Whimsy with a twist

Frozen dead sea monkeys thawed in a nice steaming cup of hot water. Yummo! The breakfast of champions. Or at least of tropical fish.

I'm kind of intoxicated
a bit
and so transcribing a bunch of pages of text
doesn't really seem all that appealing at them moment.
But I did a bunch of writing tonight
from the hip.
I think it needs a lot of work,
but, fuck,
it's a start.

viesti and I finished our first implementation of Arimaa 0.1 today. :)

You can check it out over here.

The program is basically an alpha test at this point, intended for evaluation of the general UI look and feel, as well as testing of the game logic. The next version, which we are launching into immediately, will permit play over the internet.

Please! Download and check it out! :) Feedback is extremely yay.

i just made myself
a cafe mocha
using fair trade coffee
and Laura Secord hot chocolate powder
and topped it
with hand-beaten whipped cream.

my arm hurts and i don't give a shit.

wow, if you go over and look, like, REALLY LOOK, at the WoW 5 year anniversary fan mosaic? It's almost all HORDE. there's a disproportionate number of horde photos. What the heck? The people making the mosaic just substitute in like the same alliance photo over and over in same cases. it's so weird!

If server statistics are to be believed, the alliance/horde split is arounf 55% alliance, 45% horse. You'd think in a game where the majority is alliance, they'd really go all out for somethign like this. Why are Horde players more willing to submit photos of themselves to this thing than Alliance players?

I'm actually really curious what people think.

Sky Eats Airplane "Numbers"



That is just.. wow.. they so rock

I'm currently a junior in high school and beginning the process of preparing for college, and I'm also just starting the process of socially transitioning to another name. I recently signed up for the SAT and ACT tests, and found on the ACT registration website that when asked for a name, it stated that I should type the name I want my scores to be sent to colleges under.

This raised the broader question of what exactly I should do about my name with regards to college. I'm really clueless about the whole college prep thing anyway, so any advice would be great. Can I have my scores sent to colleges with a non-legal name, or even just an initial? I'm really hoping to be able to change my name legally before I go to college, but in the meantime I'm trying to keep the amount of stuff with my legal name to a minimum by signing with just my first initial when possible.

Any general advice or experience about college applications, the SAT/ACT, and other college-y name-related stuff would be really helpful! :)

So, I have an interesting question as both a transgendered person and someone working in the travel and tourism industry. I'm sure most people heard about the attempted bombing of that flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day, and with that, most major airports are going to be implimenting those full body scanners. I know my airport will, because Vancouver is one of the three biggest airports in Canada. Now, there are alternatives to this full body scan which no doubt include being man-handled at the airport, so are any trans-folks more concerned about travelling because of this? Are you more or less petrified because of stealth status, does not being stealth make you less afraid of it?

( 2009 survey )

I made two more character signatures for Joe & Rusty:

I spent much of 2009 reflecting on everything that was happening to me and trying to place it into the story of my life. I think that has a lot to do with just how much was happening to me last year. Much good and bad. LOTS of difficult.

I think 2009 was the year I got back to work on my life. So 2010 is going to be filled with but lots of work. I suppose my resolution this year is to do a lot of stuff. Write software, draw pictures, paint paintings, build flashy-glowy things, climb mountains, ride my bike to new locations, hike all over the place, etc. You know, stuff like that. Just be busy and do a million things.

There are some themes to my posts. Many of them go this way: "I used to have problem X, but I just accomplished some huge step in making X go away/get better! I still have issues with X, but I'm getting better all the time." or some variant thereof.

I'm not entirely sure that these posts are always 100% accurate. I misremember a lot of things. For example, throughout my childhood and high school years, I remember always feeling very lonely. I felt alone and alien. I remember being alone all the time Yet when I look at how many friends I had back then, I get confused. I *did* have friends, even if they weren't exactly the kinds of friends I wanted. In grade school, I had 3-6 friends I hung out with a lot, and in high school, about the same. It's still that way, actually. That just seems to be my number or something. It's like my memory is based on my emotional state, not the factual events that took place.

