As of today, it has been five years since my very post on K. Clark's Corner. I know, they grow up so fast! But seriously I can't believe what it has grown into. I started this blog weeks before my 22nd birthday. I'd been out for a few years, had a steady relationship with my first boyfriend, and was doing well in school. Things were good, better than they'd been for the first time in a long time.
But there were lingering feelings, loose strings that weren't tied up. Originally, K. Clark's Corner began as a lark, an outlet for me to keep my writing sharp as an aspiring journalist. Over time though, the loose strings and lingering feelings spilled over into my posts, and the blog evolved into a sounding board where I could wrestle with getting out difficult, sometimes dark experiences. It wasn't just my past though; as I dealt with my family's reaction to my coming out, struggled through the break up of my first relationship and the early days of my latest one, confronted doubts about my faith and tried to land a full-time job, this blog was a refuge, a hiding place (albeit a public one--that could probably be a post in itself) where I could lay out my fears and frustrations uncensored.
Fortunately, this hasn't only been a canvas for me to paint my pain, but to indulge my various obsessions. Divas, movies, music, TV, the ballroom scene, sexuality, gender, anti-gay politicians and preachers, shitty part time jobs, fine ass men--they all gotten ample airtime. Most unexpectedly, all those paragraphs extolling the virtues of Madonna or overanalyzing the shit out of Mad Men and True Blood unwittingly laid the groundwork for future freelance writing opportunities and a warm up for my forays into fiction. It has also introduced me to some wonderful blogger friends (shout out to Prince Toddy, Bama Boi and Wonderman).
All of this is to say while this space has been many things over the past five years, but it has always been rewarding one. Thanks to everyone who's ever commented or shared things I've written or simply taken time out to read a post. So without further ado, here are my favorite posts. And yes, for those who are avid readers of Boy Culture, I'm completely lifting this format from Matthew Rettenmund. But as Tyra Banks schooled me, steal from the best and make it your own. I hope I've done so with K. Clark's Corner. Enjoy.
TRUE BLOOD SEASON 6 EP. 9 'LIFE MATTERS' (2013): Terry gets a grand send off and the vampires take back the daylight in what will probably go down as one of True Blood's best episodes.
MAD MEN SEASON 6 EP. 13 'IN CARE OF' (2013): Don bottoms out, Peggy loses in love but wins at work, among other big developments as Mad Men heads into its last season.
HOUSE OF LIES SEASON 2 EP. 12 'TIL DEATH DO US PART (2013): Marty Kahn gets what he wants, but destroys his life in the process.
WHEN THE FANTASIA HITS THE FAN: WHEN DIVAS WAX HOMOPHOBIC (2013): Remember that time Fantasia got on Instagram and put her foot in her mouth?
PICTURE PERFECT BEYONCE (2013): In which I air out a few quibbles I had with Queen Bey's doc Life Is But A Dream.
A GOOD TRIP: A REVIEW OF MADONNA'S MDNA TOUR IN NEW ORLEANS (2013): A recounting of my sojourn to the Big Easy to see her Madgesty perform.
MADONNA: MY GRAND DIVA! (2010): My first in-depth, and IMO, most personal post justifying my love for Ms. Ciccone.
LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY: A DIVA TRIBUTE TO DONNA SUMMER (2013): I think the post title says it all.
FOR NIPPY (2012): In remembrance of The Voice.
B. SLADE: THE INTERVIEW (2011): A lengthy chat with the artist formerly known as Tonex.
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REVIEW: B. SLADE: A BRILLIANT CATASTROPHE (2010): B. Slade's musical introduction to the world.
ALBUMS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE: ANTI-CHRIST SUPERSTAR (2010): How MM's magnum opus set me on the scarlet brick road to heathenhood:).
PINK: FUNHOUSE (2008): A review of what will likely go down as Pink's divorce (or separation to be accurate) album.
KANYE WEST: 808S AND HEARTBREAK (2008): My take on Yeezy's most divisive album (well, we'll see how that holds once Yeezus hits its five-year mark).
OH NO SHE DIDN'T! (2009): Keri Hilson is proof positive throwing shade at Beyonce is like inviting a pox on your musical career. Though "Pretty Girl Rock" is still my shit.
CLASSIC ALBUM BATTLE: WHAT'S THE 411 VS. MY LIFE (2009): I don't know if I'd rank this as one of my best music posts, but I do have a soft spot for it, if only because I feel like it didn't get the reading it deserved.
ARE WE TOO HARD ON TODAY'S BLACK ARTISTS? (2009): Slightly dated (a few artists mentioned are definitely in the 'where are they now' category), but the point about keeping an open mind and not surrendering to nostalgia holds up.
