Who is Armin Van Buuren?

Armin Van Buuren is a music producer and DJ, best known for playing uplifting and progressive trance. He hosts a weekly show, A State Of Trance, which is available on his website and Spotify. His show reaches over 20 million fans in 26 countries.

Armin is one of the most successful DJ’s in the world, having earned the number one title on DJ Magazine’s Top 100 DJ’s for five years in a row. He is one of only four trance artists to ever have been nominated for a grammy award for best dance recording.

Armin has released five albums of his own music, the first being released in 2003 and the most recent in 2013. Each album has been progressively more successful; his third album entered the charts at #1, and his latest album is widely known and recognized in more than just dance music communities.

How did I discover Armin?

Much like David Pakman, I discovered Armin through the iTunes podcast suggestions. His show, which is normally about 2-2 1/2 hours is condensed each week to a 20 minute segment that’s shared on iTunes. I’ve had a growing interest in serious dance music since watching Brian feel the beat in Babylon on Queer As Folk. Armin, though his show, has shown me the real definition of Trance Music, and what makes a Trance Song beautiful.

I also know Armin through several of the albums produced by his record label, Armada Music. Armada Music has it’s own podcast, and several imprint labels. One of the series that Armada Music produces is “50 Trance Tunes” which has released 35 compilation albums to date. I found the series on iTunes when the 9th compilation had been released and have been listening ever since.

How does Armin inspire me?

Music is one of the most important things in my life. My music library is more valuable than anything else I own (in my opinion), and it’s the heart of why I insist on having a 128 GB iPhone – so I can put each and every song (Over 7,750 songs!) right at my fingertips. Armin is a master of his craft: music.

To me, Armin’s music is art. It invokes nearly every different kind of emotion I’m capable of feeling, it can both energize me, it can calm and soothe me, it can keep me focused, and so much more. For anyone to create something that can conjure so much from me, and move me so strongly, that’s the true essence of an artist.

Another aspect I like about Armin is that he is the center of his universe. He’s won several awards, is a household name when it comes to dance music, and is the one spinning the music at the famed land of Ibiza that Brian references in QAF, and plenty of others refer to as “the ultimate party destination.” Armin is the root of why I see Ibiza as a vacation world that I one day hope to visit.

Another one of Armin’s strengths: he’s well connected. Between his show and his music label, he knows just about anyone who’s had an interest in creating any type of trance or dance music in their life. He has featured hundreds (if not thousands) of different artists on his show, and has produced hundreds more. What RuPaul is to the Drag world, Armin is to the world of dance music.

While I have no desire to make my own music, I one day want to be as polished in something as Armin is in trance music. This concept parallels a theme I’ve talked about on here quite often, hence the phrase “master of one’s craft.” On a micro level, Armin knows how to arrange music for an album or show, and I’ve used that skill to arrange my music library into playlists that best represent my life and what’s important to me.

Thanks Armin, for being an inspiration!

Respectfully Submitted,

Lukas Condie

Who is Will Truman?

Will Truman is one of the titular characters on the sitcom, Will & Grace. Will is a lawyer, and best friend to Grace Adler, hence the title of the show. Will is often portrayed on the show as the most mature character in the group. Although he occasionally seems distant and aloof, He prefers to appear uninvolved in the problems of others, being hesitant to make himself vulnerable. However, there have been many times when Will has shown his sensitive side, often going to great lengths to protect those he loves. In one particularly salient instance, Will was willing to throw away his chances of becoming a senior partner at his law firm in order to take care of his then emotionally devestated boyfriend, Vince. Will often comes off as the strong one, not wanting to get sentimental or show his insecurities, but can’t help but show it when he gets his feelings hurt. For example, in one episode, having returned from a prolonged absence, Will fears that Jack has replaced him as Grace’s best friend. Will eventually admits his insecurity to Grace, who in turn reconfirms Will’s importance in her life.

Will is another one of the most iconic gay characters of all time. There’s a running joke between many gay men and their best female friends that “every Will needs his Grace” because of his friendship with Grace on the show.

How does Will inspire me?

I see Will as professional, mature, and responsible. He embodies all the qualities in a man that I am striving to become. He is a successful lawyer, having worked for a major New York City firm. He is very knowledgeable about a wide variety of things, and in particular is able to care for all of his friends and provide them with what they need.

More broadly speaking, Will is the character who is really in control of the universe of the show. He is the one to pick up the messes that Grace gets herself into, and often reminding her about an easier or better way to do something. He is the one who financially takes care of Jack, and finds ways to get Jack to better himself in life. As Karen’s attorney, he handles her legal situations. Though hundreds of comedic sketches, he is essentially the stage manager for his friends.

On the other side of that coin, Will on a few occasions shows his vulnerable side. Just like how his friends rely on him to keep life stable, he relies on them to keep him stable. He vents to Grace about his relationship problems, Grace gives him advice on how to dress and how he should spend his time. Karen is practically half his paycheck, if not more. Jack has continuously given Will pointers on how to be a better gay man.

