Doc Hop

The saying is “work hard, play hard,” and I sure have done plenty of both since my last post! Let’s start with my play.

In February, I got my first tattoo in California! I went to Monsters Den in Anaheim and got this cute little momma’s boy tattoo, which I designed myself via PhotoShop. I know what you’re thinking — “How fun?!” And you’re right! I absolutely love it. And even though not many people get to see it (besides, like, the world via this blog), I do think it will become a conversation piece among those who do. I kind of went on a whim one Thursday night after my income tax payment hit. I plan to go back for a Heated Rivalry one that I also designed myself, but I want to make sure it’s absolutely perfect first. (I can’t seem to get the loon right. And there has to be a loon!)

And speaking of Heated Rivalry — on Valentine’s Day I attended Heated Rivalry: A Jockstar Rave at the Teragram Ballroom in downtown LA! And boyyyyy! I closed the whole club down! I went in my best hockey/locker room drag, complete with golden “freckles,” just like Shane’s! They were just little stars and probably looked super cool in the club lighting. In fact, outside of the nearly naked men on stage, I think I was the best dressed there. Or at least the most original. I saw a lot of Rozanov jerseys, but who doesn’t have one of those? And the jock strap was super gender affirming. The only way the night could have gotten any better would have been to end it when my two gay boyfriends. I was down to puck.

The DJs were set in front of a video backdrop of Heated Rivalry show footage. It was just a repeating pattern of the same quick cuts, and there could have been much more sex, but it was still fun! (This is a valid complaint; they did not feature cowboy Shane even once.) But the DJs were boyfriends and did a lot of kissing and stripping, and the go-go dancers started in their skivvies, so it wasn’t completely puritanical or anything.

I was dancing right by the stage for the entirety of the night, and I felt like I smelled sweaty balls for the entirety of the next day, which I’ve really missed. But I can’t explain the night well enough to do it any sort of justice, so check out the video below for a vibe check.

And in my last bit of party news — I’m on spring break, BABY!! And I spent part of it partying it up with Miss Darlene Mitchell — the soon to be WINNER of season 18 of Drag Race! (From my mouth to Mother Ru’s ears!) She performed at Hamburger Mary’s Long Beach this week, and you know I had to snatch up a meet-and-greet ticket! She’s been this fan’s favorite all season long, and as soon as I saw her name on the lineup, I knew I had to go! And I was not disappointed! (I never am at Hamburger Mary’s!)

Darlene performed two sets of three songs. In her first round, she lip synced to Tina Turner’s River Deep-Mountain High, and in her second she did a Chappell Roan set, performing The Subway and Pink Pony Club. It was an energetic performance, brimming with love and authenticity, but my favorite part was just how happy she seemed to be in LA, celebrating her final four with her biggest fans. I love drag that’s a bit gritty, kooky, and perverted, and Miss Darlene Mitchell hits the mark spot on. I’ve loved the trashy but classy trailer park aesthetic that she’s been showcasing all season, but her Folsom look this week KILLED ME. She really TOOK THE PISS. (And you know I love a queen who can appreciate some piss play. I’m looking at you, Alaska!)

Of course I got the meet-and-greet pass, and while standing in line, Darlene’s HUSBAND (they got married this past weekend!) was passing out stickers. He’d cut past me in the line coming in, and I was sat next to his mom/Darlene’s mother-in-law throughout the entire drag show, so that was also very cool! It was also fun to see Darlene so excited about her recent nuptials. “I’m married, y’all!!!” I personally no longer see the appeal of traditionally heteronormative institutions, but it did warm my heart to see her so happy. (I love love, as long as it’s really fucking gay.) But now that Darlene has the ring, IT’S TIME TO GET THAT CROWN, BABY!!

And Darlene was so genuine and kind in person! She’s so real — what you see on the show is exactly what you get face-to-face!

While I was standing in line, a person ahead of me needed to borrow a Sharpie because she wanted to have Darlene sign her sticker. Since I brought a photo for Darlene to sign, Miss Mitchell borrowed mine, and I let her keep it. (I was a terrible girl scout, but I am always prepared.) I hope she uses it forever and thinks about me every single time she uses it. Acts of service, am I right?!

Once it was my turn, we felt like old friends, on account of the Sharpie. (Like Chappell Roan, baby, I too am a giver.) She gave me a big ol’ hug and said, “My name’s Darlene!” — as if everyone there didn’t already know exactly who she is! Then she asked for my name and happily signed the photo of her Folsom look, which I printed from off her Instagram. I told her it was my favorite runway of the entire season and that I was sure Alaska loved it as well. (If you haven’t gathered, Alaska likes piss. And I kept telling myself not to mention Alaska, but then it came out of my mouth before I even knew what I was saying.) I also told her that I’d purchased her Doritos print from her website, and she said that she thought that look ate and had to find a way to work it into her portfolio. Like I said — kooky!

