Well, I reached a bit of a milestone today and it's one I'm pretty proud of. For the past five years, I've been seeing my therapist on a pretty regular basis. The fact that she's in Lexington and I'm in Louisville has kept us from meeting weekly but for the most part, we've met at least once a month and usually twice. Well, today I graduated from monthly visits down to seasonal visits. We were both in agreement that I'm doing really great, that transition is winding down and there just wasn't a need for me to come as often.
To tell the truth, there was a dark period where I wasn't sure that I would ever reach this point, so depressed was I. That seems like a long time ago but it really wasn't. This time last summer I was pretty miserable. My surgery hadn't gone as well as I had hoped, I had just been transfered from a classroom to central office and things seemed to be falling apart everywhere I looked. But that was then and this is now and for the first time in a very long time, I'm not just happy but alive. It feels good and I don't ever want to go back to that place that held me hostage all those years.
Teh Stupids, It Hurts
Not a chance in hell, but I'd be willing to bet that Jim "Mad Money" Cramer really does believe what he's saying. His claim yesterday that the stock market has bottomed out is the funniest thing I've heard all week.
The Airlines Last Days
I really have no idea which of the major US airlines will be the first to go under, but it appears that Delta might be in the running. The Atlanta based carrier is clearly on it's last legs and it's decision today to begin charging $50 for a second checked bag is the clearest sign yet that the airlines will soon be a thing of the past. They simply cannot be profitable in an era when oil is significantly above $100 a barrel. Oil of course is well over that mark, having gained over $4 a barrel today.
As Peak Oil becomes Past Peak Oil, the price of a barrel will begin a never ending upward surge, perhaps hitting $500 a barrel in the next two years. The airlines will be among the first industries to go under followed closely by all three Detroit automakers. In the meantime, air travel in most of the world, but especially in America, becomes more and more of a hassle as the airlines cut service, cut costs and cut safety. It's possible I might make one or two more flights but for the most part, my air travel experience, along with that of nearly everyone else, will soon come to an end. Just one of the first casualties of our dependence on fossil fuels but certainly not the last.
As Peak Oil becomes Past Peak Oil, the price of a barrel will begin a never ending upward surge, perhaps hitting $500 a barrel in the next two years. The airlines will be among the first industries to go under followed closely by all three Detroit automakers. In the meantime, air travel in most of the world, but especially in America, becomes more and more of a hassle as the airlines cut service, cut costs and cut safety. It's possible I might make one or two more flights but for the most part, my air travel experience, along with that of nearly everyone else, will soon come to an end. Just one of the first casualties of our dependence on fossil fuels but certainly not the last.
Don't Be Fooled
Oil continued it's two week slide, good news for those at the pump, as the dollar continues to strengthen and demand falls. Still, oil remains above $120 a barrel and I'd be totally surprised if it falls much more. Supply continues to be tight, global oil production most likely peaked in May 2005 and despite high prices, demand isn't falling enough domestically to offset increases in demand in the Middle East and China. As we continue on this bumpy plateau that is characterized by jumps and declines in production, ups and downs in demand and just in time supply, expect to have wild price swings like the ones we've experienced the past few weeks. My point is, don't be fooled by the recent declines in the price of oil as we are at the global peak in oil production. Once we fall off this plateau, it's all downhill and it could be kind of steep.
I Need To Move
It happens every now and then and occasionally it gets the best of me, but for the most part it's just an urge for change and as soon as it comes it disappears. Lately the urge to pack up, move and start all over again has reared it's ugly head. I love where I live and where I to spend the rest of my life here, I'd be totally content with that. Louisville is a fun city and has a lot to offer. It's got most of the big city amenities with a more small town feel (if a metro populaiton of 1.3 million can be considered small). It is home, my Mom and Brother live here, I have a ton of friends, own my own home and generally have a great life but sometimes a bit of change is what is needed.
Chicago from space
Months ago I mentioned that were I to move, I'd chose from one of five cities: Chicago, Anchorage, Portland, Seattle or Lewisburg West Virginia. Of those, the Windy City is by far my favorite. It's one of the worlds great city's and is widely considered the most liveable of the really big cities in America. Chicago is a bustling mass of energy, a model of urban living and a whole lot of fun. It is, next to San Fransico, the most liberal city in America. It has great mass transit, dense urban neighborhoods that are full of life, great shopping, dining and entertainment. It is in short, the Great American City and a place that I would love to call home.
Chicago from space
Months ago I mentioned that were I to move, I'd chose from one of five cities: Chicago, Anchorage, Portland, Seattle or Lewisburg West Virginia. Of those, the Windy City is by far my favorite. It's one of the worlds great city's and is widely considered the most liveable of the really big cities in America. Chicago is a bustling mass of energy, a model of urban living and a whole lot of fun. It is, next to San Fransico, the most liberal city in America. It has great mass transit, dense urban neighborhoods that are full of life, great shopping, dining and entertainment. It is in short, the Great American City and a place that I would love to call home.
See it on Logo
One of my all time favorite movies, Imagine Me and You, is airing several times this week and next on LOGO (Channel 272 on DirecTV). I just love Luce and Rachel and it's just such a magical movie. Catch it if you can.
Rachel and Luce in Imagine Me and You
Rachel and Luce in Imagine Me and You
Twisted and Demented
Rarely do movies or individual performances live up to expectations or hype. The Dark Night and especially Heath Ledger, do just that. Director Christopher Nolan has taken the superhero/action film genre to a whole new level, one that isn't likely to be topped, though I certainly hope he will try with his next installment in the Batman series. Ledger gives the performance of his young life and his death shortly after wrapping his role as the Joker made the movie all the more haunting. Clearly, Ledger totally immersed himself in the role and it showed in every single scene. He was brilliant, terrifying, demented, twisted, violent and deranged and everything the Joker is supposed to be. One literally forgets that this is merely a movie and nothing more than a performance as Ledger so takes on the persona of evil.
