In 2012 the RNC Convention was held in Tampa. It was the toughest security we had ever seen. On one night there was a Republican LGBTQ+ Party at the Ybor City Gay Bar “The Honey Pot”. We all dressed up and went to see who was there. It was a bit of a letdown. Most of the guests were curios people from Ybor City like us. In the past there have been big protests at this party. Not this year. Across the street at Bradley’s on 7^th (a Gay Bar too) The officers lined up in front to protect the business. Wounder if the guys knew there were in front of a Gay Bar???? Notice the posters of Joey Brooks and Esme looking at the guys!!! LOL It did make for great views from inside. LMAO

https://www.mcfilm.co/category/you-just-cant-make-this-sht-up

Years ago, a friend of our got in trouble with the law. He had to go away to prison. Before leaving he asked all his friends to keep his things for him. Furniture, clothes, personal items, etc. He came to us with his most valuable treasure. It was a photo of Marilyn Monroe in a very cheap frame. He kept it on his night stand. He asks us to keep it on our night stand and say good night to Marilyn every night, just like he had done for many years. LMAO!!!! With good behavior he was out in 16 months. The 1^st thing he did was went right to us to get his Marilyn picture. He kissed the photo then turned it over and removed the back. It was full of $100 bills!!! You Just Can Not Make This Up. https://www.mcfilm.co/category/you-just-cant-make-this-sht-up/

You Just Can Not Make This Up

In 1983 a friend of ours had a private sale of his things.  He was trying to raise money for medication. We purchased his pasta maker and gave him extra cash. He said that he would come over and show us his favorite pasta recipe. I remember we had a fun night making past. His recipe was. In a large frying pan add ½ stick butter lots of olive oil. Sauté a diced onion and garlic. Then ad a can of anchovies in oil.  Cook until the anchovies have dissolved. Then add cooked pasta. A couple months later he passed away due to AIDS. His family would not claim the body. A group of us came together and raised the $85.00 for cremation. We never knew what happened to the ashes. Every time we make this pasta, we think of Rodger.

On Netflix there are several great series on the 1980’s drugs in Miami. “Narco” and “Griselda” are just two of the great ones. The 1980’s were a wild time for the LGBT community in South Florida too. There was the Marlin Beach Hotel with the famous Jules Verne Room and The Copa, just to name a few. I remember we were in Miami in the early 1980’s with a crazy fun friend who spoke Spanish. We were walking around looking at all the mega yachts. One of the yachts had armed men on board. Our friend asked them in Spanish “Who owns this Yacht?” The armed guard replied “I’m going to act like you just did not ask that!!! Move on NOW!!!” Our friend turned white and said we got to get out of here now. Thinking back…. How lucky we were. The 1980’s were very wild. We were so young and so naïve.

We were checking into a hotel in New York City. We walked into an elevator with an older couple ahead of us. The wife said to her husband “We are on the 24^th floor so press 2 then 4” We smile and said you just have to press the 24 button.  She replied thanks we have never been in a building this tall before. Can you just imagine what they thought of the view from the 24^th floor. WOW

A good friend of ours was in the Gay Capital of the World, Berlin Germany. As we all know the names of the streets there are very hard to remember. Our friend practiced and practiced the name of the street Infront of his hotel “Ein Weg”.  Off to a club and some cocktails. On the way back to his hotel in bewilderment, he notices there were several different streets all with the same name “Ein Weg”.  He stopped and ask a Gay guy. The person laughed and said the Ein Weg means One Way. LOL LOL Then the guy offered to walk him back to his hotel. They then had cocktails in the hotel and…..  Now 5 years later they are still together and living in Atlanta. What a great story of a 1^st date.

We were at Mom’s Dinner in Tampa. The guy in the booth behind me was talking very loudly so I con not help but hear him. Then our server came up to take his order. Then asked “How would you like your eggs?” He said I would like one scrambled and one sunny side up. I thought hum… that is strange. After his food came the server came back and asked if everything was OK. He actually said “NO, you scrambled the wrong one.” OMG He was serious. We left the server and extra big tip.

We have an airconditioned storage locker in Ybor City. Over the years have seen some very strange things.  From pot parties, man caves and strange open lockers. This past week there was a young guy sitting in a locker at a desk. Every time I went past the locker, he would turn so I couldn’t see his face. After 4 times I stopped and asked if he was, OK? He turned and said “Yes”. I then realized he was putting on makeup. I said your makeup looks great. We then started to talk. He practices his makeup in the storage unit so his family wouldn’t bother him. What a nice and smart kid.   

Over Memorial Day 2023 we visited our property in Wisconsin. Not planning on moving in any time soon!!! We are right between Carrie’s parents on one side and his Grandparents on the other side. Looks like I will have to be good for eternity!!! LMAO