Kalina Isato
"lovin' life because I get to be me."
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"lovin' life because I get to be me."
© 1995-2008 URNotAlone.com, All Rights Reserved. All items © Copyright by their respective owners, used here with their consent.
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2008 in Review
Dan™ & Erin™ December 31st, 2008 2:28 pm MSTWell, it's definitely been an interesting year. A lot has happened. I ended a relationship with the best girlfriend I've ever had (though she still wasn't right), I've watched my prosperity complete dry up, I've almost completely stopped smoking and my drinking is almost not even noticeable at this point. I've fallen in love with the most incredible woman and I'm slowly figuring things out.
When the year began, I was worried about money. My company stopped producing and selling adult content which resulted in a massive drop of revenue. Around the same time, I broke my primary revenue producing website preventing people with IE 6 from accessing it, so I spent most of the year working on a new design which finally went online in August.
I really thought most of my financial problems were my fault. The result of changes in my companies business model and my own failing's running the web sites. In fact, I was so busy trying to figure out what I was doing wrong that I didn't notice the world collapsing slowly outside my window.
I had to cash in my kids college funds to pay bills. I had to cancel my life insurance to pay bills. When my car died, I decided to sell it for scrap rather than repair it. Fewer bills again. My house is usually a bit chilly and dark to save on utilities. I've reduced my monthly budget by around 2,000. I've been selling furniture to buy groceries.
For everything that had gone wrong, I'm optimistic. Not because I see an end in sight, but because I feel like I'm getting a handle on things. I have the best friends of my life. I'm in love for the first time in my life. I'm relatively healthy and my kids are healthy and seem well adjusted.
I think things are going to get worse. A lot worse, but I'm confident that we'll all get through this. As a planet, we need to step back and assess what's important. We need to focus on the things that need to be done, and we need to start working towards a better future.
I think we'll do it.
I hope.
[Comment on this post]
URNA DETECTIVES NEWS FLASH! DAN, JON & THE CASE OF THE MISSING JOURNAL ENTRIES!
Karen Reeves December 27th, 2008 8:54 pm MSTHi Everyone!
It appears that the case of the missing journal entry postings has been SOLVED!
I can see from my own list of the number of journal entries posted on my site that last June 4th was a busy day. I know I have posted quite a few journal entries over the years but not 53 of them!!! I can talk and write alot but . . . . .
Trying to repair the site the guys posted over 30 test entries on my site in just a few hours! When the site recently got repaired these disappearing journal entries suddenly reappeared. I just noticied this and have spent time deleting the test items.
I would suggest that everyone go delete repetative journal/test items to cut down on the clutter.
Thanks Dan & Jon for the great work in making Urnotalone such an awesome place!!! You have proved yourselves again!
*Smiles*
~Karen~
[Comment on this post]
Merry xMas!
Dan™ & Erin™ December 25th, 2008 7:35 am MST[2 comments]
Merry Christmas !!
Frank Disalle December 21st, 2008 9:41 pm MSTHiya, everybody!
Have the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years !!
Nativity Prayer of St. Augustine
Let the just rejoice,
for their justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice,
For their saviour is born.
Let the captives rejoice,
For their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice,
for their Master is born.
Let free men rejoice,
For their Liberator is born.
Let All Christians rejoice,
For Jesus Christ is born.
St. Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-440)
Loveya,
Frank and the DiSalle Crew
[Comment on this post]
Merry Christmas 2008 To You All!
Karen Reeves December 20th, 2008 11:51 pm MSTHi Everyone!
It is that time of year and yesterday's/today's snowstorm just seems to add to the festive mood of Christmas. I know that getting ready for the holidays can be stressful and painful.
I enjoy all the bright lights, good cheer, parties, the presents, and Xmas dinner. But let us remember the true meaning of Xmas. It is the day that we celeberate the life of one person and the meaning of what it is to strive and have a better planet to live on.
Enjoy your holidays no matter your belief system!!!!!
*Kisses*
~Karen~
[Comment on this post]
Google My Name ??
Frank Disalle December 8th, 2008 6:02 pm MSTThere is a vicious game being played here lately... People have come into the Chat Room and claimed they have "Googled" my name, and found horrible things about me ...
So, to put an end to this vicious, petty, mean-spirited practice, I will give you ALL an opportunity to do the same:
Here is my name googled in quotes:
Frank DiSalle
Here it is without quotes :
Frank DiSalle
You can see for yourself. I have commented on thousands of subjects all over the Internet. If you spot any lies or contradictions, let me know.
If you see things that indicate I am not likeable, or things that indicate you wouldn't like me, so be it ...
But, please, don't take someone else's word that I am a bad guy. There are people here that are bad enough to lie about me -- one day they will lie about you. If they haven't already
Thanks,
Frankie
[Comment on this post]
The Mousetrap
Frank Disalle December 1st, 2008 10:28 am MSTThe Mousetrap
A mouse looked through the
crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was
devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard,
the mouse proclaimed the
warning.
"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the
house!"
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr.
Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no
consequence to me.
I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a
mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but
there is nothing I can do about it but pray.
Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the
house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you,
but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face
the farmer's mousetrap -- alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house --
like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the
darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake
whose tail the trap had caught.
The snake bit the farmer's wife.
The farmer rushed her
to the hospital and she returned home with a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the
farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main
ingredient.
But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to
sit with her around the clock.
To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.
So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow
slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great
sadness.
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it
doesn't concern you, remember --
when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life.
We must keep an eye out
for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
[Comment on this post]
The Alpha Girls, et al
Arjay November 20th, 2008 8:49 pm MSTPeople are always coming up to me at parties…"RJ, you’re a ramblin’ guy…What’s Katie Carchia holding in that picture outside the Moulin Rouge? Who is that dancing with Jamie on the stage at Divas? Why did Yvette break that Dell laptop over your head?"
And of course, "What’s the difference between the Skulls, the Alpha Girls, and the Gang of Nine?"
Okay, here goes: The Gang of Nine are the nine original Alpha Girls. So everyone in the Gang of Nine are Alpha Girls…however, not all Alpha Girls are in the Gang of Nine. Some Skulls are in the Gang of Nine, which means, of course, that they’re Alpha Girls, too. All the Skulls are Alpha Girls, but not all Alpha Girls are Skulls.
The Skulls have a leader, the Gang of Nine do not. The Alpha Girls, being an anarco-syndicalist commune, take turns acting as a sort of executive officer for the week. But all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special bi-weekly meeting, by a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs, but by a two-thirds majority in all other matters.
Well, I hope I’ve cleared that up. See you in Chat!
[Comment on this post]
GOOBLE GOOBLE GOOBLE-Some November Thoughts !
Karen Reeves November 16th, 2008 10:00 pm MSTHi Everyone!
I hope that all of you have a great Thanksgiving. We all have, though it may not seem that way many times, so much to be thankful for. The next time you get down emotionally remember that things could be a whole lot worse. Many people are in that predicament.
Don't each too much turkey!
*Kisses*
~Karen~
[Comment on this post]
Purple America
Dan™ & Erin™ November 7th, 2008 3:03 pm MSTFor those of you who still think that the election was close, take a look at these two maps. One shows the counties in their actual size shaded blue or red based on what the population voted.
This map shows each county with a size set by the population. It looks a lot less red.
This is far more of the mandate the George W Bush claimed four years ago, this is a landslide. For those of you that fear a socialist government, let me just state the following:
1. Socialist nations like Denmark, Normay, Sweden and Holland have:
I've heard a lot of people claim that Obama was a socialist. He's not. I wish he was, but I would have been no more enthusiastic of his candidacy.
Be that as it may, why would socialism be so scary anyway?