I've always been a huge fan of Batman and probably always will be. Unlike Supermans goodness or Spidermans geekiness, Batman is dark, mysterious and walking a fine line between good and evil. He's a troubled soul and isn't sure if he's actually doing any good. While not as dead on as Michael Keaton's wonderful take as Batman, Christian Bale is nevertheless a more than adequate Caped Crusader. The supporting cast is top notch with a few hidden gems thrown in but ultimately it all comes down to Ledger's epic performance. What happened to him in January was so tragic and ultimately such a waste. His last performance will go down as his finest and I can't think of a better way to remember him.
I've always been a huge fan of Batman and probably always will be. Unlike Supermans goodness or Spidermans geekiness, Batman is dark, mysterious and walking a fine line between good and evil. He's a troubled soul and isn't sure if he's actually doing any good. While not as dead on as Michael Keaton's wonderful take as Batman, Christian Bale is nevertheless a more than adequate Caped Crusader. The supporting cast is top notch with a few hidden gems thrown in but ultimately it all comes down to Ledger's epic performance. What happened to him in January was so tragic and ultimately such a waste. His last performance will go down as his finest and I can't think of a better way to remember him.
What I'm Looking For
I can dream can't I?
For more yummy pics of the hottest woman in the world, also known as Lena Headey, check out The Sarah Connor Society Gallery.
For more yummy pics of the hottest woman in the world, also known as Lena Headey, check out The Sarah Connor Society Gallery.
Some More Deep Thoughts
My blog sucks way more than your blog ever could.
Kindly ripped from Atrios!
Kindly ripped from Atrios!
About A Girl
I did this once on my old blog and thought I would do it again. Weird things about me:
Date of Birth: January 2, 1970
Place of Birth: Hunter Air Base, Savannah, Georgia
Elementary Schools: Goldsmith and Jeffersontown Elementaries in Louisville, Kentucky
Middle School: Jefferson County Traditional Middle School, Louisville, Kentucky
High Schools: Louisville Male High School in Louisville, Kentucky and Countrtyside High School (Class of 1988) in Clearwater, Florida.
Undergraduate: University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky (Class of 1992). B.A. History
Graduate School: University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky (Class of 2003). M.A. Special Education, Graduated first in class.
Rank I: University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky (Class of 2004). Autism and Assistive Technology.
States I've Lived In: Florida, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado and Alaska (8)
States I've Visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Washington, Alaska and the District of Columbia. (27)
Favorite States: West Virginia, Alaska and Kentucky.
Canadian Provinces I've Visited: Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. (3)
Countries I've Visited: United States, Canada and England. (3)
Airports I've Flown Into: Tampa, St. Petersburg, Atlanta, Charlotte, Greensboro, Washington Dulles, New York Laguardia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cincinnati, Lexington, Louisville, Chicago O'Hare, Chicago Midway, Dallas-Ft. Worth, St. Louis, Seattle, Anchorage, Calgary, Toronto and London Gatwick. (21)
Five States I've Never Visited That I Most Want To: California, Wyoming, Montana, Maine and Hawaii.
Five States That I've Never Visited That I Never Want To Go To: Oklahoma, Arizona, Delaware, North Dakota and Connecticut.
Five Countries I've Never Been To That I Most Want To Go To: Russia, Australia, Peru, Japan and Kenya.
Five Favorite Big Cities That I've Visited: London, Chicago, New York, Seattle and Atlanta.
Five Ski Resorts I Want To Ski At The Most: Whistler-Blackcomb, Jackson Hole, Crested Butte, Taos and Mt. Baker Washington.
One Thing I'd Love To Do In My Life: Climb Mt. Everest.
Favorite Mountains: Appalachians.
Favorite Ocean: Well, I've only seen the Atlantic so I guess that's it though I'm partial to the Gulf of Mexico.
Five Favorite Sports: College football, Indy Car Racing, College Basketball, Formula One and Baseball.
Apple of PC: Hello, I'm a Mac!
Favorite Meal: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits and gravy and a cold coke.
Favorite Fast Food: White Castle.
Favorite Ethnic Food: Mexican.
Favorite Action Movies: Saving Private Ryan, Die Hard, Thin Red Line, Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now.
Favorite Sci-Fi Movies: Blade Runner, Empire Strikes Back, Terminator, The Matrix and Minority Report
Favorite Comedy Movies: Raising Arizona, Clerks, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Blazing Saddles and Animal House.
Favorite Chick Flicks: Imagine Me and You, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, 13 Going on 30 and Titantic.
Favorite Classic Movies: Casablanca, Gone With The Wind, To Kill A Mockingbird, Rebecca and Rear Window.
Other Favorite Movies: Dazed and Confused, O' Brother Where Art Thou, The Big Lebowski and Heat.
Favorite Television Shows: Lost, Northern Exposure, Seinfeld, Cheers and Frasier.
Favorite Fiction Books: 1984, To Kill A Mockingbird, Rebecca, Gone With The Wind and Frankenstein.
Favorite Non-Fiction Books: A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals by Jeffrey Masson, Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer.
Pets: Three dogs- Sammy (Border Collie), River (Border Collie) and Shadow (Lab Mix). All are rescue dogs.
Favorite Sounds: Thunder, wind blowing in the trees, music, dogs barking and the sound of silence that can only be found in the woods.
Date of Birth: January 2, 1970
Place of Birth: Hunter Air Base, Savannah, Georgia
Elementary Schools: Goldsmith and Jeffersontown Elementaries in Louisville, Kentucky
Middle School: Jefferson County Traditional Middle School, Louisville, Kentucky
High Schools: Louisville Male High School in Louisville, Kentucky and Countrtyside High School (Class of 1988) in Clearwater, Florida.
Undergraduate: University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky (Class of 1992). B.A. History
Graduate School: University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky (Class of 2003). M.A. Special Education, Graduated first in class.
Rank I: University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky (Class of 2004). Autism and Assistive Technology.
