 |
| Me at Mummers' Parade in Philadelphia, PA - 1965 |
Happy New Year folks!
This photo (can you spot me?) was taken at the Mummers' Day parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1965.
That is me in the overcoat with the goofy smile. The Philadelphia Academy of Music is in the background. This was the first time I attended the Mummers' Day parade in person. Cold, cold, cold!
For many years thereafter I eagerly looked forward to attending the Mummers' Day parade in person and enjoying all its attendant festivities, especially the 'festivities' in the bar (won't go into detail, use your vivid imagination).
These days my New Year's Day activity is working the front desk at the local hotel where I work part-time. In fact this week I'm working four days in a row. I don't mind. Keeps me out of trouble and I get to enjoy interaction with the guests who are invariably nice on holidays like Christmas and New Years.
While I vastly enjoyed my New Year's celebrations of the past, especially being in jammed gay bar as the new year was rung in, this year I'll get home just in time to see Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen ring in the New Year on TV in Times Square, New York City.
One thing I remember about my New Year's of the past was how COLD it was, cold until I had a few drinks (well, maybe a 'few' more than a few). This year, no drinks and I will be in my warm home when the ball drops in Times Square. By the way, is that a brilliant move on the part of CNN to have Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen co-host the New Year's Eve celebration? Just look at how far we have come when two gay men can host a national TV show. Must drive those Roy Moore die hard supporters in Alabama crazy. Back in my day about the only time you saw anything gay in public was when the drag queens (we called them female impersonators back in the day)
 |
| Female impersonator in the Mummers' Day Parade in Philadelphia 1965 (my photo) |
would march (more like sashay) down Broad Street in the New Year's Day parade. That was the one time during the year when the straights didn't get all bent out of shape because gays dared to come out in the open. Ah, those were the days. Now drag is just a, well drag.
Happy New Year!!!!
