A Pleasant Surprise!

As my partner Liz and I were looking for possible earth based spiritual places and events to possibly sample later this fall,  this one came to our attention, not too far away from us in Indiana.

The Women's Goddess Retreat was created for all women who want to pause and honor the Goddess in their lives and in themselves. 

While I know the word goddess is open to many different translations and feelings, I look at my inner goddess as my core being who I have seen the world from my entire life- no matter how poorly she "synced up" with my exterior being.  As I read the first several paragraphs though, I began to worry if I would be welcome at all and would run into any resistance from the rest of the group.  I was wary of the weekend being similar to the "terfs" run "get together" such as "Michfest." Before I could voice my concerns to Liz though, I read this: 

This retreat is open to anyone who lives their daily life as a woman. This year's theme is The Norse Goddesses
Learn more at our website: http://www.asteriabooks.com/retreat

Seems as if the group may have welcomed a transgender woman or two into their circle in the past!

Cyrsti's Condo "Star Gazing"

With the holiday and all this week, I have been a "little behind" with everything.  Ironically, with the way I have been eating and HRT, I won't have a "little behind" for long!  This week, my stars - and those of you fellow Libra's,  have grounded us a bit! Read on Condo-Ites!


(September 23-October 22): Angry thoughts will come in and out of your head, but that doesn’t mean you have to be distracted by every one of them. Using your honey or your BFF as your barometer of focus now will be a big help. Although you don’t want anyone judging you, it’ll be your own voice that will be the most untamed and will require a slap or two in the face with some straight up truth.

Well, my "untamed voice" has been a part of me as sure as my gender dysphoria, so that is not a problem!

My choice this week for "guest sign" is Taurus!

 (June 21-July 22): You’re going to have one of those weeks when all of a sudden it’ll feel good to just let it out. Ramble on with your opinions and all the nitty-gritty details of your neurosis and everything that bothers you about the people around you. Yes, gossiping is good now and if you give it, you will get it. Sure, it’ll give you a bad rep among few, but when did being controversial ever scare you?

Don't forget kids, if we missed your sign this week, don't despair.  Go to theFrisky for yours!  

Cyrsti's Condo "Movin Picture Show" Revue

Lately, I have found that 3 in the morning has been a wonderful time to wake up-if I want to or not.  Last night (or this morning) at 3 am I found myself watching The Crying Game from 1992. If you are not familiar, one of the central plot characters in the movie was a young transgender woman named Dil. She was played by a very androgynous male actor by the name of Jaye Davidson.  

As I revisited the movie and even though it has been years since I have seen it, I was surprised about how little I remembered about parts of it. Normally, I have a tendency to remember everything concerning my old days of cross dressing and any public references to it.  The movie Tootsie is an example.

I think the reason now is that I don't remember parts of the "Crying Game" is a reflection on how I have changed.  In 1992 I was totally wrapped up in how convincing Davidson looked as a trans woman.  His legs, hair, outfits etc.  But last night, I watched it from an emotional viewpoint.

The difference was , since the movie, I have lived many of the problems Dil was experiencing as she attempted to build her life as a woman. I knew the hidden hurt and how strong she appeared on the outside were all just acts.

The scene in particular got to me the worst though, was one I did remember. What happened was, when the man who eventually became her love interest in the movie found out she was trans (after he had kissed her several times) - threw up. I cried for her because something similar happened to me years ago. Even though she was resigned to it and wasn't crying for herself.

That is as much of the Crying Game plot I'm giving away for those of you who haven't seen it.  If you haven't, I always liked it because the sub plot of a young transgender woman lover wasn't the plot, but rather intertwined with all the others.

Just make sure you have some pop corn handy and maybe a tissue or two!

Not Front Page Yet...

If you are able to locate the September 2014 issue of Glamour Magazine-do it!  Every time I open a Glamour I am fairly sure I get an extra dose of estrogen for the day. 

Flip back to page 257 and you will see a very smiling picture of model Geena Rocero. (left)  Everyone knew she was a model, but had no idea she was transgender. In this article she tells Susan Dominus why she risked her dream career to go public.

If Geena's feature wan't enough, Glamour went on to feature several other of the transgender women who have made headlines this year and called it "The Year of Transgender Power." Below you can check out my scanned version of it, but you may be able to go to "Glamour's" site linked above and find more.

At the risk of not sounding totally obvious, finding this sort of layout in this sort of magazine was simply wonderful!  We are coming a long way-baby!

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl" of the Day

Our feature cover today is the androgynous male model Kim Zuluaga

Cyrsti's Condo "Blast from the Past!"

