It's Fun Being A Girly Girl

YAY! Tomorrow night is New Years Eve. Yet another chance to look back on the dumb and smart things I did during 2015. Guess which out numbers the other? However, crashing through the world like a pin ball machine for me has nothing to do with being transgender.

Roebling Bridge

I am looking forward today to doing some real live girl stuff to prep for an evening out with Liz. This year we are going back to the Cincinnati Music Hall to hear the Cincinnati Pops do a Frank Sinatra tribute...then head down to the river to eat at one of our fave places with this view of the "Roebling Bridge" over the Ohio River. (If the architecture looks familiar-it's because Roebling went on to build the 'Brooklyn Bridge' in NYC.)

Of course, my usual jeans and sweater/boots outfits I wear most of the time won't work for the evening. So, I'm working with a couple outfit ideas I have thought of. It's a radical idea I know, but this year I am going to try them on ahead of time. I simply don't have the funds to go on a big shopping spree - or even a small one but I do have quite a few pieces in my wardrobe to work with. Plus I love to work with scarves!

To start with though, I have two big factors to think about. How cold is it going to be. Is the weather going to be dry and how will my weight fluctuations effect my outfit. The weather is going to be dry, down into the 20's and my weight is significantly down (still) from last year. (If I keep eating like I am-it won't be.)

The only real item of clothing I may have to work around is an old set of dress "culottes" I like to wear with a belted crochet style top. My other choice would be one I wore a couple weeks ago when Liz and I went out for dinner. I take a long fringed top, belt it at the waste and wear a black light sweater and leggings under it with ballet flats.

I think either outfit would work with my long wool coat specifically and my short leather maybe. Like I wrote, I will know by the time the afternoon is over.

Finally, I have my "Big Four"  of considerations to look at: 

1. Does the outfit fit the occasion?
2. Is the outfit comfortable to wear?
3. Will the outfit fit the overall 'spirit' of the occasion (and not embarrass my partner?)
4. Am I careful to not go "over the top" and look like a drag queen?

Assuming all those are a "go" I have another special treat planned for myself today after I wash and blow dry my hair-I I finally  have hands which are sufficiently healed to paint today and add some Jamberry decoration!

What the 'Bleep???'

It's that time kids...The end of a year, which of course always forces us to think "What the Bleep?" Did I do that? 

As 2016 rapidly approaches, it's time to do just that...over a couple posts.

First things first though. Yesterday Liz and I attended the one year memorial of the tragic suicide of transgender teen  Leelah Alcorn. The tough subject was handled with class and dignity.

2015 for me also marked the most serious health scare of my life, which resulted in suspension of my estrogen until the Doc's tracked my liver/iron problems. Fortunately, the first new prescription (of two) came in the mail recently (as you probably read here in Cyrsti's Condo.) I never had to stop my testosterone blocker though.

Estrogen is a funny critter.  Over the years I have found many in the "community" have taken the hormone illegally to the point of injury. And, others have used the fact they were on estrogen mainly to brag and seemingly use it to hammer others. Something like "Whoo Hoo!" I'm on the 'Juice' -nadee-nadee-boo boo!

Then there is Maria!: 

Good luck, Girlfriend! I'm GG and they won't give me HRT (which I need due to a hysterectomy 25 years ago) because my mom had breast cancer. I am happy for you, though. For sure. Wishing you all the best.

Thanks Maria !! I had been on estrogen for approximately three years. Enough to feel and understand the changes I was going through. I think you need the full three to have any idea of the effects, or should I say the nuances on a male body.

My goal is now (as I begin again) is to be a quicker "study" of the feminine changes which will be happening again.

Finally, here is my usual HRT disclaimer: Just because I (or anyone) is on HRT does not mean I am a more accomplished transgender woman than anyone else. I'm not a Doc of any sorts, but for ME the balance of way less testosterone and way more estrogen in my body has been completely and totally dramatic. Consider too, you may be already have higher estrogen or testosterone levels to deal with.

In my next post we are going to look at the the boring but equally as dramatic world of gender markers and how they mesh with HRT. 

Where is That Damn Mailman?

Not that don't think the mailman isn't the most sexy guy in the world normally, but yesterday he became even more desirable when he dropped off the first set of estrogen patches from the VA.

I have one more set coming (I hope) today then the plan is to restart my full set of HRT on New Years Eve.

Exactly three years since I started the first time in 2012 (New Years Eve).

Wow! 

Why is a Transgender Person Like a Top?

