Living Our Lives

Every two weeks a group of us trans women get together for a meeting to discuss various topics. Afterwards some of us gather at a nearby restaurant for coffee and food. I love these women who are my sisters. Months ago I said that I wanted to meet other trans women for friendship. That has certainly come to pass.

After each meeting I gain a better understanding about each person. We all just want to live our lives as we really are. It doesn't take rocket science to see this. Yet, there are those who believe that we are a menace to civil society. The question I would ask is a menace to whom?  Is it because we challenge their own belief system as to what a 'real' man or 'real' women should be? Is it because their belief system is shattered because it isn't finite or conclusive to their own views of life?    This why you have wars, poverty, and discrimination. Some of these sociopathic 'do-gooders' have reaped more harm to many people than all the wars and battles. 

When I read the list of transgender people murdered  on the Transgender Day Of Remembrance website , it illustrates some of my points. It breaks my heart when many women (especially women of color) are killed simply for who they are. It also shows me that we have survived and are thriving through all the morass and hatred thrown at us. I'm a proud transgender woman whose living my life as the person I really am. So are millions other transgender people.

I was going through my files looking at some old articles, some  as old as a decade. I read over a project I did regarding cross dressing and the bible. It was an intensive project with much research, reading, and solicitation from people more wise than I about such matters. It was a fun project which helped me understand how being a Christian and gender variance is possible.

It also reminded me the importance of doing my homework

Summer Lessons

September 1st will mark the unofficial end to the summer. Seems like it only started. Some may think that one's learning stops at the end of the school year when in reality we learn something every day.

There's the formal education of school, then there's the informal education life teaches us. Did we learn something about ourselves? Was there any improvement of a particular talent or gift? Did you have an epiphany about something that may have been spoken or performed a while back? Either way we are not the people we were several weeks back.

As a the new school year begins, see if you can apply some lessons you learned during the warm summer months. It may prove invaluable in the future. Nothing that you learn ever goes for naught.

Genevieve's Gems

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.


~Robert Louis Stevenson

Perception and Reality

One of the aspects of being out is how people perceive you. It's something that I don't think about consciously all the time but it's there nevertheless. I have been perceived as female much of the time now, especially when I'm out with my wife. She feels much more comfortable with my gender identity now. 

I mentioned to a group of ladies that we can and will enjoy our lives when we live without fear. This is something I wanted long before now and now I'm living it. Along the way if I have changed people's minds about transgender people, then I consider this to be a blessing for that individual and us as transgender people. One more mind has been changed.  

Wonderful Month

August has been a wonderful month. My wife and I celebrated our birthdays on the 4th. We attended a service where the music was performed in a jazz style. We absolutely loved it! We'll be going again this Friday. We went to a movie this past Friday. As you can see, we've been out quite a bit.

When my wife was away a few weeks ago, I was able to depressed a bit. I went out but sat down by the river or in a park. I see how blessed I am and really enjoy life. I'm focused and am doing things that I put off for a while. Really don't have time to waste. 

Genevieve's Gems

Wisdom, compassion and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.


~Confucius

2014 NFL Football Season

Preparations for the 2014 NFL football are under way. I've bee a rabid Jets fan since 1960 when they were known as the New York Titans. I was 20 years old when I watched the Jets win Super Bowl III. It's been a loooong dry spell.  Is this the year a miracle could happen? The offense needs to improve and with the new additions I believe it has. The key will be the play of the Jets quarterback, whether it's Geno Smith or Michael Vick. The defense looks solid in the front seven. The secondary needs to be sorted out.   

I not making any predictions now because camps only started a couple of weeks ago. I will have when training camp is over and all the other technicalities are sorted through (injuries, waiver wire pickups, etc). Hope this season will better than last year's 8-8 record.

Productive Day

Today was very productive for me. I went to the local library and wrote an essay. Maybe this doesn't seem significant but it was the first time in several weeks that felt I was in the right frame of mind. I found a quiet place where I can concentrate. I concentrate best when it's totally quiet.

I'm working on one reading project of one of my favorite authors. I'm also seeking to be involved with an organization which is bringing transgender concerns to the fore. I was out all day today and I'm not tired. It's because I slowed down and enjoyed the precious moments of solitude. I didn't feel harried or the need to d something. I do have a bad habit of doing too many things. I'm learning how to concentrate on a few things and to do them well.  

Birthday

Yesterday, I celebrated my 66th birthday. My wife's birthday the same day. We celebrated at a local restaurant. I think about it and say 'Wow!'. 

Later at night I was reminiscing the things that have happened in my life. Some were good, others not so good. Some were quite unexpected. It's been a wonderful life nevertheless.

Genevieve's Gems

No man is free who is not master of himself.

~Chinese proverb