I know this may be controversial…but I don’t like coffee.
But I do love coffee shops. Especially those bistro tables…and the iced tea.
I grew up drinking iced tea. SWEET iced tea.
My dad loved the way I made it, so it became my job to keep a fresh pitcher ready at all times. Over the years, I probably made him a thousand gallons. Same simple ingredients: water, tea bags, and sugar. I never thought it was anything special, but he swore mine was the best. And as a kid, it felt good—really good—to know I was doing at least something right.
Like most of us, I didn’t feel like I got enough pats on the back. Or "thank yous." Or recognition for the small but meaningful ways I showed up and tried.
That’s why I’m so grateful—so very grateful—to wake up most mornings to comments, emails, and messages of kindness, encouragement, and support from fans, followers, and friends. Some days, it’s a quick comment or a thoughtful emoji. Other days, like this morning, it’s a message that moves me to tears. The good kind. The healing kind.
So if you've ever wanted to make someone’s day, I encourage you to write those “Thank You!” and “You Too?” notes. And not (just lol) to me.
Who inspires YOU? Who spins YOUR world right round, baby, right round?
With so much uncertainty in the world, we could all use more compassion and kindness. So consider leaving a like, making a comment, sending a note, or sharing a simple “Thank You!” and/or “I Love What You Do, Boo!” can literally make a gray day turn into a Technicolor day dream.
Personally and professionally, my cups of tea runneth over.
Maybe I’ll invest in a new set of cups soon….
Cheers, my dears, nears, and/or queers!
Clint 🌈✌️
P.S. I have recently started drinking HOT tea, usually while reading comments, emails, and messages. The warmth intensifies the warm and fuzzies I feel from the kind folks who share their points-of-view, stories, and words of wisdom.
COLLIDE PRESS LIVE #2 = FAQS + OPINIONS
Paid Subscriber Livestream
TODAY!!! @ 10am Pacific
COLLIDE PRESS is a reader-supported publication.
Please consider becoming a paid subscriber or patron.
Thank you. Yes, YOU, boo!
FOR YOUR (SUBSTACK) CONSIDERATION
- )
Vision? Qu'est-Ce Que C'est...? (
)The Tension of Acceptance: Embracing Gay Identity and Holding Competing Emotions (
)
ON THIS DAY = APRIL 12
BIRTHDAYS
1883 = Imogen Cunningham = American photographer and educator
1912 = Hound Dog Taylor = American singer-songwriter
1916 = Beverly Cleary = American author
1919 = Billy Vaughn = American musician and bandleader
1923 = Ann Miller = American actor, singer, and dancer
1927 = Alvin Sargent = American screenwriter
1930 = Manuel Neri = American sculptor and painter
1932 = Tiny Tim = American musician and musical archivist
1940 = Herbie Hancock = American pianist, composer, and bandleader
1946 = Ed O'Neill = American actor and comedian
1947 = David Letterman = American comedian and talk show host
1947 = Tom Clancy = American historian and author
1949 = Scott Turow = American lawyer and author
1950 = David Cassidy = American singer-songwriter
1956 = Andy Garcia = Cuban-American actor, director, and producer
1957 = Vince Gill = American singer-songwriter
1961 = Magda Szubanski = Australian actor, comedian, and writer 🌈
1961 = Willi Ninja = American dancer, choreographer, and voguer 🌈
1964 = Amy Ray = American singer-songwriter 🌈
1970 = Retta = American comedian and actor
1971 = Shannen Doherty = American actor, director, and producer
1974 = Slava Mogutin = New York-based Russian artist and author 🌈
1979 = Claire Danes = American actor
1987 = Brendon Urie = American singer-songwriter
1992 = The Vivienne = Welsh drag queen 🌈
1994 = Saoirse Ronan = American-born Irish actor
EVENTS
1606 = The Union Flag is adopted as the flag of English and Scottish ships.
1953 = Sixty-three men are arrested in Waco, TX, at a “homosexual convention.” Tommy Gene Brown, the Waco Bride, led a mock wedding when police raided the two-room private resident in South Waco.
1954 = Bill Haley & His Comets record "Rock Around the Clock" in NYC.
1955 = The polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is declared safe and effective.
1985 = Desperately Seeking Susan is released in theaters.
1987 = 21 Jump Street premieres on Fox.
1996 = James And The Giant Peach is released in theaters.
1992 = The Euro Disney Resort opens with Euro Disneyland; the resort and its park's name are subsequently changed to Disneyland Resort Paris.
2013 = Autumn Sandeen, a U.S. veteran and transgender woman, receives a letter from a Navy official stating, “Per your request the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) has been updated to show your gender as female effective April 12th, 2013.” Allyson Robinson of Outserve declared, “To our knowledge, this is the first time that the Department of Defense has recognized and affirmed a change of gender for anyone affiliated, in a uniformed capacity-in this case a military retiree.”
HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES
PORTRAIT + QUOTES OF THE DAY
“The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.”
Tom Clancy
“There are two kinds of people: the ones who need to be told, and the ones who figure it out all by themselves.”
Tom Clancy
NEW + FEATURED
Always A Pleasure #1 (NSFW)
To The Front Of The Line #1 (NSFW)
In The Mood For Bromance #1 (NSFW)
Now Clint if you stepping into the true world of HOT tea then remember use cold fresh drawn water, even if it's from a filter tap, BOIL the water, no microwaving it! On the hotplate in a tin kettle (🇫🇴🇬🇧we use electric kettles mostly) take your mug/teabagged teapot TO the kettle because the boiling water needs to be poured over the tea/teabags immediately. A good stirring and let the tea brew for your desired strength. Now personally I always brew into a teapot rather than just a teabag in a mug and for me the milk goes in first (no sugar. I'm sweet enough 😁) All sensible mature information about making a proper cuppa (as we say in 🇫🇴🇬🇧) tea. Cheers DougT 🇫🇴
What a gift, to have that special distinction of World's Best Sweet Tea Maker from your dad - it really is the little things. Thanks for the shout out, C 🩷