manthatgotaway’s blog

After leaving ELSEWHERE on October 18th, I drove the 12 hours home to Ann Arbor, MI, unpacked, repacked, slept for about 4 hours and then got back in the car to drive to Chicago for the Out There Conference, a conference of GLBT issues and the Catholic Church.  I'm being published in an anthology called "Queer and Catholic" (due out from Taylor & Francis Press in Spring 2008).   So I joined some other contributors for a panel discussion.  I think this was a great venue for discussing the book.  I really enjoyed the flow between personal anecdote, scholarship, and theology -- a rare mix I'm sure.  I thought that as a panel we presented a fascinating mix of experiences, perspectives, and identities.  It was very exciting to be in a space where people were earnestly dealing with the question of queers in the Church.  It's clear to me there is both a strong interest in and a need for this kind of anthology (I certainly would have been ecstatic to stumble upon a book like this in my teenage years). Out There Conference LINK

I got home on Monday, and have been trying to catch up with home life -- I have a big job interview tomorrow, Aric and I are having a party on Saturday, and I've been trying to get some video editing done.

Here, for your enjoyment, is Part 3 of JUDY TAKES OVER (Part 2 is on-the-way, not-yet-completed)  Thanks to Lucy and Annette for helping me shoot this and to Chris for letting me invade his space on my last night at Elsewhere:

At the conclusion of a stay at Elsewhere, the artist assembles an artist's box (usually a suitcase) which contains the signature items of that artist.  This box stays in the collection for future access by the artist and others.  Here is the context of my artist's box:

My last full day at ELSEWHERE.

This is a California Raisin people.  Remember when we all thought they were cute and odd?

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ELSEWHERE is a wonderful place, and some of you have asked how you might contribute more than a dollar to ELSEWHERE'S organization.  If you'd like to make a contribution, you can click on THE BRAIN link below and fill in any amount.  You can also see a variety of options for making a contribution at ELSEWHERE's website: Support Elsewhere

During the past few days I've been exploring ELSEWHERE's unusual collection of vinyl records.  We've dubbed the collection "The Brain" because it seems to have a mind of its own.

For the next 48 hours, I'll be doing a little benefit performance with "The Brain" to raise funds for ELSEWHERE's artist-in-residency program.  Here's how it works:

1.  Click on this link -- http://elsewheresbrain.blogspot.com/

2.  Click on the DONATE button (this sends you to paypal).

3.  After you log into paypal, you will see an option to "TELL THE BRAIN WHAT YOU WANT."  Make sure you fill in this link.  (If you don't fill this in, you will receive a mystery grab bag track).

4. For every $1.00 request, you will receive one song (converted to mp3) from ELSEWHERE's record collection.  Songs are delivered via email.

Rules:  The Brain does not accept requests for specific artists, songs, or genres of music.  So be imaginative.  For instance, you might say, "I need the perfect song for the perfect outfit" or "I'm having trouble getting up in the morning" or " Cocktail time just isn't quite right without the perfect song."  You get the picture.

THE BRAIN will be accepting requests beginning TODAY  (Sunday, October 14) at 12:30 PM until 12:30 PM, Tuesday, October 16.

I found this fabulous Judy Garland album and just felt the urge to make a mini-movie-musical moment:

I had to do some laundry today in Greensboro, and while I was waiting for everything to dry, I stopped into a vintage store.  I found a very cute blue vintage jacket that had my name written all over it.  So, of course, I had to buy it.

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Right now:

I'm trying on this wig:

Here is my desk:

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Shalin is computing:

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Lucy and Annette are chatting with George:

We are listening to this complicated relic of American Culture (one of several in the collection):

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Christian is lounging in the AQWHERIUM (which has become his studio):

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Monique is sewing in the Aviary (above the front entrance):

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Here is the view from the Aviary:

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Liza and Judy (LIFE Magazine, May 1965).  "When the opening night curtain rose on Flora the Red Menace and Liza came on as an art school graduate in the Depression, there were whispers because, yes, she certainly did look like her mother several rainbows ago.  When she sang, there were echoes of Judy, too--the old catches and wavers and throbs that made a song sound as if it were going through a nervous breakdown.  But soon Judy's image faded and Liza's came into focus."

Judyliza

This is Chris and Jesse and Shalin -- interns at ELSEWHERE -- they provide magical assistance in the everyday operations of ELSEWHERE.  Chris did a stint in the military, and is now seeking either (a) a goodlooking gal (or two) for a romantic evening (or two) or (b) gainful employment as a house-slash-poolboy.  Jesse is a sculptor who came from Brooklyn via Western Mass.  She's the current kitchen goddess of ELSEWHERE.  Shalin is a digital jack-of all-trades.  He's a southern boy (born-and-raised) and therefore enjoys partaking in pork products of all kinds.

Here's the record collection of ELSEWHERE, which I've dubbed "The Brain."  I started calling it "The Brain" because the other day I would simply plunge my hand into the piles and I would find a great record.  It's like the record collection had a brain, and it knew what I wanted. Stephanie (one of ELSEWHERE'S directors) wants all the records in ELSEWHERE to be rejoined in this space. Jesse is clearing away the top shelf of dishes so that we'll have an entire wall of records.

I created this sign for "The Brain" for a sign competition we had last night:

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