Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 25

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of June 18 — 24.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

Much of my week has been spent in preparation of a photo-related project, but I was able to write. Well, until Friday, but check out below to see what I mean.

Writing has been slow-going this month, but only to celebrate being who I am. Which seems all the more important with all the hateful legislation going on. But in terms of writing, I’m paying more attention to two characters in particular: Billy and Johnny.

They are two young men who are part of the ragtag team of misfits hunting cryptids in my fictional city of New London. In the late 80s/early 90s, they face something even scarier than the vampires and ghosts that they hunt: homophobic parents in the midst of them falling in love.

The places they explore are up against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic. Controversy still ran rampant in the United States, even in NL. Billy and Johnny find themselves in a largely accepting city, but begin to find the underbelly. They look for monsters to see if they are real, and find the human kind hiding in their parents.

This is really becoming a love story wrapped in the cloak of a horror story, filled with quips and pop culture references galore!

I goofed up and stopped talking about monsters for a couple of weeks. It’s time to get back on track. Who doesn’t like a good spook?

Mothman!

The cryptid known as Mothman is nearly as mysterious as, say, aliens. It’s a creature that seems to appear out of nowhere. And it is an Appalachian creature.

Now, I didn’t grow up knowing that last part. I was never told where exactly it was. And when I hear Ohio, I don’t think of the Appalachian Mountains. Hell, when I heard about Mothman on an episode of Timesuck (275 - Appalachian Cryptids, if you want to check the full episode out), I had to doublecheck the information!

With too much history to go into here, this is truly a humanoid creature that’s gone beyond spooky campfire stories. Whether or not you believe in such creatures, it is well worth your time to check them out. Link to the Wikipedia article in the title above.

Pride Month!

While it wasn’t mentioned the past couple of weeks, it is PRIDE Month! I didn’t do as much as I did last year, which was five full days of rainbows and small business booths. But this year several things happened within a week.

This should’ve been covered in last week’s blog, but I was busy losing sleep over a really cool person. But things will still get covered, even if every single week of June has been a blur and difficult to keep up with.

Poetry Slime occurred June 17th, while the Trans March event occurred the 23rd.

Poetry Slime

Poetry Slime meets at Milk SF. I frequently advertised it for the first couple of months, alongside Queer Bedtime Stories. But I realized that I had fallen into a pattern: one that mostly consisted of going to and hanging out with friends between those events. These two have become great ways to catch up with those I already know, and to meet new people.

And I did meet someone new at the gayest of all Poetry Slime events. I find myself in the middle of a meet-cute. We both saw each other recite poetry, and then he got to hang out with the rest of the group at a bar afterward. This is where we both got to meet each other. We played Jenga (a game I’m obsessed with) for quite a while. He beat me in the end. It didn’t occur to me how amazing I thought they were until I was safely at home. We are currently planning on hanging out again.

Volunteer Photographer

Saturday, on the 23rd of June, I got to volunteer for the Trans March non-profit. From 3-6pm I got to take pictures of every sponsor present. There were probably a couple dozen, and some of them were so crowded the entire time that I would have to speak to them later.

My objective: take booth pictures of each sponsor for a collage they wanted to prepare next year.

It was so much fun to connect with new people in this way. I can’t wait for another opportunity to arise where I can help a group out. Even though it was socially and physically draining, it is easily one of my favorite events of the year.

Camera Repair

On a final note: I’m branching out into camera repair! It has been an interest of mine since working at Lens Rentals. Analog and digital, I will not discriminate. The focus right now is to tell everyone I know in the Bay Area so I can get as much experience as possible, then branch out from there. This is a hobby. I have no current plans or expectations for this to become anything more than that. With that being said, I would love to be in a position where I can offer this service to anyone in need of a good CLA (clean, lube, adjust).

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 20

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of May 14 — 20.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

For the past several weeks, I’ve decided to focus on the spookier side of myths and legends. This is all research used for Project Madison Flame. Right after this will be more women’s bar names.

Spearfinger

Gather ‘round the campfire, kids! It’s spooky time!

This one I was not familiar with at all. The name may sound silly if you haven’t heard of this one. And I don’t blame you, because I did the same thing. But this is the only thing that’s funny about Spearfinger.

She is someone who has claws or knives for fingers. My view are the blade-like protrusions you see in certain horror movies these days. They are usually creatures that attack the protagonist, showing off the blades as they do so. Those kinds of knives. And she goes after children. She puts them under a false sense of security, eventually… unaliving them with her spear finger.

Something I’ve noticed about horror. The less details you get, the more people thing it’s silly; bordering into absurdity. But when enough details are added, the humor that arises disappears like a wisp of smoke or fog. Depending of what you say, things can get creepy fast.

Spearfinger has started haunting my daydreams lately. It’s because she’s in Project Madison, so it all makes sense. But having children protagonists that fall under what Spearfinger looks for is a bit unnerving. If you’d like a bit more details, and then-some, follow the links below…

Folklore

For next week, we ponder the sounds people hear at night. It’s not homework, but if you want even more to read, here is what I plan on talking about.

Bar Names

Bum Bum Bar — NYC

La Gata — Frankfurt, Germany; This bar, at the time of writing this, is open, and has been since 1971.

Chez Moune — Paris, France

New Moon — Paris France

The Owl and Pussycat — London; this bar, at the time of writing, is open.

History

I aim to get these posts out on Sundays, but I partied a little too hard. So it will need to come out a little late. I appreciate your patience with that.

