Rookie Acrylic Nail Insight

I have mentioned a couple times how I am looking ahead to getting my nails done before the Trans Ohio Symposium this coming weekend. There are two choices, acrylic and having my own nails polished, shaped and colored. I have been pestering Liz about what the differences really are and if you don't know, here is Connie's take on the matter:

"Speaking of patience....so you're going for the acrylics, huh? Be prepared for a long sit-down, as your nails will be filed, glued, ground by power tools, filled with toxic chemicals, and given two coats of paint and a clear-coat. If it sounds more like sending your car to the body shop, you're right. Then, of course, you'll have to sit for what seems like forever while you wait for your nails to dry - and they never really will for the next 24 hours. You'll have to be extra-dainty with them. But, for the following two weeks they will look fabulous! Then, it's time to start thinking about booking a two-hour appointment for a fill the next week - if you want to keep them looking so good, that is. Otherwise, you can remove them (not so easily done), and you'll see that your own nails are, at least, worse for the wear.

I love having acrylic nails! I can't grow my own out because they are all ridged and misshapen by years of working with my hands (I think I've smashed every one of them, at one time or another, over the years). Acrylics can take the abuse, and the polish does not chip off of them. If I can find the time and money to maintain them, I don't too much mind the salon visit every three weeks. The Vietnamese lady who does them for me speaks little English, so it's not so much the social spa experience I would prefer. I do, however, feel so much better about myself when I leave (careful not to smudge the polish as I open the car door and put the key in the ignition, of course:-)

Actually, the time needed for the acrylics maybe the deciding matter as we may be down to not have a chance to go at all to the salon before we head to Columbus. Plus, I actually have enough of my actual nails available for them to do a pretty good job (I hear)."

It will be a game time decision.

Trans Ohio

Not much time for a post today. Trying to put together the three outfits I will need for the "Trans Ohio Symposium" this coming weekend in Columbus, Ohio which is about an hour and a half from Cincinnati the way Liz drives.

The long term forecast for next weekend is calling for almost summer time weather with high's in the 80's, so I am digging deep into my wardrobe for appropriate clothing.

I need to cover a fairly wide range of events in a short period of time including a transgender mixer on Friday night and a dinner date at one of Columbus's premier burger joints which perhaps you have seen on the Big Ten channels' food show for the best burgers.

Then on Saturday is workshop day (with 85 workshops) over a three day period, so I need to come up with an outfit which is fashionable yet comfortable. For me, that means no jeans for a couple days and my trusted tennis shoes will be cast temporarily aside for my black flats.

Plus we still are working on a time when we can go get our nails done before we go. I think I am going to get my first set of acrylics! And, an Ohio Valley Witches Ball meeting this afternoon today.

So it continues to be a busy week, and I know I am behind in answering all my mail here in Cyrsti's Condo.

Thanks for your patience.

Transitioning 401

I am an out and proud trans woman and I spend time on occasion trying to figure out a logical reasoning system to get to how I got here. This time I decided to place it in an educational format and I am placing myself now at a 401 senior level course in my Mtf transition and working backwards. Sometimes I think I have reached levels high enough to be considered in a Masters Degree program and then again I am not.

It is tough to list all the other levels/courses I think I have been through, but one of the easier ways to see a few is to go back to some of my earliest posts here in Cyrsti's Condo. If you read them, you will see I spent what I feel now was an inordinate amount of time on what went into my cross dressing experience. Rather than the experience itself. Which leads me to the mirror phase.  

I know when I went through the mirror phase, when I couldn't get enough of my image and looked for a mirror no matter where I was. I flat out wore mirrors out! It took awhile to pass the course but when I did finally grow out of that phase, I moved into my 301 level approval courses.

During the approval period of my education, I found many people (women) wold be quick to compliment my appearance. What I didn't factor in was the unspoken "I looked good-for a man in a dress," Once I had it figured out, I wondered how long I wanted to be just a "man in a dress" and went into my transgender phase and set out to live my life as often as I could as a trans woman. I found quickly, there was a huge difference between looking good as a cross dressed man and a transgender woman seeking a level playing field in the world.

As far as time went, my trans phase lasted the least of the other levels but was by far (as you can guess) the most intense. It seemed that every waking moment of my life not tied in with work had to do with the exploration of the world as a trans woman. Or, if I made the move to transition, could I?

Part of my transgender level courses included labs. Or, the time I actually spent on going to the doctors and starting on hormone replacement therapy. I really wanted to push along my MtF gender transition.  It was about this time I made the Dean's List and completely began to feel comfortable in my new life   and decided to take it a step further, by updating  my gender markers and changing my name. Or as I call it, Transgender 401. (Living full time)

The next level if I ever decided to take it would be SRS surgery and I  would consider it a gender transition  Master's or even a Doctorate. As compelling as the "final step" may be, it's just something I don't think I need at this point of my life.

So, there you go, my own attempt to compress 50 plus years of transitioning into an educational format. I am sure some of you will have much more to add from your journey.

Damn I'm Evil!

It turns out that Frump's seemingly endless stream of bigoted nominees has hit my former employer, the U.S. Army. Here is part of the story which was uncovered by the Huffington Post and reported here by the "San Diego Gay and Lesbian News.Com":

"Today, the American Military Partner Association (AMPA), the nation's largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) military spouses and their families, strongly condemned remarks by President Trump's nominee for Secretary of the Army, Mark Green. In a radio interview last year, Green said he opposes transgender equality because he must "crush evil." 

"Mark Green's comments are outrageous and beyond the pale," said AMPA President Ashley Broadway-Mack. "Our transgender soldiers serve our nation proudly, with integrity and honor. Green clearly has no business leading the men and women of the United States Army, and his appalling attacks against LGBT people are in direct conflict with the core values of the Army. President Trump should immediately withdraw his nomination of Mark Green as Secretary of the Army."

Green's dangerous remarks were uncovered by Amanda Terkel of the Huffington Post, who reported Green "believes that part of his mission as a public official is to “crush evil” ― and that opposing transgender equality policies is key to that effort."

Really?????? Where do they find these guys?????

Going on a LGBT Vacation?

One of the topics I brought up in yesterdays transgender Veterans support group was the simple difficulties trans women and men face while traveling to certain "hostile" states. In some cases "safe" restrooms are at the least hard to find. An example is here in Ohio where I live as compared to "crossing the border" and heading into the Southern U.S. The prime example of course is North Carolina, but Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and more get an dishonorable mention.

There was a time not too long ago Liz and I were considering a trip to North Carolina but no more of course.

I know the so called "safe areas" of neighboring Kentucky and Indiana but it just is terrible I have to plan my rest room breaks ahead of time.

Worst yet was another person in the group, a highly androgynous trans man who has trouble using either rest room because of the way he looks. As bad as I think I may have it, he has it worse.

Plus, I would be remiss if I didn't mention good old Texas which is currently involved in it's own transgender restroom struggle of it's own. And I know the stop I made to use the woman's restroom on the Mississippi/Alabama border was one of the most courageous things I have ever done just to pee.

Through it all yesterday, even the staunchest allies in the room seemed to be taken aback by the reality of being trans and out in most of America. It was a good learning experience for them.

And we didn't even get into the potential horror stories of trying to fly anywhere with the TSA.

Another Public Outing

It seems all of a sudden it is OK again to throw transgender people under the bus in very public domains for ones personal gain. This one comes from Canada:

"COQUITLAM (NEWS 1130) – She was outed as transgender during a TV news broadcast on Monday night, and now the provincial Green Party candidate for Coquitlam-Maillardville is hoping the slip-up won’t be a distraction on the campaign trail.     

Nicola Spurling isn’t pointing any fingers, preferring to call it an “unfortunate miscommunication” but says there are risks to outing any transgender person.

“Trans people face a lot of discrimination in the form of bullying, violence, being denied employment, being denied housing and being inappropriately questioned on a variety of issues surrounding the transition process,” she tells NEWS 1130. “And then there is just the general feeling of being unwelcome in society. A lot of people feel like you shouldn’t exist and that is something trans people have to deal with on a daily basis.”

For more, go here.

All in a Day...or Two

Several "housekeeping" items for you here in Cyrsti's Condo.

The first of which is (as reported by Jeni) the guy who outed Zeke on Survivor has been fired from his job as a real estate agent in North Carolina of all places. What he did of course was irresponsible at the least.

Second of all, it seems all my quiet time has passed me by as far as transgender happenings go. This afternoon, I am attending the transgender veteran support group up at the Dayton, Ohio VA, Then Thursday I go back for my monthly appointment with my psychologist to check what is left of my sanity.

Monday, is Crossport, a group of trans women and cross dressers here in Cincinnati, which normally proves to be interesting with the individuals involved. And, the Trans Ohio Symposium is sneaking up on Liz and I on the last weekend of April in Columbus, Ohio.

So all in all, the next week or so is shaping up to be a busy time and on top of it all. I am going to try to get my nails done (mani only) for the first time in my life which should be interesting!

Of course, I will keep you a-breast of the happenings! :)

Happy Easter

All religion aside, it is Easter and for many of us transgender women it is a time to remember how the girls around us seemingly had all the fun. After all, they were the ones who got to dress up in all the pretty colors and fashions while the best I could hope for was a new restricting tie.

I just could not get over the envy of the girls in their white or cream colored tights. Why not me?

It turns out, not all the girls thought the same about their new Easter outfits. Liz for example got in continual trouble for being a "tomboy' and getting her tights stained chasing a future Cincinnati Reds shortstop around her church.

Perhaps a better term would be, the grass is not always whiter on the other side.

At any rate, I hope you have been able to celebrate Easter (or whatever religion you worship.) In the manner which suits you the best.

After all, the world is too volatile of a place not to. Trans or not, we all need a special prayer.

Surreal?

Literally years ago before I embarked down my HRT journey, I read one man's comment that he would love to have his own breasts so he could play with them.

I am to the point now I understand where he was coming from...almost. After three plus years on the estrogen patch and spiro testosterone blocker, I have developed an unmistakable pair of feminine breasts, not man boobs.

I have written HRT posts before and received feedback such as I was bragging, or (the best yet), just another old guy on hormones.

What I have learned is, I have developed a very thick skin in addition to all the other HRT changes. As a matter of fact, I was crying during transgender man Zeke Smith's outing on Survivor the other night. Most times I am crying internally because I am watching it at all, but Liz likes it.

The whole Mtf gender transition process continues to be surreal for me. I am the first to admit I am dazzled by the external and internal effects of the hormones. For some reason over the years, I have continued to sleep in over sized The Ohio State T's until Liz bought me a pair of soft silky jammies which say "Live the LIFE you's DREAMED of."

How appropriate! And, probably more than she will ever know. When I wake up in the morning now, more than ever before, I feel the effects of my femininity.

I continue to thank the Goddess for my health to be able to take this trip at all and I feel at any time my doctors will tell me I have to stop for any number of other health reasons at my age.

But, until then I must enjoy everyday the best I can. If I take the time to look closely, it is all so surreal!