Sunday, March 13, 2011
Prayer
Monday, October 11, 2010
Coming Out
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
What Have I Gotten Myself Into?
Let me explain. So around August my life was going pretty good. You probably didn't know it (because I didn't write it) but I've been without a job for the last year and a half. My whole last year I was "focusing on school" when in reality I was just having fun and enjoying life as I began to let myself breath. I started this blog. I began to exercise. Things were looking great. After school I began to look for a job and it took till August, but I got one. So I started working. I had come out to some family and freinds, and things were really looking up.
Well, in September my grandma asked me to move out of her apartment. Oh, did I forget to mention I've lived in my grandma's basement for the past 2 years. It's a whole separate apartment and I had a roommate and everything. Anyway my cousin is getting married this month so my grandma asked me to move out so that they could move in after getting hitched. I was totally okay with this since Art, my roommate was moving out for the fall anyway. So I spent like two weeks looking for an apartment and working full time. It was crazy and hectic and nothing seemed to be exactly what I wanted. I wanted to find like a basement apartment or condo or something that had a single room at a fair price. I was avoiding looking at any BYU housing complexes.
Finally, the day before I needed to be out of my grandmas I gave up my search, went to the BYU housing apartment complex Art had moved into, and signed a contract.
So here I am. In an apartment with 3 BYU students. Feeling like I have regressed in some way from where I was in August.
According to my contract I have to live BYU standards to remain living here. Technically I'm already dancing the line with my beard since that's not part of the dress code, but if someone finds out I'm gay I'll have to deal with all that crap, possibly even being kicked out of the complex.
I'm not gonna lie, grandma's was intense. I loved her and being so close, but it was tough. She was always all up in my business. She never came down to visit our apartment, but if friends came over, the next day she'd be asking about them. She was alway telling me about the lovely girls she'd met in the temple that she wanted to fix me up with. I wanted to move out of my grandma's so that I could come out to my parents without worrying about anything happening with my housing situation. Now I feel like I've gone from one closet to another. I've been living here for about a week and I've already felt like I've betrayed myself in conversations with my roommates. I'd don't tell them I'm gay, but I don't tell them I'm not either. It's really annoying.
And now today I've been watching all the It Gets Better videos on YouTube and crying because I want things to get better. I want to start meeting other men and dating. I want to feel free and relaxed in my own apartment. I want to pursue my idea of happiness without other trying to block up or criticize my way. Instead all I've been able to do is look at my present situation and think "What have I gotten myself into?"
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
LoC Box Results
Friday, July 16, 2010
Moho Map Madness
****This post should actually be part of the last post but I waited to get permission for quoting my friends Facebook message.****
So last Saturday morning as I woke up and was getting ready for Marcus' wedding I noticed that I had a Facebook message from my sister Louise' ex boyfriend, who also belongs to the ward I just switched to. I opened it up and was jolted by what I read. He started by saying "So this is really weird how I came across your new blog." That's all I read at first and knew that he was talking about this blog. Turns out he had been added on Skype by a friend who had a link to this on their Facebook page. "I started reading different links to educate myself cause a friend is in your same situation right now. Then I thought, 'Hmmm I wonder if I know anyone that posted from Provo,' so I clicked on the different links and lo and behold there was Chuck D!" I didn't really think of this as a consequence, but I really am not trying to hide myself. I feel that anyone who is looking at the Moho map is doing it with the right intentions. But it was a surprise. He just felt he should tell me and offer his support. "You're a great person and I hope you know there is no judgement coming from my direction. You've got a great family and I'm sure they'll love you no matter what. I'll see you...at church!" I think it takes a classy guy to write a letter like this and I really appreciated it. It was jolting, but I'm okay with it.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
So Much Stuff...
Okay, so a ton of things have happened lately that I felt I should blog about, but I didn't. Sorry. I am such a slacker right now. Anyway, these should all be different blog posts but I'm doing them all at once. Oh, I've given them titles just for the fun of it.
Wedded Bliss
My brother Marcus got married to Sarah on Saturday. (Marcus totally married up 'cause Sarah is AMAZING!) So I was able to attend their temple ceremony and everything else. This was my first wedding I've been to in the temple. It was really nice and I was amazed at the simplicity of it all. Of course, as the sealer was explaining to Marcus and Sarah the importance of their matrimony I couldn't help but think if I will ever be able to experience marriage. If so, it won't be in the temple, and it would be with a guy. Enough of the pity party, the wedding was awesome and I am so happy for them.
