IN THE RAW

In the raw or as friends laugh at me al dente! Cards on the table...I'm a nude sleeper, or as I say I like to sleep al dente! I have no idea when it started but even at a young age I started sleeping in just briefs, but then even they went out the window, by middle school. In my mind, I view a day as being fresh, just born. So I like to come into the world each day naked and end the day naked again. I cannot stand anything on my body when I go to bed. I get hot, which I'm a hot-blooded person, and I can't stand the feeling of material pulling, wedging and feeling restricted. I have no idea how people sleep with socks on?? I have a friend who always has socks on and I told them that is not healthy. Our feet are not meant to be covered 24/7....being exposed and getting air is good for the feet and the whole body I feel. Soon as I get home, I'm barefoot. Even all of my partners and ex's, I can only recall two that slept in briefs...all the others were naked sleepers too. I also find it interesting, that almost all the women I know, more of them sleep naked then of all the men I know! What?!?!  Sleeping naked might not be the first thing you think about when it comes to improving your health, but some benefits are actually too good to ignore. Not to mention often spurs on sex. When Warbucks and I are together...we could be tired, but once I feel his huh, nice endowment touch my leg...sleep is off for a hot minute!!!

Did you know you fall asleep faster? Your body temperature is one key to how you fall asleep. Cooling down tells your body that it's time to sleep, and sleeping naked allows your body temp to go down as you can go to sleep faster, and more restful.

You also have better sleep quality. Not only does cooling down your body help you fall asleep, but it also improves your overall sleep quality. You sleep heavier I noticed. 

Another is it keeps your skin healthy. A study in 2018 found it improves your skin... and a small study group found that clothed poor sleep limited the skin's ability to heal even just small wounds faster. When the group was divided into three categories the group that slept naked was founded to have felt more rested and wounds would start healing faster, because the skin was not covered with mutli layers. It's also been found that sleeping naked reduces stress and anxiety.

For men sleeping naked is good. Not only do men get a number of erections in a night, but sleeping naked is better as PJ's and underwear restrict the movement of the cock, and turning over with a hard on is not too pleasant. Some men have even reported minor fractures. Just ask Pat in all his research for informative posts on this very subject. It's also suggested a link between wearing tight fitting underwear and lower sperm count and producing lower amounts of semen. Men who reported wearing boxers or sleeping nude had a higher sperm concentration and total sperm count in general, than those who wore underwear and pj's

Sleeping naked is also a great way to get in touch with your body and boost your self-esteem, which is definitely a win when it comes to embracing self-love. I know when I started sleeping naked, a saw my attitude change from being shy, and not noticing my body to caring to discovering it. 

And for me, I feel it's great for improving on a relationship. While sex can be great fun and hot, sleeping naked for me is the ultimate intimate thing to let yourself go to someone. For me I always sleep naked, whether it be with FWB'S, just friends, or my romantic partners...for me it is the ultimate bond and trust thing for me. It shows just how relaxed and bonded I'm with someone. And with my boyfriends or romantic partners sleeping naked can be wonderful. It's been discovered that skin to skin contact stimulates the release of oxytocin, which plays an important role in building attachment between partners. And let's be honest being spooned or spooning my partner naked is one of my favorite things...just lying there, naked, in the moment just "being".

Since sleeping naked is pretty easy to try, it might be time to strip down and get your snooze on. How do you sleep at night??? 

But don't take my word for it.

And yes, I'm willing to sleep naked with Jose.

