Kim's Big Day!!!

Hey Bloggers!

Today is a very special day for someone very special to me. This person has inspired me to truly stand up and take charge of my life.....to be a driver and not a passenger....to grab life and seize every moment.....I am talking about Kimberley Locke.





For those of you who know me know that I have been a huge fan of hers since I saw her audition on the 2nd season of AI. Well...today is her big day!! The release of her 2nd album, Based on a True Story. I CANNOT WAIT TO GET MY COPY!

I have been a fan of Kim's for about 4 years now. Her fan club, The Krew, have been following her career very closely and attending her public appearances, concerts, watching her TV appearances, tours, etc....We are a loyal group of die hards. I have seen and met her countless times.

The last time I saw her in person was September 9th 2006....it was the week before my 30th birthday. She was performing at The Richmond County Fair in Staten Island. We had front row lawn seats that day. She knew we came out in full force for support. :) Above is a pic of the 2 of us at the meet & greet booth.

Kim, if you get a chance to read this, I want you to know that you are my role model. I am so proud of all of your success and hard work. You never fell off the radar and it takes guts to get the glory and you stuck it out. Well, The Krew and I are very proud of you and we are very excited about getting our hands on this album just as much as the first one if not more!

Congratulations on the sophmore release and I look forward to seeing you on tour this summer! You know if you are in the Tri-state area, I won't be too hard to find. :) This is your day! ENJOY IT!!! ONE LOVE ALWAYS!!!

-JoJo

P.S. - For everyone who is reading this, go out and get a copy, you WILL NOT be disappointed!!! ;)

MOVING DAY!!!!

Hey Kids!

Well, I did it! I am finally the PROUD renter of a 1 bedroom apartment! I am no longer a renter of basements. I am out of the basement and on my own in a BEAUTIFUL, SPACIOUS one bedroom!

*Looks around* There are boxes everywhere and I don't know where to begin but it is all mine. As my face wells up with tears, I think back to the long, hard road that got me here and I am proud of myself for hanging in there and not giving up.

Two years ago, I was living in a nice "first apartment" studio basement with my own private entrance and a nice patio. It was great but I never realized what I have been missing out on being totally on my own. I must admit, I was a bit nervous and it was a bit overwelming to have all of this space for myself. I was scared, but I knew the risk was definitely going to be worth it. From top to bottom, EVERYTHING is mine!

I will have pics soon...once I get more settled and unpack the very unattractive cardboard boxes everywhere. I find myself looking around and I keep having to pinch myself swearing it is all a dream that I don't want to wake up from, but it isn't...this is very real and I am psyched about all of the possibilities!! Hardwood floors and HUGE living room and arched entry way...*Shakes head* I made it!!! I have been hearing the theme song to The Jeffersons in my head since yesterday..."Well...we're moving on up...to the East side....to a deluxe apartment in the skkyyyyy!!!!" Although...there are no beans burning in the kitchen....*Scratches head* I will have to work on the whole cooking thing...*shrugs*

So, moving day went well. The movers had everything in the truck within a half an hour and after a semi-sentimental farewell to my roomies, I was on my way back to Westchester! After everything was in and the movers left, Susan, Jason and I just looked around and Susan (my personal interior decorator) said....."Let's go shoppin!!!" So, we piled in the car and ended up at The Christmas Tree Shoppe!!! I got 2 new matching lamps and a nice basket for magazines to put on the side of the couch...*thinking* Didn't know you needed a basket for magazines..*Shrugs* ANYWAY......they were here for moral support (God knows I always need it) and we had pizza and hung out in MY apt. :)

You know it's funny.....no matter how much you try, you can never fully prepare for the things in store for you. I honestly never thought this would happen for me. For the past year, I had given up 4 hours of my life every day to sitting on a train, to catch another train to catch a bus and finally reach home too tired to speak and get up 4 1/2 hours later to do it all over again. Looking back on it now, it was a struggle but now that I am here....I now know that I had to go through that because in life there are lessons to be learned. Kimberley Locke says in one of her songs, "I wouldn't change a thing, cuz life is how you learn, you live, you learn and then you know..." Well, I guess I had to go through that year of my life to get me to the pot of gold on the other side. All I have to say, is every single moment sitting on those trains and that bus.....looking back on it now......was ALL worth it because this is truly the happiest I have EVER been!!! :)

My Coming Out Story....

For those of you who know me...know that I am a Lesbian and do not hide the fact. So, I thought I would share my "Coming Out"story. Everyone in the community has one, so here's mine.....

Let's start with how "I knew" I was a gay. When I was younger, I had stronger feelings for girls than I did boys and tried all the way through most of college to suppress it because I didn't want to be known as "different or not normal". I thought it would give people another reason to snicker and make fun of me behind my back(the first reason? The red hair....I was the only red head around and was constantly being teased). I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of adding to the "humiliation". So, I let my friends do the makeover thing. I grew my hair, got tips on my nails and even went as far as wearing makeup. *Shakes head* I can't believe I just didn't confide in my friends back then, but deep down, they knew.

Anyway, I tested the waters in the heterosexual dating pool। It always seemed to like feel like something was missing. I wasn't getting the butterflies everyone was telling me about. The first thing I thought was maybe there was something wrong with me...maybe I am not a "dater" or capable of it. So, I talked to a small group of friends from college about it and a few of them had had "experiences". They shared their stories and finally it all made sense...that's me! So, I put up an ad online without a picture so no one I knew would see me. I started going to a few NY Liberty games and met some really cool people and they helped me along. I found some clubs and the next thing I know I had my first girlfriend. It was the happiest I had ever been. I was living with roommates at the time and they knew about me, so I didn't have to hide anything. My parents had moved away by this time and had NO idea and I wanted to keep it that way for as long as I could.

Well, the day finally came. I was on the phone with my dad a few days before I was going there for Christmas and he was acting a little strange. Long story short, my dad knew and I asked him how he found out.....I WAS OUTED BY A GAY GUY!!! Background: When my parents first moved to Vegas the first people they met were this gay couple. So, the younger of the 2 guys knew right away when he met me and offered to take me out to help it along and I confided in him. Well, he decided to, in his words, "help along the process and ease my parents into it"! He outed me and on CHRISTMAS!!!

Well, my girlfriend at the time was very supportive and gave me encouraging words and drove me to and from the airport. When I got there, both of my parents were waiting for me! (Very unusual...my dad was working so it was just my mom and "the gay guy". So, we get home and my mom says, "Tomorrow night we are sitting down to dinner together as a family!!!"

So, we sit down the next night and have dinner in silence. The dishes are cleared and all of a sudden, I hear my sister's voice, "So, you're a lesbian!" To make a long story even longer, my parents still love me...I am their daughter, but it will take some getting used to.

Well, it has been just over 5 years now since that fateful Christmas and I am very lucky and blessed to have such great family and friends. I am no longer with that girlfriend but if you are reading this, thank you for all of the love and support. I definitely have more of a sense of who I am now and have learned from past relationships and grown. I am currently single and I am enjoying it and concentrating on something very important right now.....Me. :)