I look back on many of my posts from 2004 and 2005, and I realize just how childish and immature I was back then. I was hyperactive, overexcited about everything, and convinced that everyone else held the keys to the universe. Every relationship that came my way, I was convinced that we were destined to be together forever. I moved in with people as quickly as I could, wanting to recreate my marriage with my ex-wife or something. I wanted to replace my estranged family. I wanted to find a home.

I hurt several people as I crashed through life trying to find my way to this point and beyond. Lovers that moved in with me under the pretense that I knew myself well enough to offer to support them, that I later asked to leave because I found myself unwilling to do so. Long distance lovers that deeply cared for me and spent much of their money and energy on having a relationship with me, but despite my words when we would speak, I never found equivalent energy or money in myself to offer back.

Looking to the future, what do I want? Primarily, I want to be at peace. Peace with myself, peace with the people around me, and peace with the world in general. I want to know myself, in all of my parts, from the deepest darkest reaches of my soul to the blindspots that I still have. I want to stop running from pain and fear and learn to stand with it. I want to learn to be patient and wait for good things to come. I want to know how to be a better citizen of the earth, a better companion to my fellow beings, a better friend to those I care about, and a better partner to those I love.

Amanda Simpson, First Transgender Presidential Appointee, Begins Work at Commerce Department - ABC News

Shared via AddThis
Something I read just a few minutes ago....

Well New Years came and went. New Years Eve was very nice, Janna made some incredible chicken kiev. We watched Sushi get dropped at New Years. New Year's day I made a southern style meal of good luck foods. Didn't help and win us the lottery though. But it was tasty.

We mostly hid. It snowed both Saturday and Sunday and in the midst of it on Saturday afternoon and evening, something in our neigborhood blew up, and I mean blew up we heard a huge boom, and we lost power for a couple of hours. That was sort of miserable. Our house is really not well insulated and the temp starts to drop right away. As soon as I realized it was not going to come right back, I put two burners on the stove on and started some water boiling. It was something just on our side of the neighborhood, which made me kind of cringe as I had visions of them moving on to something more important. They eventually called at said we'd have power at 5. Five came and went and so did the trucks and still now power. That was when I gave up and went to transfer the computer's UPS to the fish tank to keep the fish, well, alive. Right in the middle of monkeying with that the power came back thank goodness.

What else? The fish are settling in nicely. I tried to get some pictures on my blackberry, but they didn't come out very well. I need to use our real camera. But two of the multis have created little nests around shells and the whole group is hovering around that side of the tank while the pair of julies has very clearly established Territory with a capital T inside the rocks. I am absolutely in love with my little fishies.

In the meantime I played lots of LOTRO. I'm now 42nd level with my minstrel, which I think is as high as I got with my first. I also am a Supreme Master cook or whatever, but I'm making a fortune selling blackberry tarts. I'm still enjoying the game. I even contemplated going lifetime, but I'm going to see where I am at 65 and whether or not I'm getting groups and raids and all that. While I've enjoyed things so far, all solo all the time gets a bit boring after a while. I will say that while occasionally very frustrating, I'm finding the soloquestgrind and the skirmishes to be a lot more challenging than PVE in other games.

I'll go back to WoW for raids if I get invites, but honestly, I have almost no desire to play otherwise.

A late dinner, coupled with a bit of hanging out with parmonster, wound up eatting all of my evening last night. When I finally turned around to actually get some work done, I looked at the clock and it was 1AM.

Ack!

Alright. Tonight! Tonight I shall succeed at my plans!

Goddamnit. I would make such a hot guy. It's not the identity that bothers me, it's the roles society impresses upon Men and Women. As long as I'm taking my hormones, and I can get people to treat me how I like to be treated, it doesn't matter to me how I'm presenting; i.e. as long as I feel 'right' within my bodymind, everything else follows. But if I want to be allowed to be sensitive, playful, cute, youthful, affectionate, empathetic, artistic, truly androgynous, and to speak and sing with the voice of a female [never fucking mind it being acceptable to switch between voices; that really freaks people out], I have to look and dress and act a female role, because in the larger scale of society, those features are unacceptable of a Man. The idea of a chick with [tasteful, well-groomed] facial hair sends most people reeling with disgust. It's a pain in the ass because no matter which gender I choose, I can never be who I want to be: Why the fuck should I have to pick one and stick to it for the rest of my life, anyway? Is it really such a bad thing to have a mercurial identity?