SCHOOL'S OUT LAURYN (2011): On why L Boogie needed (and still needs) to get her shit together, and the mutually beneficial and at times mutually destructive relationship between stars and the public.
REQUIRED GAY VIEWING: BUT I'M CHEERLEADER (2011): Because you know who you are and you know who you want. And ain't nobody gonna change that! Sheeit!
REQUIRED GAY VIEWING: PARIS IS BURNING (2010): An absolutely essential documentary and a true piece of American, not just LGBT, history.
BADDEST VIDEO GAME CHICKS (2011): Definitely my most popular post by a mile in terms of sheer hits (more than 3000 and counting). Video games bring the gays and geeks together.
THE "G" BOMB HAS BEEN DROPPED (2010): The day shit officially hit the fan between me and my Dad. Initially I didn't feel I got my point across as well as I did with "Conversations With My Mother," but upon rereading it, I think it holds its own. Regardless, like my parents, they are two halves of a whole, so I wanted to include them both.
WHY YOU SO QUIET? BEING AN INTROVERT IN AN EXTROVERT'S WORLD (2010): How the quieter half lives.
WHAT'S IN A DEGREE? (2009): Fears of now former (and now thankfully employed) undergrad. Though I'm sure undergrads will be expressing the same doubts and wariness until the end of time.
WHAT IS GOOD SEX? (2009): The ins and outs of relationship sex vs. a one-night quickie.
LOVERS AND FRIENDS (2009): Balancing both can be like trying to juggle chainsaws with greasy hands.
SUCCESS AND SACRIFICE (2011): A knotty hairball of observation, questioning and reflection on the push-pull of success vs. sacrifice in family, friendship, career, love and life.
SHIT OUTTA LUCK! (2011): Hands down my most disgusting experience at work. So of course I shared it with all you sickos:).
THE BIG PAYBACK: I'VE BEEN PUBLISHED (2012): Celebrating the publication of my first short story, "The Payback."
THE OMEGA SQUAD: THE KIDARA CHRONICLES (2011): An excerpt from my far from finished fantasy/horror novel/novella. See above for reasons it's still in the works.
THESE DREAMS (2013): Because analyzing and dissecting everything that happens while I'm awake isn't enough.
MUSIC, MOVIES AND MAD MEN
CRAZYSEXYCOOL: THE TLC STORY: A MINI-REVIEW (2013): The great, the good and the so-so of the TLC biopic.
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| Queen Bey, like moi, was not amused. |
MILEY'S VMA PERFORMANCE (2013): Why twerking wasn't the worst part of Miley's show-stealing (for all the wrong reasons) performance.
MICHAEL JACKSON'S THRILLER TURNS 30 (2012): The pop album to end all pop albums that begat the King of Pop.
HOLIDAY, CELEBRATE: MADONNA'S FIRST ALBUM TURNS 30 (2013): A tribute to the debut that begat the Queen of Pop.
I'D LIKE TO PUT YOU IN A TRANCE: EROTICA TURNS 20 (2013): On why Madge's '92 masterpiece shouldn't live in the shadow of Like A Prayer and Ray of Light.
TRUE BLOOD SEASON 6 EP. 9 'LIFE MATTERS' (2013): Terry gets a grand send off and the vampires take back the daylight in what will probably go down as one of True Blood's best episodes.
MAD MEN SEASON 6 EP. 13 'IN CARE OF' (2013): Don bottoms out, Peggy loses in love but wins at work, among other big developments as Mad Men heads into its last season.
HOUSE OF LIES SEASON 2 EP. 12 'TIL DEATH DO US PART (2013): Marty Kahn gets what he wants, but destroys his life in the process.
WHEN THE FANTASIA HITS THE FAN: WHEN DIVAS WAX HOMOPHOBIC (2013): Remember that time Fantasia got on Instagram and put her foot in her mouth?
PICTURE PERFECT BEYONCE (2013): In which I air out a few quibbles I had with Queen Bey's doc Life Is But A Dream.
A GOOD TRIP: A REVIEW OF MADONNA'S MDNA TOUR IN NEW ORLEANS (2013): A recounting of my sojourn to the Big Easy to see her Madgesty perform.
MADONNA: MY GRAND DIVA! (2010): My first in-depth, and IMO, most personal post justifying my love for Ms. Ciccone.
LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY: A DIVA TRIBUTE TO DONNA SUMMER (2013): I think the post title says it all.
FOR NIPPY (2012): In remembrance of The Voice.
