monoho – events and information for gay men of western mass

Good evening men of Northampton!

I need to start with a couple apologies.  First, and most importantly, dodgeball!  When I originally read "last Monday in March" as the end date, I somehow thought it meant the same thing as "first Monday in March."  In other words, we have another full month of games.  We had a fantastic turnout this week, with 26 guys playing.  Please come out and join in the fun!  Check out the front page at monoho.com for details.

The second apology .. well.  When I took over running the Monoho site last year, I accepted a sort of social contract, in which I would help objectively promote resources and events for the men of the western Massachusetts area.  I broke the "objective" part of that contract a couple weeks ago with my blog post, in which I used Monoho as a platform to wax poetic about the one and only Zachary Quinto…

To give you an idea of why I ended up so distracted last time, just do a Google search for "Zachary Quinto" and click the Images tab.  Or, just click here to go right to the results.  Go on.  I'll wait while you browse.

...

Ahem.  Okay, it's been about an hour since I drafted that last paragraph and started to peruse the 11,400,000 image results.  I realize that once again I seem to have left my objectivity at the door.  Will I ever learn?

Anyway.  Not only was dodgeball this week a blast, February's monthly social was last Friday and was also unbelievable.  I met a lot of old friends, and some new ones too.  I even finally met Dr. Ken Schneck, host of the fabulous radio show "This Show is So Gay."  Definitely give his show a listen, it'll keep you informed and entertained on the "latest in gay."  This makes two months in a row that I have attended the men's social at the Hotel Northampton, and it's already on my calendar for next month.  Speaking of which, make sure it's on yours!  The next one is Friday, March 16.  You can get the full list of dates and info at monoho.com, or check out the Facebook group.

While we're on the topic of other upcoming events, the next KING of Northampton dance event has been announced!  Come join in the fun at Bishop's Lounge in Northampton on Friday, March 9, with DJ DrewG yet again keeping us moving with the best of his Dirty Pop mixes.  You can grab Drew's latest mega mash-up on SoundCloud.  It even includes a couple tribute samples to one of our favorite late, great divas, Whitney Houston, may she finally rest in peace.  While you're downloading Dirty POP Volume 21, why don't you give the KING of Northampton page a "like" on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KingofNorthampton?

Don't put your calendars away just yet, though.  Two more events to plan for: Rainbow Riverfest is coming to Holyoke, Massachusetts, on Saturday, September 22.  I don't have a lot of details yet, but keep an eye on monoho.com in the days to come.  Also, the big one we all look forward to all year long - Northampton Pride!  This year, Pride is moved to Saturday, May 12, instead of the first Saturday of the month as usual.  This has raised more than a few questions, as that weekend is also UMass graduation (just imagine the traffic, and I have to wonder how many students will still be around on Saturday).  I have also heard that the parade route is REVERSED this year, ending up at the fairgrounds instead of the center of Northampton.  I don't yet have full details of this either, so stay tuned.  Any info?  Leave a note in the comments or drop us a line at askmonoho@gmail.com.

Okay guys, it's time for me to call it a night.  It takes me a good day or so to recover from dodgeball, not to mention I have another 11,257,000 or so images to check out.  Make sure you come out to dodgeball next Monday, and March's social and KING events.  Watch monoho.com for details, as always.

Until next time!

-will

Hellloooo men of Northampton!

We're well into 2012, and more than a full month since my last post.  2011 was a great year in queer.  We had Zach Wahls proudly speaking up for his two moms, up-and-coming Alex Morse handily taking the Mayor's helm in Holyoke, the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, and New York state legalized same-sex marriage.  And did I forget to mention Zachary Quinto coming out in October?  Oh, Spock me….

Ahem.

Sorry guys, I lost my train of thought for a few minutes there.  Let's blame it on Madonna's half-time show in the Super Bowl yesterday, which had a certain Cirque du Soleil feel to it.  Looking through my Facebook newsfeed, I can tell precisely when ball play stopped and the half-time show started.  It's pretty much at the point when my straight friends stopped posting and my gay friends started gushing reverence, or went completely radio-silent.  As my friend Michael points out, rightly, no matter what you may think about Madonna, "the world is debating her a day after her media moment, [so] some things never change."

