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Two weeks before the #Decommitment in August 2023, we went on a week long vacation in Western PA. We stayed in a sweet B&B then our favorite motel by the shore of Lake Erie. Little did I know it might be my last. I don’t have the resources for even a modest trip – I […]
For the past 16 months, I have been unable to ride in a vehicle driven by a stranger – especially in the back seat. This is a trauma reaction to the time I was put in handcuffs, put in the backseat of a police car, fastened, and taken away from my home under the pretext […]
Let me tell you about my friend, Amy L. We grew up together in West Mifflin, kept in touch over the years. She landed in Upstate NY where she raised her two kids, now adults. She worked in the retail grocery world for like 20 years before pivoting to a civil service exam at age […]
Amy has been my friend since at least 1974 when we both started kindergarten. She shared her home with a cat, a dog, and a granddog on occasion. She saw my post about the holiday pet food drive and responded. Her donation included a bag of dental treats for each of our households. What a […]
Tomorrow, I am going home. It was more than six months ago since I was removed from my home of 18+ years with an invalid petition to involuntarily commit me. I was released in under five hours. But the locks to my home were changed. A good family lawyer righted that wrong, but it took […]
And when the music playsAnd when the words areTouched with sorrowWhen the music playsAnd when the music playsI hear the soundI had to follow I recently had a chat with a high school classmate about the long-ago rift in our friendship and the chance to offer an apology. They said I was a gossip. And […]
Resisting social anxiety, holiday edition. Anxiety has been a mighty foe of mine since forever. In addition to missing outings and events, it has severed my ties to my friends and colleagues. My world grew much smaller, but I didn’t even feel it happening. When I was forced to leave my home 3+ months ago, […]
I am exhausted. Every single interaction with other human beings requires a complex series of negotiations and calculations that include the scientific facts, the interpersonal dynamics, the safety, and more. Earlier this week, we had to go to Lowe’s to purchase an in-store only item for our kitchen. I step out of the car, triple […]
Name: Bill Age: 52 County of Residence: Cambria, formerly Indiana Preferred Pronouns: he, him How do you describe your identity? A white gay man who is not butch or fem. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I never formally came out to most family members. Over time it became […]
He wouldn’t want a fuss. He didn’t liked being fussed over. More than likely, he’d want solitude and not be particularly thrilled to turn 50. He would definitely not want to me to write (another) blog post about him. “You have to move on, Susie,” he would admonish me. “Stop living in the past.” Past […]
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