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by:rad

@by_rad

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1/2 Diné + 1/4 Navajo + 2 TBSP Táchiinii + 2 TSP Tódichiinii

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I remember celebrating my aunt Jane’s birthday at Golden Dragon on New Year’s Eve when I was young. It was a milestone for her. It was also the first time my parents allowed us to celebrate NYE when I saw Zombies being served which were on fire to the tables all around. My parents turned fifty in 1993. I wonder what was going thru their minds then? I wonder if my mom would ever think she would see her son turn 50? I woke up this morning and my parents were the first to come to mind as I laid quietly thinking this should be monumental but it felt like every other morning I’ve wakened since my mom passed sixteen years ago. I think of her every day just as much as I think of my brother, Aaron, who passed away at seventeen. I’m pretty lucky to have reached this age as many of my friends have not. My celebration of turning 50 is not for me but for those who have not been so fortunate to turn this age. I think of them every day. Happy Birthday, dear friends. My birthday wishes are for them. Love you all. ❤️
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#badasspaas #anothergaymoment #oldgay #50yearsold #fifty by @by_rad

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11 days ago

Happy 50th Birthday to my handsome Byron! I love you & am so happy for all to come!

So much to look forward to & I’m excited to do it all with you.

Thanks for all you do for our little family 💙

Love you always
Seth by @by_rad

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11 days ago

On the Eve of my 50th birthday, I can’t help but think of the past year and the events that have occurred; more so, the past half-century. The amount of people I have been blessed within my lifetime and the amounts of people I’ve lost have been both detrimental and pivotal to my growth and discipline as a human being. I have lost friendships in the last year of my life and have lost close friends, as well, to death. I know it is cliche to say the next year will be better, but from past experience, I know not to wish for the best, but to allow life to challenge me by helping me to become a better person (I hope). This past year has been one of the most challenging I can remember (but also the most memorable), which has altered my physical and mental health; however, it’s pushed me to focus on my well-being as opposed to helping others propel theirs. Yet, I have not given up trying to help those in need, particularly those who look to me for some sense of guidance; however, trying to focus on what’s best for me and my tiny family has been my my main focus today. I am grateful to have a beautiful partner who believes in me, but also I am thankful to those who have helped me become the person I’m needing to be. Tomorrow is my birthday. It’ll be a day that hopefully begins anew. As I sit here and type these words, I want to say thank you to those who have been a part of my life, both living and those who have passed. Thank you for being a part of my first 50 years of happiness. I hope we can continue towards the next. I love you all. by @by_rad

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12 days ago

I sometimes question my teaching because of the content I share within my classroom and I tell my students how sometimes I wonder if I am leading them through too tough of a reading assignment, which is then followed by critical discussions that includes political discourse, re-wires historical contextual dialogue, and raises social issues that disrupts patriarchal archetypes that may or can become too much for some of them to absorb at their tender age (which I learned today my youngest student is a young 14-year-old female).
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Today, I stayed after class as two students approached me and thanked me for introducing them to such powerful female voices, but also the importance of reading diverse cultural narratives—something they have never gotten before in any English course—while another student said my class has changed her mind about re-thinking her major and want to pursue writing as a profession.
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My last student sat with me for almost an hour speaking about how the literature I presented has changed the trajectory of their thinking when it came to English, how they’ve fallen out of love with English because of the massive whitewashing academics placed linearity into their syllabi. This student spoke highly of Layli Long Soldier’s “Now, You Will Listen.” A few students spoke highly of Layli’s poetry this week, and so I pulled my copy of Layli’s book out for them to sift through where “Now, You Will Listen” lives—knowing her book isn’t due out for a few more weeks and they saw the inscription she left me. The stars in their eyes for the admiration of their teacher knowing such amazing people made me smile.
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In my courses, I teach my friends’ works because my friends taught me how to read, how to want to write, and how to do what they love to do. My friends are my teachers just as my students still teach me daily to be better.
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So, thank you, dear Layli. You’ve really inspired so many young voices this past week. And, congratulations on your nomination for the 2026 National Book Award!
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P.S. I am in love with this book. by @by_rad

