Hi,
After last week’s micro-wobble, a visit to Chams to see friends and some time out of ‘bloke mode’ has done me a world of good. Funny that such a simple thing – well, I say simple! – helps me settle and become comfortable again. I suppose that “birds of a feather” phrase, in that it’s people who get it, and who understand. No need to keep the proverbial mask on, and conversations flows naturally, with no second guessing. Maybe a shorter phrase would be authenticity 🙂 But, this all this helps. Reasons indeed to be thankful.
Self Care
At the start of the week, I tried a bit of self-care to help push the cobwebs away, and let in the proverbial – if not spiritual – fresh air. I redid my toes, which of course meant sitting barefoot while half snuggled in a blanket. I guess turning the heating off so soon was a little ambitious! 🙂 Now because I am always hopeful that things will work if you try, try, and try again, I also gave my pins a careful application of fake tan.
Now, I am proper Celtic White / Milkbottle in the Sun complexion, so anything too bronze really pops. But, as luck would have it, this shade worked pretty well and I had no streaks. Like good make-up, you’re still you; just a little better looking. It seemed I’d ‘caught the sun’ rather than having been Tangoed. 🍊
This also meant wishing I’d not been quite so eco conscious, as I could not have my socks nor troos on, while my legs dried, and the self-tan ‘baked’. Oh the vanity! 😁
Seasonal
Chams itself was a bit busier than last time. I think there was a bit of a drop off due to illness, holidays, and other events. As to the latter, when big occasions – like Leeds First Friday – come up, schedules are rearranged, travel plans made, and the regular things (like Chams) are “I’ll just go next time”. Maybe that’s a good thing, that folk don’t feel they may miss out, because there’s always another chance.
With the weather being so changeable in terms of sunshine and temperature, I was preparing to pack a long dress with boots and opaques. However, as the wind dropped it was noticeably warmer and I was very much in the mood to break out a brighter Spring outfit.
In case Chams HQ was rather chilly, I packed a back up outfit just in case. It wouldn’t be the first time my keenness to break from Winter looks has left me wanting a hot coffee and an equally hot radiator to lean against. Oh, how we shiver for style eh? 😉 Luckily, I was feeling comfortable.
I think we’re about week four or five post-wax, so while my pins are okay-ish, another fortnight will mean that tricky decision of a touch-up with the epilator or not. If not, then it’s working your outfit to hide and keep the growth, making the next dewookification more successful. Ah, if only there was a way to tell certain the hair you don’t need to have a good long rest, and to wake up the ones gone to sleep. Sounds so simple doesn’t it? 😁 Ah, but that’s not how the complexity of biology and bodies work!
Don’t keep on running…
I think I’ve started to understand my issue around the eyeliner running. As we were sat talking, I felt the corner of my eyes prickle a little. I wonder if it’s the drier air from the room’s A/C? I was extra careful with powder and tried ‘fixing’ my liner using a little eyeshadow to help it set. While not 100% okay, it was certainly better than previous time, and no visits from the Panda Fairy🐼 I gift you with upside down smokey eyes!
Doom Patrol – not the series
Okay, a little bit about the series 😉 After waiting a few months, the DC Comics series has made its way on to a streaming platform, and one that I’m lucky enough to have access to. There’s five series of it and it seems to have both good reviews, and some long story arcs too. So far, I’m enjoying it and when my brain is a bit tired from a busy day, TV can be a welcome switch off or change from gaming, reading, etc.
Oh, talking of reading, we’ve had a swap around with Kindles, so Granny Jay can have something more simple. I’ve gain her old – but newer than mine! – device, which means I’m able to pick books from the Ever Lovely Mrs J’s ever growing library.
So, why ‘Doom Patrol’ other than it’s a pun? Well, I have started to remove certain news sources from my RSS reader. For non nerd folks, that a system that collects news items from a ‘feed’, and collates them into an app for you to read. It’s a bit old school, but they still work.
At the mo, at least two to three sources are pretty much we’re all doomed! and when you’re under the cosh of Clown Patrol’s (see what I did there 🙃) masked bootboys and Useful Idiots, the distress is all to real. But… and as much as this pushes my button in terms of That is Unjust, Immoral, Unethical… etc, unlike fiction, I don’t have mystic superpowers*, that allow me to pull on my cape, put my knickers outside me tights, and fly over there to sort things out. Perhaps, that’s a good thing. I mean, power corrupts.
[ * Actually, that’s not 100% true. All trans and gender nonconforming people have the power to cause RWT snowflakes upset, and provide a distraction for their continued covering up of the Epstein situation, climate issues, and blatant corruption. But it’s not all good news 😏 ]
On the upside, I see this week that a social media company has been charged, having lost a court case around the allegations around the design of their products and safety. For years certain companies have used the “we’re just the carrier” reasoning, however that was dismissed in an earlier ruling. Meanwhile, the UK continues to dither around adopting a social media ban for kids & teens.
