Say Uncle!

Me & My Nieces
l-r
Shauna Waters, Michael Shinafelt, Lindley Waters & Kelly Waters

Today August 13, 2023 is officially Gay Uncles Day! Since I am a gay uncle, or as we gays refer to it "Guncle" I am celebrating it!

Here a photo of myself and my three nieces. It's an older photo, not recent, why?  Because it's the only one I could find of the four of us together all at once.

It was Christmas, can't recall the year, I'm not good with time frames. But suffice it to say these three give me plenty of reasons to be a proud and happy Guncle.

Their names in no particular order are Lindley, Shauna & Kelly. For those Enquiring minds that want to know.

So to all the Gay Uncles out there wave your Guncle flag high, loud and proud!

Gay Uncles Day on the WWW -

https://nationaltoday.com/gay-uncles-day/   

Search For Sound

 Z2 Comics is proud to announce Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound, an innovative and stunning exploration of the musical pioneer’s winding, exhilarating life and the intoxicating music that followed. The graphic novel will be released by Z2 Comics on November 7th, 2023.

The graphic novel chronicles Davis’ journey from his childhood in Illinois to mastering jazz improvisation throughout the ’40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s. These formative experiences led him to redefine the form again and again, culminating into the psychedelic frontiers of afro futurism throughout the ‘70s and beyond. Cartoonist Dave Chisholm, who received his doctorate in Jazz Trumpet from the Eastman School of Music, takes readers on a meticulously researched odyssey charting this dynamic figure’s musical evolution. Throughout, Chisholm centers on the one obsession threaded throughout Davis’ sprawling career: a restless search for the sound. A search that shattered and redefined the limits of what jazz—and music—could be.

Featuring narration adapted from Davis’ own words and a shifting palette of visual styles that mirrors Davis’ famously varied oeuvre, this 150-page graphic novel follows Davis through four decades of musical innovation and ever-escalating obstacles.

Chisholm frames the narrative around Davis’ recovery from a stroke in 1982. With Davis unable to play his trumpet, his medical team urged him to regain coordination by scratching out patterns and scribbles with a pencil on paper. From there, the story hurdles back in time to the icon’s quest to find a mysterious tone he once heard on a moonlit country road in his childhood.

“Davis’ music has truly been a lifelong obsession of mine, inspiring me to pursue jazz trumpet in college and beyond—Sketches of Spain is the first music I ever remember hearing, and I even had the opportunity to perform all of the music he and Gil Evans did together at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy,” Chisholm explains. “Miles continually inspires me to pursue stylistic change as an artist, both visually and musically. This is the book I’ve always dreamt of creating; it’s the biggest honor of my professional life to be given this opportunity by the Davis family.”

“Dave Chisholm has captured the struggle, the genius, and the complexity of Miles Davis in this book. Each page brings the energy of his music to life with the same kinetic fluidity of Miles’ compositions,” Z2 Editor-in-Chief Rantz Hoseley continues. “This is a powerful story that pulls you deep within, whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the lasting influence and innovation of this jazz icon.”

Z2 Comics will release Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound on November 7th in standard hardcover and deluxe hardcover editions. The deluxe hardcover will be packaged with three art prints illustrated by Dave Chisholm and a limited-edition Miles Davis split 7” of Miles Runs The Voodoo Down and Spanish Key, with new art by Dave Chisholm. The Gold editions will be signed and numbered by Dave Chisholm and come with a set of accordion-style postcards with original paintings from Miles Davis and the split 7” of Miles Runs The Voodoo Down and Spanish Key will feature an exclusive colorway. Finally there will be only 10 of 10 Platinum editions of Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound and these will come with a 360° spinning Miles Davis Limited-Edition 3D sculpture, a Miles Davis T-shirt designed by Dave Chisholm and a split 7” of Miles Runs The Voodoo Down and Spanish Key on clear vinyl.

Preorder now at Z2 Comics.

Freaky Friday

Wonder Woman
Lynda Carter

I saw this image come across my Twitter, I mean X or whatever feed this morning direct from Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter. It came with the caption "I am prepared to fight Dracula on this boat."

Obviously this was a tongue in cheek remark because as if the fanged one would ever participate in water sports or dare to fight WW.

Vampires and water don't mix Minions (say that three times fast) - Lynda Carter however is fun on Twitter (I'm never going to stop calling it that, so there!)

So get your Freaky Friday on and follow her, and follow her now!

Lynda on Twitter -

https://twitter.com/RealLyndaCarter   

Michael's Musings

Say Hello To My Little Friend
Michael Shinafelt

Meet my newest friend Alastair, I encountered him on my way to one of my favorite locals The Kitchen in Silverlake. I love walking to places in my neighborhood, you get to see things through a very different set of eyes than when you are mobile.

Not to mention you get to interact with new and interesting people. Alastair and I are gonna get the party started Minions, join us!!!

Prostitutes are people too, and they have a lot of disposable income. The more you know...

FYI Daddy can't help you now!

I tried to put myself in your shoes but they were cheap and ugly

Ryan Gosling crooning I'm Just Ken is number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100

You really don't hate Mondays, you hate the pain of existence 

Not everything in the Bible is wrong, the page numbering is accurate 

Saw Babylon finally. Can't believe that someone read the script and actually greenlighted it, let alone spent 80 million on it

Since I referenced my local The Kitchen let me tell you what I ate the day I met Alastair. You can build your own grilled cheese sandwich there which they serve on sourdough bread. I had mine with sharp cheddar and garlic aioli, yummy to the max!!!

