A Gay Man’s Diary 📝 @justbeingsociable - Tumblr Blog

Online Dating

Dating is rarely easy. For many, dating begins during their teenage years. I did not start dating until I was 18 years-old. I had the occasional “girlfriend” in middle school which really just entailed the social aspect of telling people we were together… But there was no true emotional connection. Or was that just me? Perhaps even at a young age I felt like I needed a “beard”, as the gay community calls women who are with obviously gay men.

During the early 2000‘s, online dating was just picking up speed. Gay.com which is basically the next level of a chat room, became the go-to destination for single gay men for dating… and more. I was a naive 18-year-old you knew that I had the body, and the looks to get me some attention, especially online. Behind the protection of my computer monitor, I was brazenly forward with my flirtatious advances on random strangers. Their faces looked decent in their pictures, so why wouldn’t they be just as desirable in person. I never thought that anyone would post misleading information or photos. Again, naive.

Admittedly I put myself in many circumstances which if I knew my own child was doing would definitely cause my heart to stress! From talking to strangers, to meeting them, to sleeping with them, I have to believe that God and my guardian angel were protecting me! When we’re young and dumb, many seemingly questionable situations don’t seem as concerning. Perhaps this is an evolutionary feature? Are we built to be more adventurous in our youth so that we can go out and explore, seek a life of our own, and meet our mate? Or is it as I’ve heard tell before: we’re just young, dumb and full of cum?

After my first boyfriend and losing my virginity to him, I became a bit of an online addict. After that I met my first true relationship which lasted 4 ½ years. Throughout that time, I was not faithful. And sad as I am to say it, I would go on the Internet to meet guys online to hook up with. Many of the local gay guys could be found on Craigslist, mostly at work – which is a gay Mecca.

Next I fell in love with The One. We didn’t meet online. I didn’t first see his likeness as a profile photo. I didn’t know him by his screen name. I knew him by his face and through our first interaction, in person. And that has been the strongest relationship I’ve had since. The fact that we had met in person helped us to solidify our relationship together. We already knew that we had compatible personalities. We meshed well in our conversations and interactions.

After 6 ½ years, I was thrown back into the dating scene. The world had evolved. There had been no such thing as dating/hook up phone apps at your fingertips. Dating had been made easy as one, two, swipe right. I couldn’t keep my date book free! Every week was a new meeting at a new restaurant. I had so many leftovers for lunch throughout the next months. Just as with as much zeal I grant to school and work, I gave to my dating social life. It didn’t stop with one dating app, two, three, four… nine. And that was in addition to the eleven general social media apps that I maintained as a side gig. With 20 apps and growing, my life was hectic! Hell even. And it was all self-inflicted! But I had such a drive to not be single, I forced myself to attend all of these dates. True, I gained more friends in that one year than I had made during the previous two decades!

Then I met the next “the one”, and then another. But neither of them turned out to be truly the one. Perhaps it was a little bit of me still being in love with the love of my life, or I have an uncanny knack for dating men who are emotionally unavailable. For every 10 potential candidates, I found one meaningful connection. One of the biggest problems that was truly self-contributing on my part regarding online dating, was that without the initial in-person interactions, I wasn’t able to judge everyone I was going to meet against a set of pre-determined qualifications. Of course I had my mental checklist that I made sure they checked off before even agreeing to meeting. And now there are some things that one must take into consideration. But you just never know who you’re going to fall in love with! A recent viewing of Golden Girls featured the storyline circling around Blanche’s father planning to be remarried to a younger woman. Blanche was very against they’re doing so, but by the end of the episode she reluctantly gave her blessing because Rose reminded her that we can’t predict who we will fall in love with. I am a true testament to that! In 2009 when I met the love of my life; in Sex and the City, Kerry Bradshaw gives John the name “Big.” Is he my “Big“? It was the Sex and the City series that inspired me to begin this blog. My roommate and I began watching the episodes in 2017, and I was instantly able to relate to the characters and stories with occurrences in my own life.