Building a Trans Movement: Overview of Trans Advocacy Organizations &
Groups Across the US
Survey of Transgender Specific Advocacy, Political, and/or Legal programs

I am collecting information about trans advocacy groups and projects
from around the country for an info guide for a day-long institute at
Creating Change about building up the trans movement and sharing
resources, organizational structures, and developing leadership. I
will be sharing the info with all who contribute regardless if you
attend the workshop or not.

Survey Link: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDJfQXZacXVsbkJrc2RWVHR1Z3QxT1E6MA

We would love your assistance by taking this short survey about your
Organization/Group or Project and would like to get surveys back by
Jan 15, 2010. Also if you know of other groups around the country that
fit the description please forward the link.

More information:
At this year's Creating Change
(http://www.thetaskforce.org/events/creating_change) in Dallas
February 3–
February 7, 2010 there will be an all-day institute on February 4th
titled TRANS RIGHTS NOW: Building a Strong Transgender Movement

Description of the Institute (working description):
A successful movement depends on dedicated and empowered activists
working in strong organizations at all levels, from the local to the
national. The trans/allied movement needs people working in rural and
urban areas, in formal organizations and in informal groups -- we need
the support of everyone from political organizations in Boston to
support groups in rural Kansas to Facebook groups.

As part of this institute we would like to give the participants
information about Transgender led state wide or city advocacy
groups/organizations, or transgender specific projects/programs of
LGBT advocacy organizations. The purpose of this information will be
to inform the section of the institute titled "Organizational
Development" which we hope will build on, encourage, and empower
transgender activists to build power in their local states and
communities.

This information will also help us build a broader picture of the
types of transgender advocacy happening around the country. I also
encourage folks to forward this survey to other transgender activists
that are doing advocacy work at whatever level.

We also hope you will be attending Creating Change and will want to
take part in this exciting Institute. If you have any questions about
this survey please email gscott@masstpc.org and if you have questions
about Creating Change please contact creatingchange@thetaskforce.org.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to take this survey and I
will provide what ever materials come out of this to all those who
take this survey along with those who attend this institute

This is a lot harder than it seems.

Also the Magic template thing didn't really work. At all. I think I'm just going to have to wing it, to be honest... But it's well past the hour of lucidity and I feel the portal closing. I think I'm going to need to sleep this one off...

...As the rest of the world awakens.

One of the more interesting videos We posted on new SHOUT program that QW is running for Queer Youth in Parkdale is below. OH BTW we are still looking for volunteers (18-27 yrs old) write Jaclyn Isen at qwshout@gmail.com

A Complicated Queerness: Living Femme in a Dyke Community

http://shout.queerwest.org/?p=588

So, my friend mzk49o1 and I were talking tonight, and he showed me a collection of short stories he had done [in his unmistakable style] about a set of characters from his [five] storyline. (Which you can find in his DeviantArt, if you dig deep enough. There's a fuckin' lot of really impressive art in here.)
The topics of discussion ranged from thing to thing, and it was eventually granted that his characters- and to a certain extent, the settings, themes, and stories theirselves- are all aspects of himself. This all stemmed from an explanation on how creating a new story arc and new characters a short while ago coincided with a complete rebirth of self; moving from the apocalypse survivor Link to the sky-loving pilot Lux. (For the love of Goddess, click those links.)

