Good Bye Florida....Goodbye 2008

I have made a commitment to letting go of the past, so I am not going to take up a bunch of space re-capping 2008. But, lets say that 2008 brought great change, great challenges, and great opportunities. It brought a physical move from MN to CA. It brought emotional moves of many types including the ending of one relationship and the beginning of another powerful and amazing one. It brought lots of travel to some old and familiar places and to some new and exciting places. It has brought opportunities to learn and grow, and it has brought the commission of mistakes--a very few repeated ones and some new ones and lots of ones from which I hope I have learned,. I wrote more in the second half of the year than I did in the previous year. I look forward to seeing what comes next.

I am currently saying goodbye to the ocean and to Ft. Lauderdale. It has been, even with the drama, an amazing vacation. Plus, I had lots of great sex with that man of mine....next time...my man and perhaps a few others ;-). Actually, sitting next to David on NYE watching the last bits of sunlight fading away from 2008 is a fulfilled feeling that I am pleased to have. Thanks for reading. Happy New Year to you.

Healing

Sometimes healing starts when you unintentionally, through an expression of your own pain, hurt someone that you care about. I did that last night. Because of work I need to do to heal myself, I put my relationship at risk by not handling my emotions in the way I could have. The part that kills is that I caused pain, fear, confusion, and insecurity in someone that has been, for all purposes, a consummate source of love, strength, and patience in my life. Not all of the conflict from last night was mine to carry. But that which is mine to carry I am carrying heavily. It is also telling that although I have been forgiven for my knee jerk asinine behavior, I can't figure out how to forgive myself. It isn't as dramatic as it sounds, and then again, it really is. It's so dramatic it is comic. Poor Brandon...someone loves him enough to love him through his hurt. Self-pity is a damn shame.

Christmas Eve Eve Morning: A New Poem

This is the poem that I wrote for David for Christmas.

Christmas Eve Eve Morning

Lay thick on me
the scent of your rosebud
opening pinkly
rolled up eyes sighing
as you fully bloom
fertile ground in
seeds planted
for a love harvest

Lay hot on me
the cum smoke saltiness
of your cephalopod tongue
tasting lust buds
swollen headed
sliding down my eager throat
savor the wet love declarations
cock proclaimed

Lay hard on me
round bongo rhythms
piston playing jack off melodies
mouth shaping whole notes
while drum stick riding
composing rock & roll ballads to
the key of paradise city
already locked in

Lay soft on me
pearl white abstract paintings
graphics designed by matted chest hair
sweat based water colors
Mappelthorpe studies
100% organic materials
not harmful if swallowed

Lay last on me
post-coital sketches
made by trailing fingers
across shaved surfaces
over panting smiles
under kiss quieted emotives
beneath softening dicks
a gentle good morning.

-Brandon Lacy Campos
-Ft. Lauderdale, FL
-12/27/08

Slammers Redux

Ummm scary and funny...after writing my blog this morning, I went to the beach with David and ran into Keith and Kyle from the Lost Sox.....all of us were on vacation completely separately in Ft. Lauderdale. My super secret power strikes again.

Slammers! YOU KNOW!

So, back home in Minneapolis I have the honor of belonging to a group of kick ass friends. These friends form the core of a softball team called the Slammers. The team is crazy. The people are crazy. And you know my black ass is crazy. So that all works out pretty well. This morning I was looking at my man in the shower and I said out loud, "GOOD MORN'TING!"

Now in SlammerSpeak, which draws heavily from the vocabulary of Tyler Perry and the Color Purple, Good Morn'ting is what you say when you see a fine ass man and you just want to climb on top of them and do things to make Jesus go back into his cave. My friend Isha Mae is also the kick ass and well known queer hip hop artist Tori Fixx. A year and a half ago he released a music video called Good Mornting. If you look closely, you can see a whole lot of the back of my neck in the video (I am the guy with the silver chain on)...and once you even see my profile. I am so famous.

Anyway, I am missing Isha this morning. Check out his video Good Mornting<. TRIM SPA BABY!

Merry Christmas!