B. SLADE: THE INTERVIEW (2011): A lengthy chat with the artist formerly known as Tonex.
+-+cover.jpg)
REVIEW: B. SLADE: A BRILLIANT CATASTROPHE (2010): B. Slade's musical introduction to the world.
ALBUMS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE: ANTI-CHRIST SUPERSTAR (2010): How MM's magnum opus set me on the scarlet brick road to heathenhood:).
PINK: FUNHOUSE (2008): A review of what will likely go down as Pink's divorce (or separation to be accurate) album.
KANYE WEST: 808S AND HEARTBREAK (2008): My take on Yeezy's most divisive album (well, we'll see how that holds once Yeezus hits its five-year mark).
OH NO SHE DIDN'T! (2009): Keri Hilson is proof positive throwing shade at Beyonce is like inviting a pox on your musical career. Though "Pretty Girl Rock" is still my shit.
CLASSIC ALBUM BATTLE: WHAT'S THE 411 VS. MY LIFE (2009): I don't know if I'd rank this as one of my best music posts, but I do have a soft spot for it, if only because I feel like it didn't get the reading it deserved.
ARE WE TOO HARD ON TODAY'S BLACK ARTISTS? (2009): Slightly dated (a few artists mentioned are definitely in the 'where are they now' category), but the point about keeping an open mind and not surrendering to nostalgia holds up.
SCHOOL'S OUT LAURYN (2011): On why L Boogie needed (and still needs) to get her shit together, and the mutually beneficial and at times mutually destructive relationship between stars and the public.
REQUIRED GAY VIEWING: BUT I'M CHEERLEADER (2011): Because you know who you are and you know who you want. And ain't nobody gonna change that! Sheeit!
REQUIRED GAY VIEWING: PARIS IS BURNING (2010): An absolutely essential documentary and a true piece of American, not just LGBT, history.
BADDEST VIDEO GAME CHICKS (2011): Definitely my most popular post by a mile in terms of sheer hits (more than 3000 and counting). Video games bring the gays and geeks together.
ME, MYSELF AND I
MEDITATIONS ON MY COMING OUT (2012): Looking back on my coming out seven years later.
THAT'S NOT COOL (2009): Recounting one of the worst nights of my life, in which me and a friend got jumped, and the subsequent fallout.
IF HOMOPHOBIA DIDN'T EXIST? (2011): Imagining a world sans all phobias and isms.
CIRCLES (2012): A lengthy, slightly rambling post airing out my frustrations about retreading old emotional territory with the parental units.
CONVERSATIONS WITH MY MOTHER: A PAINFUL REALIZATION(2008): The moment I realized my mother and I's relationship had irrevocably shifted (or at least was in the process of doing so). And clearly I was on the "bi now, gay later" plan when I look back. At best I'm a 5.5 on the Kinsey scale.
CONVERSATIONS WITH MY MOTHER: A PAINFUL REALIZATION(2008): The moment I realized my mother and I's relationship had irrevocably shifted (or at least was in the process of doing so). And clearly I was on the "bi now, gay later" plan when I look back. At best I'm a 5.5 on the Kinsey scale.
THE "G" BOMB HAS BEEN DROPPED (2010): The day shit officially hit the fan between me and my Dad. Initially I didn't feel I got my point across as well as I did with "Conversations With My Mother," but upon rereading it, I think it holds its own. Regardless, like my parents, they are two halves of a whole, so I wanted to include them both.
WHY YOU SO QUIET? BEING AN INTROVERT IN AN EXTROVERT'S WORLD (2010): How the quieter half lives.
WHAT'S IN A DEGREE? (2009): Fears of now former (and now thankfully employed) undergrad. Though I'm sure undergrads will be expressing the same doubts and wariness until the end of time.
WHAT IS GOOD SEX? (2009): The ins and outs of relationship sex vs. a one-night quickie.
LOVERS AND FRIENDS (2009): Balancing both can be like trying to juggle chainsaws with greasy hands.
SUCCESS AND SACRIFICE (2011): A knotty hairball of observation, questioning and reflection on the push-pull of success vs. sacrifice in family, friendship, career, love and life.
SHIT OUTTA LUCK! (2011): Hands down my most disgusting experience at work. So of course I shared it with all you sickos:).
THE BIG PAYBACK: I'VE BEEN PUBLISHED (2012): Celebrating the publication of my first short story, "The Payback."
THE OMEGA SQUAD: THE KIDARA CHRONICLES (2011): An excerpt from my far from finished fantasy/horror novel/novella. See above for reasons it's still in the works.
