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is it the summertime already?

The open fire hydrant: a hallmark of summer in urban New York City

I know i've got to get better with blogging more frequently. All of sudden this blog has become the "ball blog" and its lost some of its "roots" in cultural criticism and social commentary. I also havent been able to play around with ya'll in a while. Do you remember the days of "Frank's Favorite 5", "The Wednesday Why Wait A Minute" and "Now Let's Be Frank"?

Over the past six months i've I havent had time to really blog (as opposed to simply posting pictures) like I used to. But summer 2006 is here and I have nothing but time on my hands and PLENTY to talk about.

Last weekend in D.C. I realized just how popular this blog is becoming. Its great. It has its ups and downs though. The upside is people recognize me (you know how small black gay communities are) without me knowing them. The down side is people recognize me without me knowing them. Lol. This little blog seems to have found itself in many a place. I've had colleagues at NYU use this blog to "investigate" whether or not im leaving, distant Aunts find out that im gay for the first time, and old "friends" from "adam4adam"/"blackgaychat"/"xclusivity" and "men4now" interrogate whether or not im single. Oh, its been quite a trip.


Also, I cant tell you how many old dates of mine have NOT been pleased to find out im that i'm a part of the ballroom community (which is a shame). Lol. You know the kids want you to be "thugged out" nowadays, so when they find out you're working on a PH.D. and walk balls I guess it ruins the allusion. LMAO. When will we learn brothas, when will we learn...

As a side note, I want to apologize again to anyone who has ever emailed me and I never responded. I have gotten a lot better with responding to emails so do holla again and I promise to get back to you. I keep saying it, because I really am sorry! I've always loved being a "people person", meeting new black people is always a joy for me. Seriously, it sounds corny and essentialist, but its true.

Oh yeah, and i almost forgot: I also get HATE MAIL now! I must really be special. And fellow blogger Bejata even tipped me off with a link to this friendly little commentary on me. Wasnt that fun?

I think a lot of the popularity boom this blog has experienced is because of the extremely generous and genuine brothers at FlavaLife Magazine and the great "plugs" blogger extraordinaires Rod and writer Keith Boykin have put in a few times in recent weeks. Over the summer im going to try to blog at least 2 times a week in a non-ball related topic. Lol. Also, after much convincing, I FINALLY joined myspace. I hate it. But im there anway. Here I am.

This morning i was going through the archives of this blog and i cant believe a year has passed so quickly. Its amazing how people, circumstances, cliques, and dreams can change over the course of 12 months. Do you remember what was going on in your life this time last year?


For me, I was living in Brooklyn and was just about to move to Harlem with Jason Cooper; promoting a literary event at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe; considering becoming the Executive Director of NYC Black Pride 2006; and kept talking 'bout how I wanted to go by "Leon" instead of "Frank". Also, it was the "golden era" of the black gay blogger rookies. The blogoshere was in an uproar over the antics of the then relatively-new kids of the block (myself included) like No4real4real, Trent Jackson, Divo, Stone, Holiday, Larry Lyons, Prodigal Sun, Bruthafree and Nathan Scott. Nathan had just launched his "seven" party at Luke & Leroy's on Sundays, and I was a regular each week.


Take a look here, here, here, and here. Goddamit, how things have changed!

If there is one thing you want to do in Summer 2006, what is it?

Posted by the young people's professor on 6/03/2006 at 3:27:00 AM |

great - great post Frank ... Im a lil suprised at the "i hate FLR" thing ... but there always critics and some people are never satisfied. That is why you stay focused on doing and being you - i personally love FLR! lol

Posted by Blogger Clay | 6/03/2006  

Yes sir it has been a great year. If it wasn't for you I never would have started to blog. Thanks again man. Like you I feel like I fell off a lot but the summer always offers a lot of oppertunity to set my posting in motion.

Damn you brought me back with all that happens of this year with your progression and us then up and coming bloggers. Like you I am back and ready to do it right for at least the rest of the summer.

Good luck on MySpace. I refuse until my agent tells me to get up there. I am not there yet to have an agent so I am cool for a little while at least.

Posted by Blogger N4R | 6/03/2006  

that "hate FLR" piece was very 666.

yeah, yeah, i get the spin... after some soul searching, author eventually faces up to the insecurities and self-hatred that he's been projecting elsewhere. yeah, yeah.

that said, it was very 666.

otherwise, cool retrospective.

Posted by Blogger Larry D. Lyons II | 6/03/2006  

Great Frank! I look forward to reading your social commentary instead of looking at pictures, although I enjoy the pictures just as much. This summer is off to a great start! Continue to achieve and contact me sometime (out the country until July 5th but after, holla). You kind of disappeared...smile! Also, check out my blog.

Posted by Blogger Curtis D. Young | 6/04/2006  

It's OK. Still luv all your stuff, and you are hot...

Posted by Blogger Cincinnati NAMjA | 6/04/2006  

Here we are in a not so crowded space, and I have been allowed to mesh with NYC most affluent socialite in the blogosphere.

Yes, FLR, I am talking about you. Here we are year later and life has proved to be good to all of us.

In the words of an old theme song to a popular tv show "Thank you for being a Friend."

This summer, it's on, whenever I can actually be in the country.

Holla,

Peace by All Means!!!

Posted by Blogger The Divo | 6/04/2006  

For me and many people out there your site is the only window into the ball world. While I enjoy seeing the ball photos... I definitely miss Now Let's Be Frank and your social commentaries.

As for summer 2006... I wish I could go back to the summers when I was young... no work, no school, no responsibilities... i remember my biggest concern being when was the pool man gonna clean out the pool every few weeks.

Posted by Blogger C. Baptiste-Williams | 6/05/2006  

Love the ballroom pics...like bernie said, it gives those of us not exposed, a lil insight on what goes on.

i see everyone is catchin the blogging bug again..thas wassup...can't wait to read ur entries.

kool aka bruthafree

Posted by Blogger gee | 6/05/2006  

Frank, I'm so glad you've been posting on the ball scene; with your critical insights and active, engaged performances, you bring a perspective we rarely get, so thank you and please keep posting about your experiences, with those pics, when you can. In terms of your critics, you know I've read your work closely and can attest that you are truly brilliant. Chalk it up to a little bit of envy mixed with fascination, and so long as it doesn't become a stalking situation, don't worry about it. The same is true of the exes who can't deal with the balldivadom. When you're on TV, they'll all be sending you love letters.

Posted by Blogger John K | 6/06/2006  

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