Writer's Cramp PMS?

Every so often I just can't come up with anything "profound"
I know what some of you are thinking...hell, she never comes up with anything profound. Ha Ha.
My week was profoundly good this week due to some great interaction with several friends I have. You are all sooo wonderful! You see you have to use the word profound in it's context!
As I sit here wondering if this post will go any further than the last three I started and stopped; what am I missing? Where can I go?
Well....there are several coulds.
Could it be the candid honesty of a 7 year old at a friends house when he first saw me. He calmly said "boy?" and I calmly said "sometimes". His lesbian grandma tried to silence him somewhat and I said he was only being honest and the whole process was just educational.
Could it be the all encompassing process of spending an entire day with a friend and discovering yet another layer of femininity. I didn't have time to worry about the world viewing me as female.  I only had to view the world as one.
Could it be my gender forces within having yet another brief battle with the tire guy as a guy or the intense sympathy I felt as a girl as I tried to softly console her.
So I guess life is always tossing "writer's cramp" at all of us.  We just can't see the forest for the trees.
Some trees just grow faster than others and are difficult to write about!
Let's see...where  did I put that Midol?

Transgender and the "Chaz"

By choice I really haven't written much about "Chaz Bono's" appearance on "Dancing With the Stars."
After all, what could I really add to the story about "Cher's" former daughter who crossed the transgender fence and became her son.
I do however, follow a "Chaz" story or two and occasionally find something of interest on occasion.
One was an affirmation of Bono's recent television appearances. (Which I do find to be a positive for the transgender community)
The affirmation came from a transgendered female to male attorney by the name of  Dhillon Khosla .
I wondered who "Dhillon" was anyway and who cared?
It turns out he wrote a book about his transgendered journey to manhood called One Man’s Journey Through Womanhood
I haven't read the book but decided to pass along the before and after pix of Dhillon.

I've mentioned several times how fascinated I am with our transgendered brothers. Perhaps the before and after pix here explain why.
For the life of me I can't understand why Dhillon would give up that wonderful hair!
No just kidding.  (Maybe)
Deep down inside I do understand why he made the change. I just have a hard time accepting him giving up the female existence that I desire so much!
The end result is I'm so happy he could do it!

Going Out The "Out" Door.

Breakfast this morning with a dear friend included me opening the door of my entire life to her as well as the address to this blog.
I can't begin to say what her friendship means to me!
Perhaps it is easier to write it!

Trangendered Reality Versus Validation Part II

As promised, here are some more observations from my weekend day out with a girlfriend and her son.
The day was easily my most complete day as a woman since the NFL game I went to with another friend last year.
As I pointed out before, I live a lot of life as a girl. From socializing in straight venues to shopping I do it all.
So why was the weekend sooo different? 
The difference (I feel) is the fact I had no escape route.  All my favorite spots have built in escape routes if I need them.  Bartenders and managers know me.  I know the paths of least resistance if I need to use them.
I knew before the day was over I would have to brave the "porta potties".  Of course the sanitary conditions were a big challenge but the public was a bigger one. Here I was in the afternoon light waiting my turn with both genders of all ages.
No way out, If I wanted to live life as a girl, these situations were as necessary learning experiences.
Sure I was validated as a woman by standing in line and taking care of business without a second look. Reality was doing it.
Reality was not sneaking away from "hawkers" singling me out attempting to sell things. Again there was no where to go. I had to smile and keep on walking.
Bottom line was I was put in a corner..enough playing , talking and planning about being a girl.
It was time to put the woman where the mouth was!
She loved it!!!!

Transgender Validation Versus Reality

Being validated as a woman is what used to be called passing in my book.(or blog)
Reality is living an extended amount of time as a woman.
Yesterday was an exercise in reality for me.
I went to a fall festival with my friend and her 8th grade son. Yes she is a cis-female.
The nuances of finding parking standing in lines for entertainment, food and of course shopping were incredible.
After a short period of time I had to look down at my breasts and clothes to remind myself who I was. I was no longer worried about being validated as a woman by the public. I simply was one.
I will relate some of the smaller nuances of my date later....such as the porta potty and the bleacher seats!

Handmade Fashion For You!

A friend of mine designs her own line of bracelets, bags and jewelry.  I was looking over her web site and came across at least a couple of pieces that may be of interest to some of you.
Particuarly if you are into the "Goth" culture or are looking for a special addition to your exotic Halloween costume check out this hand made bracelet!

