Monthly Archives: February 2013

By Johna Till Johnson

This week’s Photo Challenge is Kiss.

What with Couples, and Love, and Valentine’s Day, we’ve had entirely too much romantic stuff lately. So, for something completely different—

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A few months back, a friend and client invited me to a corporate event.

Not your typical corporate event: It was a “Battle of the Bands”, in which employee-musicians competed in front of a crowd of  hundreds of other employees and business partners.

Knowing my friend is a huge fan of the rock group KISS, I volunteered to come dressed in full KISS attire.

Okay, actually I didn’t volunteer. My business partner volunteered me, as in, “I’m sure Johna would love to dress up!”

Hmm… I’d love to, but… As the president and CEO of an up-and-coming technology research firm, did I really want to show up in front of clients and other professionals dressed like a rock star? Isn’t there something about, you know, having an image to uphold?

Upon further consideration, it took me about a nanosecond to agree with the idea. (After all, if I were diehard about maintaining a professional image, I wouldn’t be sporting a Billy Idol ‘do.)

Much longer, though, were the preparations.

First: Which member should I emulate? I was only dimly aware of the individual band members. My friend the KISS connoisseur advised that although Gene Simmons is better known, Ace Frehley’ Paul Stanley’s makeup is easier to do. (Note: As alert readers have noted, it was actually Paul Stanley’s makeup we emulated. I was confused by listening to “New York Groove” while writing this….)

Paul it was!

Then there were the logistics. Prior to the Battle of the Bands, there was an actual formal(ish) event during which we technology folks were to get briefed on the company’s products and services. The CEO would be attending. Did I want to show up at this event in KISS makeup?

In the end, I decided against that plan of action. Instead, after the event, my friend and I swiftly changed into KISS gear and did our makeup, rocking out to the sound of  “New York Groove”.

The results? I think we were a rocking pair of Pauls! And my friend accessorized with a blow-up guitar…

By sheer coincidence, some time before Vlad had taken a photo of a Gene Simmons lookalike at the Hallowe’en festivities on the Upper East Side.  He didn’t recognize the costume, though: I had to provide some additional context.

After all, by then I was an expert in KISS!

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Great minds think alike!: To Mother Earth, with Love