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.

Travel Vlog

This past week has been spent in seclusion. I have been applying to jobs for months. It’s been grueling. But I have switched tactics. So I have been sitting down and making plans. And editing.

I have published the first vlog in a while. This is part of a long term plan. Unfortunately there isn’t much I can say here. But I can share my first vlog. I’m still pretty new to all this. And I will only get better. I love traveling, and want to show people where I go. After all, it’s what you learn along the way to the destination that matters. So while I apologize for not having too much beyond a video to share, I’m just as excited to say that I have big plans in the near future.

Link in headline.

Queer Intro

This post is for the week of January 22 - 28

Jobs

January is often a slow month as many folks recover from parties and a resistance to there being a new year at all. This month has been surprisingly busy for me. Then again, I swan dived into the new year. At the same time, I will pace myself in February.

Revising my book has been crazy and amazing, but I’m applying for jobs. I can’t simply write fiction in my apartment forever. It was always the plan to job hunt. Videography jobs do not come easy, but I’m doing everything in my power to find some suitable gigs.

Employment searches aside, I have also spent a portion of time outside the Bay Area this week. This Gay in the Bay has flown to Las Vegas! Next week will resume finding events and sharing them.

Travel

This week a good friend of mine celebrated her birthday. She celebrates the entire week; and lives in Las Vegas. Earlier this month I purchased a plane ticket and made plans to help celebrate. Because who doesn’t like celebrating in Vegas?

I spent the better part of this week focusing on this trip, so writing took a back burner to celebrate my friend’s next circle around the sun. That being said, there are highlights to this trip.

There were highlights aplenty. None of which I have the energy to post about this Sunday evening. I will need to post separate reviews. This will include pictures (Instagram) and videos YouTube).

National News

Tyre Nichols is — was — a Memphian like myself. On January 10, 2023 Tyre Nichols was brutally attached by a branch of the police force called Scorpion Unit. Five of these law enforcers attacked Nichols during a traffic stop. He was sent to the hospital and passed away after three days. He was pepper sprayed and tasered when use of force was never needed.

Nichols was a skateboarder and budding photographer. And these men decided he was a threat. The Memphis Police Department has since released the officers from their duty and disbanded the Scorpion Unit.

The South has a long history of racial discrimination that is difficult to come to grips and reconcile. This story of a murdered black creative person is an unfortunate addition to this history. However, many are raising their voices once again to end this; not simply fire those that committed the murder. Voices are calling for not only a change in who is in charge of the term “law enforcement,” but a change in the system itself.

At this time, the five former officers are being charged with second degree murder; which is defined as murder with malicious intent but is not premeditated.

Some of these voices are secondary sources on my Facebook feed. The AP News reported today that many are, indeed, aware that sweeping change must happen. Axios also reports today that Senator Durbin (D-Illinois) would not rule out a federal investigation for the entire Memphis Police Department. Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis will have a lot to juggle as this progresses.

I Quit

A strange idea popped into my head while visiting the Writer’s Block Bookstore: What if I gave up almost all forms of digital entertainment?

My attention span has been incredibly short for some time now. I love reading and would like to make that a bigger hobby. Social media has been a no-brainer; TikTok has been the worst at vanquishing my attention span, while others still have me checking every few minutes. However, I believe the biggest offender has been watching a ton of television. There are so many shows that I enjoy, but I often find myself binge-watching.

The plan is to limit most everything that is visual and give myself more time reading and writing. This won’t be easy.

Pop Culture

Love by PEGGY
Las Vegas Sights:
- Neon Museum
- Toast Society Cafe
- Torpedo Comics
- Little Shop of Magic
- Dominique Ansel Bakery within Caesar’s Palace
- Atomic Liquors, Downtown
- Writer’s Block Bookstore
- Red Rocks
- Fremont Experience