This year has brought me great love and great growth. May the joy and peace of Christ fill all your lives and your hearts. May the love and happiness that is the birthright of all people of all nations swell your soul. May the road you walk be gentle and filled with beauty and the blessing of faith, strength, and moments of clarity. Thank you for sharing this life path with me.

To all my friends who are my family and to my family who are my friends and to my lover, friend, teacher, student, muse, and partner thank you for cutting a new path at my side through this life forest.

Living With HIV, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Style

Check out my new article at www.BlackPower.com.

This article was a bit of a personal bitch to write. I am open about my HIV status. More now that at any time in my life. But this is being REAL open. Like.....bend over and get doubled fisted open. Swollen anal lips and all.

Lord oh lord oh lord.

Good Morning Baltimore!

So, I just got back from a journey to Baltimore to see danceRINK's production of Alice in Wonderland. There was a great review of the show in the Baltimore Sun on Thursday. Choreographer Scott Rink put together a pretty amazing show. Just as amazing was the art created for the show by my boyfriend David Berube. Some of the choreographer was on the cliche side while other of it was inspired. Particularly fun and inventive was the choreography during the scene where Alice meets the Duchess and the transformation of the babe into the pig. The performance was set to an old recording of Alice in Wonderland starring Dinah Shore with additional score added by Scott Rink from older jazz era recordings.



David and I started a fledgling t-shirt business called Ocean Monkey Bottom T-shirts. The t-shirts were a hit. We sold almost 40 t-shirts at the four shows where we were present. Here is a picture of the dancer that played the Caterpillar wearing our Cheshire Cat Tee.

All in all it was a great trip. It was David and I's first adventure working closely together, and we fell into a natural rhythm. It was a good partnership. It is a good partnership.

While in Baltimore we checked out the Walters Museum. One of the traditions that David I have is to go to museums together. So far we have hit the Walker in Minneapolis, the Met in New York, and now the Walters in Baltimore. While touring the Walters, which is a smaller museum with a fantastic antiquities through 19th century collection, we came across a painting of the daughter of Duke Alessandro d'Medici. Please note that the little girl is obviously not white. Indeed, her father (1511-1537) was the son of a Medici Cardinal and an African serving girl. So, to spell it out, just as race based slavery was being developed in the Americas, the most powerful family in Europe at the time (the Medicis) embraced a black relative. The little girl in the photo is thought to be the first person of African descent depicted in European art.

One Liner of the Week Award--Shannon Lacy

This week I am extremely excited to give the One Liner of the Week Award to my little sister, Shannon Lacy of Virginia.

Today, I was talking to my sister. She was with my Dad at a museum on the base where my little sis is station. We were discussing my Father and his recent forays into Facebook Ho-dom. I mentioned to my sister that my Daddy's ho-like qualities is how he ended up with all these children in the first place..

My sister replied, "Yeah he got all these babies of all different spices. We should change our last name from Lacy to Lowry's."

That shit was hilarious...and is the One Liner of the Week.

Love, Demons, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer

This article was written for www.blackpower.com

Love----Buffy the Vampire Slayer Style

There are days when I feel like Buffy the Vampire Slayer except less blonde, with better legs, and no breasts. Nevertheless, there are days when I wake up and feel as if I spend my entire existence fighting demons, attempting to drive stakes through my internal craziness, and doing everything I can to keep the Seal of Darkness from opening and letting all hell break loose.

I am a black, Latino, Native, white, HIV positive, queer man coming off eight years of Bush and living in the worst recessions since the Great Depression. I grew up with a single mother. I watched her be physically abused, I survived mental and physical abuse and somehow I have made it into my early 30s. Did I mention that I am also a recovering meth addict, and my boyfriend lives in New York while I live in Oakland? When I say there are days I feel like Buffy. I am not exaggerating.

Moving and living in a world that has plenty of undead, ghouls, goblins, ghosts, skeletons in closets, skeletons buried in the back yard, and skeletons propped the hell up at the dinner table, is like living in an episode of that late much lauded icon of late 90s/early millennium pop culture. Buffy was a metaphor for modern society. And there are days when I run the gamut of characters. Sometimes I am sassy Willow with a spell or three for bitches that get in my way. Some days I am dumb ass Zander who wanders around wondering exactly what he is supposed to be doing and why he has no super powers. Other days I am Anya, a reformed addict trying to do right and not quite getting it right, and other times I am lame, annoying, whining Dawn----a supposed source of ultimate power that sits in the corner and bitches and moans until she inevitably gets kidnapped by some Hell Beast and has to be rescued by friends.

