Geez-It's Quiet Around Here

Silence has always been my worse enemy. If I can't be around people and/or write about them, I get a little edgy.

Plus if you try to write as much as I do, I need material.

For example a couple nights ago, a committee Liz and I are working on to organize another witches Halloween Ball met to look at a venue. The venue was perfect (as we all knew) but we had to reserve it this far ahead to get it.

I didn't say much except that last last year's tickets were too expensive and to keep this years price point down as much as we can.

No one from the venue paid the trans girl much attention as I wondered around the place I had such a good evening in the past.

Liz and I actually had one of our first dates there at an earlier Halloween event when I broke one of my own rules and tried to wear heels for the evening.

This year should  be fun as we are doing a version of Alice/Teapot etc. Putting together a costume should be fun.

You may ask how does this all tie together? Actually, it's pretty simple. I didn't have a damn thing to write about so I jumped ahead to Halloween and being accepted by the organizers as who I am-transgender.

I do have a New Years Eve outfit picked out so I was saving it for later. And, next week, is another meeting of the transgender veterans group I am in. Plus, another meeting with my therapist.

Such is life writing a blog!!!

Baby It's COLD Outside!

Just because we hit sub zero wind chill temperatures last night and today around here in Ohio, is not really the reason behind this post.

As I was coming back in from the mailbox a bit ago, I got to thinking how did I know it was cold. Of course I came to the conclusion- it was. It just was.

Then I took the process a step further as I took off my coat, scarf and gloves then applied the process to being transgender.

I always shared a sense of anger and amusement when anyone suggested to me being transgender was a choice. It never was for me no matter how hard I tried to hide it. Being trans just was.

When I finally came to that point in my life when I could accept it, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.

I knew I was cold today just as much as I knew I was transgender and that alone provided me with a little bit of warmth on a sub zero day.

If I Knew Then...

Often I get asked what I did or what I would change to get to this point in my life and I have a few easy answers which were damn hard to learn!

First of all Mtf gender transitioning to me was not being brave. Embarking on the transgender process was increasing clear to me was one I needed desperately to make it through this world alive. I had to make a change. One suicide attempt was enough.

As far as the mechanics of just living in a feminine world, the complexities were enormous. I found the society of women to be as complex as I thought it would be and it did not take me long to experience first hand the effects of say feminine passive aggression among others.

Then of course there were the problems I still face such as presenting to the best of my ability. I had to learn that more make up was not necessarily the right way to go and how to dress to blend. As I grew my own hair, then all of the sudden I faced another set of challenges. For the first time (since I wasn't wearing wigs) I couldn't easily see the back of my head and had to rely on mirrors to judge how the hair on the back side of my head looked.

When the effects of HRT began to set in, a whole different set of opportunities set in such as emotions etc. On the positive side I began the exciting breast development and skin softening which of course accompanied the process of just somehow feeling different.

Regrets? A double edged sword. Karma giveth and taketh away. On one side I wish I would have started this journey in earnest earlier. But then again I wouldn't give up so many of the fond guy memories I made including the best of all-my daughter.

So, there you go, a very short version of fifty plus years of discovery for me. Starting cross dressing and ending as the proud transgender woman I am today has taken its exciting and then again scary turns for me. I tend to be thinking about all of this more as I pass through the one year mark of legally changing my gender.

The trip is certainly not for the faint of heart, but then again, only your heart can tell you to do it.

Cyrsti's Condo Monday Morning Edition

Greetings and welcome into another Cyrsti's Condo Monday morning edition. It's chilly here in Southwestern Ohio, but so far we have missed most of the snow just North of us. Let's grab a steamy "cup o Joe" and get started.

Page One: The Week that Was-or Wasn't: Nothing too amazing to report in my life. Of course the post election news continues to sizzle and I try not to be too paranoid what it means to the LGBT community moving forward. It's tough though with some of the appointee's being announced. Already some of the reforms in neighboring states (Kentucky) are under attack with new bills expected to pass which would open the doors wide open again to LGBTQ discrimination. I guess if you are one of the transgender Trump voters...here you go. Discrimination on yourself.

Page Two: The Holidays: It doesn't seem possible but it has been close to a year now when I changed all my legal gender markers. Somehow, it is seemingly making Christmas a little brighter this year. Unfortunately, I know the Holidays are a rough time for many transgender women and men who have been disowned by their families.

