for your condolences and kind thoughts. Your tender messages have helped ease their pain a bit, and for that, I thank you all as well.

Catherine Linda Michel

I posted this in February of 2009. Since then, only one writer has taken up the challenge. In a thoughtful, emotionally charged short piece, Grover wrote exactly what I was looking for. A beautifully written story that embodied my hopes for this universe.

We are nearly into 2010, and I hope that the new year will bring you all joy and happiness.

In the midst of our celebration of the new year, I think it behooves us to take a moment or two to remember those who are no longer with us. Whether taken from us by illness, ageing, suicide, or violence, they have gone to a much better place, and are: In "The Arms Of The Angels."

Spend all your time waiting
For that second chance
For a break that would make it okay
There's always one reason
To feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction

A few days ago I posted a blog entry that, after an hour or so, I realized i should have never have posted. I deleted it, but I had received a couple of responses,one of which I didn't acknowledge, and one I responded to in a totally wrong manner, hurting someone a great deal.

I have no excuse, and I wont even try to attempt one. I hurt a friend who has been nothing but supportive and understanding since we first met, and I feel terrible about it. Since then, she has removed me from her friends list, and ignored me, here. I don't blame her. I blame myself.

I'm wondering what to expect, if anything, that will or might be different from my use of progesterone pills and estradiol patches, as well as spironolactone pills.

Does anyone have anything they can tell me?

Oh, and Ugh is right. There are few things worse than heading into a holiday while suffering from the flu. YUCK!!!!!

Love and hugs,
Catherine Linda Michel

When I arrived in Atlanta for Southern Comfort, I was as nervous as the long tailed cat in the room full of rocking chairs. I wasn't sure what to expect or how I should act. What I didn't expect, was the love, compassion, understanding, and support I received, even being just a first timer.

I received and gave more hugs in one week, than in my entire lifetime. NO one had a bad word to say about ANYONE, and everyone was amazingly open and caring. I talked to more girls in the space of the week, than I ever thought possible, and we had a BALL!!!

I have to say that this conference has been a real eye opener for me. Coming from a relatively small town, the sheer numbers of girls here, from all walks of life, is mind boggling for me. I've had some wonderful conversations and met more girls from more places than I can remember right now.

The Top Shelf Girls, Jacqui(Grover), Ariel, Holly and I made our initial appearances this afternoon, after Holly did yeoman work getting the transfers ironed on. So far, the response seems to be very positive, with quite a few commenting on the matching shirts and the site.

following a storm that would have made Noah go..."Ok. I give up." Grover and I are safely ensconced in our room. Grover is reading...I am destressing. We've already met two of the organizers of SCC and spent a couple hours just talking with them...so I guess that counts as a good start. I haven't had a chance to use the camera yet, but trust me...I will. We're going to make an early night of it, since there isn't much of anything going on yet at the Convention/conference.

I'll post updates as often as I can, and upload pics when I get them.

Hugs 'n love,
Catherine Linda Michel

Tomorrow morning, at 5 AM, I set off for Columbia S. Carolina to meet Grover and her wife, Paula. I'll stay with them through Sunday night. Monday, Grover and I will set off for Atlanta Georgia and the biggest TG conference/convention in the world, Southern Comfort! I'm really looking forward to this trip, and to meeting people I've only talked with on skype, or in chat rooms. Holly, Ariel, hopefully Gwen, Scotty Bishop, and who knows who else will be there.

30 days remain, before I arrive at the Southern Comfort Conference, the biggest TG convention in the world, and yet...

Now I know that you have to clean the outside of your computer screen, but did any of you know you know you have to clean the INSIDE of your screen? I sure didn't, but I found a place where you can get it done for free.
http://www.raincitystory.com/flash/screenclean.swf

Glad to have been of service. *giggle* This was sent to me by "understanding wife"

Hugs 'n love,
Catherine Linda Michel

I got to thinking about those who either purge, getting rid of all their femme finery, or need to clean out their closets, but hate to throw good things away.

I began HRT while still receiving Social Services assistance. I was initially diagnosed by my therapist and then had it confirmed by a shrink who, while not necessarily agreeing that I was a good candidate for SRS, still started me on hormones and T-blockers.

I know it's not really a big deal to anyone else, but to see my name there with so many mainstream authors, just gives me a little shiver of something. LOL.

http://www.scifan.com/writers/mm/

I am, at the present time, about 500 hits away from a quarter of a million hits on my stories posted at Crystal's.

For those who know about SCC this blog will be, perhaps, a bit redundant. For those who don't know, SCC is the biggest TG convention/conference in the world! It's been being held annually for the past 18 or 19 years and attracts TGs of all stripes, from all over the world, to Atlanta Georgia.

Whether or not any of us here are actually Mothers, I think we'd all like to be, and I think we all deserve to have someone wish us a Happy Mother's Day, so here it is:

Well, I just finished making my reservations for the Conference and for my hotel room! This is a BIG thing for me. The first time out of my comfort zone, away from home. I'll be visiting Grover and Paula on the way to Atlanta, and seeing Ariel at the Con. I'll also stay a night or two with my Nephew and his family who are behind me in my transition, and can't wait to have me there.

that NO ONE has caught the most obvious pun, at least to me, that I included in the story!

In Casablanca, the Head Police figure, played by Claude Rains, was named, Captain Louis Renault.

I spent three freaking hours on the phone yesterday, Monday, going from City Clerk, to County Clerk, to Surrogate Court Clerk, to Superior Court Clerk, to Family Court clerk, trying to locate one lousy form that I need to complete my legal name change paperwork. It's called "in forma pauperis...in English, a poor person application.

Well. Tomorrow, the 15th of April, tax deadline day, is my 62nd Birthday. I'm of a couple of minds about this 'event'.

I'm inviting all of you to write your own story in my new universe, The Home That Love Built.

I so miss you and our talks, whacky though they may have gotten. I'm concerned about you, and I just want to make sure you're okay, and that we're still friends. You know you're still responsible for me, don't you? An old Chinese belief is that if you save someone's life, you are responsible for them for always.

At least let me know that you're okay and that you haven't forgotten about the old Drama Queen, Cathy_t_?

huggles 'n love from,
Catherine Linda Michel