Shop till you Drop!

Included in the list of my top 5 asked questions is where do you get your clothes?
Followed quickly by- do I do my shopping as a girl? Yes, I do about 90% of the time. As a man, I’m almost as uncomfortable in a ladies clothing store as the next guy.
Question 2 is do I use the changing rooms? Not very much…by choice. I’m a diligent bargain shopper. I know my size and what piece of clothing I’m looking for. If a certain clothing item jumps out at me, I grab it!
Jeans are a different story. If I see a pair I like, I have to try them on. I’m not smart enough to know all the nuances of sizes and I’m fairly sure genetic women have the same problem. Start with a certain size and move downward! (We hope)
I’ve never had a problem asking to use a changing room. After all, I’m a paying customer like the next girl. I’ve never been told there was a problem.
If you are a little shy in this department, here are a couple things to remember.
Number one, you can become a regular in the store quickly. Some clerks do work on a commission and it is not difficult to establish a relationship with one who WANTS to help you! She can benefit from a monetary or personal point. Obviously you are a different shopper from the norm so be more fun! It gives the clerk a chance to work her "magic" with you!
Once the bond has been established, both of you can be more discreet in areas such as the dressing room. If you desire.
Number two; observe the interaction between women in these stores. Often the “B” word is too kind! I’ve mentioned this to several of my genetic female friends! Often you treat your same gender really bad! Especially in retail. They agree. Immediately, I’m in for better treatment because I treat the clerks with a friendly respect.
What did we learn girls? It is very easy to shop as a female. Fellow shoppers will be so involved in their search for the perfect outfit they are less likely to notice you at all. Treat the clerks with respect and you can become their personal regular quickly.
Shopping can be one of the easiest and most enjoyable parts of your life as a girl if you allow it to be!
One word of warning. Wear those comfortable shoes if you are planning to “shop till you drop”!

Why Do You Fail?

In your relationships as a transgendered person?
I'm a member of a very active and well populated TG site and a female spouse (very rare to the site) observed  there seemed to be a large group of separated individuals.
Her statement was "she would not leave her spouse just because of an external body change and increased pitch in the voice." Here was my response which was triggered by a dinner I went to last night.
I am widowed. My wife and I had parameters set on my "hobby". She knew of my "pastime" before we got married and stay married for 25 years.
The problem we ran into was the "hobby and pastime" became a lifestyle. The more she gave the more I wanted.
We survived because I loved her dearly.
I believe you see so many TG separations because- number one the initial bond wasn't that strong or the dynamics changed. OR
Let me use the couple I met last night as an example.
They have been together for around 20 years. They had a fight two years ago which led to him burning all his clothes. Now he paints his fingernails red and wears a bra stuffed with socks and goes to Wal Mart. He is not an effeminate or young guy who might pass for an androgynous girl. Call me silly, put I don't see this relationship surviving?
Last night's example is not the norm with couples I have met over the years...but then again I haven't met many couples. (The cis-female view here and in my world is rare.)
The guys I interact with fall into 3 categories. 1.- "The wife" doesn't understand , flat out refuses to participate and the relationship is history. 2.-CD's in remission, they would prefer to live their fantasy through me or others like me...until the wife finds out. She will and he goes back to the closet...pulls out a dress and the relationship is history. 3.- Or ,when husband puts that dress on, he is sexually into guys. Enough said on that. Relationship is history.
In my experience, you are a rare lady! You must have an incredible relationship!
With the great majority of others-the whole process becomes so much more complex than changing the outside of the body and changing the voice.

An Incurable Romantic!

