Just out., January 18, 2008, Page 37, Image 37

JANUARY 18. 2008 iu StOUt
New Year's
A streak of inspiration
I
’ve never liked New Year’s Eve. All that forced
frivolity seems silly and geared for repressed,
middle-aged straight folks. As a gay man, I can
have a wild time any night of the year. (I
don’t—but I could.) As a result, 1 usually just
stay home. So this year, I was determined to learn
how others enjoy the celebration, and I began inquir­
ing about their most memorable New Year’s Eve.
At Holcombe Waller’s holiday party, the only
other Floyd I’ve met in Portland, Floyd “Rocky”
Montgomery, told me 2006 was his favorite
because he and friends “gave ourselves champagne
BY FLOYD SKLAVER
enemas,” which just goes to show that gay guys can
be as silly around the holidays as straights. Eric
Skinner remembers being at the Trevi Fountain in
Batie reminisced about the Oregon coast with
Rome, and Devan McGrath recalls putting on a drag
a “bunch of geek friends,” one of whom is involved
show at Nocturnal, Portland’s now-defunct all-ages
with tracking whales via satellite, aka the “Whales
club. Matt Hope is “still hoping for a great
in Space.” Steve Cookson holds dear a night in a
evening,” while Skip Flinn springs to Oklahoma
hotel overlooking Times Square watching the ball
City to see alt-rock band The Flaming Lips in
drop. Bobby Black does, too. He and 10 others
concert. Skip is a recent transplant from Lawrence,
were invited by a close friend, but the celebration
Kan.; he’s only staying a few months before relocat­
turned bittersweet when he returned home to learn
ing to Pocatello, Idaho, for a job coaching
that the friend was dying of AIDS and that this trip
University of Idaho’s debate team.
was among his final wishes.
Dylan Craker,
Bobby’s beau, said
the past New Year’s
Eve was the best
because it was the
first the young cou­
ple spent together.
“We opened a bot­
tle of wine,” Dylan
told me, “and then
the blinds to watch
hundreds of people
run by in the
annual marathon.”
Rocky Brewer,
whose “tonal pop”
album, Beautiful
Thought, comes
out in mid-January,
remembers his
sister exploding
Floyd parties with Nick Orr (left) and Rocky Brewer.
“the biggest, loud­
For a number of guys, artificial stimulants fueled
est firecracker I’ve ever seen or heard.” Nick Orr
the fun. Wayne Bund passed his most memorable
has fond memories of a party his parents threw
New Year’s Eve in New York “getting very drunk
when he was 12. They had a disco ball on the
and making out with a gorgeous black guy." The
ceiling, and the walls were covered with mirrors.
passion continued until Wayne passed out. He
“I lay on the floor,” Nick said, “staring up, watch­
woke up not knowing where he was but finding the
ing the lights.” Then, wistfully, he added, “I haven’t
man’s number in his back pocket. David Fletcher
had a good one since.”
got loose enough at a New Year’s Eve house party
1 feel the same way, Nick, which is why I start­
where “We all took off our shirts to compare pecs
ed this exploration. Yet, despite the many sugges­
and abs,” he said. “Sadly, I lost.”
tions, Marc and I decided to hang out in our
The following week, Thomas Lauderdale and
pajamas with a close group of friends and play
Philip Iosca hosted a hullabaloo at their downtown
games. After two hours of Fake Pom Charades,
digs. Padme Snodgrass shared a sexy story of a new
where the clues are imaginative pornography titles
year’s in Kansas City, Mo. (Suffice to say, there’s a lot
(my favorite was Guess Who’s Coming to Rim Her),
of heart to go around in America’s heartland.) On
someone (OK, it was me) suggested we ring in the
the flip side, Stevee Postman spent a pleasant New
new year by streaking around our host’s Irvington
Year’s Eve at a Billy Club gathering in the moun­
neighborhood.
tains. (Billy Clubbers are gay men in northern
We were joined by a clan of straight people,
California who regularly share spiritual practices.)
some middle-aged (but definitely not repressed); it
“There was complete quiet in nature,” he said, “just
was the perfect way to say goodbye to the year that
me and the snow and the mountains.”
was Out Going.
Tales of out-of-town fun were typical at Sticky,
Andrew Haddock’s 17-year-old creative agency
F loyd SKLAVER wan« to know about your event.
with offices in Portland and Amsterdam. Alan
E-mail him at floydsklaveiQcomcast.net .
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