Will’s wardrobe is another piece of him that I’m trying to emulate. (Granted, this is more of a hat tip to the show’s costume designer!) The Tie Guy is showing me how I can do that.

While Brian is my sexual gay male role model, Will is the more professional gay male role model for me. Will is where I want to be a few more years down the road.

Who is Karen Walker?

Karen is one of the two supporting characters in Will & Grace. She is Grace’s assistant, though she hardly does any actual work for Grace’s business. Karen is the most popular comical character on the show, with many of the show’s quotes coming from her.

With her staff and help, Karen is deliberately patronizing, referring to them solely by their title both in conversation and to their face: “Driver,” “Butler,” “Private Detective,” “Pharmacist,” “Back-Up Pharmacist,” et cetera, even when they are doing other jobs (“Cook sometimes cleans, Cleaner sometimes cooks, Driver sometimes provides an alibi…”). This rude tone is not limited to her employees, as she looks down on or openly mocks most people she meets, even her friends. Karen is often cruel to her staff at home, training them to run when she enters a room. Other times she chews them out, but somehow this comes across as an act of affection. When she talks to people she often calls them “honey”.

Sometimes Karen unintentionally reveals to her friends a softer side that is carefully hidden. In one such incident, Karen’s husband has a heart attack and may die. Karen discovers that her friends have placed a bet to see who can get her to cry first, so she elaborately punishes each of them by leading them on to think she might break down in their presence. In the end, she has an actual breakdown over the incident, which Grace stumbles in on and consoles her during. Another episode sees Karen and Jack in her mansion with her refusing to let him enter ‘the forbidden room’. When Jack finally gains access he discovers it is a nursery which Karen had prepared during a pregnancy scare in an earlier season. Although she agrees to change the room into a liquor storage room, she quickly changes her mind and the audience sees her stony facade crumble.

How does Karen inspire me?

Karen is probably the most abstract and fictional character that I draw inspiration from. The most realistic thing about her that I directly relate to is her control over the things in her world. She knows how to manipulate (a Slytherin quality!), and get what she needs out of just about anyone.

What most people enjoy about Karen is her humor. Karen is funny. Karen is the most quoted character on the show, and even I try out some of her one liners in my own life from time to time, just like how I quote Sabrina. Like Bianca Del Rio, Karen epitomizes the kind of humor I prefer to use in my own life.

One of the running gags about Karen is her drinking. She’s even used the phrase, “I’d suck the alcohol out of a deodorant stick, so I’m the wrong girl to ask!” which hints at how much she really does drink. I can relate to nearly all of the drinking jokes Karen uses, and this is the root of why I refer to my own homes as bars, such as The L & BJ Lounge, The Blue Mountain Saloon, and The Tutti Frutti Cocktail Mansion. Karen is the type of person I see myself as when I do get drunk.

On a deeper level, I do fall into a category of person who is incredibly likely to have a drinking problem: gay, had a parent with an alcohol problem (though mine fixed his before I was born), high stress level, lower self esteem, and a few other factors. Because of this, I am very aware of how easy it would be to fall into that trap, and I monitor myself carefully just in case. Watching Karen control her alcohol (albeit in a humorous way) has helped me to control my own alcohol consumption.

Thank You, Will & Karen for being inspirations!

Respectfully Submitted,

Lukas Condie

Source for Will’s bio.

Source for Karen’s bio.

Who is Elle Woods?

Elle is the main character in the movie, Legally Blonde. Legally Blonde is one of two movies that I turn to in my difficult times because no matter what, these movies always cheer me up and make me happy.

Elle is an attractive blonde sorority girl from California. After her long term relationship ends because her boyfriend decides he wants a girl who is “more serious” and “less blonde” she set out to go to Harvard Law School to win him back.

Although she comes off as little more than the stereotypical “Paris Hilton” knockoff, it’s shown that even before she went to Harvard she demonstrates a strong intellect, even if much of it is related to fashion and merchandising. She knows down to the little details – such as the difference between brand name toilet paper and generic toilet paper, and a tiny detail about perms is what wins her the biggest case in the movie.

Over the course of the movie (which was originally a book!), Elle matures and expands herself out of her own comfort zone. In doing this, she saves the reputation and lives of people who she cares about. She encourages the nail stylist Paulette to get the courage to connect with the guy she’s attracted to. Elle shows the girl who becomes her best friend that first impressions aren’t always accurate, and Elle learns to believe in herself, no matter what.

The biggest piece of Elle that I takeaway is that Elle spends the movie making the best of herself. She goes from sorority president to fully established lawyer. In the process she learns about what’s important to her, and fights to defend it.

Like Elle as she starts her journey at Harvard, I have often felt that I was the “newbie.” I had two growth spurts at my first college (one in theater and one in Business), but both eventually fizzled out. I plan to take CCV and UVM by storm, much like how Elle did to Harvard by the end.

