diligentme

[diligentme2-blog]

Watch! Film The Police

I know a few cops, and I can’t imagine them participating in the many injustices carried out against american citizens, especially those against the OWS protesters. Yet they’re not rushing to the side of the protesters either.

Just Saying…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyT1buoyTnY?wmode=transparent]

via youtube.com

“B. DOLAN’s "FILM THE POLICE” pays tribute to N.W.A.’s infamous “F*ck the Police,” serving as a call to action for the digitized media movement while responding to the recent explosion of police brutality all across the world.“

[diligentme2-blog]

Sums me up pretty well

I was browsing through www.douchbagsofgrinder.com tonight when i came across the phrase "racial microaggressions". Researching this has reinforced what I've already learned through (subconsciously) throughout the years. And YES... I'm tired, frustrated and angry.

They are often made to feel excluded, untrustworthy, second-class citizens, and abnormal. People of color often describe the terrible feeling of being watched suspiciously in stores, that any slipup they make would negatively impact every person of color, that they felt pressured to represent the group in positive ways, and that they feel trapped in a stereotype. The burden of constant vigilance drains and saps psychological and spiritual energies of targets and contributes to chronic fatigue and a feeling of racial frustration and anger.

via psychologytoday.com

[diligentme2-blog]

Watch! Film The Police

I know a few cops, and I can't imagine them participating in the many injustices carried out against american citizens, especially those against the OWS protesters. Yet they're not rushing to the side of the protesters either.

Just Saying...

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyT1buoyTnY?wmode=transparent]

via youtube.com

"B. DOLAN's "FILM THE POLICE" pays tribute to N.W.A.'s infamous "F*ck the Police," serving as a call to action for the digitized media movement while responding to the recent explosion of police brutality all across the world."

[diligentme2-blog]

America the Diligent (Weeks 8&9)

Unfortunately because of financial reasons Nick would not be joining us in L.A., Hawaii, or Alaska.  Did I mention before that we're broke? Yet still, the tour must go on! So our (Me and Nate) flight to L.A. was super early in the morning and I was deathly tired so sleep came with ease; and the next thing I know we're  in sunny L.A. We rented a car and headed straight to West Hollywood where we did the cruise (i mean work) at the cafe thing for a little bit and then headed to our host's house.   Mark and his partner Brayan live in a gorgeous home in the hills of Silver Lake. There's a deck, a pool, a hot tub, and a great view overlooking the valley.  That first night we went back into west hollywood where we met with some folk from the Courage Campaign at the world renowned Abbey Bar.  The night didn’t end there tho. We had a drink at Fiesta Cantina before ending the night at Mr. Black (LA).  Mr. Black was a NYC staple for me back in summer of 07’, I actually hung out with Nathan for the first time there that summer.  In it’s many incarnations since, the party has never lived up to the original and the LA version is no exception. The next 3 days were a fast blur that went a bit like this… Work at coffee shops in Silver Lake, meetup with college friends, reading/screening events, and a full day of story gathering in L.A.   I made several bar appearances too including a stop at Ultra Suede in the midst of an awesome lesbian dance party.  Our last night was one of debauchery that included several bars, crashing a house party, and a hot tub nightcap.  Some much fun; well, at least the parts I can remember.  A couple of hours later we were off to LAX in route to Hawaii. Aloha!

Our host Mark

Some of my Rutgers peeps!

Queer As Folk's Peter Paige

Jill Bennett is sooo sweet! Srrsly!

Dustin Lance Black shared a video story

Goodbye L.A. So Nate was feeling a little under the weather when we were in LA, and between the previous night out and the long flight of re-circulated air, his condition wasn't a surprise once we reached Hawaii.  He powered through a fundraiser before succumbing to his fate; two nights bedridden with a fever.  With a man down I had to roam the streets of Honolulu alone.  Nothing crazy tho, I just ventured around a bit stoping at a bar or two for drinks and eye candy.  I actually enjoy exploring new cities on my own; it’s a different type of adventure.  I tend to be more relaxed, observant, and reflective when discovering on my own. On the third day Nate was feeling much better so we trekked out to the other side of Diamond Head to a private beach.  We spent the whole day writing names in the sand and making friends with our defacto tour guide and bartender Brian Navarette. After the beach we were taken to the amazing Side Street Inn, which is actually a restaurant, and damn was it GOOD! Bellies stuffed, and relaxed to the point of exhaustion, we headed back to the hotel for a power nap. Five hours later, we manage to wake, gathered ourselves, and head out. We met up with Brian, hung out at his awesome skyscraper apartment (which as a gorgeous view of the island), and then ended the night at a dance club called Fusion. I thought it was a supposed to be a gay club but it looked more like a bachelorette party, ladies ogling at the over-the-hill male dancers included. The ladies were the spectacle for me and once that got old… I decided it was time to retire for the night. Our final day in Hawaii was a mixed bag. The sun was out, we were on the beach, and we had a few drinks… Perfect right??? And then my iphone was stolen!  Right from underneath my nose too. After moping around for a while my spirits were lifted by a beautiful sunset, and with that came the realization that I’d be on a plane bound for frozen Alaska in a couple of hours.  I decided it best to try and enjoy my last moments in paradise. I did!