So with all the above, I feel I’m in a good place. Certainly a better place than last time. But, hey, we have our ups & downs, don’t we? All part of the fun & games of life! 💖 Plus, it’s Friday, so my weekend has already started.
L x
Sorry to hear about last week’s ‘micro-wobble’ but glad that a bit of self care and some time out of bloke mode helped re-dress the balance. (pun may or may not be intended; you decide.)
The weather does seem to be up and down like a yo-yo. [Do we need to explain yo-yos to our younger viewers?] One day glorious sunshine, the next with a nip, or even biting chill, in the air. We still haven’t completely turned the heating off, even if it’s on just for a few hours in the evening in the living room.
Yesterday’s Pride Network coffee meeting on Teams had the theme of Trans Day of Visibility (March 31). Since I was ‘home alone’ in the morning on my non-work Friday, I was in Susie mode, but I admit I funked the opportunity to become out and visible as trans and left the laptop camera turned off. (It’s not flattering even at the best of times, and nobody really needs to see that over coffee and a digestive.) But the main thing was that the moderator asked us to share an example of positive trans visibility we’d come across in the last month, and there was a long silence. I admit I went blank. There must have been some, somewhere, in the news, but all I could bring to mind were increasing kickbacks and the sound of doors being slammed. (Does hordes of cis-women deserting the WI in protest at its ban on transgender members count as positive visibility? Well, yes, in a way, I suppose it does, in that it shows active allyship – even if active means, in this case, a refusal to be part of something they disagree with. And I suspect there will now be cis members of the Girl Guides who feel the same way about some of their friends or classmates being excluded.)
A very good question, Susie! 🙂 A yo-yo is which of the following?
1. Someone of questionable intelligence & decision making ability.
2. A chocolate biscuit wrapped in foil.
3. A children’s toy.
4. A weapon used by hunters
Answers on a comment to BBC Wood Lane… 🙂
While the wind and temperature may be varied, at least we’re getting some lovely blue skies. I guess we’re back to layering to accommodate the variety.
I note a few WI branches have closed, as there’s no one who wishes to take up the leadership. Instead, new & inclusive groups are being formed.
There’s a long piece in The Grauniad about the Guides clubs and whatnot. Unusually positive which is great to see.
Oh, I’ve completely forgot about TDoV, again. Well… it’ll just have to be in spirit.
I’m glad this week was better. So often it’s the little happy things to make ourselves feel and look better that pull us out of the rumination, worry or stress, like nice legs and colourful toes and, of course, that cute and comfortable frock, which I’ve already commented on but deserves another lot of sticky gold stars on the Trans Team house points chart.
On eyeliner, I have regular skin and eye problems so I’ve stopped using eyeliner and use kohl pencils instead. They don’t run (and are the hardest thing to remove at the end of the day, admittedly) and I find them easier to apply.
Sue xx
Thanks Sue. A good end to the working week, and that’s kind of you to say about the outfit.
Kohl. Apologies for the confusion at my end. I’m using an eye pencil rather than a nib or ‘paint on’ liner. I was thinking eye pencils are kohl, or have I misunderstood? 🤔
The eye pencils I use are commonly called kohl by both manufacturers and users although they’re not actually the Middle Eastern substance (which contains lead) but a modern waxy grease-based colour. Because you said your eye liner/pencil needed to dry I assumed it was wet liner that is applied with brush or pen or ‘felt tip’ applicator. My stuff needs no drying time and is not affected by tears or dryness. I’m away from home so don’t have my products with me but I have a fat one which I think came from Next and a slim one which I think is from Benefit. I just ask shop makeup staff for kohl pencil and I invariably get this wax/grease paint. NB You also need to invest in a two-hole pencil sharpener for these (and it must be pink). Sue xx
Thanks Sue. It seems my eye make-up pens are kohl. At least, the non lead type and waxy. Currently trying a Clinique one, but previously they were Max Factor or Urban Decay.
Sorry to read about the micro-wobble, glad a visit to Chams and time out of ‘bloke mode’ did the trick in getting settled and comfortable again.
I’ve learned that self-care is important, I’m glad you tried a bit of self-care. Nice to read you redid your toes and even give your legs a little fake colour 🙂 Glad the shade worked well and you didn’t end up looking the colour of a certain ‘orange idiot’.
Good to read that Chams was busy, sounds like a nice safe, relaxed and friendly place. I always enjoy reading about your time there. Having been to Syston, Leicestershire, I always think a first visit Chams might just be doable one day soon.
Interesting to read about your post-wax timeline as I’m about to have my first ever waxing session which will include chest, back and legs.
The Panda Fairy, that made me giggle!
Lotte x
Good luck with the waxing. Hopefully it goes well and you get a long no fuzzy-wuzzy period.
Chams is not too far from Syston. Clearly route & traffic will affect that, but you could skirt (no pun intended) around Nottingham by heading up the M1. Chams HQ is about a mile off the M1 junction. Be fab to meet up after all these years, but no pressure! 😉
Talking of Chams, mixing with friends and being able to express who I am – if that’s as ‘him’ or ‘her’, certainly helps.