2006

So the vacation is ending. Finally. There is a God. I spent New Years Eve at the Parliament House. www.parliamenthouse.com A completely trashy hotel that doubles as a gay club. There was a good concert byUltra Nate (you may know her as the diva who sings that song "If you could read my mind," from the movie 54. And then a great drag show. ORlando really does have great drag. THe main dragqueen who runs the show did a number from the musical "The COlor People" and was completely fabulous in it. But Chuck would've been proud that I went dancing at a circuit-esque bar. And the Brew Crew should've been happy that I drank beer at a gay bar.

And the most important thing I learned was that the Parliament House is where all the queers go to die. When we started out the night no one under 50 was at the place... however, as teh night went on, it did get better, but its good to know what my future may be.

I did get to spend time with Billy Manes, a friend of mine who is my connection to the Orlando inner circle. He's like a local cult-celebrity here that writes a weekly column for the Orlando Weekly. www.orlandoweekly.com I am glad I could catch up with the drama of o-town while in town and I didn't have to hunt him down at his real job, Barnes and Nobles. He ran for mayor in 2005 in some wierd fiasco where the current mayor was temporarily removed from power and then replaced before an interim election. I asked if he wrote a book about his failed political campaign... His response (and why I'm proud to know him): I tried shopping the idea around for publishers but no one's picked it up yet. HAHAHHAHAHAHAH Keep tryin' Billy