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a month ago

The other day, I just sat in silence and did what the water does best: reflect. I listened to the wind press against my ears and tell me how things will be okay, and I try to listen to what isn’t being listened to anymore while I witnessed how clouds sing, birds speak, mountains listen, and how people ignore. My/our heart will be okay, I/we think. It always will be. That is my hope. by @by_rad

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a month ago

The summer Daddy turned pretty, mid-summer break 2026. Me and my pony, Friducha!
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#badasspaas #anothergaymoment #navabro #oldgay #gaysofinstagram by @by_rad

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a month ago

I find myself on top of mountains most weeks. It’s the beauty of clouds that make me happy the most.
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#badasspaas #anothergaymoment #oldgay #clouds #gaylife by @by_rad

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a month ago

Well, I had the idea of posting my first day of school last week, but we all know what happened on Tuesday when the world went silent. I think I work at one of the most beautiful campuses in the region, due to its Spanish-styled architecture. Lately, I’ve been sitting in my car eating Chicharones because I think academics don’t understand cultural significance with foods. Already, I received a “that’s disgusting” when trying to explain my craving for ach’ii. Anyhow, I’m loving my students, so far. Already, I allowed a student’s girlfriend to sit in my class and when they left, I heard the girlfriend say: “Man, I wish I had this English class. My class is boring!” Oh, and my debit card was compromised, so my bank issued me the cutest replacement. Till next time, peeps. Stay groovy!
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#badasspaas #anothergaymoment by @by_rad

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a month ago

I took these at the beginning of summer break (May-ish). Maybe I was a little loss inside these photos because solitude was all I wanted. The rain fell little that evening, but the setting sun made the colors pop around me.
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#badasspaas #anothergaymoment #gay #oldgay #gaycolorado by @by_rad

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a month ago

I wanted to post this last week, but then Pru happened; then, Dolly happened; but also, I began questioning how I’m not sure how others/my friends/those in the ether feel about my postings of the summer poses I took while trying to regain traction from this past year’s events; but then, I thought about what Dolly said: “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”
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I like who I am and who I’ve become.
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Enjoy the show, folks!
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#badasspaas #anothergaymoment by @by_rad

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2 months ago

Well, it’s been a rough couple of days as my younger sister had no choice but to put her baby to rest, due to complications far beyond her control. Seth and I cried over the phone before/after hearing the devastating news of Pru, my sister’s baby, who blessed everyone w/in her life. We mourned her loss throughout the day, yesterday, on August 24.
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After my first day back in the classroom, I sat on the curb and opened my phone only to read about Dolly Parton. I cried. I cried while the wind blew and the gray clouds capped the western sky. I heard thunder rumble, just as the rain visited us after learning of Pru. I think I cried because some of my earliest memories included music of Dolly who played in the cars of my sister, and on the old radio station my mom listened to on the reservation. I think I cried because some my earliest memories included my first visits to the movie theater in the neighboring town of Farmington, and while not understanding the undertones of humor my family giggled at, I sat and ate buttered popcorn. The memories continued as I aged and I watched Dolly in some of my favorite movies as a young person: 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone, Straight Talk, and Steel Magnolias. It was Steel Magnolias that taught me about grief but also to accept grief after my brother’s passing from cancer. It was the first time I felt sadness and cried in a theater.
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I didn’t know Pru as long as I’ve known Dolly (even though we’ve never met in real life), but Seth and I spent many nights reflecting upon how Dolly taught us about growing up in secret, but also we spoke about how Pru taught my family that animals are indeed family, and this huge loss within my family hurt just as much as losing a familial stranger which felt like family.
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I am going to be sad when I visit my sister who is feeling the absence of her baby girl, just as much as I am sad over such a pivotal figure who helped others to understand the world she helped change.
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Continue to sparkle, dear Pru. You were the Dolly we needed in our lives because the sparkle you gave my sister and nephew will shine forever thru memory—like Dolly.
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#dollyparton @dollyparton by @by_rad

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2 months ago

My Gaydar is completely broken. by @by_rad

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2 months ago