View of the ocean from the Waikiki Grand Hotel

Not a Double Rainbow :-(

This is Brian... Yes, the sun is so bright you've got to wear shades.

Nathan trying to be modest

I'm investigating the majestic banyan trees

Waikiki Sunset Ohhh Alaska…  Well if you were wondering, Yes it’s cold up there! But we didn’t let that stop us from having a great time. On our first day we explored downtown Anchorage on foot. We saw Ted Danson at a local eatery, I purchased a new phone, and the director of the city’s LGBT center treated us to a wonderful dinner. Day two consisted of gathering stories and holding a fundraiser at the local queer watering hole, Mad Myrna's. The fundraiser was simply amazing. The crowd was engaged and really showed us a good time.  Our MC, Paige Langit, ensured that everyone knew about our adventures and encouraged donations.  And boy did the donations come in!  There we also met a fast talking political type named Chris Constant. Chris can talk, and talk, and talk… but when he does I learned that one should listen. He knows a lot! He offered to give us a bit of a tour and to drive us to Wasilla the next day… we obliged. I spent the rest of the night dancing with my new friend Daniel whom I’d met earlier in the day. Unfortunately, his relationship came to an end earlier that night and he needed to get his mind off of things.  To that, I’ll go ahead and proclaim… mission accomplished!  A bit of Karaoke, a bunch of liquor, and dancing our asses off throughout the night was just what the doctor ordered.  The night seemed a little surreal at times, and at one point I was enlisted to give a pep talk… but not to Daniel.  This motivational speech was for a desperate and lonely lady that had been making advances at me.  After her approach failed she assumed that Daniel and I were an item and requested permission to watch us do the dirty.  Yes, I am for-serious! I had to explain to her that we were not sexually involved and that she was beautiful and deserved a man that knew as much.  After a few tears I think she left with a boosted self-image.  At least I hope so. Our final day was simply amazing and one of the best exploring experiences I’ve ever had.  Chris, Daniel, Nate and myself hopped into a Car and drove up to Wasilla to let the pink boots pay Miss Sarah Palin a visit. Our guide Chris made several stops along the way and provided tons of geographical and historical lessons that I dare not pretend to remember.  Finally we made it to Wasilla just to see the privacy fence that surrounds the Palin's compound. No worries tho, Chris has an idea on how to get closer... "Lets go out on the lake" he says. "Uhhhh Ohhhh... " I said.  "The ice is thick enough" he proclaimed... So after risking our lives attempting to get the perfect photo-op on the frozen lake we headed back to Anchorage and stopped at Chris’ house for moose sausage, beers and conversation. With great company and beautiful landscapes, Alaska turned out to be a true adventure and a perfect ending for this segment of our journey.

The Brehouse in Anchorage, Yummmmmm!

Daniel Naranjo in Front of His Artwork

Lewis from Wasill

Paige knows how to work a crowd

Cameras are tough to operate when wearing gloves

Abandonded Bridge North of Anchorage

We're glad to be here Wasilla!

Chris talked us into walking on the ice

I'm holding my breath hoping not to fall through the ice

You Betcha Those Pink Boots are in front of Sarah Palin's House Next up Arkansas , Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. Remember to follow follow more happenings at… 50statestorytour.com @Diligent Nick vs USA

[diligentme2-blog]

America the Diligent (Weeks 6&7)

Not a closed course... DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME The adventure begins after the jump! Our host in Palm Springs sprung for us to stay at the Desert Paradise Resort, a gay, clothing optional resort that caters primarily to the retired crowd. We optioned to keep our clothes on. But our new friend Wayne didn't.

Wayne ended up donating some $$$, wonder where he was hiding it? Unfortunately we arrived mid week during a rare rain storms thus turning the city into a ghost town. The turnout for our event at the Ace Hotel was dismal but that didn't stop us from taking advantage of the situation. We had a heated pool, a hot-tub, a sauna, a steam room and 20+ channels of gay porn to keep us preoccupied.

Desert Paradise Resort

These photos were taken some between Palm Springs and Las Vegas...

