Tonight's queer artist feature is The Genuine Gypsy
The Genuine Gypsy
I remember spending days at the beach as a boy. Summers in the sand, backgammon boards baking in the sun, the dice skipping. The smell of salt and cigarettes. Noon turned to dusk and we'd gather our camp and head back down PCH, cruising, eyes closed, our chests burned. Always lingering a taste for the coast. This routine continued through my 20's when I collided with a wonderful group of artists and storytellers. We imagined worlds with characters and creatures. Summers turned into fall and fall into winter. Winter to spring. We created beauty and got lost through the lens. It was an escape from reality, from heartache, our regrets, our insecurities. Wondering the alleys of Los Angeles in the heat looking for the next inspiration to jump out. The beaded walls of the Turkish Tea Shop. The Man with Pearls. The Lady of Crowns. From aisles of suede, our fingers through tassels; To the junkyards of the San Fernando Valley. The hunt was on. The Vibe Tribe, Style Pirates. Always lingering a taste for the sea. For the Magick, romance and enigmatic behavior merfolk symbolize. I've been roping my legs since boyhood. Using concoctions as a makeshift tail. Placing momentary muses in them over the years, but never myself. I always did find a mermaid, but the tides drifted me from them and them from me. It took those un-forseen departures into the deep for me to adjust my eyes. Clear the salt. Change how I see things. Look for the good in all situations. I took the lessons and looked for new opportunities to grow and evolve. I let all the extra stress, worry, and overthinking wash away. The magnetic mind. Simply believe in it until it manifests. Don't overthink how it will happen, it will surprise you; Don't worry about when it will happen, just believe in it. Believe in yourself. Everything in life starts with our mindset first and our actions second. Our actions follow our thoughts, beliefs and ideas. To make a shift, to free our energy: start with getting the mind right, and then, take action. Make it happen. Shock everyone. Never stop chasing tail. If the plan doesn't work, and it rarely does, change the plan. Never the goal. It's about embracing yourself and finding your tribe. There's no need to be accepted by everyone, we have to accept ourselves and understand that souls recognize each other by vibes, ...not by appearances. Age happens, wrinkles, crinkles, ruffles, and rolls; but the good juju, the gestures, the efforts, and the energy is where attraction lies. In the end only three things matter, how much you cared, how gently you lived and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you. So love generously, live mindfully, and try to leave with ease if the time comes. People are going to talk, no matter what you do. So might as well do whatever brings you joy, live your best life, be true to yourself, receive the good with open arms, and accept the bad with an open mind. Pain does not define us, our ability to transform it does. Sometimes we have to suffer in life, not because we were bad, but because we didn't know where and when to stop being good. Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything. Perhaps it's about unbecoming everything that isn't really us, so we could be who we were meant to be in the first place. I'm closer to the sea than I ever imagined growing up. The backgammon boards have vanished from the Sand, the dice no longer skip, the smokes are out ; but the smell of salt, the smell of the salt is stronger than ever. A pull from the Sea People. Calling from the waves. I was so tired of treading water I forgot how to take the dive. My toes got cold, with a tremble in my chest, but I've taken the plunge. So let's bathe in nostalgia. And find the art to it all. An art - to the art of being different, but never ugly. The art of being queer.
The Genuine Gypsy
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The Art of Being Queer
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