States I've Lived In: Florida, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado and Alaska (8)
States I've Visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Washington, Alaska and the District of Columbia. (27)
Favorite States: West Virginia, Alaska and Kentucky.
Canadian Provinces I've Visited: Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. (3)
Countries I've Visited: United States, Canada and England. (3)
Airports I've Flown Into: Tampa, St. Petersburg, Atlanta, Charlotte, Greensboro, Washington Dulles, New York Laguardia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cincinnati, Lexington, Louisville, Chicago O'Hare, Chicago Midway, Dallas-Ft. Worth, St. Louis, Seattle, Anchorage, Calgary, Toronto and London Gatwick. (21)
Five States I've Never Visited That I Most Want To: California, Wyoming, Montana, Maine and Hawaii.
Five States That I've Never Visited That I Never Want To Go To: Oklahoma, Arizona, Delaware, North Dakota and Connecticut.
Five Countries I've Never Been To That I Most Want To Go To: Russia, Australia, Peru, Japan and Kenya.
Five Favorite Big Cities That I've Visited: London, Chicago, New York, Seattle and Atlanta.
Five Ski Resorts I Want To Ski At The Most: Whistler-Blackcomb, Jackson Hole, Crested Butte, Taos and Mt. Baker Washington.
One Thing I'd Love To Do In My Life: Climb Mt. Everest.
Favorite Mountains: Appalachians.
Favorite Ocean: Well, I've only seen the Atlantic so I guess that's it though I'm partial to the Gulf of Mexico.
Five Favorite Sports: College football, Indy Car Racing, College Basketball, Formula One and Baseball.
Apple of PC: Hello, I'm a Mac!
Favorite Meal: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits and gravy and a cold coke.
Favorite Fast Food: White Castle.
Favorite Ethnic Food: Mexican.
Favorite Action Movies: Saving Private Ryan, Die Hard, Thin Red Line, Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now.
Favorite Sci-Fi Movies: Blade Runner, Empire Strikes Back, Terminator, The Matrix and Minority Report
Favorite Comedy Movies: Raising Arizona, Clerks, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Blazing Saddles and Animal House.
Favorite Chick Flicks: Imagine Me and You, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, 13 Going on 30 and Titantic.
Favorite Classic Movies: Casablanca, Gone With The Wind, To Kill A Mockingbird, Rebecca and Rear Window.
Other Favorite Movies: Dazed and Confused, O' Brother Where Art Thou, The Big Lebowski and Heat.
Favorite Television Shows: Lost, Northern Exposure, Seinfeld, Cheers and Frasier.
Favorite Fiction Books: 1984, To Kill A Mockingbird, Rebecca, Gone With The Wind and Frankenstein.
Favorite Non-Fiction Books: A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals by Jeffrey Masson, Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer.
Pets: Three dogs- Sammy (Border Collie), River (Border Collie) and Shadow (Lab Mix). All are rescue dogs.
Favorite Sounds: Thunder, wind blowing in the trees, music, dogs barking and the sound of silence that can only be found in the woods.
I Get In Fights
I got in a fight with a liposuction device and lost. And yes, I was awake for the whole fight.
Notes on a Road Trip
As you probably are aware of, I just took a short trip to Chicago to have some minor revisions done on my face and I thought I would share some observations from along the way.
1. The trip north on Interstate 65 is a microcosm of America. The first 20 or so miles out of Louisville is nothing but ugly suburban sprawl. Big box retailers, ugly housing developments, sleazy stip malls, gas stations and fast food joints and all the other trappings of suburban life. In other words, the things I hate most in this world.
2. Eventually the sprawl gives way to undulating hills that house some of what America used to be like. The small towns with names like Seymour, Nashville, Georgetown and Crawfordsville are much the same as they were 100 years ago and it reminds you of a time that long ago disappeaered.
3. Soon enough, the rolling hills of Southern Indiana give way to flat nothingness, one farm after another for as far as the eye can see. It's that way all the way to Indianapolis, just field after field of corn and soybeans, all meant to juice up our sodas, fuel our cars and make us fat. I wonder what will happen to all those fields when oil starts to become scarce.
4. As you move north, the corn fields suddenly end and the suburban sprawl of Indianapolis begins. Indy is the perfect example of a white bread kind of town. Nothing daring, nothing adventurous and certainly nothing to write home about. It is bland, boring and has little sense of self. It could, for all intents and purposes, be any city in any state. It ends as soon as it began and once again, corn fields everywhere, all of it broken up only by the hills around Lafayette and Purdue University.
5. As one ventures into Northern Indiana, the scene begins to shift from rural to urban in a hurry. Once thriving cities like Gary, Hammond and Valparaiso are a shell of their former selves. From the interstate one can see boarded up homes, weed infested neighborhoods, closed stores and one empty steel factory after another, all in a competition to see which can rust first. It's ugly, it's depressing and it's all too common along the Great Lakes and Midwest.
6. Just when you think all is lost, you enter Chicago and are reminded of how great a city can be. It's simply amazing to cross over the Chicago Skyway and see the massive towers that line the lakefront. The city plays out in all it's urban glory for nearly 80 miles and I love every mile of it. It has the vibe that few cities have and it lets you know right away that it means all business. It truly is a city of neighborhoods and to explore them is to see every slice of America in all it's glory. If you've never been, do yourself a favor and get there now, it's that good.
7. With gasoline prices well over $4 a gallon, I didn't know how much traffic to expect. I had heard tales of empty roads but I saw none of that. The higher prices did not appear to have any affect on traffic as the roads were as busy as they've always been. Semi's were out in full force and there were no shortages of SUV's. What I did notice however was a lack of motor homes. I counted five coming and going.
8. Once again, if you live in Indiana or Ohio, the left lane is for driving fast and passing and the right lane is for going slower. It's a pretty simple concept but evidently lost on those from those two states.
9. Of the top of my head, I saw cars from the following states: Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, Nebraska, Nevada and Colorado.