Woman Crush of the Week - since I am currently binging Gossip Girl, Leighton Meester for her deliciously naughty performance as Blair Waldorf

Wayne Brady announced he's pansexual, now my life is complete (note the sarcasm)

Barking seals need love too 

After Wrong Turn and The Hole comes The Wrong Hole

Currently listening to the sweet sound of all the F#cks I'm not going to give today 

Now to find out what's in my wallet 

For that and other 411 follow me here -

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt   

Hump Day & Chill

I know I am late to this particular game, but currently I am binging Gossip Girl on MAX and am almost done with season three. I am hooked! Thus when all is said and done today guess what I will Hump Day & Chill to? Gossip Girl, naturally, gotta finish every delectable season!!!

Why didn't I watch it when it aired initially? The title was a turn off so I didn't bother to find out anything past that about the show. When I found out it was about teenagers behaving badly who can not hide their secrets from a ruthless blogger who publishes them online, well I just had to see it! 

There are many things to like about GG my favorite is the well rounded believable characters and the acting. "Yes" sometimes the storylines are somewhat over the top, but if you have well written believable characters with actors who can inhabit them and make even the most outlandish of situations grounded in reality, you can do that sort of thing. 

Above is a poster for an ad campaign the clever marketing team behind the show did using quotes from negative reviews for it. 

There is one character on the show I do identify with and I'm not telling you who or it is, or what sex they are. Let's put it this way I'm no Dan Humphrey!

Guess away and Hump Day & Chill Minions...

GG on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossip_Girl   

Alaska...A Christmas Show

You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout. I'm telling you why…International starlet of stage and screen Alaska Thunderfuck is coming to town- and she’s not only checked her list twice- she’s checked it thrice.

Gather round the open fire and join Alaska and her longtime musical collaborator Jeremy in a heartwarming evening of story and song that will melt your heart and the polar icecaps. This show promises to be a magical, fun night with holiday classics, not-so-holiday classics, and yuletide tomfoolery.  

The “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like ALASKA …A Christmas Show” tour begins in Seattle on December 6, 2023, and travels to 11 cities, including Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco, and New York City.

Tickets for this very special one-night-only holiday extravaganza, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like ALASKA …A Christmas Show” go on sale today, August 7, at 10 AM. Ticket prices fluctuate but there's GA, VIP, Ultimate VIP tickets in all cities including access to see Alaska before the show during her soundcheck and priority access to the meet and greet experience and photo opportunity. Tickets are available on Alaskathunderfuck.com

 

Tour Dates

 

December:

 

6^th: Seattle, WA @ Neptune

7^th: Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue

8^th: Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater

10^th: San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365

12^th: Montreal, QC @ Le National

14^th: New York, NY @ Town Hall

15^th: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Hall

16^th: Boston, MA @ Big Night Live

17^th: Pittsburgh, PA @ Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall

22^nd: Chicago, IL @ House of Blues

23^rd: Erie, PA @ Erie Playhouse

 

About Alaska Thunderfuck 5000

A bizarre cosmic collision propelled Alaska to Earth…and onto the fifth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” where she finished in the final 3 before returning and taking the crown as winner of season two of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.” She has released four chart-topping studio albums, “Anus,” “Poundcake,” “Vagina” and “Red 4 Filth.” Alaska was nominated for a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for her feature role as Queen Gynecia in the Go Go’s scored musical comedy “Head Over Heels,” been a cast member of VH1’s hit reality series “Scared Famous,” starred as Hattie in the short horror film “The Quiet Room” directed by Sam Wineman, guested in the ever-popular science fiction action comedy horror disaster film Sharknado as well as Hulu’s hit series “Drag Me To Dinner.” In addition, Alaska has released a young adult novel titled “Alaska Thunderfun and the Inner Space Odyssey,”released her memoir "My Name's Yours, What's Alaska?: A Memoir" and has toured the globe spreading her otherworldly message of love, kindness and gender non-conformity. Alaska also co-hosts the wildly popular Race Chaser podcast with Willam here and her YouTube videos boast over 60 million views with 15 million views alone (and counting) for 2017's "The T." She has over 1.8 million Instagram followers and over 1.3 million Twitter & Facebook followers. You can watch her first-ever stand-up comedy special "The Alaska Thunderf**k Extra Special Comedy Special" on the OUTtv USA Apple TV Channel. In addition, Alaska co-founded the LGBTQ+ Moguls of Media (MOM) podcast channel here on the Forever Dog Network, co-created the Drag Queen of the Year Pageant Competition Award Contest Competition Here and is the face of one of six featured flavors with SERV Vodka Here. She debuted a new live stage show in the fall of 2022 called DRAG: The Musical which she co-starred in and co-wrote with certified platinum selling songwriter/producer Tomas Costanza & Ashley Gordon. Her latest foray finds her in the world of smells with her “Red For Filth” fragrance HERE which was a decade in the making.  And, in her spare time she stars in Divatronic icon tribute shows (Gaga, Britney, Taylor, Miley) that she founded and created with director Nick Laughlin. Her message to humankind?  "Anus-thing is possible." Find her online at: alaskathunderfuck.com.

 

Monday Motivation

No pretending anymore, it's time to take a risk and potentially embarrass yourself. 

Taking risks is one of the keys to life I have learned of late, not pretending is a road to happiness.

Monday Motivation indeed.

Bend it like Drew (and yours truly.)

Drew Barrymore on IG -

https://www.instagram.com/drewbarrymore/reels/?hl=en