Steve and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary this month, having met each other in person for the first time in 2001. Funny enough, this exact same day is Steve’s birthday, and we often joke (not to sound conceited) that I was one heck of a present! Lucky for Steve, his birthday party was nowhere near as wild as mine – we opted to stay at home and take one quiet day away from it all. We don’t get holidays like normal people, so it was a huge rarity for us to be able to blow off the responsibilities of the magazine for a few hours. Needless to say, we enjoyed the break, though at the same time it felt a bit lonely not to be in the company of friends and family.
Us aside, we had a large outburst of weddings to attend – oddly enough, not all gay. Naturally, we showed up to give our congratulations and take photographs at the wedding reception for Keith Purdy and Rick Kennedy. It was so good to see them finally tying the knot after all the struggle they’d gone through to get a marriage license even before the legalizing of Gay Marriage.
I also had the pleasure of attending my ex-girlfriend’s wedding at the Calgary Zoo. I definitely went into that keeping a low profile, as it was admittedly an awkward situation. I had to break up with her as I was coming out of the closet, and naturally this caused some major emotional turmoil at the time – tragic since we’d been inseparable friends since the 4th grade, and had only officially dated for about a month. I was particularly scared to face her parents, but they and everyone else greeted me warmly and was thankful that I was there. The groom was a talented, albeit shy guy that she met at the animation college she’s been attending in Vancouver. I’m pretty certain we have a lot in common, but since I’m also a shy person, I didn’t get much of a chance to get to know him. During the garter toss I was regrettably bested by a stout rugby player whose reach extended past mine by a mere inch. Damn!
The very next weekend, I attended the wedding of another female friend that I’ve known since Elementary school. During the reception, a big burly straight guy in a kilt pretended to hit on me, much to the delight of his girlfriend and the bride’s maid. He was thoroughly impressed at how I resisted flinching as he threw one leg around me and ground up against my hip. This quickly led to some ass-grabbing for the camera, to which I said, “Do it again? Sure!” I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’m a homo…besides; I was enjoying a little harmless fun. Then came the garter toss – a second chance! The throw was so terrible that it came nowhere near the congregation of bachelors; most of them stood there stupidly, having expected it to come right to them. I demonstrated amazing agility for my blood-alcohol level, lunging forward and snatching the garment right from underneath the hand of a speedy 12-year old. It would have been wasted on him anyway..
In the News
It seems that Shaw has finally relaxed their disapproving stance toward OUTtv. Customers of Star Choice can now receive the channel in the More Movies 2 package, or as a stand-alone service for a very reasonable price. Shaw Cable customers can also add OUTtv to their Multi-Pack Extra bundle for no additional charge. Visit www.starchoice.com or www.shaw.ca for further details on how to activate the channel if you do not already have it.
Bar Banter
Detour had a “ground breaking” party to signify the beginning of their much anticipated renovations. It’s not every day you see a drag performer pull out a sledge hammer and begin bashing in a wall! Renovations are being done during the week when Detour is closed anyway, so business will still be running as usual.
The Rekroom is hosting ISCCA fund-raising drag shows every Saturday evening at 10pm. Be sure to head down and show your support!
Although, this is not bar-related, it’ll certainly be something that the club-goers might find interesting. Saturday September 17th is the 9th Annual Earthdance – The Global Festival for Peace. It has grown into the world’s largest synchronized music and lifestyle event, now occurring in well over 150 cities in 50 countries. The event’s mission is to unite world communities in support of non-profit humanitarian and peace-related causes, and foster an environment of peace and harmony throughout the global sphere. CBCA Sexual and Reproductive Wellness Centre’s Anti-Homophobia Campaign will receive a large portion of the funds raised at Earthdance Calgary. The event will commence at 8:00PM and will run until 3:00AM; however, the location will not be announced until the day of the event. For more information, call (403) 670-5410 or visit www.earthdance.org.
Non-Profit Events
The 2nd annual Artists for the Quality of Life Cut-a-Thon will be occurring right away over the September long weekend. Aside for the main event on Sunday September 4th, there is also the Midnite Café Reunion the day before. For more details, read Linda Huston’s letter to the editor on page 39, check out their ad on page 11, or visit their website at www.artistsforqualityoflife.com.
The 11th annual Calgary AIDS Walk for Life is on Sunday September 25th. You can contribute by making a donation or volunteering your time at the event – visit www.calgaryaidswalk.com for more information.
Also, another great way to give back to the community is to join a non-profit group, or at least give your input. The ARGRA AGM is coming up September 13th, and the AGM for AIDS Calgary is on the 14th. If you have the time to volunteer, this is a great opportunity to get involved.
Hey all you burly and furry guys, don’t miss Bear Bash 2005 the evening of October 1st! See their ad on page 63 or visit www.rockymountainbears.com.
Questions or comments about the magazine or other things happening in the community, please E-mail us at publisher@gaycalgary.com
