Horror Scope!

It's time for another Cyrsti's Condo Horror Scope for all of us Libra's:

" Being gracious isn’t always the best way to deflect bullies. If you get a vicious one on your back, they will keep going until you crack. Of course, you won’t do that, at least in front of anyone, but do know what you are up against and know you will have to be at least five moves ahead to get any peace of mind over the next few weeks. Yes, you’ll be busy, to say the least." 

Needless to say I didn't enjoy the "bully" part of this!
As always, the "Horror Scope" term is my own and you can get your own from theFrisky

Anti Stealth Trans Woman

Seemingly, I'm starting to find several transgender video's of note to pass along to you.
Laverne Cox is certainly no stranger to the public eye and in this video she explains the process of owning her transgender status:

Culture Chic

Of course I walked away from last night's trip with daughter and friends to the HIV Aid's Benefit Show with more than a couple new impressions.
First of all if you ever have a chance to see a drag group called the Rubi Girls in the Dayton, Ohio area- do it!!! The group has been doing the particular show in Dayton for the past 17 years or so and has raised over a million dollars for Aid's research...Wow!
As I have said, I was invited by my 30 something daughter and we were joined by six or seven of her rather upscale suburban girl friends.
Ironically, I felt slightly out of place and ill at ease not because of my "trans-ness" but because of being totally out of touch with women raising pre teen kids. I was introduced as just another of the friends my daughter knew. One though had met me before and was told my story.  So more than likely in a couple days all of them will know I'm really a parent. The only real result could be the impact of other kids finding out my grand kids have a transgender grand parent.
The most amazing part to the whole evening was the turnout from the elementary school where a couple of my grand kids go to school. They turned out to see a fourth grade teacher from the school who is also a "Rubi Girl". Call me crazy (some do) but when I was in the fourth grade, a teacher doing a drag act would have not been too popular.
Dare I say last night the concept was cool and even chic. I also should mention he mentioned the school and the visiting group two or three times during the show.
At one point he even stopped the show to introduce a sexual/gender diversity professor from the University of Dayton.
So all in all I walked away from the evening with the feeling things are changing for the better from the kids up. Perhaps those who noticed I was transgender also noticed I was much different than the drag queens. But in the meantime I was more than happy to watch a dyamite show, see a glimpse of the future and be chic in the meantime!

Beautiful Sounds

One of Mexico's well known opera singers made the journey this year to Thailand to participate in the "Miss International Queen Pageant" and returned as her true self.
Her name is Morgana and she was trying to win the transgender beauty pageant to complete her SRS in Thailand. But of course she lost out in the competition but won out on the surgery. It turns out she was being followed by a documentary crew who was sucessful in getting much of the surgery fees waived.
Here's the video of the story:

A Free Man in Paris

Way back in the mid 70's Canadian folk rock singer Joni Mitchell wrote and sang a song called Free Man in Paris on an album (yes vinyl!) called Court and Spark.
The song to me always seemed to be an anthem to escaping life's pressures-if only for a second and if only in your mind. Here's an excerpt:

"I was a free man in Paris I felt unfettered and alive Nobody was calling me up for favors No one's future to decide."
and a little more:

"I deal in dreamers and telephone screamers Lately I wonder what I do it for If I had my way I'd just walk through those doors And wander down the Champs-Élysées Going café to cabaret Thinking how I'd feel when I find That very good friend of mine"

I know you are wondering where the heck I'm going with this.

In my head today, I'm walking down my version of the Champs-Elysees because yesterday was so incredibly mentally intense. In fact I did take a brisk morning walk in thirty degree temps with my dog around a few personal landmarks in my home town such as the church I was brought up in and the neighboring building which housed the draft board where I was sent off to South East Asia. (not for SRS but it was free!)
The buildings were obviously so far from the Champs-Elysees (I've been once) but not so far from the point.

It probably was the strong cold wind which was making my eyes tear up and not the hormones as I thought of the events of the day before. You regulars here in Cyrsti's Condo know I'm a huge sports fan.  Yesterday was the 109th rematch of the great The Ohio State/Michigan football rivalry game. Easily I have watched at least 45 of them with my brother and 27 with my spouse who passed almost five years ago. (She was a huge OSU fan too.) Sure I was happy Ohio State won but of course I was a bit saddened of the male past I was beginning to leave behind in increasingly huge chunks.

Why? Because in about three hours I was meeting my daughter, son in law and his brother as Cyrsti for the first time and being told the three grand kids know and heading out to an Aid's Benefit Show with six of her soccer mom friends. (more on that in another post). Incredibly, the day ended with a bang as a car on my busy street went out of control and hit a parked vehicle. BOOM! (True story and a fitting close to the day.)

So today I'm in my own "Free Man in Paris" mode, pretty much emotionally shot but internally charged. I can only describe my mental and psychical state to one of those incredibly busy 12 hour restaurant shifts I used to work-emotionally spent but adrenalin sparked.

By tomorrow I certainly will have time to filter all of yesterday through and get back to my own version of normal! Finally. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Jessica from France who reads the blog and can wander up and down the streets of Paris.

Quote of the Day

The latest Cyrsti's Condo "Quote of the Day" comes from the world of sports:

"Ohio State's defense is turning Michigan over like a bakery shop!"- Paul Keels comment during The Ohio State/Michigan rivalry game yesterday which Ohio State went on to win...again.
Paul Keels is the announcer for The Ohio State radio network.

Final Transition Edit

A young transgender woman's journey into the world:

Chasing and Living the Dream

From YouTube of course, a transgender person's success story:

The Feminine Mystique

Over the years here in Cyrsti's Condo, I have taken various looks at a man's misconception of certain feminine myths such as rest rooms and purses.
No pun intended, but any verbal journey into the world of women's restrooms is guaranteed to generate feedback. Purses are much more of a fun topic. Just what the heck happens in that bag and just why does it weigh 40 pounds?

Here's yet another "girl myth". What exactly does it mean when a woman says she has nothing to wear? No matter how many times you look into her jam packed closet, she has nothing to wear...Really?
I understand the problem now and have for awhile. Finally though I can put it into words.
Here's why I might not have anything to wear tonight for my daughter's girls night out even though I do have a fair amount of clothes.
Considerations:
1.- Do the clothes fit? I have gained weight with the hormones.
2.- Are the clothes good fashion choices? (Some weren't to begin with.)
3.- What is the occasion and what are the other women wearing?
4.- How can I "mix and match" the best possible choices from the closet?
5.-I won't even mention, accessories, make up and hair!

So ideally, I do have something to wear tonight-then again I don't because I'm not so sure as of this moment what it is. I have to say if all of this sounds totally over the top feminine- it is and once again Karma Lady is laughing away! First I went through the payback of never being able to find my keys in my purse and now the closet? Another myth shattered!