10. I stayed at the Staybridge Suites, an extended stay hotel that Dr. Z reserves for his patients. It's a real nice place and I would be totally happy living in one. The suites are just the right size, the beds are very comfortable, the pillows are feathery soft and you've got housekeeping. What's not to like?
11. It's amazing what a difference 320 miles can make in climate. It was warm when I got to Chiago, but the 91 degress there is nowhere near as hot as 91 degrees here. The humidity just isn't as bad, the sun isn't as bright and it's just not that hot. Lucky them.
12. Pizza and beer are as close to perfect as one can get.
13. There is a lot of money in Chicago. A lot.
14. Central time zone sucks ass big time.
15. Perhaps the best thing about my trip was for two nights, I didn't have to share my bed with any dogs. An interesting experience.
16. Still, there's no place like home and home is here.
1. The trip north on Interstate 65 is a microcosm of America. The first 20 or so miles out of Louisville is nothing but ugly suburban sprawl. Big box retailers, ugly housing developments, sleazy stip malls, gas stations and fast food joints and all the other trappings of suburban life. In other words, the things I hate most in this world.
2. Eventually the sprawl gives way to undulating hills that house some of what America used to be like. The small towns with names like Seymour, Nashville, Georgetown and Crawfordsville are much the same as they were 100 years ago and it reminds you of a time that long ago disappeaered.
3. Soon enough, the rolling hills of Southern Indiana give way to flat nothingness, one farm after another for as far as the eye can see. It's that way all the way to Indianapolis, just field after field of corn and soybeans, all meant to juice up our sodas, fuel our cars and make us fat. I wonder what will happen to all those fields when oil starts to become scarce.
4. As you move north, the corn fields suddenly end and the suburban sprawl of Indianapolis begins. Indy is the perfect example of a white bread kind of town. Nothing daring, nothing adventurous and certainly nothing to write home about. It is bland, boring and has little sense of self. It could, for all intents and purposes, be any city in any state. It ends as soon as it began and once again, corn fields everywhere, all of it broken up only by the hills around Lafayette and Purdue University.
5. As one ventures into Northern Indiana, the scene begins to shift from rural to urban in a hurry. Once thriving cities like Gary, Hammond and Valparaiso are a shell of their former selves. From the interstate one can see boarded up homes, weed infested neighborhoods, closed stores and one empty steel factory after another, all in a competition to see which can rust first. It's ugly, it's depressing and it's all too common along the Great Lakes and Midwest.
6. Just when you think all is lost, you enter Chicago and are reminded of how great a city can be. It's simply amazing to cross over the Chicago Skyway and see the massive towers that line the lakefront. The city plays out in all it's urban glory for nearly 80 miles and I love every mile of it. It has the vibe that few cities have and it lets you know right away that it means all business. It truly is a city of neighborhoods and to explore them is to see every slice of America in all it's glory. If you've never been, do yourself a favor and get there now, it's that good.
7. With gasoline prices well over $4 a gallon, I didn't know how much traffic to expect. I had heard tales of empty roads but I saw none of that. The higher prices did not appear to have any affect on traffic as the roads were as busy as they've always been. Semi's were out in full force and there were no shortages of SUV's. What I did notice however was a lack of motor homes. I counted five coming and going.
8. Once again, if you live in Indiana or Ohio, the left lane is for driving fast and passing and the right lane is for going slower. It's a pretty simple concept but evidently lost on those from those two states.
9. Of the top of my head, I saw cars from the following states: Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, Nebraska, Nevada and Colorado.
10. I stayed at the Staybridge Suites, an extended stay hotel that Dr. Z reserves for his patients. It's a real nice place and I would be totally happy living in one. The suites are just the right size, the beds are very comfortable, the pillows are feathery soft and you've got housekeeping. What's not to like?
11. It's amazing what a difference 320 miles can make in climate. It was warm when I got to Chiago, but the 91 degress there is nowhere near as hot as 91 degrees here. The humidity just isn't as bad, the sun isn't as bright and it's just not that hot. Lucky them.
12. Pizza and beer are as close to perfect as one can get.
13. There is a lot of money in Chicago. A lot.
14. Central time zone sucks ass big time.
15. Perhaps the best thing about my trip was for two nights, I didn't have to share my bed with any dogs. An interesting experience.
16. Still, there's no place like home and home is here.
Tranny's Behaving Badly
So, I get to the Skyway bridge in no time flat and that's when the traffic stopped. From the Illinois/Indiana line it took me nearly 3 hours to find my way to the North Side of Chicago. Needless to say, I had to pee pretty damn bad and rather than wait in traffic another 20 minutes to go a couple of miles, I pulled off a couple of exits early and paid a visit to Dr. Z. After the refreshing pause that cures, I waited in the lobby to find out what time I needed to be there in the morning. That's when they walked in. Now I don't really want to badmouth these girls, I really don't, but I just can't resist the urge to mock.
I'm under no illusions that I pass as female but I do okay and one of the reasons I do so is because I dress the right way. That means wearing clothes that flatter my figure, clothes that are age appropriate and as little makeup and bling as possible. Any girl who does those things is number one in my book and I will support them in every way imaginable. Those girls are the brave ones, the good ones and the ones I love. Now back to the mocking if I may. I know that these women are just trying to experience what they missed out on, I really do, but ladies, you just aren't doing yourself any favors.
Now I should be clear that one of them looked very nice, was dressed pretty conservative and did pretty good at blending in. Her friend on the other hand was a train wreck in progress. Okay, here's the deal:
1. If you don't have a job working at the Boar's Nest, don''t wear Daisy Dukes. Seriously, don't. It doesn't look good, never did and never will.
2. Don't wear so much bling that you set off a metal detector a mile away. Just don't.
3. Tanktops are nice, they really are. I love to sleep in them and few things are more comfortable, I get that, but the thing is, not everyone looks good in them. Telling the receptionist that you look good, spinning around and flaunting what you don't have does not make it so. I just wante to scream, "no, you don't look good, you look like a linebacker in drag."
