I'm Featuring You... Sean Breen (Happy Birthday, May 17th)

Some of you may recall a post that I used to do called "I'm Featuring You...".  It kind of started from when I was doing massage down at gay camp... at night, I had a hat visor light that I used to find my way strumbling back to the trailer, drunk... but I also used to use it on the dance floor of the rec hall... I would come up behind someone, shining it down over top of someone, declaring "I'm featuring you, I'm featuring you"... which was their turn in the spotlight to bust a move (and hopefully not a hip).  Anyway, I used it on my blog to feature some of my friends, telling a little about them and/or how we met.  So there's that.

This feature is for someone who I have become close with quickly, but have never met.  We've talked via text, blog comment, email and facebook, but never in person.  Regardless, he has become a very important part of my life since we share a lot of the same life experiences, morals, thoughts and ideals.

For those who don't know him, he is the blog author of Idle Eyes and a Dormy, living right outside of Albany, NY with his partner Jeffrey.  Sean describes himself as:  "Out, gay, married, honest, artist, pacifist, playful, passionate, insecure, working-stiff, husband, friend, free thinker, humanist, bowler, atheist, nudist, sexually-liberated, free-spirited, adventurous, bear-identified, cartoon, comicbook and cosmo loving nutball with a load of insecurities and a wardrobe to match".  I would like to add compassionate, caring, talented, committed, enduring... as well as many other attributes too many to list.

Back in April, he had his first art exhibit displaying his works, called 'Superb Men', showcasing his drawings (of which you can see many of them here... Sean's Artwork ) ... many of the male form... many of his super heroes... but all a part of him.  “My love of comic book characters results from a desire to be more than I am,” Sean explained (in his artist profile). “I love the characters and the confidence and ideals they espouse, the power they wield that I long for and feel I have never had... Continuing to draw these characters into my adult years is a way for me to hold on to the excitement, wonder and imagination of my youth. My life in all other ways is ordinary...art allows me to be extraordinary.”

I think he's already pretty extraordinary and superhero-like... dealing with all things against him... rising above it all and accomplishing all that he does... I only wish he knew all that about himself.  I am honored to call him my friend... and I hope that we can meet in July like we're planning to and continue to build a stronger friendship.  You don't run into quality people too often in this life time... he's one of them.

Happy 40th, friend!!  Hope you have a wonderful year!!