BIBLIOMANIA

A couple weekends ago we were in Baltimore for the weekend. It had been years since I'd seen the Peabody Library in the beautiful Mt Vernon neighborhood. The George Peabody Library is widely recognized as one of the most beautiful library spaces but is also an essential space for teaching, reading and doing research. The Library of the Peabody Institute dates from the founding of the Peabody Institute in 1857. It was originally used as an institute for music, but then the Massachusetts born philanthropist George Peabody gave the city and it's citizens the library in appreciation of their "kindness and hospitality." The building in one of many of the Peabody Institute, and this building was opened as a library in 1878 and designed by Baltimore architect Edmund G Lind. The spectacular architecture, glass domed roof 61 feet above the floor, and five tiers of ornamental, cast iron reading rooms and balconies are very dramatic upon entering. If you don't expect it, when you enter, it's enough to take your breath away. A great way to kill a day looking at titles and finding a quiet corner to work or read. The place contains over 400.000 volumes mainly from the 19th century with strengths in religion, British Art, architecture, topography, American history, biography and literature, romance languages and literature, history of science, geography, exploration and travel, fiction and nonfiction, and a huge art section.

One of many card catalogs.

Talk about finding a place to read. And its all in distance of other things to see in the My Vernon neighborhood.

And of course, there is always time for a cock-a-tail. 

An offer I can't refuse!

And don't get me started on all the freindly guys walking in and around John Hopkins, the Peabody Institute and Mt Vernon..... No wonder Divine loved this city so much.

STOP THE CAR......

Corporate sponsored Prides!!! It drives me nuts every year, they see the LBGT as a meal ticket to make some extra doe from us during Pride months and sell some Pride themed items, and every year it pisses me off when I hear some friends in the LGBT falling for it and buying from these big corporations, big box, and chains from their offerings. Where are they the rest of the year, and where were they when the dump and his administration was cracking down and gutting inclusion programs and dismantling diversity programs??? Most of these companies were excuse my French...pussies. I say investigate before you buy, and better still keep into gay owned companies to get Pride apparel and such. I'm very firm on that. 

But the good news is, the corporation and big boxes are leaving but the community is not. I just read a report last week about companies are starting to quietly walk away from Pride. I say good! Brands like Starbucks, Mastercard, Nissan, Target and Comcast have either pulled their sponsorships entirely or have significantly reduced their commitments to Pride organization across the US and Canda. The reasons range from backlash, economic uncertainty to the Dump administrations crackdown on DEI programs. Gay Apparel a gay owned company even saw their stock cut by 80% to Walmart last year, and this year, complete silence. I say I love it!!!!!Now local gay owned stores, companies, and businesses once overlooked by Pride organizations, who wanted Fortune 500 funds are now accepting gay owned small business in that were once simply overlooked. But if you ask me 50 small and gay owned businesses showing up consistently beats one corporation that disappears the moment things get politically inconvenient. This year Philly's Pride and Parade was funded almost 70% by local and gay owned places and donations and I heard only two corps sponsored floats!!!

Also, kudos to Kathy Hilton no longer being the grand marshal of WeHo Pride this year!!!!!!They won't have any grand marshal this year. But might I suggest to WeHo Pride actually take Pride in their community and choose a local volunteer or someone in the LGBTQ who's toiled for years donating their time and money to a beloved charity or community outreach? And to those who say "But they're not a celebrity or No one knows them!" maybe our community SHOULD know them. We should uplift our own and reward them for doing an often-thankless job for free. Kathy is not gay or a gay icon. This was a stupid branding exercise to benefit Kathy Hilton. Cali-Boi told me that in 2005, Paris Hilton was the grand marshal and she brough her mom Kathy along. He went on to say his friend who was on the float with them heard Kathy ask her husband "Do you feel pride?" He said, "Not at all", and they left shortly after and haven't been back since, till the last few years for Kathy anyway. Why would the very gay area of LA be alienating gays with their clueless picks for a grand marshall???

Maybe it's time Pride and parades started investing in our own community that actually never left?

PRIDE LEADERSHIP- WE BELONG

 It's always a good thing to have some good news during the month of Pride, and to see what good leadership is like. And Warbucks can testify for the happy feeling in Budapest since Orban's being outsed. 

Last year, Budapest's mayor risked prosecution to make sure Prude could still happen. This week thanks to the courts and the new Prime Minster Peter Maygar the charges against him were dropped. Mayor Gergely Karacsont became an international symbol  of resistance in 2025 after Hungray's government attempted to ban Budapest Pride under controversial anti-LGBTQ legislation. Rather then cancel the event, Karacsony helped reclassify it as a municipal event and encourage people to show up anyway, in which they did ...in huge numbers. Remember shots of the Budapest Bridge packed end to end with people and overflowing into the city? An estimated 300,000 people filled the streets in what became not only one of the larger pride marches in the city's history but also a major protest against the vile Victor Orban and his government. Afterwards Karacsony was charged for helping organize the event. Now the charges are dropped. For many LGBT + Hungarians, this isn't just a legal victory. It's a reminder that Pride happened anyway. That people showed up anyway. That sometimes the people who try to ban visibility end up making it even more visible.

On the same note...

As Prime Minster Peter Magayr continues the Pride. as he embracing the nations LGBTQ . Under the reign of ultra-right wing Orban, Pride parades were bans by the nation's government in 2025.  Keeping his promise, Magyar threw out the legislation. Now due to Magyar and others appointed in the new government the LGBTQ people of Hungary can now celebrate and be in the community without fear of persecution.

Meanwhile, over in the Nertherlands....yet another great and out leader. Prime Minster and President Rob Jetten.

As far as President Jetten is concerned June is Pride Month, but as far as he and the Netherlands is concerned, every month is Pride month. As it should be. Bravo to these leaders.

What leaders' looks like ...and not playing a selfish child who wants to play grown up, with circus like talents, running a country with drama and a bunch of bullshit with his name of things and UFC fights on the lawn of the White Trash House.

Happy Pride!

AT THE RITZ....

...MEANWHILE....

This hummingboid got good taste!

Sometimes a company and humans can surprise me and not very often. This story was too nice to not share. At the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage, an extraordinary moment unfolds when a tiny hummingboid picked an unexpected place to build its little nest-right on a door handle in the main entrance of doors. Rather than move it or knock it down, the Ritz chose a different path; they closed off the entire front set of entrance doors, across the front on the main side of the building and redirected guests into a secondary door on the side, putting the bird and it's two young, safety above the convenience of getting in the building. A great story and it spread fast, capturing attention as a rare example of a luxury brand choosing compassion and respect for nature even at the cost of disrupting daily operations and people bitching about walking the whole way around to use the secondary door. A billion-dollar a year hotel...doing right by a creature small enough to fit in the hand of a baby. I have read stories of other places knocking nest down once built, or even after eggs are in it...but this is nice to read... 

BRAVO PRESIDENTE SHEINBAUM

Bravo President Sheinbaum!

Yet another country gets it right, takes care of its own and stops spending billions on war. This is what it looks like when your government cares more about you then serving its financier donors. In the US only progressives want to regulate banks so that loans are less predatory. Yet progressives within the Democrat party seldom do anything they ran on, let alone the Republicans do any good for anyone. Mexico's President Sheinbaum says "We are removing all unpayable debts. The credits were designed as a business for a few." 5 million predatory mortgage loans issued during neoliberal period to be restructured or eliminate.

Heavens forbid our politicians did such a thing here to help the less fortunate in these hard times. It seems if we stay on track we will have no benefits to living in this country soon. Look how the party in charge is gutting the voting rights act and moving or cancelled primaries. Yet people don't seem to see it or even in states where We the People have spoken, that state is totally disregarding what the people want. It's time me thinks to vote and remove 90% of sitting politicians. We should be more than mad as hell.

RESIST, INSIST, PERSIST, ENLIST! 

ORGANIZE!  MOBILIZE!