Fishnet hose, a short lacy black dress, boots and a head full of out of control dark hair and the evening is yours with this bracelet completing your outfit!
Check out more at Liz's website.
Cyrsti

Then there was Bob?

On my way back from my "session" with the "Doc" I stopped to relax and catch up on my phone messages at my favorite "pub".
I no more than settled in and brought the "droid" out of my purse (android phone) when I saw him eyeing me from across the bar. I figured nothing more would come of his interest. He was thinking one of two things anyhow. Either I was trans and he was curious or he was curious why a single woman was there in a sports pub to begin with.
The next thing I knew he was sitting next me and before I could react he had his hand on my thigh. Let me point out "Bob" was an older intoxicated man and quite the active one.  Quickly I learned a move I really didn't know I had...crossing my legs and putting my arm down the middle of the top leg so my hand was at my knee and elbow at my my waist.  Good old Bob couldn't get his wandering hands anywhere important.
About this time one of the female bartenders was going to intervene but I assured her I could take care of myself with good old Bob.
I simply changed the subject from me to him and started mentally harassing  him ever so gently. I even involved him in a conversation with one of the female regulars I knew would annihilate him!
He quickly grew tired of me fending off his six pair of hands and wobbled over to a pair of blonds who entered the pub. I went back to my world hoping he wasn't driving in that condition.
Good old Bob taught me an important lesson about women and their surroundings. The situation can change so fast. Not always for the best!

Glam Trans?

I don't know what this means...and I'm sure everyone on their mailing list got one but....

Fabulous After 40 Newsletter: September 22, 2011 | Volume I, Issue 119

Personal Note from Deborah and JoJami

 Cyrsti,

We hear you when you say that trying to figure out what to wear every season is a big challenge because most times the runway is not the reality. There's no denying that some of the clothes we see on the catwalk are fascinating and gorgeous, but more often, too over the top for a real woman to wear. That's where the confusion and overwhelm begins.

How do you translate these bold, and sometimes wacky looking styles and make them work for you?

We've written some posts to help you out. Check out our Fall Trends posts that give you the high fashion runway look - for inspiration, and the reality look - for real life.

Here's hoping that the next time you see a boa constrictor metallic jumpsuit, you'll be able to stop laughing long enough to consider how you might want to incorporate a little snakeskin accent into your fall wardrobe.

______

Cheers,

Deborah & JoJami, The Glam Gals

 Gee, I thought I would pretty good in that jumpsuit!!!! lol!
Seriously, their site is a wonderful fashion source!

Transgendered Veterans!

From "The Advocate" comes this update near and dear to my heart!
The story is called "Trans American Military Stories" and features interviews with four transgendered vets. The four transgendered vets are a very small part of the nearly 300,000 transgender people who may have served in the military — even though the government won’t officially allow it.
For you new visitors to the blog I am a transgendered vet and I am testing the hormone waters with them.
The number comes from The Transgender American Veterans Association.
"TAVA"  reports there could be up to 300,000 transgender military veterans in the U.S. today. In 2005, when the TAVA put a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, there was a transgender person representing every U.S. military conflict since WWII.
Still, the very psychological diagnosis that allows transgender folks to get medical care — Gender Identity Disorder — makes them ineligible to serve. And those who’ve gone through corrective surgeries are listed as having “physical abnormalities.” Anyone who is caught wearing clothing of the perceived opposite sex receives a court martial.
According to “Transgender People in the U.S. Military: Summary and Analysis of the 2008 Survey” by the Transgender America Veterans Association the vast majority of transgender vets are trans women (of those using VA hospitals, 13% identified on the FTM spectrum, while 82% identified somewhere on the MTF spectrum) although trans men were three times more likely than trans women to have been asked by an officer about their sexual orientation (33% versus 11%).
Clearly our transgender community has come a long way. We have come close enough to the cliff to see how far the fall is and how hard the landing will be if we come out to the world.
Truly, I can't imagine coming out in the military I knew in the 70's. (Ironically though, I did come out for the first time as a crossdresser with a couple of close friends when I was in the Army.)
As I have posted, I do plan to challenge the initial statement by my therapist that the VA hospital I deal with does not dispense hormones like the VA centers "on the coasts". First of course, I need to get the letter and go from there. My point is why can a transgendered vet on the "coasts" get hormones and I can't?
Reading the stories in this article encouraged me to do more if I have the chance.  How great would it be to open some new doors if I can!