But most days I am Buffy, feeling as if I have been killed and resurrected on multiple occasions, wielding inner strength with a touch of Paradise lost, and trying my hardest to fight the good fight while really thinking about doing high kicks at the Homecoming game and going home to my husband, Freddie Prinze Junior, and doing some Cirque du Soleil gutterbutt Hugh Heifner shit that I can upload to Xtube when I’m finished.

Lately, I have been fighting the biggest, worst, nastiest stank ass of Satan’s Lieutenants…that succubus called Jealousy. That green eyed monster, so seductive, so cruel, spends so much time running in and around my mind that if I ever catch her, I am going to skin her alive with a rusty butter knife dipped in Ajax and then dribble hot bacon grease in the wounds.

I have a wonderful man. He is a little like Zander, but way sexier, much more brilliant, and with a much better boogina. Actually, he is nothing like Zander at all.

This man has spun my world upside down and inside out. With him, I feel like Tara and Willow during the Musical Episode of Buffy when they are flitting around, casting butterfly spells and serenading one another. He has opened up my eyes to myself, and cast a spell on me that has let me see my true reflection instead of looking through the eyes of the wounds that I have inflicted on myself and that were legacies of growing up where and when and how I did. He is my number one fan, and my number one critic. He is my Watcher that helps me keep the demons at bay.

Except for the ones that he stirs up.

He and I have an open relationship. Open as in, open right up and let that Jealousy bitch come right on in. Now, I know myself. Like Buffy, I am a ho. I would happily fuck a sexy vampire or two or have a threesome with a hung Hell Beast and Spike. I could do all that and know without a doubt that the Bacchanalia would have no impact on my thoughts, feelings, or love for my partner. Theoretically, I know that the same goes for him. Practically, when I know he has gone out and had sex with someone else, I want to find them both and drive a stake through their conjoined bodies. Unfortunately, human beings don’t burn up into piles of ash when you stick a sharpened Louisville slugger through their necks.

The disconnect between my brain and my heart (or wherever Jealousy happens to reside) is the greatest impact on our relationship right now. In general, we love and support each other like Anya and Zander before Zander left her high and dry at the altar in a room full of demons that had just fireballed in from Hell. I struggle each day to remember that his love for me is not diminished by the trick that may or may not have just left his house or job or theater or wherever he happens to be.

Living in this society as a gay Black man who truly believes in the multiplicity of loves and ways of loving but has survived so many psychic wounds is a mental juxtaposition that at times is paralyzing at best and at other times is whiny ass woe as me and let me be a crazy psycho jealous biznatch at worst. Self-examination and awareness is the first step in any sort of recovery. But, if I become any more self aware, I may be forced to stake myself.

Learning to love through the demons, love past the skeletons, love around the ghouls, and love in spite of the goblins is one of the hardest adventures that this Buffy has ever had to undertake. But the alternative, laying down in a cold grave, alone, wandering the nights looking for a quick juicy fix, is not the road which I want to walk anymore. This Slayer is out to win the Final Battle. Oh my Goddess.

One Liner of the Week Award

This weeks award goes to DL Hughley, "Everyone got what they wanted for Christmas. The blacks got Obama, and the whites got O.J. Simpson."


Instant fucking classic.

Barack Obama Appoints Jesus to Cabinet: Final Draft

This was written for www.blackpower.com


Thanks to my editor Ericka Blount for making suggestions on how to expand this article!


Barack Obama Appoints Jesus to Cabinet

In a stunning news conference today in Chicago, Barack Obama announces the newest member of his cabinet: Jesus H. Christ.

When asked by reporters, “What would Jesus do?,” The President-elect made an appearance with Jesus at a press conference saying, “There has been wide-speculation, since the primary race, concerning my religious affiliation. Today, I am appointing Jesus Christ as Secretary of Metaphysical Affairs and White House Chaplain. It is my hope that with this appointment, rumors over my religious affiliation will be laid to rest.”

