Cyrsti's Condo "OOOPS?"

Unidentified.

Maybe the red-head on the left is thinking his buddy Jeff's idea to go in drag to the party wasn't such a good idea-when Jeff saw him? He just said what????

Going Commando?

Interesting title right? In many circles the phrase defines a person who is wearing no underwear. Sort of like more than a few of the generics you see in the summer and wonder exactly what are they wearing under that sun dress?  Now that I got your attention, this post has nothing to do with any of that.

Instead, after my Google+ friend Alana sent me this picture, I thought it was an incredible time to connect a couple Mtf gender transition thoughts. First of all, I commented to Alana how much I liked her pictures and how natural she looks!  From her own comments (and I paraphrase) the right hair style can do a lot to replace "FFS" (facial feminization surgery.) Yes! The more one does this transition thing, the more you do begin to get certain ideas through your thick skull. I am writing about me of course. I am around or live with three very out spoken generic critics, and for whatever reason, no one bothered to tell me "soft bangs" on my face might be the way to go. "Maybe" I would have asked them what they knew anyhow. Surely that can't be a reason for ideas? Nah!!!

Plus, about a month ago, when I needed a new foundation, I brought my partner Liz for guidance. I was looking for my shade as much as an actual brand (I do the best I can afford.) I knew you should try to match the foundation shade to the skin on the back of your wrist-but-I was literally geeking when Liz pulled out this small piece of clear heavy plastic which actually had all the shades on it. All I had to do was pull it out and matched shades until one literally disappeared. Really? It was that easy? And, guess what, I use less foundation and look better.

Alana is proof you don't have to go overboard (or commando) to be a feminine success. Another example is Mandy Sherman. Go to her blog  and check out the "Miss-Identified Again" post!

But....if you want to go commando under your sun dress this summer-think of it this way-make sure the wind is not blowing hard, forget what your Mom would say and you only live once!

It's A Dog's Life?

I have been a dog person all my life. My latest furry companion has been with me the last 12 years or so. I mean she is with me a lot!  She is a huge rider and is a constant companion in the back seat of my car. During my tough dark years of loss, I would always be amazed the dog would come over and set down next to me in my darkest times.

Having written all of that-she is a dog after all and as I understand it, know quite clearly when things happen, they just don't know why. Recently, I have decided to use the dog example to help answer one of my most asked questions: "When and how did you (me) know when you were trans?"  I have been answering  "I knew quite clearly I was trans but like a dog, I couldn't exactly say why.

If they are a dog person-they know exactly what I am saying. If not, I don't have to worry about any other questions-which is cool too!

Why Does Indiana Hate Me?

This afternoon, Liz and I started our Indiana boycott. She lives about 10 miles or so North of the Ohio River on the Eastern side of Cincinnati.  It was a sunny but chilly day but nice enough to see what the recent moderate flooding had done to the small towns along the river. We took the opportunity to choose going East towards Ripley or West into Indiana.  Guess which one we chose?

Unfortunately, now I have to deal on assumptions. I can assume many of the places in Ohio will be hospitable AND now I have to assume many of the Indiana places won't be. #BoycotIndiana-check the picture from GLAAD. Doesn't Eric Miller look like a throw back Hitler Nazi supporter?
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Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Ker Plunk!!! Another edition of Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition" is hitting your front porch! "Momma Nature" is still teasing us around here in Ohio with a day of spring followed by two days of winter, so a hot "cup-o-joe" is my beverage of choice this morning. Sure, it's great to see you, but where the hell is the coffee???  Lets get started!

Page 1.-  The Week That Was or Wasn't: I'm not sure it surprised me totally but, on the other hand, it didn't make it any easier when the state of Indiana joined a number of states stepping backward and using religion to discriminate. Under the "Right of Religious Freedom Act" (as I understand it) an owner of a business can decide who to serve or not in their business. So, very simply, this opens the door for we LGBT peeps having to use the backdoor at many businesses-if the door isn't locked. So Liz and I could be kicked out of a religious freak's business in Indiana if he or she thinks I am trans? Really? We don't like your kind in here. If there is a bright side, a rather sizable social media and public protest is coming along. The Twitter hashtag is #BoycottIndiana and the mayor of Cincinnati,(which partially neighbors Indiana) has volunteered to "take" all of Indiana's business. At press time, Indiana is going to propose another law which defines the first sometime this week. (Shelle and others in Indiana-Good luck!!!)