It's actually higher than it looks

Las Vegas, What's the saying again? Whatever happens in Vegas??? Well nothing happened in Vegas. I swear! We had two events scheduled and neither went as anticipated but we did our best to make lemonade...????  The first event was supposed to be a reading at UNLV however that ended up being more of rally for democratic candidates. Still we had a good time learning the ins and outs of local politics with J.Son of Naked Boy News and Nate got the opportunity to meet senator Harry Reid.

J.son of Naked Boy News

Dina Titus for Congress (she lost her race)

Nathan & Harry Reid The second event was supposed to be a fundraiser at a new bar/club called Secrets. Secrets is a loud, dimly lit "cabaret" joint with both male and female performers.  We were escorted through the red velvet rope, seated in a VIP area and were provided "complimentary" bottle service. Wha???  All of this for us? Well, it turns out that they were expecting an entire film crew to film a couple of the their performers. Oooppsss we had zero intention of filming that night and we definitely weren't equipped to handle a club situation like that. With a makeshift light bank I managed to pull something together in their back "champagne" room. We filmed for a few minutes and then partied the night away in our booth. I even managed to lose a buck or two to one of the performers ;-)  Ohhh, that complimentary bottle service came with a healthy $40 service fee.  Still, it was well worth it. Leaving Nevada, we stopped to take in some sights....

Me at The Hoover Damn [caption id="attachment_1654" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="(let's play 'add your own subtitle' for this one)"]

[/caption] Next, we had a choice... Go hours out of the way to see the Grand Canyon OR, go straight to Phoenix, AZ. That's a no brainer right? "Of Course Go the Grand Canyon!" Right? Well, that's exactly what we did. The plan was to drive to a town close to the Canyon, crash at a cheap motel, and rise early in the morning to catch the sunrise. Well, the motel wasn't terribly cheap, and we woke at 4:30 AM to the sound of rain against our window. Uggghhh Ohhhhhh! Needless to say, there wasn't a spectacular sunrise and our Canyon experience wasn't so Grand. :-(

Grand Canyon Sunrise... whee!

It got a little better tho Every time Pheonix was mentioned throughout our road trip it was accompanied by a distasteful glare and remarks of disgust. And now that I've visited I think I understand why. It's a lot like Vegas but with out the casinos; Useless! Why on earth would anyone go there? In it's defense we were only there one night, so i can't say i got a sampling of everything the city has to offer and in an effort to be positive, I will say that the weather was nice and that we had a good time at a local gay bar.  Nex Alamogordo, New Mexico is a strange little town. You have to drive through a "live" missile range and a border patrol check point to even get there. It appears like one of those towns time has left behind. If it weren't for the cars on the road, you'd think you were damned back to the early 80's. It's known for being the site of the first detonated nuclear bomb and if it weren't for the few really cool people I met there, I'd suggest they drop another nuke on the place. At first the people we met there appeared to be caricatures out of a Terry Gilliam film, but after chatting with them and hearing a few of their stories we warmed up to them to the point that there were many hugs and well wishing as we loaded up the van to leave.

Another thing Alamogordo has going for it is it's proximity to White Sands. White Sands is stunning. It's quiet, still, and calming!

Nick @ White Sands

Nate @ White Sands

Me @ White Sands After New Mexico we began our "rest week" and headed back to Austin with a quick pit stop in El Paso. On the way we had a blow out and got searched by the Border Patrol because our McDonald's hot cakes tipped off the drug dogs.  I'm not kidding!  Rest week turned into stress week in Austin We had some serious issues do deal with It seems like money was the solution to all of our issues, however we don't have a lot of it. The Van needed new tires and ball barrings amongst other things We've somehow managed to fill several hard-drives with footage from the road so we needed to purchase more. And Orbitz failed to provide us with the promised vouchers to get us to LA, Hawaii, and Alaska so we had purchase them too. Needless to say the bank accounts are empty thus putting the second leg of the tour in jeopardy. With all that on our minds we still managed to have a fun halloween weekend. Next up Las Angeles, Hawaii, and Alaska. Remember to follow follow more happenings at… 50statestorytour.com @Diligent Nick vs USA

[diligentme2-blog]

America the Diligent (Weeks 4&5)

So I must say… I pretty much love the North West… I mean I love it a Lot! Three amazing cities, all of which I could probably picture myself living. Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco! In Seattle we had the fortune of being hosted by the sexy Unicorn Booty boys, Nick and Kevin. I think they enjoyed our company as much as we did theirs. The first night was low key… dinner and geeked-out conversations about comics (Kevin and Nate) and web/video technology (Nick and myself). The next day Kevin sat down with us to do a to share his inspiring story. He spoke about his growing up as a foster kid, being homeless, surviving a serious heart condition, and losing everything in hurricane Katrina. He certainly hasn't had it easy, but things are looking good for him now… Later that night we had a fundraiser at 'Lobby Bar' followed by a night out on the town, ending at R Bar. At some point in the night I was fortunate enough to be introduced to delicious Dusty Hauck of Scenic Boys fame… Much of the night remains a blur but I do recall telling Kevin that I wanted to move to Seattle, and that sentiment is still strong.

