photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
photo by Kevin Truong
Bill, in his own words: “(With regards to being gay) Well an easy answer to that would be I feel like a Mac in a PC world. Which is pretty much held true for the last 20 or 30 years. The Macintosh computer (being gay) allowed me to do things that otherwise I would not have thought possible. The world up until recently saw things in a mechanical binary black or white either/or light. Straight/Gay. Very PC. Light has many colors!
As soon as I got comfortable with myself, I was off and running. Traveling all over the world. Escaping AIDS was the incentive to get out and live a truly excellent life. I had magically escaped the bullet. I was spared for this purpose.
The big challenge for me is always to stay in the moment. It is still very easy for me to terrorize myself with the past and the future. Keeping focused on the things that are important in the moment. In the context of love and sharing.
(The gay community in Vancouver is) Spread wide and far, usually you find community where living is cheap and cheerful. Not much of that in Vancouver. We meet in local coffee house or bars and establish small networks of friends . Pretty standard arrangements.
(My coming out story) was pretty much covered in the David Leddick interview that I did about 2003. Here is the link to that interview
Probably TMI
(If I could give advice to myself before coming out) Truth is in the doing and being. Look for it now.”
Yoshi, in his own words” “Hula has changed my perspective on life. The teachings of hula are the teachings of life. They are learned using your six senses and your whole being as you get in harmony with nature. I realized what the hula has taught me is crucial to me as a photographer and an artist. It is about loving all things that nature provides, being compassionate and cooperative, respecting each other, and nurturing a sincere and humble heart. It is far more important to reshape one’s state of mind than to learn to do the dance moves. When one frees their mind, they start to dance with spontaneous and innocent smiles like children. I consider the hula to be a lifelong learning, and I want to share this love (“aloha”) with people. During my stay in Hawaii, I learned the hula and performed at numerous events. Although I am not designated as a hula teacher (“kumu”) and am still in the process of learning the hula myself, a friend of mine gathered up her friends and asked me to teach them. The hula family has grown by word of mouth, and I have the privilege of teaching 2 classes a week to 20 members (as of 2009). When I left Hawaii, my hula teacher said to me “Hula needs individuals who strive to raise their consciousness, and I know you will meet those people in Vancouver.” As it turns out, most of my students are involved in things such as Reiki, Qigong, Kabbalah(?) (numerology), and other forms of healing or study to better themselves and help others. I have become who I am today because of my hula family, and I’m so grateful to have met them.
(If I could give myself advice before coming out) My advice to myself would be “you are born free”