Page 2.- Building the Future? Yesterday was a busy day. Liz went with me back up to Springfield (a hour and a half trip one way) to ship and sell a couple of my sister in laws vintage items. As some of you know, I make a couple of extra "sheckles"selling on line vintage items. Yesterday was some sort of a milestone of sorts. I have been slowly changing my gender markers on the sites but never have had the opportunity to sell and meet someone with the piece not in male drag. (Most of my items are shipped.) As it turned out, similar to the whole day yesterday, the buyer didn't even give me a second look. Which, basically is how the whole day went - except a young boy who had been brought into a woman's room by Mom at a store where we were shopping.  As both of us looked at each other as we waited for his Mom to pee, I wondered what he thought. Remembering the days of "if you can pass young kids and teens, you can pass anyone" I halfway worried about him screaming "Mom there is a man in here!" He didn't and I wondered if he thought if I wondered what he was doing in there. Later I thought if the experience would would make him more diverse in his thinking as he got older.

Page 3.- All that Jazz and "Mo"! All of a sudden we transgender women and trans men are finding a home on "Reality TV." Before the trans community itself begins to slice and dice all the activity, Jazz Jennings (left) and Laverne Cox are leading the charge once again to the chagrin of those in our community who think they have "too much passing privilege". However, a couple of the other shows show a representation of the rest of us who may not be so passable.
The April 3 issue of Entertainment Magazine has examples in an article of page 16 called "Trans Stories Find a Home on Reality TV." Before you come down too hard on Jazz for looking too good-find her recent interview with Meredith Vieria, She said among many other things, she could be arrested for using the woman's room in her home state of Florida and without her parents assistance with transitioning, she most likely wouldn't be alive at all.


Page 4.- The Back Page: As always, thanks soooooo much for stopping by Cyrsti's Condo! No one appreciates you all more than me!!!

Cyrsti's Condo "Cover Girl of the Day"

"Blond on Black" Mtf model, designer and gorgeous Phillipe Blond!

The Trans Girl and The Hair

Here in Cyrst's Condo, I have written a ton about the biggest HRT effects that went the furthest towards passing privilege. Easily hair and skin are my top choices. In my post yesterday I wrote about the learning process of having wearing your own hair. Mandy was nice enough to comment in about her need to go every three weeks or so to the salon for a "color update."

About that time, I began to think of other "hair raising" tales. One of which, I can't exactly remember where it came from but it was a woman explaining how a wedding photographer wouldn't understand stressing over blow drying her hair with a round brush-versus using a flat iron. The reason I know is on my salon visits (before I knew better) my stylist tried to use both to beat my wavy hair into submission. Which I found I didn't like.

So, instead, (and on my current budget), I am learning to wash my hair, use the right color conditioner, figure out how long to leave it on-then- rinse it all off and apply the proper amount of mousse  before my hair dries. Then, don't play with it till it dries. I think I'm to a point that my 'bad hair days' are fewer, plus I am falling in love with wearing soft bangs.

So far it seems the hair is winning over the trans girl. But, she is gainin!

Girl Scout?

This morning as we were taking Liz's 90 year old Dad back to the eye surgeon, the conversation turned to her youth and then to her time as a Girl Scout-then on to other topics like why he didn't wear his National Rifle Association hat. Not exactly a card carrying liberal, but a fair guy none the less.

Recently, we have been wondering what he really thinks about me and/or my relationship with his daughter. Keep in mind, before you think I may be falling back on a sudden amazing amount of passing privilege, he is 90. But, his cataract operations are providing amazing results and now he can see me. On top of all of that Liz is not so sure of his reaction of her being with another woman-transgender or not. Or if he has a clue about me.

This morning we got an answer when he turned around in the car and asked "Cyrsti, were you in the Girl Scouts?" It was a good thing I didn't have a mouth full of coffee!  One thing is for sure, back in the day, there would have been no way I would have been allowed to even come close!

Stop the Whining Dammit!

If this wasn't my blog, I might call myself a drama queen. It is though, so I won't. However these days I find myself mired in bitchin n whining. It could be for the most part around here, we are still being teased by Momma Spring.

For instance, let's start with my hair. When I started HRT, I couldn't wait until my hair became long enough to style and I could put away wigs forever. All was good until I found the dark side of the sun. Otherwise known as the back of my head. All this time, I never gave much thought to the back of my head. Out of sight out of mind. As I progressesd I used to joke my own hair was the first I wore that I couldn't just turn around and style on a wig head. After all, I didn't want to re-enact a scene from The Exorcist horror movie. And, speaking of the movie, sometimes I think when my estrogen kicks in, my attitude may head a little to the bitchy side.

So now, as I made a quick trip to the grocery today, a brief moment of clarity hit me somewhere between baking and produce-this is what I signed up for. I wouldn't trade it for the world and waited sooooo long for it but is it really time to color my hair again?