Kevin & Nick

Our New Unicorn Booty Bumper Sticker The following day was spent filming the van video, touring downtown, and grubbing in the seaport market area. We ended the day with apocalyptic mini golf, inside an old prison that's currently used as studio space for an artist collective. Loads of fun! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kas3frSCmso&w=500&h=306]

Pike Place Market

Smash Putt Apocolyptic Mini Golf

Giant Jenga Oregon was next, Portland to be exact. My friend Paul back in Philly used to live there and had hyped the city so much that my expectations were high, very high. We arrived with barley enough time for a sandwich and soda before one of our events began. The screening/reading was held at Lent's Commons, an awesome cafe/multi purpose space, owned by one of Paul's friends name Ryan. I was quickly impressed with Ryan, not only is he a cutie, but he's also quite the handy man. Unsatisfied with the projection setup, he grabbed some tools, headed down to the basement and quickly assembled makeshift easel and screen for a projection surface… It was perfect!

Lent Commons Reading/Screening Event

Ryan & Peter

Angelica & Greg By the end of the event I had met several more of Paul's friends in addition to some folk that Nathan knew from his Ad agency days. who treated us to dinner at some high-brow asian fusion spot… it was interesting tho I can't say I enjoyed it. Our next move was to hit the streets… But what is there to do Portland? Strip Clubs of course! First stop was Magic Gardens, a total dive with a couple of surprisingly attractive ladies, not model types but definitely a class above the venue they were performing in. The straight bar didn't last very long tho… Ryan, Myself, and Nate ushered ourselves over to Silverado. I don't know what to really say about the place, but if you're ever in portland for a weekend and you like guys, then I recommend paying the boys there a visit; There's something for just about everyone. The next couple of days consisted of touring the downtown area, getting a video story from Portland's Mayor, attending a vigil for the recent rash of suicides, chatting relationships with my new bestie Kathleen, staying a night at a gay retirement community, an event at the ad agency Wieden & Kennedy and yes another visit to Silverado!

Nate with Mayor Sam Adams

Vigil @ Pioneer Courthouse Square (National Coming Out Day)

Kathleen  Smiles On our way to San Francisco we made a pit stop in a town called Ashland for a night. Thanks to our new friend from Wieden & Kennedy, Emily, we had a place to stay… with her mother. Our jaws dropped once we discovered that her mother was also David Fincher's mother. Seriously! Her name is Clair and she's one nice lady. She made us breakfast the next morning before sending us on our way.

Claire Fincher San Francisco was loads of fun. The first was pretty laid back until our van got towed. Some how we managed to block someone's driveway and for that favor, they had us towed. When all was said and done… we had taken a $500+ hit… WTF San Francisco!?!? That's a lot of money for being towed… an absurd amount if you ask me. We had one of our better ifd fundraiser the next day @ Lookout Bar. We raised a decent amount of money which was needed to offset the losses from the night before. In addition, in four hours I was there I only paid for one drink… I won't even try to tabulate the number of drinks consumed. After stopping in this bar called badlands and shutting down Q-Bar, we made a couple of new friends… all in the search for an after party. No Dice… We ended the night at a cheap Travel Lodge that our buddy Kyle from Salt Lake City was staying at.  The next day I took some me time and visited my college buddy at his office (yardbarker.com), did lunch, and then wondered around the Market Area… before returning for our reading/screening event at Magnet where we met-up with Kyle and his wonderful mother, Gay Lynn.  The next two days consisted of grabbing a couple of video stories, one from the Council Man currently holding Harvey Milk's seat, Bevan Dufty; visiting the golden gate bridge and finally rounding out our adventure with a tour of City Hall during a SWAT Team hostage exercise.  Oh did I mention going to a party called "Cock Fight"?  Yep... went to that too!

Our host Torr

Bay Bridge

Yardbarker Jeff & Mimi

Gay Lynn w/ the Pink Boots Kyle

I'm happy to be at the Golden Gate Bridge

Nate with Supervisor Bevan Dufty

Me @ City Hall On the way out of San Francisco we took in the majestic sights along the Pacific Coast Highway. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Next Up: Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, and Alamogordo. Remember to follow follow more happenings at… 50statestorytour.com @Diligent Nick vs USA

[diligentme2-blog]

Be Brave!

