Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk! It's time for the Sunday "Memorial Day" Edition- and a busy one!

"Justin Vivian Bond"

Page 1.-A salute to our fallen heroes.  Not too long ago, I began to tweet back and forth with another transgender vet, Lexi.  She has reminded us this weekend, is becoming similar to Christmas.  Graduation parties, time off of work and a celebration of the start of summer are taking away from the deeper meaning of the weekend. She even went a step further yesterday and pointed out this weekend is a time to take a second and remember all who served in uniform.  The fallen, the retired and those who will continue to live with service related injuries their entire lives. Such as Lexi! It's time we do!

Page 2.- We got Mail-Kind of- From Connie:  OK, Cyrsti, enough with the lip-schtick. I suppose that I should be honored to have been featured in more than half of your blog entry, but, somehow, I feel victimized. No matter, though, as I am perfectly capable of holding my own (there, I left myself open for you to make another joke at my expense). I know that you are done with the debate, but it occurred to me that it might be good to call in an old friend of yours, Dan Quayle. He would surely tell you that the plural of stilettos is spelled STILETTOES. 

Just as in the words "tomato(e) and potato(e), the singular form would have an E at the end of it. So, let that be the end of it. (but I'll bet that I have, again, left myself open (toed)) I don't plan on writing a book, but you may know that I enjoy writing song parodies. Your book's title reminds me of the one I wrote for Elvis's (did I get the apostrophe right there?) "In the Ghetto", which I made into "In Stilettos". (She) gets herself all done (She) Gets on Shoes!!

Connie, should I be fortunate my mind refuses to remember Dan Quayle? Should I trade out royalties whith you for your blog work and my song?  Which brings up another tune: "Nothing from Nothing equals Nothing."

Page 3.- Whose Worse?  Judge Judy or Rude Paul? After a while many minds seem to convince themselves because of how they have lived or who they are-they enable themselves to speak their mind to the point of believing they are right.  I have used Judy and Rude as an example because they seem to think "the world according to them" is gospel.  Rude figures since he grew up gay and black, he has an entitlement to think he can say anything he wants.  Of course, that it like saying since I grew up white, with a poor grandmother who told stories about going to KKK meetings in a wagon-I can say anything I want. (Ridiculous)  Plus, since Rude didn't serve his country like I did-do I have more of an entitlement than he does to be a hater? No, of course not.  I along with millions of others did our duty so he could.

I think both of them have been simply caught up in their rhetoric which used to help ratings and their finances but now their words have begun to define them.  Judy's inherent meanness is becoming through as does Rude's life as an old bitter gay queen. They are nothing more and nothing less.  Not to worry, soon they will enter the ranks of the dinosaur and retire to their gated palaces and become extinct.


Back Page.-  It's been a big week, here in the Condo with the book and all, tied in with everything else which is going on.  It's ironic, nearly my entire life, I have worked jobs which included the weekend and holidays.  From my paper route, to working as a disc jockey on radio to the restaurant business-weekends off were few and far between.  Now I'm continuing in the same direction by writing a 24/7 blog.  If the truth be known, I'm actually lost on holiday weekends , since I'm not working-so I am now, what I call a "live" post. Which means I'm writing it at 9:30 EST and not yesterday -  Even I figured out how simple it is to archive a post and schedule it to go live another time. High Tech!!!

Have a great week, and remember to take the time to thank a vet!

Name Change

I got sooo involved with my last post, I misspelled Lexi's name ....there is no "E" in it!

Sorry :)

Transgender Vets

On this Memorial Day weekend, this is one of the posts here in Cyrsti's Condo when we take the time to put the party aside and really take a look at what is important about the weekend which kicks off summer.(Thanks Lexie!)

As I write this post, transgender military members must stay deeply in their closet or risk losing careers in jeopardy.  The fact remains trans women and men don't have the right to serve but do have the right to die doing it. If they don't come out.

On the other hand, there is the Veteran's Administration who is currently going through a rough time now with revelations of poor care in their system.  According to the USA Today, In 2013, the Veterans Affairs department treated 2,567 veterans with the diagnosis of gender dysphoria with transgender-specific care, according to Ndidi Mojay, a VA spokeswoman. The department does not have a cost estimate for the treatment, which can include male or female hormones depending on gender."Few transgender individuals pursue a goal of transformation to the other gender that also includes the complete set of sex reassignment surgeries," Mojay said in an email. "The VA does not pay for or support sex reassignment surgeries."

I question how the VA came up with the idea "that few transgender individuals pursue a transition goal which includes SRS."  If you use me an example, since the VA does not cover any surgical procedures, I will never be able to afford them anyway.  I don't recall anyone at the VA sending me a questionnaire asking me if I would or wouldn't..

I am not one of those vets who has had bad care from the VA and in fact, they were a life saver when I lost my business and had no access to health care at all at my age.  I am however a Viet Era Vet who saw first hand how the VA/US Government stonewalled veterans with Agent Orange health problems for years.  In fact I knew more friends who died an early death from exposure to the chemicals than died in actual combat.  

