I Need All the "Culture" I can Get!

One of the fascinating positives I have learned about my partner (Liz) is how many interests she has which off set mine.  First of all, she can do all the things I can't like sing, draw and craft items.  She works with jewelry, necklaces and knitting pieces too.  I can't carry a tune, can't draw stick figures and would injure myself knitting.

Although, I have enough interests to go around, on occasion I feel a little bad or even behind when she asks to go places which feature any kind of art.  I have always fancied myself as a person who could appreciate art but then get lost in the ideas. Plus I am totally in awe of anyone who has artistic ability.  An example was a weekend or so ago when we had a chance to go to a mini art viewing in a craft brewery. Talk about ideal! Of course I said yes. One of the artists was a tall blond who locked eyes with me for a moment. Of course I wondered if she read me as trans and I was wondering how she got that tall.  The meeting of the eyes was brief and she went about her business and I went about finding the beer...priorities.

Look, I do appreciate the work an artist puts into their pieces but I'm always trying to prove to Liz  I'm not such an uncultured hillbilly girl from Southern Ohio after all and recently I had a prime chance.

Pamela Ann Reed (right)  is a transgender artist from Columbus, Ohio who is on the cusp of getting her work into a few major shows.  I have corresponded with Pamela in the past on Facebook primarily since we live so close to each other.

Pamela's Art Sample

The last time we "chatted" I asked her why she didn't plan on showing her art at the annual "Trans Ohio" meeting which I presented at last year.  She said she did and of course I felt like an idiot!

Always being the one to attempt to turn a negative into a positive. (I'm used to screwing up and shoving my foot into my mouth.)  I thought immediately of how fascinated Liz would be with her work.  For once I could bring class and culture to the relationship! Yay! I asked Pamela about meeting Liz and she graciously said sure and why wait until the end of May when Trans Ohio happens.

So, as soon as we get out from under this nasty Polar Vortex winter cycle, it turns out Liz and I have a vortex of fun we can do.  Other than visiting Pam, we need to try to get down towards Lexington, Kentucky and have coffee with transgender author Bobbie and her wife.

I'll make a believer out of Liz yet!  Jimmy Buffet tickets just went on sale for his legendary summer concert in Cincinnati and rumor has it I may be more of a parrot head than a regular orchestra concert goer....maybe all of this will help me be a balanced person!

Transgender Music

Ever heard of Angelica Ross? Quite by accident I came across a site called trans-genre which spot lights transgender artists. Here is a part of Angelica's story:

"Angelica’s journey began when she graduated high school at the age of 17, to avoid 1 more year of spiritual torture. Angelica traveled, from Racine to Rochester, NY where she was recruited by the U.S. Navy. They knew this black blonde-haired boy didn’t belong when she showed up to the physical with her toenails painted, but they enrolled her anyway. Angelica spent 6 months in the military stationed in Yokusko, Japan which ended abruptly after she was almost killed by a few of her shipmates who hung her out of a 3rd story window to force her to admit she was gay. That was the catapult that gave Angelica the drive to begin to live her life for herself. When she got back on American soil, she began the transformation process at the age of 19 while living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Angelica then began a long career of modeling & acting under the radar. Her agency had no clue for years, until she confided in a gay booking agent at the agency, who became a friend and ally, in getting Angelica work in music videos, runway, and print & commercial, which took away some of the stress by having someone on the “inside” who knew and was looking out for her. But, Angelica would turn down work, after assessing certain jobs would be too stressful for her if anyone were to find out."

Go here for more!