Oh forget that.  I'm still thinking about Zachary.  Can you blame me?

Okay, okay.  Time to get down to business.  The gay social scene is starting to pick up again in February, and we have a bunch of new events on the calendar.  Of note, I hope you aren't busy this Saturday, February 11, because you have your choice of events.  Just in time for Valentine's Day, either check out the "Come Fly with Me" variety show from Smoke and Meers, at Pizza d'Action in Holyoke, or have a dance with your sweetheart at the LGBT Coalition's Heart to Heart Valentines Dance, held at Smith College.  Unfortunately, these two great events conflict with their times, but if you get creative you can probably squeeze in both events.  Check out the main page at monoho.com for links to more details.

Don't have a date for Valentine's Day?  On Sunday, take a trip out east to Mixer's Cocktail Lounge in Worcester to check out the Lonely Hearts Club speed dating.  Speed dating looks like a ton of fun, and you never know - Mr. Right might be out there waiting for you!  Maybe you'll get lucky and Cupid will be aiming his arrows true  =)  If that's the case, or even if not, make sure you come to the Northampton-area men's social next Friday (February 17) at the Hotel Northampton.  I was actually at January's social, making my first appearance in months, and it was an absolute blast.  I caught up with a few old friends, made a few new friends, and caroused downtown Northampton afterwards.  Of course, as always, more information about speed dating and the monthly Northampton social can be found at monoho.com.

I need to also make a sports service announcement: dodge ball only has a few weeks left, so come out and play!  We need some able-bodied guys to help fill out some teams.  It's a great evening of running and throwing and dodging, and not nearly as traumatic as dodge ball was in high school gym class.  So please, free up your Monday nights at 7:00pm, and check out monoho.com for details.

Well guys, that's about it for now.  It's a new year, and we have a lot in store, hopefully to make 2012 even more fun and rewarding than 2011.  There's so much ahead of us - socials, socializing, Pride (May 12 in Northampton), and more.  Thanks for tuning in, and I hope to see you out and about in the Northampton area more this year!

-will

_Aloha men of Northampton!
 
It's been a quiet few weeks lately, so I haven't had much to post.  Hopefully you were all able to make it to the holiday social and final KING night of 2011 last week.  Regrettably, I missed both.  But, here's to 2012, with making resolutions and the like.  I'm hoping to resolve to "work less, play more."
 
The social scene starts to get moving again in January.  Dodgeball resumes on the second Monday (January 9), and it looks like Gutterboys bowling starts again on Tuesday of the following week (January 17).  Both are a lot of fun, with truly fantastic groups of guys.  The dodgeball group has been running a little thin the last few weeks and could definitely use some more guys to help, so make sure you come out on January 9!  This is not your high school dodgeball - it's way more fun, with a lot more laughs.  Check out the main monoho.com page for details.

For ski and snowboard bums willing to travel a bit, January 18-22 is the annual Winter Rendezvous "gay ski week" in Stowe, Vermont.  This is an AWESOME event that has been going strong for decades; I've heard this is the 28th year.  Winter Rendezvous is packed with men (and a few women), along with a full agenda of social events including comedy shows, cocktail parties, and more.  And of course, what winter party wouldn't be complete without Miss Richfield 1981 making an appearance?  Even better, the event fees include discounts for skiing at Stowe, which is phenomenal.  Last year's Winter Rendezvous was my first trip to Stowe, and I had an absolute blast on the mountain.  It was more challenging than where I typically ski, but I was encouraged by some friends with far better skills to try to keep up with them.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't get in over my head a few times, but that can be part of the fun!  So, I encourage you to check it out.  Even if you don't ski or snowboard, the Winter Rendezvous social schedule is enticing on its own.  As usual, more details at monoho.com.

Returning to local annual events, the AIDS Foundation of Western Massachusetts is hosting a gala to help support people living with HIV and AIDS.  Formerly known as "The Masquerade Ball," the event is now named "Viva!", and will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on Friday, January 27.  Come check out this great event, and donate to help out a worthy cause.  Oh, and did I mention it looks like there might be a Cher impersonator?  Hmm.  Want more information?  You got it: monoho.com.
 
