Jerry Timms

I’m back in Phoenix and happy to report that I just had probably the best weekend ever…in Orlando for One Mighty Weekend and Disney Gay Days.

To be really honest, last weekend was a bit of a test. I was considering retiring from the party scene for awhile. Why? Well that was my apprehension about not having goals and whatnot. I felt a little wary about continuing along this path if it was just going to continue to be more of the same. I figured that I have learned some things and improved myself at past events, and if I continued going to parties it would just be for purely hedonistic reasons.

Well that wasn’t the case, and this past weekend really showed me that there’s no limit to how much you can learn about yourself and others when you’re in this type of environment. Plus I’m really grateful for being able to spend some more bonding time with newer friends like Philip, Bernard, Kendall, Tony and Dallas Justin.

Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair bit of hedonism as well. Several of the 9 parties last weekend were just absolutely insane, and I never knew it was possible to have that much fun!

The desire to spend time with ‘people who are like you’ is strong and necessary for every gay man and woman. And after you jump into that sea of acceptance, joy and love…you come out of it, at the same time, both less and more of the person you once were.

Coming back home from a circuit party is a harsh transition from a created Utopia to the real world, where this acceptance and love can be hard to find. We have very real enemies here…and most of you who read this allow it to continue. Luckily, we come back stronger every time with less fear and more confidence in the people that we are and can be. And even if we get only a glimpse of the glory that’s possible in life, it’s a glimpse nonetheless, and that’s something.

It was about midnight, and we were lined up outside the Queen Mary. It was cold outside at the harbor, but we were still warm from the previous event that night which abruptly ended after noise complaints from the hotel guests. The music was fantastic in the Britannia room, where blue lighting swirled and dancers in giant neon monster masks shot confetti at us from space guns. A room full of shirtless boys danced and pulsated in the spectacle that was one of the Tribe parties this weekend.

Rich, rather appropriately, remarked that straight people just don’t ever have this much fun. And if they could see what we were doing all night, they would think we were absolutely crazy. And then we heard “The party’s been moved downstairs.” So we walked down some stairs and outside the ship (figuring out along the way from some glass encased exhibits and strained intoxicated math that this ship was 73 years old) and waited for the next event.

The line outside the ship eventually started moving, and we were finally ushered rather somberly into the ship again. But this time we were directed down a few flights of stairs, along a long black hallway, and down even some more flights of stairs. Surely we were at least 50 feet under the water line at this point, and it was dead quiet and felt a bit suffocating. It smelled like old metal, damp wood and hydraulic fluid.

Then I heard the thump and knew we were getting close. Down another hallway and around a corner, and then we saw the glow of what must be our final destination. Suddenly in a lobby area glowing red from some discreet light source, we knew we had arrived. I walked through a doorway and saw the dance floor.

All I thought was wow, this really was the boiler room. 50 foot steel walls framed a very large space adorned with mangled pipes and cut steel beams. A riveted steel ceiling hung tenuously above us with various pipes and tubes that had surely served some very important purpose when this ship was in working order. Ominous red lights swooped around the room illuminating every detail for only seconds at a time, and it felt more as though we were in some natural underground cavern rather than a man made cruise ship. The “afterhours” music was thumping, and we inserted ourselves into the dance floor and started moving.

Afterhours is my favorite time to dance. The music is dark, the dance floor is dark, and everything feels very serious and sensual. This is my time for meditation and prayer. I think about everyone I’m with, who I am, where I’ve been and where I’m going. My body moves effortlessly to the rhythm of the music, and I let it take me where it takes me. All the while delighting in being reconnected once again with the energy of my tribe.

Mr. X was here tonight, looking and feeling better than ever. Looking around us, so many others were smiling and introducing themselves that we really felt at home here and had a great time dancing together and talking to everyone around us…old friends and new. The experience really is at times beyond words.

One guy in particular was dancing near us, and had the greatest smile and a wise, piercing gaze. After remarking to myself how happy and content he seemed, I noticed a Kanji tattoo on his back. After meeting him later and realizing that he was here from San Diego with our new circuit friend Grace, I patted his back and asked him what his tattoo meant.

His response? Soul revival.

I’ve returned tonight from my weekend in Palm Springs, and I have to say that it really was the Spring Break that I always wished I’d had - not to mention one of the best times ever. So thanks to everyone who spent time with me and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Like any worthwhile endeavor I took away something much greater than what was expected…lessons in friendship, love, pride and strength. If you haven’t been to the White Party then I recommend that you go the next chance you get!

This is us before we headed down to the Basic Training party on Friday night. Bernard and Tony weren’t in town yet becase of a flight delay.

Me at Basic Training, a military themed dance that was at the hotel. 3 of the weekend parties were at the hotel, which made it very convenient since we didn’t have to walk far, and because for 2 of those parties we had the option of going up to the room and coming back down for re-entry.

Standing on our balcony before going to the Saturday pool party that was starting right below our room. It was impossible for us to want to sleep in, because the whole hotel was shaking with the bass of the dance music outside. Well, that and the fact that Rich was running around the room screaming “pool party!” like a little girl who just woke up on Christmas morning!

The view from our balcony. We really enjoyed the music and gawking at the celebrities and familiar faces. It was fun to dance outside under the sun!

All of us before going to the convention center for the White Party on Saturday. Luckily the convention center was actually attached somewhat to our hotel, so we didn’t have to walk far!

View of the White Party from the VIP deck. There were some amazing shows, and it even snowed! There was a reappearance of the original Mr. X here, and I have to say that dancing with him under the lights and the snow really made this night and the rest of the weekend even better. More on this another time!

There were some really creative costumes, and these were my favorite.

One of the stage shows. None of them actually made any sense to me…like this peacock woman riding a horse with Mayans in the background, or Kelis…but they all looked really cool!

Photo of DJ Brett Henrichsen from behind the DJ tower at the White Party. Back at the hotel at the after-hours party he was somehow suddenly dancing right next to us on the dance floor, so I introduced myself to him and we chatted about his Phoenix show at Burn.

The dance floor and stage that were set up at a local park for the Sunday T-Dance. We danced outside under the canopy, and saw performances by Jody Watley and Idina Menzel. The highlight was the best fireworks show I’ve ever seen, synced to dance music.

A dancer at the Closing Party on Sunday night. We all agreed that this was our favorite party of the weekend, because the music was amazing and the lighting and laser shows were really impressive. We danced until 4am!

The quality on this video is not fantastic, but it should give you an idea of what it felt like to be in the party…

Rosabel was DJing, and I could tell that we were in for a spectacular night because there were actually 6 or 7 DJs and lighting experts in the front of the room all with their heads down busily working behind computers and turntables…by their expressions you’d think they were launching a missile. The room was really hot with all the energy, and everyone was sweating and having the time of their lives dancing to the tribal house music.

One thing that remained constant throughout the weekend was the music…and oddly we all remarked that the beat was the same wherever we went, like the BPMs had been purposefully set the same for all the shows and parties, provising a perfect continuous soundtrack for the weekend. Which really makes it interesting to note how important music and dancing is to me and my peer group lately, and the role that I think it’s playing in my life…but that’s for another day!

Since I probably won’t be blogging again for several days, I’ll end this series by saying farewell for now…I’ll be in Palm Springs this weekend experiencing the Spring Break that I always wish I’d had! I’ll take lots of pictures for you. Until then I’ll give you this glimpse of the fabulous Wyndham resort where I’ll be staying with Rich, Justin, Philip and Bernard, and the enormous parties that await us…