Cyrsti's Condo "Yesterday's Coffee"

Lots to get to from our Condo "mail slot!"

Mandy Sherman returned from yet another trip and checked back in and commented (on Alana's picture and the post "Going Commando"):
Have been out of town visiting our son (wish I could have been wearing a skirt) and just got back, so I can get caught up on prior posts. Gee, thanks so much for the mention, Cyrsti! I really appreciate it! And Alana, you look great! Keep up the good work!
Mandy

Then, of course Connie chimed in with her "ain't that special" brand of Pacific Northwest humor on my "kitchen based beauty help":  

Olive oil? So, you've gone past cross dressing and on to salad dressing? You already were full of vinegar, anyway.

Good point! This week some have thought I was full of a "little too much vinegar" concerning my comments about Indiana hiding behind religious freedom to LGBT discriminate.
From my responses I was even called a hater. You can follow all the comments back and forth in the archived posts. Be forewarned though, I do get passionate and I could have pulled out my old musty history degree but didn't to make myriad points. But-understand-until you have walked a mile in my shoes, experienced what I have experienced (including military service)- only then you can comment on my passion.

I will get to all of that in my next post!

Less IS More!

Among all glitz and glam of cross dressers and trans girls on the internet, every once in a while - I do find a story and picture of what I call a real transition. I featured Alana not long ago here in Cyrsti's Condo in a post called "Going Commando". She replied with more background I thought you all may be interested in!

Wow. Thanks for featuring my photo, There's quite a background story to this picture, taken at 3am. I'd had a 2hr session of electrolysis just before my salon visit. I highly recommend splurging on a good hair salon, even if the visits aren't as frequent, the results speak for themselves. I've been practicing the "natural" look, which doesn't mean not using makeup. In fact I've got foundation, a touch of blush, mascara, three color eyes shadow, thin line MAC eye liner on the upper eyelid, and powder applied to my forehead, nose, and chin, Finally, I'm using a ballerina pink Sephora lip stick, which is very subtle and nearly matches my natural lip color. 

After my salon visit, I went to a transgender support group, had a great time hanging out with our tribe. Finally, I have to admit that I'm weeks away from beginning HRT. I guess my body was already primed to be female, in spite of the pipes. 

Love your blog.
Hugs,
-Alana

Thanks Alana! I think sometimes the point is lost on most - buying the most expensive cosmetics does not necessarily equate to being more attractive. Example? My sister in law last night was bugging me about not having "puffy" eyes like she has. I suggested genetics but then went on to tell her about using a touch of Olive Oil mixed in with my moisturizer/wrinkle cream. Thanks Liz!!!! 

Inner Transtioning

Most certainly, I give myself many "talking to's", in fact, once here in Cyrsti's Condo, I wrote a post about when I began to make the effort to quit mis-pronouning myself. 

It was tough. Here I was doing my male drag in the world while I was desperately trying to "sync" up my gender dysphoria. Those of you who have been through it-"nuff said". If you haven't-I compare it with a case of mental "shingles." Also, this was occurring during a time when people in public would "slip up" and call me mam.

Essentially, I was throwing my own mental road block into my transgender transition path. Finally, I re programmed yet another part of my wiring to function better! I need all the wiring I can get!

Indiana Jones and the Legislation of Doom

Connie commented about Indiana:" Indiana, where it's OK to have a Basketball Jones, but not so much if I'm Basketball Joan. Basketball is the major religion for the state, is it not? I'm wondering, though, why it's still legal to run a man to man defense." Almost Connie. Basketball IS the religion in nearby Kentucky!

Then, this comment from Pat really got me going this morning:   It seems that this is a recent case of the left using a flawed premise to bash a Republican. The language of the new legislation is taken from the federal freedom of religion law signed by Bill Clinton. It is also in line with the legislation of about half the states including the legislation voted for by Obama when he was an Illinois legislator. 

As I understand the legislation it is a preclusion against government action against a person with clear and estanblished religious beliefs it is not a blanket right to discriminate as is being presented by those whose politics are not in line with the current governor or legislature in that state.
Pat

Number 1.- How dare you play politics with my life??? I don't give a rats behind less if this came from the left or the right?  I guess the bottom line is Pat, you can feel good about yourself that you are carrying the banner of knowledge when you dress as a woman and go out and then turn around and say denying human rights is OK?
Number 2.- I am certain you have read or heard by now, Indiana's law is NOT the same as the others.  (Read on below.)  
Number 3.- Pat, riddle me this...why does every challenge to me living my life as I please with the access to basic American freedoms come from the so called right?
Number 4.- Walk a mile in any LGBT person's shoes and then you will understand why there is a 41% suicide rate. And, don't be crazy and tell me this is an "apples and oranges" issue. 

A  Washington Post article largely mirrors the argument advanced by Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Appearing on ABC’s This Week, Pence claimed “Then state-Sen. Barack Obama voted for [the Religious Freedom Restoration Act]. The very same language.”

The same argument is parroted on Fox News and elsewhere.

It’s not true.

The Indiana law differs substantially from the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, signed by President Clinton in 1993, and all other state RFRAs.
Go here for another look.
(Disclaimer, this is one of those evil leftist sites-kind of like the CBS Morning Show legal analyst Tuesday morning.) She very succinctly outlined the differences and then went on to say why big diverse companies can locate to states who have protections on the books for LGBT persons and not to states like Indiana and others who don't. 

Then again, Rush Limbaugh sent a letter to Liz's Dad yet asking for money and telling him Obama is going to run for president-for life.  He will be coming after me next!

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!!!