Monday, May 10, 2010

As I grow into Senior Years according to the Zellers’ scale on the age of Seniority, I am realizing as I get older my efforts to make things pretty becomes more dubious. After all a Gay Man’s life is committed to making things pretty- isn’t it?

If you’re Gay- and old, you may know of what I speak. Case in point is the window at Sanderson Monument on Peter Street South in the Arts District of Downtown Orillia. The Sanderson Monument Company allows me to use one of their windows as a promotional venue for Swisssh Radio. I am very grateful and the window gets noticed.
That’s good- right?
Everybody wants to get noticed!

Yesterday, it was time to “freshen up” the window from a display I had made back in mid-March. I gathered some fake flowers together, a trio of framed photos and other bits and pieces. I lowered the Swisssh window sign to eye level- for passerbys on the street. I stuck bunches of flowers in florist foam along the inside ledge of the window and placed three framed prints in between the “fake” flora and fauna.
Voila!
Not quite. I just couldn’t stir up enough “Gay” to make the window as pretty as I had wanted. That’s why I am starting to believe I have lost my “pretty touch”- much like King Midas. You remember the King. After a mad spree of touching and turning this and that into Gold, he eventually lost it. His Golden touch I mean. Now, sadly, the Midas Touch only belongs to Joan Rivers who takes cheap costume jewellery and turns it “golden”. Translate “golden” to mean mega bucks!

I am still thinking about what I can do to improve the window. I think I need another 25 bunches of fake flowers to bring it to life. Not helping in my attempt to “cheer” things up, is a planter- to the far right in the window, featuring 4 carved Jesus figures- each nailed to a cross, encircling the pot. It reminded me of the Monty Python skit from “Life of Brian.”

A Roman approaches a man in a long queue. Laying a caring hand on his shoulder, the Roman speaks softly and with great empathy.
~Crucifixion or Freedom?
-Freedom, please.
~Very good sir. Down the hall. First door on the right.
-Naw. I’m just kidding. It’s crucifixion!
~Oh- hah,hah, very good Sir. Now, down the hall, third door on the right. One cross each.
Even a Gay man can’t pretty that bit of gruesome up! I’ll keep my thinking cap on. Any suggestions gratefully received.

Why, somebody reads Swisssh the Website (http://www.swisssh.ca/) !!

One of our “bloggers” stepped into a bit of “do-do” when someone from a “particular hierarchy” took exception to the written word that appeared in a column on Swisssh.
Don’t bother trying to find the column on the site. It’s not there any longer. Don’t try to speculate either. Just buy me a couple of Martinis one hot summer day and I’ll effortlessly spew forth the details.

Sometimes when one writes the truth, others take exception to protect what they have. At times I am surprised that so much of the population- who can read, actually read Swisssh. In this case I am blown away- just like the column. Only once before did I remove content. When I think back to that first occasion, I now wish I had not bowed to pressure.
One learns.

I removed the “offending” column this time because it was old news anyway and should have been refreshed a couple of weeks ago. This time it wasn’t directed at me but at the author. I wanted to stop the oppression and the inquisition.

Now, if you want to write a Blog on Swisssh the Website, get in touch with the website- swisssh@rogers.com. I guarantee it will be read when posted. One doesn’t always get feedback but know that what you create will be given an ear- or at least an eye.

You have just read Blog #60!!
Have a good one!