NOT THE MET GALA

While I was away last week and saw next to no coverage of the Met Gala, I did see a few snippets of what some wore, and what a disappointment. I did see a few who made a statement, but very few. This is the one venue to really go all out, balls to the wall, over the top, avant garde...and some looked downright plain. But what put bees in my bonnet was what the one man, who I can't stand more any other, Jeff Bezos, basically bought the gala. I'm very disappointed by that. But let's face it, this event is getting too full of itself for a bunch of entitled people. What I did like was the message labor organizer Chris Smalls did, and who was also apprehended trying to get into the Met Ball that night. Not to be out done, Mr. Smalls featured himself in a video which he had screened on the side of Jeff Bezo's residence that night. Smalls makes the connection between Bezos and Isreal and ICE. How many attendees of the ball do you think made that connection? Sadly, this stunt was heard very little about... which I thought was brilliant. And Six did a whole post on the rotten rat bastard.

He , I'm sure will now ruin the Met Gala for good as well as Vogue. I wish Anna Wintour would just make him disappear for good. She will be so sorry to see her legacy in shambles after she is gone. The man paid 10 million for the gala, got 62 billion richer since the Dump was elected, spent 500 million on a yacht to sail to his 55 million wedding in Venice to give his plastic side piece a 5 million ring, because his tax rate is less than 1%. Yet, people still give in to him and inflate his wallet by using Amazon and all it services.

And do these celebrities there make a statement by being there? Yes. It spoke volumes to me. They know who he is and what he stands for. A bigger statement would have been having the balls to declining the invitation. Sarah Paulson went to the ball in a costume designed to critique "the one precent", with a dollar bill over her eyes. Cute, but why not skip the event put on by Bezos??? She is typical "resistance liberal" making a bold statement, but they're all talk and virtue-signaling. Was this opposing glutinous billionaires or joining them? I think an equally pertinent question is how many of them care? People need to stop revering celebrities. What do they offer anymore? Half of them are more famous for being influencers, and many not even for talent or making good movies or clothes or writing good books. A huge percent of Hollywood these days doesn't even have half the talent of old Hollywood. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against how much money one has, some billionaires very few, truly get it... and do wonderful things with their money. But when you reach these heights, there is so much good one can do with the coins. And they are just so greedy and gluttonous. 

TRANS AWARENESS

 I would file this under my usual feature, Stop the Car, I Smell an Ignorant Bitch, because these people and the topic are far from ignorant bitches. But it is alarming and shows just what our trans brother and sisters must go through. The first is the great bathroom debate, which I'm so sick of hearing about. If a person identifies as the sex they are and is passible, I see no harm or need for hysteria to them using the bathroom of choice, and people need to lighten up for Pete's sake. Besides that, most bathrooms have individual stalls these days, not to mention, just make the bathrooms with locks on the doors or put in a third unisex room. I saw this clip of a trans man from Laverne Cox's Insta, explaining how nuts the right-wing plans to keep trans folk out of bathrooms which don't match their birth sex. No one who sees Nikson, with his beard and male pattern baldness in a men's room is going to notice anything different. Same with a trans woman who looks pretty much like a woman...I have a few trans women friends and they are gorgeous...one would never know and they blend right in. But Nikson gives a passionate speech and argument how something so simple has become a huge mole hill of a hot button topic. I still say that implementing single occupancy bathrooms is a solution which would solve everything, but we shouldn't have to do that. I could care less who's in the bathroom when I'm in there as long as you wash your hands!

Then another page I follow of trans activists Lelaina Faye recently analyzed Pete Buttigieg's approach to LGBT rights, specifically a trans question asked during a town hall by a lady in the crowd, asking if he could solve the trans problem in her question what he would do. Mind you I have, and will always love Pete, and he is a great and caring person, well-meaning and mannered and very intelligent. I'd still vote for him, but I agree here with Lelaina, and I'm glad she dug into Pete's candidate style answer. While I love him, he, being a member of the LGBTQ should be able to answer this simple question: What would you do?" That was the bar and I feel he slithered under it. It does send me a red flag. Mind you, I'm not trans, but we are all one community. This should be a no brainer to answer. It does shock me that he didn't give a clear answer, and it reminded me of too many to mention politicians who refuse to have a clear answer, and take a firm stand on something.

