belated bullet points
So much has happened since I last posted that I’m going to summarise, in no particular order…
- went to Melbourne for Rainbow Families Symposium… got very inspired by all the well-informed, articulate, politically motivated and absolutely committed parents and researchers… now very able to respond to right wing ‘concerns’ over our families with responses informed by academic studies!
- in an effort to ‘gather data’ on ovulation, had 6 blood tests in 7 days… and have track marks to show for it. So weird how someone with my history of ‘experimentation’ should end up so surrounded by needles… at least the acupuncture is going well…
- spent a lot of time negotiating with donors, both 'new' and 'old'... and couldn't post on the discussions until I'd cleared everything with both; kind of an ethical responsibility. Up shot is I'm electing to proceed with a very old friend who has an emotional commitment as opposed to the more ‘political commitment’ of my second donor (who will still be a ‘fairy god-parent’). This scenario has got ‘potential complications’ written all over it, and yet it ‘feels right’. I wonder again whether I am in fact a romantic fool in disguise as a cynic?
- dealing with family court phobias in further ongoing mediation. Made the very great leap (due acknowledgments - inspired by some self-development a la ‘Landmark Education’) to forgive ex for the way he’s been treating me… now moving on to possibilities of a more generous and confident/powerful relationship with him. Haven’t told Lawyer yet and am anticipating lots of muttering/tutt-tutting/howls of contemptuous laughter…
- can honestly say I feel liberated by the new ‘be true to thyself’ philosophy… can say/do/post anything and know that, whatever the criticism, I’ll be reconciled with me… realised how much of my life I’ve lived in fear of ‘bad mother/daughter/friend/filmmaker’ accusations…
- got friends to lop off my hair on a camping trip... now I look more like the baby-dyke I feel like on the inside... don't appearances have a weird and wacky impact on identity? Meanwhile I finally turned 37 ;-/
- got some funding for the development of the doco/on-line project… not quite as much as we asked for, but a positive endorsement nevertheless and I’ll be able to pay a few people a little for all their labours on the project thus far…
- to come… lots of the digital storytelling participants are happy to upload their pieces so I’ll be posting them over the next couple of weeks - if you register for updates you won’t have to keep checking or wait for my e:mail reminders ; )
- thanks for comments and feedback from both public and private respondents… still curious as to why some of you have chosen to e:mail me privately with general thoughts that other readers may have enjoyed sharing… does anyone have any ideas on further on-line community building strategies we may like to consider if we get to go ahead and build the large scale ‘family tree’ site?
July 4th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
What’s this………….baby dyke? You’ll always be a full-blown dyke to me, baby.
July 4th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Cheeky! Will take that as a complement… it takes a while to grow out of self-doubt, no? xx
July 4th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
The cynical disguise never fooled me for a second - imho you’re too honest with yourself and others to be too much of either the cynic or the romantic fool. Take the best of both and enjoy the grey zone in between.
Feels right here too (even with these panicky feelings I’m beginning to experience). Here’s hoping any of the complications we encounter are of the passing, ‘look back and laugh about it’ variety.
Mx
July 5th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Again am astounded by all the revealing. On the one hand I think the whole blog scenario, particularly yours and it’s content, the notion of coming along with you on this most complex of journeys, is a great and extraordinary privilege…
Then there’s the other hand which baulks at the idea of making the private public. This is the first time I’ve had a friendship with someone who reveals the same stuff in a personal, one and one, then writes it up on their very public website. Not saying I don’t want the friendship, in fact, for the amount we get to see each other, it’s a good way of finding out what you’re up to!
The first time I entered your realm I was equal parts cringing and intrigued. Now I’m more intrigued. Is this what this form does, do you think?
All questions and doubts aside, I’ll be back here on a regular basis. I love that you’re doing it. How brave and up front you are. Already this is one of my favourite stories.