The Story of Us: Cross-dressing Teens

Chris: 

One of my favorite memories from high school is dress shopping. Yes, me, a guy, dress shopping.

Every year, our school held a Senior Class Play that acted as a fundraiser for the class trip. Some would act/manage/light/etc. the play and others served as waiters and waitresses for the pre-show dinner. My senior year, our play was a comedy about a garden club organizing and producing a play. The characters needed to raise funds for their various projects, so they decided to host a night of theatre and pageantry. Problem is, they didn’t know the first thing about play production or beauty pageants. So, of course, the whole thing is a debacle--albeit an amusing one.

The photo is from the beauty pageant portion. Yes, there were plenty of females in my class and even in the play, but we all thought it would be funnier if I wore a dress, claiming the original, scheduled wearer was nowhere to be found. It was a riot, gaining some of the biggest laughs--along with catcalls and whistles--of our two performances.

To find this pink polyester beaut, we’d hit up a local thrift store. When we walked through the door, the cast, the director and his wife, and I saw this dress hanging behind the counter. We knew it was the one, as long as it fit. The clerk handed it over without question, but when she saw that I was the one going into the changing room, she howled with laughter. Even more, when I came out wearing it, another customer jabbered away, gushing about how much she loved the dress, how good it looked on me, and that if we weren’t going to buy it, she would.

Of course, it was all in the name of humor. But had I not been comfortable enough to cross-dress in front of the whole school and faculty and parents, I would’ve missed out on that woman’s reaction. What helped me along were the words of my good friend, Cale P., who’d said, “There’s no shame in humor.” And while this is very true--you have to be able to laugh at yourself before you can make the world laugh with you--it extends beyond humor. You shouldn’t be ashamed of being you. We each deserve to be comfortable in our skins, and the first step is simply accepting yourself for yourself--regardless of others’ reactions. And who knows, in the process of being yourself, you just might create some favorite memories along the way...

Holly: Your own, personal bully. Most people have one in high school, and I was no exception. 

This girl was relentless, and she took every chance she got (especially when others were around) to make fun of just about everything I did. So when this jock-of-a-chick joined drama, I knew it could only be for one reason: to ruin my life. And when the drama teacher allowed my bully to help her choose rolls for plays because she'd gotten a sports injury and couldn't perform, I knew things were only going to get worse. 

First, she cast me as the goose in a retelling of "Jack and the Beanstalk." And of course, as this goose, I had to lay a real egg on stage by dropping it behind me, letting it break, and yelling "Oh, my little Herbie!" Luckily, I've always been fairly secure with myself (barring a few exceptions), and I decided as a goose to make my rolls, however embarrassing, the best they could be. And people loved it. We traveled to area elementary schools for "Jack and the Beanstalk," and I made all of the little kids scream with glee when I laid that egg. They even asked for my autograph. Take that, bully! 

Well, the next play was "Hansel and Gretel," and it was clear that my bully wasn't done throwing the punches. I'd had short hair ever since my mom gave me a bowl cut in the third grade. I wanted longer hair, but I could never seem to hold out during the "awkward length" stage, so it stayed short for a long time. My bully knew this was a weak spot for me, because we'd both been on a soccer team together from age eight, all the way into high school. She knew the other teams would call me a boy to try to psyche me out, and I guess she wanted to get me good. So, even though there were guys in drama, I got cast as Hansel...yeah, you heard it right. Not Gretel. Hansel. But I did the same with Hansel as I did with the goose. I held my head up high and gave it my all. This play was performed in front of the school, and the entire student body gave me a standing ovation when it was my time to bow at the end. It goes to show that being comfortable with yourself, even in the face of a bully, is worth it every time.

Spreading the Talent

Hello, there!

Holly: You know what's better than having a talent? Using if for the good of mankind! Okay, maybe not mankind...but maybe one man? Or just to be kind? I'm lucky enough to say that writing is my talent. It's something that I love, and I'm able to put my heart into and never get tired of it. But lately I've felt like I could be doing more with my writing skills than just...well...writing. That's why I applied for, and was lucky enough to get, a volunteer position for an organization called Deep.  Starting this September I will get to help a select group of middle schoolers realize their potential through creative writing. I'll get to work with a co-fellow and hang out with some awesome (and talented) kids! It's proof that putting your talent out into the world by using it to help others is a great way to feel good about yourself...and maybe even learn something new!



Chris: One of my professors once told me, “If you really want to write, you have to give up everything else. I loved pottery, but when I decided to write, I gave it up."