Here's a short one: January 25 is GSA Day.  National Gay-Straight Alliance Day intends to call attention to the student organizations promoting awareness, equality, and fair treatment for the young LGBTQ crowd.  To be honest, I haven't heard of any specific events happening around this area.  Anyone know of anything scheduled?  Let me know in the comments or at askmonoho@gmail.com and I'll get it on the calendar.

And now I shall close out 2011 with you by doling out a couple light-hearted links, in the spirit of cheerful seasons - or something like that.  First is the kiss that has swept through the news over the past few days.  Step aside, Eisenstaedt - Navy Petty Officers Gaeta and Snell have taken the stage!  The gays (well, lesbians, to be specific) are showing their love as the first same sex couple to win the "first kiss" honor at Marissa Gaeta's homecoming from the USS Oak Hill.  Check out their sweet, groundbreaking photo at NPR here.
 
If the smooching ladies weren't enough to raise your spirits, then check out this "Love Makes a Family" video from MoveOn.org.  It's inspired by young Zach Wahls of Iowa and his message that children of gay couples can actually turn out pretty well.  Really, take a look.  If this doesn't raise your spirits, then you're even more of a Scrooge than I am - and that's saying A LOT.  Feel the love here.
 
That's all folks - see you all in 2012!
 
-will

Hey guys,
I know i've been quiet the past few weeks, but let's just say it's been a wicked month in my work and personal life.  More important, however, is the fact that tomorrow is World AIDS Day, and I wanted to get the word out there about some local happenings.  It's a bit more of a somber topic than I might normally post about, but one of interest to many of us.

December 1 is World AIDS Day, a time to reflect about the impact of HIV and AIDS on people in the United States and across the world.  There are a lot of events taking place throughout the valley area in honour of this day.  Just to name a few that are free and open to the public:

- The Mead Student Docents and Amherst College Madrigal Singers are putting on a special art and music event at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College.  Details here: https://www.amherst.edu/museums/mead/schedule/2011/2011fallevents/EveningsF2011

-The AIDS Foundation of Western Massachusetts is holding a gathering and candlelight vigil at St. Michael's Catherdral in Springfield.  Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/247250355323155/

- Okay, this one is not exactly "free," and is sort of a commercial plug, but in an attempt to raise awareness, Apple will be promoting its products marketed under the PRODUCT(RED) brand.  A percentage of the revenue generated by that product line goes towards the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.  Stop by your local Apple store (Ingleside Mall in Holyoke, MA, and Westfarms Mall in Farmington, CT, come to mind) tomorrow to see how Apple plans to promote RED.

- Tapestry Health is going to be at the UMass Amherst Campus Center providing rapid HIV testing from 12:00 to 3:30pm, followed by a film screening of "We Were Here: The AIDS Years in San Francisco" at 7:00pm.  The film is free, and I have heard from some unconfirmed sources that the testing is also free and anonymous.  More details at http://www.tapestryhealth.org/index.php/support/events.

I hope you're all doing well, and stay tuned for some exciting events coming up in 2012!

-will

Hello men of Northampton!

Next weekend, our fabulous neighbors to the west are holding a series of LGBTQ events as part of "Out in the Berkshires."  Kick off the weekend on Thursday night with a showing of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, and stick around through Sunday with the rest of what Out in the Berkshires has to offer.

Here's a press release for Out in the Berkshires - hope to see you there!


The Out in the Berkshires Weekend returns for it 3rd year celebrating and focusing on the many contributions that the LGBT community has on the arts starting November 10 until the 13 with a stunning array of events including documentaries, movies, dances, and karaoke.

Starting off the weekend will be a showing of The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Beacon Cinema hosted by the one and only Taffy Darling from Rumpy’s in Lenox. Show starts at 9:30pm, tickets are only $9 and there will be a social hour with drink specials at Brulee’s following the movie.

On Friday we will be playing Common Thread: Stories from the Quilt, sponsored by Berkshire Stonewall Coalition, at The Berkshire Museum at 2pm free entry. There will be a discussion following the movie. At 8 pm New Stage will be holding the second annual Karaogay with Ken de Loreto as MC and Erica Spizz as KJ, join them for a night of singing out your favorite songs.