Poetry Slime

Poetry Slime is a free form poetry slam, but without the competition. It’s a wonderful event that respects the mic, the vibes, and especially the readers. Meeting every third Saturday of the month at Milk SF, host Leland strives to create a creative space that doesn’t require alcohol.

Technically, this is history. It happened the day before the Bay to Breakers event, which happened the next day. And boy-howdy was the city of San Francisco crazy in their preparations.

Since I partied after Slime, I had to recover on Sunday. While I missed what was likely a great event, I’m glad I took the time to take care of myself. And this gets to my main point:

Drink your water.

Put on your sunscreen.

Take time for yourself.

The Presidio

So the here is where I’ll share some photos from a visit at the Presidio. Look, we all geek out about something. This day (which was very sunny, seriously don’t forget your sunscreen when in SF) I had helped repair an analog camera (DM if interested) and decided to visit the Presidio. I had looked for a Yoda Statue at the LucasArts Art School. And wow, is it a secretive statue! It’s out of the way, so it’s an interesting challenge to find it. Afterward, I took some photos of a couple of other landscapes.

All photos are attributions belong to me, Josie Sweeney.

Harriet the Spy

The New Yorker has this amazing article on the queer feminist author of Harriet the Spy. This has me wanting to read the books (never got the chance as a kid) and rewatch the movie. Link in headline.

Reel Oakland Student Film Festival

I’m volunteering for a couple of film festivals!

I used to volunteer for the Indie Memphis Film Festival. Since I’m no longer in Memphis, I cannot help them out anymore. I’ve lived here for a year now, and have begun asking around for film festivals to volunteer for; with great results.

The first one is the Reel Oakland Student Film Festival 2023. I will be in charge of presenting everything folks see on the silver screen. The presentation points, volume, films, everything was considered and discussed. And I will be in charge of it all. The next festival won’t be ready for another few months.

If you would like to help support this non-profit, you can find the link in the headline.

National News

Supreme Court Kicks the Can

In an article by Reuters, we learn that SCOTUS had received a lawsuit against Google (this was about the practice of their video-sharing). They must have decided it wasn’t worth their time, because they aren’t going to make a decision on it. They have kicked the proverbial can down the road by stating that this can be decided on a state level.

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

Last Thing Last

I didn’t have a good place to put these, but still wanted to share.

I’ve started a new hobby! I’m looking at cameras that have issues or are very dirty. The Canon camera was brought to a beach and needed a good deep clean. The Nikon has an autofocus issue, and the customer has chosen me to help with that. And the last one? Well, I have a new shirt for PRIDE, and happened to match Milk SF at Poetry Slime.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 19

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of May 7 - 13.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

The Ladybug

Last week I listed off many bars, without getting into any of the histories. Many of them, unfortunately, are lost to history. I hope to correct that where possible. This week we will look at The Ladybug in Chicago; not to be confused with the similarly titled tavern in Toronto.

These days, bars are remembered by the personal stories that occur within the alcohol-covered walls of the establishment. There is one such story about The Ladybug on the story I linked above. So while I don’t have enough information to describe how The Ladybug impacted the neighborhood and the kinds of people that patronized the place, I’m lucky enough to find anything at all.

Lesbian bars have all but disappeared. They have largely evolved to sports bars, from my own personal experience. Many of them have grown to include Non-Binary folx and even gay men. It’s easy to bemoan this if you want to find someone similar to you in a safe space. But it’s important to understand the troubling times that were as we fight for a better today and tomorrow.

This bar, though light on information, will be a huge influence on my superhero book, Project Ladybug Tavern. It’s actually where the project name came from. This fictionalized bar in the fictional city New London uses codenames to protect their patrons. This is a bit of creative license to the real-life use of aliases. If you were cruising at a gay/women’s bar and afraid of getting arrested, or living your life as the woman or man that you are at a trans bar, there were numerous reasons to not use your legal name.

In the book, there is a bartender at the fictional Ladybug Tavern that decides to use the name of her favorite character from her most adored cartoon show, The PowerPuff Girls. Not very usual. But this becomes an unwitting catalyst to the naming convention for the meta-humans in New London.

Rougarou

Have you ever heard of the Rougarou? I hadn’t either, until I began researching for the spooky side of Project Madison Flame (see Vol. 2023, Issue 18 for more details). Deep in the southern part of Louisiana lives the cryptid known as the Rougarou. This is the next part of my Cryptid Mythology Tour.

The etymology comes from the French word “loup-garou,” which is a werewolf. Since Louisiana is also home to many Cajuns, the word evolved phonetically to become Rougarou, keeping its meaning for the most part.

I was a bit confused at first, because the first couple of sites I found did their best to distinguish this cryptid from werewolves entirely. To be clear, it is an evolution of the creature. The word werewolf comes from the Proto-European languages that all mean “Man” and “Wolf.” But the more the mythology expanded, the further the reach, and the deeper the meaning. So the Rougarou is, indeed, a werewolf, but it’s the southern Louisiana Werewolf. And that deserves a spotlight.

The Rougarou is also important because of its inclusion in saving the swamplands of Louisiana. It is used as the mascot, to save both land and creature. There’s also a Rougarou festival every year.

Queer Herstory

Druid Heights

Do you feel anxiety from the current events going on? Do you, like me, need a break from all those crazy folks doing terrible things? Then you’re in the right place. Here is a video (link in headline) about Druid Heights, located in the North Bay.