My family split right down the middle of the acceptance road with a total breakdown of relations with my brother's family. I am fortunate though to have been totally accepted by my daughter's in laws and Liz's family. So, I know a little of both sides of the road-per norm.

Page Three: The Back Page: As I said, it's been pretty quiet around here. I don't know yet if I am going to the Cincinnati VA Women's Christmas Party this week because of car issues. But, I am going to try. I think I should still try. It is Wednesday. I also have my "Safe Space" meeting Friday I try to go to without fail. So, it will be a "social" week if I can pull it off.

In the meantime, my laptop battery is telling me it's time to go. I love you all and thanks for taking the time to stop past Cyrsti's Condo!

Jessie (My legal name.)

Stuff

Just to catch up on things I am not sure I passed along to you all, I received an invite to the Cincinnati Veterans Administration women's Christmas party coming up Wednesday. I have an outfit picked out which I believe is a little dressy without going too far.  The only problem is I have to go by myself because Liz has to work. I'm still a little new to the Cincinnati VA after transferring almost all of my care from the Dayton, Ohio center. The Dayton center is very diverse in it's treatment of the LGBTQ veterans. Of course It will remain to be seen if all of it continues under the new administration.

My fondest hope is I have the opportunity to possibly meet other transgender women vets while I am there!

Results of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey are going to be released sometime today. You can pick up a live stream account of it here.

I am sure most of the information will be predictable as far as employment/wages and education are concerned but it will be interesting to me to see if the number of those reporting went up.

Andy Warhol

Candy Darling Warhol Model

Several years ago I was able to view a very large collection of artist Andy Warhol's work at The Ohio State University. So large, it almost would have taken more than one visit to do it justice. Recently I received an invite that I thought I would pass along to all of you:

"Hi - my name is Alonzo, and I work at Artsy. While researching Andy Warhol, I found your page: http://cyrstiscondo-cyrsti.blogspot.com/2013/01/pejic-meets-warhol.html. 

I am reaching out to certain website and blog owners that publish content in line with our mission to make all the world’s art accessible to anyone. We hope to continue promoting arts education and accessibility with your help. 

Our Andy Warhol page provides visitors with Warhol's bio, over 1660 of his works, exclusive articles, and up-to-date Warhol exhibition listings. The page also includes related artists and categories, allowing viewers to discover art beyond our Warhol page. We would love to be included as an additional resource for your visitors via a link on your page."

Please check our blog list for a permanent link or follow the one above.

Thanks Alonzo!

Third Time's A Charm?

Here we go again with a triumphant (?) return to Cyrsti's  Condo. This time with a brand newly rebuilt lap top.

Thanks to all of you who have obviously checked back in so often to see what was going on. It means a lot.

Now, when I get the lap top recharged and feel secure with it again, I can began to repost on a regular basis. Hopefully, as soon as today!

Re-Takes

If you are "more mature" like I am (67) future nursing home situations can cause more than their fair share of paranoia. Especially if you have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly with your parents. Fortunately there are still protections in place for transgender seniors. You can find a couple are the Transgender Aging Network, forge-forward.org/aging, AARP Pride, National Resource Center on LGBT Aging and Lambda Legal at 212-8098585. There are others I can provide you links to if you need them.

Suicide was also a main topic during the Transgender Day of Remembrance.  Plenty of resources also exist for talking about the excessive suicide rates in the LGBTQ populations-especially during the holiday seasons. Of note are Glsen - www.glsen.org and The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386.

 Remember, talk saves lives!

The Kiss

From Ground Report Lifestyle:

Savannah Burton was born and raised in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Now, she has gone from a small town to a big screen.

Burton is starring in the upcoming film The Kiss. The film is a period piece that takes place in the 1950’s, and has an LGBT theme. Burton plays Bettina, a transgender person who has a big reveal at the end of the film.

“Telling an LGBTQ story from this time is incredibly important,” said Burton. “There just aren’t that many out there as this was a time when people were very closeted and were quite hidden from mainstream society.”

Production companies involved in the making of the film are Southern Mirrors, DECO Pictures, GTE Productions. I play Bettina who is the Transgender sister of Mrs. Williams who is revealed at the end of the film. The film will be shown at various LGBTQ+ film festivals all over the world.