So WHO is this Mister Blister?

Well, the short answer is that Mister Blister is just a name that popped into my head this morning. Maybe it was divine intervention. Maybe it was a subtle something lurking in the back of my unconscious for weeks, maybe years.

But more likely, it has something to do with liking superheroes as a kid. I grew up without a dad and a single mom who was rarely around (or in a very good mood), and superheroes provided the role models that were lacking in my life. Lynda Carter in Wonder Woman (mostly just the first WWII-based season), Lindsay Wagner in the Bionic Woman (the *real* Bionic Woman, not the massacred Bizarro-world version creatively un-adapted by Laeta Kalogridis in 2007) and the family dynamic created by the Justice League of America allowed my imagination to run free and unbridled and foresee a great escape from poverty, humble beginnings and the inevitable boredom of growing up in rural but-we-considered-ourselves-suburban Minnesota. (Hint they don't usually have an 80-acre farm across from your high school in the suburbs, but that would change within 10 years of graduation.)

So in the vein of Mister Terrific, Mister Fantastic, Mister Miracle, and even Mister Ed (it's too hard to spell Mr. Mxyzptlk), I wanted a flashy name, something that rhymed. But there was already a Mister Twister. Hmmmm, what would be catch and memorable?

Then it dawned on me that life is hard, life is not fair, and life can grate on you, especially in the abrasive and ultimately competitive New York City. Since taking up running last summer, I've been thankfully blessed to suffer from few blisters on my feet (thank you Nike Shox). I haven't been so fortunate in other areas of my life, and while not bitter about the twists and turns of fate, it does sometimes feel like my soul gets blisters from walking down the metaphorical pathway called life.

So hence, Mister Blister was created. But really; just WHO is this Mister Blister? Well, our author...

... lives in New York...
... is gay (and by virtue of being a card-carrying homo, extreeeeemely witty; or is it snide? well, let's just go with snarky)...
... recently left a position in the music industry, and at a not very good time in the economy...
... loves languages and used to travel the world professionally...
... has roots in early New Wave and modern "dance rock" like Franz Ferdinand and Gossip (or The Band Formerly Known as 'The' Gossip)...
... while not a hero of the Super kind, has indeed joined the ranks of another band of heroes, with a dedication and commitment to helping others in the community...
... wants very much to share the story of what it's like to try to find one's place in the world.

More will become clear as the posts unfold.
Stay tuned oh faithful reader.