THESE DREAMS (2013): Because analyzing and dissecting everything that happens while I'm awake isn't enough.
RELIGION/ATHEISM
(Truthfully this bleeds into 'Me, Myself and I,' but I written so many religion/atheism-themed posts it needed its own category)
LEAVING THE FOLD PT. 1-5 (2012): My deconversion saga from denial to acceptance.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
(Truthfully this bleeds into 'Me, Myself and I,' but I written so many religion/atheism-themed posts it needed its own category)
BREAKING MY SPIRITUAL SILENCE: MY RELATIONSHIP WITH RELIGION (2009): My first, but definitely not my last, post about the influence of religion on my life.
LEAVING THE FOLD PT. 1-5 (2012): My deconversion saga from denial to acceptance.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
CME ATHEISTS (2012): A blow-by-blow account of attending my first service since leaving the fold.
GOD DID IT! (2012)--My two cents on why lifting up holy hands for every little thing may not be as harmless as it seems.
CREFLO DOLLAR DEFENDS EDDIE LONG (2011)--A necessary read of Ms. Eddie Longstroke and her sister in crime Creflo Dollar.
GOD, THE MOUNTAIN CLIMBER AND FAITH (2011): One of my most popular religion posts, where I deconstruct a sermon to smithereens (which now that I look back, was an early sign I was losing the faith)
WHAT'S YOUR IDEA OF THE AFTERLIFE? (2009): Ruminating about fear of hell, fear of heaven, and my vision of what the latter would be like.
ATHEIST=UNDATEABLE? (2013): Proof that we have ways to go when it comes to portrayals of black atheists in pop culture.
A HEATHEN AND A SAINT: CAN CHRISTIAN/ATHEIST ROMANCES WORK? (2011): About two months after this post I admitted to myself I was an atheist, so it makes sense I'd take my inner unrest to blog. FWIW, mine's working out fine so far.
A HEATHEN AND A SAINT: CAN CHRISTIAN/ATHEIST ROMANCES WORK? (2011): About two months after this post I admitted to myself I was an atheist, so it makes sense I'd take my inner unrest to blog. FWIW, mine's working out fine so far.
ARE HORROR MOVIES ANTI-CHRISTIAN? (2009): A quirky post on how surviving a scary flick rarely means calling on a high power.
OPRAH AND DIANA NYAD TALK ATHEISM AND 'AWE' (2013): Atheists feel love too boo.
NO TEA, NO SHADE BUT...
THOUGHTS ON THE GEORGE ZIMMERMAN VERDICT (2013): Not guilty, ya'll got to feel me... the hell I do.
THE DAY AFTER: OBAMA, THE ELECTION AND THE NEXT TERM (2012): Part post-re-election celebration, part plea for bipartisanship. And we all know how that's going *cough* government shutdown *cough*.
NATURAL HAIR AND BLACK BEAUTY (2012): Musings on what I hope to the gods is not a passing trend.
GOOD HAIR, BAD HAIR (2008): My first go 'round on black folks and the politics of hair.
BORN THIS WAY OR CHOOSING TO BE GAY? (2012): On Cynthia Nixon, labels and love--damn that sounds pretty Carrie-ish. Where are my Manolos?
I'M NOT A HATER I JUST THINK A LOT: ON TYLER PERRY AND SPIKE LEE (2011): A lengthy piece on how hatred of "haters" can turn into a noxious form of group think, and why Ms. Perry needs to dry her tears and take long, hard at her creative process. Buying a thicker skin with her coins wouldn't hurt.
NEGRO PLEASE! (2011): You foul Jody.
ARE WE THE BOYS WE WANT? A MASCULINE GUY'S PERSPECTIVE (2011): Buying into hypermasculine and feminine stereotypes makes all of us look pressed. Ya' heard me?
NATURALLY FEMININE OR ANNOYINGLY FLAMBOYANT? (2009): When keepin' it fem goes wrong.
CHRIS BROWN AND RIHANNA (2009): A night that will live in pop culture infamy, and a critique of the blame-the-victim mentality that occurs all too often when it comes to domestic violence.
RANTS AND RAVES: REALITY SHOWS (2009): On how total reality tv saturation has laid waste to music television. These 90's babies will never know...
RANTS AND RAVES: I HATE MUSICALS (2008): Well somebody had to say it. If I had one more theater queen humming the Rent soundtrack in my ear...though for the record my position has since softened a bit.
A BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY (2008): The thrill of President Obama's history victory, and the agony of Prop 8's passage. You never forget your first.
EYE CANDY
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