Druid Heights was an artists compound nestled in the Muir National Monument woods. It’s not exactly open to the public, as there are still people living there. But it is nostalgic and a great look at Muir National Monument redwoods.

Money, Success, Fame, Glamor — Music

It’s been a while since I last heard this song, but it was mentioned on Ru Paul’s Drag Race as part of a mix up of Voguing. This got me wanting to know more about the song. And this was where I fell down the rabbit hole.

This is admittedly not a great “history” segment. Instead, it is more a look inside my ADHD mind. Nonetheless, it was a delight to listen to the song again.

I missed the names that she mentioned, and immediately became confused with all the different names involved with this one song. It’s been so long since Party Monster (2003). And the internet database has become more confusing than helpful with finding out the original composer. Or maybe I just get confused very easily. Regardless, that was a fun rabbit hole to fall down.

The following folks came up during my research:

Felix da Housecat

The Pop Tarts Band

Dan De Leon

Nina Flowers

Fenton Fox Bailey

Randy Barbato

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 18

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me.

This post is for the week of April 30 - May 6.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

It’s really starting to feel like summer today! The weather hasn’t been its hottest (yet), but give those scorchers some time. But everyone is hustlin’ and bustlin’ all around Oakland and San Francisco. And I’m just here, moving and writing. How are things with you, dear reader?

Writing has been a little slow because I’ve started moving into a new apartment. But what I have written has been delightfully spooky! Breaking up Project Madison Flame into short stories and a collection of novellas has been a journey in and of itself. It’s given me more to think about in terms of the themes of this book. And has allowed me to think more in terms of a city’s past.

The current story I’m working on may well be a novella at the end of things. It’s about a group of kids as they explore the myths and legends about the city they live in. It’s what they do to keep busy. Most kids play sports simply to “stay out of trouble.” But these kids go looking for it.

I’m actually bringing some Appalachian folklore into it. As well as more Southern lore. It’s funny: I moved out of the South, and here I find myself writing about it in mysterious ways. But to explore it all from a distance has been very fun. More on Southern Myths & Legends in coming weeks. There’s so much terrible news lately that I think this would be a more digestible substitute.

Bar Names

It’s been a couple of weeks about the naming of things. I’m sure folks have wondered what the hell I’m getting at. Well, bar names, of course! Starting from here, I’ll list women’s/lesbian bar names. There may be some gay bar names if they stick out enough. They will feature prominently in my New London city to immortalize those queer names of the past.

Since I live in the East Bay, let’s start with some locations in the Bay Area! Unless otherwise noted, these bars have shuttered for all sorts of reasons.

  • A Little More

  • Amelia’s

  • Anxious Asp

  • Artist’s Club

  • Clementina’s Baybrick Inn, aka The Brick

  • Driftwood

  • Last Chance Bar

  • Marlena’s

  • Mary’s First

  • Maud’s

  • Ms. Smith’s Tea Room

  • Paper Doll

  • Peg’s Place

  • Wild Side West — OPEN

    Which one is your favorite? Comments are turned on for a discussion on the bars.

This is the May

This past week punsters of all ages got to celebrate the punniest time of year. It separates the yokels from the jokals — ok, that last one really stretched the bounds of humor.

But this year introduced a new meme: This is the May!

What I love most is that it takes the very simple phrase “This is the Way” from the Mandolorian tv series and inserts May instead. It’s simple, easy to adopt, and a great response to all those Justin Timberlake and Lance Bass memes we all love to share.

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 17

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of April 23 - 29.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

Writing has been great in spite of getting a fake interview. I’ve written nearly 10k words in the past week or so. Which is great progress! Last week’s post about power in names was very apt, as I I was swindled out of time by a Multi Level Marketing scheme (what used to be called a pyramid scheme) called Maplewood Marketing. I have been in desperate search of a job for a while now, and they are preying on folks in this exact situation.

SPLLIT Band Live Show

To keep things more pleasant I’d like to switch focus and talk about seeing bands for a moment. There was a band that I met in Memphis, right before I moved out to Oakland, CA. They are currently on tour out West. I had the pleasure of watching them perform live at Thee Stork Club in Oakland. I got to catch up with them and even learned of some more Bay Area bands (below in Pop Culture) that are amazing.

I’ve never been much of a live show type of person. There’s something different about live events when you know the group, though. Please consider giving SPLLIT a listen, as well as the other bands I have linked down below.

Safe Spaces, a series

Last week I mentioned bar names and what power they have. I wanted to continue that discussion, as I am a proponent of names that unify and even signify a community. Because of my experiences, I focus on the LGBT Community bars and, in more recent times, cafes.

Bar names of yore are often cheeky or from an inside joke, among other reasons. They start out as snippets of phrases born from discussions between a few individuals. This grows into a need to create a safe space for others in similar situations. In decades past these safe spaces began as bars, as the focus was on adults. It has been difficult enough to create a gay bar, but even more so for women bars.

The term Safe Space feels like a buzzword started less than a decade ago. But it’s merely a modern form of word play meant for those that actually need to take a break from the attacks they deal with. Everybody needs to have a third home where everybody knows your name, and smiles when you show up simply because you are the shining beacon of light that you are. Families and homes can be treacherous just like school or work. You may be in the closet for reasons only known to you; and that means you need an outlet where you can find people with similar positive values.

I have begun collecting a list of women/lesbian bar names that have largely closed for one reason or another. I have plans on including these names in Project Madison Flame to put these now-missing bar names on a pedestal.

