You may go about your business

Hi,

This will be my second week of time off, and I dare say, that I’m beginning to get used to this 🙂 Mind you, my younger sister, rest her soul, had a cheeky sign stating Born to shop. Forced to work which I can agree with.

I’m also mindful of some advice a former colleague got on their retirement: You’ll never be busier!

[ Note to self: make sure you didn’t type bustier – that’s a different change in life and probably wishful thinking on my part 😁]

Hyperfocus

With the busy thing in mind, there’s still the routine of dog walks and applying for jobs in the morning. I have, however, given the kitchen a damned good clean ‘cos lazy bones that I am, when the (undiagnosed) ADHD hyperfocus kicks in, it’ll latch on to a thought in question and down that rabbit hole we go.

Luckily, this time it was a productive one, and there was something rather good at the end of it: a spotless kitchen. Well, spotless until the hounds walked through it with their muddy paws. Still, that’s why we have dirt trapper floormats by the doors.

Earlier in the week, I had it in mind to get some thinner sheer tights – I think Sue (her damehood for services to hosiery, has been criminally overlooked, IMO 🙂) wrote about seven denier a few weeks back. Since then, I’ve been keeping an eye and rummaging on my usual sites of choice; but no dice. Certainly not in tall (part timer) lady sizes.

Cue a look on the Boots website, who didn’t have any in, but there were some in the Victoria Centre branch. Ah, a morning out then. Ooo, and perhaps a wee look at some Bare Minerals powder too, perchance?

Trip Out

Not an ‘out & about’ trip, as if I was going to ask about make-up, I felt I needed to be bare faced. With that in mind, I am not yet brave enough to go out in Lynn mode without my face on. Comic book geeks may wish to shout “Give me back my face” in a Rorschach stylee 😉 Bonus points if you can name the series without looking it up.

So, off I went into town and rather than the usual spot of a multi-storey car park, I took the chance on some streetside spaces, knowing they were closer and less expensive. It’s also a nice uphill walk along Lower Parliament Street, and there’s the option to wander up Hockley which is very much part of the Rainbow Quarter.

Wandering through Boots, I headed into the main shopping centre and up to a nearby department store. I’d checked online and they were listed as a retailer, and I know they’ve got a good cosmetics department. Lies, damned lies, statistics, and out-of-date web sites eh? That range was no longer in stock…. so back down to see if Boots had any.

A few minutes later I find the product range in Boots, and luckily there’s a MUA filling up the stock. I ask her about the range and before you can say Of course, genderfluid gents are welcome, I’m sat in the make-up chair having a right old natter.

I had aimed to get a replacement powder, but I found that the shade I’m using – which was unopened and reclaimed from the bathroom tidy up last week – isn’t quite right. I also learned that I was putting it on wrong. Apparently you’re supposed to swirl the powder in the wax paper lid, as this helps prep the powder to becoming more of a cream. That would also explain why I was using a lot and having to blend like a demonic food processor.

The MUA mentioned that one of her teen boys was also into make-up and we had a bit of a chat about acceptance, modern parenting, and her experiences of that. I feel that her boy is in the best hands – not because of their MUA mum’s amazing skills, but it’s the acceptance and ‘you do, you’. I also enjoyed the mix of he loves sport and keeping fit. Mind you, if there’s a fancy dress party, he always goes as a girl. In the words of the old meme: but why not both? 🏳️‍⚧️

As well and trying the right powder foundation, the MUA also tried the liquid foundation on me, and they did go nicely together. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my Clinique, but this felt and looked different. A little lighter in terms of coverage, so I guess the proof will be if ol’ Captain Clueless here, can repeat the application this Thursday.

Oh, and I forgot to buy the tights.

Some quiet time

This week we – as in the Ever Lovely Mrs J and myself – have been out & about on errands and other adulting things. Nothing scary, just… well more than we would usually, especially during Mrs J’s working week. Given all that and some housework, by Thursday I felt in need to take things steady.

