Desperate But Not Serious
Qin Shi Huang conquered all opposing states and unified China in 221 BC, establishing the Qin Dynasty. During the Warring States Period from the 5th century BC to 221 BC, the states of Qi, Yan and Zhao all constructed extensive fortifications to defend their own borders. The Chinese were already familiar with the techniques of wall-building by the time of the Spring and Autumn Period, which began around the 8th century BC. These walls were made mostly by stamping earth and gravel between board frames and were built to withstand the attack of small arms such as swords and spears. Qin Shi Huang intending to impose centralized rule and prevent the resurgence of feudal lords, ordered the destruction of the wall sections that divided his empire along the former state borders. Qin Shi Huang ordered the building of a new wall to connect the remaining fortifications along the empire’s new northern frontier.
Transporting the large quantity of materials required for construction was difficult, so builders always tried to use local resources. Stones from the mountains were used over mountain ranges, while rammed earth was used for construction in the plains. Most of these ancient walls have eroded away over the centuries, and very few sections remain intact today. The Great Wall concept was revived again during the Ming Dynasty following the Ming army’s defeat by the Oirats in the Battle of Tumu in 1449. The Ming had failed to gain a clear upper-hand over the Manchurian and Mongolian tribes after successive battles, and the long-drawn conflict was taking a toll on the empire. The Ming adopted a new strategy to keep the nomadic tribes out by constructing walls along the northern border of China. Acknowledging the Mongol control established in the Ordos Desert, the wall followed the desert’s southern edge instead of incorporating the bend of the Huang He. Unlike the earlier Qin fortifications, the Ming construction was stronger and more elaborate due to the use of bricks and stone instead of rammed earth. As Mongol raids continued periodically over the years, the Ming devoted considerable resources to repair and reinforce the walls. Sections near the Ming capital of Beijing were especially strong.
Between 1440 and 1460, the Ming also built a so-called “Liaodong Wall”. Similar in function to the Great Wall, but more basic in construction, the Liaodong Wall enclosed the agricultural heartland of the Liaodong province, protecting it against potential incursions by the Jurched-Mongol Oriyanghan from the northwest and the Jianzhou Jurchens from the north. While stones and tiles were used in some parts of the Liaodong Wall, most of it was in fact simply an earth dike with moats on both sides. Towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall helped defend the empire against the Manchu invasions that began around 1600. Under the military command of Yuan Chonghuan, the Ming army held off the Manchus at the heavily fortified Shanhaiguan pass, preventing the Manchus from entering the Chinese heartland. The Manchus were finally able to cross the Great Wall in 1644, when the gates at Shanhaiguan were opened by Wu Sangui, a Ming border general who disliked the activities of rulers of the Shun Dynasty. The Manchus quickly seized Beijing, and defeated the newly founded Shun Dynasty and remaining Ming resistance, to establish the Qing Dynasty. Under Qing rule, China’s borders extended beyond the walls and Mongolia was annexed into the empire, so construction and repairs on the Great Wall were discontinued.
If I were kind and adoring How would that be? Very boring….. Mister pressman with your penknife always asking about my sex life and who with and how many times?
Many entertainers refer to their abilities on stage, their makeup skill; which is also called painting, their elaborate costumes or gowns, and stage presence as “the craft”. As you know many female impersonators, or Drag Queens, are simply gay men who impersonate us. However there are quite a few women like Krystal Summers, Maya Douglas, Celeste Martinez, or yours truly who also perform as Drag Queens even though we are females. However Dragon Lady, Aspen Tyler, Edna Jean, Victoria West and many others use DRAG as an artistic expression, they sometimes use CAMP to create a varied persona of an idealized or flawed woman. Edna Jean is one of the very best at using CAMP to make light of our flaws. Victoria uses incredible glamour and Aspen uses her incredible talent to highlight our fantastic virtues. Dragon Lady makes the finest custom pageantry jewelry and accessories you could possibly imagine. I could describe in detail the other wonderful women I work with like Onyx, or Channel, or Rita Fine, but I’m sure you understand. Each one of these women weather they are just a Drag Queen or a female who performs as one started with very little knowledge or skill, including your online seductress. Each one has built upon their craft and have become well know for their unique abilities and style.
I’m sure by now you’re wondering just what this has to do with the great wall of china. Well, just as Qin Shi and Ming sought to build a monument that would enrich and protect their empire with stone and earth I had been doing the same thing unknowingly.
On July 19th I preformed for the Christmas in July fundraiser held every year at the Dallas Eagle, which donates money to the Dallas Home For The Holidays charity. With the help of the other entertainers we raised around $3000.00 dollars to give people living with AIDS the chance to go home, be with their families during the holiday season, and to provide emergency travel services. During one of my set’s a man whom I didn’t know at the time approached the stage and handed me a cocktail napkin which I initially thought was just some guy trying to pick me up. To be completely honest I never looked at it, doing so would have been very bad form during the show so I just held on to it, until I left the stage. Later in the dressing room I looked at it as I casually stood by my purse, ready to just stuff it inside and add it to my ever growing collection of phone numbers. Even though it was a simple note written quickly on a napkin, it did have tremendous weight. The message was simple yet utterly baffling. Yes ladies and gentlemen, even your sweet Digital Diva quite often suffers from bought’s of utter and total clulessness. Fortunately for me it’s often curable with just the right amount of Vodka.
I immediately showed it to Ellie Mae who was there performing also. He really doesn’t like to wear a dress and put on makeup because he is a very furry leather bear but he does it a few times a year for charity events such as this. His eyes opened wide and told me I should ask them what it means and have them explain it to me. Ellie had to point “them” out because I didn’t even remember who gave me the note. Moment’s later I was sitting next to the gentleman who bestowed this moniker upon me. As I casually spoke with J.D. who is one of the owners of the Eagle, and his partner Steve during that break I was rather surprised by what happened next. To be quite honest I was shocked.