Saturday we have at 2pm the Live Out Loud Youth Project will be premiering is movie, “The Truth About Gender: Youth Stories of Gender Diversity” an original 30 minute film produced with youth from Berkshire County exploring their experience living outside the gender binary. The film includes digital stories created by the youth, as well as interviews about the storytelling process. Visual art pieces from Live Out Loud Youth Project members will be displayed at this event, with a suggested donation of $5 showing starts at 3pm. Also we have the new movie Weekend playing at the Berkshire Museum at 7pm, tickets are only $5.

Wrapping up the day we have Quite Queer hosting “ON TOP” from 9pm to 1am on the top floor of the Crowne Plaza in Pittsfield. More than just a DJed dance party, Quite Queer has strived from the beginning to bring fresh, queer musical talent into the Berkshires. In that spirit, Tayisha Busay of New York City, who has just released their first album, “FOCUS/VIRUS”, will be performing. Tayisha Busay brings creative beats and tremendous energy with them when they perform. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door, with limited capacity. The event will be 21 + with a cash bar and suggested dress code of “filth and glitter” in honor of Tayisha Busay.

On the final day, Sunday, we will be holding a panel discussion with brunch at Y Bar at 11am tickets will be $20. The discussion will be A Gay History of the Berkshires, with panel members, from varying generations, that have created a name for themselves in the area while being openly gay will share their triumphs and tribulations on the road to becoming who they are now. There will also be on display a variety of archival information about the gay community in the Berkshires throughout the years. After the brunch and panel there will be a social hour where we will wrap up the weekend and celebrate.

Hello hello, men of Northampton!

Fortunately my eyes are healing, and my sight is improving quite nicely.  For several days I was barely able to read, either books or a computer screen, which made for a very quiet long weekend.  I'm excited that I'll be able to ski this year and wear goggles without fighting to get the goggles to fit over my glasses.  Speaking of which, is anyone thinking about the Winter Rendezvous "gay ski weekend" at Stowe in January?
 
I wanted to get out a quick note about some happenings coming up soon.  Some of these are on quite short notice, but hopefully not so short that you can't get out to enjoy some of them!
 
First, and of most immediate occurrence, David Sedaris is appearing tomorrow night, October 19, at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield.  More info is available at the Colonial Theatre's website here.
 
Next up, there are a couple events happening a little closer to Northampton this weekend.  October’s men's social is this Friday, October 21, at the Hotel Northampton.  I'm overdue for my biannual visit to the socials, so perhaps I shall descend from my Fortress of Solitude and we'll cross paths.  More info, as always, is at monoho.com.
 
KW Home, specializing in interior design, will be celebrating their tenth anniversary in Easthampton this Saturday, and in a big way.  Not only are they having a reception and beer tasting (beer provided by the absolutely fantastic Trü Beer of Easthampton!), AND offering 20-50% off everything in the store, they are ALSO donating 10% of the proceeds from their anniversary sale to the United Way of Hampshire County.  Check out their website at http://kwhome.net for more information.
 
While you're out shopping for furniture, make sure you pick up a hard hat or some kind of helmet, because Saturday is also Northampton's annual Zombie Pubcrawl!  You'll want something to protect your brains from being eaten by the roving hordes of undead.  Or, instead of buying a hard hat, you could invest in some tattered clothing, white face paint, and some fake blood, so that you can join in the revelry.  Trust me - it's much better to just dress as a zombie than to actually be bitten by one and convert.  Please, just TRUST ME on this one, guys.  You can find the pubcrawl schedule at the Facebook event page here.

There's also a tribute event for the folk opera "TRUTH," about Sojourner Truth, being held at the Academy of Music on Saturday.  More info on that one is available at http://truthopera.com.

As for me, I have a somewhat quieter weekend in mind.  Yes, instead of gorging myself on pizza and beer (and brrraaaaiiiinnnnsssss!), I'll be wandering the streets of Turners Falls for the second annual Franklin County Pumpkin Fest, munching on pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin-infused cheese, and other autumnal goodies.  Last year I had the most delicious buffalo chicken and bleu cheese chowder and hope to find it again this year.  Let's just say that my mouth is watering already.  The pumpkin fest reminds me of why I love living in New England, with people coming from all over to enjoy the beautiful scenery and pumpkin carvings, the scents of brown sugar and cinnamon wafting through the air, and enough of a crispness to the air that reminds me it's nearly ski season (Stowe? anyone?).  Be sure to visit the Turners Falls RiverCulture webpage here for more information.
 
That's it for now, folks.  Let me know in the comments what you're up to this weekend, and if I should watch out for your undead body wandering the streets of Northampton Saturday, or if you'll instead be taking it easy with a pumpkin latte in Turners Falls.  Oh, and just another reminder for the athletic types: dodgeball is starting up again only a couple more weeks!  Watch monoho.com for updates.
 
Good night, and good luck.
 
-will
 

Hello there, men of Northampton!

I wanted to get this written and posted a couple of days ago, but it's been an interesting weekend at Chez Will.  I had laser eye surgery done on Thursday, and my vision is taking a while to get back to normal.  So, instead of tapping out blog posts on my iPad at the Roost like a hipster, like I usually do, I'm at home typing this in 24-point font (and still squinting a little).  It's a slow process, but I hope to soon be able to send email and text messages without the aid of a magnifying glass.

A correction to my last post, which I can't blame on poor eyesight: Pride and Joy is reopening on Thursday, November 17, not October 11.  Apparently October 11 was when they were planning to announce their reopening, and even with that they announced the date ahead of time.  I must have gotten the date wrong at some point.  Sorry!

There are two important events coming up that I want to make sure get promoted as broadly as possible.  I'd be grateful if you could do your parts by posting them on your Facebook walls and to your Google+ circles, sending them to your various mailing lists, tweeting them, and, heck, reviving your old MySpace profiles and posting them there.

The first event (well, not chronologically) is the Gutter Boys Bowling League's second annual Bowl-a-thon for AIDS Care/Hampshire County, happening next Saturday, October 15, at the Spare Time Bowling Center in Northampton, Massachusetts.  Last year the Gutter Boys raised over $700 to support this great program, and this year they're aiming to break $1200.  Please: do your part to help them succeed.  Come out to play, or just come out to support (and donate!).  See http://www.monoho.com for more information.

Speaking of coming out, this brings us to event number two.  This Tuesday, October 11, is National Coming Out Day.  For many of us, the first time we come out is an incredible, nearly overwhelming emotional event that completely alters how we live our lives.  For many of us, the first time is just that: a first time.  It turns out to not be the only time, and we spend our entire lives reconciling who we are with people's expectations of who they think we are, coming out over and over again.  Some of us choose to come out bit by bit, in only certain spheres of our lives at one time: maybe with close friends and family today, and work tomorrow.  Some of us aren't out at all.  There are innumerable resources out there, and the Human Rights Campaign has an entire page dedicated to the topic (here).  I'm interested in your own stories: how you first came out, and how you continue to come out.  I'm sure that some of our readers may take some comfort and inspiration from your stories.  I am continually surprised by how many people come up to me (in person and online) and reference something they've read on the website or in this blog, so I know there's an audience out there.  Please, if you're comfortable with it, feel free to share your stories in the comments on the blog.  It's as anonymous as you want it to be, and you might help someone else out with your words.

With that, I shall bid you adieu for another week, and must rest my weary eyes.  Dodgeball is coming soon, and it looks like it has a Facebook group now, so stay tuned to this website, the Yahoo! group, and now the Facebook group for more information!

-will

Bonjour, hommes de Northampton!

After ten hot, grueling days at a computer security conference in Las Vegas, I'm finally back home in Northampton, just in time to enjoy the start of the New England autumn.  Hopefully while I was away you guys all enjoyed some of the late September activities like KING and the Northampton gay men's social's third anniversary.  Of course, I'm also back home just in time for an exodus of many of you who are headed up to Montreal this weekend.  What's going on in Montreal, you ask?  Paul Specht, one of the most talented photographers in Massachusetts, is putting on an exhibit with painter Daniel Beaudoin of Montreal.  It looks like a fantastic event, uniquely blending Paul and Daniel's artistic talents.  You can find more information via the Facebook event, the website for Galerie Dentaire, or, for those who speak neither French nor Facebook, check out the Montreal page at GayCities.  The grand opening is tonight, but the show will be going on through October 18.

