There's an interesting comment piece in today's Indy. It mainly deals with gender roles in the workplace (so arguing from the WISE / MICE point of view¹), but could be applied more widely:

Instead of fighting for gender equality, let’s forget gender altogether

Ray Bradbury died last night at the age of 91, a unique voice whose writings will be treasured for centuries.

There saying on all the Net News spots thaT CALIFORNIA'S PROP 8 (SAME SEX MARRIAGE) IS HEADED TO THE FED SUPREME COURT IN WASH. DC. I just wonder if this will change the laws in both the states that voted for Same Sex Mar or voted against Same Sex Marriage like the voters just did in North Carolina reasonantly

Well tomorrow, my three-week stress fest commences as the biggest exam I will ever sit starts with English. Therefore, I won’t be on Big Closet (or the internet at all) until the 21st of June when I will be free for the rest of the summer. I cannot wait! The relief will be incredible! Anyway the first story I will be posting when I return will be Harry Potter and the Curse of the Emerald Witch — Part VI, the final and concluding chapter of the fan fiction novel along with the regular posting of a new Crossdressing Charlie episode! So, um, yep! That’s it!

My Plans

Well, maybe a few folks in these parts are wondering whether I'll ever finish the final story in my Ragnarok Rising trilogy and the answer is: YES! Hunger Pangs, my entry in the DRU universe is completed, but I decided to post it as a serial as a sort of test run for possible future serials and I'm rather pleased with the results. In particular I really enjoyed the more speculative comments. It's interest for me to see where people think the story might be headed.

This link is to the blog of an acquaintance of mine, Mark Evanier, who writes the Groo comic book and the Garfield television show among many other things. Mark is a whiz at words and here he does a marvelous job of expressing part of what I mean when I say, give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

http://www.newsfromme.com/2012/06/03/the-olaf-story/

Hugs to all,
Erin

I had a great day today, i went and visited one of my best friends, shes totally cool with me and treats me like nothing is different from me then her, though asks some awkward questions to learn which although awkward makes me very happy that she enjoys learning, about my transition.

Janet Jackson to produce transgender documentary

June 4, 2012, 8:39 PM EST

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Janet Jackson has signed on as an executive producer of a documentary on the lives of transgender people living around the world.

New York-based Brainchild Films announced Monday that Jackson was working on "Truth" and would do some of the on-camera interviews. The documentary begins production this summer and will focus on the lives and struggles of transgender persons.

Bing: Miss USA supports transgender contestants

Sorry folks, real life has intervened to prevent me having time to scribble tonight. Hope to do one tomorrow. Yesterday I drove up to see my daughter, today and tomorrow I have a visitor so have been busy. We did manage a nice twenty mile leg-stretch this afternoon on the bikes - rain forecast for tomorrow means we won't have that option again.

I'm really down on my mileage this year, only four hundred odd, a hundred of which I've done in the past fortnight.

Sorry about tonight, but I'm off to bed with two squabbling cats.

Erin provides a wonderful feature that lets readers post comments (virtually anonymously) on stories they've read, without having a login to the site.

I felt like sharing a little bit before I go away. Lately I've been having a lot of dreams and remembering them, which really isn't that odd for me but I know some people would be envious. A week ago I had a dream that my Aunt was back living and approved that I bought a house. I was more worried that since she was officially dead and I spent the inheritance, she didn't have anything to live on monetarily (though she would always be allowed to stay with me). Anyway, that's not the dream I wanted to talk about.

First off, real life back story or the dream won't make sense.

Well, the last couple of days I've been in the domestic department, but when the regular staffer came back from her weekend you would have thought I turned the whole department upside down. She actually swore at me, about me, and it was not a fun experience. My trouble with such stuff is that faced with something like that, I tend to turtle and often internalize whatever is being said to me.

This leads me to a point I've been thinking about for the last while.

I'm broken.

I'm a bit confused right now about how to handle this news.

This past week I went to the doctor about my high blood pressure and mentioned the soreness around my right nipple. After examining me, he said I have gynecomastia. I guess I'm not really surprised as I am 55 yrs old, 5'8" and 245 lbs. I'm confused because I have feelings of both "not another problem" and "WOW".

