It has been a long month. I could go on and on with the dramas, both large and small that have pervaded Lesbian Central.  Let's just say the highlight of the week was losing (and finding) my cell phone at the Waterfront and losing (and finding) our chihuaha in our back alley. 

Amidst the intensity and up and downs and blog posts and all that, one thing has been sad ... I lost a friend. It matters not who or how, but simply that it is what it is. Losing a friendship is a weird combination of heartwrench and zen.  Your mind is filled with a thousand little moments you want to share and another thousand moments remember that you can't or you won't or you just shouldn't.  You prepare yourself for the inevitable real life contact and feel confident that you can muster up the courtesy and human decency to be amicable, but you realize that you just aren't quite sure what the other person has in mind.  A thought that would not have crossed your mind before the friendship ended.

Faith, I guess is a casualty of being let down when you are most vulnerable.

On a related note, my faith in another friend has grown in leaps and bounds because of unexpected rallying to my side when she was let down and I tried to help.  It isn't nearly the same kind of friendship, but it certainly does give oomph to the door closes/window opens way of looking at the world. I don't think I buy it, but it is nice to have a little bounce.

I expect the worst and foolishly still hope for a gesture of kindness. A gesture to show that I'm not cast aside like a wad of wrapping paper ripped from a shiny new toy.  But it certainly happens.  I don't stack up so well against a Red Rider Rifle (or whatever it is called) or a gift card.  Do people wrap gift cards or is that just a lesbian thing?

I'll think of my former friend tomorrow.  I'll raise my glass to their holiday which I'm sure will be joyful.  Then I'll just not think about it again.  Or I'll try.

Maybe I should have saved this post for New Year's Eve? 

Well, Merry Christmas, to my lost friend.  I genuinely hope all your wishes come true.

Buried not on the front page comes news that Allegheny County Councilwoman Joan Cleary has resigned her seat with no explanation.  Her replacement will be selected by the Dems on the Council and will include someone from Baldwin, Brentwood, Castle Shannon, Clairton, Jefferson Hills, Pleasant Hills, South Park, West Elizabeth, and Whitehall.

Cleary was chair of the Council committee on health and human services so it is particularly of interest to this social worker whom they select to fill her seat. 

So what does it mean for the LGBTQ community?

First, Cleary was on board the Allegheny County Anti-Discrimination/HRC Ordinance from the get go.  Rich Fitzgerald personally told me that fact.  Coming from a somewhat conservative swath of the region, it speaks volumes of her commitment to fairness.  It most likely speaks to the lessons she's learned as a nurse.  I'd like to think Ms. Cleary thought Allegheny County employees deserved health insurance for their families, even if they were gay, but I have no confirmation of that wishfu thinking.  What matters is who doesn't.  And ...pow ...wait for the smack downs on that little zinger. (I just can't let it go while people supporting Obamacare deny Onoratocare -- hey, I sort of like that).

Her role on health and human services is critical.  As a practicioner, she brough invaluable insight from the trenches.  Whether she worked in cosmetic surgery or on the streets, she surely experienced the best and worst of our health care system.  I can't imagine mastering the County's vast Departments of Health and Human Service as a PT councilor on top of the day to day work.  We are fortunate with a lot of resources and programs, but it is important to have a watchdog. 

I've had the privilege of working in the health, housing child welfare, mental health and mental retardation fields during my career.  I've worked with people living in poverty through all of it.  I want someone experienced, smart and committed to equality in this seat. 

I don't want to read this next year (Cleary voted against this -- she probably read it).

Amid the arguing, the members agreed that in the future they would not vote on amendments without reading them and possibly referring them to committees for consideration.

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