Read between the eyeliner

The view is patchwork quilted curtain; the smell of sweat and alcohol is permeating. The crowd is anxiously teeming, but with excitement that overrules all other sentiment. My feet hurt. I could blame my heels, but instead I blame the lunch box-toting, shit-kicker wearing, punk band that just played. The lights are dimming and paroxysmal excitement invokes breathlessness. I know just what to expect.

Patchwork cuts to stage. Enter: Unwritten Law; rock stars extraordinaire (and my personal favorite!). As the band walks out on the stage my focus zeroes in on Scott Russo, the one man on this planet whose very presence can trigger an orgastic overtaking of my mind, body and body (yes, that's body twice). As a special treat this evening, Scott has chosen to don a fedora. No eyeliner, yet I am not disappointed.

Everyone has a "type" when it comes to attractiveness (without reference to looks – at least for those of us eclectic enough to enjoy all physical characteristics). It took me years to understand the common denominator in all my interests (as physical characteristics ranged so vastly it seemed I didn't know what I wanted). And then it hit me: there is an "x factor" for each of us. We can't always put our finger on it, yet each person we've dated (or desired to), possesses it.

You see, x + y = z.

Y= the physical and other characteristics in another one finds attractive

Z= Chemistry (although we are still on math)

Then X would be the unknown. In mathechemisex (the mathematics of the chemistry behind sexuality; a Mace-ism), x is unknown only to the extent that it varies among individuals. We all have an x factor and it has to be there to complete the equation.

Ask me what my x factor is, and I'll tell you: Eyeliner. If you are thinking the blog is regarding what most view as my eyeliner fetish, my friend, you have terribly misread thus far. You see, the x-factor here is not the eyeliner. The eyeliner may represent the physical "x" but it is what x corresponds to that counts.

In my equation, x = confidence. It's quite simple mathechemisex when you think about it. I am attracted to Scott Russo, sure. If I saw him walking down the street sans eyeliner or fedora and had no clue he was in a band I'd likely still give him the once over, but then move on. But add the eyeliner (stage & band-playing must accompany) and you have unmatched attraction to that confidence.

Not to say every fellow who dons eyeliner hits my radar. I have nothing for Alice Cooper, any of the New York Dolls, or 80s hair bands. Just put x and y together and I am "done". You just need to read between the eyeliner.