Pet Food Pantry, Allegheny City Brewery Host Winter Cat Shelter Community Service Event

Why winter shelters? Winter shelters are vital for community cats. A safe warm place to get out of the elements is a fundamental tool to manage a cat colony. A simple version made from a sturdy Styrofoam cooler, a contractor bag, tape, then stuffed with straw (not hay) is quite effective. Our focus is on […]

Blog Wrapped – 50 of the Most Read Posts in 2025

These are the blog posts you read most often in 2025. This is no a “top” list because the majority of these posts are memorials about trans neighbors who died violent deaths in the United States. That’s a blunt fact. Don’t turn away from it. If I can write these memorials, you can read them. […]

Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities Year End Letter

From Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities The past (current?) year has been bursting at the seams with happenings. big and small. We hope you’ll consider a gift, either financial or in-kind to support our efforts. As you know, we are a small volunteer-driven organization. Our accomplishments and successes are due to the hard work and commitment of […]

My eldest nibling turns 20

It was 20 years ago that I became an aunt for the first time when the eldest nibling was born. I remember that day like it was just yesterday. I love all the niblings, but there’s something unique about the one who teaches you to be an aunt and the youngest who puts all of […]

Our political blog vicennial means seeing familiar faces in all the old, familiar places 

Dan Gilman as Chief of Staff Ricky Burgess as Director of Community Impact Yarone Zober as Director of Redevelopment Corey Buckner as Manager of Community Affairs My jaw dropped when I saw Burgess and Zober were part of the O’Connor 2.0 Administration It is like a b-side of the greatest hits of my first decade […]

Here’s to Us: Let’s Celebrate 20 Years of Blogging

Today this blog turns 20 years old, an era of words, images, and experiences I could not conceive of back on that chilly December day when I thrust myself into the blogosphere. Filled with curiosity, but lacking any expertise, I began. Quickly, I was off on a wonderful adventure I never saw coming as I […]

Someone stole winter items from a local pet food pantry. Now community help is needed to replace them

This is a disappointing update to share – some unknown person has stolen several items from the Dr. John P. Ruffing VMD Pet Food Pantry. Heated outdoor items critical for feral and homeless cats. We’ve had items donated that were assigned to our participants and caretakers. They were labeled and then they disappeared. No food […]

I used all of my Target gift cards. Peace out.

I remember my first time with Target. It was 1995, a college town in Western Tennessee called Clarksville. I lived across the state line in a much smaller town that barely had a Dollar General. A new friend told me about this store that was Wal-Mart equivalent, but so much more. It was so pretty […]

Guest on This News is so Gay podcast

This week, I was a guest on podcast This News is so Gay with my colleague Mark S. King. We talked about blogging, current events, LGBTQ history, and more.

A Christmas Donation in memory of a special cat

Today Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities received a letter in the mail. Hello A while ago, Sue Kerr posted on Nextdoor about a cat, I think named Chastity or Charity  (she means Charlotte) that had been cared for by ab older woman (street cat) The cat became ill and your charity spent $600 providing her care & […]