So when I met Big, I didn’t have any predetermined qualifications. I was currently involved in my first long-term relationship, admittedly unhappily, and I was instantly attracted. After Big, my search for a significant other was basically utilizing him as a measuring stick for everyone who came after! Whether it was height, languages spoken, demeanor, even down to his birth sign. Although I do feel that I truly do get along best with men born in August- Virgos. Perhaps there something to astrology… Or perhaps coincidence?

Big was the only relationship that I have ever met in person. Is it coincidence that it was the strongest? Should a warning label be placed on online dating? Lots of dating services claim that they have been able to match people who wouldn’t have otherwise found each other, and that’s probably true. When I tell my story, many people tell me that I’m an old soul. To me I always associated that with tradition and old-fashioned values. Although I’m not quite that old-fashioned, I do believe I have many traditional values. In my heyday, I think I would have probably made your Grandma blush, but let me tell you they’re not as innocent as we think. And I can say that after having a few conversations with my own Grandma after Grandpa‘s passing. So what is involved with this old-school ideals of dating? I read an article that stated that old souls aren’t satisfied with what online dating provides. Perhaps that’s right. So while I may not be ready to date immediately, where do I go? I don’t think going to the bars is the right idea. And the clubs aren’t necessarily the right scene either to find who I think I’m looking for. But again, I wasn’t looking for Big. And I met him at work; even though we had many connections, there were many things that didn’t click, and eventually caused us to break apart.

I’ve thought about attending gay church events, and utilizing those as social outlets. I’m really good at giving advice to others! I constantly remind my leader, who is also my friend, that the only way to find someone is by having a true connection with them… meeting them in person. I need to take my own advice!

#gay #blog #gay dating #blogging #gay lifestyle #the little mermaid #blogger #gay blog #gay pride #gay pride 2018 #disney #gay disney #disney prince #online dating

Have you ever had that feeling of déjà vu? That unmistakable hair tingling moment when something inside you alerts that you know you’ve seen this before.

I’ve had discussions with friends and boyfriends about this at length. When I was young, I remember having dreams that often felt like windows into the future. I might dream that I was sitting in class, and the teacher said a certain thing, and then we read something very specific in our textbook. A week, a month, year, sometimes even longer than that – I would witness these very occurrences happen, but I would only ever remember them once they actually happened. I try keeping a dream log, but at such a young age, it was hard for me to remember the very specific things that happened so that I could prove it as it where to the skeptics.

Whether this is related or not, I distinctly remember one night, after having lost a tooth, I was up waiting for the #ToothFairy. I wanted to glimpse inside of this mythical being! Well I wasn’t disappointed. I saw something all right! A pale skin, very fair blind, radiant someone outside my window. Was I dreaming? Was it an angel? Perhaps I have been to influence by the #BlueFairy from #Pinocchio.

And for a while, after many calls the age of innocence, I no longer have those visions. A part of me believes that they were evil, and that by praying for them to go away, they had left. Another part of me believes that I had fallen from the grace of #God, and I was no longer worthy to have such blessings. Which ever it was, the #déjàvu ceased.

While not spiritual, one of my boyfriends was interested in #tarotcards and the #OuijaBoard. He didn’t necessarily believe in the power of these items, but he likes to collect them. Being #Christian when I first saw them, my immediate response was – evil! But I learned to not truly fear these items. In fact, he tried his #TarotCardReading skills on me; i’m still not a believer. But it was thanks to his interest in the somewhat #Occult that I opened up some dialogue with him regarding my childhood memories. He clarified the difference between déjà vu and potential #PrecognitiveVisions. He explained that déjà vu was more of a feeling that you get win one occurrence is very similar to something that you have experience previously. Someone who might have #Precognition abilities can foretell situations. My next boyfriend, while definitely not interested in the occult, was a very spiritual person and believes strongly in the power of #LadyOfGuadalupe, Mary the mother of #JesusChrist, and could identify with having visions. His are more so delivered with hidden meanings rather than being a play-by-play.

