Back from the Dead: Bloggers at Creating Change

Here is the thing: I never get sick. I don't know why. That's just the way it is. So when I began to cough and sniffle last week I hoped it would not turn out to be my first bout with the flu virus since the start of the millenium. Specially as I had a scheduled trip.

Instead, it was a miracle I made it to Detroit on Thursday for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Creating Change conference - and survived to tell the tale!

Let's just say I spent Thursday and Friday having an out of body experience in my hotel bedroom (at least that's what I call it).

And that I managed to get in good enough shape to boogie the night away last night in the company of comedian Kate Clinton and her partner, Urvashi Vaid (a former Task Force Executive Director); Lorri L. Jean, Chief Operating Officer of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center (also a former Task Force Executive Director); and a hundred or so other revelers who honored activist Trishala Deb of the Audre Lorde Project in a secret annual ceremony that ended with a "Pomp and Circumstance" march down the elevators into the Detroit's Marriot Hotel Renaissance Center (Shh! Don't tell anyone!).

Back in New York tonight, feeling much better. Day off tomorrow so I might very well have recovered 100% by the time I get back to work.

One good thing: I got to meet some other bloggers at a small get together organized by Bilerico. Pictured above (l-r): H. Alexander Robinson from the National Black Justice Coalition; Lane Hudson, the former Human Rights Campaign staffer who exposed Florida State Representative Mark Foley for his indiscretions; blogger Wayne Besen; Bilerico's Bil Browning; former GLAAD staffer and current PR maven Cathy Renna; Bilerico's Jerame Davis and - hm - yours truly (even though I don't think I was feeling my best just yet as the photo was taken on Friday).

Here is more about Bilerico contribuitors. Here's Mike Roger's take.