This is a difficult post to share with you, hopefully I can make sense.
Over the past year or so, Ive been so fortunate to explore a life as a transgendered female.  It has been an exciting time with more ups than downs. At no point in my life did I ever believe I could achieve what I have.
BUT! (You knew it was coming!)
I found I still share a certain naivety with  teenage girls. Take my "Flickr" photo account for example. I posted around 10 pix in about 6 or 8 main groups. In response, I got about 1000 hits in a month. I'm obviously flattered. Then the contacts and comments started. Many were very explicit and I wasn't flattered.
Now, I know one of the most persistent rumors about TG women is that we are gay (not the problem) and we share a certain promiscuous sexual lifestyle with that group. (a problem).
I'm slower than the average human and all of this slapped me hard this week.
For about the third time in a row I met up with a person in sort of a blind date situation.  This person was another TG so I envisioned a different evening. She was very interested in pursuing something sexual...quickly.
Which was fine. Just not my agenda.
The bottom line to all of this is...I changed my profile to include "sexually conservative". The last thing I wanted to do in any of this was to lead anyone on.  We all remember what those girls were called.
Maybe I share another trait with the teen girl. I still feel a romantic relationship is possible with EITHER gender.
So far however, the search has been more fun than the catch.

Did I see You On Springer?

Nikki Araguz, the transgender widow of the Texas firefighter could have possibly stepped onto the national stage years ago with a couple appearances on the "Jerry Springer Show?"

There was a Justin/Nikki on the show with a real female girlfriend not real enamored with Nikki's behavior in clubs and a guy not real enamored that he was fooled.
I'm not sure but there is a resemblance.Coincidence?

Want to be in Pictures???

Here is your chance. http://www.tranisa.com/ is in it's early stages of set up.  Tranisa is searching for models to shoot tastefully done features. If you think it's time to be discovered. You may want to visit the site!

Why Not?

Go back to being a guy if I don't want to be a girl 24/7?
Quite by accident I read the most appropriate reason not to on another blog.
Check the link to your right under "CD Janie's Blog".
By permission I'm going to pass along the highlights:
"With all the problems and conflict, both internal and external, you’d think that I’d just want to give the whole thing up and try for happiness the old-fashioned way. After all, I haven’t burned any bridges…
Turns out, I love Janie.
Turns out, some of that love I have always felt for women has always been a desire to feel what they feel!

It is one thing, as a man, to be attracted to women, to enjoy their way, to find them attractive and sexy – and I was, I did – but that was never all of it for me. I didn’t just want to be with someone who had the feminine characteristics I loved, I wanted to have those kinds of feminine traits myself."

WOW! I've never been good enough to explain to those who ask why?
Janie made it so easy!
Thanks

Do Blondes Have More Fun?

Can't answer that but can speculate they get more attention.
During the past week or so, I've done something I thought I would never do...go back to being a blond.
Why? I have been told I present better as a red head and I love the long wavy curls. I also have a dark (almost black) long a wavy look that I do well with too.

About a week ago I posted a few of the blond pics to my Flickr account http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=cyrsti&w=all. and received a lot of positive feedback. So on my next three trips out, blond it was!
As I've mentioned before, I rate my "presentation" level on a percentage on any given outing.
No matter how good the pictures say I look and how good the mirror says I look the blond doesn't present as well.
Last night, I think I figured it out.
Blond's necessarily don't have more fun...but they get more attention. If I'm a blond more people look so I get more of an opportunity  to not present.
God, I sound like a statistician or a scientist! Believe me I'm not.
The bottom line is that the fun and enjoyment of being my female self is change.
So, in at least the near future, this blond will have more fun!

"Bella Maddo" Premiers!

'Bella Maddo' is a groundbreaking film that features all transgendered performers playing traditional cisgendered roles.  Skip to the "library" page for a couple of pix!

A Close Shave?

I discovered this product quite by accident when I was bargain shopping for a new razor.
A nearby box store was featuring a sale on the "Gillette" Pro Series razor. The "Pro" is one of the top of the line 5 blade super razors. For obvious reasons, I'm looking for the best shave ever.
What really set the Gillette razor apart was the small sample tube of "Thermal Face Scrub" that came with the deal.
The product is exactly what it claimed to be.  When you apply it, the scrub heats your beard and exfoliates your skin.
You get a closer shave and skin help at the same time.
It is worth a try!