W h o o o o wi l l Y O U b e a t G A A M C' s Ha l l o we ' e n S o c i a l ?
S e e " G A A M C E v e n t s" , p g . 2
CHALLENGE The Newsletter of the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County - Continuously Serving the GLBTI Community since 1972
Volume 38, Issue 8, October 2012
Welcome
by Mickey Suiter Do you remember the first time you walked into an LGBT meeting place? Even though it was a long time ago, I still remember. I was fortunate in that I didn’t go alone – I went with my friend Jeff. Even so, it was scary. Jeff had to practically drag me up the sidewalk to the door of the building and then I had to drag him down the hall to the meeting. I can’t imagine how hard it would have been if I’d been alone, or if I would have had the courage to go at all. Walking into a strange place filled with people one has never met can be a bit intimidating even without factoring in the whole coming out thing. Even for those who are not just coming out, who may be checking out a newly discovered resource or who are new to the area, the first time here can be a bit unsettling. And for those who are just coming out, well, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. So when you see someone new at GAAMC, keep that in mind. Remember how you felt your first time. While most of our mothers taught us not to talk to strangers, this isn’t
Advertisers Are Noticing You! Won't you please notice our advertisers? We're proud to have more ads (more than we can ever remember) in this issue. C h a l l e n ge a dve r t i s e rs a re GA A M C supporters. Please notice and support our advertisers. And when you do, make sure to tell them that you saw their ad in Challenge! Thank you. AD INDEX CPA Kevin P. Suszko, page 3 Realtor Patrick Griglio, page 3 George Street Playhouse, page 8 Financial Planner William G. Timpson, page 9 The Theatre Project, page 11
the type of situation they were talking about. I know it isn’t easy walking up to someone you’ve never met and starting a conversation. Some of us are more outgoing than others, so try to be as hospitable as you are comfortable with. At the very least, smile and say hello. Most of the GAAMC regulars know each other pretty well thanks to our socials, Open Talk and Circles. It’s so much easier for us to just talk to those we already know. But even that closeness we feel toward each other can be a little disquieting to newcomers, giving them a feeling of being left out. GAAMC is a safe space filled with wonderful people but that’s not always apparent at first glance. If we each make just a little more effort to be welcoming we can make our Monday nights even more of a warm, friendly experience. As Will Rogers said, “A stranger is just a friend I haven’t met yet.”
Inside Challenge Challenge Information.... ................................ page 2 GAAMC Events.............................................. page 2 The Bulletin Board......................................... page 3 This Month's Contributors................................ page 3 The Little Box of Concerts ............................... page 3 Gleanings: Queer news from around the world .... page 4 Dancing to Architecture: Music reviews.............. page 5 Calendar ..................................................... page 6 Poem: RUBY ................................................ page 7 GAAMC Board Mini-Minutes, August 2012............page 11 GAAMC Information...................................... page 12