I dont usually talk about sports here, but something so remarkable happened last night at the start of the playoff game here in Edmonton, I have to mention it.

See, due to technical difficulties, the young man who was supposed to sing the American anthem found his microphone not working.

It could have become an embarrassing moment for everyone involved, but instead, he got the crowd to sing the American anthem with him, ringing the rafters as they sang.

Super classy move by the fans, so to all in attendance thank you for representing my town in such a fantastic way.

The main story, that is --- most of the other clickable items seem to be sensationalism.

This is about an apparently successful FtM.

http://allteresting.com/popular-instagram-model-reveals-he-u...

New chapters will be posted for School for Transgendered, My Brother is My She-Male Twin. Plus four new stories.

Eddie The She-Male Lesbian, The Little Orphan Boy-Girl, Just Our Luck and The Single Father with Four Daughters

I'll be going back and fixing the main story and some links to the others.

I know it is election day here in France and where I am now (SW of Brive la Gallarde) is wonderful cycling country. The roads and even the minor 'D' ones are well surfaced if you avoid the Department of Correze yet I saw very few out on the road today. The weather is perfect as well....
Where are they all? If this was England, there would be lots out on the road on a fine Sunday Morning.
I spoke to two Australians at lunchtime. They are in the middle of cycling from Oslo to Athens and they remarked on the lack of cyclists in this area.

Samantha

It's hard to believe that real life can prove that men are stupidly competitive. Even while many BC stories stress how 'men' are over competitve and 'women' are collaborative, is that how cliches work?

Check out this vileness from last Wednesday's episode on CBS of 'Survivor' (recorded last year).

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/entertainmenttv/survi...

‘He,’ ‘She,’ ‘They’ and Us, in the New York Times.

‘He,’ ‘She,’ ‘They’ and Us

See attached video but take note of any numbers you see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ob-5eC8uw

My son's fiancé sent me a text earlier today, which although not unheard of is at least unusual enough to catch my eye.

She sent me a short note that said, "Just want you to know that you inspire me. Love you!"

I cried when I read it, and I am crying now as I type this.

She reminded me of something. Today is Transgender Day of Visibility, and although most of us just want to live our lives quietly and peacefully, attracting as little attention as possible, please help those you can to understand who you are - who we are.

There's been so much hate exhibited in the media recently that it was a pleasant surprise to read in today's New Zealand paper a respectful report on the unfortunate death of an early female to male transitioner http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objecti... . This reminded me that New Zealand was the first country to introduce votes for women and the first to have a woman who had transitioned as first a mayor and then as a member of parliament.

Was just reading that Boston Children's Hospital in Massachusetts has a special wing for transgendered children. At the moment additional staff is being added the clinic is so busy.

I'm not a computer gamer but this caught my eye.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/7daedcfe-c674-4a97-8a1f-0...

I'm not sure about viewing it from outside the UK though.

She came out as Gay but she still didn't feel right.
The Gaming Fans seem to have accepter her very well which is a refreshing change,

Interesting article on the KQED website about nonbinary gender people. It isn't simple anymore.

Boy? Girl? Both? Neither? A New Generation Overthrows Gender

I have simply cut and pasted, The following is taken from an FB post ...

I just commented this on a transphobic post that was all like: "In a sexual species, females have two X chromosomes and males have an X and a Y, I'm not a bigot; it's just science."

Interesting article in the New York Times:
One in Every 137 Teenagers Would Identify as Transgender, Report Says

At least the author has done some research on this one.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/24/just-the-fac...

Jazz Jennings, now aged 16 who was one of the youngest children to be documented as transgender at the age of about five is the inspiration for a new doll to be made in limited edition by the Tonner Doll Company of Kingston N.Y., with the full support of Ms Jennings. You can read the full article in the New York Times here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/17/business/transgender-doll...

I just saw a news item saying a warning was issued for a portion of Northern Calif. that a dam is close to bursting. It is calling for evacuations. At the bottom it says "THIS IS NOT A DRILL" repeated three times.

"But darling the President said to do it! I just want to 'look the part'." - Maybe he has stock in nylon stocking & cosmetic manufacturing companies. "Look the part" he said.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. A dress code for females... nice ties for the males. Does this sound fair? May as well have fun with it, eh?

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/supernumberdresslikeawom...

It came to my attention this evening that The southern Comfort Transsexual Conference is no more!

http://www.tgforum.com/wordpress/index.php/the-southern-comf...

I attended in 2009 and it was a life changing event for me.

The Con had relocated from Atlanta Ga. to Ft. Lauderdale, but apparently there were some lawsuits that have ended the Con that had been a fixture for Trans folks for 26 years!

Worth a look:
7 Young People on Their Views of Gender

I really don't want to sound needy or pitiful, but I truly need a proof reader. I am a novice writer, retired and in my mid sixties. So, now have some time to write the type of fiction that I loved to read for most of my life. Although years of writing clinical notes has killed most my grammar skills, that I am just not starting to remember. So if you have time and patience to work with and old novice please let me know.

Thanks,
Warm Hearted

After due delibaration and contemplation, I have come to a decision.

Cue drum roll....

First Prize goes to
• Lost and Found by Julie D. Cole

Second Prize goes to
• Ghost Gift by Dorothy Colleen

Both of these are IMHO right on the nail when it comes to 'The Spirit of Giving'.

The money will be on its way tomorrow according to the wishes of the authors.

Samantha

On Thursday evening (BBC2 9pm) a programme will be aired in the UK that will appeal to transphobes across the planet. Discredited Dr Kenneth Zucker is quoted as an expert concerning young (pre-teen & teen) transgendered children. One suggestion is:
“A four-year-old might say he wants to be a dog. But do you go out and buy him dog food?”

Mermaids is said to be very concerned and were not asked to participate in the programme.

Just a heads up to say that there might be a delay in the awarding of my extra prizes winners for the Christmas Competition.
My 94 years old Mother was admitted to Hospital last night. The Doctors don't really know what is wrong with her at the moment.

I've read every entry at least once and was in the process of producing a shortlist when this happened.

Apologies
Samantha