I'm not sure where or when i first heard the phrase "be brave" but it has stuck with me.   It sums up what i aspire to be.  I want to take that stand for whats right, even when it's unpopular, even if I'm the only one standing.  It's just putting it ALL on the line when it counts!  Thank you Joel Burns for doing just that! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax96cghOnY4&w=500&h=324]

[diligentme2-blog]

America the Diligent (weeks 3&4)

One month and 15 States later....  I'm still a truckin'! So our pit stop in Alexandria, Minnesota was unexpected.  What should have been a quick stop turned into a whole wonderful evening.  We filmed two stories at a gorgeous lake house while shooting the breeze over beers with new friends.  Unfortunately we had to leave if we intended on making to Fargo, ND that night as our host Jay, a medical doctor, was awaiting our arrival as he had to be at the hospital first thing the next morning. Oooppps…

Perry, Dave, Jason, Tim, Julie, Nathan, Me Fargo, What to say?  Did it live up to expectations? Well, it was awkward, uneventful, yet charming…  So yes, it did meet expectations.  The morning after our arrival  me and Nate stopped in a 'Hornbacher's' (a local supermarket chain) in search of a mail drop and unique locations for us to visit/film. The manager on duty, "Rodger" did everything imaginable to help us find some Norwegian Ship.  He tried his darnedest to get us directions and even went as far as to have a underling search though phone books for an address and phone number. Rodger was just so polite that it was frustratingly annoying.  The charade lasted nearly ten minutes… finally ending when Nate reluctantly revealed that he had pulled the information up on his iPhone upon first mention.  He seemed somewhat disappointed that he wasn't of more use…  I just wanted to give him a big hug.  Other than that, nothing worth mentioning happened…  I walked around the quaint town a bit and watched the trains go by.

Copy That Rodger (Fargo, ND)

Rail Road Depot (Fargo, ND)

The next stop was Grand Forks, North Dakota where we got a video story from Zach.  Zach is just a cool person.  Super wise for his age,  he moved the conversation along for what seemed like hours.  From cars to music to politics and life lessons,  never a dull moment!  Yeah, he's really cute but damn if he isn't charming too. If there was room enough in the van we would have kidnapped him and taken on the road with us.

Nate & Zach Our hosts in Grand Forks, PFLAG parents Pat and Roxanne, shocked us by informing us that we had to stay in a fully loaded luxury RV that was literally the size of a decent new york city apartment.  Ohhh the nerve!  The next morning we thanked them anyway and then left for Vermillion, South Dakota.

Me, Pat, Roxanne, and Nathan

In Vermillion we had a major issue! Our original host had fallen through, thus we were without a place to stay for two nights.  To make matters worse,  the tension in the van was thick;  No more than 5 words were exchanged over dinner at the local mexican food joint.  Fortunately we had unexpected saviors. Clint and Rochelle put us up the first night and five amazing straight frat-esque guys came through on the second night.   Clint and Rochelle handed us a can of whup-ass at Smash Bros.  while the guys got us liquored up.

Rochelle & Clint

Frank, Jay, and Me The next stop was Omaha.  Our hosts, Tom and Barbara Johnson were a god send.    They opened up their home and treated us like family. They setup a reading event for us and even allowed us to film their story.  They even dragged me and Nate out to the gay bars.  Unfortunately for us there's not a lot of happenings in Omaha in the middle of the week.  Me and Nate found other ways to entertain ourselves... (see video below).

Barbara & Tom The drive to Denver was our longest yet.  It took us nearly 13 hours…  and corn fields made up most of the journey.  We actually stopped at a Corn Maze in North Platte, Nebraska.  The goal was to complete the maze in record time but Nick and his cheat sheet got us lost.  No worries the Corn Cop was on the premises to lend a hand.

Corn Maze (North Platte, Nebraska)

Michael the Corn Cop (North Platte, Nebraska) Once in Denver our host Ladd, Marketing Director of Connexion,  showed us an amazing time.  We held a reading/screening Saturday afternoon, had dinner and drinks in town and then hit up the clubs for a night cap.  I also met up with an old friend from Philly/Rutgers, so that was the added sugar on my candy.  Originally we had planned on leaving sunday morning but we were have such a great time extending our trip another day was an easy call.  After shooting a video story in Cheesman Park, Ladd took us up into the Mountains for the afternoon. So amazing!  Denver had all of us imagining what life would be like if we lived there permanently...  the conclusion was unanimous "GOOD".