Elle is very well versed in the things that she is passionate about. I can say the same thing for myself – many times I’ve given technology coaching, relationships talk, and gone on about TV shows I love with all my heart. Even this blog has turned into a discussion about people I’m passionate about.

Elle is the kind of person I am striving to be in my present time.

Who is Kate Spencer?

Kate is one of the main characters in the movie John Tucker Must Die. John Tucker Must Die is the second movie I turn to in difficult times.

Kate starts off as a wallflower, who travels from town to town her entire life because her mother is constantly cycling through relationships with different men.

She is brought into the center of the action when it’s exposed that John Tucker is dating three different girls and they all discover each other. While in detention, Kate talks to them and and they unite together to destroy John’s reputation.

How does Kate inspire me?

John Tucker is the second movie that I always turn to as a comfort. I was first drawn to the movie because of Jesse Metcalfe, who was my first celebrity crush after coming out. As I transitioned to Parkside, I felt exactly like Kate during my first few weeks – invisible and “the new kid.”

Over the course of the movie, Kate develops a friendship with the three girls who unite to destroy John, and she grows into her own person. By the end of the movie she’s no longer an unknown and has the confidence to be herself for the first time. She also learns quite a bit about what it means to be in a relationship, since she has to fake being in one with John for half the movie. Kate also stands up and becomes a leader in the process.

Because Jesse Metcalfe was my first celebrity crush, and much of my exposure to him was through this movie, Kate’s journey in the movie helped me gain confidence in myself after having come out. I identify with Kate’s sense of isolation at the movie’s start, and just like how Kate matures over the story, I feel myself maturing more as I take on more challenges, such as going back to school.

From a different perspective, Kate has a few things she’s shown me about dating by demonstrating what not to do. Kate’s relationship with John was fake, whereas Sakura/Rose and Sabrina have real relationships to learn from. I have learned about things not to do with/to others by seeing Kate trick John in the film. I have often wondered what Dan Savage would have said to the four girls if they would have called him for advice on John.

Thanks Elle & Kate, for being inspirations!

Respectfully Submitted,

Lukas Condie

Who is Sabrina Spellman?

Sabrina Spellman is the titular character in the series Sabrina The Teenage Witch. For the context of this post, I’m referring to Melissa Joan Hart’s portrayal of the character on the live-action sitcom.

Sabrina discovers that she is a “half-witch” through her father who is a pure witch who married Sabrina’s mortal mother, but left her after Sabrina was born. The TV series starts on the day Sabrina discovers this, which happens to be her sixteenth birthday. The series takes her through high school and college, and through living on her own and ending with her marriage.

During each episode Sabrina learns something about her magical powers, about the relationships she has with friends and family, how she handles romantic relationships, and how that all fits together in her life.

(Source for the following)

Sabrina is typically a very out-going, amiable, and genuinely caring person. She looks out and stands up for her friends Jenny and Valerie whenever the cheerleaders, particulararly Libby, would insult or be condecending towards them, while simultaneously taking slurs and insults herself.

One of Sabrina’s most prominent personailty traits is her quick wit. She’s a playful smart aleck and seems to always have a clever pun or funny comeback up her sleeve. Some of which get her into more trouble then she’s already in.

She is, for the most part, very level-headed and clever although some of her ideas when it comes to using magic often land her in trouble, which often leads her to panic in some cases.

Sabrina is very socially aware and will often speak out against unfair treatment of injustices against those around her. Her often bubbly personality can occasionally be annoying to some around her, which she realizes when Valerie begins turning into her exact duplicate in the third season and when both Roxie and her cynical boss Annie comment on her consistent cheeriness. She has also been characterized as a complete busybody at frequent times, having a habit of butting into the lives of those around her.

Sabrina’s two catchphrases throughout the entire run of the show are “Woo-hoo!” and “Gotta go!” She gets made fun of a few times because of her constant use of these phrases.

She is a very loyal friend and for the most part, is liked by those around her. She has a very good relationship with both her fellow-students, friends, and many of her teachers such as Mrs. Quick and Mr. Pool. However, because of her magical nature and resulting odd behavior, she is often scrutinized by some, such as Libby and Mr. Kraft. However at the end of the day, Sabrina is a down-to-earth, caring, passionate individual who only wants to do what’s right.

How did I discover Sabrina Spellman?

I discovered Sabrina when I was in middle school and the TV show aired just after the shows I would watch right after school. One day when it came on, I decided to give it a chance and was hooked instantly. The series ended on TV just as I was starting to embark on my own journey to adulthood like Sabrina does throughout the course of the series.

How does Sabrina inspire me?

Sabrina represents the kind of person who I want to be to others. Being bubbly and caring (like Sakura) are two things I feel people tend to see in me first. I’ve emulated Sabrina in multiple aspects throughout the course of my life. In high school, I hid the fact that I am gay just like how Sabrina is constantly having to hide the fact that she’s a witch.

In college and beyond, I used Sabrina’s interactions and relationships with her friends and family as a measuring stick for how I should interact with the people in my life. She cares deeply about others, and does everything in her power to help out wherever she can in her friend’s lives. For the longest time, I had a busybody trait very similar to hers.

