Weekly Update (May 24~30, 2012)
Happy last week of May, everyone. I hope yours was as fulfilling as mine has been. Truth be told, I was very busy this past week, recovering from the blood donation, throwing a big, fat, gay birthday party and the 3-day holiday weekend. Still, it was all good
This update will be reasonably brief though, as I’ve been trying to post more frequently these days. No need to be redundant.
So, we’ll begin with Thursday. After the long birthday party-cum-sleepover, it was up at at ‘em early the next morning to go shopping and to return the youths to their jobs, meetings and other obligations. I was really lagging that day though. Two days after a double-blood donation (apparently, I have a highly covetous blood type) with little sleep and working through hot, steamy weather kind of left me spent. That night, I stayed in, listening to the thunderstorm hammering down on the steel balcony outside my window.
Friday was filled with busy work. I had loads of laundry to do and a seriously messy apartment to clean. I also spent time doing some prep work on food I planned on bringing to my mother’s house for the Memorial Day holiday.
Saturday and Sunday were hectic. I was scrambling about, trying to get as much information as I could for the upcoming PrideFest the following weekend. I’d been asked to volunteer for the LikeMe Lighthouse and for the Human Rights Campaign Kansas City, but the details were really rather sketchy. The problem, it seems is that PrideFest is about two weeks earlier this year than it had been in previous years. Therefore, many groups didn’t have as much time to plan and organize. I’d traveled back and forth between the Lighthouse my apartment much of that time. Lucky for me, the Lighthouse isn’t but 6 blocks away!
Monday was wonderful. Truly wonderful. Dasha, Missy and I had gotten up early and left town to visit my folks. When we arrived, we were greeted by not only my mother and stepfather, but my nephew Damian and my niece Kalypso were there as well! This was the first time that my stepfather, niece and nephew had met Dasha and Missy, and the meeting went very well!
As soon as we arrived, my mom and I began preparing and cooking food. I brought over a ton of dough for my “patented” bread sticks (which the kids loved helping me to shape) and a bag of purple and red potatoes, among other things. The prep and cook times weren’t very long, especially since whenever my mother and I work together, we get things done! Most of that time, was spent playing with the kiddos and Missy, who by the way, loved running all over the 3-acre yard.
My stepfather left shortly after we arrived so that he could pick up my brother, my sister-in-law and my other nephew Isaiah. That’s when things got a little tense. My brother and my sister-in-law aren’t exactly renowned for their helpfulness when it comes to, well, anything. In fact, were it not for Missy and Dasha, the kids wouldn’t have been supervised or entertained while everyone else was cooking and grilling.
Dinner itself was lovely. We ate outdoors on the deck, serenaded by cicadas, crickets and mockingbirds. It was probably the most peaceful time of the day, at least while my brother and sister-in-law were there. My niece Kalypso was practically attached to me at the hip all day long. Even at dinner, where I promised her that if she ate half of a hamburger and some potatoes, that I’d give her a piggy-back ride. She accepted my offer.
Later that night, after my stepfather returned my brother and company home, we, that is, he, Dasha, my mother and I had a little pow wow. We shot the breeze and all became reacquainted with one another at long last. It was a pleasant and healing night. We discussed PrideFest and my mother gave me one of her dresses that she doesn’t wear anymore! I’ll be sure and post pictures of it up for you all to see sometime later.
After we got home, we all crashed. Exhausted.
Tuesday was a busy day as well. There were many errands to run that day. Dasha ended up volunteering at the Lighthouse for much of it whilst I took care of some house work. I was feeling fatigued much of the time too after such a long and busy day the day before, so I went to bed early.
Today was pretty exciting for me. I had a healing session in therapy. We discussed my father some more. I really wish that I had an opportunity to know him better. There are so many questions I have for him that I’ll never get to ask him. He’d ended his life when I was still a young child. Even so, I was able to talk it out finally, which was very helpful.
Later on, I went to my orientation for my volunteering position with the HRC! I’m very excited about this opportunity. I love being a part of something special and larger than myself. And, as I’m writing this blog, I just received an email regarding another training for the volunteer opportunity I have with the LikeMe Foundation which will take place tomorrow.
While many of the details are still sketchy regarding where we’ll be in the Power & Light District, I do finally have my volunteer schedule for both days:
Saturday, I will be volunteering for the LikeMe Lighthouse Pride booth from 4pm-6pm, wherever that booth will be.
Sunday, I’m working with the HRC all day long; from 10am-6:30pm.
Now, there is a possibility that I may also volunteer for the HRC for part of the day on Saturday as well, depending upon the number of volunteers who show up. I will be at the Power & Light District all day on both days as well, so anyone in the area who plans on being there will certainly see me around. I’m so excited!
This blog is to serve as a candid journal of my transition into womanhood.
I'm also Twitter @RaineCeleste