Well, yesterday I came out to my daughter's teacher, basically to get her to watch out for any signs that Sam is getting bullied because of my transition. Coming out wasnt that big a deal - to either of us, based on her reaction, but I felt better for taking a step to help deal with the anxiety I was having over Sam. Hmmm. Actually DOING something proactive? Could be a good idea for other stuff too...

So after reading the last episode of bike ( was bonkers as usual :)) I went on to read the comments.

3 out of the 4 comments where about men being just an extension of there genitalia or the likes ( and to make it clear it was far more racy then that). Now I want to ask you , how can a bunch of people who suffer from the wrong doings of society gender classification can be so sexist , so misandric and down right ignorant and offensive toward one gender?
This post will refer to "you" as those who wrote that comments or those who share the same mind state as them on this subject.

I am slowly walking down the path, fearfully, afraid, but moving forward.

The depression has receded, but it still lurks. Having accepted that I will probably transition, just not today, seems to have taken a load off. My boy says he thinks I am becoming much happier. I think he is right.

In the latest update the new girl wakes up - a nice, silly episode - enjoy.

As requested here is a link to Wishful Thinking ( which is what this blog is about)

http://wishful-thinking2.smackjeeves.com/comics/1473118/1/

There have been a number of news articles lately about supposed Christians acting hatefully towards gay, lesbians, or trans people.

But fortunately, not all Christians are like that, even ones who think its a sin.

A couple of people I can point to as examples of that is my brother and sister-in-law.

No matter how much they may think I'm making a mistake in transitioning, they continue to show love and support to me even when I was acting in a way that made me less than loveable.

Just wanted to give them some props for this.

I met a girl today; one of us, and she seemed quite happy and adjusted working the counter at Safeway, a local grocery store. I told her how thrilled to see one of use being treated decently and with respect. Some of us get none.

It made my day. As I finish this, I will return to my sick bed, wishing that she and all of us of the sisterhood will finally be given the lives we so long for.

She says we will meet later. I wonder

Gwendolyn

I hope you dance

Promise me that you will give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice, to sit it out or dance
I hope you Dance

Hi all.

Just thought I'd share my currant WIP's (Work in progress) from a predominantly female craft that seems to be not represented in the stories at all. Patchwork & Quilting.

Firstly, a redwork project that I would have started just after Shrub got elected, all the US presidents in Redwork!

(The strip of blocks in the left of the picture is something of C's called "á–h my gosh" Each 6 inch square block contains, on average, around 40 pieces!)

My first question is, has anyone here hit the hundred kudo mark for any one posting. (Adding all the kudos together for a multi-part story doesn't count)?

I was looking over my stories, like I do, and I noticed that I had no comments for College Girl 3 and 4. This makes me sad. While I am aware that some chapters have only 1 comment, these two are sad and lonely, wasting away for want of a comment, some sort of love or recognition, it is heart breaking... All I can hear now is those poor chapters crying out in their loneliness and privation. I cannot hear any other story because of their lamentations. OH THE HUMANITY!!

They say confession is good for the soul, but bad for the reputation, so I might as well find out if they're right by making a confession of my own.

There are bits of my mind that scare the heck out of me.

Sometimes it feels like I may not be alone in my head, and somewhere in the boatload of darkness inside me there is something, or someone else.

And that something or someone isnt a nice critter in any way, shape or form.

Well, I finally overcame the heat of my shyness and bought "50 Shades Of Grey". The thing I find amazing is the writing style. It just flows so naturally and there is never any need to stop and go back to figure out what happened. This is how I want to write when I grow up! :)

On another note: the protagonist is ME, and I need to get back to the book to see what happens to me.

G

You may all gasp in surprise and fear, for yes indeed it is another chapter and in a timely manner. The world must surely be at an end!

I know I am notoriously slow for a number of different factors, health and other projects being but two of the factors causing this. But I just had to crank this one out to keep you all from hanging. Besides, Takeshi was so sad in my head and I needed to do something before he got my brain soggy... so I was in effect looking out for me.

I was feeling good and Terpsi was feeling spry, despite being evil with Tegan. So there you have it. Enjoy.

I am a person who doubts almost everything. probably because I already believe in two completely impossible things already, and despite what Alice in Wonderland recommended, that's probably my limit, or maybe even over it.

What makes my impossibilities even harder to deal with is the fact that they are regarded as totally incompatible with each other in the sense that people who have tried to assure me that one is impossible, almost always believe that the other exists.

