Gay in the Bay | Vol. 2023, Issue 26

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

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.

Looking toward the future

This week’s blog is going to be a little different. It’s looking toward the future! Which is actually funny considering this post lands in the exact middle of the year.

But let’s first look back at the focus (or possibly unfocus) of this blog. In its current form, there isn’t much form to the function. And some weeks, like the past couple after my road trip, have honestly been a blur! What do I mean by this?

For starters, this began as a way to encourage myself to stay on top of goings-on in San Francisco and the larger Bay Area. But I quickly realized that I have settled into several monthly or weekly events. Not great journalism, but to settle down is human (alongside erring, but let’s not guilt trip too much). How can a recent resident stay in in touch with the pulse of life in the metro area? Well, videos and photography are two ways to do this.

I’m not the best at conversations. I’m one of quite a few that have discovered they are undiagnosed autistic and ADHD, and even a laundry list of other possibilities. My brain just works differently than many others. So that presents another question: How do I create content that works as a kind of conversation? Videos and photography are two ways to do this.

I’ve been looking for a job since the beginning of the year. And only recently have I received rejection emails. Most haven’t given me the time of day to respond. And video and photography are two things that I am passionate about.

Now, I’m no marketer. But that doesn’t mean I’m not able to become one for myself. I’m better at the technical side of things. I love setting up the background for a film or photography set, and then taking the pictures. It’s a melding of creativity and ingenuity.

What the Hell Am I Getting At?

The biggest thing is this: I’m selling my photography, for starters.

But that’s not the only thing going on. For many of the pieces I sell, I will create a blog post that will recount the story surrounding the piece. Sometimes a photo comes about in the middle of adventure! If a picture is worth a thousand words, then whomever pays for my photography will purchase the full experience.

I’m preparing to start off 5 entries as the first of the series. A couple of them are in the gallery on my site!

I’m also starting a travel vlog for my YouTube channel. I’m labeling everything as Sweeney Lens from here on out, just to make the branding easier to achieve. From here on out, there may not be weekly posts. However, I will be making things much more interactive and sharable; wonderful for the Social Media Age that we all begrudgingly live in. Also, there are certain things that happen that should have a post of their very own. Like birthday gifts I’m sharing with friends (DnD character sheets based off of my friends’ personality); traveling to a particular place; breaking things up this way just makes more sense to include in a boring ole business model.

What To Expect Soon

There is an event going on this Saturday hosted by one of my incredible house mates. It’s a fundraiser for Burning Man. And I’ll be hanging my pictures in our Tea Lounge to entice potential buyers.

And this also feels like it will be a blog on how I conduct my business in the photography world. There’s so much I need to learn about the art of photography itself, marketing, and other aspects that I need to learn and want to share.

So, I hope to start some discussions soon. About art, about how-to’s, about photography!

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 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 22

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

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.

How to Film the Golden Gate Bridge

I took a break from writing this past week. This isn’t to say I didn’t write a single word; I did, but everything feels stale. But what wasn’t stale was my first time lapse!

The Golden Gate Bridge is the most photographed bridge in the world. There’s just something alluring about this structure. I decided make the trek down to Marshall’s Beach and film a time lapse. Here's what I learned:

  1. Know your subject. This applies to the camera just as much as the subject itself. Questions to ask: what are you shooting? What exactly are you achieving here? This will apply for platforms; think film (fiction or documentary), commercial, or maybe a YouTube video. What format is required? Where does the customer want the shot? Questions such as these will help you figure out the best way to get that “money shot.” The more questions you ask the customer or yourself, the more prepared you will be.

  2. Learn the best time of year to film. June, to my surprise, is not the best time to film the GGB. The sun dips behind the mountains this time of year. Which, don’t get me wrong, this is still beautiful! But the light doesn’t hit the bridge the same way. Know when the sun will hit the bridge during the golden hour.

  3. Know your place. Location, location, location! I had no idea where a safe place was to set up. As a result, I was close to the steps (which is safe for me and my gear) but I wasn’t close enough to the water. The best commercial photos of the GGB looks like the camera is right on the rocks and water. But make sure the tide doesn’t take you out with it. Find a safe place to set up.

  4. Bring the right gear. This may vary between photographer and videographer. But I decided to bring my GoPro Hero9, a lightweight tripod, and a 5LBS sandbag. This may be different the next time I go out and film. But don’t expect every shoot to require the same amount of gear. Create a checklist of your gear and stick with it.

  5. Bring your boots. An off-shoot of #1. Going to Marshall’s Beach requires you to climb down a steep hillside. If you are like me, out of shape or have terrible lungs, you will know to take breaks on the way down and up. Getting a great landscape photo/video will require some hoofin’ it.

I am updating my portfolio, and beginning to learn more about marketing for myself and my photos/videos. It’s a great time to become more focused and find my target audience.

There were many people that walked in front of my camera, as you’ll see in the YouTube video I uploaded. But toward the end, someone approached me and asked me to take his photo with his parents. They had driven all the way from Yosemite to the edge of San Francisco. I felt like an NPC in their life journey that day. That is to say, something came about it, and it felt great. Now I know what to expect the next time I go out to film the Golden Gate Bridge.

There are photos and a couple of vlog-type videos below.

She’s a Witch!