Jesus H. Christ, whose middle name is also Hussein, took a few questions from reporters, but refused to give the date of the Rapture, the Resurrection, or Armageddon. He did, however say, “It is a great honor to serve in this administration. Throughout the campaign. Mr. Obama prayed to me diligently. Sometimes I walked by his side. Sometimes I carried him. This cup is a much less bitter cup from which to drink.” He said, alluding to scripture and his brief conversation with his Father just before the crucifixion.

Immediately, there were strong reactions from both the right and the left. Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, said in a brief statement, “This nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values. And it is an honor to have Christ serving in the West Wing.”

The ACLU immediately filed suit in Federal Court to block the appointment of Jesus. ACLU President Nadine Strossen released this strongly worded statement, “This is the most egregious violation of the separation of church and state that has ever been attempted. To have the Son of God serve in the White House is clearly unconstitutional. The Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves.”
Jesus would neither confirm nor deny whether or not, in fact, the Founding Fathers were indeed rolling over in their graves.
President-elect Obama responded, “Secretary Christ will serve as a spiritual advisor and as advisor on metaphysical affairs. I respect the diversity of religious faith in this nation. I do not advocate establishing a state religion. And, as such, I will be nominating the Buddha as Ambassador to India.”

The office of the Dalai Lama was contacted regarding the announcement of the Buddha as ambassador, but the Dalai Lama was not available for comment.

“In the end,” spoke President-elect Obama, “I hope this will lay to rest rumors that I am a Muslim. My Father was Muslim, but I was raised in a Christian household, in a Christian family, and I stand by my Christian faith. In fact, I am standing right next to Jesus Christ.” The President-elect put his arm around the Son of God for a photo opportunity.

In further remarks Jesus said, “I hope, also, this will clear up a few things. To begin with, I am, indeed Black.”

Reverend Jeremiah Wright, responded, “I always knew Jesus was a black man. And now it is confirmed. Praise God. Praise God.”

Black churches across America held spontaneous prayer services that seemed more like Freaknik than worship and praise.

White conservative Christians were less enthusiastic. Indeed, shortly after Mr. Obama’s announcement and press conference, President of the all white executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, Pastor Johnny M. Hunt, announced his imminent conversion to Judaism and a vote of the Convention for a massive general mikvah---the the Jewish ceremonial bath during which one becomes a Jew.

Pastor Hunt commenting from his home church, soon to be synagogue, in Woodstock, Georgia, said, “Obviously, for the last 154 years, the Baptist Convention has gotten it wrong. The Jews are right. The Messiah is yet to come. Shalom brothers and sisters, Shalom.”

Jesus continued his question and answer session by stating, “As Secretary of Metaphysical Affairs and White House Chaplain, I will be investigating the use of my name in vain. In particular, I will be making personal appearances at sporting championships and other public events were overpaid athletes and Oscar award winners thank me while at the same time doing work that has nothing to do with me. My eye is on the sparrow. It is also on Michael Vick.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences could not be reached for comment.

“Pardon my French, but you all have been messing up big time. Iraq, Afghanistan, segregation, environmental degradation,” Jesus continued, clearly agitated “I let them hammer my ass to a piece of wood for ya’ll. Don’t make me take off my belt.” His words were punctuated by thunder and lightening, inside the Presidential Transition Office and, at the same time, word reached President-elect Obama that a massive flood had just taken out the town of Woodstock, Georgia.

Jesus Christ closed the press conference by saying, “Let us bow our heads for Pastor Hunt and the people of Woodstock, Georgia. In my name we pray. Amen.”

Barack Obama Appoints Jesus to Cabinet

(This article was written for BlackPower.com )

In a stunning news conference today in Chicago, Barack Obama announces the newest member of his cabinet: Jesus H. Christ.

The President-elect made an appearance with Jesus at a press conference saying, “There has been wide-speculation, since the primary race, concerning my religious affiliation. Today, I am appointing Jesus Christ as Secretary of Metaphysical Affairs and White House Chaplain. It is my hope that with this appointment, rumors over my religious affiliation will be laid to rest.”

