The New Year weekend turned into an extremely troubling time. The person whom we had sent to Oregon in July called us to say that she was being evicted from a battered women's shelter in Brooklyn because she is trans. This is a violation of human rights law in New York City, but the law is not implemented for trans people. Chelsea and I agreed tro take her back because she is an extremely bright, talented, and loving person, albeit a diamond in the rough. The rest of the people in the house rose in anger against us because they did not want to live with this person. It was extremely tense, eventually leading to a beserko Scottish episode in which I pointed out in a rage that everyone in the house had come here as a homeless person, and they should not be blocking someone from having a safe place to stay. Eventually we all settled down and things have been peaceful for the past 10 days. Then two other friends were made homeless, so we took in two more temporary residents to sleep on a mat in the alcove to the office. This picture shows the three old newcomers. Now we are up to nine, which makes things very tight physically and emotionally. Nevertheless, we are moving into the New Year with optimism and good cheer. Colin is back in New Orleans for the Spring semester, and the baby is developing apace. My New Year's resolution is mundane: get more exercise, eat healthy, and lose 10 pounds.
Rhona McMahan