It's Almost Over!

I cannot believe that this is Week 9. It feels like I just started my project a week ago.

This has been an amazing experience. I've met great people and had a great time and 

learned a great deal about LGBTQ youth organizations. So yeah, pretty great. 

I've been thinking about continuing to attend the Youth Center every day, 

but unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to. It's an hour away, plus I don't

have a car of my own; I think my parents are tired of being forced to change up 

their schedules so I can use one of their cars. I am going to try to make

the April drag show though (April 21st, open to the public, come one come all).

But I do have some exciting news! As you know, dear readers of the blog, 

I am interviewing some youth and staff/volunteers from One N Ten to

supplement my paper. Because the interviews are just a supplement (and also because 

I know people don't necessarily like being interviewed), my goal 

was to get responses from three people. But guess what! Four people volunteered!

FOUR!

Huzzah!

Pride was fun! Although I was surprised that most of the booths at the festival 

were offering or selling services, not little souvenirs. There were booths

advertising housing and HIV/AIDS testing and even animal shelters.
I didn't see a lot of shops selling shirts or other items; if they sold anything
it was generally flags. I was sort of disappointed; I really wanted an ace
shirt, but they didn't sell those. Instead I got a shirt at the Human Rights Campaign
booth, which is super comfortable. Unfortunately, I also got sunburned. But not all over.
No, just on the left side of my upper lip, the area directly below the space between my
eyebrows, the left side of the tip of my nose, and around the perimeter of my forehead.

I know. It's weird. 

There was also less partying than I expected. Granted, we were there right in the 

middle of the day and too young to get into Erotic World (thank goodness)

and avoided the dance floors (because introverts). When we left at four there

were more people streaming into the festival in more of

a party mood. But overall, it was pretty fun.

I know I'm squinting. It was bright and I am a creature of the darkness.

The Youth Center was closed this Monday (Pride takes a lot out of you).
On Tuesday we played Would You Rather and had a good time. Some of the youth
got really into it and argued over the consequences of the options. Sadly,
Tuesday will be my only day at One N Ten this week. As I write this post
I am sitting in an airport waiting to board a plane and head out for
Denver, Colorado. I am attending Colorado College's Admitted Student Open House
and will be out of town until Friday night.
In addition to not attending One N Ten this week, this also means that
I have had to conduct my interviews over email, since I want the responses in by Friday.
I actually think this might be a better way of doing it, since the
youth and staff/volunteers will have more time to mull over the questions
and won't feel awkward talking face-to-face about their experiences being homeless
(for example). Plus this way I won't the interview awkward by being my awkward self.

And finally, to finish out this post, my book reviews. I know I'm behind a little,
but Week 8's book review should be going up soon. For Week 8 I read/am reading
A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood. It follows George, a gay Englishman
in middle age who has just lost his partner. It is set in Southern California in
the early 1960's. A film adaptation was released in 2009, and
I actually found this book through the movie (but I didn't watch it - no spoilers).
Colin Firth stars as George.
Isherwood was an English-American novelist who is known for his
semi-autobiographical novellas, The Berlin Stories, which were inspired by his time
in Weimar Republic Germany.

Week 9's book is a novel by Sebastian Stuart, The Hour Between. In it, Arthur
McDougal and Katrina Felt, fellow students at Spooner School. They forge a
tender friendship, which is put to the test by Katrina's secrets and Arthur's
struggle with his sexuality. Stuart is the author of numerous plays,
screenplays, political satire, and critically-acclaimed novels.

I'll see you guys next week!