Kickin' ass...taking names!

It has been a rather odd weekend. Saturday started with the first meeting of the year for my GLBT advocacy group, SpeakOUT. This is the fourth year that I've been running this organization - which I founded. Last year we had a lot of success, but personally it was probably the least fulfilling for me. In fact, I think burn out was at an all time high for me in 2007. I was determined NOT to re-live that in 2008. So, I really put in a lot of effort to make this meeting run like a well-oiled machine...and I succeeded! I was 'the woman'! If i wouldn't look like a total dork, I would have given myself a high-five. LMAO I really pulled out all the stops; I had created thank you certificates for all our members and folders with 2008 calendars in them. Our topic was being an ally for transgender people, and I found several relevant articles to share with the group, and I even put a copy of each article in their folder. I also made sure to include a terminology sheet and went to the trouble of writing up key points on this huge flip chart! (I think I am still on a marker high.) I think it was well worth the extra work because everyone (and we were busting at the seems with people) seemed to be engaged at the meeting. I think I even impressed our guest speaker, who runs his own (new) group TransOhio.





Speaking of our guest (whom we will call SM), we spoke after the meeting for about 30 minutes. In those 30 minutes he directly & indirectly confirmed a lot of the things I had figured were truths with regard to our organization's split with Stonewall Columbus (SWC) in April of last year. SM is now on the board of SWC, and he wanted to know in my own words why we parted ways with SWC. Maybe I shouldn't have been so honest with my opinions and stories, but I held nothing back...the good and bad. He confirmed that SWC basically held a meeting to oust us. I'll never know why for sure. He also told me that he would like to see SWC and SpeakOUT "bury the hatchet" and make peace. Apparently we are feuding and I didn't even know it. LOL I still don't know what great wrongs I committed for the new board of SWC to turn on me - but I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I wasn't brain-dead nor a sheep willing to follow them right off the cliff. Oh well. Still, it was satisfying to finally know for sure I wasn't just paranoid. They had even convinced SM that I was no good - but he came to speak anyway. Let's just say I think he and I are on the same page now...and he has a new opinion of me that he came about with on his own. So suck that SWC!



The hubby and I even managed to sneak in a couple of hours of alone time! We went to Sonic - yummmm - and I got my favorite: a cherry limeade. Then we went home and put our alone time it to (ahem) good use. Hee hee... The rest of the evening was both a nightmare and a relief. My mother came over to discuss our financial situation. We went over all our bills and she agreed to loan us enough money to cover rent and past due bills. We can now use this next check to get totally caught up. It was humiliating to go through that ordeal - but I finally feel like I can breathe again. Maybe now the clouds will lift a little more for me. It certainly is a good start.



Sunday we ran errands and dropped Meg off to a sleepover. We also met up with my mother and aunt to have dinner with my cousin Michelle and her almost 2 year old daughter Lilly. It was the first time I had seen Lilly since she was a tiny baby. They live in AZ, so we never get the chance. Lilly is such a charmer! (I'll have to get a picture to post here.) Brandon even said to me, "Mommy I like her. She is so cute that I just want to eat her up." LOL Lilly was quite taken with her older cousin too. They played together quite a bit. They dropped by today as well to play for a couple more hours. I was sad to see them go. I miss having a little one around under foot.



I'll be glad to see tomorrow come. The kids will go back to school and I'll have the house to myself. I'm really making a dent in my house projects. I wonder if anyone else has noticed.



Newest CD I think you ought to listen too: My December by Kelly Clarkson
Best track on above mentioned CD: Never Again - don't go pissing off Kelly! Move over Alanis...
A new group you ought to check out: The Receiver - Casey Cooper works with my hubby...but they are actually quite good! We saw them last Friday at the LC. They opened up for Watershed. Kind of like Radiohead...
Shout out to my favorite USA Network Show: Psych! Did you watch it on Friday (10PM)? Hilarious...as usual. You should be watching this show. It is exactly what I need after sitting through yet another downer of an episode over on Monk.
Still not sure about: Breaking Bad on AMC. We watched the pilot Sunday (10PM) and I am not hooked yet. I love Bryan Cranston, but if you are looking for his persona from Malcom in the Middle - keep looking! Also, I'm already hooked on ABC's Brothers & Sisters in this time slot. The hand-held camera look made me feel sick at times too. Did you watch? What did you think?
Best reason to get up on a cold January morning:
Hugh Laurie...online, on House, on my CD player or wherever the good doctor might like to be.