4. If you are over the age of 40 and you still shop at Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister and American Eagle Outfitters, please stop. FInd your way to Ann Taylor, J.Jill, Talbots and other fine retailers that cater to women your age.
I know I'll catch grief for this post and maybe I deserve it, but I just can't stand seeing people make fools of themselves. When I first informed my employer that I was planning on transitioning, this is what they were initialy afraid of. When they saw that I had no intentions of living this way, things began to work in my favor. I know this will make me seem snobby or out of touch with the trans community but I don't care. I'm tired of transsexual women who live up to stereotypes and as a result make things harder for those of us who are hoping to just get on with life. Just for clarification, I would react the same way to a natal woman dressing 30 years to young for her age.
I'm under no illusions that I pass as female but I do okay and one of the reasons I do so is because I dress the right way. That means wearing clothes that flatter my figure, clothes that are age appropriate and as little makeup and bling as possible. Any girl who does those things is number one in my book and I will support them in every way imaginable. Those girls are the brave ones, the good ones and the ones I love. Now back to the mocking if I may. I know that these women are just trying to experience what they missed out on, I really do, but ladies, you just aren't doing yourself any favors.
Now I should be clear that one of them looked very nice, was dressed pretty conservative and did pretty good at blending in. Her friend on the other hand was a train wreck in progress. Okay, here's the deal:
1. If you don't have a job working at the Boar's Nest, don''t wear Daisy Dukes. Seriously, don't. It doesn't look good, never did and never will.
2. Don't wear so much bling that you set off a metal detector a mile away. Just don't.
3. Tanktops are nice, they really are. I love to sleep in them and few things are more comfortable, I get that, but the thing is, not everyone looks good in them. Telling the receptionist that you look good, spinning around and flaunting what you don't have does not make it so. I just wante to scream, "no, you don't look good, you look like a linebacker in drag."
4. If you are over the age of 40 and you still shop at Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister and American Eagle Outfitters, please stop. FInd your way to Ann Taylor, J.Jill, Talbots and other fine retailers that cater to women your age.
I know I'll catch grief for this post and maybe I deserve it, but I just can't stand seeing people make fools of themselves. When I first informed my employer that I was planning on transitioning, this is what they were initialy afraid of. When they saw that I had no intentions of living this way, things began to work in my favor. I know this will make me seem snobby or out of touch with the trans community but I don't care. I'm tired of transsexual women who live up to stereotypes and as a result make things harder for those of us who are hoping to just get on with life. Just for clarification, I would react the same way to a natal woman dressing 30 years to young for her age.
Big City
I'm off to the Windy City in the morning in order to have a few very minor revisions done to my face. Nothing huge, no anesthesia and very little pain, I'll be up there two nights and back home again by Sunday afternoon. I love Chicago, it's my favorite US city and I never tire of visiting the place. Unfortunately, I'll have little down time and I probably won't even make it into the city.
More Deep Thoughts
As summer approaches the halfway point, it's kind of sad to watch the days once again get shorter. A month ago it wasn't getting dark till around 10 or so, today not so much.
The Religious Right Must Be Stopped
Yes, I have my differences with Barack Obama and yes, I am very pissed over his recent cave on the issue of domestic spying and telecom immunity, but that doesn't mean I won't work like hell to get him elected. The thought of John McBush in the Oval Office scares the shit out of me. Aside from all of the other horrible things that will happen, the fact that the next President will fill some vacancies on the Supreme Court, is enough for any sane American to put aside their differences and work to get Obama elected. The Maverick likes to play up him image, with a lot of help from his base in the press, about how independent he is and that he's really just a moderate, common sense man. Don't be fooled, he is anything but.
Despite a bit of fuss from the religious nutcases on the right, they've come around to McCain and will do all they can to elect him. Today, we find out just how nuts they really are. We all know that nothing pisses these idiots off like the right to an abortion but if you think they will stop there, think again. They want complete control over a womans body and that includes making contraception illegal. That's right, they want to ban all forms of birth control, specifically the pill. Now it seems that the Health and Human Services Department will help them do just that, at least in clinics that recieve some kind of federal funding.
Think about that for a second. The religious right, with the aid of our government, is trying to impose a strict theocratic definition of what is and isn't abortion. Look, I'm all for reducing the number of abortions, but making contraception illegal does just the opposite. These people want sex to be for one thing and one thing only, making babies. The more the merrier as far as they are concerned and damn the ramifications of such a policy. So, my question for those of you who are bitter about Hillary Clinton not winning or Obama not being liberal enough, is this what you want? If so, please vote for McCain, but if this scares you like it scares me, get off your butt and work your ass off to get Obama elected. The stakes are that high.
Depressing Thought
You know you are getting old when the songs you listened to in high school are now being played on the oldies stations.
Pandering At It's Best
Bush and Company can open up all the land in America to oil drilling and it won't do a thing to slow our domestic production, much less bring down prices at the pump. Still, public opinion seems to be moving his way and it won't be long till Congress, like the good Democrats they are, bow to Mr. 28% and grant him his every wish. I personally believe we should save what little oil we have left so that future generations might actually get to use a bit of it, but we all know that isn't going to happen.
You see, the party is over but not everyone has gotten the news. Some seem to think that the emerging energy and economic crisis are merely an abberation and that before to long everything will be just fine and we'll get back to our partying ways. So maybe we should just go ahead and drill everything, including the White House lawn and get this over with once and for all. Maybe then people will start to understand, I doubt it, but we can at least hope.
You see, the party is over but not everyone has gotten the news. Some seem to think that the emerging energy and economic crisis are merely an abberation and that before to long everything will be just fine and we'll get back to our partying ways. So maybe we should just go ahead and drill everything, including the White House lawn and get this over with once and for all. Maybe then people will start to understand, I doubt it, but we can at least hope.
Old School
I Go To Work...
