Long lost photos bring unexpected joy to my 55th birthday

Yesterday, an innocuous brown box arrived at the house. There was no name, so I opened it figuring it was a 50% chance of being mine. I was right. Inside I found a package from my brother – a very large handful of photos he had found when he was packing to move. I was […]

This is My Birthday Week – 55 Here I Am!

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 is my 55th birthday. Woo hoo. Manifesting My Destiny My annual plan is to order myself a small cake from the Giant Eagle bakery (even though I’m very disappointed with their customer service right now – they make great cake.) Then I load up my all time favorite movie ‘When Harry […]

Happy birthday to me. Next week, I’ll turn 55.

Content Notes: childhood sexual violence, grooming, birthdays, anxiety, cats I have birthday issues. Not a real surprise to long-time readers. Or my friends. Or anyone who knows me. I used to think it was simple anxiety. But through my trauma processing work and therapy in general, I’ve sort of had a breakthrough. Birthdays are about […]

How to celebrate 54 lesbian birthdays

My big day is here – birthday 54. I am firmly in my mid-fifties. And I’m good. No big plans. Having lunch with a friend. Then I’m going to enjoy some birthday cake from Prantels while watching ‘When Harry Met Sally.’  On a DVD, no less. By myself or rather with the cats. My birthday […]

The Lingering Impact of Slouchy Boots Trends of the 80’s

 A little bit of swashbuckling bravado boots might be just what we need to keep up the fight Laird Borelli, Vogue In my middle school days, fashion trends were aplenty. Most of us kids of steelworkers did not have plenty to spend on them. We settled for knockoffs in a time long before TJ Marshalls and […]

I Love Big Birthdays and I Will Not Lie

Happy Birthday cards

October is my birthday month -Yay! Last year, my birthday  (53) was the first ‘occasion’ while I was homeless and couch surfing with friends. They were lovely. Cooked me a meal I chose, made me a cake from scratch. But I fled the table, overwhelmed by sadness and a tidal wave of all that I […]

The Year Without a Birthday Card

Tomorrow, I’ll celebrate my birthday – I’m turning 53. No Birthday Cards This Year It dawned on me yesterday that I had not received a birthday card. Then it sunk in that the people who sent me cards each year have opted out of my life this year – my wife, her mother, and a […]

Sue’s Birthday Fundraiser for Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities and #ProtectTransKids

October 22, 2022 will be my 52nd birthday. It is also the 1st ‘birthday’ of Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities, a 501c3 I founded to serve the community. It was pretty cool that the Department of State recognized us on that date. For my birthday this year, I’m asking for donations to Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities. PLC is […]

Living With Birthday Anxiety

My birthday is October 22. This year, I turn 52. I’m not at all worried about aging because I was brought up to believe that our 50’s are a great time period. Not THE 50’s but our decade of being 50. To be clear. And that’s proving to be the case. I’m a better version […]

On Day 592 of the Pandemic, I Turn 51 Years Old

First, let me thank the lovely people who have sent good wishes and gifts for the cats. It makes my heart swell. I have two winter cat shelters to be assembled and some funds chipping in to buy a sturdy feeding station for the colony. Another friend sent batteries that are literally keeping the lights […]