Creating Change, Vol. 1
Nov. 9th, 2001 03:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
judecorpWell, I made it. No, I more than made it. I am taking part in one of the most amazing experiences of my short, twenty-six year old life. There are a phenomenal number of people here - so many - so diverse - so powerful - so energetic. So much passion. So much love. So much understanding. I have been sucked in.
~//~
I love therapy. I love the one-on-one impact I make in my clients' lives. But I am not where I need to be. I am an activist, and a knight, and a superhero... and I need to be impacting the world, the country, the universe. I am here. And I belong here. It's wonderful.
I was hoping that some of the students that we were taking to the conference would be cool. I was not expecting all of them to be amazing. Will and Rob and Justin and Jonathan and Fabiola and Kazumi and Hope (of course, I mean, we work together, hence the coolest)... the ride up didn't seem nearly as long as it could have (7+ hours) - although the back of the van was weaving and we nicknamed our seasick carrier the S.S. Minnow...
Due to the fullness of the hotel, groups of 3 or less get a king bed and a roll-away. Hope and I sleep exactly the same - off on one side, never moving. Our sheets were completely unmussed. The rollaway has a seatbelt so when it's standing up, the mattress doesn't fall off. We took turns strapping ourselves to the bed and taking photos.
Jonathan is my little brother. Rob and I are running away together (though Hope and I are fighting over him). I keep telling Hope that I don't believe her partner ("Megan" - I always use quotes because she's not real) exists. We saw a tanker truck carrying "Inedible Fat - Not For Human Consumption" and I know this trip will be filled with inside jokes and laughter. I have new friends. We're making plans.
I caught up with Jeff Redfied, my old boss at Stonewall Columbus. (Jeeze, Jeff, I've been trying to make plans with you since JULY - if I knew that I had to come to Milwaukee to see you, ha ha!) He offered me a room in his house if things get unbearable at home. I ran into 2 other Stonewall employees, and 3 people from BRAVO, and QUINCY GREENE, who used to go to Kaleidoscope but is now doing activist work in Arizona, and someone from Dennison who did research on the Phoenix Pride kids... so many people I know, so many faces. I didn't think I was part of the community in Columbus but now I know I was wrong, so wrong. Beck is pregnant. People are happy. Things are moving forward and we're all Creating Change.
I am in absolute heaven. This afternoon I went to a Caucus for GenderQueers. So many - most of them young 20somethings. A whole room of 40+ people, many saying, "I don't identify as either gender. I'm a [insert word here - genderqueer, genderfucker, gender fluid, etc. etc.]. Use either pronoun. Let's use alternate pronouns. Let's use third person pronouns. My goodness. I am in awe of myself and other people.
I am gushing, and there are more workshops today and Rob is waiting for me to check out the boy he wants to smooch. So I'm going to take my queer ass offline and soak in some more common experiences, new experiences, and amazingness. Tomorrow - 3 hours of a creative writing workshop for queer young people, under 30. Mmmmmm.
I love you all. But I'm loving Milwaukee.
~//~
I love therapy. I love the one-on-one impact I make in my clients' lives. But I am not where I need to be. I am an activist, and a knight, and a superhero... and I need to be impacting the world, the country, the universe. I am here. And I belong here. It's wonderful.
I was hoping that some of the students that we were taking to the conference would be cool. I was not expecting all of them to be amazing. Will and Rob and Justin and Jonathan and Fabiola and Kazumi and Hope (of course, I mean, we work together, hence the coolest)... the ride up didn't seem nearly as long as it could have (7+ hours) - although the back of the van was weaving and we nicknamed our seasick carrier the S.S. Minnow...
Due to the fullness of the hotel, groups of 3 or less get a king bed and a roll-away. Hope and I sleep exactly the same - off on one side, never moving. Our sheets were completely unmussed. The rollaway has a seatbelt so when it's standing up, the mattress doesn't fall off. We took turns strapping ourselves to the bed and taking photos.
Jonathan is my little brother. Rob and I are running away together (though Hope and I are fighting over him). I keep telling Hope that I don't believe her partner ("Megan" - I always use quotes because she's not real) exists. We saw a tanker truck carrying "Inedible Fat - Not For Human Consumption" and I know this trip will be filled with inside jokes and laughter. I have new friends. We're making plans.
I caught up with Jeff Redfied, my old boss at Stonewall Columbus. (Jeeze, Jeff, I've been trying to make plans with you since JULY - if I knew that I had to come to Milwaukee to see you, ha ha!) He offered me a room in his house if things get unbearable at home. I ran into 2 other Stonewall employees, and 3 people from BRAVO, and QUINCY GREENE, who used to go to Kaleidoscope but is now doing activist work in Arizona, and someone from Dennison who did research on the Phoenix Pride kids... so many people I know, so many faces. I didn't think I was part of the community in Columbus but now I know I was wrong, so wrong. Beck is pregnant. People are happy. Things are moving forward and we're all Creating Change.
I am in absolute heaven. This afternoon I went to a Caucus for GenderQueers. So many - most of them young 20somethings. A whole room of 40+ people, many saying, "I don't identify as either gender. I'm a [insert word here - genderqueer, genderfucker, gender fluid, etc. etc.]. Use either pronoun. Let's use alternate pronouns. Let's use third person pronouns. My goodness. I am in awe of myself and other people.
I am gushing, and there are more workshops today and Rob is waiting for me to check out the boy he wants to smooch. So I'm going to take my queer ass offline and soak in some more common experiences, new experiences, and amazingness. Tomorrow - 3 hours of a creative writing workshop for queer young people, under 30. Mmmmmm.
I love you all. But I'm loving Milwaukee.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2001-11-09 02:37 pm (UTC)And I am just SO FUCKING ENVIOUS.
Have fun!
Dude.
Date: 2001-11-09 11:09 pm (UTC)There are lots of workshops here that you would totally love... but none on ass kicking.
no subject
Date: 2001-11-09 10:49 pm (UTC)I was quite perplexed.
Non-edible fat
Date: 2001-11-09 11:10 pm (UTC)SO CURIOUS.
Re: Non-edible fat
Date: 2001-11-10 03:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2001-11-11 10:05 pm (UTC)Or, according to Jonathan Larson:
Nutrafat
Chubstitute
no subject
Date: 2001-11-12 05:14 pm (UTC)Oh my god, I am DYING.
Had I but known!
Date: 2001-11-14 06:52 pm (UTC)