Usual Suspects
Into every blog, people wander.
There will be a few wandering in and out of this one. To make things easier for you, dear reader, I’ll tell you who they are:
The FFG Household
There’s me, of course, and The Chihuahua.
The Best Friends
* In order of how long I’ve known them.
Jennifer. Jennifer doesn’t have so much as a Facebook page so I can’t link to her. Jennifer and I met in 1995, when I first came to Kalamazoo. At first, she thought I was a bitch, but not in a good way. Didn’t I say that I am an acquired taste? We became the best of friends and I’d say Jennifer is the one who has the most of my history: the good, the bad, the ugly.
Missterioso. She has also been known as DivaMel and InfoDva at times across the web. M and I met on an email list. Can you remember those? This one was about journaling. She lived near me and her husband had an experience my partner was considering, so I sent her a very long email that began a conversation that has lasted since 2000. We met in real life in 2000 and haven’t stopped laughing since. She and Man Unit (as she calls her husband) make me laugh so hard that I cry.
Scintillectual. Scin & I met because of MySpace, believe it or not. I no longer remember who friend requested whom, but my first trip to visit her was far too short. I was so nervous about going – because, you know, internet relationships don’t always translate into real life – but my worry was for nothing. We got along just as well in person as we did – as we do – on the phone and the internet.
The Family
Sister. That seems to require no explanation, yes? As children, like many siblings, we couldn’t stand each others, we made peace in our teens, our twenties not so much but then she had my niece and we became good friends. I love her, certainly, but I *like* her so much! She is my preferred Road Trip Companion. You have not had a Successful Road Trip until you have gone with Sister. She’s funny, she’ll take her turn at driving without scaring you witless, she doesn’t complain when you have to pee every 2 hours and she knows when to shut up and listen to the book on CD.
Brother in law. Had the good sense to marry my sister. I like him for his-own-self as well. Since I’ve been single this time, he has graciously been my Backup Plan when things don’t go well – putting together my gas grill, for example. He patiently teaches me how to do things that I should have learned, but didn’t, a long time ago. He loves to shop also, so we do that, too.
Niece. Niece is the first child I ever loved. Seriously. She was the most beautiful baby and little girl, so sweet tempered, but independent. She wasn’t the most cuddly of children, but when she succumbed, it was worth the wait! She doesn’t know that she taught me what it was like to love someone fully, unconditionally and to let them see the real me. She did all of that simply by being her and letting me love her. I have so many funny stories about her but, as she is 16 now, I won’t mortify her by telling them to you. At least not here, not now. If you ever ask me about them in real life, I’ll tell! I won’t be able to resist.
Nephew. When Nephew was born, he had colic. For months, he cried at least 20 hours a day. Because of that, I spent one evening a week with Niece and Nephew while their parents went to the movies or out to dinner or whatev. He is what made me decide I could be a parent. I thought Macy was a fluke. But when I loved Lucky, too? Well. That sealed it for me. He’s the coolest kid in the world, I promise you. Lucky is his own person and I am having so much fun seeing who he turns out to be.
Aunt J. My favorite aunt, also a lesbian. I don’t do so much with her and her partner or children, but I’m changing that. The girls, G and M, are 14. (No, not twins. 3 months apart – one was adopted while Jennie was pregnant with the other.) The girls also call me Aunt Barbie, though I’m not actually their aunt. Cousin Barbie sounds wayyy to “people from the mountains of Tennessee” for me, though our family is from there.
The Kibbys. Jen, Teresa and children. Jen & Tee are foster parents, so the children frequently change. Jen and Tee are the parents to my godchildren: Bari, Shawn and Jodi. However, I have informed Jen and Tee that, as much as I love their munchkins, they may not fly together until after I am married.
The Rest of the Suspects
VB(nf)GF. [Very Butch (now former) Girlfriend] I am not sure how to describe VB(nf)GF. She’s a good friend, the sweetest butch and indescribably hot. She’s also 20 years younger than I am, which is why our brief foray into dating didn’t last longer than 8 off-and-on months.
The Ex. I thought this is self-explanatory, but it turns out, not so much. When I refer to The Ex, I mean the one to whom I was married for nearly 8 years. The rest of the women I’ve dated don’t get to be called The Ex. Generally, they either have a Fairyland nickname or they are called by their own initials. Mostly I use the initials because if they are an ex, I don’t wanna use their Fairyland nickname anymore. I will refrain from any pejorative nicknames, however. Just initials.
FNDC. Friday Night Dinner Crew. Once a month, on a Friday night, we have dinner and go to what passes for a gay bar here in Kalamazoo. It’s never the asame exact group twice.
A & K. I met A because she is also a fund raiser (well, I’m not anymore but I was at the time) and had questions about an organization that she volunteered with and for which I had done some consulting. We started talking and here we are. K is her wife and I hope we become friends independently of because I like her quite a lot. They are also The Chihuahua’s most loyal babysitters.
Sprint Everything. The cell phone plan that makes my long-distance-best friendships possible.
Diana
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Darling! You get to update this now that you’ve been to visit! And, yes, I promise I WILL work on making it to MWMF in August even if I am considered a “former” lesbian. LMFAO! Hope HTB doesn’t freak out the whole time thinking I might be hooking up with every hot butch in Michigan.
Lady Di
August 28th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Sweetheart, can you PLEASE update my status to “former lesbian fallout now back in the fold again”? I mean, since I’m fully back to my muff-diving ways, I think it’s only fair, don’t you?