I'm sure you who are "of age" remember the 1960 hit song "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" by Brian Hyland.  It told the story of a shy girl rocking a bikini on the beach for the first time.  I'm fairly sure this young cross dresser wasn't born yet in 1960 when it was written!

As I attended my earliest cross dresser mixers in the Cleveland, Ohio area in the 1980's, supposedly there was a "member" who could rock a bikini well.  I never got to meet her and she was rumored to have left the group and fell in love with a genetic woman.  I wondered  if her new woman friend knew of her cross dressing  (even then, everyone expected her to go farther into full time) and who looked better in a bikini?

Will the Circle be Unbroken?

Well kids, it was quite the weekend at quite possibly my last circa 1800 crafts fair where we have sold "Bison Burgers" (buffalo) in period costume for over a decade.  It's very physically demanding and with the toll HRT has taken on my former male strength - and the combination of working 33+ years on my feet in the commercial restaurant business - I'm literally not the man I used to be.

So this morning it's time to slow down over a cup of joe and think a little more about the next couple of months.  I am very excited!

I have mentioned here in Cyrsti's Condo,  my partner Liz is a practicing Wiccan  and I am becoming more and more interested in earth/nature based spirituality.  It just so happens, during the next month, a couple of major Wiccan festivals happen in the area.  I can't wait to go!

Then in October we have reserved a spot for Liz to sell her jewelry and knitted items at a nearby fall festival. (She knits, she crafts, she draws and she can sing too! Is it fair one person in a relationship should "hog" all the talent :) ? )

Seriously, where my "circle" begins, ends and starts again goes back many years.  My deceased wife and I were visiting a fall arts and crafts show over in Indiana and at one booth it was fairly obvious one genetic woman was selling, and in the back one cross dressed woman was helping.  So many years later, although I'm not the "talent" I will not be afraid to just sit back and not help sales. I'm fairly certain Liz will have the only transgender sales person at the festival.

Toss in a couple "October Fests" along the way and before we know it the bewitching Halloween time will be upon us and "Madam Lanoe!" Liz has told me, under no circumstances will she disclose what my costume will look like.  I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas!

Finally, I know what you are thinking.  Cyrsti, with your 65th birthday mixed in the middle of all of this, it's tough to be a kid.  But you know-that's the fun part!  The down side is-I need a nap! When is that coffee going to kick in???

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

A damp "Ker Plunk!" from the Condo as we start our "Labor Day Sunday" with steady rain.  Hope you are all well!

Page.1- "The week which Was-or Wasn't!"  For the present time at least, the discussion of "to be-or not to be- stealth" has died down again.  The consensus was for those of us "of age" which took us back into the 1960's-70's and 80's-there was not really a choice but to go stealth. Plus, for the most part, unless you were motivated to and had the resources to do it, there were few outlets to express your frustration  going from one closet to another.

Page 2.- "Putting a New Car in your Garage!"  Paraphrasing a term I heard Ophra say years ago, when she asked a recent Mtf transgender woman (who had just completed SRS) if she would stay married to her current wife and ever have sex with a man; the trans woman said no sex with a man and Ophra said -why would you buy a new car (vagina) and not test drive it?

All of that led to the "vagina or the woman" discussions again and since the new Obamacare/Medicare standards support SRS surgeries-would I have to buy a new garage for my new car here in the Condo.

Fall Fashion Outfit!

Page 3.- "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?"  Labor Day weekend, which traditionally is a long weekend which ends summer around the United States has nearly come and gone.  Even though any idea of traditional weather has come and gone around Ohio, hopefully the wonderful fall season will still "strut her stuff" before we see if we get another shot of the dreaded "Polar Vortex".





In the meantime, the glorious changing of the leaves and fields into yellows, browns and golds usher in fuzzy sweaters, boots and leggings!  As you can tell, I love the season and it's special big finish at Halloween. 

Unnamed Cross Dresser (Bumble Bee)

Halloween has become a special time of year for anyone even closely associated with femininity to have some fun.  From cross dressers to genetic- it has become everyone's chance to explore their creativity and sexiness.  I am sure we will have plenty of opportunity to discuss it all here!

Page 4.- The Back Page!  Well kids, that's it for this week and I hope you lived through yours (or you wouldn't be here?)
As always, thanks so much for being a part of the Condo. Without you, none of this would be worth it and my dog can't read!!

Peace Out!

Cyrsti's Condo "What If?"

If you went to college and were in a fraternity-perhaps you were called upon to cross dress as "punishment", a prank or as a theme event with a sorority on campus.  Here is an idea of how the idea wasn't so "terrible" for this frat boy: