![Hand holding red megaphone on yellow]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/324.Hollingsworth.words_.PHOTO_.Aug07-24-170x95.png","width":170,"filesize":8402},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/324.Hollingsworth.words_.PHOTO_.Aug07-24-270x152.png","width":270,"filesize":17889},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/324.Hollingsworth.words_.PHOTO_.Aug07-24-475x267.png","width":475,"filesize":45327}})
WORDS HAVE POWER
Shaping our world and ourselves through consciousness By Dr. Julie Hollingsworth, PhD, LCDC, ICADC and Sarah Hollingsworth Words have power. Think back to the words that were used around you
![Woman speaking at podium with flag backdrop]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/harris-170x95.jpg","width":170,"filesize":22941},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/harris-270x152.jpg","width":270,"filesize":27571},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/harris-475x267.jpg","width":475,"filesize":40615},"jaw_blog-16_9-big":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/harris-878x494.jpg","width":878,"filesize":76562}})
GOOD-BYE, 2024: The year in review, part 2
By Nancy Ford When we last met, we took a look back at some of the best, worst, funniest, scariest and generally most noteworthy episodes of the first six months
![Sepia selfie in sunglasses with holiday garland]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Bartender-Brad-background-POST-170x95.jpg","width":170,"filesize":13935},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Bartender-Brad-background-POST-270x152.jpg","width":270,"filesize":18838},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Bartender-Brad-background-POST-475x267.jpg","width":475,"filesize":34154}})
Tony’s Corner Pocket Bartender: Brad Bonn
By Johnny Trlica Bartending is considered one of the most stressful jobs in the hospitality industry. It is a challenging environment that requires long hours on one’s feet, quick thinking
![Red-haired performer with dramatic makeup, black boa]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Wilhelmina-Screenshot-2024-12-05-at-4.04.21\u202fPM-170x95.png","width":170,"filesize":26120},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Wilhelmina-Screenshot-2024-12-05-at-4.04.21\u202fPM-270x152.png","width":270,"filesize":61654},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Wilhelmina-Screenshot-2024-12-05-at-4.04.21\u202fPM-475x267.png","width":475,"filesize":181542}})
Wilhelmina Guess
By Johnny Trlica A famous quote from Judy Garland, the ultimate gay icon reads, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” While
![Woman in fuchsia dress answering press questions]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/U.S.-Rep.-Nancy-Mace-R-South-Carolina-Screenshot-2024-12-05-170x95.png","width":170,"filesize":36718},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/U.S.-Rep.-Nancy-Mace-R-South-Carolina-Screenshot-2024-12-05-270x152.png","width":270,"filesize":83532},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/U.S.-Rep.-Nancy-Mace-R-South-Carolina-Screenshot-2024-12-05-475x267.png","width":475,"filesize":236174},"jaw_blog-16_9-big":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/U.S.-Rep.-Nancy-Mace-R-South-Carolina-Screenshot-2024-12-05-708x494.png","width":708,"filesize":682686}})
House Republicans
By D’Anne Witkowski U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) is a fu@king ghoul. According to The New Civil Rights Movement, Mace has introduced “a binding resolution to ban transgender women
![Wooden pet memorial box with dog photo collage]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Dec04-24.trlica.hrh_.hope_.PHOTO_.328-170x95.jpg","width":170,"filesize":17001},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Dec04-24.trlica.hrh_.hope_.PHOTO_.328-270x152.jpg","width":270,"filesize":24520},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Dec04-24.trlica.hrh_.hope_.PHOTO_.328-475x267.jpg","width":475,"filesize":50025},"jaw_blog-16_9-big":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Dec04-24.trlica.hrh_.hope_.PHOTO_.328-878x494.jpg","width":878,"filesize":136170}})
A Christmas without Hope
By Johnny Trlica Commentary: This holiday season is a depressing time of year for many people. It seems all hope is lost as the entire nation (well, 50 percent of
![Bearded man in cowboy hat and plaid shirt]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327_BARTENDER-of-the-month-PHOTO-1-170x95.jpg","width":170,"filesize":26815},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327_BARTENDER-of-the-month-PHOTO-1-270x152.jpg","width":270,"filesize":33323},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327_BARTENDER-of-the-month-PHOTO-1-475x267.jpg","width":475,"filesize":54768}})
BARTENDER OF THE MONTH
Robert’s Lafitte’s ‘Cowboy Tom’ By Johnny Trlica Commentary: If a church represents a safe space for family, community and acceptance, then by that definition that is what a gay bar
![Glamorous drag angel reclining in pink clouds]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/artemis-2-170x95.png","width":170,"filesize":35952},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/artemis-2-270x152.png","width":270,"filesize":83897},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/artemis-2-475x267.png","width":475,"filesize":230790}})
Artemis Hunter
By Johnny Trlica Besides big hair and outrageous costumes, drag queens are quite adept at creating their stage names. The MONTROSE STAR’s Star of the Month for November has a
![Group of white turkeys inside a barn]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327.REPRINT.riggs_.causeway.thanksgiving.PHOTO_.110624-1024x403-1-170x95.png","width":170,"filesize":33937},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327.REPRINT.riggs_.causeway.thanksgiving.PHOTO_.110624-1024x403-1-270x152.png","width":270,"filesize":80613},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327.REPRINT.riggs_.causeway.thanksgiving.PHOTO_.110624-1024x403-1-475x267.png","width":475,"filesize":224226},"jaw_blog-16_9-big":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327.REPRINT.riggs_.causeway.thanksgiving.PHOTO_.110624-1024x403-1-878x403.png","width":878,"filesize":213996}})
GOBBLE GOBBLE – It’s turkey time in Galveston
By Forest Riggs Did you ever hear a Thanksgiving song? Didn’t think so. I often wonder why that is. Years ago, the Texas Troubadour, George Strait, included a song on
![Man in sunglasses enjoying large ice cream cone]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5.waw_.biden_-170x95.png","width":170,"filesize":35749},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5.waw_.biden_-270x152.png","width":270,"filesize":81521},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5.waw_.biden_-475x267.png","width":475,"filesize":214275},"jaw_blog-16_9-big":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5.waw_.biden_-684x494.png","width":684,"filesize":526769}})
WHAT A YEAR
2024 in Review, Part 1 By Nancy Ford As I’ve said at this time of every year for the last 36 years (please sing along if you know the words),
![Couple at high school reunion photo booth]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327.trlica.hrh_.reunionPHOTO.Nov06-24-170x95.jpg","width":170,"filesize":17619},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327.trlica.hrh_.reunionPHOTO.Nov06-24-270x152.jpg","width":270,"filesize":26104},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327.trlica.hrh_.reunionPHOTO.Nov06-24-475x267.jpg","width":475,"filesize":53228},"jaw_blog-16_9-big":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327.trlica.hrh_.reunionPHOTO.Nov06-24-878x494.jpg","width":878,"filesize":133672}})
YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN
My 50th high school reunion By Johnny Trlica Commentary: I hated high school! I did not want to be there, did not feel like I belonged there and had only
![Vocalist with platinum hair belting onstage]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327-Cyndi-Lauper-ONLINE-copy-1-170x95.jpg","width":170,"filesize":14135},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327-Cyndi-Lauper-ONLINE-copy-1-270x152.jpg","width":270,"filesize":19693},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327-Cyndi-Lauper-ONLINE-copy-1-475x267.jpg","width":475,"filesize":34818},"jaw_blog-16_9-big":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/327-Cyndi-Lauper-ONLINE-copy-1-878x494.jpg","width":878,"filesize":79949}})
Why Cyndi Lauper’s farewell show felt like, well, a suitcase of memories
The gay icon defied time during the chic, heartfelt concert By Chris Azzopardi By Chris Azzopardi I spent 15 years attending the Catholic church (and over 15 years more attending