On July 14th 1986 I crossed my personal Rubicon, burned my boats etc, and officially transitioned turning up to work in a skirt. I can still remember it, it was a pretty emotional moment but my lasting memory was of how helpful colleagues were.

So what have I achieved in those 35 years? Not a huge amount, but would I have otherwise? I doubt it. I just got on with my life, living and working as a female, which I am officially since 2004, I haven't found a cure for cancer or won a Nobel prize, just got older and fatter if not wiser.
My worst moment learning my son had died, my best gaining my dormouse licence. Pretty mundane stuff mostly, but then isn't that what we want? to fit in without too much attention like most other women (or men).

I'm retired now and have time to do some of the things I've wanted to for many years, most of which don't cost that much, such as bird watching, identifying insects and other invertebrates, and playing with my microscopes or bicycles. I've also done a bit of writing which some of you may have read, but it's only about 3,000,000 words, so nothing much.

At the end of the day, I have to say that I have been incredibly fortunate, while there are many things I would have changed, I've survived and hopefully will for a bit longer though as my joints wear out, it may be a little less actively than before. Do I want to change the world? In some ways, yes, in others no. I'd like to see people be kinder to each other and to the environment and still feel we shall ultimately pay for our hubris and folly as the Earth reacts to our over-exploitation and greed and punishes us or our descendants.

Have I learned anything? Probably not, not being that clever I sometimes make the same mistake over again, having said that, perhaps the greatest reward of getting older is learning some degree of contentment, not complacency, but being happy with what I have and being grateful for it.