This week has been a blur.   I’ve started going to water aerobics to get some exercise.  Wednesday night a girl friend and I went to see Cheap Trick, Heart, and Journey in concert.  It was an outdoor event and it was terribly hot, but I absolutely loved it.  Heart and Journey are two of my favorite groups.  They were fabulous.

Monday evening I went with some friends to a local auction.  It was really fun, and entertaining.  They sold everything from bags of fresh tomatoes, to antiques, to furniture, lawn equipment, etc, etc, etc.  It was amazing.  I ended up buying a new bedroom suite which I really like. 

Tonight I went to a party, one that was quite different from any  that I had ever been to.  It was for adult women only.  Good food, good refreshments, and made some new friends.  There was also a presentation of “adult” products for sale.  It was soooo much fun.

Relatively small events like this are just so major to me.  They affirm my womanhood, my acceptance, my integration into my life as an ordinary gal.  There is just no way to describe the happiness and joy I experience at such small snippets of my new life.  The other women at the party didn’t know my history, nor did I tell them. 

Life is soo amazingly wonderful.

Last week I was in Texas with two of my horses for the World Paint Horse Show.  It was very hot there.  We had a pretty good show, with both of my horses finishing in the top ten.  My mare beat a four time former World Champion.   We beat some really top name horses.  So, while we weren’t World Champion again, we did well.  I was proud of Cassie and KK; we had lots and lots of good compliments on them.  Tammie and Ben worked their hearts out getting them ready, even though both of them (Tammie and Ben) weren’t feeling well.    They are amazing people.    Anyway, it was a fun few days.  I saw a bunch of old friends I hadn’t seen for a long time.   And I saw some incredible horses. 

In weeks and months ahead, there are some concerts that I will be attending, including The Eagles, 1964: The Tribute (a Beatles tribute band that are incredible), Celine Deion, etc.  This is going to be fun. 

Life truly is good.

I’ve been off-line for a while due to server problems.  My son, Ryan, who is a computer genius, finally sorted all of this out for me and got my site operational again.  Kudoos to you, Ry;  you’re amazing!  And I love you!

So, let’s see;   what are the last few months’ highlights?  Hmmm….

Well, around the ranch, there were a total of three foals born, two colts and one filly.  All three are very nice and doing well.  One has show horse potential.  They’ll be weaned soon.

I’ve had lots of fun with my kids and grandkids over the last few months.  A surprise birthday party for Travis, concerts with Ryan and Brian, family get-togethers at the ranch.  Ryan and I have been getting into some photography also, in addition to our love of live music events. 

On other fronts, I’m going to be a grandma again:  twice……youngest daughter Jill and her husband Jay are expecting their second child, and oldest son Travis and his wife Carrie are expecting their first, Baby Elijah.  This is pretty amazingly cool.  Also, my ex-stepson and his wife are expecting their first. 

OK, trans-related stuff:

I continue to leave that part of my life behind, inch by inch.  It will always be a part of who I am and certainly had a major impact on shaping who I’ve become, but it’s not the focus of my life like it tends to be for all of us as we go through the transition years.  I’ve done a couple more lectures on TSism and will likely do more in the future.   

I had my yearly mammography recently.  Since I’m a radiologist and interpret mammograms on a daily basis, of course I had to look at my exam.  After I assured myself that it was normal, I was struck by another observation:  my breasts look soooo natal.  Sure there are implants, but otherwise, no one would be able to tell by looking at the mammograms that I EVER started life any differently. The breast tissue I developed  looks natal.  I found this to be very reassuring and affirming. 

I have my final visit to E3K in Dallas soon, for my last major electrolysis session.  I cannot tell you how I love having this finished, but will actually miss the people at E3K.  They are wonderful, not to mention very talented.   For those reading this who need such  services, they are absolutely the best! 

A couple months ago, I traveled to Washington, DC to participate in a Congressional Lobbying Day for members of Congress sponsored by the National Center for Transgender Equality.  Some of you may be aware that in recent months there was a bill introduced that would have made it illegal to discriminate against anyone based on their sexual orientation OR their gender identity.  This bill was strongly supported by numerous organizations, including the largest GLBT organization, the Human Rights Campaign.  The HRC had repeatedly promised to accept no comprimises, that ALL members of the GLBT community HAD to be included.  At the last minute, they  betrayed us, as did Rep. Barney Frank, and a bill that included ONly the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community was introduced.   The legal protection for trans people was DROPPED, despite numerous assurances that such a thing would never happen.

It caused, and still is causing a major uproar in the GLBT community.  The HRC has lost much of the community’s, certainly the trans part, confidence.  So the lobbying day was for each of us to speak, one on one with our individual representatives and senators about this, the problems we face, etc.

It was a unique experience for me on many levels:  first the chance to meet 150+ trans people from all over the country, including many of the most visible and well-known trans-community leaders and activists….pretty amazing people.  Secondly I got to tell my story and my views to my members of Congress.   And I got a glimpse of how Washington works, or doesn’t, whatever you believe.   A good experience in all. 

Like I always say:   life is good.

At the horse show yesterday, my mare Cassie did well.  We placed well in the amateur class and earned 15 points, which is quite good.  In the open class she earned one point.  I was quite proud of her, considering she’s not in her ideal condition.  

Did you ever happen to bump into someone that you had dated in the past and that person now looks really really bad, i.e. sad, depressed looking, unkept, etc.  That happened to me, and I had mixed feelings about it.  Some sadness, a touch of “serves you right” (though I know that I’m  not the reason for this change), but mostly some concern.  I’m torn whether to contact this person to see if help is needed…..or just MYOB.

I went out to eat with 5 other women recently.  We had such a good time.  I was well accepted, and we talked, laughed, and had a lot of fun.  We’re going to make this a biweekly get together, and are also planning some shopping trips.  This is so cool. 

I love my life.]

A few weeks ago, I went to church.  As I sat down and was reading the church bulletin before the service started, I noticed that the topic in the youth group was “Gender Issues”.  Hmmmm. Wonder what that’s about.  So I went to investigate.  I introduced myself to the youth leader and her assistant.  It seems that they were planning to discuss Gender Identity Disorder and Gender Issues with the teens, but their speaker had cancelled….so I outed myself, and volunteered to share my story and my thoughts.

I had a great time.  The kids listened, asked some challenging questions, and I felt like it went very well.  It just happens that my last name sounds just like the name of a famous rock group, so that immediately established me as someone cool….it was really fun.  This is a topic I love to discuss, given the right situation, though I am very selective about where I do talk about my past. 

Our new horse show season has officially begun.  My yearling filly, Money, and my aged mare, Cassie, were shown yesterday.  They did OK, but not spectacular.  We’re going to make some minor changes so that hopefully they’ll be winners on Saturday.  

It was very cold last night, so naturally, a new foal was born.  He’s a little boy, a palomino, with white socks.  It’s his momma’s first baby and she seems to be doing a great job.  He’s really cute and is tolerating the cold weather fine. 

This is so amazing.  To see new life….to be a part of a new life….to have a new life.  It’s just incredible.  I am truly blessed.

On another front, I’m going to be speaking at a small forum about transgenderism.  I actually enjoy doing this, and feel like I’m helping educate people and hopefully letting them see that people with my history are  normal, sane, and happy people who just happened to have been born with a birth defect we’ve had corrected.

Only in this state can it be 72 on Saturday and snow on Monday.  It’s cold today, with a fierce north wind.  

Today was a day off, spent doing all those errands that can’t be accomplished on weekends or in the evenings.  It was a productive day, though nothing exciting.

Tonight I watched a show on tv called the transamerican love story.  It’s a reality show on the logo channel featuring Calpernia Addams, a woman who first came to national attention because of a movie named “Soldier’s Girl”.  It was a movie based on her life.  She worked as a performer in a night club in order to support herself and pay for her transition.  While performing she met and fell in love with a soldier stationed nearby.  When his friends found out about his relationship with a trans=woman, one of them beat him to death with a baseball bat while he slept.  Since then, she’s moved to Hollywood and has appeared in a few movies, etc.  The tv show is about her and seven bachelors who are aware of her trans history, and are competing for her on a weekly show.  It’s pretty corny.  But she’s a beautiful woman.  I haven’t figured out which guy she’ll make her first choice.  Several have already been eliminated. 

The first horse show of the season for us starts Thursday.  I hope it’s warmer. 

Tonight I’m going to go see 1964:the Tribute.  It’s a concert given by four incredibly talented guys recreating the early Beatles.  They look like the Beatles, they sound identical, they talk like them, etc.  It’s a fantastic show.  I’ve seen them once before, and loved it!

Yes, I’m a serious Beatles fan. 

And I’m already getting very nervous about Saturday night.  I’ll write more about that later.

Monday morning, my veterinarian called to tell me that my dog Charcoal was not doing well at all. He perked up a little with IV’s, but then went downhill again.  Laboratory tests revealed him to be in advanced kidney failure.  There is no successful treatment.

So I made the only humane decision that could be made.  My friend, my dog Charcoal, is now in  Heaven.  I have no doubt that he’s playing fetch with anyone who will throw anything. 

Monday and last night, when I go outside to feed horses, it seems so empty.  It just doesn’t feel right.  No one to bring me an old shoe to throw;  he isn’t there to get scratched and petted. 

Charcoal, I love ya buddy.  You were a great dog, and you are missed terribly.]