Simona Kossak was considered a witch in her day. She was an incredibly smart woman who held a PhD in Biology, an author, photographer, and an uncompromising conservation activist. She refused to follow the trends and styles of her day. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that she was connected to being a witch.

Here, however, we focus on the incredible photos that she contributed to the world. There is an intimacy that we don’t often see in the wild outdoors. The very first picture we see has a boar sitting at (and on top of) a wooden table. This isn’t something we see very often. And if I’m being honest, this is something I would love to see more of; the wild and civilized being brought into a weird mish-mash of humanity living quietly with nature.

Simona was called a lot of things (witch, activist being two) that is oft considered negative. But they should be positive connotations, as they are things that bring us closer to nature. And that is something we could all have more of; including myself.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

This isn’t a full review. It really couldn’t be, because I’d be far too biased toward this film. Quite frankly, this is my favorite animated film of all time. Yes, this even surpasses the original.

The joke I’ve had with everyone I’ve spoken to about this is: “They pulled a Matrix.” Meaning, the first film established the universe-skipping group of characters and the world in which they interact. Now, there is a duology of movies happening with almost too much going on. There are so many one-liners, references, and memes to keep count. And I can’t wait until the third movie, coming out next year.

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 14

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 2 - 8.

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.

Let’s stop writing and enjoy the flowers for a minute…

This week has been a hurricane of news reports, obituaries, and inability to really slow down. I’ve celebrated a friend’s birthday. I shaved my head for a photo project (more on that after I edit them). I’ve prepared for (cue horror music) for Tax Day. I’ve even decided to shelf my superhero book and focus on another book for the time being. But I’ve written a poem based off of a Cure song. It’s been a gloriously weird week. And I have a feeling that things are only going to speed up from here. That’s why I need to take more time to slow down and enjoy the scenery that surrounds me.

Speaking of scenery, I took a break from this here computer to head out and take some photos. They’re up on Instagram (@sweeneylens if you don’t already know), but you can also see them here. I don’t know anything about this building, except that it’s not in use. There was a crane on a tiny island, which I found endlessly fascinating. I’m starting to discover that I like taking pictures of bridges framed within trees and/or buildings.

Next week is going to be more business-focused. Have you ever thought about aspect ratios? Well, let’s talk shop. About LinkedIn Banners, about the various Instagram ratios, about it all! If you’re like me, you like to edit before you bring your photos onto the various platforms. And we’ll discuss why that matters.

News

Trans Rights Victories in Three States

I’m shortening descriptions this week, because we are in the weeds of details in news. But let’s start things off with a positive story, brought to you by Erin Reed.

Full disclosure, I have no affiliation with Erin Reed. We do not know each other. I have similar interests in what she covers and would like to give her voice more of an audience. Link in headline.

Tennessee is now Fascist

This past week three Democrats were forcefully removed from the State Legislature. Why? Their role in a protest in calling for more gun control. This happened in the wake of the unfortunate shooting in Nashville the week prior.

The Nashville shooting was not covered here, so there are no links to this site. This was not intentional; an oversight by Quality Control Editor Josie. In case you missed that, an individual walked into a grade school and open-fired upon students, teachers, and staff. It is a complicated and sensitive matter that has only fanned the flame of intolerance in the Tennessee Legislature.

Link to the Tennessee Three in the headline. I stand by the Tennessee Three.

LGBT Group Targeted

For once, Florida is not the only state with a strange occurrence from a resident. A Maryland man was charged for threats to the Human Rights Campaign. Allegedly there were references to the Nashville shooting on March 27, 2023. The voicemail was left on the 28th.

All of this is in the wake of the Nashville shooting of a christian school. The charge is interstate communications with a threat to injure, according to the article. Link in headline.

Rest in Power Heklina

Early last week we received news of a performance cut short. Last Monday Heklina, 55, was performing at London’s Soho Theater with their friend Peaches Christ. She is well-known for many things, more than I am familiar with. For full transparency I will allow The San Francisco Standard list out her full list of performances.

Link in headline.

Track Runner Keeps on Truckin’

A transgender youth is allowed to continue running in track-and-field. This was pushed through to the United States Supreme Court. For once, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trans Community. These issues often become complicated, but the article, linked in headline above, does a good job of covering it.

Montana House Bill 359

Montana is certainly Puritanical these days. This bill would be the second drag ban in the US. This would actually go further than the Tennessee drag ban bill. In short, this would ban anything that may have the “intent to incite lustful thoughts.” This has some interesting ramifications, such as theater productions to Halloween costumes.

Link in headline.

Montana… Again

This time we cover the Montana Senate Bill 458, dubbed the LGBTQ Erasure Act.

New Queer Dating App

Some new and positive news! Mary Richardson is a Penn State York student that has created a queer-friendly dating app for bisexuals. Full article linked above.

Color Coded Calendar

Lately I have not been able to attend or keep up with various events. But this and next week have several that I’ll be attending. And I will have updates on each of them.

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. I am officially a new Game Master, and want to help make D&D more fun at the New Parkway. 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.

Local Events

Beta Test Burlesque

Beta Test Burlesque has their next show coming up this Saturday. The theme? The sexiest of them all: Death and Taxes. The show is sold out, but if you’re late to the ticket game, there may be last minute I-can’t-go posts. Link in headline.

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.