Cornered by the Bishop
Now I almost didn't get to the temple ceremony because I had to renew my temple recommend two weeks ago. So, I set up the interview as usual and go into to meet with my bishop on a Thursday during my 15 minute alloted time. He sits me down and explains that my roommate Art had told him that I had been going through some troubles. So I try to tiptoe around the subject and explain that I'm trying to understand and work through some doctrinal issues. My bishop then asks for specifics. He's not letting me settle with generalities. By this time I feel cornered, and on edge and decide that there is no other way of avoiding it so I tell him that I'm gay. I hadn't planned on it and didn't want to tell him but I was very straight with him (pun intended) and laid it all out there.
First off, he didn't seemed shocked, but he did seem like this was his first run in as a bishop with this. He began asking about the law of chastity and pornography and I answered as directly as I could. It was so excruciatingly painful. He then asked if I wouldn't mind meeting with him again before having a temple interview so that he could process this. In my mind I was screaming "Hell no!" but I said it was okay. He set it up for me to meet again that Sunday after church. That mean't I had from Thursday and Sunday to go over all the possible scenarios that could be played out. Basically it was the weekend from Hell.
Outed by a Friend
Okay so this title basically sums it up...sorta. The Sunday that my fate would be decided by my bishop I was texting my friend Art about the situation during Sunday School. The Wednesday before Art had left for seven weeks to Virginia to work for EFY. I was explaining how I was cornered into telling the bishop I was gay. The next text I got from him was an apology. Art had told the bishop my situation earlier in an interview he had. He had told the bishop to get advice for himself and his life and how to deal with my being gay. So the bishop already knew and just wanted me to admit it to him. That's why the bishop didn't seem surprised when I told him! I initially couldn't fully process what had happened and just felt betrayed. But I've moved on from it. I told Art that next time he should say "a friend" instead of outing someone to their priesthood authority.
Before I move on I want to make it clear that Art is really an amazing friend, he just wasn't thinking when he did what he did, and he has apologized many time for it and I forgive him. Accidents and stupid mistakes happen and we move on.
Decision Time
With only an hour between finding out that Art outed me to the bishop and my interview I was a nervous wreck. I left Sunday School early to go process and glazed through Elders Quorum and then it was time to meet bishop. Well, needless to say it was all okay. My panic had been in vain and the bishop had researched and said that as long as I was temple worthy my sexual orientation didn't matter. He actually kept commending me for the integrity of my spirit. I don't know how to take a compliment like that. Anyway we went through the interview, I got my recommend, and left. Thank goodness I only have to go through that kind of hell every two years.
Oh, and during that interview I asked to be released from my calling as Elders Quorum instructor (I couldn't stand up there and teach something that I personally am wrestling with. I felt hypocritical) and told him that I would be leaving the ward in a week. We didn't technically live in the ward boundaries, it's a complicated story. So I'm gonna go to the ward that I'm suppose to. My sister Louise attends that ward and I've come out to her so it'll be nice to have someone who understands things.
p.s. the Stake interview went much smoother.
Working Through It
The next two weeks were spent working through my feelings of being outed by Art and hanging out with my family as they all came in for Marcus' wedding. I even ran the Provo Freedom Festival 5k on the 5th with my family. I waited on writing about some things till I had worked through them myself. Anyway, it's been a crazy chaotic nerve wracking, and fun two weeks.
So that's what's been going on in my life.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Sympathizing With a Serial Killer
Playing a sympathetic serial killer might sound like a stretch, but former "Six Feet Under" star Michael C. Hall pulls it off in this macabre drama about a likable forensics expert who channels his violent tendencies into knocking off miscreants. Dexter Morgan (Hall) seems so harmless, in fact, that neither his girlfriend (Julie Benz) nor his cop sister (Jennifer Carpenter) suspect the true nature of his extracurricular activities.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sabbath Day
Ever since coming out to myself and accepting my homosexuality as a real part of me it's gotten harder to go each week. When I finally do go to church I feel almost left out in an eternal perspective from all the talks, lessons, and discussions. I see even more now how certain religious themes and ideas are prevalent in everything we Mormons do and say. I'm not bitter towards the church or anything, but I do feel there are eternal goals that everyone in church is aiming for and centers their teachings around that I will never be a part of; Eternal marriage, celestial glory, and raising a family for instance. These goals were once a huge part of myself, but now I question if any of them are still attainable to me.
My outward actions so far have not changed, but inwardly all my perceptions and motivations are changing and I don't know what to do and how to feel.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Family Ties
I recently found this video on YouTube and thought it was hilarious. I think it the way she says “he’s a gay man now!” with that accent that makes me just giggle. And my favorite scene is when Jon’s mother is showing him all the magazine pictures of men and talking about how hot they are. Even writing about it makes me laugh and giggle.
That being said, the movie reminded me also of a real concern I’ve been thinking about. I really don’t know how my family will react to me coming out, but I have a feeling that most will not be interested, nor want to hear about my dating life after finding out. I know it’s not a huge concern, but it’s really been troubling me lately.