A Rappers Delight...
Momma Said Knock You OUt...
Peter Piper...
Paul Revere...
Ganster's Paradise...
A Rappers Delight...
Momma Said Knock You OUt...
Peter Piper...
Paul Revere...
Ganster's Paradise...
Follow Up on Obama and FISA
I think the thing that pisses me off the most about Obama and his reversal with regards to domestic spying and immunity for the major telecoms is that once in office, Obama will be loathe to get rid of these powers. Once presidential powers get entrenched, they tend to stick around. I know Obama won't blatantly break the law like Bush has but make no mistake, he will try to get away with as much Imperial Power as he possibly can. It's a fact about politicians, once they taste that first bite of power, it's a never ending quest to quench that hunger and thirst. It takes a pretty slick and sneaky person to want to be a politician, especially at the federal level, and Obama is no different. His calls for change is ringing a bit hollow these days and it's disappointing to once again have a candidate on the left that truly doesn't belong on the left.
Buyers Remorse
Throughtout most of the Democratic Primary, I tried to remain neutral and let things fall where they might. In the end, I voted for Barack Obama because I felt that he offered the best hope of defeating John McBush. I still think he will win come November, it will be close (the media will ensure that it is), but he will win enough states to take the White House and hopefully reverse some of Dubya's worst policies. That being said, I'm still not sure I will be voting for him come November.
You see, I'm having a very bad case of buyers remorse and were I able to vote in the primary again, I would vote for Hillary Clinton.
Obama's shameless and very stupid move to the right is backfiring on him big time. I have no idea why Democratic candidates for President feel that they should abandon those who got them there in order to win a handful of supposed undecided voters, but they all seem to do it. Al Gore did it in 2000 and John Kerry did it in 2004 and now it appears that Obama is determined to pull defeat from the jaws of victory. If he loses, he will have no one to blame but himself and the Beltway pundints that he seems intent on listening to.
Honestly, I'm to the point where I really don't give a shit as to who wins. If it were up to me I would throw the whole lot of them out and start from scratch. The Democrats we elected in 2006 have proven to be as corrupt and craven as the Repulicans they replaced. Hell, they actually might be worse, that's how bad they are. I'm tired of supporting a political party that stands for nothing, does nothing and treats the Constitution like toilet paper. I'm tired of donating money, walking neighborhoods and doing everything I can to support a bunch of people who say one thing and then go and do another. At some point, progressive voters like myself reach the point where we just can't do it anymore. I've reached that point.
UPDATE: An obituary for America.
The Democrats came out of this looking strong, as usual. They are pathetic, absolutely pathetic.
In a bit of good news, the ACLU is going to sue over the constitutionality of the new FISA law. Go here to sign your name to a national ad that will be running.
You see, I'm having a very bad case of buyers remorse and were I able to vote in the primary again, I would vote for Hillary Clinton.
Obama's shameless and very stupid move to the right is backfiring on him big time. I have no idea why Democratic candidates for President feel that they should abandon those who got them there in order to win a handful of supposed undecided voters, but they all seem to do it. Al Gore did it in 2000 and John Kerry did it in 2004 and now it appears that Obama is determined to pull defeat from the jaws of victory. If he loses, he will have no one to blame but himself and the Beltway pundints that he seems intent on listening to.
Honestly, I'm to the point where I really don't give a shit as to who wins. If it were up to me I would throw the whole lot of them out and start from scratch. The Democrats we elected in 2006 have proven to be as corrupt and craven as the Repulicans they replaced. Hell, they actually might be worse, that's how bad they are. I'm tired of supporting a political party that stands for nothing, does nothing and treats the Constitution like toilet paper. I'm tired of donating money, walking neighborhoods and doing everything I can to support a bunch of people who say one thing and then go and do another. At some point, progressive voters like myself reach the point where we just can't do it anymore. I've reached that point.
UPDATE: An obituary for America.
The Democrats came out of this looking strong, as usual. They are pathetic, absolutely pathetic.
In a bit of good news, the ACLU is going to sue over the constitutionality of the new FISA law. Go here to sign your name to a national ad that will be running.
A New Beginning
Yesterday, I walked into a whole new world, a place where absolutely no one knows the person I used to be. Monday was the first day back for school principals and I took the opportunity to visit my new school and see my classroom. Along the way I met several staff members all of whom will only know me as Kelly. At my old school, my friends first got to know me as Greg and that was the person that they knew and loved. My becoming Kelly was very hard on most of them and had I stayed where I was at, I never would have been able to make a successful transition. I didn't understand that at the time but I do now. It's hard for people to watch someone they care deeply about die a slow death. While they supported what I was doing, the truth was they didn't really want it to happen.
I get that totally and I hold no hard feelings for losing touch with most of them. My transition has been hard on a lot of people, most of all my family. They have mourned the loss of Greg and from time to time, it's clear that they would like to have that person back. Sometimes I think the same thing but then I stop and think about how great life finally is and I know that there is no going back. I hate that to find my own happiness and peace of mind, I had to figuratively kill off a person that so many people obviously cared about. When I began transition, I figured that the hardest part would be getting to a place where I could actually move about the world as female. I never imagined tha it would actually be letting go of the person that got me so far in life.
I've apologized to so many people for taking Greg away and believe me, had I been able to make a go of things as that person, I never would have felt this need to transition. Greg was a pretty awesome person, as nice as could be, as hard working as they come and an all around decent guy. I loved that person a lot and as long as I live I will be forever grateful to all he did to get me to this point in life. When I look at pictures of myself from all those years ago, I often find myself tearing up and feeling very sad about what I did to him. He didn't ask for this, certainly didn't deserve this and most likely never imagined that it would come to this, but come it did. I don't deny my past and I never will. I'm proud of who I am and who I was and despite once thinking otherwise, I will never have a reason to hide that very important part of who I am.