When I sat down this morning to clean some old links off of Monoho, I wasn't sure I'd have much new to post.  Boy was I wrong - it looks like October is a big month for fans of the stage.  Smoke and Meers, the progeny of local Matt Meers, will be bringing you the music drag comedy "Nunsense A-men!" in Springfield next weekend, and the Exit 7 Players in Ludlow are performing RENT, happening right now through October 16.  You can find out more information about these and other upcoming events on the front page of monoho.com.

Of course, it's October, which means Halloween, and how can I get away with an events update without mentioning the grand daddy of Halloween events - Spooky Bear!  Don't be fooled by the name, it's not just all bears - but there will be no shortage of ursa men, either.  If you've never experienced Spooky Bear, don't wait, make your reservations for Provincetown NOW.  Halloween weekend will be action-packed with guys in costumes (or just leather), enjoying the parties and other activities that make Spooky Bear an event we have been looking forward to all year long.

Know of other upcoming events you think the monoho community would be interested in?  Let us know at askmonoho@gmail.com.

By the way, did anyone else notice that Pride and Joy is coming back to Northampton?  The "grand reopening" is Tuesday, October 11 - find them in Thornes Marketplace on Main Street, and make sure you "like" their Facebook page to stay up to date.

I recently heard from Ken Schneck of Brattleboro, Vermont, about his radio show "This Show is So Gay."  Ken broadcasts live from Brattleboro, is syndicated nationwide, and makes recordings of his show available as podcasts for download.  It's a pretty entertaining show, covering a wide variety of topics, gay and otherwise.  Give the show a listen at http://thisshowissogay.com.

I don't have much else for you today.  I'm still (slowly) unpacking from my trip, doing laundry, and adjusting my circadian rhythm back to Eastern time, so with that I shall leave you for now.  If you're traveling to Montreal, have fun and say hello to Paul and the others for me!  If you're staying local, enjoy the start of fall in New England.

Until next time!

-will

Hello men of Northampton!

It's now Monday morning, and I'm struggling with hotel wifi trying to get this posted.  At the time I was writing it though, I was flying at about 38,000 feet on my way to Las Vegas for the next week or so.  Hopefully while I cruising through the skies, you were cruising the park Six Flags New England for their annual "Out in the Park" and enjoying one of the last few days of summer.  The forecast looked promising, and hopefully drew a lot of guys from all over.

Speaking of altitude, I'll share with you that prior to flying I was curious to find out the cruising altitude for a 737 on a transcontinental flight.  One of the first links was from the Discovery Channel - so it MUST be good, right?  As it turns out, the article was about what happens if you get sucked out of an airplane at 30,000 feet.  Perhaps one of the cheeriest parts was right at the beginning where the author mentioned that the "rapid drop in oxygen and extraordinarily cold conditions would be just two of the deadliest consequences" (http://news.discovery.com/human/southwest-airplane-cracks-falling-110408.html).  Great reading material right before boarding.

Fortunately, I arrived in Vegas intact.  Unfortunately, in addition to missing Out in the Park, I'm going to miss a few other Northampton-area events that you guys need to check out.  In fact, this Friday is a double feature!  Make sure you start the evening out at the Hotel Northampton for the third annual Northampton gay men's social.  This is a special event, so there is a $5 cover charge that pays for the piano player.  The anniversary events draw the biggest crowds, so it'll definitely be worth your $5 for a chance to socialize with some great guys.  After the social, make sure you check out the King of Northampton dance party at Bishop's Lounge.  What better way to kick off the fall than with some hot tracks from DJ DrewG from Los Angeles?  Not to mention the hot .. err .. gents.  If you manage to wake up at a reasonable hour on Saturday, Rainbow Riverfest starts at 11:00am at the Holyoke Canoe Club.

Remember - you can get more information about all of these events and more at www.monoho.com, so make sure you keep tabs on the website.  Also make sure you sign up for our Yahoo! group and "like" our Facebook page to stay on top of the latest news.