[18 comments]
post scc 08
Katherine Chi October 21st, 2008 8:08 pm MDTWednesday, October 1, 2008
Day 1 at Southern Comfort Conference (SCC)
I will not bore you with details, instead I will start off arriving at Hartsfield airport right here In Atlanta. I arrived on time from Delta, I know I was shocked too, ha-ha cause that never seems to ever happen. While I walked through the airport I was deciding on what transportation to take to the hotel taxi/livery cab, shuttle buses or the MARTA… When I got to baggage claim I was a little hesitant on getting my bags because last year I had a horrible incident happen. Last year I didn’t get my bags until like sometime after midnight, they said my bag was too heavy and had to be on board another flight coming to Atlanta. Anyways, I found my bag and it was not delayed and not having to wait for it was a relief. Okay, at this point I opted for the Marta as It was the cheapest (1.75 +.50 (2.25) one way. I was scared as I never been on the MARTA and going through Atlanta scared the crap out of me, I guess it’s that feeling of being in a new area and I am not familiar to the transit system. When I walked up the stairs I was shocked (sorry Atlanta) it was actually clean and odorless. You see I am from the NYC area and I was like great this is going to be just like the NYC subway system. Boy was I dead wrong I was impressed that was an above transit system and it was not overly crowded. It looks like I will be a MARTA user in the future. The ride itself was pleasant, smooth and quick, less than 45 minutes one-way. As I arrived at Dunwoody station another “SHAMWOW” moment, was that, it was a stone throw away ha-ha, I knew it was close but not that close. Getting off the platform and down to street level to meet the shuttle to take us to the hotel was another 5 minute drive. I was happy to be finally here though a little sad at the same time, meaning that I wish I had a GG girl friend to share this with me, and yes I am still looking and taking applications for GG J he-he... btw GG means, Genetic Girl.
Arrived at the hotel, walked in and got my SCC registration packet and named tag. Checked In at the hotel and got my key card. This year I am on the 6th floor, last year I was on the 11 or something can’t remember. I have view of the back yard this time around nothing special as I can only see the top of the bar called Chip Shots. I unpacked my things and got everything in order. The time was about 415p I need to quickly dress and get to the nail salon that I went to last year, as I needed to get my nails done. Rushing through make up and doing a half decent job I finally got to the nail salon at around 510p. I was happy to see the girls there remembered me and many commented on my new look saying that I look better this year than last year, ha-ha. As we chit chatted away I got a manicure and a pedicure, which cost me with tip 50 bucks, to me that was reasonable. The whole process took about 1 hour or so, I was then at the bare minerals store as I need more foundation then I left the mall soon after. So back at the hotel I went to my room to freshen up and head back downstairs to check to see if any one was here that I knew. And low and behold I bump in to Amber a cross-dresser from Indiana and her Indy friends heading out to dinner and I asked if I could tag along they said sure the more the merrier. I didn’t know where we were eating but we got on bus to the restaurant called Old Hickory House a pulled BBQ pork place. Once we stepped inside we got the usual stares and dumb founded looks, ha-ha... the place is a local eatery and it was not busy just a small party in the back besides us. We seated ourselves in the back as those seem to be the bigger tables and ordered our food. The food was ok not great and the pork was tender and juicy, I had the shredded pork sandwich with Brunswick stew (It’s a chili like soup) and corn on the cob, at a reasonable price of 6.75, I got the cheapest meal out of all the girls. Well after talking and eating and showing my pictures we paid our bill on separate checks. We called the driver to pick us up and headed back to the hotel to just relax and meet any talk with the girls coming in and for me to have a good nights rest for tomorrow as it’s going to be a big day for me.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Day 2
Woke up at 7ish and showered and shaved and got dressed in my Elie Tahari grey pant suit. I looked very professional as I went to breakfast downstairs at the hotel and OMG rip off on breakfast. I ordered 2 eggs sunny side up with corned beef hash, toast and an apple juice, now this meal sounds it would be a reasonable price, right, WRONG it cost 17.00 and I gave a 2 buck tip that came to 19.00. All I can say is HOLY SHIT. I was hungry, oh well... Today was an important day for me, why well I am to take my friend Naria around and introducing her to some of my friends to help her with her project she is working on for the Trans community. She called me at 1137a and said she already and checked in and is ready to roll. We headed to meet Cat first so she can register though we were too late. So we all headed to eat lunch, we sat at a table with my Indy friends and Naria had so many questions, she was very observant and asked me if that person was a man or woman , and every time gave her the answer, she was shocked. Through out the day, we talked and got to know each other fairly well. She got some good stories that can lead to a possible shows and I hope that she finds the right people. She is searching for heterosexual cross-dressers that are married and struggle with the desire to dress as a woman in public. She would like to have them go on camera as their male and female side. It’s a tall order but I am sure there are people out there that are willing and ready to speak out for cross-dressers. We meet some great people and I made a few new friends. As the evening ended with dinner with the Vanity Club girls SCC annual dinner at a local restaurant she talked to the wives of the group, I hope she made a few good friends. As we headed back to the hotel I asked her if she was glad to come to this conference if only for a short time she said yes she was happy that she came and had the opportunity to talk to all my friends and educated herself on this diverse community. Unfortunately Naria had to leave early the next day to care for her family. I wished she stayed longer, but I wish her well and good luck with her project and if she doesn’t find any leads or willing participants at least she is now more educated about the trans community and I hope be more understanding towards our community. I also hope that she teaches her children to be accepting of people like me.
.ExternalClass p.EC_MsoNormal, .ExternalClass li.EC_MsoNormal, .ExternalClass div.EC_MsoNormal {margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in;} .ExternalClass div.EC_Section1 {page:Section1;} This night also happened to be the vice president debate night and the lobby was packed with people watching the debate. Casino night was almost a bust but some people came to enjoy it like Amber who had no idea on what she was doing or how to play craps. This night my friend Dee drove up to see me, it took her 4 hours to find the place. I am glad that she made it but on a slow night and some what boring night. I was so tired from the entire day that I couldn’t even talk to her. As it was getting really late I bid her good night and that she should come when its more a party atmosphere, but thanks for coming Dee.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Day 3
Friday, today I woke up a little late, 9am and I was invited to breakfast by my friend Chloe, I couldn't make it as I was just getting up and getting ready. Today I wore an Elie Tahari black pencil skirt and VS thigh high stockings and a blue Theory blouse and Guess ankle strap heels, I looked HOT!! The career expo was going on and that was interesting that is why I dressed this way. It was bigger than last year so Kudos to SCC for attracting more companies. Again I was wandering through the vendor area, I spotted the really cute Asian girl and was eyeing her and I have been eyeing her since Wednesday. I wanted to go up to her and say how cute she was before I left, then today she started up a conversation with me, she beat me to it. She asked me if she looked good in her corset she was trying on and I said “yes you look gorgeous”, then she asked me have I come by her wig store I said “no I have not” so she lead me to her table and we talked for a bit. She said she would of dated me in a heart beat and that she never dated an Asian guy before, I was floored, I never ever have gotten that before in boy mode let alone as a woman. Her name is Nusara and she said all that to me when I was dressed. She also happened to be eyeing me so that just shows how understanding she is and open and she is also Republican. This is one of the best moments of my life I will never forget. Just my luck, she is already married, DOH!! I hope that she and I can become good friends to the point of almost BFF. This woman is so great I wish I found her years ago. Whoever married her is one dam lucky guy to have an open minded woman. I also meet another new girl her name is Diane, a GG and she owns a store in Long Island, now I didn’t know I spoke to her before until she mentioned First Event (FE) because I was supposed to be her model for the Fashion show. After talking to her and her mother about the local parties and some of the people we became instant friends. I also meet Gina lance editor of TG-life who also happens to be a cross-dresser who put out a book for cross-dressers to get out of the closet, she gave me a copy of her book as a token of friendship and she even signed it ha-ha. All three of these love woman I know will be long time friends for years to come.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Day 4 the last day
It started out normal ha-ha, right; I went down to get breakfast cost me about 12 bucks. Went to see Nusara again, that's the adorable Asian woman that happens to be married. I didn’t eat lunch and went shopping with Lauren she need some sort of wrap or shawl and I also need to get stud earrings I lost mine on Thursday night or Friday morning. It was around 4pm after all our shopping I went back to flirt with Nusara again and Jaye a VC sister told me that she told Nusara that I liked her and I that she was cute, which Is true but I didn’t know she would go and tell Nusara. In her response to Jaye, Nusara said that I looked cute as a boy too and that she likes me, why does she have to be married? I went back upstairs and packed up some things so I would not rushing to pack and get out on Sunday, as well as change in to my evening dress for the grand gala I looked ok I think ha-ha. I called Lauren to see if she needed help with deciding what to wear and she said “sure come down to my room” I sort of helped her, she was doing fine with out me, so I just waited for her to get ready, it was like 530- 600p. She finally got done and we headed out now for some reason the elevators were slow so I opted for the stairs with two other girls, we made it down and so did Lauren she took the elevators. While greeting and taking pictures I walked back into the vendor area yet again to glimpse at Nusara the Asian GG hottie. I was sad that she couldn’t stay. I said bye to her and got her contact info and told her to come back and go to the events with me.
Dinner was at 730p and it was a decent dinner as it was the last one. It was a surf and turf meal with red potatoes and asparagus and a plum tomato. Now for the entertainment, all I can say is WHAT THE FUCK was that. It was so gaudy and atrocious that you couldn’t understand what that actor was saying or even doing. Every one started walking out on the act and by the end only a handful of people were in the ballroom. Michael a trans-man and Capt of the night asked everyone that was outside to please go back in for announcements and to hear the band play. Trust me you didn’t miss much. The entertainment committee needs serious help. I didn’t go back in I stayed outside and took more pictures with people like Gia Darling yes you read that right Gia, she was there. All I can say about her Is DAM she is one gorgeous woman and in the words of our fearless Vanity Club president “I’d go "straight" for that, ha-ha. Gia is so short and skinny I was really surprised and I must say she is a hottie. I wish I had a chance to talk to her. I also took pictures with the Vanity Club girls that happen to be outside at that time. A bunch of great girls I must say. As the night wore on I headed upstairs to change in to my jeans and tank and packed up a little more. Went back downstairs to mingle a little more and I ran into Kelli a great girl In the making she has lots of potential to make It as a woman and I wish her good luck. It was getting close to 1am and I headed back up to my room and showered and cleaned up and went to bed.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
the day after
Woke up at 9am and packed the last few things I had out I tripled checked the room. Went downstairs to check out of the hotel and placed my bag in storage as I was leaving with some of the girls in their boy mode. It’s such an interesting thing to see someone in their boy mode and trying to guess who was who but hey that is the beauty of what makes us who we are sometimes. I called Lauren to see where she was, she was down in the restaurant having breakfast with Cat. After breakfast she went back upstairs to pack which took an hour, so I just hung out with Wendy and Kelli both in boy mode I said my good byes to all the Vanity Club girls that were leaving. It was now about 11am and I well be heading back to the airport on MARTA. It was a quiet ride to say the least and check in and security was a breeze. I had lunch there and boarded the plane home
I got home around 6p
Closing
This year definitely felt different than past SCC’s that I have been to. Mostly regarding the fetish side of it I saw a lot less leather and PVC and sissies this year which was a good thing, I think it made SCC a more upscale and sophisticated atmosphere. Yes it made SCC a less a place to have fun and enjoy the art of dressing. Another thing that has changed was the number of younger participants at SCC it seemed many are already transitioning or in the process. There are fewer younger cross-dressers every year. The trans-men are increasing in every year which is great. The third thing is the wild or party energy has gone down dramatically since leaving midtown, or it could just be this year, which in turn made this year seem to have less attendees, I heard like 850 or so compared to 910 last year. Possibly could be the result of economy, since for many SCC is more a luxury than a need.
The people are what make SCC all possible and this year there were some wild ones that pushed the boundaries of being passable. It’s great to see that many people come out and enjoy being a girl. I am happy that I was able to attend to say hi to old friends and make some new friends. One last thing coming home from Atlanta that was in the 75-80 degrees, to New York that was at 50-55 degrees SUCKS ha-ha……… oh and after seeing myself in pictures I think I look bad and FAT.
Until next year….
[Comment on this post]
Halloween has always been my favorite holiday
Dan™ & Erin™ October 20th, 2008 1:50 pm MDTHalloween has always been my favorite Holiday. Godless heathen that I am, there aren't many holidays that don't have the flavor of one of more gods tainting them. That's all right. I love Solstice decorations, and even some Christmas decorations (I usually have angels on my tree). Easter is fun because of coloring eggs and candy. I guess you could say that I enjoy some holidays that have been co-opted by religions in spite of that. Halloween though has always had a special place in my heart. There isn't a related religious holiday to be seen. It's all about dressing up and having fun. A final harvest festival to usher in the cold snowy months. I just got news that is going to make Halloween even better for me. I just got a notice from the Clerk of the Court of Common Please, Franklin County Ohio, Domestic Division. After six long irritating years of playing silly buggers in the court system, the judge has finally lost patience and is going to grant me an uncontested divorce! My children and I haven't even SEEN their mother is eight years! I always celebrated Halloween in Boston with the drag queens and transvestites. It's always a really fun time. I've been planning a "Bachelor Party" to coincide with my divorce. I think this is going to be an annual event! Anyway, I'm excited. The only fly in the ointment is that I am supposed to be in court at 9 am and my flight for Boston is scheduled for 1:20 pm the same day, so I may have to see about pushing it back. Either way, I'm pretty excited!
[2 comments]
The Candidates, simplified
Dan™ & Erin™ October 9th, 2008 11:12 pm MDT[2 comments]
Untitled Post
Katherine Chi October 8th, 2008 7:07 am MDTWednesday, October 1, 2008
Day 1 at Southern Comfort Conference (SCC)
I will not bore you with details, instead I will start off arriving at Hartsfield airport right here In Atlanta. I arrived on time from Delta, I know I was shocked too, ha-ha cause that never seems to ever happen. While I walked through the airport I was deciding on what transportation to take to the hotel taxi/livery cab, shuttle buses or the MARTA… When I got to baggage claim I was a little hesitant on getting my bags because last year I had a horrible incident happen. Last year I didn’t get my bags until like sometime after midnight, they said my bag was too heavy and had to be on board another flight coming to Atlanta. Anyways, I found my bag and it was not delayed and not having to wait for it was a relief. Okay, at this point I opted for the Marta as It was the cheapest (1.75 +.50 (2.25) one way. I was scared as I never been on the MARTA and going through Atlanta scared the crap out of me, I guess it’s that feeling of being in a new area and I am not familiar to the transit system. When I walked up the stairs I was shocked (sorry Atlanta) it was actually clean and odorless. You see I am from the NYC area and I was like great this is going to be just like the NYC subway system. Boy was I dead wrong I was impressed that was an above transit system and it was not overly crowded. It looks like I will be a MARTA user in the future. The ride itself was pleasant, smooth and quick, less than 45 minutes one-way. As I arrived at Dunwoody station another “SHAMWOW” moment, was that, it was a stone throw away ha-ha, I knew it was close but not that close. Getting off the platform and down to street level to meet the shuttle to take us to the hotel was another 5 minute drive. I was happy to be finally here though a little sad at the same time, meaning that I wish I had a GG girl friend to share this with me, and yes I am still looking and taking applications for GG J he-he... btw GG means, Genetic Girl.
Arrived at the hotel, walked in and got my SCC registration packet and named tag. Checked In at the hotel and got my key card. This year I am on the 6th floor, last year I was on the 11 or something can’t remember. I have view of the back yard this time around nothing special as I can only see the top of the bar called Chip Shots. I unpacked my things and got everything in order. The time was about 415p I need to quickly dress and get to the nail salon that I went to last year, as I needed to get my nails done. Rushing through make up and doing a half decent job I finally got to the nail salon at around 510p. I was happy to see the girls there remembered me and many commented on my new look saying that I look better this year than last year, ha-ha. As we chit chatted away I got a manicure and a pedicure, which cost me with tip 50 bucks, to me that was reasonable. The whole process took about 1 hour or so, I was then at the bare minerals store as I need more foundation then I left the mall soon after. So back at the hotel I went to my room to freshen up and head back downstairs to check to see if any one was here that I knew. And low and behold I bump in to Amber a cross-dresser from Indiana and her Indy friends heading out to dinner and I asked if I could tag along they said sure the more the merrier. I didn’t know where we were eating but we got on bus to the restaurant called Old Hickory House a pulled BBQ pork place. Once we stepped inside we got the usual stares and dumb founded looks, ha-ha... the place is a local eatery and it was not busy just a small party in the back besides us. We seated ourselves in the back as those seem to be the bigger tables and ordered our food. The food was ok not great and the pork was tender and juicy, I had the shredded pork sandwich with Brunswick stew (It’s a chili like soup) and corn on the cob, at a reasonable price of 6.75, I got the cheapest meal out of all the girls. Well after talking and eating and showing my pictures we paid our bill on separate checks. We called the driver to pick us up and headed back to the hotel to just relax and meet any talk with the girls coming in and for me to have a good nights rest for tomorrow as it’s going to be a big day for me.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Day 2
Woke up at 7ish and showered and shaved and got dressed in my Elie Tahari grey pant suit. I looked very professional as I went to breakfast downstairs at the hotel and OMG rip off on breakfast. I ordered 2 eggs sunny side up with corned beef hash, toast and an apple juice, now this meal sounds it would be a reasonable price, right, WRONG it cost 17.00 and I gave a 2 buck tip that came to 19.00. All I can say is HOLY SHIT. I was hungry, oh well... Today was an important day for me, why well I am to take my friend Naria around and introducing her to some of my friends to help her with her project she is working on for the Trans community. She called me at 1137a and said she already and checked in and is ready to roll. We headed to meet Cat first so she can register though we were too late. So we all headed to eat lunch, we sat at a table with my Indy friends and Naria had so many questions, she was very observant and asked me if that person was a man or woman , and every time gave her the answer, she was shocked. Through out the day, we talked and got to know each other fairly well. She got some good stories that can lead to a possible shows and I hope that she finds the right people. She is searching for heterosexual cross-dressers that are married and struggle with the desire to dress as a woman in public. She would like to have them go on camera as their male and female side. It’s a tall order but I am sure there are people out there that are willing and ready to speak out for cross-dressers. We meet some great people and I made a few new friends. As the evening ended with dinner with the Vanity Club girls SCC annual dinner at a local restaurant she talked to the wives of the group, I hope she made a few good friends. As we headed back to the hotel I asked her if she was glad to come to this conference if only for a short time she said yes she was happy that she came and had the opportunity to talk to all my friends and educated herself on this diverse community. Unfortunately Naria had to leave early the next day to care for her family. I wished she stayed longer, but I wish her well and good luck with her project and if she doesn’t find any leads or willing participants at least she is now more educated about the trans community and I hope be more understanding towards our community. I also hope that she teaches her children to be accepting of people like me.
This night also happened to be the vice president debate night and the lobby was packed with people watching the debate. Casino night was almost a bust but some people came to enjoy it like Amber who had no idea on what she was doing or how to play craps. This night my friend Dee drove up to see me, it took her 4 hours to find the place. I am glad that she made it but on a slow night and some what boring night. I was so tired from the entire day that I couldn’t even talk to her. As it was getting really late I bid her good night and that she should come when its more a party atmosphere, but thanks for coming Dee.
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Friday, October 3, 2008
Day 3
Friday, today I woke up a little late, 9am and I was invited to breakfast by my friend Chloe, I couldn't make it as I was just getting up and getting ready. Today I wore an Elie Tahari black pencil skirt and VS thigh high stockings and a blue Theory blouse and Guess ankle strap heels, I looked HOT!! The career expo was going on and that was interesting that is why I dressed this way. It was bigger than last year so Kudos to SCC for attracting more companies. Again I was wandering through the vendor area, I spotted the really cute Asian girl and was eyeing her and I have been eyeing her since Wednesday. I wanted to go up to her and say how cute she was before I left, then today she started up a conversation with me, she beat me to it. She asked me if she looked good in her corset she was trying on and I said “yes you look gorgeous”, then she asked me have I come by her wig store I said “no I have not” so she lead me to her table and we talked for a bit. She said she would of dated me in a heart beat and that she never dated an Asian guy before, I was floored, I never ever have gotten that before in boy mode let alone as a woman. Her name is Nusara and she said all that to me when I was dressed. She also happened to be eyeing me so that just shows how understanding she is and open and she is also Republican. This is one of the best moments of my life I will never forget. Just my luck, she is already married, DOH!! I hope that she and I can become good friends to the point of almost BFF. This woman is so great I wish I found her years ago. Whoever married her is one dam lucky guy to have an open minded woman. I also meet another new girl her name is Diane, a GG and she owns a store in Long Island, now I didn’t know I spoke to her before until she mentioned First Event (FE) because I was supposed to be her model for the Fashion show. After talking to her and her mother about the local parties and some of the people we became instant friends. I also meet Gina lance editor of TG-life who also happens to be a cross-dresser who put out a book for cross-dressers to get out of the closet, she gave me a copy of her book as a token of friendship and she even signed it ha-ha. All three of these love woman I know will be long time friends for years to come.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Day 4 the last day
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It started out normal ha-ha, right; I went down to get breakfast cost me about 12 bucks. Went to see Nusara again, that's the adorable Asian woman that happens to be married. I didn’t eat lunch and went shopping with Lauren she need some sort of wrap or shawl and I also need to get stud earrings I lost mine on Thursday night or Friday morning. It was around 4pm after all our shopping I went back to flirt with Nusara again and Jaye a VC sister told me that she told Nusara that I liked her and I that she was cute, which Is true but I didn’t know she would go and tell Nusara. In her response to Jaye, Nusara said that I looked cute as a boy too and that she likes me, why does she have to be married? I went back upstairs and packed up some things so I would not rushing to pack and get out on Sunday, as well as change in to my evening dress for the grand gala I looked ok I think ha-ha. I called Lauren to see if she needed help with deciding what to wear and she said “sure come down to my room” I sort of helped her, she was doing fine with out me, so I just waited for her to get ready, it was like 530- 600p. She finally got done and we headed out now for some reason the elevators were slow so I opted for the stairs with two other girls, we made it down and so did Lauren she took the elevators. While greeting and taking pictures I walked back into the vendor area yet again to glimpse at Nusara the Asian GG hottie. I was sad that she couldn’t stay. I said bye to her and got her contact info and told her to come back and go to the events with me.
Dinner was at 730p and it was a decent dinner as it was the last one. It was a surf and turf meal with red potatoes and asparagus and a plum tomato. Now for the entertainment, all I can say is WHAT THE FUCK was that. It was so gaudy and atrocious that you couldn’t understand what that actor was saying or even doing. Every one started walking out on the act and by the end only a handful of people were in the ballroom. Michael a trans-man and Capt of the night asked everyone that was outside to please go back in for announcements and to hear the band play. Trust me you didn’t miss much. The entertainment committee needs serious help. I didn’t go back in I stayed outside and took more pictures with people like Gia Darling yes you read that right Gia, she was there. All I can say about her Is DAM she is one gorgeous woman and in the words of our fearless Vanity Club president “I’d go "straight" for that, ha-ha. Gia is so short and skinny I was really surprised and I must say she is a hottie. I wish I had a chance to talk to her. I also took pictures with the Vanity Club girls that happen to be outside at that time. A bunch of great girls I must say. As the night wore on I headed upstairs to change in to my jeans and tank and packed up a little more. Went back downstairs to mingle a little more and I ran into Kelli a great girl In the making she has lots of potential to make It as a woman and I wish her good luck. It was getting close to 1am and I headed back up to my room and showered and cleaned up and went to bed.
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Sunday, October 5, 2008
the day after
Woke up at 9am and packed the last few things I had out I tripled checked the room. Went downstairs to check out of the hotel and placed my bag in storage as I was leaving with some of the girls in their boy mode. It’s such an interesting thing to see someone in their boy mode and trying to guess who was who but hey that is the beauty of what makes us who we are sometimes. I called Lauren to see where she was, she was down in the restaurant having breakfast with Cat. After breakfast she went back upstairs to pack which took an hour, so I just hung out with Wendy and Kelli both in boy mode I said my good byes to all the Vanity Club girls that were leaving. It was now about 11am and I well be heading back to the airport on MARTA. It was a quiet ride to say the least and check in and security was a breeze. I had lunch there and boarded the plane home
I got home around 6p
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Closing
This year definitely felt different than past SCC’s that I have been to. Mostly regarding the fetish side of it I saw a lot less leather and PVC and sissies this year which was a good thing, I think it made SCC a more upscale and sophisticated atmosphere. Yes it made SCC a less a place to have fun and enjoy the art of dressing. Another thing that has changed was the number of younger participants at SCC it seemed many are already transitioning or in the process. There are fewer younger cross-dressers every year. The trans-men are increasing in every year which is great. The third thing is the wild or party energy has gone down dramatically since leaving midtown, or it could just be this year, which in turn made this year seem to have less attendees, I heard like 850 or so compared to 910 last year. Possibly could be the result of economy, since for many SCC is more a luxury than a need.
The people are what make SCC all possible and this year there were some wild ones that pushed the boundaries of being passable. It’s great to see that many people come out and enjoy being a girl. I am happy that I was able to attend to say hi to old friends and make some new friends. One last thing coming home from Atlanta that was in the 75-80 degrees, to New York that was at 50-55 degrees SUCKS ha-ha……… oh and after seeing myself in pictures I think I look bad and FAT.
Until next year….
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Day 1 at Southern Comfort Conference (SCC)
I will not bore you with details, instead I will start off arriving at Hartsfield airport right here In Atlanta. I arrived on time from Delta, I know I was shocked too, ha-ha cause that never seems to ever happen. While I walked through the airport I was deciding on what transportation to take to the hotel taxi/livery cab, shuttle buses or the MARTA… When I got to baggage claim I was a little hesitant on getting my bags because last year I had a horrible incident happen. Last year I didn’t get my bags until like sometime after midnight, they said my bag was too heavy and had to be on board another flight coming to Atlanta. Anyways, I found my bag and it was not delayed and not having to wait for it was a relief. Okay, at this point I opted for the Marta as It was the cheapest (1.75 +.50 (2.25) one way. I was scared as I never been on the MARTA and going through Atlanta scared the crap out of me, I guess it’s that feeling of being in a new area and I am not familiar to the transit system. When I walked up the stairs I was shocked (sorry Atlanta) it was actually clean and odorless. You see I am from the NYC area and I was like great this is going to be just like the NYC subway system. Boy was I dead wrong I was impressed that was an above transit system and it was not overly crowded. It looks like I will be a MARTA user in the future. The ride itself was pleasant, smooth and quick, less than 45 minutes one-way. As I arrived at Dunwoody station another “SHAMWOW” moment, was that, it was a stone throw away ha-ha, I knew it was close but not that close. Getting off the platform and down to street level to meet the shuttle to take us to the hotel was another 5 minute drive. I was happy to be finally here though a little sad at the same time, meaning that I wish I had a GG girl friend to share this with me, and yes I am still looking and taking applications for GG J he-he... btw GG means, Genetic Girl.
Arrived at the hotel, walked in and got my SCC registration packet and named tag. Checked In at the hotel and got my key card. This year I am on the 6th floor, last year I was on the 11 or something can’t remember. I have view of the back yard this time around nothing special as I can only see the top of the bar called Chip Shots. I unpacked my things and got everything in order. The time was about 415p I need to quickly dress and get to the nail salon that I went to last year, as I needed to get my nails done. Rushing through make up and doing a half decent job I finally got to the nail salon at around 510p. I was happy to see the girls there remembered me and many commented on my new look saying that I look better this year than last year, ha-ha. As we chit chatted away I got a manicure and a pedicure, which cost me with tip 50 bucks, to me that was reasonable. The whole process took about 1 hour or so, I was then at the bare minerals store as I need more foundation then I left the mall soon after. So back at the hotel I went to my room to freshen up and head back downstairs to check to see if any one was here that I knew. And low and behold I bump in to Amber a cross-dresser from Indiana and her Indy friends heading out to dinner and I asked if I could tag along they said sure the more the merrier. I didn’t know where we were eating but we got on bus to the restaurant called Old Hickory House a pulled BBQ pork place. Once we stepped inside we got the usual stares and dumb founded looks, ha-ha... the place is a local eatery and it was not busy just a small party in the back besides us. We seated ourselves in the back as those seem to be the bigger tables and ordered our food. The food was ok not great and the pork was tender and juicy, I had the shredded pork sandwich with Brunswick stew (It’s a chili like soup) and corn on the cob, at a reasonable price of 6.75, I got the cheapest meal out of all the girls. Well after talking and eating and showing my pictures we paid our bill on separate checks. We called the driver to pick us up and headed back to the hotel to just relax and meet any talk with the girls coming in and for me to have a good nights rest for tomorrow as it’s going to be a big day for me.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Day 2
Woke up at 7ish and showered and shaved and got dressed in my Elie Tahari grey pant suit. I looked very professional as I went to breakfast downstairs at the hotel and OMG rip off on breakfast. I ordered 2 eggs sunny side up with corned beef hash, toast and an apple juice, now this meal sounds it would be a reasonable price, right, WRONG it cost 17.00 and I gave a 2 buck tip that came to 19.00. All I can say is HOLY SHIT. I was hungry, oh well... Today was an important day for me, why well I am to take my friend Naria around and introducing her to some of my friends to help her with her project she is working on for the Trans community. She called me at 1137a and said she already and checked in and is ready to roll. We headed to meet Cat first so she can register though we were too late. So we all headed to eat lunch, we sat at a table with my Indy friends and Naria had so many questions, she was very observant and asked me if that person was a man or woman , and every time gave her the answer, she was shocked. Through out the day, we talked and got to know each other fairly well. She got some good stories that can lead to a possible shows and I hope that she finds the right people. She is searching for heterosexual cross-dressers that are married and struggle with the desire to dress as a woman in public. She would like to have them go on camera as their male and female side. It’s a tall order but I am sure there are people out there that are willing and ready to speak out for cross-dressers. We meet some great people and I made a few new friends. As the evening ended with dinner with the Vanity Club girls SCC annual dinner at a local restaurant she talked to the wives of the group, I hope she made a few good friends. As we headed back to the hotel I asked her if she was glad to come to this conference if only for a short time she said yes she was happy that she came and had the opportunity to talk to all my friends and educated herself on this diverse community. Unfortunately Naria had to leave early the next day to care for her family. I wished she stayed longer, but I wish her well and good luck with her project and if she doesn’t find any leads or willing participants at least she is now more educated about the trans community and I hope be more understanding towards our community. I also hope that she teaches her children to be accepting of people like me.
This night also happened to be the vice president debate night and the lobby was packed with people watching the debate. Casino night was almost a bust but some people came to enjoy it like Amber who had no idea on what she was doing or how to play craps. This night my friend Dee drove up to see me, it took her 4 hours to find the place. I am glad that she made it but on a slow night and some what boring night. I was so tired from the entire day that I couldn’t even talk to her. As it was getting really late I bid her good night and that she should come when its more a party atmosphere, but thanks for coming Dee.
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Friday, October 3, 2008
Day 3
Friday, today I woke up a little late, 9am and I was invited to breakfast by my friend Chloe, I couldn't make it as I was just getting up and getting ready. Today I wore an Elie Tahari black pencil skirt and VS thigh high stockings and a blue Theory blouse and Guess ankle strap heels, I looked HOT!! The career expo was going on and that was interesting that is why I dressed this way. It was bigger than last year so Kudos to SCC for attracting more companies. Again I was wandering through the vendor area, I spotted the really cute Asian girl and was eyeing her and I have been eyeing her since Wednesday. I wanted to go up to her and say how cute she was before I left, then today she started up a conversation with me, she beat me to it. She asked me if she looked good in her corset she was trying on and I said “yes you look gorgeous”, then she asked me have I come by her wig store I said “no I have not” so she lead me to her table and we talked for a bit. She said she would of dated me in a heart beat and that she never dated an Asian guy before, I was floored, I never ever have gotten that before in boy mode let alone as a woman. Her name is Nusara and she said all that to me when I was dressed. She also happened to be eyeing me so that just shows how understanding she is and open and she is also Republican. This is one of the best moments of my life I will never forget. Just my luck, she is already married, DOH!! I hope that she and I can become good friends to the point of almost BFF. This woman is so great I wish I found her years ago. Whoever married her is one dam lucky guy to have an open minded woman. I also meet another new girl her name is Diane, a GG and she owns a store in Long Island, now I didn’t know I spoke to her before until she mentioned First Event (FE) because I was supposed to be her model for the Fashion show. After talking to her and her mother about the local parties and some of the people we became instant friends. I also meet Gina lance editor of TG-life who also happens to be a cross-dresser who put out a book for cross-dressers to get out of the closet, she gave me a copy of her book as a token of friendship and she even signed it ha-ha. All three of these love woman I know will be long time friends for years to come.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Day 4 the last day
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It started out normal ha-ha, right; I went down to get breakfast cost me about 12 bucks. Went to see Nusara again, that's the adorable Asian woman that happens to be married. I didn’t eat lunch and went shopping with Lauren she need some sort of wrap or shawl and I also need to get stud earrings I lost mine on Thursday night or Friday morning. It was around 4pm after all our shopping I went back to flirt with Nusara again and Jaye a VC sister told me that she told Nusara that I liked her and I that she was cute, which Is true but I didn’t know she would go and tell Nusara. In her response to Jaye, Nusara said that I looked cute as a boy too and that she likes me, why does she have to be married? I went back upstairs and packed up some things so I would not rushing to pack and get out on Sunday, as well as change in to my evening dress for the grand gala I looked ok I think ha-ha. I called Lauren to see if she needed help with deciding what to wear and she said “sure come down to my room” I sort of helped her, she was doing fine with out me, so I just waited for her to get ready, it was like 530- 600p. She finally got done and we headed out now for some reason the elevators were slow so I opted for the stairs with two other girls, we made it down and so did Lauren she took the elevators. While greeting and taking pictures I walked back into the vendor area yet again to glimpse at Nusara the Asian GG hottie. I was sad that she couldn’t stay. I said bye to her and got her contact info and told her to come back and go to the events with me.
Dinner was at 730p and it was a decent dinner as it was the last one. It was a surf and turf meal with red potatoes and asparagus and a plum tomato. Now for the entertainment, all I can say is WHAT THE FUCK was that. It was so gaudy and atrocious that you couldn’t understand what that actor was saying or even doing. Every one started walking out on the act and by the end only a handful of people were in the ballroom. Michael a trans-man and Capt of the night asked everyone that was outside to please go back in for announcements and to hear the band play. Trust me you didn’t miss much. The entertainment committee needs serious help. I didn’t go back in I stayed outside and took more pictures with people like Gia Darling yes you read that right Gia, she was there. All I can say about her Is DAM she is one gorgeous woman and in the words of our fearless Vanity Club president “I’d go "straight" for that, ha-ha. Gia is so short and skinny I was really surprised and I must say she is a hottie. I wish I had a chance to talk to her. I also took pictures with the Vanity Club girls that happen to be outside at that time. A bunch of great girls I must say. As the night wore on I headed upstairs to change in to my jeans and tank and packed up a little more. Went back downstairs to mingle a little more and I ran into Kelli a great girl In the making she has lots of potential to make It as a woman and I wish her good luck. It was getting close to 1am and I headed back up to my room and showered and cleaned up and went to bed.
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Sunday, October 5, 2008
the day after
Woke up at 9am and packed the last few things I had out I tripled checked the room. Went downstairs to check out of the hotel and placed my bag in storage as I was leaving with some of the girls in their boy mode. It’s such an interesting thing to see someone in their boy mode and trying to guess who was who but hey that is the beauty of what makes us who we are sometimes. I called Lauren to see where she was, she was down in the restaurant having breakfast with Cat. After breakfast she went back upstairs to pack which took an hour, so I just hung out with Wendy and Kelli both in boy mode I said my good byes to all the Vanity Club girls that were leaving. It was now about 11am and I well be heading back to the airport on MARTA. It was a quiet ride to say the least and check in and security was a breeze. I had lunch there and boarded the plane home
I got home around 6p
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Closing
This year definitely felt different than past SCC’s that I have been to. Mostly regarding the fetish side of it I saw a lot less leather and PVC and sissies this year which was a good thing, I think it made SCC a more upscale and sophisticated atmosphere. Yes it made SCC a less a place to have fun and enjoy the art of dressing. Another thing that has changed was the number of younger participants at SCC it seemed many are already transitioning or in the process. There are fewer younger cross-dressers every year. The trans-men are increasing in every year which is great. The third thing is the wild or party energy has gone down dramatically since leaving midtown, or it could just be this year, which in turn made this year seem to have less attendees, I heard like 850 or so compared to 910 last year. Possibly could be the result of economy, since for many SCC is more a luxury than a need.
The people are what make SCC all possible and this year there were some wild ones that pushed the boundaries of being passable. It’s great to see that many people come out and enjoy being a girl. I am happy that I was able to attend to say hi to old friends and make some new friends. One last thing coming home from Atlanta that was in the 75-80 degrees, to New York that was at 50-55 degrees SUCKS ha-ha……… oh and after seeing myself in pictures I think I look bad and FAT.
Until next year….
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scc08
Katherine Chi October 8th, 2008 7:05 am MDTWednesday, October 1, 2008
Day 1 at Southern Comfort Conference (SCC)
I will not bore you with details, instead I will start off arriving at Hartsfield airport right here In Atlanta. I arrived on time from Delta, I know I was shocked too, ha-ha cause that never seems to ever happen. While I walked through the airport I was deciding on what transportation to take to the hotel taxi/livery cab, shuttle buses or the MARTA… When I got to baggage claim I was a little hesitant on getting my bags because last year I had a horrible incident happen. Last year I didn’t get my bags until like sometime after midnight, they said my bag was too heavy and had to be on board another flight coming to Atlanta. Anyways, I found my bag and it was not delayed and not having to wait for it was a relief. Okay, at this point I opted for the Marta as It was the cheapest (1.75 +.50 (2.25) one way. I was scared as I never been on the MARTA and going through Atlanta scared the crap out of me, I guess it’s that feeling of being in a new area and I am not familiar to the transit system. When I walked up the stairs I was shocked (sorry Atlanta) it was actually clean and odorless. You see I am from the NYC area and I was like great this is going to be just like the NYC subway system. Boy was I dead wrong I was impressed that was an above transit system and it was not overly crowded. It looks like I will be a MARTA user in the future. The ride itself was pleasant, smooth and quick, less than 45 minutes one-way. As I arrived at Dunwoody station another “SHAMWOW” moment, was that, it was a stone throw away ha-ha, I knew it was close but not that close. Getting off the platform and down to street level to meet the shuttle to take us to the hotel was another 5 minute drive. I was happy to be finally here though a little sad at the same time, meaning that I wish I had a GG girl friend to share this with me, and yes I am still looking and taking applications for GG J he-he... btw GG means, Genetic Girl.
Arrived at the hotel, walked in and got my SCC registration packet and named tag. Checked In at the hotel and got my key card. This year I am on the 6th floor, last year I was on the 11 or something can’t remember. I have view of the back yard this time around nothing special as I can only see the top of the bar called Chip Shots. I unpacked my things and got everything in order. The time was about 415p I need to quickly dress and get to the nail salon that I went to last year, as I needed to get my nails done. Rushing through make up and doing a half decent job I finally got to the nail salon at around 510p. I was happy to see the girls there remembered me and many commented on my new look saying that I look better this year than last year, ha-ha. As we chit chatted away I got a manicure and a pedicure, which cost me with tip 50 bucks, to me that was reasonable. The whole process took about 1 hour or so, I was then at the bare minerals store as I need more foundation then I left the mall soon after. So back at the hotel I went to my room to freshen up and head back downstairs to check to see if any one was here that I knew. And low and behold I bump in to Amber a cross-dresser from Indiana and her Indy friends heading out to dinner and I asked if I could tag along they said sure the more the merrier. I didn’t know where we were eating but we got on bus to the restaurant called Old Hickory House a pulled BBQ pork place. Once we stepped inside we got the usual stares and dumb founded looks, ha-ha... the place is a local eatery and it was not busy just a small party in the back besides us. We seated ourselves in the back as those seem to be the bigger tables and ordered our food. The food was ok not great and the pork was tender and juicy, I had the shredded pork sandwich with Brunswick stew (It’s a chili like soup) and corn on the cob, at a reasonable price of 6.75, I got the cheapest meal out of all the girls. Well after talking and eating and showing my pictures we paid our bill on separate checks. We called the driver to pick us up and headed back to the hotel to just relax and meet any talk with the girls coming in and for me to have a good nights rest for tomorrow as it’s going to be a big day for me.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Day 2
Woke up at 7ish and showered and shaved and got dressed in my Elie Tahari grey pant suit. I looked very professional as I went to breakfast downstairs at the hotel and OMG rip off on breakfast. I ordered 2 eggs sunny side up with corned beef hash, toast and an apple juice, now this meal sounds it would be a reasonable price, right, WRONG it cost 17.00 and I gave a 2 buck tip that came to 19.00. All I can say is HOLY SHIT. I was hungry, oh well... Today was an important day for me, why well I am to take my friend Naria around and introducing her to some of my friends to help her with her project she is working on for the Trans community. She called me at 1137a and said she already and checked in and is ready to roll. We headed to meet Cat first so she can register though we were too late. So we all headed to eat lunch, we sat at a table with my Indy friends and Naria had so many questions, she was very observant and asked me if that person was a man or woman , and every time gave her the answer, she was shocked. Through out the day, we talked and got to know each other fairly well. She got some good stories that can lead to a possible shows and I hope that she finds the right people. She is searching for heterosexual cross-dressers that are married and struggle with the desire to dress as a woman in public. She would like to have them go on camera as their male and female side. It’s a tall order but I am sure there are people out there that are willing and ready to speak out for cross-dressers. We meet some great people and I made a few new friends. As the evening ended with dinner with the Vanity Club girls SCC annual dinner at a local restaurant she talked to the wives of the group, I hope she made a few good friends. As we headed back to the hotel I asked her if she was glad to come to this conference if only for a short time she said yes she was happy that she came and had the opportunity to talk to all my friends and educated herself on this diverse community. Unfortunately Naria had to leave early the next day to care for her family. I wished she stayed longer, but I wish her well and good luck with her project and if she doesn’t find any leads or willing participants at least she is now more educated about the trans community and I hope be more understanding towards our community. I also hope that she teaches her children to be accepting of people like me.