Reading/Screening Event @ Denver LGBT Center

Me & Nate in Chessman Park (Denver, CO)

Me, Nate & Ladd (Outside of Boulder, CO)

Roosevelt National Forest, Colorado Upon arriving in Laramie, WY we still didn't have a place to stay but no fear… The amazing Dez to the rescue.  Dez is back in New York working hard landing us accommodations and events for the tour. She's amazingly good at it too!  Our host this time, Jen, offered up her cozy apartment while she stayed at a friend's house.   She took us out to a bar called the Buckhorn Saloon.  The bar was rather dead being a Monday night but the drinks where cheap, the decoration tacky, and the bathrooms filthy… a perfect dive bar if you ask me!  The next day we filmed a couple of stories and wandered around town for a bit before making our way to Utah.

Laramie Pedestrian Bridge

Buckhorn Bar (Laramie, WY) Everything in Utah seems to revolve around the LDS church… and I mean everything!   We met some cool people tho.  Gay-Lynn and her son Kyle put us up in their sweet log cabin while Ryan, Eric and Chris chatted with us at the Pride Center.  Before we left Kyle gave us his story and a quick tour of the Mormon Temple grounds.

Ryan, Nate, Eric & Chris @ Pride Center (Salt Lake City, UT)

Nate & Kyle @ LDS Temple (Salt Lake City, UT) I had never heard of Pocatello, Idaho  and needless to say my expectations were low. But damn did I have a good time. The local news station interviewed us for a piece on bullying and then we had a screening event in the Idaho State Student Union on friday. Damn… Does Idaho have some cuties.  Granted, they're young… but they're really cute!  They invited us to a house party where the average age might have been a generous 19 (we obviously skewed that number); Apparently the high-schoolers intermingle with the college kids in Pocatello.  Our host Derrick made us aware of the under-age situation and suggested that we leave before the police arrived… but we didn't make it.  By the time we rounded the troops together the police had already ascended on the house.  Being from New Brunswick I knew the routine… ["Quiet down, no one leaves, and under-agers… hide! " followed by "Whew… the let us off with a warning, we've got to keep the noise down."  The first chance we got we left and capped the night off at Charlie's, the town's only gay bar. From a partying standpoint, the award would have gone to Pocatello but… we ended up in Jackson, Wyoming the very next night.  Before Jackson, we had a breather in Blackfoot, ID where we took a bunch of photos of "Martha"

Derrick @ Idaho State University (Pocatello, ID)

I'm From Driftwood Screening @ Idaho State University (Pocatello, ID)

In Front on Martha's (Blackfoot, ID) Jackson was supposed to be a low-key chill break from the routine, and it started out just as expected. Dinner followed by a couple of hours of work before capping the night at a local tavern… But then… we met this girl named Sue,  and the night got interesting! We thought it would be a good idea to pop into the "famed" 'Million Dollar Cowboy Bar' for one drink before heading back to the hotel. Suddenly we hear…  "You boys are the nicest dress guys in here.  Where are you from?" The next thing we know we're rushed off to another bar for some dancing.  It's at this point that Nick decides that an after party at our hotel was  a good idea; and for some reason, Nate, and I agree.  Sue was all about it and proceeded to invite half the bar as patrons exited.  Uhhh Ohhhhh!!!  Fortunately a better option opened and we all headed to some huge house on the outskirts of town.  After the after party came pancakes.  I supposed i eventually made it to sleep at 6am.  Unfortunately there aren't many photos from that night. Rise and shine with mild hangovers in the morning... popped a couple of ibuprofen and we're off  through the Grand Teton and Yellowstone in route to Helena, Montana.  Needless to say we saw many amazing views!

Just Outside of jackson, WY

Nate & Nick (Grand Teton National Park)

Jackson Lake (Grand Teton National Park, WY)

Old Faithful (Yellowstone National Park, WY)

Buffalo Herd (Yellowstone National Park, WY) After Wyoming we stopped in a small town outside of  Helena where we stayed in your standard single wide mobile home. It was set in the valley of a mountain range off of a dirt road.  Mark and Paul have lived there for a few months and they've recently have taken Zach in.  Zach is trying to save up enough money to get out of Montana as soon as he can.    We also met a large, awkward and intimidating character named Tonto at a nearby combination Casino, Bar & Restaurant joint; 11 in the morning and he was already drinking heavily.  He approached us and tried to recruit us for the local semi-pro football team,  we cautiously and un-provokingly declined several times but he kept on insisting we call "Coach Wall".   5 minutes later each of us are plotting how we're going to escape or worse... take this guy down should he get aggressive.  Fortunately he realized that he had an unattended beverage at the bar.  Whew... we all breathed a sigh of relief. Overall Nate and I thought it was a cool experience but Nick thought otherwise.