In addition to emulating her personality, I frequently use one of her two famous catchphrases regularly. “Woo-hoo!” is typically my positive reaction to things offline.

Sabrina discovers over the course of the series that she was meant to be a journalist. It starts with her working at her high school paper, becoming editor, going into journalism as a major in college, and finally getting a job in the field. Sabrina was the first person/character to spark my interest in the journalism field, which has since evolved a great deal since the show first aired.

After Sabrina started my interest, it grew through my passion and interest in social media, matured through years of loyally reading my RSS feed, and was sharpened by a friend of mine going into the field professionally. I also had some journalism inspiration in watching The David Pakman Show. As I transitioned to Vermont, going into the journalism field has been my primary motivation for going back to school.

Over the course of the series, Sabrina has three long term relationships. Each one brings Sabrina different experiences and helps her grow more as a person until she finally discovers who she is meant to spend the rest of her life and fall in love with. Sabrina is my third role model for relationships, in addition to Sakura and Rose.

Two quotes from the series finale have particularly stuck with me:

“Love doesn’t have any guarantees.”

&

“Never think that ‘almost’ is good enough for you.”

Both of these quotes have shaped how I feel about romance and relationships. As someone who is constantly striving for perfection, I’ve made the mental mistake of expecting guarantees from falling in love.

The other quote is my reasoning for holding myself to a high standard in relationships. I’ve seen what happened to  Sabrina when she was going to settle for “almost” and I never want to do that myself.

Whenever I re-watch the series, I still find myself trying to “be” the Sabrina on the final season in the series. The song, “Running” by No Doubt was used as the final song in the show, and I plan to use it in my own wedding someday.

Thank you Sabrina, for being an inspiration!

Respectfully Submitted,

Lukas Condie

Who is Henry Drummond?

Henry Drummond is one of the two main characters in the stage play, Inherit The Wind. Drummond is the fictional version of the real lawyer Clarence Darrow. Inherit The Wind is the dramatized version of the Scopes “Monkey Trial” that took place in 1925. Darrow/Drummond represented a teacher who was fired for teaching evolution in a public school, which was against the law at the time.

Drummond starts out as a considered “villain” of the play – being an atheist/agnostic in a predominantly Christian town, fighting for the right to teach evolution, which was referred to by the citizens as “eviloution.” As he shows how down-to-earth he is, he gains the respect of the town and manages to restore the dignity of the teacher who was humiliated and practically tortured at the beginning of the show.

Drummond is also very intellectual. He raises deep questions about the Bible and religion in general, many of which have inspired discussions all over the world about what faith means to many people.

“Lady, when you lose the power to laugh, you lose the power to think straight.”

How did I discover Drummond?

I first came to know Drummond in my freshman year of high school, when my english class read Inherit The Wind during class, with each student getting a different part to read. My teacher thought I would be best as Drummond, and thus in reading the part, my inspiration began.

How does Drummond inspire me?

I was raised a Methodist Christian, of which I shed any connection to in 2006 after I left for college. Drummond is a self-identified agnostic, but he has a working knowledge of the Bible – he had to use it as the only way to prove that evolution exists at one point in the show. This shows that even though Drummond doesn’t have the belief and/or faith in the stories of the book, he still can learn from it and shows that the Bible itself can be used for good. The title of the play comes from the specific Bible verse Drummond quotes at the end of the show, and his rival, Brady, quotes towards the beginning of the show:

Proverbs 11:29 KJV: “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind, and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.”

This quote has stuck with me ever since I first read it to my classmates over a decade ago. Drummond uses this verse to demonstrate why the characters that turned against their own families and friends suffered great losses during the show.

Quoting from CliffNotes:

Lawrence and Lee (the play’s authors) used Proverb 11:29 in two other instances in the play. In Act II, Scene 1, Reverend Brown gives a fire-and-brimstone sermon at a prayer meeting held on the courthouse lawn. He becomes overzealous in condemning Cates, and when his daughter asks him to stop, he asks for retribution for her also. Brady intervenes because he is concerned he will lose the support of the townspeople. The advice he gives to Reverend Brown is the wisdom of Solomon in the Book of Proverbs, “He that troubleth his own house . . . shall inherit the wind.” Brown has caused trouble in his own house by condemning his daughter and will, ultimately, “inherit the wind,” when Rachel leaves him.

The second time Lawrence and Lee use Proverb 11:29 is in Act III. Hornbeck comments that when Brady recited Proverb 11:29 to Reverend Brown, he was in fact ” . . . delivering his own obituary.” Brady “inherited the wind”: He died as a result of his actions. He made a mistake believing he was infallible.

The community members cause trouble for themselves because they create a circus-like atmosphere during the trial and in so doing, draw worldwide attention to their narrow-minded views. They “inherited the wind” because, like the townspeople of Dayton after the Scopes trial, their reputation remained that of the stereotypical “ignorant Southern town.”