News

Round Robin News

While there has been plenty of shocking news, pearl-clutch-worthy, there will primarily be a shift toward music. Erin Reed has many reports going on, with the Texas Senate going through the toughest legislation. But let’s not forget that political attacks on Trans kids is very problematic. And we can’t forget the attacks on Montana Representative Zooey Zephyr — which, I have to confess my bias, she has a pretty badass name.

Sweet Dreams has a Heart Breaking Origin

We all have dreams. Many of them are on the forefront of the hit wonder Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Eurythmics. Seershamusic on Instagram does a lovely job of covering the story behind Sweet Dreams. This song isn’t just an ultimate ear worm, it’s the culmination of heart break and music combining. Thankfully she has many more reels on Instagram, because I can’t get enough! Link in headline.

Chumbawamba were a buncha Punks!

Chumbawamba was pretty damn punk. They found a unique way to enact politically charged activism. Is there a documentary about bands like this? I would love to watch a documentary about activism through music. I love finding music history where money was raised for good causes. If you, like me, get knocked down, use music like this (or SPLLIT) to get back up again. Thank me later. Link in headline.

Fatnasmic’s Maleficent Catches Fire

Earth Day seemed to be put on halt this year. Maleficent’s dragon form in a show called Fantasmic had a malfunction that caused quite a stir when she caught on fire. The fire started at Disney Land in Anaheim, CA. Multiple videos will be linked here, as these points of view show a bit of what went on. Though to be clear, the cause has not been disclosed by Disney.

Here is the first video I came across. And the second, showing how bad the fire and smoke became as guests were shown the exit. The staff at Disney Land should get a raise for assuring the safety of park guests.

Another user posted this video to show how the show is meant to be viewed. But let’s take a moment to pay more attention to the mouth of the dragon. The pyrotechnic faces at a downward angle, similar to the anatomy of a snake. So it begs the question: how did this occur?

Let’s end this by showing comedian Youth Pastor Ryan and his news-breaking take on Mickey’s power. So which is scarier, Maleficent catching on fire or Mickey’s power?

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrqyV8DAAH0/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

Instagram Reel by @ryankellycomedy

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

  • Sam McPherson invites his neighbor on his tour.

  • SPLLIT (Baton Rouge, LA)

  • Public Interest Band (Oakland, CA) released their newest album earlier this month!

  • Fake Fruit is another Bay Area-based band that you need to check out!

  • Numb Little Bug, by Em Beihold

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 16

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of April 16 - 22.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

The Power of Naming

What’s in a name? Names have power. For many people in the LGBT community, there is power in finding a preferred name, a drag name, even a stage name. There is also something about going to a safe space with a catchy name. It can (and hopefully should) give people a sense of community. Wether it’s a cafe, bookstore, or bar, there should always be something in a name that gives someone the power to be themselves.

There are so many places that I describe in my first book, located in the fictional city called New London, CA. Here, there is a vast rap sheet of characters that all know each other in one way or another. It’s almost like this big city is like a small town. They visit many of the same places (examples listed above). Because this is a love letter to the LGBT Community in many ways, I decided to use bar names. So I’ve started collecting historical lesbian and women bar names.

News

First and foremost, I applied for a job and was asked to join the team! I’m also moving soon, so writing might be limited. Organizing and managing everything is going to be especially tricky. But I’m in the middle of a story in Project Madison Flame, so I think writing that will help keep the frustrating times at bay.

Montana Won’t Let a Representative Speak

Republican leader silences Representative Zooey Zephyr, the first transgender woman elected to the legislature. Read more in Erin’s article; link in headline.

Broke Millennials

There’s a lot to be said about us Millennials and our financial stability (or instability). I often hate reading about anything that criticizes my own generation. The Atlantic generally produces novel-length articles that is blocked behind paywalls. But I was able to read the introduction this time. Email me if you’re able to afford to read the rest. Maybe I can after my first paycheck comes through.

Historical Rosie

Let’s stop looking at current events and look back at the past. Rosie the Riveter is one of the most interesting historical figures I’ve ever known, and I always like reading into Rosie. Link in headline.

German artist Boris Eldagsen

A German photographer declines an international award by Sony, and to make a point.

Disney v DeSantis

Disney has been duking it out against Florida’s totalitarianist governor Ron DeSantis for a little while now. Recently, Disney announced that they will have a Pride event in June. Around the same time, proud boy Ron has threatened (really jokingly stated, but it’s a terrible joke) to sell the land all around Disney so that another amusement park could be built or even a prison.

It’s incredibly tone-deaf to even joke about building a prison next to a public place for children of all ages. He’s one of those governors that claim they're protecting children, and here they are joking about putting them in danger. Very strange…

RIP Queer Film Theory

This week (for me) has been light on news. So I’ll bookend this post by giving a last bit of news. I had a podcast for quite some time. It was called Queer Film Theory and its main purpose was to watch movies from Black Lodge Video; a film library and event center in Memphis, TN.

After moving out to California, I did my best to keep up with it. But the numbers have consistently shown that nothing I did worked well enough. It’s not to say it hasn’t been fun. However, I am not a one-person show that is able to keep a consistent and enthusiastic demeanor while on the mic. And all attempts to have guests on (with one exception) has been thwarted by the evil “Different Industry Schedules.”

So as much fun as I had, I am shelving that project indefinitely. It had a good run (at least in my head), and I’m glad I started it. If you’re interested at all, you can check it out on Spotify.

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

  • A friend shared this video to me. As someone who’s enjoyed Alice in Wonderland for years, this is an amazing rendition by Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway.