Don't worry Pete, I still love and adore you but try a bit harder next time at the bat...our trans brothers and sisters need you....and your still more Presidential than Biden, Harris, and Trump combined.

GIOVANNI'S ROOM

Nice to see some main stay and things of the past continue on. While in Philly this weekend, I can never pass on a chance and never will miss a trip into Giovanni's Room. Founded in 1973, the bookshop is named of course after James Baldwin's gay novel of the same name. During it's initial establishment, the shop included works of all gay and lesbian authors, and works by James Baldwin, Gertrude Stein and Wila Cather and many others...and still does, but is has now more than 30,00 titles dedicated towards not only gay men and women, but also feminist, transgender and bisexual topics, biographies, nonfiction tell all's, safe sex books and a section of "artistic" skin books and magazines for men and women and even a decent music selection of cd's and vinyl's. There's even a 99 cent section!!! For years now its been on the Historical and Museum Commission registersry as a historic location when the bookshop, was the first LGBT bookstore in the country,  and now the final one still operating.  The place has always been a mainstay, and haven for the community to come, hang, gather with others and search out help , services and reading interests just for us.  When the last owner, Ed retired after 48 years, the community worried, I recall posting way back then with worry what would happen to the place... but thankfully the Philly Aids Thrift took over. And it is glorious to see how well the place is doing. I love taking people there...just ask Sixpence! The girl I talked to said they are busier than ever, and she has seen a huge uptick in people wanting their money to stay IN THE COMMUNITY and not to big box and online presence. I couldn't agree more. I only get books through them, and if they don't have it, they can get it. The place was jumping on Saturday.

I have always loved this chandelier.

Good times! I have spent hours in there at a time back in the day. Had great conversations, bought to many books to recount, possibly some of my skin mags, got some great art, and cards learned, great source of information and community events, not to mention maybe even got cruised and taken back to some gent's abode on a couple of occasions!!! It's all part of the experience after all. But again, great to see the place was packed on both floors.

PAT at Giovanni's Room

345 S 12th and Pine Streets

PM MAGYAR

Yes, tis true!!!! 

Warbucks was texting much yesterday as Hungary had its election. He and several friends, four, of over thousands of people who gathered on the banks of the Danube in Budapest to hear the election results come in...and after 16 years a country came to its senses and voted Orban OUT! A major blow to the Dump, with one less ally to play with in the sandbox. New Prime Minster Pete Magyar will be a fresh change of fresh air. And not bad on the eyes either!!!!

Peter Magyar ran and won on some key pillars in his platform, which included Anit-corruption and reform to tackle high level corruption and dismantle the "mafia like" operation of the current government. Will take a pro-European stance and advocates for improved relations with the EU, Stands for democratic accountability and restoring freedom of the press. And while he is conservative, he has been noted to voice support of general equality for all, but his main focus is on issues like corruption, healthcare and education and people surrounding him said that he will be friendlier to LGBTQ+ rights than many of his previous incumbents.

And he loves his dog.

Thanks heavens one country has come to its senses and voted out hate and evil. I've told Warbucks in no uncertain terms if he is invited to a gala and PM Magyar is present not to let be know at the last minute! I can't imagine how overjoyed the county must be.

TO THE MOON ALICE

 Well yesterday was exciting and I even got a smidge emotional watching the Artemis II take off. Artemis II is the lunar mission under the Artemis program that launched successful from the Kennedy Space Center last evening on a ten-day mission intended to carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a free-return trajectory around the Moon and back to Earth.  This will be the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 way back in 1972! It was exciting to watch.

Maybe one of these missions NASA will come ask the Mistress to go into space. Just think, I'd be the first gay drag queen ho in space!!!! I better start thinking now what to wear.

