I'm not a great one for reading the newspapers, as I find the constant barrage of negativity and bad news tends to tilt the balance of sanity towards deep depression and paranoia. When you realise that actually the world has a lot more good things happening than bad, but the media don't make any money from them.

Read this Transgender Ballerina

Found it hopeful.

Tanya

"Last year I applied and was selected to be a finalist for the Miss Galaxy Contest, 4-7 February 2016. I was so proud to think that we finally live in a society that accepts transgendered women to this extent. But when I emailed to secure my place I mentioned this and was instantly informed I was no longer eligible to compete. They say they hadn’t spotted that I was transgender -- according to their rules you have to be born female to take part in the pageant."

https://www.change.org/p/miss-galaxy-uk-allow-trans-women-to...

I live about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Over the weekend we had a bit of snow... the local paper claims 31 inches. Needless to say I was snowed in but fortunately never lost electric power. Physically, it was quite tough on me.

In 2000 I had a total right knee replacement. November 2104 I had a spinal laminectromy, and in December I had a total left knee replacement. Fortunately I have a snowblower but still spent 7 hours digging out. Needless to say my new knee wasn't too happy with me. No damage, just ache & fatigue.

I've run across some articles that may be of interest to everybody. Apparently this last year saw a record number of murders of transgender people.

The Transgender Murder Crisis: Why Were There So Many Killings in 2015?

The BBC TV Series 'Boy meets Girl' is to return for another series
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-35350351

Warning.
If you aren't interested in one C Jenner then don't scroll down that page.

One of the best British actors has lost his fight with cancer aged 69. He got a BAFTA for his Sheriff of Nottingham against Kevin Costner's Robin Hood, where acted the American off the screen. Most of you will know him as Professor Snape from the Harry Potter films, where he played a brooding dark character to perfection. My own favourite was Truly, madly Deeply, with Juliet Stevenson, which was where I first saw him and fancied him like mad.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truly,_Madly,_Deeply

The powerball jackpot now stands as close enough to one Billion dollars that there almost is no difference.

I have bought my tickets and am sitting waiting for the numbers to be drawn, hoping against hope that one of my tickets will be the ticket that will help me acheive my dream... that being the REAL building of The Home That Love Built, my little universe of stories on the internet.

From the Daily Mirror a story from Italy about a transgender woman who has spent over fifty thousand pounds on plastic surgery and looks rather sad to my thinking, especially the lip implants which look ridiculous and she plans on more! I'll stick to buying books. Amazingly, her wife has stayed with her.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/transgender-woman-spends...

To you all

Look out for the conclusion of Christmas Catastrophe on the 3rd.

Worth listening to for a broad discussion of the present day realities of transgender life.

To all my readers and everyone else for that matter - from Gabyland.

It's cold and wet here - others have it wetter, I wish them well, not a good day if you live in the Eden valley.

We've had the traditional Christmas tragedies, thankfully with fewer casualties than in recent years - it's almost as though it's dictated that a car/bus/truck will kill/maim innocents as an Xmas gift.

Today for me will be quiet and solitary - lunch will be cooked, radio listened to and then i'll crack on with some writing, the results of which you should see in the next few days.

https://stream.org/high-school-girls-dont-want-transgender-s...

Dad changes moms tattoo.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/tattoo-artist-alters-w...

Was a cute girl in a pink dress, now a cute boy in a blue shirt and shorts...

There is no cure for stupidity, how do these people manage to reach maturity?

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/us-town-rejects-solar-pa...

It reminds me of the woman who wrote to a paper complaining that switching to daylight saving was shortening her life or another who refused to wear her glasses in case it wore the lenses out.

http://planettransgender.com/ancient-trans-warrior-discovere...

Ancient Warrior Discovered

New York Times article about a group of doctors at Johns Hopkins planning to attempt a penis transplant.

Just saw this on the BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35025326

The community coming together is beautiful, but the ignorance and stupidity of some of the commentors is sickening.

link

Waterdog

Bettina Rheims best photograph of a transgender sex worker from the 1980s in Paris. Quite an interesting piece especially as it suggests that most of them are now probably dead, presumably from horrible diseases. It struck a chord with me because I transitioned about the same time. Things are so different now.

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/dec/03/bettina-...

Oh, and it happens to be my birthday, today.

Angharad

I'm about thirty miles from the shooting in San Bernardino and all is calm and quiet here in Calimesa.

Please send your good thoughts to those affected by this tragedy.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/02/us/san-bernardino-shooting/

Hugs,
Erin

Pity about the voice, but according to the blurb Cpt Hannah Winterbourne is the highest ranking, serving officer in the British Army who just happens to be transgender.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34966216

The army has come a long way.

Being misgendered, it's something the transgender community speaks of often in a negative light. But being misgendered is a two edged sword and perhaps we should think about those times it is good.

I know, you're thinking that Katie is nuts, but bear with me.