Drummond was my first exposure to thoughts and beliefs outside of the Christian Church. He was the first person/character I met that was not-Christian identified, and he had me wondering what it was like. While I was never abused in my original church, my first pastor was very aggressive and strict. When I was in eighth grade, that pastor and I had a very heated disagreement, and ever since that day I’ve had a distrust of religion. Reading about various other crimes committed by people in the name of Christianity made me further question the very concept of it.

Now don’t get me wrong – I don’t believe all Christians are bad by any stretch of the imagination. Just like how I was told that the devil “perverts” things and makes them bad, I feel that there are many people out there “perverting” the concept of Christianity. Unfortunately this has only accelerated in recent years.

Drummond stands up for what he felt was the right thing, and that’s a value that I’ve had engrained in me since I was first taught about it by the Power Rangers.

Drummond also taught me the famous phrase, “All that glitters is not gold.”

On a much grander scale, Inherit The Wind was the play that led to my interest in theater. By reading it in english class, I went on to get involved with my high school drama club, which led to being a theater major at Parkside, which led to my work at Sunset Playhouse. To this day, being the Stage Manager for Inherit The Wind at Sunset Playhouse is one of my proudest accomplishments.

https://sunsetplayhouse.com/shows/inherit-the-wind/

“I don’t swear just for the hell of it. You see, I figure language is a poor enough means of communication as it is. So we ought to use all the words we’ve got. Besides, there are damned few words that everybody understands.”

Thanks Drummond, for being an inspiration!

Respectfully Submitted,

Lukas Condie

Who is Latrice Royale?

Latrice’s Royale is a Drag Queen who was on the fourth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Latrice placed fourth in the show, but was the queen that nabbed my attention during that season. Latrice has been in the industry for over two decades, and knows her craft well. Latrice has faced many challenges over the course of her life off the show, including hitting rock bottom an being in prison while her mother passed away, which she admitted to onscreen. Latrice is known for several quotes that she has said on the show. My favorites include:

• “Five G’s please : Good God Get A Grip Girl.”

• “BITCH: Being In Total Control of Herself”

• “She is large and in charge, chunky, yet funky. Bold and Beautiful.”

• “No T no shade.”

• “I want people to realize, that it’s okay to make mistakes, it’s okay to fall down. Get up, look sickening, and Make Them Eat It!”

• “Jesus is a biscuit! Let him sop you up!”

Latrice was invited back to the show to compete in All Stars, after earning the title of “Miss Congeniality” for season four. During All Stars, Latrice was paired with Manilla Luzon.

What about Latrice inspires me?

Latrice has taught me several things over the course of my being a fan. First and foremost (as the above GIF hints), Latrice has taught me how to handle my body image. Latrice never showed anger at herself for being a larger person. Latrice never complained about her weight, never shot herself down (unlike some other bigger contestants), and was thought of as “the big girl who got the farthest.” I’ve used the line, “large and in charge, chunky yet funky” to describe myself when I’m feeling down. Latrice knows how to model dresses and gowns on her size, and showcased this on the runway on several occasions. Each time, it was more about being proud of her looks rather than trying to cover them up. Slowly but surely, I’ve been trying to think of myself the same way. Dress to enhance, not to cover up. Latrice is living proof of the famous RuPaul quote, “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love anyone else?”

Another big quote that Latrice lived and breathed is “I want people to realize, that it’s okay to make mistakes, it’s okay to fall down. Get up, look sickening, and Make Them Eat It!” Latrice hit rock bottom a few years before she went on TV. I was in a similar place back in 2010-2011. I didn’t go to prison and lose my mother, like Latrice did, but I did make some very serious mistakes that have had lasting consequences. Latrice picked herself back up, her community had a fundraiser to get her back on her feet and then Drag Race rocketed her back into the limelight and to a much better place. When I hit my rock bottom, I started the first job that stabilized my life. From there I started growing as a person again, and got back on my own feet. Once I was back up, I grew the strength to pick up my things and move across the country and start a new life in Vermont. Now I’m in a better place and on track to go back and finish college, which I’ve long considered one of my biggest mistakes.

In watching Latrice love herself, I have come to start accepting myself for the way I look. I’ve considered my weight to be another biggest life mistake, but I’m starting to turn that around and look at it as an asset. What helps is seeing the gay men’s community starting to appreciate guys with a little extra as well, instead of constantly talking about men who look like they walked out of a fitness magazine. Here and here are two articles that really gave me a good psychological boost recently. Here is a gallery of bigger men who know how to showcase themselves. This article in particular was very encouraging.

Cross-referencing the HP fandom, this piece is a great discussion on how to address body image with a HP twist.

As I re-watch season four of Drag Race (and All Stars), I continue to use Latrice as my source for liking myself more and more.

Thanks Latrice, for being an inspiration!

Respectfully Submitted,

Lukas Condie

Who is Kai Hiwatari?

Kai Hiwatari is one of the four central characters on the original three seasons of the TV anime, Beyblade. Beyblade is the millennia old game of spinning tops, and the twist in the anime is that the tops are possessed by sacred spirits which make the tops incredibly powerful.