Someone in alignment with this whole discussion, ever since I met my first true love – the one who liked collecting Tarot Cards, I have felt that there are strong coincidences that seem to happen all the time! It could be something like a vacation that we are planning. We have to search high and low to find out about Peru, and then shortly after we leave and come back all of a sudden all of the vacation planning guides and advertisement is centered around #Peru. I will see people wearing Peruvian T-shirts at work, #Peruvianrestaurants popping up everywhere, and in stores I will see an influx of Peruvian made goods. The same thing happened with #France! Now I see people wearing Paris shirts, and Eiffel tower imagery in stores all the time. Although that one is a little bit less of a stretch since the #EiffelTower has always been an icon. Perhaps it is just that we are made more aware of these offerings since we are, in this instance, planning a vacation to that destination. But what about the days when I will randomly bring up something like, “oh, do you remember in the 90s there were the urban restyling of #MickeyMouse and #BugsBunny?” And what should happen next? #Target releases a retro T-shirt with that throwback Mickey Mouse design. Out of a selection of essay themes, I chose one that paralleled #IronMan with my company‘s values, innovation, and community out reach. Admittedly, I am not much of a #Marvel #Comic fan, but I do know a little bit about the #MarvelCharacters. Still, I reached out for some experts advice! Between my dad and a close friend, we came up with some good examples of Iron Man during the Cold War, and other good examples. The very next day in school, and a #Cinematography class, we were viewed as seen from the Iron Man film. And then in the very next class, we began a discussion about the Cold War. I did not know that this was on either classes schedule. Nor have we talked about this prior in either of those classes. It would just make for a fun coincidence… If it didn’t happen all the time! It happens with music, movies, places, foods, anything! Maybe it truly is just all one big coincidence.

To go back to the visions, most Christian faith teach that #God allows us to choose our feet. But we are also taught that he is omniscient; if he allows us to make choices for selves, but also ultimately already knows what we are going to choose isn't that somewhat contradictory? But that is a whole other conversation! So weather believer or skeptic, I hope that this conversation might start some fun dialogue centered around dreams and visions, fortune-telling and psychics. I am all ears! (Since we were on the topic, I just absolutely love this dream sequence from #Anastasia: https://youtu.be/Evh56TOURyk)

#gay #blog #blogging #gay lifestyle #blogger #gay dating #gay blog #gay pride #precognition #tarot cards #tarot #fortune telling #dreams

For a marketing class, I recently had to describe two similar brands and why I do or do not enjoy their general business plans and #Marketing. I thought it was a rather detailed discussion, so I want to share!

***

When it comes to brand loyalty, I am just as guilty as the next consumer for having my favorites. For theme parks, I vacation with #Disney, when shopping online I choose either #Amazon or #eBay, when I think comfy clothing my shopping destination is #Hollister, and when fast food is the plan I go to #McDonalds or #InNOut. And when it comes to a big box retailer, I love #Target!

Just mentioning the name Target makes me feel happy! The store experience is usually a positive one, complete with uncluttered Isles, competitive pricing, fashionable clothing, groceries, media, friendly team members, photo service, easy returns, 5% discount with loyalty card, five cent discount for using reusable bags, online shopping, and free shipping with your Target #RedCard. I could go on! Target was the very first credit card that I applied for, and received. It was to purchase a comforter set and some other bedroom accessories. I still remember that after nearly 11 years. At that time after spending a predetermined amount, you received a single day of 10% off shopping. Over the years that changed to a consistent 5% off your entire purchase with the RedCard. Target was also one of the fore running shops to embrace reusable bags by encouraging guests to use them and awarded us five cents off with each bag. Even after the California law, Target continues to honor the $.05 discount. And when online shopping was becoming the trend, and other retailers were seeing a decline of in-store sales, Target moved forward with free shipping for all RedCard purchases, and have not lifted their incredible offer! I buy everything with them. Even if it’s just toothpaste, that free shipping saves me a trip to the store when, in our hectic life, time is precious. Every time I enter the store, I have a positive experience; often ending with me submitting a guest complement for several of their team members. I have stories galore- returns, Christmas trees, black Friday shopping, they are all wonderful memories! And I will always choose Target over any other big box retailer.