While the appliances were gobbling up the ‘leccy, I had a look in my wardrobe. I do need to try my interview suit on, but – of course – I got distracted. Cue the trying on my new (to me) fitted shirt from Vinted. It’s a pretty grey & pink striped number with heart shaped buttons. I’m probably not doing it justice, but no doubt I’ll be wearing it at Chams or Out & About (if I’m lucky). I put a pencil skirt from M&S on the charity pile, and I think I’ve some kitten heel shoes to go too. Still, my loss is the charity’s gain.

While checking the wardrobe to see what else I’m not wearing, my hand fell upon a beautiful dress, the Ever Lovely Mrs J got me for a long ago birthday. They say that you shouldn’t keep things and hope you’ll slim into them…. Well, I was glad I had kept it, as it did fit. Yes, I did need some shapewear to help with a slight tummy tire, but we’re not talking sausage in a skin. Said dress may make an appearance later this month.

In the cupboards I put some tights into a bag for recycling. My, that bag is getting larger. I also found…. 🙄 Two packets of Boots seven denier tights in neutral. Each was a double, but one had been opened. Well, that’s saved me a trip out.

I do feel that some reorganisation might be in order. I mean, it’s not like I looked under the bed, and found a brand new pair of Joe Browns’ Mary Jane in a forget-me-not blue. 🤭

Rights

I found myself writing to my MP again this week. This time its about the EHRC ruling that’s due to be released. TransActual have kindly put together resources to help raise concerns with parliament. The guide helps inform you of what the issues are, as well as providing talking points, evidence, a customisable email, and how to contact your local Member of Parliament.

As with this blog post, I’ve also shared the information on the Chams forum, as I feel it’s important the proper review & diligence are applied. Part of me wishes that we were not having to challenge and, frankly, fight to keep our rights. I would much rather talk about mental health, the good things about being trans / gender fabulous, and the kind things the queer community do. Yet, here we are.

If you are based in the UK, please do take a moment to read the resources and contact your MP. Yes, this is not a guarantee that the magic will happen, but if we don’t speak out, it definitely will not.

Have faith, young Padawan 🤞

Old haunts

A few meetings ago, a number of the Chams folk had been talking about their first trip to Leeds First Friday. They mentioned that they’d organised that with a few folk over on Crossdresser Heaven. Now that’s a domain name that takes me back. The owner, Vanessa, used to run a blog under that many, many years ago. Indeed, she & I would email and comment as bloggers do.

As time passed Vanessa took the step to transition and I guess the domain name didn’t quite ring true with who she had become. Not judging, just saying. Beside, people who rename their own blog from Yet Another T-Girl Blog to Yet Another Transgender Blog are in no place to comment 😉 Frankly, I’m just glad the word fitted in! 😁

Indeed, a kind offer was made about taking the site on and doing something with it by Yours Truly. However, I did not feel I had the time to dedicate to it, and – if I’m honest – I did not think it was either my place to set something up, nor did I have the confidence to do so. I thought about it, but wished V luck.

Skip on a few months and Crossdresser Heaven became a forum. The site had been completely transformed; gone was the blog, and a new forum system had been installed. It looked rather fab, and I was glad that I’d not said yes; because this was so much better than what I might have done with it.

I tried to reactivate my old account, but given it had been over a decade since I’d logged in, understandably it had been archived. My words, not the site’s. This means that the old posts stay up, but you can’t log in with those details. The best of both worlds, perhaps, as the system stays secure, and you keep the content.

It’s been amazing to go back to it, and see how the community has grown, and how the site has improved from its roots all those years ago. Impressive stuff. I set up a new account on their and Vanessa was kind enough to tweak the ‘join date’ back to my initial account from the 2000s. That and bump the accounts ‘rank’ around optional extras. I am very grateful for all this – yes, I’ve told her 💖 – as it’s not something that had to be done.

But, hey, kindness is the new cool, right? 😎

L x