Kai started out as the villain of the series, as the leader of a gang called the Blade Sharks. He is defeated by Tyson (the central protagonist) early on and Kai goes on to lead the central character team, The Bladebreakers.

As a child, Kai was born and raised in a Russian Abbey, where his grandfather trained him as a foot solider in his plan for world domination. Kai was never shown affection or love as a kid, and he comes off as aloof and cold to most people who meet him. Kai uses the Dranzer Beyblade, possessed by the spirit of a phoenix based on the real-life Kyoto legend of Suzaku.

How did I discover Kai?

I was a huge fan of the show while I was in high school and my early years at Parkside. My interest in Kai and everything about him bordered on idolization. Kai doesn’t speak much over the course of the series, but what little he did say I used as my mantras in life and how I saw the world.

“You can dream all you want but when you wake up, you’ll find that nothing has changed. The only way to make those dreams come true is to dedicate your entire life to your sport.”

This is the quote in my senior high school yearbook under my photo. I still believe in this.

When I first started watching, Kai very strongly reminded me of Archie Costello from The Chocolate War, which I had read the year prior to first watching Beyblade.

How does Kai inspire me?

Kai goes through quite a bit of evolution over the course of the three seasons. As I saw him evolve into a better person on TV, I tried to emulate that and grow for myself. Kai eventually confronts his past and deals with his inner demons. While I didn’t feel like I had inner demons to confront, I still used Kai’s struggle and his quest for strength and growth to fuel my own desire to “grow up.”

Kai is shown on the series to be a loner and an introvert. Kai spends as much time as possible on his own, practicing his skills and making himself stronger. Since I was idolizing Kai during the most crucial time in my own development, I picked up habits that I saw Kai doing on TV. It’s because of Kai that I identify myself as a loner/introvert, and my mind has shaped itself to function that way. Kai is at his happiest when he is alone, and I have psychologically grown to accept that trait about myself.

Kai is one of the most popular characters on the original series of Beyblade, and much of the public interest in him stems from his “cool” factor. Kai looks the most appealing of the characters, his few sayings are particularly witty, and he gives off the vibe that he can never lose, which everyone wishes they could say.

I’ve also found myself drawn to the Beyblade gear that Kai uses over the series as well. Back in those days, I would get incredibly excited whenever the next incarnation of Kai’s Dranzer would appear in stores. To a minor extent, it’s a hat-tip to my Power Ranger days when I’d get super excited about the next Megazord appearing in stores.

The two incarnations of Dranzer that I loved most of all were Dranzer V2 and Dranzer G, both of which appeared in 2004. This interest in “the latest gear” has translated over to my interest in technology. Getting the iPhone 6 that year was like getting Dranzer V2/G all over again.

Pictured above: Dranzer V2 (Volcano II).

Pictured above: Dranzer G. (Gigus) Also known as “what would have been my iPhone in 2004.”

When I went to Parkside, I made a pact with myself to grow beyond what Kai had taught me. Over the past several years, I’ve found new people and characters to look up to and model myself after, but Kai was one of the first. There are parts of him that I still look up to, and identify with, and I’ll probably have that forever.

Thanks Kai, for being an inspiration!

Respectfully Submitted,

Lukas Condie

Who is Charlie Epps?

Charlie Epps is a fictional math professor at CalSci, and a consultant for the FBI on the TV series, Numb3rs. He is portrayed by actor David Krumholtz. Charlie is the younger brother of Don Epps. As a mathematical genius, Charlie is able to pull out equations and mathematical theories about any of the crimes that come up throughout the series. Charlie is known on the show for CharlieVision, which is when the camera goes to a cutscene or vision in Charlie’s head with the equations related to the investigated crimes flying in the air around the images in Charlie’s head. Charlie is very logical and scientific, and is highly skeptical of pseudosciences such as psychic ability and UFOs.

During the course of the show, Charlie develops a relationship with his student, Amita. Their relationship is very intellectual and starts off very un-romantic, since it’s hinted that Charlie has little dating experience.

How did I discover Charlie Epps?

I first discovered Charlie Epps during my junior year of high school as the series Numb3rs was starting to air. My pre-calculus teacher showcased a few episodes as part of her class, and I fell in love with the show instantly. I was actually a pretty weak student during my middle and high school years, and Charlie was the first spark to lead my interest in not only math and science, but learning and education in general.

Charlie is a master of his craft (mathematics), which is part of the core of his inspiration to me. Charlie is an example of someone who has dedicated their life to their strengths and their passions.

Who is Don Epps?

Don Epps is the older brother of Charlie. He is portrayed by actor Rob Morrow. Don runs the FBI Violent Crimes Squad in Los Angeles. Don manages the investigative team, and leads them into various confrontations with the violent criminals they track and expose. Don sees his career as his way of life, and makes great personal sacrifices for his job, often at the cost of his social life.