That being said, it was still kind of nice to walk into a place where everyone will get to know Kelly and hopefully love her as much as people used to love Greg. I'm really still the same person, I still work just as hard and I try to be as good of a friend as I ever did as Greg. Most of my friends have come to like Kelly as much as they did Greg and my family now treats me as the daughter and sister that I am but I still know that deep in their hearts, they often think of Greg and wish that he was still around. I have no illusions that anyone at my new school will take me for a natal female but that's okay because they won't have a previous image to compare me to. I've found that the people I've met since going full time accept me as female all the while knowing of my past as a male. They're cool with that and in some strange way, it just helps me relax and be myself. I don't have this fear of being found out, of slipping up and doing something I'm not supposed to do and as a result I get to live.
I get that totally and I hold no hard feelings for losing touch with most of them. My transition has been hard on a lot of people, most of all my family. They have mourned the loss of Greg and from time to time, it's clear that they would like to have that person back. Sometimes I think the same thing but then I stop and think about how great life finally is and I know that there is no going back. I hate that to find my own happiness and peace of mind, I had to figuratively kill off a person that so many people obviously cared about. When I began transition, I figured that the hardest part would be getting to a place where I could actually move about the world as female. I never imagined tha it would actually be letting go of the person that got me so far in life.
I've apologized to so many people for taking Greg away and believe me, had I been able to make a go of things as that person, I never would have felt this need to transition. Greg was a pretty awesome person, as nice as could be, as hard working as they come and an all around decent guy. I loved that person a lot and as long as I live I will be forever grateful to all he did to get me to this point in life. When I look at pictures of myself from all those years ago, I often find myself tearing up and feeling very sad about what I did to him. He didn't ask for this, certainly didn't deserve this and most likely never imagined that it would come to this, but come it did. I don't deny my past and I never will. I'm proud of who I am and who I was and despite once thinking otherwise, I will never have a reason to hide that very important part of who I am.
That being said, it was still kind of nice to walk into a place where everyone will get to know Kelly and hopefully love her as much as people used to love Greg. I'm really still the same person, I still work just as hard and I try to be as good of a friend as I ever did as Greg. Most of my friends have come to like Kelly as much as they did Greg and my family now treats me as the daughter and sister that I am but I still know that deep in their hearts, they often think of Greg and wish that he was still around. I have no illusions that anyone at my new school will take me for a natal female but that's okay because they won't have a previous image to compare me to. I've found that the people I've met since going full time accept me as female all the while knowing of my past as a male. They're cool with that and in some strange way, it just helps me relax and be myself. I don't have this fear of being found out, of slipping up and doing something I'm not supposed to do and as a result I get to live.
Cantarell is on it's Deathbed
The third largest oil field in the world, Mexico's famed Cantarell, is dying a quick death. Production dropped by 500,000 barrels a day in May over the previous year, it's biggest decline since 1995. Mexico is currently one of the top three suppliers of crude to the United States. That will change in late 2010 as Mexico will then become a net oil importer, unable to meet it's own domestic needs. With continued declines in US and North Sea production, coupled with declines from Russia and many OPEC members, oil supplies will remain tight and prices will continue to increase. Once Saudi Arabia's mighty Ghawar enters terminal decline, it might already have happened, it will officially be time to end the party. It was fun while it lasted.
We Need To Go Extinct
I know this sounds pretty radical and pretty damn offensive, but I've come to the conclusion that the World would be a much better place were humans to go extinct. We've had our time, we've done our time and much like the dinosaurs before us, it's time for us to go and let something else have a chance. My belief in the tragic consequences of humans living at the top of the food chain is what led me to vow at a failry early age never to have children. It's something that many years later I don't regret and I'm pretty sure I never will. My existence and DNA stops with me and I've made sure that it will never go further. It's my one little gift to the rest of life on Earth.
Anyways, to see why humans don't deserve to continue on as a species, be sure to watch 60 minutes this Sunday. Anderson Cooper will present a story on the Great Apes of the Congo and their slaughter at the hands of we humans. These amazing creatures are literally being killed before our very eyes and now they find themselves on the very verge of extinction. Only humands, in our thirst for blood, could cause whole species to simply disappear. It's not supposed to work that way, it really isn't. Every creature that ever lived had it's time and when they disappeared for good, it had nothing to do with other living species. That isn't so today and as a result, we aren't quite as special as we think we are. Shame on all of us, shame on all of us.
Anyways, to see why humans don't deserve to continue on as a species, be sure to watch 60 minutes this Sunday. Anderson Cooper will present a story on the Great Apes of the Congo and their slaughter at the hands of we humans. These amazing creatures are literally being killed before our very eyes and now they find themselves on the very verge of extinction. Only humands, in our thirst for blood, could cause whole species to simply disappear. It's not supposed to work that way, it really isn't. Every creature that ever lived had it's time and when they disappeared for good, it had nothing to do with other living species. That isn't so today and as a result, we aren't quite as special as we think we are. Shame on all of us, shame on all of us.
Another Edition of Things That Piss Me Off
It's been awhile since I had a little rant and it just so happens that a lot of things are really starting to piss me off. Let's get it started...
1. Fox News- That people actually watch this shit is insane, that they believe what they hear and see is just batshit crazy. Not surprisingly, Fox News gets busted for doctoring photos of New York Times reporters. Idiots.
2. John McCain- I'm not exactly enthusiastic about the piss poor campaign Obama has been running of late, but it doesn't mean I won't vote for him. McCain is a crazy old man who just needs to find a rocking chair to pass the remaing years away. And yes, General Wesley Clark was right, being shot down and kept as a POW does not qualify one to be President. He was a bad pilot by all accounts and while I feel bad for what he endured, it in no way makes him Presidential.
3. Waterboarding- Anyone who says this isn't torture should have to endure a little taste of it. Vanity Fair's Christopher Hitchens tried it out and what do know, he's pretty sure that it's torture.