  • C.B. Lee — I’m currently listening to Not Your Villain, a YA sequel to Not Your Sidekick. It’s a good way to spend your Sunday afternoon, either resting and relaxing or getting things done around the house.

  • This Instagram post has lived rent free since finding it early last week.

  • The IG post above is a reference to Marina. Love!

  • Vana is another random find.

  • Honey Revenge — I feel like I find every new band through either Instagram or friends. There’s no in between.

  • EMMY has this interesting song called Stupid Big Teeth.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 15

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of April 9 - 15.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

San Francisco Sunsets

At the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, April 14, Friday night. I was with friends, eating food, when I saw the sunset happening. I ran to the best spot as the sun finally set over the horizon.

Writing

This past week I took a break from my superhero book (Project Ladybug Tavern) and picked up another book (Project Madison Flame). This one is set before the events of all the meta human shenanigans. It’s a fairly poetic, multi-perspective story that introduces the reader to a portion of the residents of the city of New London. No, not the ones in Connecticut or Minnesota, but a fictional one in California.

New London has been a pet project of mine; a conglomeration of other cities that’s formed its own weird little melting pot of culture. Each perspective is dealing with something. From a traumatic break up, to a comic store manager trying her best to expand the store, to two brothers writing a play together. More on these stories in the following weeks.

Film

Beta Test: Death and Taxes

Over the weekend I got the opportunity to film a live show. It was the second one that Beta Test Burlesque has put on, and the folx who put this on are a joy to work with. Seven performers, six acts, two kittens to sweep up money, one videographer, a hard-working stage manager, and one badass host. And there was a theme this time: Death and Taxes.

Beta Test puts on display new acts that are being performed for the first time. They are acted out with the caveat that there may be things that need working out. That’s what is perfect about this show; the imperfections. The space to show what you’ve worked on and see what works, and what still needs work. And I’m here to provide that feedback later on.

Saturday night was a whirlwind. A quick setup before the audience arrived; that’s about all I remember before the show began. I got a glimpse of about three acts, while making sure my camera was set up properly. Lighting was really fun; one of my LED lights stopped working halfway through the show. Thank the gods for intermissions and extension cords.

I’ve never seen so much confetti at a live show before! There were two acts with confetti. One such act had a triple canon. I wish I was able to show that part of the show (that remains to be seen because of privacy reasons). Everyone brought such a different energy that it’s difficult to keep up with it all.

If you are interested in attending or even joining, please contact me and I will pass along the proper information for the next show in August.

Aspect Ratio Sizes 2023

Are you a photographer or videographer trying to share your work? Does your platform of choice force you to crop your beautiful photo/video? Well, wonder no more! Below is a cheat sheet for each platform, so you don’t have to worry about unneeded cropping.

For the sake of transparency, I’ve used a blog post from Hoot Suite for reference.

* The Cover number for LinkedIn does not comply with the numbers I have researched. Ultimately, LinkedIn wants your Banner to be a 1.91:1 ratio. This blog post by LinkedIn should clear up any further confusion.

2023 Social Media Aspect Ratios

News

Some SF History

California is known for many things. Serial killers are but one subject of this state’s complicated history. Broke Ass Stuart recently wrote about a darker side of Daly City. I’m not sharing this to glorify this killer’s actions, like some podcasts and television shows will do. This is being shared because it’s a piece of history that is close to my doorstep. And that is always worth digging up the old newspapers to get a glimpse of the past.

Influencing is Pretty Difficult, It Turns Out

As time moves on, starting your career as an influencer becomes more difficult. Influencing seems like you can keep your own hours and do what you want. But that will bleed into your private and social lives. It’s difficult enough just being on social media, but to be chained by advertisers makes things like 1000% worse.

This NYT article follows Lee From America and others as they change their business lives to a 9 - 5 work life. I don’t know that I completely understand their enthusiasm to work at a desk job, but it certainly brings some anxieties to light. Link in headline.

Danger List: New Zealand Street Lamps

Let’s take a break from all the batshit crazy news this week and appreciate the weirder news. This and the next articles are pretty high up in the “Get this” news at the watering hole. As always, links are in the headlines.

Radioactive Theme Park

This one needs a bit of a caveat, though the humor is still there. This nuclear power plant was never opened and used as an actual power plant. Please read the rest of the article for all the chuckles.

New Jersey News

This was missed from last week, and still worth bringing up. New Jersey has become a Trans Healthcare sanctuary.

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

  • Sunsets are great (see above picture).

  • This week has been busy, and I’ve missed naps.

  • Therapy? During that sunset, my friends and I discussed favorite punctuation marks. That evolved into favorite bands with punctuation marks. This appeared alongside other more mainstream bands.

  • Tina Bell — see how a female POC walked so Grunge could run.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 12

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of March 19 - 25.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing & Editing & Filming

Outlining is still trudging along with my novel. I’m running into the same issues as I did the first go-round with this book: figuring out the fun little details that lead to the ending. But I’m doing something very different this time around: I’m being patient with myself. I’ve written one novel in its entirety, and it was off/on for five months. And it’s being completely rewritten. This is my second novel that I’m writing to its completion.

I’m preparing to take some tests this week. No, I’m not going back to school. Blackmagic Design hosts a training program called Train the Trainer (aka T3). This certification will give me more opportunities as an editor teacher. I feel woefully unprepared. But maybe that’s just nerves. I’ll have more to update on that later on.