Jesus H. Christ, whose middle name is also Hussein, took a few questions from reporters, but refused to give the date of the Rapture, the Resurrection, or Armageddon. He did, however say, “It is a great honor to serve in this administration. Throughout the campaign. Mr. Obama prayed to me diligently. Sometimes I walked by his side. Sometimes I carried him. This cup is a much less bitter cup from which to drink.” He said, alluding to scripture and his brief conversation with his Father just before the crucifixion.

Immediately, there were strong reactions from both the right and the left. Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, said in a brief statement, “This nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values. And it is an honor to have Christ serving in the West Wing.”

The ACLU immediately filed suite in Federal Court to block the appointment of Jesus. ACLU President Nadine Strossen released this strongly worded statement, “This is the most egregious violation of the separation of church and state that has ever been attempted. To have the Son of God serve in the White House is clearly unconstitutional. The Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves.”

Jesus would neither confirm nor deny whether or not, in fact, the Founding Fathers were indeed rolling over in their graves.

President-elect Obama responded, “Secretary Christ will serve as a spiritual advisor and as advisor on metaphysical affairs. I respect the diversity of religious faith in this nation. I do not advocate establishing a state religion. And, as such, I will be nominating the Buddha as Ambassador to India.”

The office of the Dalai Lama was contacted regarding the announcement of the Buddha as ambassador, but the Dalai Lama was not available for comment.

“In the end,” spoke President-elect Obama, “I hope this will lay to rest rumors that I am a Muslim. My Father was Muslim, but I was raised in a Christian household, in a Christian family, and I stand by my Christian faith. In fact, I am standing right next to Jesus Christ.” The President-elect put his arm around the Way and the Life for a photo opportunity.

In further remarks Jesus said, “I hope, also, this will clear up a few things. To begin with, I am, indeed Black.”

Reverend Jeremy Wright, responded, “I always knew Jesus was a black man. And now it is confirmed. Praise God. Praise God.”

Support the Family of Jose Sucuzhanay

Please support the family of Jose Sucuzhanay, a victim of an
anti-immigrant and anti-gay hate crime.


On Sunday morning at around 3:30 a.m. 2 Ecuadorian brothers were walking on Kossuth Place and Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn when approached by 4 black males who exited a vehicle. It is believed that while walking arm in arm, the perpetrator believed the brothers were gay. After a few minutes witnesses heard the word "faggot" and saw 31 year old, Jose Sucuzhanay get hit over the head with a bottle, and fall to the ground. After falling to the ground, his brother ran off to get help but the suspects continue to beat on the victim by kicking him and hitting him with a bat about his head. Witnesses also heard them refer to the victim as "You fucking Spanish Faggot."

On Tuesday December 9th, in the afternoon Jose Sucuzhanay was pronounced dead due to massive trauma to the head.

The S.O.S. Collective recognizes that this is time of financial struggle but we ask folks to support the family of Jose Sucuzhanay in whatever capacity you can. We suggest that folks donate money, write letters or cards of sympathy and support to the family. The Audre Lorde Project will be open to accepting cash and money order donations, cards, or letters Monday through Friday from 12 to 6 PM. As soon as we find out who you can address checks to, we will let you know. You may also feel free to mail any donations to ALP.

Audre Lorde Poject
Attn: Ejeris Dixion
Safe OUTside the System Collective
85 South Oxford Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217

S.O.S. Collective will be collecting any donations until Tuesday December, 23. Your funds and support will be greatly appreciated and I personally want to thank you for opening up your hearts and wallet, to such a tragic situation.

Take care,
Veronica Tirado


Safe OUTside the System Collective
Ejeris Dixion
Program Coordinator
718.596.0342 ext. 22
718.596.1328 (fax)

BlackPower.com

Hey folks:

I am now a regular contributor at www.BlackPower.com. Please show your support and love by tuning into the website. If you read something you like, please leave comments.

Here is the link to my latest article: http://www.blackpower.com/business/shocking-numbers-show-african-american-community-thriving-during-recession/

Thanks to your support three of my last four articles have been the most read in their categories for multiple days in a row! Your support translates into more exposure for my writing. Thank you so much.