What are these two impossibilities?

Simple. The existence of God, and the existence of Dorothy.

is now available for your delectation and delight!

http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/36917/gaby-book-8-chap...

ttfn

I was rummaging around, re-reading older stories at FM, and ran across an unfinished story set from Lorraine B, called "The Alien Within or Holy Crap, There's An Alien In My Bed". Part 1 and 2 were posted in mid-2004, with the name given for part 3, but it appears that part 3 never emerged. I'd normally put it down to the author no longer writing, but she continued to post for another 2 years afterwards.

I figured I would ask if anyone knows about the author, or the story.

This is partially an FYI, partially a request for help.

Bill and I (and our Chocolate Lab Penny) recently had to re-locate to a local hotel.

The reason, as you probably suspect, is that "Black Mold" was found in our home.

Much of our furniture and other things are going to be tossed out in the process of cleaning the house.

This process includes tearing up all the carpets, and scrubbing all the walls, floors, and ceiling with bleach to make sure it's ALL GONE.

Good Morning Mr. Sun

Early in the morning comes through my window Mr. Sun
I just thank God for another shiny day
today as another day I’ll keep on trying being better girl
and also I will add a small pinch of love

Good morning to life
good morning to love
good morning to joy
good morning Mr. Sun

I’ll keep on trying being the best everywhere
I’ll keep on trying doing my best anywhere
good morning to all

It is good to give thanks to God
and to make melody to His name.

Well, we were out last night clubbing Thursday 24th and I had a philanthopic interlude just like Ang's experiences with Sam.

Five of use were enjoying ourselves and going 'Over the top a bit. As seen below. (The famous five.)

An apology, to all who called me on my being a drama queen over the incident with my car. I just got off the phone with the insurance company, and it turns out I'm NOT going to have to have a year's worth of coverage up front. Once again, what looked to me like a mountain turns out to be a mole-hill, and boy is my face red over my over-reaction.

Hopefully, this is a lesson I can learn for the next time something happens - dont make more trouble than is actually there, and take it one breath at a time.

Thanks to everyone who puts up with me anyway.

Reading Amy's latest story has given me an idea. Most of you know my history, but just imagine what if the doctor who abused me instead helped me? What might have happened? I'm going to noodle that and see where it goes ....

Every morning, I get up, look at this body of mine, and wonder how I can possibly make being female work. I mean, put it in a suit and have it lose 50 pounds, and it would probably be called "handsome".

And yet here I am, trying to change that, and somehow make this body pass as a woman's.

Its dam hard, and sometimes, it feels like a hopeless task, so why do I bother?

I've never had enough discipline in my life to reach any goal I've set, so why do I think this will be any different than when I tried to become a nurse, or before that a teacher?

For all those who have asked me to find additional formats for my books, you will be pleased to note that I am now up and running with SMASHWORDS.COM, and have started publishing versions other than KINDLE...i.e. for Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, and others......

You can even purchase Kindle versions through the Smashwords site. (the price is the same as on the Amazon Kindle site)

The first one is THE HARD WAY

Well, finished dealing with the insurance company for the moment, and I got both the bad news and the worse news. The bad news is that due to the non-payment I was cut off as of April 1, and to re-start a policy I'm going to have to pay the yearly cost up front. So somehow over the next little bit I'm going to have to come up with 18,000 $ up front to have coverage for the upcoming year.

Well, today I have to deal with the insurance company, and to say I'm not looking forward to it is an understatement. This is like going to the principal's office as a kid, only a thousand times worse, because if I walk out of there without coverage I will lose my job, hurt my family, and generally make my life suck for the foreseeable future.

I'm scared, which always brings out the PTSD, so I'm having the shakes so bad its hard to even type.

I don't have NEARLY enough on my plate, if you listen to Maureen (my Muse).

With 'Amazon', 'Ma'at' (rewrite and new chapter), four new stories, and the odd editing efforts, Maureen has decided to delve back into my college days for more ideas.

"Wayyyy back in the old days" I was one of those who was into "Dungeons and Dragons." I was fortunate enough to know a couple of good DMs (Dungeon Masters) who had imagination and patience -- and evil; don't forget the evil.

While looking through things, and seeing some criticism about the fact, I notice that I am inconsistent on replying to comments and feedback. Some authors make it a habit of replying to every comment they get, I am more picky and choosy.