4. Presidents who say stupid shit which in turn gets 4,000 American soldiers killed. Today is the 5 year anniversary of Dubya's "Bring 'em on" pronouncement. He's a world class jackass and one of the stupidest men alive. I don't believe in Hell but for him I'll make an exception. I smite him!
5. Americans who bitch about the price of gasoline- Quit your whining you self-indulgent pieces of shit. Over half of the worlds population was long ago priced out of the gasoline market. Of all the industrialized nations, we have the lowest gasoline prices. No where is it written that cheap gas is a Constitutional right. Dumb asses.
6. People who drive slow in the fast lane. If you live in Ohio or Indiana, please take note: The left lane is for passing and going fast, the right lane is for going slow. It's all rather simple but for some reason people in those two states have failed to learn that lesson. Enough already, you're pissing me off big time.
7. Rednecks who don't wear shirts- Why is it that the men who have no business walking around without a shirt on are they very ones who do it? No one wants to see your fat, hairy and grotesque stomach, least of all me. By the way, when did going shirtless become acceptable?
8. Republicans- Just because.
9. The so called "Sanctity of Marriage"- Look, I'm all for marriage if it's your thing. I know at least one or two couples who are actually kind of happy but by and large, most of the marriages I see are a disaster. Perhpas all these years of being free has made me cynical, I don't know, but the fact is, marriage is not my idea of a good time. The thought of waking up every single day for the rest of my life next to the same person is enough to make me throw up. It's unrealistic to expect people to stay happy in a relationship like marriage. Look, I love Reece's Peanut Butter Cups but I don't want to eat one everyday, all day. My idea is simple: Find someone that you like, maybe even love, get together a couple of times a week to do the deed, maybe pop out a kid or two but lead a seperate life. It's my observation that men prefer the company of me and women prefer the company of women. So why do we keep trying to do it differently?
10. I usually like to rant and rave about how obnoxious SUV's are but I'm done with that. It's not that I've changed my opinion of them, I haven't, it's just that they are on their last legs. Sales of new SUV's are pathetic, dealerships aren't accepting them as trade ins and they are losing more than half of their resale value instantly. I never understood the appeal of a tank like vehicle. They are dangerous to both driver and other cars, they get poor gas mileage, they give a very uncomfortable ride and they are just obnoxious beyond belief. May all of the SUV's of the world die a timely death.
1. Fox News- That people actually watch this shit is insane, that they believe what they hear and see is just batshit crazy. Not surprisingly, Fox News gets busted for doctoring photos of New York Times reporters. Idiots.
2. John McCain- I'm not exactly enthusiastic about the piss poor campaign Obama has been running of late, but it doesn't mean I won't vote for him. McCain is a crazy old man who just needs to find a rocking chair to pass the remaing years away. And yes, General Wesley Clark was right, being shot down and kept as a POW does not qualify one to be President. He was a bad pilot by all accounts and while I feel bad for what he endured, it in no way makes him Presidential.
3. Waterboarding- Anyone who says this isn't torture should have to endure a little taste of it. Vanity Fair's Christopher Hitchens tried it out and what do know, he's pretty sure that it's torture.
4. Presidents who say stupid shit which in turn gets 4,000 American soldiers killed. Today is the 5 year anniversary of Dubya's "Bring 'em on" pronouncement. He's a world class jackass and one of the stupidest men alive. I don't believe in Hell but for him I'll make an exception. I smite him!
5. Americans who bitch about the price of gasoline- Quit your whining you self-indulgent pieces of shit. Over half of the worlds population was long ago priced out of the gasoline market. Of all the industrialized nations, we have the lowest gasoline prices. No where is it written that cheap gas is a Constitutional right. Dumb asses.
6. People who drive slow in the fast lane. If you live in Ohio or Indiana, please take note: The left lane is for passing and going fast, the right lane is for going slow. It's all rather simple but for some reason people in those two states have failed to learn that lesson. Enough already, you're pissing me off big time.
7. Rednecks who don't wear shirts- Why is it that the men who have no business walking around without a shirt on are they very ones who do it? No one wants to see your fat, hairy and grotesque stomach, least of all me. By the way, when did going shirtless become acceptable?
8. Republicans- Just because.
9. The so called "Sanctity of Marriage"- Look, I'm all for marriage if it's your thing. I know at least one or two couples who are actually kind of happy but by and large, most of the marriages I see are a disaster. Perhpas all these years of being free has made me cynical, I don't know, but the fact is, marriage is not my idea of a good time. The thought of waking up every single day for the rest of my life next to the same person is enough to make me throw up. It's unrealistic to expect people to stay happy in a relationship like marriage. Look, I love Reece's Peanut Butter Cups but I don't want to eat one everyday, all day. My idea is simple: Find someone that you like, maybe even love, get together a couple of times a week to do the deed, maybe pop out a kid or two but lead a seperate life. It's my observation that men prefer the company of me and women prefer the company of women. So why do we keep trying to do it differently?
10. I usually like to rant and rave about how obnoxious SUV's are but I'm done with that. It's not that I've changed my opinion of them, I haven't, it's just that they are on their last legs. Sales of new SUV's are pathetic, dealerships aren't accepting them as trade ins and they are losing more than half of their resale value instantly. I never understood the appeal of a tank like vehicle. They are dangerous to both driver and other cars, they get poor gas mileage, they give a very uncomfortable ride and they are just obnoxious beyond belief. May all of the SUV's of the world die a timely death.
Trauma
I've got some major electrolysis scheduled for this week and as a result, I've had to let what little facial hair I have left grow out. My neck, despite some really aggressive treatment, still has some patches that tend to grow from time to time and today, it really started to show. As a result, I've had to dig into the closet in my spare bedroom to find some boy shirts to where the next few days. It's been quite a while, at least 4 or 5 months, and wearing them again is turning out to be a bit traumatic. It's weird, but once I plunged all the way in and told myself I would never go back, I've been totally at peace. Now that I have to go back to boy for just two days, well, that's got me kinda down and it's not something that I've experienced in a long time.
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