Chrissy

Ren,

Good luck with insurance and surgery! It really seems like even aside from dysphori you have medical issues with your breasts that they should cover. But it is insurance (mind only came around to covering transition costs because New York made them, it would be great of more states, or the federal government, would do the same).

The problem with friends sounds complicated! At the risk of sounding new agey or Oprah-ish, I think the longer you live your more authentic life the more likely you are to start meeting new friends who will be more compatible with you. Not that it means giving up existing ones, just adding new - which might relieve some of the issues with the old ones.

And of course you always have us to talk to

Xoxo

Chrissy

For me it was Whitney Houston.  To this day it hurts to think that she is gone.  Even with her later music, when her voice wasn't what it had been, i couldn't listen to her without feeling something, and that is truly a gift.

That's wonderful - congrats!

Yay!  It is quite a pain when you suddenly have to do more to get a name change through, especially considering how many places you have to do it in the first place!

I had a similar incidence with the Social Security office with my gender - the person in the office misstated the rules and refused to do the correction, I wrote to the SSA office in Washington and then got an apologetic call from the local office, then they fixed it - they didn't offer me any money though

August 10 is my "new" birthday - the day that I officially started "presenting" full-time as a woman

Likewise to all 

For bowling someone suggested putting bandages on them, I might try that.

The bigger thing is how I'm going to play tennis with a wig on!

Ren,

Yup, rambling can be good 

It's nice to see that you seem to be in a more peaceful, reflective place than you had been.

I'm not a fan of this weather myself - it's Dec 24 and about 70 degrees! And me with a bunch of new sweaters to wear!!

Hopefully 2016 can live up to the example 2015 left 

Speaking of doing things with nails, I recently bowled for the first time with long nails, broke 3 of them. I might never bowl again 

Can't wait for that myself 

Bon anniversaire 

Welcome Alex 

Michele,

On your final point about your friend's birthday/father's passing away, I personally made a point to not remember the days that my parents passed away (at this point I know the months, but not the dates).  I like remembering them on their birthdays (my mother and I shared a bday), not their final days.

Xoxo 

Christie 

I've so far resisted Facebook, worried about it eating up time

Karen,

I had gotten to thinking about terms for a bit too - finally I settled for: (1) right now i'm "transgender," a "transwoman," and/or a "woman," (2) that will change, and (3) I don't need a final answer

Xoxo

Christie 

Jackson,

I second Karen's book recommendation and would add Janet Mock's "Redefining Reality" - it's her story, and as she also came out when she was young you may find some helpful stuff.

I'm not sure I agree with the notion of putting yourself in someone else's shoes, I don't think that's realistic in most cases (especially when it's your parents), my thought is just to be patient and understand that it will take some time if they're going to come around, and you can't predict how long (my brother accepted my transition within a week or so of finding out, my sister still hasn't after several months - i would have guessed the opposite).

Xoxo

Christie 

Welcome Jackson 

I went through this at work over the summer and similar to Eve I found it much easier than expected, I hope your experience is likewise

Well Eve, you'll always have the 4th of July - oh wait, you probably don't celebrate that like we do

The t-blockers are working, but not as quick as I'd like, i'm apparently still in the "400s"

This can certainly be a difficult period, when you're transitioning but haven't physically transitioned so much.  I recently thought about the fact that getting into a relationship right now could be very confusing and it sounds like what you're going through may be the embodiment of those thoughts, so i wish you the best as you work things through :-)

As for your bf's homophobia, I think blaming parents only goes so far, at some point a person becomes responsible for their own thoughts and feelings (unless they were completely brain-washed as children).  Having said that, he is facing the issue under circumstances that most people don't, so I can definitely see the case for giving him time.

Nice job

Warren,

I'm so sorry to hear about this - it really sucks what insurance companies look for in "required" procedures, it's inconceivable to me how ongoing pain isn't enough (never mind gender dysphoria!)

I really hope this won't make you turn back, you have a lot to give being your authentic self (from what i've seen/read in your blog entries and videos).  One would hope that family and friends will eventually come around, but even if not there is a wider community of trans people to connect with - especially if you're ever able to re-locate (if that's what you'd want).

Xoxo

Christie

It is nice to feel like you passed, but possibly even nicer to be accepted as transgender

I'm more of a passenger-type myself, but that all sounds like a lot of fun :-)