Steve had named me as the Daughter, to his Majesty Emperor 26, Doctor Steve Bayes. While it was a little unusual in the method, having just approached the stage during the middle of a performance and handing me a cocktail napkin with the appropriate credentials written down. It was and is a legitimate title bestowed upon me and witnessed by several former Emperors in the royal court. This is a very important honor, not something that is given freely or without merit as Steve and J.D. explained during our discussions. One of the many thing’s that Steve and J.D. told me was how impressed they were with my craft. Ladies, I had earned something without trying to, I achieved a goal I had never set out to meet. I did so without being catty or rude, I didn’t use deceit or treachery to acquire a prize that was never actually desired. Who I am, and my effort to be the very best at what I do was noticed and appreciated by people I had never met before. All I had done was continually follow the examples set by others. I worked tirelessly and still do, to become a great entertainer. My only goal was to be as good as the other women who taught me how to be the best.
Ming continued and improved upon what Qin Shi began until it became something that needs no elaboration or explanation. Ladies and gentlemen, you have it within YOU to do the very same thing also. Anyone can build upon what others have done, emulate their beauty, their poise, and learn to be just as graceful in their movements.
Recently I met a very wonderful woman who was at the Village to see the show. We began chatting and Ashley was enamored by how attractive and well dressed I was. As we spoke I was extremely surprised that she felt she couldn’t be anything like me. This always surprises me when a natal woman doesn’t feel capable of being beautiful or glamorous a few nights a week. I explained to her that yes, it is a lot of work to look so stunning, but any woman can do it. Including YOU! Now she is a member here and I certainly hope that I can help her embrace the inner beauty she has while we bring it to the surface. I’m sure her husband will love it and she will also.
All women have the desire to be a pinup girl, and the most wonderful thing about that is we all can achieve it. Sure you will have to do more with your hair than pin it back, and yes you may need to pluck your brows some; but with a little exercise, the right shoes and some creamy red lipstick every woman can be incredibly glamorous. Ashley has everything she needs to be just as incredible looking as any other woman on stage or screen. It just takes some effort and hard work to move those stones into place as you build your own great wall. The Qin Shi, and the Ming dynasties worked for years to build The Great Wall Of China. In the beginning they may not have know how impressive it would become but that was not their initial goal. What they did build though is a lasting and solid testament to their abilities.
Many nights I see crossdressers come into the village, most are apprehensive or oddly fearful of what they may encounter. Quite often their appearance is hurried and uncomfortable. It’s also the same for many of the men who seek out women like us. The uncertainty is so evident in their manner that it’s actually painful to witness sometimes. It’s astonishing that so few people are willing to embrace their own craft and put in the effort required to build something that is lasting. So many seem to only live in the moment never knowing that their behavior and actions today will potentially have a lasting effect on someone else. THIS is especially important for my delightful male readers. I’ve had many men and women approach me over the years and admit that they were fearful of speaking with me until they had watched me from afar. Bill is one such example. He would sit quietly by himself, shy and reserved, timidly trying to avoid any interaction with others. Bill just sat and watched me for weeks until he finally decided to say hello. My charm and kindness disarmed him immediately and now he has opened up and is finding out that there is an entire world out there to enjoy. Just my actions and pleasant demeanor had built a foundation of interest for someone without me ever knowing it. Believe it or not, your actions and attitude have the very same possibility of influencing people.
Cristy is another fantastic woman I know. She and I usually chat for hours while Allie is roaming around the Village dancing. We were discussing Allie and our conversation reminded me of the one I had previously with Ashley. While Allie is still new to her craft she has the potential to grow and blossom if she chooses to. Christy has made an incredibly difficult decision to embrace where she and Allie are in life. Just as I did so many years ago when I began to build my own foundation and develop my craft, Christy, Allie, and Ashley are just beginning to build their own great wall. It’s taken many years to become the woman I am. It will also take some time for them. With each brick, with each mound of stone, we grow and improve. Ladies YOU can do everything I have done and probably so much more.
Each one of you has an inner beauty that can be developed and shown off to the world. If you really would like to be as glamorous as a showgirl it’s definitely within you grasp. The only thing you really need is a serious commitment to be that sultry sex kitten or delicious diva you know you are inside. My dear sweet reader your actions today can have the same incredible effect also, weather it’s lasting or quickly eroded as the first walls in China were is totally up to you. If you’re not willing to put any effort into building a solid foundation then why bother? It wont last or ever be appreciated, nobody will notice you, and it certainly wont be very memorable. Fortunately many of the girls I council are genuinely trying to improve, they truly would like to be more than they are. Sadly quite often the men don’t seem so inclined, if you happen to be one of these men trust me honey WE know who you are.
Qin Shi was desperate to protect his territory, Ming was desperate to prevent continued losses to the Mongols. Each were VERY serious about doing something that would achieve those two goals. Each of these emperors and the many people that I know are also serious about their craft, they are not desperate to be liked, or appreciated for their efforts. Those rewards can only come from hard work, dedication and a true desire to build a lasting and positive impression. You may not be using stones or compressed earth, there may be no bricks or mortar visible but if you look closely everyone has their own great wall.
If I ask you difficult questions, If I make improper suggestions, Would you find that a risk to your health….
Or are you just desperate but not very serious?
With love,
If you have a suggestion for a topic you would like to see addressed feel free to write me through my profile on URNA. Also, feel free to Post and Comments below. If you would like to know more about me or are just curious don’t be shy, reply.