When we last left our plucky weatherman he was on his way to Middletown to emcee an event for CABO. That’s the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Chamber of Commerce. I was, to say the least, uneasy.
The last thing you want to do is go to an event and offend those who invited you. I didn’t want to say anything that would strike an L, G, B or T nerve!
The advice I got in my blog comments and on Facebook was really valuable. You said fuhgetaboutit. I did. Well sort of.
What I tried to do was let the crowd know of my fear and then move from there. Seriously, I told them I was nervous and why.
Showing you care about the audience wins friends. Once they knew I was trying to play close to the line with their assistance I was golden!
I asked if the word “Gaydar” was OK. I suspected it was, especially when used in a light hearted way.
I asked if anyone there thought they had Gaydar? A few. Then I let them know I was the only person in the room with Doppler Gaydar! It got a good laugh. I was home free.
For those not in attendance, if you didn’t know this was an LGBT event going in you wouldn’t have known… well… except for a display from a Hartford based gay health group which had condoms, flavored oils and some sort of vibrating rings on their table.
I met a lot of nice people and had a great time. As a bonus I was reminded how cool the center of Middletown is. Main Street with its iconic head-in parking looks vibrant and alive. The Inn at Middletown is a beautiful facility.
Maybe they’ll invite me back next year?
For years my dad has been trying to figure out where in CT he saw the “iconic head-in parking” as a kid. I guess we have to take a ride up to Middletown!
I want to stroll the “new” Middletown. Much different from my Mercy High School Days. The buildings have character and a charm to them. Many new shops and eateries. Must do before Winter and snow.
Glad you did not disappoint. If you can speak well into a camera and catch thousands and thousands of viewers, in person should be a piece of cake for you.
Geoff,
I’ve no doubt, that you were the gentleman you always are.
🙂 I wasn’t worried.
See? Told you you’d be great! You told the audience of your concerns, made them laugh and I bet you made some new friends. Good job! 😀
Middletown has come a long way since my Wesleyan days, when we didn’t dare venutre off-campus after dark, and thought twice about doing so during the day. :} The kids there now have no idea how good they have it!
Thank you, from a Middletown resident, for your kind words. Main street Middletown is amazing anf full of life, just come check it out on a Friday night in summer………street packed with epople walking, to and from the movie theaters and awesome restaurants. Once I was told that Middletown had more restaurants than any city in CT……..35-+/- was the count…….it’s good to have a College in town (Wesleyan) brings good things to your city. The In is a fabulous place, been there for amny events.
On another note, how about a phone update !!???