I helped out with Reel Oakland on a student-run film set. It ran all afternoon, we were exhausted by the end of it. But it felt great to help out again and be on set.

There was a lighting issue at some point; we wanted to light the background as a killer drags his victim through a hallway. But the light was seen in the background of the shot! I was asked to move the light closer to the camera, and I did. The light being in the foreground ended up looking even better and more sinister.

News

SF Floods are different from Memphis floods…

Flooding continued to hit the Bay Area last week. There were gusts of wind, torrents of rain, and blocks and blocks of SF and Oakland without power. And when Atmospheric River Bob was bored enough to leave, there was much rejoicing.

A friend of mine came in from Memphis, TN to attend the Game Designers Conference. We hung out on Tuesday when the rain decided to hit us all. When attempting to show him a comic shop, we looked up to realize how dark parts of the city was. It was strange. And a reminder that we as humans don’t pay enough attention sometimes.

Queer Bedtime Stories musician

In the March edition of Queer Bedtime Stories, we had a musician grace our presence with a guitar and some sweet, sweet vocals. They go by Penny’s Luck on Spotify, links here and down below. Their music is as pleasant and delightful as a nice cup of tea. Which is very refreshing, not the least because we’re all addicted to over-priced coffee out here in the West.

Comedian in a Dress

This comedian had a comedy show in Nashville last week. In solidarity, he wore a dress. He joked that he might get arrested, bringing attention to the reality that many will and already have gotten arrested for the exact same thing. I don’t generally like it when a comedian makes topical jokes like this; the difference here is that he must have thought his points through and didn’t really punch down on anyone (except the folks who wrote the anti-trans bills).

International Day of Trans Visibility

March 31, 2023 is an important day, now more than ever. There are people trying to eradicate the existence of trans/non-binary people across the United States. If you’re reading this and think I’m exaggerating, you haven’t read the bills carefully enough and buy propaganda way too easily.

Montana Bill

This article (linked in the title) focuses on a therapist stating that nobody under her care has ever regretted transitioning; with her staying in contact with her patients.

This disproves the 80% myth and claim and even forced a Republican to concede to the point. More details in the article. I do not know author Erin Reed but I do encourage support in her efforts in covering the current anti-trans bills popping up all over.

The unfortunate reality is that there are a lot of people that claim many regret transitioning without any proof. This is why properly researched papers and statistics are important, and why quoting statistics from decades ago can be dangerous regardless of the subject.

Lil Nas X and Apologies

Lil Nas X said something that the Trans Community found offensive, and he ended up retracting his apology on Twitter. In the video above, Cody Bordone covers some conflict resolution tactics that I honestly needed a refresher on. It was nice to see what could be done about real world issues.

I took a Conflict Resolution class in college, many moons ago. If I remember correctly, many of the examples felt made up and exaggerated to fit the module for that week. Something about that didn’t make the class feel all that important.

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

  • Brian Falduto has debuted a new album called Gay Country. I found it funny at times, even though this might be a serious album. My understanding of most country albums are that they take themselves seriously. Let me know what you think! Check it out on Spotify.

  • People still do playlists, right? I hope so, because I’ve started a super-specific playlist for my queer superhero book. It’s only a few songs right now, but I’m always on the lookout for more. This isn’t character specific like Casey McQuiston.

  • McKenna Grace landed on my suggested page on Spotify. The album Bittersweet 16 was off-putting and confusing to me. But once I got into the pop/rock music, I really enjoyed it. Sometimes it’s the weird album art that really captures my attention. Grace’s music is a real bop! Check her out on Spotify.

  • I found Olive Klug via the embedded Instagram post above. It was touching, though unfortunately it’s not on Spotify. Here is her Spotify page and her site.

  • Penny’s Luck is a local artist in the San Francisco Bay Area. I mention them above, so here’s their Spotify page.

Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 7

Queer Intro

Welcome to the Gay in the Bay Blog! I am Josie, a queer writer and videographer that loves to document what I see around me. This started out as a writing blog but has grown to include events that more people should know about.

This post is for the week of February 12 - 18.

Do you have a live event that needs filming? I’m a videographer! Please check out the Sweeney Media on your way to the About > Contact page. I look forward to working with you.

Writing

Broke Ass Stuart

Most of the writing done this week has been in preparation for a potential job. If you’ve lived in the Bay Area for any amount of time (which is about as long as I’ve lived here now), you have definitely heard of the sassy Broke Ass Stuart (BAS for short).

BAS made a call for a writer, part time. I made the most humorous cover letter I could write and sent it to the Editor In Cheap. The Almighty Editors (my name for whomever responded) answered me and gave me a deadline for this week. I’ve answered it.

I have become a Game Master!

Chaos ensued and I stepped up to the plate! This past Wednesday I became a GM (Dungeon Master if that’s more familiar to you) at the New Parkway Theater. The usual GM was unable to attend tonight’s session, and there were about 15 people joining. The backup GM asked me if I could be in charge of the other game. I was more than happy to oblige.

Queer Superhero Novel

While writing for my book has been sparse this week, I’ve still written something. Outlining has been necessary in order to make this superhero story feel like an introductory novel; not just focusing on the main character. Because of that, I’m learning what tropes are expected in order to make something feel like a “superhero" story. Some are obvious (like costumes, the need/want to save people, insane ideas for world domination, et al), while others less so.

I’m introducing other characters. It just makes sense to me to include more heroes while more villains appear in front of the main character. But it still requires more planning to make everything feel coherent.

The End of the Internet?