And then we took a series of photos because there were three photographers — Hamburger Mary’s, Darlene’s, and the person holding my phone. (I felt like Angela in The Office when she’s dating the senator. “Look over here, now over here!”) And when the photographer asked for me to hold up the signed print to the camera, I said, “Say ‘Go piss, girl!’” and Darlene said it and laughed! SO COOL!! It went exactly how I thought it would go in my head.

Right before I left, I congratulated her on her top-four placement, told her that I just know she is going to win, and that I’d been a fan since the first episode. ❤️ And she was very sweet and very thankful, with a million-dollar smile that lit up my heart as well as the entire bar! (The video below is long, but at the very start, you will find a clip of our meet and greet.)

Miz Cracker will be performing at Hamburger Mary’s Long Beach in three weeks, and I’ve been checking to see if tickets are on sale every single day. She’s been at the top of my list for a while now, but it seems like she always leaves the various drag tours before they reach my city. I’ve never even seen her perform live or at Drag Con, so I’m for sure going to get a meet-and-greet. I’ve been a fan for so long, and I’ll finally get to tell her so! Stay tuned, because “it’s time for dinnnnnnnnner!” Cracker’s gonna EAT!

But if I’ve been playing hard, I’ve been working harder — if you can even believe it! I’d say that I’ve been so lucky lately that I should play the lottery, but my chair always says that luck is just opportunity meets preparedness, and I’m going to believe her. Because I’ve been preparing my dang butt off to take advantage of some pretty incredible opportunities.

For starters, I was accepted to the Medill Solutions Journalism Educator’s Academy, so I’ll be spending a weekend in Chicago this summer. I left a student, and I’m coming back as a professor, so it’s a very cool full-circle moment for me. Apparently, someone I’ve stayed in touch with since my Northwestern days recommended me and encouraged the director to reach out and invite me to apply — and I got in! It’s a workshop-style program focused on helping journalism faculty teach solutions journalism — how to get students to report not just on problems, but on what’s being done about them and whether it actually works. It’s very hands-on, with assignments, lesson plans, and a network of other educators to bring back into the classroom. And to the Long Beach Current…

Which brings me to my next giant piece of news — I will be serving as faculty advisor for the Current starting this fall! The student-run campus newspaper (formerly the Daily 49er) has been delivering local news since 1949, and I’m ecstatic to be a small part of that legacy moving forward! The faculty member who has held the position for 20 years is retiring, so I will have some pretty big shoes to fill, which is why I’ll be sitting in on weekly editorial meetings as soon as I return from break. I cannot wait to meet the team and get started!

I’m so excited to join a student news room again! It will take me back to my days at The Breeze and Medill Reports Chicago, for sure! (It also means that my campus digs are getting a bit cooler. I’ll be moving into an office that’s attached to the newsroom, putting me right in the midst of the hustle and bustle. Which I LOVE! I love my neighbors, but it’s too quiet in my current faculty suite. It also has a giant window lining the whole back wall, which is even better.)

And lastly — when it rains it fucking POURS on the research front! My research partner and I have had five publications out for review this year, and two (soon to be three) were accepted within about a week of each other! The first is a content analysis looking at how major international outlets actually comment on Reddit, and the second examines how news frames shape coverage of transgender athletes. It was my first publication as first author, and I really could not be more proud of myself or more grateful for my friendship with Jeremy. And not just because we make a great team, either! He’s genuinely one of my best friends, which makes working together easy.

I also received a rejection last month, which I used as an opportunity to take an L and turn it into a W. Rather than mope about it, we ran a follow-up study, expanded the paper, and submitted it for consideration at AEJMC‘s annual academic conference. We actually submitted three full papers and one extended abstract, so HOPEFULLY in a few weeks, I’ll have more good news to report. The conference is in New Orleans this year, and I’ve always wanted to visit the city and check out all the spooky stuff! 🤞🤞 In the meantime, isn’t waiting the worst?! (Also, this year’s theme is Jazz & Jambalaya: Nurturing Harmony and Health in Higher Education. What does that even mean?!)

My last bit of news is just a pet update. Both Bernstein and Lemon have vet appointments this semester, and both did just great. Bernie had a follow-up appointment to check on his wonky wiener, and the vet found absolutely no crystals in his urine this time. So urinary tract food it is. And Lemon’s all caught up on shots, negative for heartworms, and just as fat and rotten as ever. She screamed bloody murder the entire time the vet trimmed her long-ass nails, and she wasn’t any happier when they told me to cut down on her food portions. Poor potato keeps kicking around her food dish.

That’s the update! And hopefully it explains why it’s been so long since my last post. Your boy has been COOKING!! And EATING. All of it. 😊 ❤️

Have I mentioned lately how grateful I am for this life? Oh California — I love you.