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What the HECK Happened to My Ankle?

6/26/2016

Orchard at Almont New Church Assembly (click for Facebook)

The incident with my ankle injury took place on May 22, 2016

*NOTE: THIS was going to be my first blog post, but the situation in Orlando, FL took precedence.

The scene looks so innocent. A beautiful lawn. Blooming trees. You can almost hear the birds in the background. And yes, it is beautiful. I've been attending summer camp at Almont since 1978 and I adore the place. A few things have changed but the big, green carpet of lawn has pretty much stayed the same. That is probably why snakes, gophers, groundhogs, etc. consider it a great place to call home.
This is where it all took place.

It was a work weekend and boy were people, both young and old, working their tails off!
Here are some of the efforts pictured below.
Photo Credit: Heather Oelker (pictured below gardening)

And yes, I was riding high (pictured by fire) only to be taken down by an animal's home.

The result of stepping in a hole in the ground (animal's home) is pictured to the right. I've been doing my best to keep it elevated with ice--but I have things to do and people to see!

I've had plenty of thinking time since being off my feet. Admittedly, not doing as much healing as needed. This feels like a core issue--and those are difficult for me to get excited to tackle from a healing perspective. However, I have been observing A LOT of what has transpired since this incident. One of the first things I did when I got home from the work weekend was look at the Louise Hay information about ankles. Then I used intuition to discern that the issue at hand was about "not being able to receive blessings in life." Boy oh boy, did that ring true. While in observer-mode, I've been seeing what's happened in my life relates to this statement.

So, I have my homework in front of me and I think I am ready to do some healing. I will let you know what I find out.

This is what's been going through my mind as I take in all that's happened since I got hurt. (Bitstrip is with my mentor, Brenda)

You can't tell in the picture, but it's elevated!

This is a good perspective, but still doesn't address healing issues.

What was happening during my time of observation? Well, things seemed to get really wacky in the universe. There was a combination of this particular core issue coming to surface at time when energetically and cosmically things were out of alignment. Perhaps that is WHY this issue came to surface. AMIRIGHT?

Needless to say it's all fun and games until your body, car, home, relationships take a hit.
I'll share some pictures to illustrate this point.

AAA to the rescue. Shout out to Bob's Towing in St. Johns.

Sad, flat tire.

It was a hell of a week this past week: 1) Fighting with care providers who dropped the ball completely to get me into an orthopedist, 2) Getting car fixed (yay!) only to have a tire blow-out the next day occur TEN MINUTES from said orthopedist appointment (weird traffic delay before the blow out, too) (boo!) 3) Ending up back at dealership that replaced bad tire the day before 4) Running errands to appointments the next day and finding whole city blocks without power causing anarchy driving tactics and finding closed roads that were open the previous day.

If it wasn't clear that healing needed to occur--this week drove that point home (pun intended).

Update: I have been to see an orthopedist who informed me that it is a really bad sprain and that recovery will be at least eight weeks. I am doing my best to figure out a balance between my daily routine and taking care of the injury. I'm still going about life--just in a different way.

I will continue to examine the spiritual issue(s) that led up to such an injury.
I definitely don't want the next bitch slap from the Universe.

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Still Grieving...Leave a Message

6/19/2016

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Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Pixabay

Photo: PIxabay

Photo: Pixabay

RESOURCE LIST AT
BOTTOM OF PAGE!
click here

It’s been a week since the Orlando massacre… and what a week. What has emerged? Grief, guns, religion, politicos—oh my! I guess, the usual…but perhaps felt on a deeper level. Why? For the queer community the grief runs deep as it was not only a larger number of our community shot, killed, and injured—but it was in our safe space. Our haven—the gay/queer nightclub—is no longer safe and that has shaken us to our cores. There have been many responses to this particular aspect of the event, one of which being more police patrols at Pride events and our queer club scene. On the outside this is supposed to be comforting and I don’t doubt that there are many well-intentioned police officers who are taking this task with utmost care and concern. However, for our community it poses more threats than safety. See, our community has not had a good relationship with law enforcement historically. You can read about it here and here. And so there are members of our community who will stay home—isolated because of fear from the increased security response. This isolation is but one element that causes much harm in our community. It is what contributes to mental illness, suicide, and other health concerns. It is not time for us to be isolated…and Pride events along with our club scene are two of many ways for us to be in community and check in with one another. You see, many can’t go to church. Many of us are still closeted at work. School is out and the youth who are fortunate enough to be part of a gay-straight alliance are without support--for those who are lucky to have this.