First of all, do you know what a "top" is? Here is one definition: A top is a toy designed to be spun rapidly on the ground, the motion of which causes it to remain precisely balanced on its tip because of inertia. Such toys have existed since antiquity (From Wikopedia).

Forget about the use of the word "toy" in this Cyrsti's Condo post and insert "Gyro" (seen to the left) If we can sync up our mental genders to our physical characteristics, then our internal gyro's are in sync. Of course, the opposite is true too.

I remember years ago, back in my "mirror worshiping" days, I would stare in the mirror any number of times or places just to catch a glimpse of the cross dressed me. The "ancient" pictorial example I am showing you.

I would look at the picture and in the mirror-head out the door and immediately get smirked at once I got out in the world.

My gyro was all messed up and it still happens today. 

Anymore though, I have been successful in keeping my gyro spinning fairly well by knowing where I am headed to with my external look. 

Starting with my hair, I am still learning how to get the products I use to give me the look I want-with the help of a hair dryer these days. I found out the hard way that without HRT, my hair would and could thin out the way I was brushing it. 

Moving down, my breasts have lost some plumpness (deflate-gate?) But, I am hoping when I start back on estrogen in a couple weeks, I will regain my losses. Body wise, my only other expectation for my wish list is to re-continue my skin softening an redistribution to the hips.

So, as you can read, I spend some effort in keeping my "gyro" spinning in sync. And, every once in a while I get it right. 

Advice? Use the mirror as a tool-not a voice. Dress to your strengths or/your soul-as a woman. Not what your male fantasy thinks it should be. And finally, no matter what Connie says this kind of Gyro is NOT a sandwich.

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk! Listen closely! Another Sunday Edition is hitting your virtual front porch. I hope this finds you safe from all the terrible weather and nastiness sweeping our country. The West Coast is on fire, Oklahoma is hosting blizzards, Texas and the South -tornadoes. Rachel in particular, I hope you are good. Around here in Southern Ohio, we are still very warm but very rainy. We will be getting cold though and more than likely, low lying floods are in the Ohio River's future here. Enough of that, lets get a Cup o Joe (coffee) and get started:

Eddie Redmayne (right)

Page One: The Week that Was - or Wasn't: Of course another week has come and gone along with Christmas. The whole season touches a tender chord with all the transgender and GLBQ community who have been separated from their families-by ignorance. Elsewhere, The Danish Girl has/is hitting the silver screens.

I have not seen the movie yet. But when I do, I am going to try to put away any bias I may have had on who was chosen to play the role, in fact, I wanted to see an actor attempt to capture the overwhelming emotions/uncertainties of changing genders.


Page Two: Yesterday's Coffee - Opinion:  A year or so ago,  17 year old transgender girl Leelah Alcorn stepped out in front of a semi truck and committed suicide. Not far from Cincinnati, Ohio where I live. In memory of,
Cincinnati, OH, December 22, 2015 — The Transgender Community of Greater Cincinnati is holding a Press Conference and Call to Action at 10 am Monday December 28, 2015 on the steps of City Hall 801 Plum St, Cincinnati OH, 45202. 

The Press Conference and Call to Action will share the love, affirmation, and acceptance given to all attending the vigils held earlier this year to remember Leelah Alcorn. It will also outline what the immediate needs are for members of the Trans community most at risk: Trans youth and Trans Women of Color.

"Last January we gathered at Kings High School and the Woodward Theater to honor Leelah's life" said Lindsey Deaton, one of the organizers of those vigils. "This Monday we will be meeting again to remember her Spirit, answer her call to fix society and name the Trans communities lack of access to emergency shelter or housing, the lack of access to medical care, to drug and alcohol treatment and to job training".

‘There have been many positive changes in the ecology for Trans adults and children in Cincinnati,’ said Deaton. ‘With the leadership of City Councilmember Chris Seelbach, Cincinnati is now the first city in the United States to ban the kind of reparative conversion therapy experienced by Leelah’.

Liz and I will be there.

Page Three: Oh No She  'Dint!'  I have passed along the story of when I was called a "Sir" when picking up a ham for Christmas dinner this week. I promptly emailed the company and getting a response back from the company the next day.

What I haven't passed along though, is how this morning I came out to one of the few long term friends I have left. (By email as she isn't that close.)I will give you more info and how it all worked out-if I hear back!

Page Four- The Back Page: By this time next week, we will be into 2016. Here's hoping your find the rest of 2015 a safe one! Thanks for stoping by Cyrsti's Condo - Love you all!