Target has been redesigned over the years, the marketing campaigns have promoted Target as a trendy shopping destination for the fashion conscious consumer. Their advertisements and on trend social media campaigns make them look cool, in style, and portray a brand that says quality. On their social media sites, Target also uses their target symbol and Spot the dog. “See Spot save!” Target pricing is competitive but while it might be a very small fraction more than its competitor, the quality level is leaps and bounds different. Targets will often be found in trendier locations. Whether they are anchor stores in malls or compact locations in high density metropolises, Target has found its way into the heart of everywhere! Super Targets began to pop up at the beginning part of the century. The #SuperTarget was the all in one shopping destination for a usually rural residential area. It was later in the beginning part of the previous 10 years that grocery sections were introduced to Targets. Originally the new grocery isles only offered a small variety of grocery items, but since then have become abundant shelves full of everything on your shopping list!

The Target team members are always helpful, knowledgeable and look professional. (Usually.) While Target also embraces individuality; they do allow their team members to have tattoos, piercings and colored hair. Whether it is because the location is already so trendy, but even the most bizarrely attired team member looks chic. And whenever I submit a compliment, question, or general communication with the Target online staff, I always receive a prompt, helpful and efficient answer. Especially when dealing with returns.

Now let’s talk about the opposite…#Walmart. Just saying the name brings such a distasteful feeling to my entire body. From memories of dirty isles and over stocked shelves, unhelpful and unknowledgeable employees, people of Walmart, cheap products, and solicitors. Ever since a child I’ve always thought Walmart is the second tier shopping experience. How often have you gone into Walmart and asked the employee a question and they look at you with confused and dumbfounded eyes. Admittedly I do go to Walmart sometimes because they have such an extensive selection of products that Target does not carry such as automotive and sewing supplies. Target doesn’t carry fabric, floral, paint and other crafts. Perhaps they should.

Walmart, which came from the Midwest, has been generally promoted as your friendly neighborhood shopping experience. But it is through first hand experiences that the general perception of Walmart is a negative one. A book was published titled “people of Walmart”. The book recounted stories and included photos of the outlandish customer that frequents the store. Target soccer moms come to shop in yoga pants, Walmart customers come dressed in sweatpants that hug their thighs two sizes too small, complete with their colored hair, beach sandals… and just all around poor choice in their appearance. Because I don’t have a loyalty to the brand, the only thing that I immediately recall regarding Walmart’s marketing is there low prices. That is a part of every single marketing campaign that they have: how low their prices are. Because of the fact that they advertise low prices, it attracts that particular clientele, and it makes me feel like their products are of lesser quality. While Target can be found in metropolises, Walmart is usually on the outskirts. In the middle parts of America, where Target is not as prevalent, Walmart is your local go to shopping destination.

The products might be the exactly the same, but they seem cheaper because of the environment, the pricing is competitive but to pay a few more dollars at Target and avoid the whole Walmart experience is worth it. Walmart is often out of the way and more inconvenient than Target, and as far as I am aware Walmart does not have a loyalty card which gives #discounts, #environmentality discounts, free shipping, fashionable choices, easy returns… although I have returned enough to Walmart to say that as long as you have a receipt it’s fine, and the general efficiency of its workforce – and the lack there of.

Even the difference that Target uses the nomenclature guest and team members while Walmart says employees and customers. Target invites you into their shops, Walmart tries to attract you by saying that their prices are low- so is everything else.

#Target #Walmart #people of Walmart #Michelle obama #celebrities #gay marketing #see spot save #marketing #4 ps

Online Dating

Dating is rarely easy. For many, dating begins during their teenage years. I did not start dating until I was 18 years-old. I had the occasional “girlfriend” in middle school which really just entailed the social aspect of telling people we were together… But there was no true emotional connection. Or was that just me? Perhaps even at a young age I felt like I needed a “beard”, as the gay community calls women who are with obviously gay men.

