Cyrsti's Condo

Well, in my family, Thanksgiving Day has come and gone ushering in the commercial frenzy of Christmas (which if I live long enough, will start on Labor Day in September!) Yes, there was also the too bountiful meal with bunches of kids, way too serious discussions on politics and sports. I have become in many ways the androgynous patriarch of the family who lost my significant inheritance in a failed business and a wife of 25 years. Nearly eight years ago, around Thanksgiving. I used to be the "elephant" in the room with my transgender secret that most of the family thought they had an inkling of. In the past, I had a tendency to just be passive in my participation, not knowing from one year to the next when my androgyny would lead to a full time "hey look at me Thanksgiving." The fun part this year was interacting with several of the older grand kids (12-17 year old range).  Of course I already knew how incredibly diverse my two oldest grand kids are but I did

Your commute is destroyed by...a pissed off rampaging drag queen?  Just imagine what your local traffic reporter would say?  Don't go that way!  Stay back and you don't have to tip the queen to get through! I'm fairly sure I've seen a few drag queens who looked like they were close to that tall in their heels! I saw a queen do a back flip in heels one night and about swallowed my beer bottle! Not real feminine!

Over the years I have watched several drag shows where the drag queens came out later, out of drag.  I must say I was sort of disappointed when my illusion was shattered.  I'm the last person you would think who wouldn't  know the drag queen was an illusion.  I suppose too I was always on the outlook for a trans person in the show who I could identify with later.  I don't watch many drag shows though and it has been years since I have seen a real live transgender woman who obviously was on HRT, get up on the stage and perform. The video I'm passing along on the Cyrsti's Condo big screen goes into the same category. Perhaps you have seen Heidi Phox on YouTube or other places on the web.  She is and has always been gorgeous.  I always wondered though in some spots she identifies as a cross dresser and a transgender woman in others.  I understand now after watching this transformation video.  I give her all the credit in the world for doing it!

Here we go again, Thanksgiving week is behind us and the legal Christmas season is allowed to start. We have a lot to cover this week! Entertainment Section: Last night I was the social "butterfly" and made stops at two events. The first was at the Rubi Girls Show in Dayton, Ohio, compliments of my daughter.  I have mentioned this group before and hesitate to even call their work "drag shows".  Drag "production" is a far better word.  The Rubi Girls don't perform much but have been around for years and have raised over a million dollars for AIDS research. One of them was even my oldest grandson's teacher last year.  That fact alone would seemingly make me biased but with the Rubi Girls I don't have to be.  They are absolutely the funniest and most enjoyable drag group in our area.  If you have a chance to see them... DO IT! Also last night was the Equality Springfield Ohio show/fundraiser.  I took off from the Rubi Girls and made it in ti

If you have been following any of my "Pride" area event listings here in Cyrsti's Condo , perhaps you remember me mentioning the Yellow Springs, Ohio second annual event last weekend. To give you a little background on Yellow Springs, it's located maybe 20 miles from Dayton, south of Springfield and is the original hippie village. It was no huge surprise then when the organizers put together a wonderful event topped off by a performance by the Rubi Girls . You have read me rave about them before and I was really excited to see the show. As luck would have it, I met another friend at Peaches in Yellow Springs about an hour or so before the show and even then barely got a seat. If you live in the Dayton, Ohio area-this is a must see drag show. In fact I hesitate to even call it a drag show. Not very many drag queen wannabes are covering " The a Morning After ", a touch of the " Love Boat " and even " MacArthur Park ". I was laughing s

Getting back to last weekend at the Trans Ohio Symposium, following the mental stress of my workshop my girlfriend and I thought maybe naps would be in order before we hit the streets of Columbus.  As I wrote in a previous post, the mental stress came from both of us listening to me! I also considered I was suffering from the symptoms of "low testosterone" Oh wait-I am according to my endocrinologist. Saturday evening a show was planned at a venue called Wall Street Nightclub in downtown C-bus.  I have always been fond of Wall Street as it was one of my first places I went coming out of the closet before the days of electric light. Once again, the venue and the show did not disappoint. The acts were creative and crossed all ends of the gender spectrum. In fact sometimes it was difficult to figure out who was who doing what. A real pleasant change from the usual drag show! Another difference was the timing of the show. It actually started on time at nine and was over by 11

Here we go transgender (excuse me!) drag history buffs! (left) The first Miss Gay America Pageant - Center-Charlie Brown, First Runner Up.Miss Gay America 1971- Norma Kristie (All photos from the private collection of Jerry Peek) From the Out and About Magazine: "All across the country people are discovering the art of female impersonation, and drag shows are doing big business in most major US cities and many smaller towns. RuPaul’s Drag Race has brought attention to the art form to the masses, and drag is appealing to a wider variety of audiences than it has in years". "The Miss Gay America pageant is unique in that all contestants must be biologically male. No transgender performers, and no drag artists taking female hormone therapies or having undergone cosmetic surgeries below the neck are allowed to compete. Long-time pageant owner Norman Jones is acknowledged as the force behind the success of MGA, owned since 2005 by Larry Tyger and Terry Eason, but

As I look back on a very active and exciting year in my gender journey, I thought a time line may be appropriate to attempt to put the year in focus: New Years Eve 2012...took my first Estrogen and Spiro. HRT begins. February...Breast changes starting. March...My private Doctor increased minimum Estro dosage and told me he was changing practices- not good as I was to find out. The VA would not pay for his services. Skin going through amazing changes. Discovered the value of taking a bath in 10w-30 oil to take care of it.  Woman aren't just being girly with all their skin products they are a necessity! May...VA told me there was no in house specialist to prescribe my meds but they would continue to fill them. That sounds better than it was because I had "hit the wall" with my changes and I wanted more. So, I scheduled another VA therapist appointment to pursue options..which she did and told me the magic word "Patient Advocate". At that point I decided if

This post is the continuation of the family Thanksgiving story I recently passed along. As you may know or remember, my daughter has been a huge  proponent of my transgender transition and my son in law has followed. Before she and the grand kids took off last night my daughter took me off guard by insisting I join her and her girlfriends at a special show they attend every year by the " Ruby Girls" drag act   where we live. Let me point out while I'm out to her and she has seen pictures of me we have never been together one on one. After my brief panic attack subsided, I decided it was time again to "hitch up my big girl panties" and do it. Hell yes my daughter and I at a drag show and her friends? Scratch the panic and get on with the fun. Let the new Era begin with a flourish!