Don is one of two characters that started my interest in criminal justice. Don, much like Charlie is incredibly dedicated to his craft, and it shows in his leadership. He can take command of a dangerous situation, but is also a great mentor to many of the people on his team, particularly David Sinclair and to a lesser extent, Megan Reeves.

How does Don inspire me?

Don is one of the few people who has taught me what I define as masculinity. Don starts as a less emotional (though not necessarily “cold towards others”) of a character, and gives off an air of strength and power wherever he goes. There is plenty of physical strength references with Don, but not without showing his own intellect. Don understands emotions and feelings of others, and cares about them, particularly his family and his FBI Team. Don is the clearest example of what I define as a leader, which is a quality that I have plenty of room to improve on.

To a lesser extent, Charlie also shows masculinity to me, but in a more academic and educational fashion. A hybrid of these two fictional brothers would display many of the points on my ideal man, and on a subconscious level, both of these characters were probably some of the base for that list.

Furthermore, both of these characters have helped define “what it means to be a man” to me, so I compare my own identity as a cisgendered male to them onscreen.

Thank you Charlie & Don, for being inspirations!

Respectfully Submitted,

Lukas Condie

Who is Sakura Kinomoto?

Sakura Kinomoto is the titular character of the series Cardcaptor Sakura. I first discovered Sakura when the series was brought to American television in 2001, right about when I was in 7th grade. Sakura is an extremely energetic, cute, sweet, and very cheerful character. She is very athletic, being a member of her school’s cheerleading squad and an excellent runner, a trait she inherited from her father. Her invincible spell, “Everything will be all right” has carried her through innumerable trials and obstacles as she masters her magical skills. She often comes across as naïve, clumsy, dense and clueless, but she has her perceptive moments on occasion. Sakura’s optimistic and trustworthy character allows her to be friendly with everybody, she is very outgoing and the entire series focuses on the friendships she creates with people, whether strangers, loose acquaintances, or rivals. In fact, her personality is a dominating factor in her relationships.

As the heroine of the story, she is destined to discover, release, and re-capture the Clow Cards. During her adventure-slash-mission, she meets Li Syaoran, who starts as her rival but eventually becomes her love interest.

How does Sakura inspire me?

The big point that I want to show is that it’s the story between Sakura and Syaoran that inspired me the most in the series. The anime (i.e. televised series) greatly downplayed this, but the manga (i.e. the book series that most anime tends to start as) had it as the central plot line. (Side note – the manga had several same-sex relationships and one relationship with a large age difference, which is a huge thing for a pre-2001 manga series in my opinion!)

Syaoran is introduced shortly after Sakura begins her journey to capture the Clow Cards, and is initially her opponent-slash-rival, trying to catch the Clow Cards before Sakura can get to them. After the cards are collected, the journey leads to converting the Clow Cards to Sakura cards. Syaoran was hesitant to stay at first, but discovering within himself that he has fallen in love with Sakura is what causes him to stay and help her finish her destiny.

Sakura is the epitome of what I consider to be pure and innocent. She is bubbly, happy, and everything I wanted to be when I was a child. Her weaknesses seem big to her, but she’s also in 4th grade for most of the series, and anything about ourselves seems gigantic at that time. Sakura loves her friends and classmates with all her heart, and shows this as often as she can. I have tried to emulate this in my own life.

As Syoran courts Sakura, she remains blind to his affections until the end of the series. Sakura’s closest friends comments to Syoran that she is so filled with happiness and love for others that unless Syoran told her directly about his love for her, she would never figure it out on her own.

In an obscure way, I still emulate this piece of her in my own life.

Sakura’s relationships with her friends and Li is my old ideal, but I still dream about continuing to strive for it. There are still many things I see in Sakura’s heart that I want to emulate and embrace, but this leads me to my evolved dreams about romance, which is Rose Tyler.

Who is Rose Tyler?

Rose Tyler is the companion to the ninth Doctor, and one of the companions to the tenth doctor in the series, Doctor Who. She is discovered by the ninth Doctor in the first episode of the reboot, and is invited to travel throughout time and space with him. She is a brave, resourceful, and sweet hearted girl. She is quick to adapt to strange events. She is brilliant and observant, often seeing things that that Doctor does not. As she spent more time with the Doctor going on adventures, facing aliens of all kinds, including psychological and physical threats, she started to develop feelings towards him.

Rose shows great forgiveness and mercy, even to those who have admitted to murder. Rose was also not afraid to call out the Doctor when she believed him to be wrong. At the same time, she had a jealous streak when it came to the Doctor. Once she had developed her feelings for him, she became more interested in her own desires, even above the consequences of her interests and actions.

How does Rose inspire me?

Rose represents my evolved and more adult views on relationships. If Sakura is how I saw love and romance back before 2006, Rose is a picture of how I see myself falling in love after having been learning from Dan Savage for many years now. The love story of Rose and the tenth Doctor is more subtle, and therefore more romantic to me at this point in my life. The passion and raw emotions that Rose displays for the tenth Doctor in “Doomsday” is the kind of feelings I want to experience when I fall in love.