Those of you who've known me long enough have known that my identity has not always been... Cohesive. This dates back to, fuck, what was it... June 2006; the first time I took ecstasy. Growing up, I had not really established much of an identity. Having prosopagnosia means that when I look in the mirror, I literally cannot recognize the person looking back at me. You cannot possibly imagine how much this drives me insane. I am fascinated by my reflection, because I have no identification with the person staring back at me. They are a simulacrum, precisely mirroring my exact actions despite being no more recognizable than a random face in a crowd. Why are these people following me and mimicking me?
This kind of changed when I came out as transgendered. I'd never really had an identity before; never really had a will, or a force, or anything to drive me. I think my onset of depression might have played a large role in this. Coming out forced me to create an identity, someone who I could adhere to and hide behind and hold up when the pack came barking at my deviance. This person was modest and meek but firm in her beliefs, a goth/punk (having archetypes to work with helped a lot), and generally took the path of least resistance; stirring up dust only brought problems. She stayed in most nights and was quiet and unexcited.
So, when I took ecstasy and for the first time in my adult life experienced myself with vitality and vigor, I found the ensuing overwhelmingly self-confident entity to be irreconcilable with my baseline self. Since I was already used to looking in the mirror and having different people look back at me, it seemed a natural explanation that there must be another spirit [i.e. self] within the mirror of my body. And so, I created another identity, who I shared a mind with. Sometimes I would be one or the other (while one 'slept'), though most of the time I was both, constantly fighting for control.

Since then, I have existed in states of being 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 people, with the cumulative amount of time spent in each approximately equal to the same pattern. Three was the easiest, as it allowed for a 'counsel' of two who could outvote the other. 6 led to 7, to follow the template of the chakras, which eventually collapsed under its own weight.

I've been planning something like this for awhile now, actually. I was having a conversation with my roommate Graeme the other night about how everyone in society was acting, wearing masks, and that included me; and if I was an arrangement of characters, who is the actor? Tonight I'll be doing 5. I'll also try to identify who the actor is by finding commonalities between characters. We'll see. 5 is because of the Discordian Law of Fives, and because the template I'll be using will be modeled after the Magic: the Gathering colour pentagram: [...Green] White, Blue, Black, Red, Green [White...] This has a lot to do with starting to play Magic again and looking back on the kinds of decks I played and the types of Characters I identified with, using the psychological and analytical tools I have today. I realized that a large part of my personality has been inspired by that series, from archetypes to makeup styles. Much of my fascination with biomechanics undoubtedly stems from the plane Phyrexia, and one of my life's mottoes- "I don't need a plan, just a goal. The rest will follow on its own."-which propelled me into Toronto from St. Catharines with nothing but a backpack and 20 bucks is said by Gerrard Capashen on the card Temper, which features my favourite depiction of my favourite character (Gerrard) by my favourite artist (Matthew Wilson). Similar in appearance is the character Raziel from the Soul Reaver game series, another character I very strongly identified with. Patterns emerge. Actually, I should probably also look to video game characters I identified with as well for indicators.
When nyuanshin pointed out to me that in the Tarot, the Temperance card represented both [Temperance: moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.; self-control] and [to Temper: to impart strength or toughness to (steel or cast iron) by heating and cooling], it shed strong light on my natural inclination to deny myself things. It also gave me the idea to create a Magic themed Tarot deck using actual Magic cards.

So, yeah. I think I have enough inspiration to take a shot at it now. I'm interested to see where this goes.

Animal Behaviors Scientists Can't Explain


I'm suffering backlash from constantly being around people for too long. Yesterday I just got fed up and pissed off and have been out of contact with the rest of humanity for about a day and a half, minus the odd text message from dj_dandroid. I got pretty depressed last night, stayed up all night watching True Blood and Secret Diary of a Call Girl, and then slept most of today. Now I'm up all night organizing my mass amounts of paper, writing letters, and trying to work on zines, workshops, travel plans, and school applications, which I still need to write essays for, ugh.

I'm trying to slowly nudge myself back into 'normal' after everything got all out of whack over the holidays, with some success. I really need a bigger fucking apartment with better lighting. Won't happen til fall though. *sighs*

My never-ending issue is trying to figure out how to balance all the different passions and hobbies I have. Sometimes I envy people who are only interested in a couple of things, because they can just focus, whereas I'm always bouncing from one thing to the other, forgetting piles of unfinished projects because I'll get caught up in something else...This is why I can never have a real job, because it interferes with everything else I feel compelled to do. I also need a huge house with a garden and a backyard, for all the animals and space for studios and darkrooms and all my collections and crashspace for guests and so on...