Currently, I hate having to tell them that I’m not dating anyone because “I just haven’t found anyone I’m really attracted to right now” while thinking, “that you’d want to hear about.” I really appreciate them asking me about it. It shows that they have love and concern for me and that they really are interested in my life. It’s flattering to think that my sister knows girls she’d like to set me up on, even though I’ve never gone beyond a first date with any of them. And usually they’re really good matches, except the fact that I’m not attracted to them like that. At least I know that she wants me to be happy and wants to be involved in my life. Will that change when they find out I’m gay? I can’t imagine that same sister trying to set me up with a man ever. Yet I long to be able to talk openly and freely about my real relationships with other people.
Maybe I’m being a bit superficial, and maybe I’m jumping the gun a bit since I haven’t come out to them yet, but I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s scary at time to consider how a huge part of my world is going to be turned upside down.
Anyway….I don’t like ending on a depressing note so…. “Did you hear about our John? He’s a gay man now!” …giggles.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Lack of Understanding
That’s just one example of these false ideas that people can easily believe if they choose not to think for themselves. The other thing I hear is that being gay is a choice. I got into a huge argument with my sister (she’s 16 so she’s a bit naive), but my mom agreed at least in general. I just sat there and tried to explain that that is not always true, while wanting to scream, “Do you really think I chose to be gay! I was born this way!” In my case I have just always liked men. There was nothing in my childhood that traumatized me. I had a very happy childhood. I’ve known I was gay since I was 12, even if I lived in denial most of my life.
It just blows my mind how much misinformation exists in the world. There are, of course, attempts to set the record straight. This is one of those videos I like, it's funny too. (even if it does take jabs against Christians in general)
Sunday, March 28, 2010
A Crossroads
The next day I called my brother Marcus. Marcus currently lives in Oklahoma and is the most liberal and understanding of my siblings. He’s even at times joked and said, “You know you can tell me if you’re gay.” To others it would seem like a harmless joke, but we both knew he meant it seriously if I were ever ready. We talked for hours and tears were shed and love was shared. It was really nice to know that he supports me in whatever I choose to do.
This experience helped me make a choice. After coming out to Marcus I felt my emotional weight lighten. In coming out to him, I have made a choice. No more wallowing in self denial and guilt for something I cannot control. I can now make steps towards really understanding who I am and what I want in life. I still looking at and trying to understand my personal religious, social, and moral beliefs. And I know that it is going to take a while, but it’s far better than being in the state I was a week ago. I’ve accepted my homosexuality and now I have to understand what comes with that. I know I have a long way to go still. There are a lot of things I need to figure out, but I am optimistic for the future.
As I think about this week and the decisions I’ll be making in the future a song comes into my head. I recently re-heard it at a friend’s talent show and now I can’t get it out of my head. Part of it goes:
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A Rant
I can’t stand it anymore. The silence is killing me. I have to tell someone that I’m gay or I’m going to explode. I thought about my brother M but how much can I really trust him. He’s the most liberal minded of my 9 siblings, but I don’t know if he’d be concerned enough to tell my parents, and I don’t want that. I just want someone to talk to about my situation. I hate having this secret and I really want to know what I can do about it. I just wish I had someone to talk to about my problems; my conscience just suggested God, but that feels like a one-sided conversation. Uhg! It’s tearing me up inside.
I've started to hate myself, my image, my life. Everything wrong in my life I punish myself with by blaming it on being gay. I've come to hate everything that really makes up the core of who I am. I feel like such a hypocrite. I live in the heart of Utah Valley and I don’t know any other gay people. I mean I’m aware that they’re out there but I personally have no gay friends. The few I've met in school I don't feel enough to to really share with them my feelings.
That's not the only issue I’m dealing with is that I am not the stereotypical gay man. When people around me think of gay men they don’t see the Bearish 25 year old 270 lbs redhead in front of them, no they envision this skinny twink that is effeminate and every girl’s best friend. (Okay so the girl’s best friend part fits me to a T). And I’m attracted to other hairy large men. I understand that there are Bears out there but I don’t know where. I don’t even know what I would do if I found one since I have no dating experience. None! I get set up by family with girls that are so nice and sweet but who I have no attraction for, so I never have progressed beyond maybe 2 dates since I don’t feel right leading them on.
I just feel like I have no one to talk to who understand me and what I’m going through. I’m sick of feeling alone and helpless. I’m sick of sitting at home because I have no one who really understands me. I’m sick of never being able to fully open up to anyone. I just want someone to talk to. I hope that by creating this blog I might find someone out there who can relate to me.
Sorry I didn't mean to whine like that. I guess I'm just having a bad day.