I just watched a video by Legal Eagle on YouTube that talks briefly (20 minutes is honestly brief for this particular lawyer) about a Supreme Court Case. One that can spell out disastrous things for normal social media things like sharing your next drag show event on Facebook.

He was as brief as he could be, and I have a link to his video. This case is pretty complicated, but I’ll attempt to summarize it here.

A case was brought to the United States Supreme Court. This case dealt with a question that has massive ramifications: is Google responsible for its content on YouTube? This is certainly something that will affect everyone to varying degrees. I will follow this and see where it leads.

Oakland City Hall in State of Emergency

The city of Oakland was hit by a malware attack on February 8th a couple of weeks ago. The police department and other public officials are being somewhat transparent about the issue. They are acknowledging that it happened, but not indicating in what way. This could be a tactic to minimize damage being caused, or to minimize public panic, another reason entirely, or some combination of both.

This story is progressing, as they are still fighting the malware. As much as I’m not a fan of any police force, the police department appears to be the most forthcoming on information.

Oakland Police Dept. on the malware attack.

Mind Ghirardelli Square’s Dust

Ghirardelli Square is a fixture of San Francisco. I finally got to visit on February 14th, where I discovered a lot of the shops are currently closed. There are signs stating they will open up in the Summer of 2023. In just a few months, we’ll get even more chocolate options and see what they’ve been working on!

Berkley Throws in their chef’s hat for Best Pizza

Berkeley claims to have the best pizza in the Bay Area. Is the SF Eater article correct? Please let me know, in the comments or on Instagram! I take this as a personal challenge to venture in the wilds of Berkeley and scavenge their pizza selections.

National News

USA Today continues coverage of the officers charged with the death of Tyre Nichols from January 2023. The most frustrating part right now is that the court system will not start proceedings until May 2023. Paul Hagerman is the lead prosecutor, and is urging the courts to do what is right. Whether the officers are allowed back to work until then remains unclear. They go on to include the defense attorney claiming there should be justice for Tadarrius Bean (one of the officers charged for Nichols’ murder).

This whole situation calls for a complete overhaul of the police department. It has been clear for years that the entire system is questionable at best, and corrupt in every level at worst. But Memphis and the rest of Tennessee would rather kick the can down the road and focus on budget cuts or a new stadium instead of focusing on human rights. Did Martin Luther King, JR die for nothing in Memphis? My former hometown can and should do better.

The New York Times tripped this week

Major backlash has started following a New York Times Op Ed by Pamela Paul called In Defense of JK Rowling. If you decide to read the opinion, go for it. But this is most professional gaslighting I have yet to read.

To quote Bo Burnham: “The backlash to the backlash to the thing that’s just begun/ There it is again/ That funny feeling/ That funny feeling.”

Table Top Ideas

And now for more positive news…

I recently hosted my own game of D&D and loved it! I’m now looking for resources to help make things even more fun. There’s a lot of discourse on what’s better: analog vs. digital content. In the wake of the OGL debacle, the flames of chaos have been fanned as more lovers of lore and character sheets debate on the best way to play a table top game.

Personally, I love digital content. That’s not to say that screens dominate the table during the game. It just keeps things less cluttered. The biggest bonus is that a map (among character sheets and other small details) can be printed out and drawn over a million times over!

The coolest find this week is a fantasy map maker. Inkarnate is a website that allows any Game Creator to create a map to their own specifications. The range is tremendous; from world maps to furniture decorating a building, it has it all. My first impression: this caters to the medieval setting that most are used to seeing in D&D. My hope is that they accommodate other map aesthetics as well.

Color Coded Calendar

Each week I keep track of events so you don’t have to! This is amazing since I’m neurodivergent. But below are events that I really think you’ll enjoy…

Each week The New Parkway Theater in Oakland has a variety of events. The two that I love the most are Drinks & Dragons (Wednesdays) and Trivia (Thursdays) respectively. Check out The New Parkway website for further information on these and other events. You cannot go wrong no matter what day you show up.

Monthly Stuff

OmNomNom Burlesque will perform at Amado’s in the Mission District. This month’s theme is Afro Futurism.

998 Valencia St.

February 25th at 8.30pm

Pop Culture

Each week I include media that I’ve enjoyed. If you’re a creator of any kind, please email me to be included in this list. I love discovering new artists; from singer-songwriters to upcoming directors, and beyond.

This week a special mention must be made to the video below. Tennessee has done a lot of questionable things lately. But something UNquestionable was Clyde Stubblefield and his contribution to Hip Hop, among other genres of music.

A short documentary about Clyde Stubblefield.

  • I love dogs. NYC banned dogs on subways. This beautiful mess happened.

  • I was hanging out with friends after Poetry Slime, and we started talking about bands we listen to. I’ve always enjoyed the more mainstream stuff, but I took notes. I’m in love with these new-to-me bands:

    • Plumander

    • Destroy Boys

    • Illuminati Hotties

    • Japanther

    • Amyl and the Sniffers

Week 50 | Sunny but cold Writing Blog

Week 50

A warm story for a cold week.

A Scatter of Light is the cozy sapphic romance in the Bay Area that I needed this week.

2022 is coming to a close. There’s less than two weeks left of the year. And I could not be busier. I’m really happy to be in this current situation. I’ve finished a first draft, need to complete a second, working on a nebulous third fictional piece (and performing it in front of people!), started hosting my podcast again, and even helping start a business! Among other things.

