Thursday 30 December 2010

End of the Century



The drive in to work this morning was challenging, not snow but fog. At first the fog made the surrounding snow covered countryside look ghost like and immaterial then it swallowed it entirely.

The route I take passes through a construction zone with a number of “S”curves, which are hard enough to navigate in a 19 ft long car in the daytime let alone with only a few feet of visibility.

The strangely peaceful work days between Christmas and New Years are coming to an end and Monday will hit like a ton of bricks. January looks like it will be a busy month.

The long weekend, end of year get togethers and other commitments will likely mean that I will not get out as this week. Trying to keep focused on the job search should keep me from going completely squirrely.

Claire responded to one of my Ramones posts recommending the documentary End of the Century. Its great, stayed up way to late watching it. You can find the whole thing on You Tube, here is part 1:



You have to love Johnny, punk rock Republican. Anyone who says they were for Nixon in 1960 at age ten is just too cool.

Hugs,

April

Wednesday 29 December 2010

Little Fears and Pierced Ears



The work days between Christmas and New Year are quiet in the office. Nevertheless I usually set myself up with too many things on my morning to do list.

One thing I have been trying to do today is overcome my fear. The nature of my job has meant that I have had to become comfortable speaking in public and asking other companies for huge amounts of money. I am more reticent selling myself but as a new job is a priority I have to bite the bullet and make those follow up calls.

Other fears I am trying to face down, time for a return trip to the salon, hopefully it will go a little better than the last time. Number two get ears pierced, I am determined to do this even though it makes little sense...what will people say? I think I need some concrete evidence I am moving forward. A little push to get the car back on the right road….

Slept through another alarm, this cold or flu, whatever it is, is making me very groggy come morning. Nothing java can’t cure.

“J” reminded me that I should have added the word expensive in front of “nice gold necklace”. I thought that would have been a given.

Hugs,

April

Tuesday 28 December 2010

Eventually


Back at work this Tuesday, the office is quiet and the commute hassle free as most people (retail) excepted seem to be off on holiday still.

I had a nice quiet Christmas spent close to home, the children were soundly spoiled between us and grand parents. Wife “J” bought me a very nice gold necklace and a jewelry box.

Far too cold for any car work, checked tire pressures and fixed a burned out tail light bulb, which was all the cold my fingers could take.

Any holiday depression was confined to Sunday. I had spent all Christmas day as April so a return to male mode on the Monday put me in the doldrums. It is such a psychological high to be oneself that any return to the false armor of maleness becomes an unbearable low.

Still 2011 beckons with the promise of hope and change (hmmm might make a good campaign slogan). Before 2010 is consigned to the dustbin of history all of us who enjoy the hard won gifts of democracy should be thankful for the accident of our birth. No, not that we were born the wrong gender but that we have the freedom to do something about it.

Chinese poem: “Waiting for you to come”
I waited for you the other day,
But you did not come.
Knowing that you would not come,
I only hoped that you would come.
Until now, you still haven’t come,
Yet I am still hoping that you could come.
Eventually, you will come,
And I will always wait for you to come.
(1989.12)

beijingdoll.wordpress.com


Hugs,

April

Saturday 25 December 2010

My Zombie Christmas Wish To You

Vintage public service announcement, great Zombie disposal tips and great fifties fashions.

Merry Christmas,

April

Friday 24 December 2010

Christmas Eve, Elvis and the Ramones



Christmas eve, I hope everyone has someone to share the season with.

The roads and stores were crazy here yesterday so apart from early morning grocery shopping we stayed close to home. It is so nice to have even a few days away from the work to spend with the family.

I was actually looking forward to going to church this evening but the oldest child is sick so I am staying home while "J" takes the younger ones.

Why car photos, well I washed the accumulated road salt and grime from the Chrysler Town & Country Limited (my wife says I am pompous when I call it that). See it is possible to wash a car at home is sub zero weather!

Also started and ran the Lincoln Mark IV after letting the block heater warm the oil for an hour or two. I like the picture looks like the car is so big you can see the curvature of the earth.

Took the Toronado (not washed yet) out to buy ginger ale for the oldest's upset stomach and had a nice chat with a man from Ohio about Oldsmobiles and vintage cars in general. Said he hadn't seen a 78 XS in decades.

Still some gifts to wrap and A Christmas Carol (Alastair Sims version) or It's A Wonderful Life to watch. I cry at the end of both of them even without hormones.

Here is Elvis singing Here Comes Santa Claus, check out the cool photos Elvis and Priscilla in a snowy Memphis.

Too saccharin, how about the Ramones...





Merry Christmas,

April

Thursday 23 December 2010

Rock n’ Roll Christmas


I want a Chuck Berry Record and a picture of Elvis too….. well that is a given isn’t it.

Can’t believe I had not heard this one before, George Thorogood delivers a great holiday stormer that will have you dancing around the room. Has a great Dave Edmunds sound. Set the way back machine to 1981 to MTV’s first year Christmas party.

Extra special added bonus, pink 59 Cadillac at the beginning of the video (Santa’s sleigh ?) and just who is that playing old Saint Nick, is it Johnny Lee Hooker or Bo Diddley?!?

Feel free to comment on the fashions and the shortness of the dresses Santa’s helpers are wearing.

I still have some shopping to do, yikes!

Really messed up yesterday, I thought my wife had the day off so I quietly got up made coffee, took out the trash and was on my way as quiet as a mouse. I get a phone message later that day, she had to work that day and had to drive the children to my mothers….whoops.

Luckily by then she could see the humorous side since she still managed to drop off the kids and get to work close to on time. She had told me the night before but I was so tired from coughing all night with this cold going around that I was a total zombie. Don’t know how I made it to work, I think the car just remembers the way there.

Another resume out yesterday and another queued up, perhaps North Central Positronics is hiring…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Central_Positronics

Hugs,

April



59 Caddy in the snow is titled Blizzard of 78 by TW Collins from Flickr.com

Wednesday 22 December 2010

Baby the Trans???




Dear constant readers, hope your Christmas preparations are all in order and if not you better get busy. Those of you, who don’t celebrate the season, count yourselves lucky….just kidding…somewhat. I am hopelessly behind even more than usual but I am blaming work.

Sorry didn’t post yesterday as we were filming late into the evening. I was hoping for a bit of a break today but another urgent assignment got to drop everything and do that. Cannot even take any time off as planned since we have an early January deadline to meet.

Thank goodness for my wife as she has picked up the slack and infused the house with Christmas decorations and spirit.

My current job is a roadblock to my transition. The only option is to make the time to find another position. I am working hard to make that happen and have already sent off some resumes but finding the time is difficult. I need to do more to realize my destiny.

I attended two Christmas open houses last week, both were very pleasant affairs, I had a real bad day at work Friday so the first event was somewhat over shadowed by my experience earlier that day.

I am a lot less shy than I used to be but at one point found myself both literally and figuratively sitting alone between the men and the women. I certainly know which side I wish to be on, however in my present state I seem to be neither one nor the other.

The second get together, apart from a brief discussion about the merits of snow tires found me hanging out on the female side of the room. I was more comfortable there but had to feign either shock or ignorance when it came to certain topics.

Hugs,

April

I have no idea if this 1988 song by Joe Strummer has anything to do with being Trans despite the word being in the title. The track from the movie Permanent Record has obscure Dylanesque lyrics and a great beat.







The horror comic cover was borrowed from the Rev. Frost site, if you like the kind of music I tend to post check him out and be sure to download his latest Christmas Mix:

http://reverendfrost.blogspot.com/