09/18/2026
INSIDE THE RAINBOW HOUSE | "Home" is a place, a person, a thing or an idea. To me, Home is not just Texas; it is also Baltimore, Maryland - the place that made me the person I am today. 💛🖤❤️🤍
I spent my teenage years in a city called Hagerstown, about 1 hour west of Baltimore and 1 hour north of DC. Though I'll always have friends that I love dearly there, it definitely was not "home." I hated it there. Nothing to do except get into mischief. No acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, whatsoever. I have some dark memories of that place, including family trauma and harassment to name a few. When I turned 18, I moved to the Baltimore area and truly began my adult life.
Baltimore, aka "Charm City" is well known for its high crime rate and high cost of living compared to places like Texas. Approximately 30% of all homes are abandoned, boarded up and dilapidated. He**in runs rampant in the streets. Some people will be quick to blame it on "the democrats," but I blame it on a history of individual corrupt local government officials. It was very much not a safe place to live, but it was exactly the place I needed to be in life at the time.
When I was in my early adult years, I got into the Baltimore rave scene - before it was cool - in the late 2000's. There was a place called "The Black Hole" that I frequented at least 2-3 times a week. A 2-story, solid black night club with no windows, strangely fixated right in the middle of a suburban neighborhood street. Unfortunately, it was also very much a drug den, and eventually, it got raided and shut down. In spite of its seedy nature, some of the coolest people I've ever met in my life used to party there. To this day, so many of them are still friends of mine.
Baltimore made me who I am. A person with grit, a person who is unapologetic in his lifestyle. A person who can see beyond race and ethnicity. A person who learned that "not giving a ☆☆☆☆" can be a superpower. I still miss the K-Swift memorial sets every friday on 92Q with Porkchop and Rod Lee, the massive ships in the Inner Harbor, RoFo, "Berger cookies" and the best Old Bay chicken wings you'll ever have in your life. No, I don't do seafood, but I can still tell you the best places to go. For the record, Phillips isn't one of them. It's G&M in Linthicum Heights. You're welcome. 🦀
I left abruptly for Texas in 2018. I never, ever in a million years thought I'd end up here, but life had different plans. Growing up in the north, you develop a certain stereotype about the south. Sure, some are true, but I was also wrong about so many things I was taught about this state.
Texas taught me friendliness to all people, even those who don't live like I do, or think the way I do. Texas taught me to think big, and to believe in myself. I learned how to be professional, how to take care of myself, others, and (believe it or not) how to be a better driver!
Having this north-south experience has been a blessing to me, as I've seen the best - and the worst - of both worlds. I'm sure some haters would wish me to go back. Dont get me wrong, I love to visit! But, my roots are now here. I'm so happy to be your neighbor, and so thankful for all of the experiences that having two homes has given me in life. Truly I am thankful for both of my homes. They've collectively made me who I am. ✌️❤️🏳️🌈🏠
If you have a home away from home, share it below! What do you love about it? What did you learn? And, if someone were to visit, where should they go?
