favorite times from coming out.
4. Laurie Partridge or Marcia Brady?
You know, I'm not really a fan of either show, and haven't seen them in a long time. I'll say Susan Dey is the better actress, but that's only because she had better roles. I'll go back further and take Patty Lane from the Patty Duke Show. Come on, a hot dog made her lose control - she was much better.
5. How do you know when you're love?
Hmm, It's hard to put into words. I 'd say it's when you want this person in your life, but I guess you could say that about a friend. So what makes the one you love so much more? I think you find that you don't want to experience life without that person being there. It's all the more difficult when they aren't around. I guess I started to know that Chris was more than just a friend when he was entering my thoughts all of the time.
It's just an internal warmth that's different than friends - and I certainly am not the man who can explain it.
lfkbear) questions. Of course I could use someone to come over and help me find some of these socks, but I don't know where they've gone, so we'll just move on.Otherwise, I guess we'll get these five questions out of the way, and probably get this meme over with. You're still welcome to ask me for questions if you like. Still, I couldn't resist getting questions from a real live journalist, you know? Still, I had to promise I would plug his new Sirius music show on Sunday afternoons starting May 8th. Now that the shilling is over, let's get on to the questions:
1. At what point do you think you begin to seriously pursue a career as a writer/journalist? Why haven't you yet?
My "career" started in high school when I started writing for the Conroe High School Triumph. It was always secondary to wanting to act. As i went into college I originally majored in theater, but when it wasn't working, I decided to change to my minor, Journalism. Still, the college didn't help students with getting internships, and none of the internships paid. Since I worked my way through school, I couldn't afford to work for free, and I didn't get a good chance to get started.
Again, most of it comes down to money and laziness, I don't have the ability to afford to start over with my career right now, and I'm not really motivated enough to get out and do something on the side - like freelance, though I have thought about it.
the other thing is simply being scared of being turned down - what a surprise. It's a lot of what kept me from pursuing acting more seriously (though really, I'm pretty bad) and as one who doesn't do criticism well, it's easier to stay away from those situations than go after it. At times I wonder how I got here at all.
2. When you sit down to write, what will get your fingers flying over the keyboard faster? Tension? Good news? Self-reflection?
Self reflection mostly, I guess it's really just having a good story or a strong opinion. I have to have something to work with - unlike this answer. Really, I think most writing has to start with some interest from within, and I guess that's why "police blotter" stories that I was assigned on the college paper never interested me, so I looked for other outlets. For a long time I really wanted to be a baseball writer since I do have a passion for the game, even if I've never played it.
3. What did you think/feel after first discovering the bear community?
I'd say I found it almost by accident, and I've heard that from a lot of people my age in the middle of the country. I found it through Bear Magazine, #14, somewhere around 1987. Now, you may be thing, wow, that was a long time from then until you came out! I was in college, and I started buying a few gay magazines, and kept them well hidden, first in my dorm room, then in my first apartment. The earliest ones were Advocate Men issues, and they had maybe one hairy guy in each issue, and certainly not anyone a little bulkier. Otherwise, other jack-off material was muscle mags. Finding Bear at least showed me that there was another side. There was another group out there besides the plucked and tweezed 1980's man.
Of course in issue #14 Bear looked more like bikers (strung-out, stringy bikers) rather than the Bears we know today, but the magazine got better over then next several issues, before it went out of business. Still, those issues stood out to me showing that there was a home for me in the gay community. I think it was really all brought home to me when I attended my first TBRU and saw the dance at TMC where everyone got out and danced - regardless of size, and had a good time. It looked great and felt great. It was still one of my favorite times from coming out.
4. Laurie Partridge or Marcia Brady?
You know, I'm not really a fan of either show, and haven't seen them in a long time. I'll say Susan Dey is the better actress, but that's only because she had better roles. I'll go back further and take Patty Lane from the Patty Duke Show. Come on, a hot dog made her lose control - she was much better.
5. How do you know when you're love?
Hmm, It's hard to put into words. I 'd say it's when you want this person in your life, but I guess you could say that about a friend. So what makes the one you love so much more? I think you find that you don't want to experience life without that person being there. It's all the more difficult when they aren't around. I guess I started to know that Chris was more than just a friend when he was entering my thoughts all of the time.
It's just an internal warmth that's different than friends - and I certainly am not the man who can explain it.