Many youth are in unsupportive homes with bullies down the hallway as well as in the neighborhood and so they are on the street or friends' couches. The youth…The youth…The youth. How are we caring for them when they can’t enter the club scene or attend Pride events for a wide variety of reasons? You see, what the shooter took away was life—on many levels. And we are feeling it. It will take time to process this. So no, many of us aren’t ok—far from it—but who has the words for all of this?

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say
to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” ~Fred Rogers

Fred Rogers Public Domain

There are helpers. In many ways, I am one—but man alive it’s hard for me to get there. Who have been the helpers? Yes, there are many heroes who were present during and right after the event. The care-givers in the hospital are at the top of the list for me along with the first responders, too. Friends have been my lampposts this week and have helped me. I’m doing my best to connect with others and make resources available.

Tulane Public Relations

Click here to take you to Anderson Cooper's tribute of the victims from the Orlando shooting at Pulse Nightclub.

Anderson Cooper is a helper in that he helped our country learn who these victims were. Everyone was honored and you find out that they lived and had personality--just like you and me. Anderson Cooper humanized a situation that many people want to sweep under the carpet. The downside is that people were outed during this tragedy.

Photo: Pixabay w/edits

And then there’s been isolation for me, too; and at the same time having to be and educator while in the pit of grief. I, like many in the queer community, am tired of having to explain to straight people, “What’s taking so long.” Or, “Did you know someone in Orlando?” Ugh, the exhaustion. Yes, I do know people there personally—and I, like so many, did receive alerts via Facebook safety feature—which was unsettling because it brought it home on a new level. Regardless, it’s called #MissingThePoint for crying out loud! (And I am crying out loud) We didn't have to know anyone there personally for us to have such deep grief. You can read last week's blog to see why each and everyone of us in the queer/trans community identifies with this tragic event. Straight people are back to work wondering why the queer community is such a mess—again. Maybe, just maybe if we had non-discrimination acts in place, the ability to go the the (expletive) bathroom in peace, or not have to fear the local bully--we would be more resilient. So I am asking for your patience on behalf of an entire community in mourning. Maybe just listen. Maybe read other articles, but don't be silent. Don't let it happen again.

And who's talking about queer people of color?

Photo: NOH8 via Everyday Feminism

Is anyone having this conversation?
I am doing my best to shed light and not erase the facts of the tragedy; however, as a cis, white person I am inevitably going screw it up...but not if I can help it.
This was an hate crime committed during Latinx Night at a gay/queer club. A haven. This tragedy hit a marginalized community within a marginalized community. When resources are spread thin…who is left behind? For people of color--specifically the trans population--and undocumented queer folks—this kind of attack hits to the core and resources are difficult to come by.

We need you, allies--now more than ever.

We need care and our care providers within the community (myself included) are worn out. We need our allies. Please be there for us. Let me repeat that: BE there for us. We need not only safe space but space without having to explain ourselves—that may not sound that difficult but it can go a long way. It can be live-giving and that is what matters.

Photo: Pixabay

I want you to know that you are loved.
FIERCELY! By me and the God I know.
If you take nothing from this post other than that...I've done okay.
Wherever you are and whenever you read this--soak this in.