By starting with Sakura and evolving her into Rose leads me to what I expect out of love in my life at this point. I know that love is messy, complicated, disorganized, but also one of the best experiences that I could ever hope to partake in.

I’d also like to point out the fact that my romantic role models are female, while my sexual role models are male, which is an interesting perspective on relationships as a whole. I also feel this balances me more as a person.

Thank you, Sakura & Rose for being inspirations!

Respectfully Submitted,

Lukas Condie

(My source for Sakura’s bio.)

(My source for Rose’s bio.)

This is probably going to be my most controversial post in this series.

Who is Brian Kinney?

Brian Kinney is a fictional character from the American TV series, Queer As Folk. Brian is portrayed by actor Gale Harold. Brian is a handsome, masculine, successful advertising executive living in Pittsburgh in a loft, and he leads a glamorous and indulgent lifestyle. Brian is promiscuous and narcissistic, proudly clinging to his status as “the most desired man on Liberty Avenue.” Brian is famous for being a character that is shown having sex with a different guy on nearly every episode of the five season series.

Brian entirely rejects the concept of heteronormativity, including being against all marriages and monoganamus relationships. He spends the run of the series in a complicated non-monoganamus relationship with a guy named Justin, who is just over half of Brian’s age.

Brian is considered to be one of the most iconic gay characters ever portrayed on television. He was voted most popular gay character in 2007 by the website AfterElton.

What about Brian inspires me?

Brian was my first real look into what life is like as an out gay man. Now, I’m fully aware that not every gay man lives his life like Brian does, but there’s a great deal of men who do. With the advent of Grindr, Scruff, Recon, Manhunt, and many, many more, any man who wants to can try and “play as” Brian for however long they want.

Brian is a master of his craft. This is a running theme throughout my inspirations. First and foremost, Brian is an advertising executive, and a successful one at that. Brian starts out as a top notch executive in the first episode and eventually starts his own agency, which quickly takes off because of Brian’s raw talent. Whereas Kai was my childhood inspiration to teach me to strive for perfection, Brian is my adult inspiration to show me how important it is to constantly improve myself and my craft. Brian is a smooth talker, and knows how to get the job done in a short amount of time. Brian is as strong of an ad executive as Bianca is a Drag Queen, or Don Epps is an FBI agent.

Brian is a sex symbol. He has more sex than any other gay character I’ve seen on any other medium in my life. Every time I open Grindr or other such app, my mind always flicks back to him, because there are Brian wannabes on every gay social app on the market. While the amount of sex that Brian has is scary to some, he was never ashamed of it, and never regretted it. Brian was the first person (granted in fictional form) to show me that there is nothing inherently wrong in having sex.

Where my deep respect for Brian’s status as sex symbol comes in is that even with that many hookups/partners, he always advocated and enforced using condoms. As much as Brian played with other guys, he played on the safer sex side.

A part of Brian that I don’t draw inspiration from was that he also used plenty of recreational drugs. While I have no interest in drugs myself, he was the first person/character to start breaking down false images that I had put in my head from the anti-drug programs in elementary school.

“No apologies, no regrets.”

This is one of Brian’s core values, and I feel that I have much to learn from this. Brian always stands behinds what he does, even if it’s unpopular or hated. Brian lives for himself, and sees that he is the keeper to his own happiness.

The things I can learn from Brian are specific and complicated. While I dream of the life that Brian has – wildly successful and a symbol of a sex-filled life, there’s a lot to making that happen safely. I had a phase years ago when I was watching Queer As Folk regularly where I spent more time thinking about getting laid than actually putting in the work to make myself succeed in life, and it contributed to one of the biggest mistakes I ever made in my life: failing out of my first college.

Another subtle thing that I like about Brian is his sense of style and fashion. The Tie Guy is showing me exactly how I can accomplish a wardrobe like Brian’s.

As I revisit Queer As Folk, Brian serves as a constant reminder that his life is the prize for mastering my skills in life, and putting in the work to reap the rewards. Though now when I look back, I remember that there is much more to life than just sex, but it is an important component in a relationship.

Broadly speaking, Queer As Folk as a show has been a major influence in my life. I first saw it when I was 19, but I didn’t see that it was based off the United Kingdom version until I was in my mid-twenties. While the United States version seems to have been more successful than the United Kingdom one, there is a huge cultural difference behind Brian’s character that has shaped how I look at life.

In the UK, going to a Pub in the evening is a more regular thing, and Pub culture in general is very prevalent. The drinking age is also younger over there than here in the US as well, making it “normal” for a 19 or 20 year old to be in a Pub. The concept of me creating foursquare venues for my apartments as Clubs and Bars was started by my fascination with Brian always going out to Babylon every night. In reality, this isn’t as common as I thought it to be when I first saw Brian at 19. This is also a comment on drinking culture that Karen Walker follows up on for me.

Thank you Brian Kinney, for being an inspiration!

Respectfully Submitted,
Lukas Condie