D Time

Tonight I'm baby sitting my 9 year old niece.  We're watching "Ella Enchanted" with Anne Hathaway on the Disney Channel.  We've been for a walk, she showed me where she fell off her bike and broke her leg earlier this summer, and the pink cast she had on it until recently ("smell it", she says).  She says she's not good at drawing flowers so I drew one for her - not that I'm any better at it.  It's one of those simple things I miss out on when I'm not around family...

I've enjoyed the last couple of days here.  Except for my trip to the dentist.  But even that - he's been my dentist for almost 25 years so it was nice to see him.  That's the cool part of having history someplace.  I've got history here - not just here here but all around here.  Part of me just feels at home in the northeast although even that part of me isn't crazy about the winters here.  Still, it's just "nice".

There have been a number of things going on in the broader community to talk about.  For example, there have been new developments on the Nikki Araguz situation in Texas (details here).  Same-sex marriage in California has been put on hold in California.  Again.

That being said, I'm in family mode tonight. Life is very much a balance, and this is "Donna" time.  I went for a long run on the canal yesterday to clear my head and my mind. I've enjoyed time with my brother and sister and their families.  I met with a high school friend I haven't seen since 1976.  I had dinner at my favorite BBQ place with a long-time friend last night and then went to the Buffalo Bills evening practice to enjoy a beautiful, cool evening.  A dear friend who I haven't seen in several months drove into Rochester to spend a day here, and I watched my amazing littlest niece (who was born with a significant number of birth challenges) play ping-pong on the Wii.  All things considered, there have been lots of little moments that have made this visit special.

I've got a couple of days left before I head back to the desert on Thursday.

Since my little tirade last week about of my general disappointment regarding integration and leadership opportunities in broader LGBT efforts I have been pleasantly surprised to have some substantive conversations on the topic.  I don't think I said anything that many people aren't already feeling or haven't already articulated but I suppose it's the first time I acknowledged it.  The proof is in the pudding and all I can say is that I hope to be proven wrong.  When that happens I'll be the first person to eat my words.

In the meantime, I'll enjoy the rest of my time here.  My own biggest "issue" right now is a top molar that most likely will need to be pulled.  I've gone thru lots of unpleasantries in recent years, no problem, but the one thing that I've really got a phobia over is having teeth pulled out.  It just creeps me out.  It does.  I had my 4 wisdom teeth pulled many years ago so I know I can do it but it's just not something I want to dwell on.  Yuck.

With that, I'll say "g'night".....