During the early 2000‘s, online dating was just picking up speed. Gay.com which is basically the next level of a chat room, became the go-to destination for single gay men for dating… and more. I was a naive 18-year-old you knew that I had the body, and the looks to get me some attention, especially online. Behind the protection of my computer monitor, I was brazenly forward with my flirtatious advances on random strangers. Their faces looked decent in their pictures, so why wouldn’t they be just as desirable in person. I never thought that anyone would post misleading information or photos. Again, naive.

Admittedly I put myself in many circumstances which if I knew my own child was doing would definitely cause my heart to stress! From talking to strangers, to meeting them, to sleeping with them, I have to believe that God and my guardian angel were protecting me! When we’re young and dumb, many seemingly questionable situations don’t seem as concerning. Perhaps this is an evolutionary feature? Are we built to be more adventurous in our youth so that we can go out and explore, seek a life of our own, and meet our mate? Or is it as I’ve heard tell before: we’re just young, dumb and full of cum?

After my first boyfriend and losing my virginity to him, I became a bit of an online addict. After that I met my first true relationship which lasted 4 1/2 years. Throughout that time, I was not faithful. And sad as I am to say it, I would go on the Internet to meet guys online to hook up with. Many of the local gay guys could be found on Craigslist, mostly at work – which is a gay Mecca.

Next I fell in love with The One. We didn’t meet online. I didn’t first see his likeness as a profile photo. I didn’t know him by his screen name. I knew him by his face and through our first interaction, in person. And that has been the strongest relationship I’ve had since. The fact that we had met in person helped us to solidify our relationship together. We already knew that we had compatible personalities. We meshed well in our conversations and interactions.

After 6 1/2 years, I was thrown back into the dating scene. The world had evolved. There had been no such thing as dating/hook up phone apps at your fingertips. Dating had been made easy as one, two, swipe right. I couldn’t keep my date book free! Every week was a new meeting at a new restaurant. I had so many leftovers for lunch throughout the next months. Just as with as much zeal I grant to school and work, I gave to my dating social life. It didn’t stop with one dating app, two, three, four… nine. And that was in addition to the eleven general social media apps that I maintained as a side gig. With 20 apps and growing, my life was hectic! Hell even. And it was all self-inflicted! But I had such a drive to not be single, I forced myself to attend all of these dates. True, I gained more friends in that one year than I had made during the previous two decades!

Then I met the next “the one”, and then another. But neither of them turned out to be truly the one. Perhaps it was a little bit of me still being in love with the love of my life, or I have an uncanny knack for dating men who are emotionally unavailable. For every 10 potential candidates, I found one meaningful connection. One of the biggest problems that was truly self-contributing on my part regarding online dating, was that without the initial in-person interactions, I wasn't able to judge everyone I was going to meet against a set of pre-determined qualifications. Of course I had my mental checklist that I made sure they checked off before even agreeing to meeting. And now there are some things that one must take into consideration. But you just never know who you’re going to fall in love with! A recent viewing of Golden Girls featured the storyline circling around Blanche’s father planning to be remarried to a younger woman. Blanche was very against they’re doing so, but by the end of the episode she reluctantly gave her blessing because Rose reminded her that we can’t predict who we will fall in love with. I am a true testament to that! In 2009 when I met the love of my life; in Sex and the City, Kerry Bradshaw gives John the name “Big.” Is he my “Big“? It was the Sex and the City series that inspired me to begin this blog. My roommate and I began watching the episodes in 2017, and I was instantly able to relate to the characters and stories with occurrences in my own life.

So when I met Big, I didn’t have any predetermined qualifications. I was currently involved in my first long-term relationship, admittedly unhappily, and I was instantly attracted. After Big, my search for a significant other was basically utilizing him as a measuring stick for everyone who came after! Whether it was height, languages spoken, demeanor, even down to his birth sign. Although I do feel that I truly do get along best with men born in August- Virgos. Perhaps there something to astrology… Or perhaps coincidence?