BEREAVED & DESOLATE

Other words for deep sadness would be melancholy, sorrowful, doleful, lugubrious, woeful, grief-stricken, morose and forlorn. All words conveying a slightly different shade of unhappiness from quiet gloom to intense emotional pain. While watching news against my better judgement the last two nights was awful. Between, the news of the administration and a list too long to mention of what they are doing here, to the ICE issues, to all the international wars, was deeply saddening to watch and hear. Things have been bad before, but it seems to be worse than ever, with no one learning from pass mistakes and history. For me, it feels as though we could be seeing the beginning of the collapse of society. It keeps happening, yet it seems no one cares and no one is stepping up to stop any of it.I have never felt more sad for the world and the US than ever before.

The one thing I have gotten flack with the last couple months, was the Israel War situation with Gaza and all their neighbors. Many here especially politicians have been weak to take a side. Even some Democrats have disappointed lately, one of which was Jasmine Crockett who, like many others doesn't support the government there, will yet... still vote for bills to send more defense money to them while also sending relief to the people of Gaza. Seems two faced to me in certain ways. Take a stance, so few have. Which is why I have a lot of respect for Mamdani for taking a firm stand on this even though he has no direct bearing on voting for bills in congress to fund the war. I have and will never support that country and they would all be better off if Netanyahu was taken out, however that would happen. I used to feel bad about this stance and would keep quiet on it, but now, lately some friends of mine who are Jewish feel the same. One even echoed the late Dr Israel Shahak, who was an Israeli professor of organic chemistry, a holocaust survivor and a civil rights advocate who said-" The Nazis made me afraid to be Jewish. And the Israelis make me ashamed to be Jewish." My mother's friend Garnet who was here for dinner at Christmas, agreed with the quote to and she too is Jewish, and will not support that country in the slightest. Then an interview I recently caught over the holidays with actor Mandy Patinkin and his wife, playwright, Kathryn Grody and their son, were interviewed by David Marchese's podcast, The Interview, addressed the policies of Israel's prime minister and reflected on what it means to be Jewish today. It was a very emotional and moving interview and I have watched it numerous times. I agree with him.

Just watching the news this week...again, I would swear we are seeing the collapse of society unfolding before our very eyes. 

That's where I'm at the last two days.

BEWARE THE WINTER DARK

Cultures all over the world celebrate some form of holiday during the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice is the darkest day of the year, literally- this is when night lasts the longest. Since fall the nights have been growing shorter and shorter until the solstice, which culminates into the shortest day of the year. All this darkness can be symbolic as well. Moods sour during the long winter months. The environment looks bleak. In most places it's gotten cooler and winds howl. With such an eerie aesthetic it's no wonder fears are heightened. This is part of the reason we hang Christmas lights. Now that we will be leaving behind the darkness and moving towards brighter days.. might I remind many of you of the creatures that make appearances during the 12 days of Christmas and well into winter. Winter is not over and take caution...many of these creatures are still lingering.....

 This creature comes across as a beautiful "White Lady" rewarding diligent homemakers or a terrifying crone who punishes the lazy by disemboweling them and filling their insides with straw and rocks, earning her the nickname, the belly-splitter. She is a complex pagan goddess, sometimes leading the Wild Hunt, or joining the 12 Yule Lads in mayhem, and overseeing domestic order and punishing those who shirl their chores during the winter months.

The Wild Hunt is a legendary, ghostly procession of spectral riders who appear in winter to snatch souls, they are a real terrifying force, led by a head elf, Eredin, who travel between worlds to abduct people as slaves.

I think we all know who Krampus is.

 

Watch for glowing red eyes. The giant Yule cat will kill or eat people, particularly children ,who haven't received new clothes or finished their chores.

Nasty little hellions. They come to the surface to play pranks, contaminate food, scare people to death and generally wreak havoc. And beware...they LOVE sweets, especially honey and sugary offerings. And they HATE light.

And the worst of all. The mother of the Yule Lads, Gryla, who is an ogress who kidnaps and eats children who don't obey their parents. She likes to come out and make appearances at the yuletide season. She has three different husbands and 72 children not to mention the Yule Cat who also lives with her.

And remember.... many passed on friends and family may be back to pop in.

Be safe and put an extra place setting out at the table.