You see I’ve been through the desert
On a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can remember your name
‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain
A No. 1 song from 1971 by the band, America. While I do enjoy the song, it was the only horse song I could really find to open this post about the latest MIX at the art museum. America was a solid band, charting hits into the mid 1980’s. I Need You, Daisy Jane and Today’s the Day are probably my favorites.
May 1, 2026, MIX: Year of the Horse. We kicked off Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with a dance party highlighting Cleveland’s rich AAPI cultural landscape while echoing the horse’s spirit of strength, freedom, vitality, and high energy.
All I can say about this particular evening was I felt deep joy being me, being out, being seen. Many of my usual friends from MIX were not there, but I still renewed a few friendships, made a few more and smiled from ear to ear the entire time I was out.
Prior to reporting for my shift, I stopped for dinner and a few cocktails and again, was very happy to be out. I think you can see the joy on my face here. A couple of times, my favorite compliment was said to me, which happens when someone says they saw me somewhere else (meaning they noticed and positively remembered me) and they say something about how well I was dressed. Often being very specific about my outfit.
One other specific compliment always fills my heart. On woman walked past me and then turned around to tell me I was beautiful. That happens when I am seen, I am obviously “read” and yet shown love for who and what I am in public. Pure joy!