Big was the only relationship that I have ever met in person. Is it coincidence that it was the strongest? Should a warning label be placed on online dating? Lots of dating services claim that they have been able to match people who wouldn’t have otherwise found each other, and that’s probably true. When I tell my story, many people tell me that I’m an old soul. To me I always associated that with tradition and old-fashioned values. Although I’m not quite that old-fashioned, I do believe I have many traditional values. In my heyday, I think I would have probably made your Grandma blush, but let me tell you they’re not as innocent as we think. And I can say that after having a few conversations with my own Grandma after Grandpa‘s passing. So what is involved with this old-school ideals of dating? I read an article that stated that old souls aren’t satisfied with what online dating provides. Perhaps that’s right. So while I may not be ready to date immediately, where do I go? I don’t think going to the bars is the right idea. And the clubs aren’t necessarily the right scene either to find who I think I’m looking for. But again, I wasn’t looking for Big. And I met him at work; even though we had many connections, there were many things that didn’t click, and eventually caused us to break apart.

I’ve thought about attending gay church events, and utilizing those as social outlets. I’m really good at giving advice to others! I constantly remind my leader, who is also my friend, that the only way to find someone is by having a true connection with them... meeting them in person. I need to take my own advice!

#gay #blog #gay dating #blogging #gay lifestyle #the little mermaid #blogger #gay blog #gay pride #gay pride 2018 #disney #gay disney #disney prince #online dating

justbeingsociable

Happy Birthday, Disneyland!

“On July 17, 1955, Southern California unveiled the Happiest Place on Earth with the opening of Disneyland Park in Anaheim.

The iconic theme park at 1313 Disneyland Drive, a sprawling area covered with orange groves, was a dream come true and a design come to life for #WaltDisney. Construction began in 1954 and the magical place where parents and children could have fun together opened its gates a year later. The moment was captured in a famous photo that shows eager children dashing through Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.

The opening ceremonies included celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Ronald Reagan and Art Linkletter, and the immortal words of Walt Disney, “To all who come to this happy place, welcome…” (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/multimedia/Disneyland-Anaheim-California-Opening-Anniversary-Photos-Mickey-Mouse-Donald-Duck-Goofy-Disney-488314911.html)

We have already talked at length about the importance that #Disney has in my personal life. It is truly a source of joy and inspiration. #Disneylandpark is home to so many of my childhood memories. For my first trip with my favorite cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncle, and my mom, to summer vacation traditions with my dad, #Disneylandresort has inspired my creativity, dreams, and my goals since youth. In the 90s it was a place to relive my favorite films like #TheLittleMermaid #BeautyAndTheBeast #SleepingBeauty #SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs #Aladdin and #Cinderella. #Fantasyland is my favorite land! Here I was able to meet my favorite characters, ride my favorite rides, and sing along with some of my favorite songs!

After our Disneyland trip’s, my dad and I would construct our own Disneyland rides at home. He and I would draw on posterboard characters that would be placed along the hallway walls, lighting effects along with audio would create the show, and I would guide you through as a tour guide. These memories inspired me to want to create my own theme parks, which I did in the backyard at my home, along with inspiring me to create my own animated shorts.

While I am usually skeptical, when it comes to Disneyland and #WaltDisneyWorld, I am not as pessimistic as usual – on though I am still very critical when it comes to updates and new attractions. I often think to myself that if I was the creative director in those particular situations, I would never have signed off on many show aspects. But alas, that is not my job. Maybe one day…

#KerryButler sings this song entitled Disneyland where she quite accurately depicts the #Escapism that the #AmusementPark offers, with genuine love for the #themepark:

https://youtu.be/hUB-V8gIdNM

Aside from the magic and memories, there is a business aspects, obviously, and a recent Facebook post sums it up best.

“First, it’s fun. I was born the same year Disneyland opened, just a bit down the road in Upland, Calif., and have been as regular a visitor as I could manage since. Like when there were ticket books. Like when California Adventure was a parking lot.

I’ve never tired of any of it. If anything, it’s gotten better. The best trips of all have been the ones I took with my daughter — the first when she was 5, just the two of us, and I got to experience it all through her eyes.