But most importantly, I’m learning when to finish something and take time for myself. That felt difficult when I was back in Memphis but seems more manageable in Oakland. I think with a big move comes big clarity. I still miss the friends I left in my hometown, and I love living in California. It’s a weird dual feeling, and I miss each and every one of them.

Fabulosa Books in the Castro district of San Francisco sells postcards. And I love postcards! I’m sending a few out to friends and chosen family. I’m actually using my two Instagram accounts to showcase them, bit by bit.

Poetry Slime at Milk SF

Poetry Slime is hosted by Milk SF on the third Saturday of every month.

There was a goth video that someone mentioned in an Instagram video. I don’t recall exactly when I found the original video, but this definitely brought me back a ways. This is hilarious because I’ve been listening to a lot of emo , punk, and even some clips on social sites. I’m living the emo days that I never got to experience in my teens and twenties.

An image from Poetry Slime from this past Saturday (18 December 2022).

I had the opportunity to read the first chapter of a story called Life After Trans at an LGBT community event called Queer Bedtime Stories. I got some positive feedback, so I’m excited to continue the revisions. I know it’s not perfect, and I’m actively revising it along with my book. I hope to continue receiving feedback and make it stronger.

Over the weekend I participated in another queer event called Poetry Slime (like a slam, but gay and non-competitive). I created a small series of haiku that discuss moments on BART (the Bay Area Rapid Transit system), and it got a good laugh. We also create prompts for each other and write based off of that. I got the prompt “the last time you were watching city lights in the distance.” I wrote about my last night living in Memphis and the various places I recalled before my big move.

I tend to write drama more than anything else. I’m not as great at comedy like others are. At the same time, I do create jokes in the scenarios in a sci-fi series. But I’m not witty enough to think of jokes on the spot. Still, I love adding my dramatic and pensive works into the mix of all this queer words.

Texis (2021) by Sleigh Bells

Sleigh Bells is a Brooklyn band that I listen to primarily in December. I’m not a fan of Christmas music, as it hasn’t changed at all since the ‘50s. In other words, it’s all trash. Except for this band. They are a strange duo, mixing various genres including but not limited to pop, hip hop, metal, and punk.

I never thought I was interested in romance novels. It turns out that I’m into queer romance novels, Sapphic to be specific. A Scatter of Light is a light sequel to the amazing Last Night at the Telegraph Club. I plunged into the first book on a whim, as I’m usually hesitant to read historical fiction. The cause of such hesitation is currently unknown and has been left by the wayside. I’d like to expand on this sequel in future posts since it covers places I’ve visited in the past few months. But I will say: it’s pretty awesome to read about events taking place less than 15 miles from where you live!

Here’s some cool things from this week:

  • Instagram post that took me back in time.

  • YouTube video that the Instagram post is about.

  • A Scatter of Light

  • Poetry Slime

Week 49 | Rainy Writing Blog

This week has been filled with rain. So I wanted to get out of the office and explore. I visited downtown Oakland and learned a little bit about Jack London, though there were other things that interested me.

Two things did occur. The first: I found a review on Yelp connected to a closed restaurant. One that has been closed since 2017 or earlier. I went to the location: where a former Rainforest Cafe used to be. There is a Madame Tussauds with an entrance that’s practically boarded up with a McDonald’s next to it. I determined this space is where the Rainforest Cafe used to be. If you want to be really specific, it’s where “Fisherman’s Wharf” is stamped on Apple Maps.

Gifts from the past from my chosen family, Alexis, Ally, and Terri.

So clearly this reviewer got the wrong location. And I found this hilarious. I spent the afternoon figuring out where this mysterious restaurant might be. So I went to Applebee’s at the other end of the block, where I paid $16 for mozzarella sticks. I did not find this hilarious, although the views were nice. I decided to come back and try the sourdough bread at Boudin’s at a later time.

The waitress and I determined this had to be the Hard Rock Cafe. The sun was starting to go down, and I don’t like being outside after dark (whoa is me).

The second: I want to help more queer art be made. I don’t exactly know how I’m going to make this happen, but I have the equipment and drive to help make that happen. But I’m working with my business partner to make that happen. Because that’s how I want to express myself. By helping queer art (especially if it’s film) come to life.

The writing done this week has been two fold. One is the outlining of my next next novel. But there’s also a short pice that I’m working on called Life After Trans. It deals with the issues faced after transitioning and the people and hobbies picked up along the way. This is a story about the journey, about becoming comfortable with the space around you. And I’m having fun expanding upon this three year old short story.

Check them out on Spotify!

There were a couple of birthdays of my chosen family this week. I created a couple of videos specific to them and I couldn’t have had more fun.

On a slightly different note, I’ve been dealing with religious trauma lately. It’s not something I can put into words yet exactly (beyond this sentence). But I’m looking at paganism in a new light. I’m not looking into crystals or spells, though that would be amazing to learn about. What I am doing is looking up Norse gods and seeing embodiments of nature that fit my personality. The research is fun and speaks to the Scandinavian and Irish part of me.

I started watching Wednesday this week. I am enjoying the show. It’s a great progression of character and lore around the family. The show itself seems to embrace the absurdity and weirdness and runs with it, and adds to the family’s history. That much I really enjoy.

Who knew that a writer would watch for the story!

A clip from Bell, Book and Candle.

Things I enjoyed this week:

  • Sovereign, sequel to Dreadnaught

  • Chloie P. and The Scouts

  • Queer Classics presenting the next movie (December 11).

Sovereign, by April Daniels.