quicker than I thought it would. In about an hour, we will be on our way to the Vets so he can be put out of his misery. I appreciate all the wonderful, caring responses I've received over the last day or so, to my blog entry. Please don't feel obligated to respond to this one though.
So I'm happier than a pig in s--t, with my RLT starting next Tuesday and the book signing on the 31st, when, out of nowhere, I get word that Mom is in hospital with pneumonia. She's just been through an amputation of her left leg, now this.
I met with my boss this morning and we finally decided on a start date for my RLT to begin, so on the 27th of May, Catherine finally comes into her own...or at least begins to. The county Attorney is also on board in this and I have his backing as well.
I just got off the phone with the Waldenbooks store manager. Between us we have set the date for the signing! It will be May 31st, which is a Saturday afternoon, from 2-4PM. See my previous blog entries for the location. All advertising has to be done by me, including some kind of poster they can hang in their window, explaining what, when, and where.
The date (when) is still to be determined. No more than a week or two from today, I believe. The where is The Waldenbooks Store, in the Lakewood/Chautauqua Mall, in Lakewood, New York. Likely either at 7-9PM on a Friday evening, or 2-4PM on a Saturday afternoon.
I just got off the phone with the manager of our local Waldenbooks store. It seems that they CAN order my book and STOCK it, which means that they CAN and WILL schedule my book signing!!
I informed the manager of my TG status and that I would be into my RLT by the time we get this set up and she replied that it would be no problem!!!
As many of you are aware, I have been undergoing some changes in the last year or more. This is due to the simple fact that I am transgendered...that is, a woman in a mans body. I am treating this as simply a mistake made at birth and I am undergoing constant therapy and medical intervention to correct the 'birth defect' I was born with.
Actually, it turned into pretty much a non-contest. It's okay. I know how daunting it must be to try to complete another writers story, and truthfully I didn't expect any entries, but I thought it'd be worth a try.
If my book signing comes off, I fully intend to publicize other books written by you, as well as talk about those who haven't published yet, but who have more than enough talent to publish.
What I need to know from ALL of you is, do you WANT me to talk about your work by story titles and pseudonym, or do you want to remain in 'stealth' mode?
I've contacted Borders Books and I have their phone number to call, Monday morning, to try and work a deal with them. So far, the manager of our local Waldenbooks is more than happy to host the signing, even though I informed her as to the content of the book, and my Trans status.
I fully realize that this is not a 'get out of jail, free' card, yet I feel as though I have just been, finally, given permission, not that I needed permission, to finally begin being the person I should always have been. I am ecstatic at the moment, and only waiting for the go ahead to begin my real life test.
One, a casual friend named Anselmo Nunez...an older Puerto Rican man who I took back and forth from dialysis for over four years. He was teaching me spanish, a little bit at a time..as quickly as my poor overloaded mind could take it in. He had no legs left, lost to diabetes, yet he walked on his two artificial ones until last year when his illness finally confined him to a power wheelchair.
I know I've been more than a bit 'melodramatic' over the past few weeks. All I can say in my defense, is that I have been wrestling with old, bad memories and present day fears. It's taken a couple of days of "alone time" recently, to wrestle with my demons, major and minor, and at the end of that, I found myself with a new purpose, or a redux of my original purpose.
There are too many things on my mind and I cannot concentrate or even communicate with clarity. i know where my mind is headed and its a place I know very well. In that place I can harm people without caring what harm I do, and none of you deserve that, so I am leaving before I do that.
While out with friends today, Saturday, we stopped at our local mall Waldenbooks store. I casually remarked, while checking out with our books, that if I ever saw MY book in the place, I'd probably faint. The clerk, as we were leaving, asked me, "You have a book out?"
{It has taken me ten long years to get to the point where I could talk about this without crying. I hope you will all forgive me for taking time and space here, to remember the best man I ever knew.}
I am, it seems, experiencing some mental aberrations. I've ranted and raved at friends. I've been rude and even cruel to some who didn't deserve it. I've been experiencing wild swings in my emotions, laughing one minute, crying uncontrollably the next.
I was very rude and cruel to you last night on skype. I didn't mean to be, but I've been very emotional the past few days. Still, I shouldn't have taken it out on you, and I apologize. I haven't seen you online since then, and I hope it's not because of me. You've always been there for me, and you're a friend, and I love you.
Awhile ago I posted a story, 'Let The Punishment Fit The Crime'. It got more reads and comments than anything else I've ever posted here and people want a part two. Therein lies a problem. You see, I never intended to even POST that story!
Mom came through with flying colors, my friend is FINALLY out of prison, sent there for a crime he didn't commit, and I got my first royalty check from Lulu from sales of my book, Headlights Girl!!!!!
All in all, life is pretty good right now, for the first time in a long time, even though I'm, still fighting a cold, and KimEm is in hospital.
I want to thank everyone who kept a good thought for her, or a prayer. They took her leg, just above the knee, and she'll be in rehab for a month or however long it takes. Fortunately, she will be in a rehab facility where I'll be able to visit her on a semi regular basis, since I go there quite often in the course of doing my job.
This coming Thursday, my Mom will be going in to the hospital. Because of her diabetes and other problems, my 81 year old Mom will likely be having her leg amputated at the knee. She's a toughie, and a fighter, but I'm worried about her.
In my dream, there is a place, a real life place, where those of us who have been abused, deserted, thrown out by their families, whatever, can come to for a fresh start. This is not just my dream, it's the dream of many others. This would include Sephrena's idea about a lottery monthly for someone to receive their transitional surgeries, M-F or F-M.
At this time of year, we take time to be with the ones we love. Top Shelf, and it's predeseser(sp?), Big Closet have always seemed to be more friendly, more willing to help those in need, and just a nicer place to visit and read, post stories and just relax.
A news story on CNN this morning captured my immediate attention. It's about "exoskeletons" that are being developed right now, for use by the military!!
Checks can be made out & sent to:
Joyce Melton
1001 Third St.
Space 80
Calimesa, CA 92320
USA
Note: $6000 is the operating, maintenance and upgrade budget. Amounts received in excess of the $6000 will be applied to long term debt accrued over the last 19 years.