It made sense, as I understand the sacrifices we must make for what we love. But to sacrifice one love for another? Bella might’ve made that choice, but I couldn’t do it. (That’s right, I just made a Twilight reference. Deal with it.) I still divide my time between the things I love. And I’m happiest when I’m working for those around me. I’ve created flyers for my wife’s college Nursing Club, provided guest webcomics for strangers,  painted gifts and Just Becauses for my friends, built book covers for my fellow writers, and was even privileged enough to provide the graphic novel pages for A. E. Stueve’s hybrid novella, The ABCs of Dinkology.

My professor’s words still echo every time I sit down to draw or paint or Wacom. And plenty of words have missed the pages because of my choices. But I don’t regret my decision to keep this in my life. Not for a second.

If You Like That, You'll Love This: The Unfinished Begins Where the Sidewalk Ends

Although this is the first poem in Shel Silverstein’s classic, Where the Sidewalk Ends, it could just as easily be an invitation to The Unfinished Swan (TUS). Available for download via the PSNetwork for Playstation 3 (sorry, all you Xbox folk), TUS is distributed by Santa Monica Studios—better known for their God of War series. And while you might not be tearing the heads off medusas or driving your sword down a minotaur’s gullet, TUS provides a gaming experience that’s so unique and gorgeous that you’ll forget all about that testosterone-charged Kratos.

TUS follows the story of Milo, a boy who has never known his real father and has recently lost his mother, a woman that painted often but never finished a single work. Forced to live in an orphanage, Milo only has room for one of his mother’s paintings and her special paintbrush. He takes her painting of a swan, which is—of course—unfinished. 

From The Unfinished Swan

From Where the Sidewalk Ends

On his first night away from home, the painting comes to life, the swan flying off the canvas and leading him to a faraway land, where we learn of The King, who built this world as he saw fit. You, as Milo, must navigate the bizarre landscapes, armed only with paintballs or water drops, splashing the pristine world so that this

becomes this.

As Milo navigates the world, we learn more and more about The King, his story, and how it relates to Milo’s. The story, however, is told in verse, with wonderful line drawings that make the whole game feel like an interactive storybook—a fact that the developer, Giant Sparrow, exploits even further by making the game menu look like a book, too.

Within minutes of playing the game and watching the first storybook scene, it’s easy to see similarities between TUS and the works of Shel Silverstein. From the story told in verse, to the—mostly—black and white drawings to the overall tone of the game, it feels like something Mr. Silverstein might’ve written—or, at the very least, played and enjoyed.

From Where the Sidewalk Ends

From TUS

Throughout the game, the story and narration feel playful and light, the verse adding to the levity. However, there is that darker undercurrent that’s found in much of children’s literature, particularly Silverstein’s. There’s that feeling of dread and darkness that lurks just below the surface, since as all children know—and adults seem to forget—the world can be full of beauty and also freak you the fuck out within the span of a few moments.

In essence, TUS feels like reading one of Silverstein’s verses, like “Lester,” where a boy spends his life wishing for wishes but never living, or “For Sale,” where a brother tries to sell his crying sister—or even an interactive version of The Giving Tree. These poems and stories are funny and poignant and heartbreaking all at once. The same can be said for TUS, as Milo’s story is a fantastic one of beautiful lands and an incredible journey, but one that’s tinged with sadness and darkness as well. Like the best and favorites of our childhoods, this game will linger longer after the final credits roll.

So, as most of this series of posts will go, the recommendations go both ways. If you grew up with and love Silverstein’s works, you will love the tribute that TUS creates (as long as you can handle the First-Person aspect of the game). And if you played through and enjoyed TUS, sit down and spend some time with Silverstein’s works; you won’t regret it.

From TUS

Awkward Book Review: THE EVERY BOY by Dana Adam Shapiro

Hey, All! Here is the first of what will--hopefully--be many Awkward Book Reviews. This one is fairly straightforward, but be on the lookout for reviews in song and other non-traditional forms in the future.

Welcome!

Hello, officially, all you wonderful folks! As you can see, we've put together a short introduction to us, the blog, and what you can expect. We were able to shoot this during the recent Savannah mind-meld, which allowed us to meet face to face. (Finally!)

Now that the two of us have met, it's time for us to meet you. Thank you for joining us on this new venture, and please drop us a line if you have a minute. (Be warned, the sound might be a bit off at times, so bear with us. These will get better. We promise.)