I have a feeling I will never be completely satisfied in life because I will never accomplish everything I set out to. I know it's pretty much impossible for someone to accomplish everything they want to, but I feel these huge compulsions and passions for all different areas in life and I want to devote a lot of time to all of them. I need to start being really healthy so I can live for a really long time and accomplish everything.

I currently ride a Trek 7.4(?) hybrid bike, with some other modifications (nice seat, springloaded seatpost, new rear derailleur, some other things)

I want a road bike. Not a lot of money to spend--would like something used I think. I'm female, and very long from hip to knee, with a 34" inseam, short torso, and long arms. I'm 5'8". Basically I'm a monkey. I'm looking for something that will allow me to log plenty of miles but I'm kind of afraid of crashing on the ice this time of year. I've been riding indoors as a result, but I feel like I'm bouncing all over the bike, I think because of the hip to knee length. I crank up the seatpost but it seems like the handlebars are too close to the seat or something.

So I have a few questions:

1. Should I get one of those specially designed "women's bikes" or will it be silly because of my height/proportions?
2. Any former or current (horseback) riders here? I feel like being on a road bike is kind of like being in two point position. It's actually more comfortable for me than the upright feel of the hybrid.
3. What kind of bike might I find that would allow me to ride comfortably without spending a fortune? What kind of bikes should I be looking at? I thought about modifying my current bike but it's so much money to get brifters and rework everything I might as well get a new bike. True?
4. Are studded tires worth it for winter? I'm in the upper Midwest. Also how should I dress? I get COLD.

I had a Schwinn Varsity I fished out of a Dumpster and fixed up but it was uncomfortable for me (standover height too tall) so I gave it to my brother who promptly made it a single speed. Should I look at riding another one because of cost, or is there some happy medium that will get me an aluminum frame bike for under $500?

Krista from Canada died Sunday night
I don't know how, sorry

here's the link to her page at the funeral home

http://davidsonfuneral.frontrunnerpro.com/runtime/64/runtime.php?SiteId=64&NavigatorId=9255&op=moreinfo&viewOpt=dpaneOnly&ItemId=370483

i'm really not supposed to live longer than my kids

Hey, so what do you guys know about sleep studies? Any experiences? Good? Bad? Did it help you?

JR, I esp want to hear from you. I remember something about having to pay a lot more than you thought right? Anyway, anything you could share would be helpful.

Basically, Chrissie is scheduled to get one of these next week. Just any info would be great. Thanks!

Biked to work today. It was grueling. More grueling then it hsould have been. I note that my tires were a bit flat and my seat a bit low, but I think the main issue was the fact that I haven't been physically active for 2 weeks.

Tonight I'm going to publish 0.1 of our Arimaa implementation and get to work on designing the PBEM features.

I also need to pay all of the bills I've been avoiding. I'll do that tonight as well.

And at some point in the next week, I need to write my 2009 Retrospective. I've written about a quarter of it so far, but I need to finish it.

I also have an essay on pre-agricultural socitieties that I wrote that I want to finish and share.

Then I plan to start publishing some of my poems. I'm not a frequent writer, and a lot of what I write is crap, but there are a few gems standing out from the collection, and I intend to publish those because, hey, that's kinda cool. I have a friend that's runs a press, so I'm going to use her for some of it. Lulu for others.

If I get any interest, maybe it'll encourage me to start writing more poetry. I do love my poetry.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8438865.stm

US Lifts HIV/AIDS Immigration Ban

The US has lifted a 22-year immigration ban which has stopped anyone with HIV/AIDS from entering the country.

President Obama said the ban was not compatible with US plans to be a leader in the fight against the disease.


President Obama wants the US to be a world leader on HIV research

The new rules come into force on Monday and the US plans to host a bi-annual global HIV/AIDS summit for the first time in 2012.

The ban was imposed at the height of a global panic about the disease at the end of the 1980s.

