by Darrin Johnson | Sep 13, 2023 | Events, Lifestyle, Ruelon, Travel
Your vacation has been approved. You’ve packed a luggage full of fits, toiletries, and a pair of crisp, non-creased Jordans. Your direct flight from JFK was on time and chartered a seamless journey from New York City to the shores of Bavaro, a beach in Punta Cana...
by Darrin Johnson | Jun 25, 2023 | Events, Ruelon
The long, narrow, wooden staircase led me to my personal hell. How did I get here? Why am I here? These are the questions I asked myself while trapped at the Ugly Mug bar in Washington DC. It was Memorial Day Weekend, Black Gay Pride, and to quote the amazing Loretta...
by Darrin Johnson | Mar 27, 2021 | Events, Ruelon, Sports/Entertainment
A former acquaintance asked me to write about him three years ago – I declined. There was no evidence whatsoever at the time that he was gay. I heard the rumors, but outing anyone regardless of proof was then, and still is – unacceptable! There was,...
by Darrin Johnson | Jul 9, 2020 | Ruelon, Events, Lifestyle, News, Sports/Entertainment
I did it in secrecy every Wednesday night. It was my thing. I made myself a drink, got my favorite snack, closed the blinds, and turned off all of the lights in my apartment. Although I lived alone, the fear and shame I felt in 2005 by tuning in to watch Logo tv’s...
by Darrin Johnson | Jun 23, 2020 | Ruelon, Events, Health and Wellness, Lifestyle
Some like it hot! I certainly do. I love the overbearing heat of the Caribbean, and, when accompanied by a few of my favorite people on the planet, the experience is a recipe for vibrant and colorful conversations on Bavaro Beach in the Dominican Republic. ...
by Darrin Johnson | Jan 14, 2020 | Lifestyle, Events, Ruelon
Desperate times call for desperate measures. For many of us, this is true when life throws a good one – two punch. The economy is up, jobs are abundant (not really), but some folks are still doing a whole lotta trying, just to get up that hill. Despite...
by Darrin Johnson | Dec 3, 2017 | Ruelon, Events, Lifestyle, Travel
I can never sleep the night before I travel abroad. Double checking my flight status, and checking the pocket of my duffle bag to ensure my passport is there, all consume me to the point of travel insomnia. So much time, organization, and stress goes into setting...
by Darrin Johnson | Jul 3, 2017 | Ruelon, Events, Lifestyle, Sports/Entertainment
Summer is well underway and most of us are already approaching our second major national holiday of the year, The Fourth of July. Whether or not you’re planning a stay-cation or gearing up for upcoming destination getaway, it is with deep regret that I must...
by Darrin Johnson | Jun 30, 2017 | Ruelon, Events, Lifestyle, Spirituality, Travel
There is nothing I detest more than the middle seat on an airplane. I paid for extra leg room on my flight to Puerto Vallarta a few weeks back but I’m still baffled at the idea that most people sitting in the either the window, or aisle seat, are unaware arm rests...