This night also happened to be the vice president debate night and the lobby was packed with people watching the debate. Casino night was almost a bust but some people came to enjoy it like Amber who had no idea on what she was doing or how to play craps. This night my friend Dee drove up to see me, it took her 4 hours to find the place. I am glad that she made it but on a slow night and some what boring night. I was so tired from the entire day that I couldn’t even talk to her. As it was getting really late I bid her good night and that she should come when its more a party atmosphere, but thanks for coming Dee.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Day 3
Friday, today I woke up a little late, 9am and I was invited to breakfast by my friend Chloe, I couldn't make it as I was just getting up and getting ready. Today I wore an Elie Tahari black pencil skirt and VS thigh high stockings and a blue Theory blouse and Guess ankle strap heels, I looked HOT!! The career expo was going on and that was interesting that is why I dressed this way. It was bigger than last year so Kudos to SCC for attracting more companies. Again I was wandering through the vendor area, I spotted the really cute Asian girl and was eyeing her and I have been eyeing her since Wednesday. I wanted to go up to her and say how cute she was before I left, then today she started up a conversation with me, she beat me to it. She asked me if she looked good in her corset she was trying on and I said “yes you look gorgeous”, then she asked me have I come by her wig store I said “no I have not” so she lead me to her table and we talked for a bit. She said she would of dated me in a heart beat and that she never dated an Asian guy before, I was floored, I never ever have gotten that before in boy mode let alone as a woman. Her name is Nusara and she said all that to me when I was dressed. She also happened to be eyeing me so that just shows how understanding she is and open and she is also Republican. This is one of the best moments of my life I will never forget. Just my luck, she is already married, DOH!! I hope that she and I can become good friends to the point of almost BFF. This woman is so great I wish I found her years ago. Whoever married her is one dam lucky guy to have an open minded woman. I also meet another new girl her name is Diane, a GG and she owns a store in Long Island, now I didn’t know I spoke to her before until she mentioned First Event (FE) because I was supposed to be her model for the Fashion show. After talking to her and her mother about the local parties and some of the people we became instant friends. I also meet Gina lance editor of TG-life who also happens to be a cross-dresser who put out a book for cross-dressers to get out of the closet, she gave me a copy of her book as a token of friendship and she even signed it ha-ha. All three of these love woman I know will be long time friends for years to come.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Day 4 the last day
It started out normal ha-ha, right; I went down to get breakfast cost me about 12 bucks. Went to see Nusara again, that's the adorable Asian woman that happens to be married. I didn’t eat lunch and went shopping with Lauren she need some sort of wrap or shawl and I also need to get stud earrings I lost mine on Thursday night or Friday morning. It was around 4pm after all our shopping I went back to flirt with Nusara again and Jaye a VC sister told me that she told Nusara that I liked her and I that she was cute, which Is true but I didn’t know she would go and tell Nusara. In her response to Jaye, Nusara said that I looked cute as a boy too and that she likes me, why does she have to be married? I went back upstairs and packed up some things so I would not rushing to pack and get out on Sunday, as well as change in to my evening dress for the grand gala I looked ok I think ha-ha. I called Lauren to see if she needed help with deciding what to wear and she said “sure come down to my room” I sort of helped her, she was doing fine with out me, so I just waited for her to get ready, it was like 530- 600p. She finally got done and we headed out now for some reason the elevators were slow so I opted for the stairs with two other girls, we made it down and so did Lauren she took the elevators. While greeting and taking pictures I walked back into the vendor area yet again to glimpse at Nusara the Asian GG hottie. I was sad that she couldn’t stay. I said bye to her and got her contact info and told her to come back and go to the events with me.
Dinner was at 730p and it was a decent dinner as it was the last one. It was a surf and turf meal with red potatoes and asparagus and a plum tomato. Now for the entertainment, all I can say is WHAT THE FUCK was that. It was so gaudy and atrocious that you couldn’t understand what that actor was saying or even doing. Every one started walking out on the act and by the end only a handful of people were in the ballroom. Michael a trans-man and Capt of the night asked everyone that was outside to please go back in for announcements and to hear the band play. Trust me you didn’t miss much. The entertainment committee needs serious help. I didn’t go back in I stayed outside and took more pictures with people like Gia Darling yes you read that right Gia, she was there. All I can say about her Is DAM she is one gorgeous woman and in the words of our fearless Vanity Club president “I’d go "straight" for that, ha-ha. Gia is so short and skinny I was really surprised and I must say she is a hottie. I wish I had a chance to talk to her. I also took pictures with the Vanity Club girls that happen to be outside at that time. A bunch of great girls I must say. As the night wore on I headed upstairs to change in to my jeans and tank and packed up a little more. Went back downstairs to mingle a little more and I ran into Kelli a great girl In the making she has lots of potential to make It as a woman and I wish her good luck. It was getting close to 1am and I headed back up to my room and showered and cleaned up and went to bed.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
the day after
Woke up at 9am and packed the last few things I had out I tripled checked the room. Went downstairs to check out of the hotel and placed my bag in storage as I was leaving with some of the girls in their boy mode. It’s such an interesting thing to see someone in their boy mode and trying to guess who was who but hey that is the beauty of what makes us who we are sometimes. I called Lauren to see where she was, she was down in the restaurant having breakfast with Cat. After breakfast she went back upstairs to pack which took an hour, so I just hung out with Wendy and Kelli both in boy mode I said my good byes to all the Vanity Club girls that were leaving. It was now about 11am and I well be heading back to the airport on MARTA. It was a quiet ride to say the least and check in and security was a breeze. I had lunch there and boarded the plane home
I got home around 6p
Closing
This year definitely felt different than past SCC’s that I have been to. Mostly regarding the fetish side of it I saw a lot less leather and PVC and sissies this year which was a good thing, I think it made SCC a more upscale and sophisticated atmosphere. Yes it made SCC a less a place to have fun and enjoy the art of dressing. Another thing that has changed was the number of younger participants at SCC it seemed many are already transitioning or in the process. There are fewer younger cross-dressers every year. The trans-men are increasing in every year which is great. The third thing is the wild or party energy has gone down dramatically since leaving midtown, or it could just be this year, which in turn made this year seem to have less attendees, I heard like 850 or so compared to 910 last year. Possibly could be the result of economy, since for many SCC is more a luxury than a need.