It put the US in a group of just 12 countries, also including Libya and Saudi Arabia, that excluded anyone suffering from HIV/AIDS.

The BBC's Charles Scanlon, in Miami, says that improving treatments and evolving public perceptions have helped to bring about the change.

Rachel Tiven, head of the campaign group Immigration Equality, told the BBC that the step was long overdue.

"The 2012 World AIDS Conference, due to be held in the United States, was in jeopardy as a result of the restrictions. It's now likely to go ahead as planned," she said.

In October, President Obama said the entry ban had been "rooted in fear rather than fact".

He said: "We lead the world when it comes to helping stem the AIDS pandemic - yet we are one of only a dozen countries that still bar people with HIV from entering our own country."

magic magic magic magic magic magic magic neeeeed mooooore maaaaagiiiic caaaaardssssssssss

Do you use mint.com? Should I be using mint.com? I've never paid any attention to my bank accounts before, I just blow my paycheck on candy and gum as soon as I get it and then scrape by for two weeks til my next one.

Also, I have never used any kind of money tracking software at all. Do you? What do you use? Should I be using it? I would like to get all rich and NOT using financial software sure hasn't worked.

Okay, so I did that 365 project (1 picture per day) thing for a little while and I totally liked doing it, but my stupid depression came and kinda ruined it. But since I need to start over anyway, I thought 1 pic a day is a bit much actually. I want the pics to not be stupid for the most part, and well, on days I was exhausted, too busy or just plain forgot I ended up posting pretty dumb pics and I dunno. It was too much. I think once a week is much more reasonable and should produce much better quality photos soooo I'm start my 1 pic a week project. And its nice since I had the opportunity to start it the first of the year. =)

And since its only a once a week thing, I should be able to keep it up in both my LJ and facebook pretty easily. lets see if I can do 1 picture a week for all of 2010!

So here goes nothing.

Week 1: New Years Day Photo. Met our friends Kris & Autumn at the brand new Root Cafe in Lakewood. Played this game called Wits and Wagers. Pretty fun! And the coffee was pretty good too. Gotta start the new year rite.. amirite??







And if anyone is curious my entire 365 project can be found here. I made it to day 42. That's just a little over one tenth of the way..lol That means the whole thing is basically just a section of fall 2009. Friggin depressive episode. =P I think I can do better this time.

• 01:19 Yay, the event went well! Also, i <3 the rest of my collective! #
• 02:47 What i thought was parmesan was garlic salt. Bad my nose burns. Good i feel great. #

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Ah fuck. My extreme level of inactivity for the past few weeks, due to being sick, has rendered me with a bit of a depression. I have no energy to do anything and just want to do mindless activities to avoid thinking about anything. I have dishes to do, bills to pay, and work to do on personal projects... but I just... don't feel up to it right now.

I need to get finish getting over being sick and then get back in the swing of things. Right now, I feel buried under everything I need to take care of.

( sketchbook )

Piano Stairs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JJu4l8h_nU

• 19:39 @iphisol now you've given us all feelings we're going to have to process #

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The theme for January 1st was "still".  While our adorable cats would mean an automatic win for purplemer3  in most cases, my photo is my favourite so far.

Mer's entry:

Anna's entry:

I just watched 'The Time Traveler's Wife'. it was so cute, and yet so sad. I really liked it a whole lot. I kept hoping that he would avert his own crisis, but the ending was so pretty. I can't believe it was produced by Brad Pitt! Crazy, right?

PS: The Dr. Who finale made me tear up, too. David Tennet was my favorite Doctor. :(

haha TiffanyTourette  is my girlfriend... i made a live journal for all of you that said i should. Im super confused. i just want to know who or what i am.. i dont want a dick but i dotn want my tits. im more relaxed when ppl think im a guy but always worried they will find out im a girl. altho someday ima be a mommy or daddy and niether sound right...

I thought that I was over the fact that I attempted suicide 6 years ago.