One love,
Brandon

One Liner of the Week Award

This is a first for the One Liner of the Week Award. In the past, the award has always gone to someone that has said something witty in my presence. But, today, I was reading a review of Cadillac Records by www.BlackPower.com writer Jimi Izrael, and I came across a line that screamed One Liner of the Week.

Jimi Izrael said, "Jeffrey Wright could steal a puppet show from Kermit the Fucking Frog."

This was in reference to Mr. Wright's role in the movie. I personally believe that Jeffrey Wright is perhaps the finest actor walking the planet right now. So I can't wait to see this movie.

Vision Statement

I commit myself to living differently. I will forgive myself, ask for forgiveness of those I have wronged, and forgive others. I will see myself, not as the world would have me been seen or how others have told me that I am, but as I was meant to be seen with loving kindness. I will do no harm to others with intention, and those I harm unintentionally, I will seek to make well. I will speak as truthfully and honestly as I can. I will trust openly. I will only make commitments that I can keep. I will keep the commitments I make. I will be imperfect, and I will love myself through my imperfections. I will be successful, and I will use success to fulfill my vision. I will give to those that ask, and I will save enough to sustain myself. I will honor my debts both human and material. I will be a good lover, a strong partner, and a devoted friend. I will love myself. I will love truly. I commit myself to love.

GREENS Report: Black Folks Thrive During Recession

Shocking Numbers Show African-American Community Thriving During Recession

A report issued today by the General Roundtable on the Economic Encouragement of Negros (GREENS) stated that, “Due to the overwhelming impact of the collapsed credit market, the dissolution of the banking and finance sectors, and now the impending implosion of the domestic auto industry, blacks, who have a four hundred year history of making due with next to nothing, are finding their survival skills are now in high demand.”

In Oakland, California, one Soul Food Cooking School instructor noted that class enrollment is an all time high. Miss Betty Collards, head of the school told BlackPower.com, “I ain’t never seen this many white folks sign up for classes. Now that they can only afford neckbones and beans, they’ve discovered they don’t know what to do with them.”

Miss Collards, who also participated in the GREENS study, said that all of her friends and neighbors with kitchen hair salons, black market cd businesses, and hand car washes are thriving during this downturn. In fact, several community entrepreneurs have set up a Survival School for the Formerly Wealthy.

“I am in charge of the Make Due with Less curriculum, while my husband, who was a mortgage broker with Wells Fargo until recently, is running our budgeting and financial management program: Paycheck to Paycheck, How to Make that Dollar Stretch,” said Miss Collards.

The GREENS institute study determined that even at the times when the U.S. economy is thriving, the massive wealth and affluence, still largely based on the enormous wealth created by slave labor and continued on low wage labor performed by blacks, Latinos, immigrants and poor whites, does not reach the hardest hit. The study concluded that even when the economy is roaring, most of the black community lives in recession.

Miss Collards commented that, “I don’t need a study to tell me that when those white folks that started Facebook and other dot coms and stuff were making their billions that didn’t mean a damn thing for working class black folks. As a matter of fact, real incomes for black folks declined in the late 1990s when America was at the height of its so-called boom.”

She concluded with, “Boom. Boom my ass. Boom is the sound that those white folks jaws made when they saw the big board at the stock exchange this morning.”

Already, the GREENS study found, President-elect Barack Obama is being called on to clean up the mess created by his soon to be predecessor. And the white folks in charge are getting antsy. Barack Obama has largely stayed hands off asserting that there can be only one President at a time. An assertion that holds water.

But, House Banking and Finance Committee Chairperson, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) has been all up in the President-elect’s kool aid calling on him to take a more active role in solving the financial crisis.

The GREENS study found that Representative Frank should shut the hell up and sit down as the President-elect can only participate in negotiations, but his power to enact change is rightfully limited until January 20, 2009 when he becomes president.

In the end, the GREENS report concluded that the African-American community will weather this recession with the same creativity, passion, and hamhocks that has kept it solvent for the last 400 years.

“Times are always at or near rough for our people. But love, community, and some black eyed peas go a long way to making things alright,” quipped Miss Betty Collards.

The GREENS report agreed.