I still laugh and bellow like a goofball riding the rides, and marvel at the technology that puts it all in motion — the thousands and thousands of moving parts that have to function to make every trip through “Pirates of the Caribbean” the wonder that it is. I still appreciate the attention to detail and the knowledge and commitment of the employees, who never seem to be doing less than their best to make sure everyone who paid their way in is having the time of their lives.

Second, I admire it. Yes, it’s expensive, and yes, the marketing is relentless. But I’ve never felt like I got anything less than excellent value out of the price of a ticket. I’ve never felt that a positive experience for the customers wasn’t priority No. 1.

I know what you’re thinking: How can I support a business that is accused of drastically underpaying its employees? I agree that Disney has to address the inequity between the corporate profit the park generates and the inadequate wages paid to the employees who make the place run, day to day. I hope they will. They had better. The economy has changed rapidly, and the Disneyland Resort workforce has been left behind — what might at one time have been after-school, weekend or part-time jobs have become people’s livelihoods, and that needs to be reflected in what shows up on their paychecks.

Those people who make all the magic — the Imagineers whose vision is at the heart of everything that makes Disneyland great, the craftsmen who bring it to life, the planners who turn Main Street into a parade route twice a day, the folks who walk around sweeping up trash almost before it hits the ground — all have a part to play in the overall experience.

And they all deserve to be fairly treated. I would gladly pay a few more bucks a day to help that happen, and I think most people would take a similar view. It’s unlikely, but I also think Disney stockholders could loosen up the profit margin, too.

All that being said, there’s one more reason — the biggest reason — I enjoy every trip to Disney.

Here’s the deal. Those elbow-to-elbow crowds so many people complain about? They’re made up of people from all over the world, from all economic levels, from all cultures and religious affiliations. They are all the colors of the ethnic and gender rainbows. Rich, spoiled kids from Bel Air, flashing their annual passes as they drag their bemused parents from attraction to attraction, mingle with families who saved nickels and dimes for years to afford a single day’s visit.

Muslims. Movie stars. Muslim movie stars. LGBTQ activists and red-state rednecks. Everybody mixes, everybody fights the same heat, the same crowds, the same wait times in the same lines that almost always get you to pay dirt in less time than you thought possible. Everybody marvels at all of the magic in pretty much the same way.

And everybody gets along just fine.

That’s the biggest reason I go, the biggest reason I’ll go every chance I get.

Perhaps the best thing I experienced on our most recent trip was a glimpse of an elderly couple, both bent and slow, the woman using a walker, the man a cane. I watched them snail’s-pace their way along the sidewalk outside the Golden Horseshoe, and thought to myself that it would be an hour before they got where they were going. I wondered at how much effort they’d had to expend just to be there.

I concluded that maybe, for them, the whole point was simply to be there.

Just to be there.” Something so many locals and #AnnualPassholders take for granted.

(https://m.facebook.com/notes/michael-c-moore/disneyland-shows-us-what-we-can-do/10155830443873635/?comment_id=10155752698133067&reply_comment_id=10155752722483067&notif_id=1530654870002885&notif_t=feed_comment_reply)

Happy 63rd Anniversary, Disneyland! ✨🏰✨

#Castmember #Disneylandsbirthday #Anaheim

#gay #blog #gay dating #blogging #gay lifestyle #the little mermaid #blogger #gay blog #gay pride #gay pride 2018 #Disneyland #walt disney world #disney world #disney #anaheim

Happy Birthday, Disneyland!

“On July 17, 1955, Southern California unveiled the Happiest Place on Earth with the opening of Disneyland Park in Anaheim.

The iconic theme park at 1313 Disneyland Drive, a sprawling area covered with orange groves, was a dream come true and a design come to life for #WaltDisney. Construction began in 1954 and the magical place where parents and children could have fun together opened its gates a year later. The moment was captured in a famous photo that shows eager children dashing through Sleeping Beauty's Castle.

The opening ceremonies included celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Ronald Reagan and Art Linkletter, and the immortal words of Walt Disney, "To all who come to this happy place, welcome..." (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/multimedia/Disneyland-Anaheim-California-Opening-Anniversary-Photos-Mickey-Mouse-Donald-Duck-Goofy-Disney-488314911.html)