I want you to know that we are publishing Stupid Babies comics again, now that we have internet access at the house and it is 2010. stupidbabies!

those damned crazy strippers got in to a drunken fight and ditched me at the after hours while i was giving away make out lap dances !!!


dialogue snippet:

"bitch, pull your panties up. what the hell are you on ?"
"every buddy in the room stick your dicks in my mouth!!"

*wak*

"mother of fuck !! You do not fuckin do that! you slapped me in my silicone augmentation, bitch!!"
"c'mere. lemme burn you with a cigarette."
"ok, but just a little."

Im posting here because I hope someone can help me out.
My girlfriend is a little confused (thats how she puts it)..she doesnt want her tits, but she doesnt want a penis...and she doesnt want to be a boy or a girl...but she is more comfortable being refered to as a boy than a girl....she is looking into top surgery. We are planning on getting married and having kids but doesnt want to be called Mommy, but I think that would make some confusion for our "kids"....Im sure someone else has gone threw this and maybe they can help as in how can she deal with this...ect..

Thanks!

I'm really happy with how my finances are going right now. Since April 2009 I have:

1.) Cut my total debt by more than half
2.) Took 2 surgery debts and got them consolidated on a 0% card for a year
3.) Car loan is down to $845! Never got to the end of a loan before. This one was a 5 year loan. 6 more months and I'm there!
4.) Maintained my $1,000 cushion in my checking account.
5.) Successfully handled 2 "surprise" expenses.. $500 for new tires and $500 medical leave. Didn't even need to use my credit card.
6.) Got a small raise, which given the economic climate, I'm really thankful for.

So things are going well. My goal for the new year is to build up my savings account. I'd like to get it to $5,000, pay off my car, and pay down my debt by half again (I would pay off the whole thing, but why at 0% interest?)

I've been wanting to meet up with other Transgenders and just chill, hang out, whatever. I'm FtM, and 22. I'm in Indiana, near Lafayette.

My name is Daniel, but I prefer to be called by my nickname, Dren. I have AIM, Yahoo and Msn if anyone wants it, message me, or comment, whatever. ^^

Thanks!

Hey all, I am wondering if anyone here is going to MBLGTACC this year? That is, the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference... Yeah that's a mouthful to say. http://lgbt.wisc.edu/mblgtacc/about.php This year it is being held in the University of Wisconsin-Madison on February 19-21. Has anyone been to the previous conferences? I went in 2006 and 2007 but missed 2008:(

• 02:25 Portland police captain's ties to nazism: tinyurl.com/y9ewoqg #

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I promise to quit it with all the pictures after this, I just had to show these off. I traded a couple of zines for a big pile of vintage American stamps a while ago and they just came in the mail the other day!


The pile.


These are all my favourites.

Can you recommend any amazing trans-related blogs that are out anywhere on the Internet?

News from our favorite "I'm so pacifist I've been vegan for ten years but we need prisons!" Mara Keisling's organization that a white upper middle class trans woman has been appointed to a governmental post by the Obama administration.

Cue a whole bunch of white upper middle class LGBT people talking about how this isn't tokenization, that this shows how much progress we've (read: they, conformist upper middle class white LGBT people who just want a bigger piece of a rotten pie) made, never mind that what, half or more of all trans women in San Francisco are below the poverty line (one can only imagine it being worse elsewhere), that trans people are still getting murdered in the streets - especially poor trans women of color, but, hell upper middle class LGBT people don't give a fuck about them (and don't get me started about how white, upper middle class LGBT people appropriate those deaths and make them about them).

And, of course, no one will remark on how, yeah, someone from fucking Raytheon (and high up, too), got appointed to the Burea of Industry and Security in the Department of Commerce, which is just creepily obvious war is the health of the state and capital. You go Amanda Simpson, bringing your expertise at building killing machines and your military industrial complex contacts into making sure that industry is secure to maintain commerce through this empire. You go Amanda Simpson, showing that trans people can be just as much Good Germans as anyone else.

Hey, I have a question, in a female to male bottem sugery after can you get hard?

Yesterday's theme was "reflect".  purplemer3  has not yet submitted an entry, and I have two, so I'm pretending that one of mine belongs to her.

"Mer's" entry:


Anna's entry: