Please Come!

Constantly I find myself fighting the urge to not join in or participate in something--actually in everything.

Big parties, rather not go. The movie everyone is talking about, I probably won't be seeing.

I recognize that my reclusiveness is not always personally beneficial. And so it is with reticence that I force myself out into the world. Even though it's so nice at home curled up with a good book.

Ugh. I just received an invitation.

I don't even want to open it. I was just going to make myself a little green tea and have some quiet time, but now I have to find out who this invitation is from.

Excuse me while I take a moment to sigh heavily.

The invitation is from the Empowering Spirits Foundation--I like them. Not that I want to go to their party, but I do like them.

So their thing is next month. Oh, God. They already have like 400 people attending.

Ugh. Yikes!

Excuse me while I take another moment to sigh heavily. This time the sigh is panic-laced. (I don't do well in crowds).

Oh wait!

On closer inspection I see that Empowering Spirits Foundation isn't inviting me to their place. They are asking me to fill out the census in the comfort of my own home.

Which I guess means they will not be providing any type of refreshments. That's not the way I would throw a party. Best not to quibble since this means I don't have to leave my house.

I wasn't certain that I was even going to fill out the census form because I thought homosexuals didn't count. But according to Empowering Spirits, who I trust even if they don't really know how to throw a party, it's vital that the LGBT community fill out the forms.

Why, you ask?

Because, according to Jamie Grant, the director of the Policy Institute at The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, “Without data, you have no community portrait, and without a portrait, you have no needs, you have no identity, you have no funding; the census has always had a civil rights component to it.”

Oh, and there are only 10 questions. So we can fill it out fast and then get to the party.

Oh, right. Empowering Spirits Foundation is not throwing an actual party, it's more of a virtual thing. I know I don't like going out, but this is such a big deal. And it's only once every ten years. So...

You know what? I bet I can find their address. (how hard could it be? I mean, how many Empowering Spirit Foundations could there be?)

I make crazy good stuffed mushrooms. I'm thinking we grab are forms, we head over to the foundation. Somebody could make a crudites--that's always nice. I know they're tacky but I love a pig-n-blanket. (And I don't think I'm alone). Vino. Anybody?

We take two--three minutes tops-- to fill out the form. Then it's party time.

Because--well--we exist.

Therefore, we deserve to be counted. Don't you think?

So. Everybody. In?

See you next month.