The people are what make SCC all possible and this year there were some wild ones that pushed the boundaries of being passable. It’s great to see that many people come out and enjoy being a girl. I am happy that I was able to attend to say hi to old friends and make some new friends. One last thing coming home from Atlanta that was in the 75-80 degrees, to New York that was at 50-55 degrees SUCKS ha-ha……… oh and after seeing myself in pictures I think I look bad and FAT.
Until next year….
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What I wrote My Congressman regarding the US Economy
Jon October 1st, 2008 2:11 pm MDTI've been so disgusted listening to the Talking Heads spew bullshit on what needs to be done to get the Economy going again that I decided to write My Congressman. I encourage everyone to do the same, whether your view is in line with mine or diametrically opposed to it. Here's what I wrote My Congressman.
I'm writing to ask you 2 things and also to express my opinion.
1. Please Vote NO on any Tax Payer funded Bailout, of any kind, for Banks and Financial Institutions. As a Tax Payer, I do not want to see my Hard Earned Tax Dollars going to help out Companies or Institutions that have made irresponsible decisions. Large Firms should be treated no differently than Small Firms. If they can't stay afloat on their own, they should be allowed to go under.
2. Do NOT use my Hard Earned Tax Dollars to Subsidize the Mortgages of others. If a person was irresponsible enough to take out a Mortgage larger than they could afford then they should be foreclosed on. People must be held responsible for their actions. It would be grossly unfair to use My Hard Earned Tax Dollars to help pay off someone else's Mortgage. I have a hard enough time paying My Mortgage and My Monthly Bills without the Added Burden of Subsidizing someone else. Taxes are not levied by our Government to Redistribute wealth and it Offends me that it's even being considered.
My opinion on what should happen going forward...
1. Banks should require Substantial Down Payments before rewarding a Mortgage.
2. Banks should Verify Employment and Yearly Income before rewarding a Mortgage.
A comment on 1 and 2 above... This is what Banks always did until Our Government, towards the end of the 1990's, started pushing Banks to loosen their requirements so that more people could own homes. Well, guess what, not everyone can afford to own a home. I think that's pretty clear now and should have been obvious from the beginning.
3. Financial Institutions must be held responsible for the types of Financial Instruments they buy and sell. If they bundle up Worthless Sub Prime Mortgages into Financial Instruments and then can't sell them, well, that's life, they should be stuck with them. If it causes their Collapse, so be it.
To sum it up, Corporations AND Individuals must be held accountable for their actions. Using My and other people's Hard Earned Tax Dollars to Redistribute the Wealth to help the Rich OR the Poor, goes against everything this country stands for and the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach.
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One of Our Own Wins the Good Fight
Frank Disalle September 22nd, 2008 5:26 am MDTFormer Special Forces officer wins transgender discrimination lawsuitLeslie Schulman at 12:43 PM ET
[JURIST] A judge in the US District Court for the District of Columbia [official website] on Friday ruled [opinion, PDF] that the civil rights of former Army Special Forces officer Diane Schroer [profile] were violated after a job offer to serve as the senior terrorism research analyst at the Library of Congress [official website] was rescinded following Schroer\'s disclosure to her future supervisor that she was undergoing a gender transformation. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) [advocacy website] filed [ACLU news release] a lawsuit [complaint, PDF; materials] on behalf of Schroer in June 2005 under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [text; EEOC backgrounder], claiming the Library of Congress made it clear they thought Schroer was the best person for the job in extending the offer, but immediately changed its mind after Schroer voluntarily disclosed her intent to undergo a sex change operation. The complaint also argued that Schroer\'s right to due process and equal protection rights were violated. The Library of Congress countered that federal anti-discrimination laws do not extend to transgender people. The judge found \"compelling evidence\" that the hiring decision was \"infected by sex stereotypes,\" and concluded:
CNN has more.
The ruling comes as a major victory for transgender people claiming employment discrimination. In October, an employment non-discrimination bill protecting gays, lesbians, and bisexuals but not transgendered individuals was sent to the full US House of Representatives [JURIST report]. The absence of transgender protections prompted sharp opposition [ACLU press release] to the measure from civil rights groups, but Democrats who had introduced the bill were worried that the inclusion of language applying to transgender employees would cause the bill to fail. They vowed to address the issue in the future. Currently less than half of US states specifically prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation [JURIST news archive], and only half of these laws include protection for transgender individuals. A Maryland transgender anti-discrimination law is set to go to voters in November [JURIST report].
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Erowid: Documenting the Complex Relationship between Humans and Psychoactives
Jon September 12th, 2008 1:37 pm MDTJust a neat little site that I ran across...
http://www.erowid.org
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PLEASE Read, Ladies and Pass it on
Frank Disalle September 10th, 2008 8:46 am MDTTransgender Murder, Safety and Dating I really hate saying this, but it needs to be said...There are many young transgender women who are not careful about dating guys. They think that because they are young, pretty and passable they are free to date as they wish. The truth of the matter is, we have to be concerned with our safety the same as any other woman and even more. Even genetic women have to be concerned with being raped, assaulted and becoming victims of domestic violence. As a transgender woman things can become even more riskier, especially if we are pre or non-op. If we are found out men can get very upset, angry and often very violent. No man likes being lied to, but even worse the "thought" they have had sex with a person of the "same sex" and committed a "homosexual act" can drive them to become very angry and often resulting in brutal assault and even murder. Such is the case in the murder of Angie Zapata. All the hate crimes legislation in the world will do little to help us in this type of situation. I feel that many transgender murders could be prevented if only they had been upfront about their gender and screened their dates a little bit better. Does this justify these gruesome murders, positively not, but it is a very sad reality that may very well have been prevented with a bit more caution and honesty.As a transexual woman I get many requests for dates. Many of these hits are online and through social networking sites such as myspace and facebook. Even though my profiles are as transgender oriented, I get many hits from very straight men. My very first reply to any person who hits on me is "I am a male to female transexual woman and give a brief description of myself. This way no one can say I lied to them or deceived them about my gender. Usually the response back is a quick no thank you or no response at all.As much as we all like to go "stealth", I feel it is very important to be upfront about our transgender status. We need to be just as cautious as any other genetic woman and even more. Lastly, we need to screen our dates and know who we are dating. from TGLynn's Place http://tglynnsplace.blogspot.com/2008/07/transgender-murder-safety-and-dating.html[Comment on this post]
Unraveling Michelle Screening
Jenna Elizabeth Taylor September 7th, 2008 10:47 pm MDTLocal film maker Michelle Farrell will be screening her homegrown documentary at the Local film maker Michelle Farrell will be screening her homegrown documentary at theNew York International Independent Film and Video Festival OPENING NIGHT THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 18th - Unraveling Michelle Screening Saturday 4pm. The OPENING NIGHT PARTY and art/film market at MANSION ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH brings participating filmmakers, producers and artists together. Designed as an "open-air" market, the whole spectrum of the film, art and entertainment industry will be invited to attend thus creating a valuable opportunity for NYIIFVF and NYIAF participants to promote their projects and network with relevant industry professionals. Details: MANSION 530 W. 28TH STREET BETWEEN 10TH AND 11TH AVENUE 6PM-MIDNIGHT, Strict dress code: NO T-SHIRTS, JERSEYS, SWEATS, SNEAKERS AND BASEBALL HATS 21 and over only. No Exceptions http://www.nyfilmvideo.com/2008/ny-fall-2008/presrelease/opening-night.htm AFTER-PARTIES: Each night the festival will host after-parties at some of the best venues in New York. A list of our after-parties will be posted on www.nyfilmvideo.com and will also be listed in the program. We are doing our very best to get everyone in for free but venues marked with *** in the program schedule do have a reputation for being very trendy and upscale. We are also guests of the club. You must dress appropriately. NO T-SHIRTS, SNEAKERS, JERSEYS, BASEBALL HATS, BAGGY JEANS, SWEATS, ETC. ALL AFTER-PARTIES ARE FOR 21 AND OVER ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS. PLEASE KEEP YOUR VIP PASS ON YOU AT ALL TIMES AT THE AFTER-PARTIES. Please email Annalisa San Juan at annalisa@itndistribution.com if you have any questions regarding the after-parties. REMEMBER, for 12 dollars(advance ticket) you get a movie and a party. Unraveling Michelle will be screened on Saturday 9/20 at 4pm. I hope that you can come up to support our documentary.[Comment on this post]