For some, it was a House In Vermont, perhaps a House In Vegas. Some Caught the Monkey. Others had the Booty Flu, Butt Pox, or African hickey. For the optimists -- He Intends Victory. In the wake of the AIDS epidemic, there were any number of colorful ways to discreetly reveal who among us was HIV+. Maybe it's a sign of the times, or I'm jaded, or perhaps it's because my … [Read more...] about The Rockford Files – Choose HIV before it Chooses you
The Rockford Files
The Rockford Files – It’s Good To Be King
I never cared much about homework when I was a kid. There were so many other things I would have rather been doing. I quickly realized that almost anything was fun compared to algebra. As a seventh grader, completing my homework wasn't my strongest suit. There are so few to choose from, but one of my most memorable homework assignments came from Mrs. Green in English class. … [Read more...] about The Rockford Files – It’s Good To Be King
The Rockford Files – Come Together
There I was on a recent summer evening, drinking coffee in a crowded Hell's Kitchen cafe in Manhattan. I wasn't texting, tweeting, or scrolling; just drinking coffee - like a psychopath. I was surrounded by a sea of vibrant faces, primarily gay, and illuminated mainly by the glow of their smartphone screens. The irony isn't lost on me - here I am, in New York City, in a … [Read more...] about The Rockford Files – Come Together
The Rockford Files: Fraggle Knock
Everyone survives New York in their own way. I don't know if it was by chance, circumstance, or a combination, but I found that my prime productive hours were between midnight and 7am. My days were spent auditioning, working odd jobs, or taking classes, but it wasn't until the sun went down that I began to thrive. And why not? The blistering sun was gone, the streets … [Read more...] about The Rockford Files: Fraggle Knock
The Rockford Files: Daydream Believer
Picture it—a sixth grade science class. The sun shone through large, closed windows, heating up the classroom to a level between bake and broil. We had just finished lunch period, and I could feel the onset of a food coma fast approaching. Science was the last thing on my mind. I took my seat near the window, looked outside, and my imagination took off. I don't remember where … [Read more...] about The Rockford Files: Daydream Believer
The Rockford Files: The Goon Boom
The beat goes on and on and on. "Gooning" is often reduced to “excessive masturbation.” What does that even mean, anyway, "Excessive"? The hours spent trolling through Pornhub, scouring pages of sex until you find the “right” scene to release yourself, could be considered excessive masturbation. I mean, how many times have you been late for work because you couldn't … [Read more...] about The Rockford Files: The Goon Boom
The Rockford Files: Pick A Side
The word "side" is unique in the English language. It can be used as a root word (as in the side of a building), a suffix (outside), or a prefix (sidecar) – even a sexual identity. In my day, the choices were gay or straight. The topic of sexual identity was barely discussed, much less elaborated on. So, when I hear the word side, my fat ass thinks of bacon, macaroni and … [Read more...] about The Rockford Files: Pick A Side
Hook, Line, and Sinker
Queerbaiting: What it is, Why it's wrong, and How to stop it. What is Queerbaiting? Over the years, "Queerbaiting" has expanded to include a variety of scenarios. Still, for this article, Queerbaiting is when pop culture creators plant the seed of a same-sex relationship to draw in LGBTQ audiences but don't allow that relationship to thrive or develop into something … [Read more...] about Hook, Line, and Sinker
Cruising: A casualty of the digital age
If you’re expecting to read something about love on the High Seas or are looking for the Top 10 reasons you should never take a boyfriend on an Atlantis Cruise -- sorry, Sis, this article is about cruising without a boat. This week, Daddy talks “cruising”, the down-and-dirty kind. Thanks to the internet and dating apps, cruising is no longer a tool kept in our sexual … [Read more...] about Cruising: A casualty of the digital age
The Rockford Files: True Value
“I don’t want money. Only people who pay their bills want that.” Oscar Wilde Money is a necessity of life. We worry about it. We dream about it. We invent ways to make more of it. Most people have some. Some people have too much. Too many people need more. According to my accountant, I have enough money to last me the rest of my life - if I die within the … [Read more...] about The Rockford Files: True Value