I also know the VA has a tough job but I'm NOT naive enough to think a portion of the problem comes from a congress we have (and president-how much did it cost to send wife and kids to China?)  who are too willing to not cut back on their own perks, run the government efficiently and not screw over the ones who fought for the right for them to do it. 

Cyrsti's Condo "What If?"

OK, it's like this Jim,.you insisted on wearing that wig with that dress-now suck it up and get out there to the dance.

Politics

I am a political critter by nature and every now and then I use my soap box here in Cyrsti's Condo to bring up a point or two. This morning, as I was checking my Twitter account, I was pleased to see a Tweet by a politician with a very in depth idea of how to stem the tide of violence directed against women.

I was even more surprised the tweet came from Ohio (David Pepper) who is running this fall for attorney general.  Currently we have a career politician- conservative dinosaur as our attorney general in Ohio who needs to go.  I'm sure violence against women to him is when his wife breaks a heel on the steps of the statehouse.

As I checked out Pepper's web page there was even a spot to check if you were a GLBT person and I signed up-with the added comment:  "When you consider the rampant violence against genetic women, just don't forget how much worse it is for transgender women."

My politics anymore are fairly jaded, but there are several interesting issues and races coming up here in Ohio which has a constant tug of war between the religious right and progressive ideas.  Issues such as legalization of marijuana and gay marriage have sent the right wing preachers scurrying to their pulpits to brain wash the faithful.

I find it extremely sad there seems to be no place left for me in our increasingly polarized political system. I'm certainly a fiscal conservative but I can't find one in politics who believes I should have rights as a transgender citizen.

Dammit! Who got me started on this!!!!

Writer's "Arse"

"Aw right" it's done and sent to exotic places such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble to sell a million copies. Sometime next week my book should be available for sale.

 Somehow I don't think my humble self published E-Pub "Stilettos on Thin Ice"  is going to make it to the "New York Times" best seller list or you won't see me on Dr. Phil anytime soon. So why did I write it?

Very simply, the years of writing Cyrsti's Condo have led me to believe there are many of you living the same gender struggle I am-or did. Very simply if one person is helped by the book or if an outsider develops any sort of an understanding of a transgender person's life-I have been successful in what I set out to do.  I do know too, my story brings a message of hope to those transgender women of age who are transitioning-or are considering it.

On a lesser scale, I have never been able to actually finish a project such as a book in my life.  I'm literally a "hoarder of words" and have thousands stuck around here in the Condo. The whole project was on my "bucket list" which I have to tell you is very small.  I've been fortunate or crazy enough to just do most of what I wanted.

My problem now is I have a case of HRT "writer's arse".  If you didn't know, later more than sooner on hormones you do begin to "fill out" in the butt and hip/thigh area. For the last week or so, I have had to barricade myself in the house in front of computer to finish the book in time for the Trans Ohio Symposium next weekend.  The problem was, many snacks, very little exercise and a sore "arse" from sitting in this damn chair!  I'm fairly certain I'm getting a dose now of what a genetic woman feels like when she sits at a desk all day and feels those "snacks" going to her rear!

The only fortunate possibility I have going for me now is, I seem to still have some of my old male metabolism left and I can work the extra weight off of where I really need to-in my tummy area.  I'm far from worrying if my hips or thighs are too wide.

Finally, I will let you know when "Stilettos on Thin Ice" actually goes up for sale if you would consider purchasing it. ($3.99) thanks!

Cyrsti's Condo "What If?"

 Honey! You mean I got a body wax and you say now I CAN'T go out with you and the girls? I'll see you there- sitting at the bar! You Bitch!

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover today in the Condo is Mexico's androgynous male model Luiss San Murquia

Shoes!!!

This turned out to be a dbl "shoe post" by accident, which could describe many of my posts here in Cyrsti's Condo.

First, for the last couple weeks I have been corresponding back and forth with Bernie at  Le Dame Shoes   which you may recall me mentioning not too long ago.  It turns out (thanks to all of you) he received a good response and wanted to do more here on the blog later.  I was flattered and said sure and in the meantime he wanted to send me a pair to try out for my own.  Initially I said, I wasn't a "heels" type girl and he said I might be in his shoes.

Even though, I'm sure there are a certain percentage of your cynics who read the Condo already are thinking "Cyrsti got paid off with swag" (Connie) but it is true - I do love the shoes. I will have more to pass along later!

Speaking of Connie and our mini grammatical discussion of the book title (and a pesky apostrophe). She sent in this comment:

Well, I just assumed that you had but one stiletto on the ice, so "(My)Stiletto's on Thin Ice" would be correct. I'm also imagining your other foot, the one on solid ground, would be in a combat boot. Not too different from your one foot on the platform; the other foot on the train (not that the shoe need be a platform in this scenario). Anyway, if you need a proof reader or copywriter, just send your manuscript to me. Be aware, however, that this old teacher uses a lip liner pencil for corrections. :)

Connie, I'm fairly sure you would charge me mega dollars for all the lip liner you would have to use!  Plus you need it more than the book does! I can't wait for your new book "Smootchless in Seattle"

 I have decided to let the red marks lie where they fall and just get the thing published...I'm sure my old writing teachers will be spinning in their graves.