Nate chats with Zach (North Helena, MT)

Our host Mark (Norht Helena, MT) We left for Spokane soon after...  It was a quiet drive through the mountains and uneventful.  Our hosts in Spokane were what must be a contender for the Perfect American Family.  The son, Mathias came out at the age of 11 and his parents have been thoroughly supportive over the past 4 years.  Sure, Mathias has problems... but with the family support he has he'll be able to overcome anything!

Ronnie, Reagan, Mathias, Nate, and Me So that brings us to the present.  I'm in route to Seattle, Washington.  I've figured some techie stuff so I'm going to try to post more frequently b/c these long posts are just too daunting!  We'll see... Remember to follow follow more happenings at... 50statestorytour.com @Diligent Nick vs USA

[diligentme2-blog]

America The Diligent!

So, today marks week two for the I'm From Driftwood Story Tour and I must say things are going pretty well! After the launch event in Driftwood we headed to Dallas where the Manske boys got to meet my mom dukes,  have some BBQ, and hang out with my friends Marvinh and Alex formerly of Philadelphia.  It was fun but awkward at the same time.  Home, this time around just didn't seem like home! Not sure if anyone can relate but I'm wondering if I'm a Texan any longer? The house I grew up in, my mom, and a couple of friends are the only ties I have left to that identity. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate where/what I consider home.

Alex and Marvinh in front of the house I grew up in. After Dallas we headed north away from the familiar and into the unknown. In Norman OK, we met Scott Mahaney, a football loving comicgeek with an insane collection of DC action figures. Thankfully Nate and Nick are big into comics and were able to keep the conversation going, I just tried my best to stay awake. Scott works for the University of Oklahoma and was kind enough to give me and Nate a short tour of the campus, stadium included!

Me and Nate at Memorial Stadium on OU Campus. On the drive up to Manhattan Kansas Nick jumped off of the main Interstate onto highway 77. We were unexpectedly awestruck at seer beauty of the rolling green landscape. Once we arrived at our destination we met with some students in the Kansas State Student Union to talk about our tour and to listen to some of their life experiences. After a few of them shared a story or two I realized that we were definitely in Jesus country as religion played significant roles. I'll never forget one of them, it's so tragic, infuriating, and senseless that I can't fathom how some Christians can call themselves good people yet have such contempt and anger towards others. This particular story came from a young guy name is Sam, he's had to endure mental and physical torture at the behest of his missionary parents in attempts to reverse his homosexual ways. Once you see his video story you'll cringe at what he's been though yet you'll be inspired by his positive outlook and ambition. He says he wants to change the world for the better… I believe he'll do just that.

A Kansas Landscape

Sharing stories at Kansas State The next stop was in Kansas City, MO for the weekend. After a quick photo shoot in front of some graffiti art we met up with our hosts, two Queer activist with whom we made quick friends. After checking out a festival in Hyde park they took us out on the town to a bar called Missie B's; it was cheap, the crowd was diverse, the lights were dim, and the dance floor was hot and sweaty. It was perfect I tell you! We stayed out into the wee ours of the morning dancing like animals. We got back just in time for the the cutie pictured below, Wick, to pack and dash off to the airport. I'm still amazed he didn't miss his flight.

Impromptu photo shoot, Downtown Kansas City, MO.

Me and Wick Des Moines, Iowa was interesting to say the least, we stayed at this haunted Bed-n-Breakfast on the edge of Drake's campus. We spent an hour or so the first night just exploring the house. So so so creepy! If anyone is in need of a set for their next horror film, I've got the perfect spot. On the way out of Iowa we stopped in Dubuque at a scenic overlook where we met a few girls from Japan who fell in love with me. The insisted on taking picture after picture with me and one even asked if I was a model. I enjoyed all the attention so much that I wanted to invite them along with us as my fan club but Nate said there wasn't enough room in the van.

Nate looking creepy @ Haunted B&B

I did NOT inquire about this sign.

Poor Teddy!

We were too scared to read past day 1.

Me and my Japanese Fanclub. The drive to Madison, WI was just picturesque… once we made it into the city we stopped at a restaurant on the main strip for dinner, drinks and a sunset. After working and filming a video story, me and Nate made an attempt to check out the local night life which apparently is non-existent on a Wednesday night. But, let me tell you about the drink specials. Two-Double well drinks will run you $5.50 at Shamrock Bar. Yes! I repeat $5.50! That's essentially four drinks for again, $5.50. Wow.

Wisconsin Landscape

Capitol Building at sunset (Madison, WI) Last Thursday stopped in St. Paul MN, before making our way to Minneapolis to film a story with a Serbian teenager who's visiting for the year on a State Dept. exchange program.  He has a hilarious host dad and another Kosovan exchange student to socialize with.  His name is Stefan and his story is a bit frightening as gay life in eastern europe can be extremely dangerous, especially if you're an outspoken activist, like he is. He's had it rough but he's safe for a while and can relax a bit and just be a kid. Hopefully he'll be able to stay once the program has ended.

