FROM THE CANDY SHOP

Armed Forces staff sergeant Gideon Connelly was only 21 when a motorcycle accident took his left leg. Nasty scene: the throttle jammed on his bike, and he lost control of it just as a car was coming around the corner. . Taken to Walter Reed Hospital, he was given a choice: wait three years for his leg to possibly recuperate, or amputate now. That was in 2011. In 2016, he was  training to run with a prosthetic leg. His goal: to be part of the U.S. Olympics track-and-field team.In 2014, at the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, he ran the 200-meter dash in 29.4 seconds. At the Invictus Games in 2016, he ran 100 meters in 13.46 seconds, and 27.48 seconds in the 200-meter competition. At the 2016 Paralympic Nationals, he ran 12.9 seconds in 100 meters and in the 200-meter race, he ran 27.2 seconds.

Throughout his post-accident ordeal, his eyes were on the prize: after the hospital, he wanted his old body back. He started lifting and running again. He had to learn how to use a prosthetic correctly, to get the energy return out of it. In Maryland, he went through two coaches, trying to learn technique, style, track workouts, and functional movement. As well, he was working a full-time job. Gideon was always driven. At age 20, in addition to being in the Maryland National Guard, he bartended and worked weekends at Home Depot.His mother had left him with relatives when he was 14. He had been in and out of homes. No dad in the picture, but his two uncles who were incredible role models, and very supportive. He was on his own again after finishing high school. He wasn’t a natural student, but the one thing he did love in school: running track. After his accident, he decided to strive for returning to the sport, but it wasn’t a straight and narrow path. But his two uncles stepped in again and got him on track so to speak. The rest is history with a successful military career in the Armed Forces and just some causal modeling.

An inspiration really.

IN THREE WORDS

In this weekly feature, I'll share a guest with you, and you tell me in three words what comes to mind.

In three words...

Babs Streisand

FOOTPRINTS ON OUR HEARTS

The Mistress is so exhausted tonight from work, I got nothing. But I'll say this, it's nice to come home to a good companion. Many of us in this close knit blog community have little loved fur ones running about. After years of having dogs and one cat, it never tires to see and hear your pet coming running to greet you. Even though my ex and I split custody of Buster, he's the lucky one to be a country and city mouse. It's very strange when he's not here. But with our schedules, when we each have him it works out great.  Once home tonight, on a damp, rainy and chilly late afternoon and feeling haggard, Buster Bolfig and I took a nice, rare, treat...a nap in the week. It was heavenly.

Look at that face. What I find interesting is that, even sleeping, his ears are up...I surmise this is his way of being alert and keeping a watchful eye and ear. Right by side. And no matter what you look like, age, sex, body type, orientation, or any other stats, they love us unconditionly and all they want in return is to be loved. When I go to work, he will look out the window till Im in my car, and out of sight. I know, because once I stopped at the entrance to the complex and I saw him leap down from the window. I always find that cute.

And of course the cute looks....Buster knows if he puts it on thick, Ill give him a treat.

He apparently like bears.

I have this feeling the remaining hours of the evening will entail lots of cuddling.

GRANDE DAME

Ethylina Canne...the grande dame of Palm Springs!!!  I have long adored her style.

She often embodies the three F’s when he steps onto a stage. Anyone who has seen Ethylina Canne channel old Hollywood glamour or “Dynasty” diva Alexis Carrington on Sunday nights at Toucans Tiki Lounge knows Ethylinas also has a talent for bringing fun to a performance.But when she competed in LA’s Best in Drag Show, it was another F that likely gave him the edge to win the whole shebang. Fantasy.Ethylina created a new character and backstory based on Christmas, a holiday he’s been gaga over since childhood. It’s easy to imagine young Ethylina as one of those kids whose Christmas Eve dreams hosted disco-dancing sugar plums.Fresh from his Best in Drag victory, he recently revealed to Desert Outlook, a local paper a new dream, his journey from Morro Bay to Palm Springs, and his thoughts on taking drag to the next level. But what I like most about her is his old school drag style and over the top hair. If your going to do drag big hair is a must in my book, and she’s the kind of girl who always has a nod to old Hollywood. She’s got class and style and sophistication. At the same time, she’s about entertaining the audience and bringing about laughter without having to be crass. Althought she is crass too! Her lastest show is Foxie Moxie, where tickets are available at Eventbrite and her Christams Show is a must see.