Here are some resources if you need them:

Queer People of Color Coalition: click here

Trans Lifeline: click here or call:
US: (877) 565-8860 Canada: (877) 330-6366

GLBT National Help Center: click here or call: (888) 843-4564

The Trevor Project: click here or call: (866) 488-386

National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
click here or call: (800) 273-8255
Text "GO" to 741-741 24/7

SEND A MESSAGE TO ME ON THIS SITE:

MESSAGE JENN

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I Am Pulse/We Are Orlando

6/14/2016

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Families of Victims:
Central spot for information and help:
Hampton Inn 43 Columbia St. (right across from ORMC)
Official Help line number: 407-246-4357.
Counseling for the families at the Hamptons
and going forward at Orlando UU Church.
(Information posted via seminary classmate 6/12/16)

Photo Credit: Melissa Etheridge Mentors America

I had a different idea for my first official blog post on this website. It was not supposed to be this kind of post. It never is. However, that isn't what happened. The massacre in Orlando is on my mind and heart--along with my whole community.

I'm still in shock so the words aren't going to come out smoothly. My emotions are raw and spilling out all over the place. What I realize is that it could've been me in that bar that night. Everyone in the queer community is aware of this. Everyone.

I attended three vigils in Lansing on Sunday, June 12th.
I felt compelled to be at each venue.
I'm sharing my reflections from each one with a slideshow of lanterns at the bottom.
Not sure what I hope to gain from this--maybe just a place to share my thoughts.
There is also a call to action below the slideshow.

State Capitol Building: Lansing, Michigan

The Rock at Michigan State University

50 Lanterns in memory of the lost lives: Spiral Dance Bar

The Lansing Association of Human Rights (LAHR) hosted the candlelight vigil at the State Capitol Building. It was a moving event beginning with the cast of "Rent" (from local theater production) to come sing, "Seasons of Love" which brought everyone to tears if--we weren't already crying. We heard from Mayor Virg Bernero, the director of LAHR, and then Rev. Nicolette Siragusa led the spiritual portion ending in prayer and silence. There was hugging, checking in with each other, and making sure people were getting the care they needed. This is the heart of the community which can't be destroyed--as fragile as it is.

Photo Credit: LAHR

The haters want us to be divided but we won't be. We refuse to be. They don't understand what family of choice means: togetherness. The opposition would like to see us at odds with one another. What they probably weren't expecting were representatives from the local Islamic community to be at the vigil--but they were. The opposition doesn't understand what it takes to build community, only how to destroy.

I headed over to the campus of Michigan State University where folks were gathering at The Rock. It's a place on campus where a whole host of organizations have painted the famous symbol for a wide variety of causes and events. Student leaders from the Academic Orientation Program (AOP), beginning on June 13th, typically paint The Rock the night before orientation begins. This meant that The Rock was already "reserved." However, staff from the LBGT Resource Center worked with these student leaders to create the memorial pictured above. It was a beautiful collaboration of organizations with a common goal: to mark this time in history. I'm sure it looked different from what they imagined they would be painting and they will be different due to this experience. There is beauty in that.

For the vigil, the leadership team of the LBGT Resource Center, school administrators, and students shared their voices in speaking truth to what creates such horrific and violent events, their experiences, and the exhaustion from having to continue to gather due to crises and chaos.

Photo Credit: Sarah Hoyt Courtney/Spiral

The final vigil I attended was at Spiral Dance Bar in the Old Town section of Lansing. The event planned at this venue was to release 50 lanterns in memory of the lives lost in Orlando. It was more emotional than I anticipated, given that I was walking into a gay bar--the venue where lives were lost during the tragedy. However, I knew that many people could not do this for a variety of reasons and so I strengthened my resolve to continue. I ran into familiar faces and that was comforting.

We all stood silent watching the lights go up in the sky. I stayed a while to watch the drag show as I knew one of the queens personally. When all was said and done--I was wrung out! Maybe there is more to say but I just can't find the words right now. In the mean time, I will be focusing on gathering people together and working on this thing called love--which is a work in progress for me...

What can we do?

Sign the petition to ban assault rifles here.
Find your Senator here.
Find your Representative here.
Tips for talking to legislators here.

What the HECK Happened to My Ankle?

Still Grieving...Leave a Message

I Am Pulse/We Are Orlando

What can we do?

Vlog Intro to the Page

Jenn says:

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