Flamur, Herbert, Nathan, Stefan We got into Minneapolis later that same night and pretty much went straight to sleep after hunting for an elusive late night meal. I spent most of the next day in side catching up on work and getting things in order. That afternoon I was able to make some time to walk around the city for a bit. Our host, Waqar took us to happy hour at the Eagle where you can get 3 for 1 drinks simply because. Unfortunately MNPL has the least attractive boys of all the towns we've been to thus far; downing my three drinks in 45 minutes didn't help either. We switched bars for a bit where i hand a bit of an allergy attack so I popped a benadryl and patiently awaited the familiar drowsy sensations. We ended up at a small house party where I eventually passed out on the couch. After a pit-stop in Alexandria, we finally arrived in Fargo, ND with enough time to go straight to bed.  Yesterday started out as a lazy Sunday, we slept in late and ran errands for much of the day before eventually we headed out to North/Grand Forks North Dakota. We have more work to do today, and I'm sure this post is exhausting enough, so I'll save the SD recap for the next post... Stay Tuned! Want more? 50-State Story Tour @Diligent Nick vs USA

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Watch! The Drums - Down By The Water

So this is probably my favorite Drums' song and I the video seems so fitting. Awkward yes… but still fitting. I really enjoy their stage performance so I can't wait to catch them live again. I'm on the road now so I don't know when that'll be :-( New York can catch them on October 20th @ Webster Hall and Philly can catch them on October 22nd @ Making Time (Voyeur Night Club) Music video Produced and Directed by Brad & Brian Palmer of Surround

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Diligent Dance??? Across 50 States?

If Ya'll didn't know, I'm doing this 50-State Story Tour with my good cohorts at I'm From Driftwood. I haven't been able to take a breath since we started so i just wanted to say that, NO! I've not forgotten about you, this here blog, or the monthly mixtapes. As soon as I can get into a routine of sorts I'll be back to my usual shenanigans. You can check out the trailer below to see a bit of what's been keeping me occupied.

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August 2010: Align The Stars

originally uploaded by Smithsonian Institution.

Sorry so late with this month's mixtape... A lot has been happening with Driftwood that's kept me busy... but things are looking up and the stars are aligning. I just want to run out into the street and dance! Don't you?

Diligent Dance: August 2010 Mixtape

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Watch! Kele - Everything You Wanted

Damn Kele!!! All's I can say is... "I feel you man!" The one thing i'm struggling with understanding is why kele had to go solo to do this because this definitely feels like Bloc Party; maybe I'll "get it" after i give his new album a listen. Anyhow, I'm loving the video... it's just beautiful, so simple yet it captures the emotion of the song so well! Rumor has it that it was Directed by Taylor Cohen of Matt & Kim - Lessons Learned fame. If someone can confirm... that would be spiffy.

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What? Best Dance Scene Ever

How did this scene from Breakin' NOT make CNN's 10 Best Movie Dance Scenes? [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVrWDPi12zE&w=500&h=306]

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Love! The Anonymous M Styles

Check out this photography set titled The Apartment Project by the anonymous M. Styles. I've been following him on the internet for sometime however I just love this set. it's my favorite of his thus far. The model's name is Zach and Mr. Styles gives him a glowing introduction...

Zach is an awesome model to work with, because he's always very trusting, natural and relaxed. He never hits a false or affected pose. Each shot is him as him - shy, yet forthcoming, vulnerable, but confident - often in the same image.

Apparently this is part 1 in a series... so I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the sequel. Be sure to check out more images from this photographer at his blog  An Assumed Alias

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Movie! Leo's Room

I saw this film from Uruguay last night at Philadelphia's Q-Fest... It started out strong but then fizzled.  At nearly the halfway point my friend Josh whispered "can someone hit fast forward please?"  I would have if  I would have had a remote control. From IMDB:

Leo, a young man coming to terms with his own sexuality, runs into Caro, a primary school friend he fancied when they were kids, who's now trying to ward off her own personal demons. This casual re-encounter will affect their personal conflicts without either truly grasping the other's problem.

Title: Leo's Room Starring: Martín Rodríguez & Cecilia Cósero Written & Directed By: Enrique Buchichio Distributed By: TLA Releasing

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Mood Music! Lust For Life [NSFW]

So I've been listening to this song a lot lately... and then they played it at last night's making time to close out the night. The band is called Girls out of San Francisco and here's the x-rated version of their music video directed by Aaron Brown of Foundation.