Long time no post

What's up dudes?

Hope everyone had a good Easter weekend with their families and for any Jewish readers I wish you all a happy Passover!  While most Christians celebrated their Easter this past Sunday, I however will have Easter with my family this upcoming Sunday the 15th.  Why?  Well, my family happens to be part Greek and we've always celebrated Easter according to the Orthodox calendar.  The church services are pretty elaborate and for sure some of the most beautiful around.  But, I have decided not to attend any this year and don't know that I'll be going back, well, ever.

In this whole coming out process, I found out that the Greek Orthodox religion is not exactly gay-friendly.  In fact, I found out since I am gay I cannot take communion because it will "harm me" rather than "help me".  Now this, technically, only applies to gays who are fully out or act on their sexuality.  I still don't feel it's right for me to take  communion or go to church services when I know the church's views towards homosexuality.  I just can't bring myself to go.  I feel like shit cause it's part of how I grew up and I really do like going to the Easter services.  Also, it's mad difficult to try and explain to extended family why I'm not going to church any more.  It's not that I'm following the church's orders with their beliefs about LGBT people.... I just can't support a place that discriminates like that.  They're a private institution so I understand it's their right and I'm not telling them to change it, but it would be great.

Anyway,  this Easter will be really rough for me and my family.  It'll be the first holiday without my mom and we're already having a tough time.  Mom did everything for this holiday, it was her favorite.  She did all the cooking and baking with my dad, sister, and I, and no help.  She really got us into everything.  We've had to get my mom's best friend in on the prep.  She happens to be one of my favorite family members and my dad's 1st cousin.  She's been great throughout my moms whole illness and death and for sure I don't know what my family would do without her and her husband.  Her husbands the shit and just the best guy you could meet.  So its been awesome to have them help out with the holiday traditions.  Mom never wanted a cook to help with her holiday because she said the love wasn't there like it is when everyone pitches in and gets the job done together.  So far all the prep has been going well, just kinda emotional for everyone....especially my father.

Every year for Easter and Thanksgiving we have the same people for dinner.  We have my dad's sister's family, there are 5 of them.  My dad's first cousin's (the one thats been helping us out) family, there are 4 of them. And then my family, now there's just 3 of us plus my sister's bf is going to be joining for the first time.  So dinner is pretty small and thats how we like it, but it'll be wicked off this year cause on top of my mom not being here, my dad has given my sister and I the heads of the table.  That's where mom and dad always sat and it just feels like its too early to be taking their spots at the dinner table.  But, hey, thats what dad wants so we'll give it to him.  We have about 30-50 people coming for dessert depending on who is in from out of state and what other family members have things going on at their houses.

It'll be great to see everyone again.  We don't get enough time to catch up throughout the year and my 1st cousin is flying in from NYC with his gf to come for the weekend.  He's like an older bro to me, our personalities are pretty similar so we have a great time driving the whole family crazy with our sarcasm and dry humor haha.  It's always good to catch up with him and just hang out.  There'll be a few other cousins that I'm looking forward to seeing.  I have kind of distanced myself from them cause of the whole gay/anxiety thing.  But they're chill dudes and I grew up pretty tight with them so I'm gonna try to make up for some lost time starting this weekend.  As for everyone else, I can't wait to see them all, especially the ones that are stress free and chill....you know the ones, we all have those few family members that are actually pretty cool and don't drive us fucking nuts like the rest! hah

Welp, I think thats it for now.  Gonna try to post more but to be honest my life hasn't been that interesting lately.

Take it easy guys!

PS.  Thought I would include this vid cause I think it's mad powerful and it gave me chills to hear.  It's simple but speaks volumes.  It goes hand in hand with my 1st and 2nd paragraphs.

Give mad props to this guy.  He's stands up for what he believes and he'll go down in the book as being on the right side of history.  If only more people took his view.....