I'll have information about more upcoming events soon.  I will tempt you that KW Home of Easthampton, run by our very own Keith Woodruff, is planning something special for their 10th anniversary soon.  Keep an eye on their Facebook page for details.

I'll close with a bright note.  One of my favorite things to do on long flights is to catch up on those 2.5 hour subtitled Bollywood movies I keep collecting from my Indian friends.  Yesterday I finally got to watch Lage Raho Munna Bhai, an absolutely fantastic film about Munna Bhai, a rough, mob goon who starts having conversations with a hallucination of the Mahatma Gandhi.  The image of Gandhi leads Munna to start living a life of nonviolence, and face the sometimes difficult-to-admit truths of life.  "Bapu," as Gandhi is often referred to, advises Munna, "Take pride, and live the truth fully."

So, these are my parting words for you all.  Get out and enjoy some of the various LGBTQ events we promote on monoho.com.  Let us know at askmonoho@gmail.com if you have events you think the local queer community would enjoy and we can look at posting them online.  But above all, take pride, and live the truth fully.

Until next time, my friends!
-will

Hello men of Northampton!

Welcome to round two of the monoho.com blog!

I thought I'd start this issue of the blog with a small confession: I'm (mostly) an introvert.  Yep, you heard it here first: I'm usually shy, quiet, reserved, keep to myself, and my report cards in grade school always bore the comment "W. has a lot to offer, if only he wasn't so quiet."  Largely, this all still describes me even today.  Most of you who know me may agree.

Those of you with a finger on the pulse of irony may take note of the fact that I'm now sort of the master of the social calendar for the monoho community.

How the heck did that happen?

Well, frankly, I'm not really sure what possessed me to volunteer to take the reins, and I'm not going to dwell on it much either (in a rare moment of avoiding self-reflection), but instead I want to focus on the impact that monoho.com and its ancillary branches have had.  Last week, I posted the first monoho.com blog post, and the very first comment was from "Ryan," a new migrant to the western Massachusetts community.  Somehow in researching the LGBTQ community of the Happy Valley, Ryan stumbled on our website.  I have to declare this a sign that those of us behind monoho.com (and its accompanying Yahoo! group and Facebook page) are succeeding in our mission of building and maintaining a solid community.  I didn't build the monoho.com ship, and I wasn't there when it first set sail, but I am going to do my part to help keep it on course.

Another sign we're doing our jobs?  Today, I was directing a friend to Maines Field in Northampton to watch a volleyball game.  Whilst Googling for "Maines Field Northampton," monoho.com was the fifth search result.  Unbelievable!  Guys, we're making a difference, and I hope that means we're making a positive impact.

So, speaking of social calendar, September is even busier than I suggested in the first blog post.  First, as a reminder, Friday, September 23, is the third anniversary of the Northampton Gay Men's Social.  As an anniversary event, there is a small cover charge of $5, which among other things covers the cost of the live piano player.  This is the ONLY time the social events have a charge.  That same night is the next King of Northampton dance party - "If I were KING."  Did I mention that monoho.com will be an official sponsor for this King event?  Now you DEFINITELY need to check it out!  As if that weekend wasn't busy enough, the LGBT Coalition of Western Massachusetts will be hosting the "Rainbow Riverfest" at the Holyoke Canoe Club, just a couple miles outside of Northampton, on Saturday, September 24.  If I'm not mistaken, I think the end-of-season Dune Boys volleyball party is later that night.  Can't wait for all of the fun that weekend?  Well, then make sure you don't miss the annual Out in the Park at Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA, on Sunday, September 18.  The Six Flags "gay day" is one of the most fun ways to close out the summer, in a park surrounded by hundreds of your closest LGBTQ friends.

Want to know more about the various events coming up?  Remember, you can always find out more information about all of these events on the Home page or on the Activities page (or both, if I've done my due diligence).

With that, I must call it a night.  I have a few more updates to make to the site, and I want to make sure I'm rested for tomorrow night's volleyball game, which, sadly, is the last one of the season.  I shall miss my Dune Boys friends, many of whom I expect to see at dodgeball this winter, if not sooner.

Until next time, my friends!

-will