Surprise!

Yesterday was actually my 70th birthday. I thought I managed to keep it relatively undercover with just my partner Liz, daughter Andrea, and a few other friends knowing at all.

After choosing where I wanted to go for my birthday dinner out, we headed out. It was chilly enough for one of my lightweight sweaters and leggings.

As we went towards the restaurant I picked, even I figured out we were going the wrong way. I am still fairly new to driving around here and Liz knows all the short cuts, so I trusted her to get us there and I would soon be eating creole cooking soon,

No such luck. We seemingly drove forever before I figured out my birthday venue was going to be denied. I was more than a little upset as we entered this little off the beaten track brew pub. Then I realized I had been scammed. Sitting around a big table was my daughter, grand kids and son in law. I couldn't believe they were able to trick me so completely. At least it was for a good cause.

The beer and food was good. Then came the gifts.

I was given a necklace with my daughter and I's birthstone and the best present of them all...an T-shirt which said "Ohio State University Grandmother." OK, I couldn't help but cry. That simple shirt meant so much to me on so many levels.

Of course, my Granddaughter is a freshman at The Ohio State University (which I am a HUGE fan) and to have the word Grandmother attached was just too much to bear.

So all in all, I had a wonderful birthday. Even though it was a complete surprise!

Nicole Maines

Transgender activist and actor Nicole Maines knew she was a girl around the age of 3 or 4.

“My case is kind of unique because I have a twin brother (Jonas),” she told Ellen Degeneres during an appearance on “Ellen” in 2018. “So, growing up with him, he was identifying with all these male things and feeling very comfortable in his body, and I wasn’t.”

Maines, the subject of this month’s One Book One Valley community read “Becoming Nicole,” slowing began publicly transitioning in the first grade, and officially presented herself as female in the fifth grade, when she changed her name from Wyatt to Nicole.

Nicole Maines stars as Nia Nal/Dreamer, television's first transgender superhero, in The CW's "Supergirl." Season five premieres Sunday, Oct. 6. 

Fall has Fallen

FINALLY! A break from the record hot streak we have seen around here in late September and early October. Today is supposed to be over twenty two degrees cooler than yesterday. Fashion wise, it will help me decide what I am wearing to our latest paranormal ghost hunt tonight,  With the new chillier temperatures and with spending all night in a very old mansion, I have decided to wear a long sleeved t-shirt Liz bought me out in Colorado while we were on vacation. I will pair the t-shirt with my distressed black jeans. My goal is not to scare the spirits and blend in with what the other cis women in the group will be wearing.

As far as footwear is concerned, I am declaring this to be the last day for my walking boot. So, just in case I end up walking a long way tonight, I will have the boot to help me. I have not experienced any discomfort in a while and can't get anyone at the VA to give me an answer. So it's gone tomorrow unless I get a call today.

The ghost hunt tonight will preclude Liz and I going to the monthly cross dresser-transgender social tonight.

But I have been attending the planning meetings for this years' Transgender Day of Remembrance. It's tough on me because I am still so new to the Cincinnati metro area and have very little knowledge of the resources available. What I am trying to do is line-up several transgender speakers of color. So far I have been able to come up with a maybe from two. Overall it's going to be a quality somber event and we want to feature the fact the greatest percentage of tragic transgender murders take place against persons of color.

The event will take place this year on November 20th. To make a long story short, I am proud to provide whatever assistance I can.