T events: Which have you been to?

[Chrissyts41]

I'm beginning to research surgeons for FFS and GRS, so I decided to attend the Colorado Gold Rush this year (in 3 weeks!)   
Originally, I planned to attend Be All Chicago, but I don't want to wait that long to start meeting the better known Dr's. out there.  Not knowing anything except what's on the website, I checked out the speakers that would be there and thought it would be well worth it.
Has anyone else been to the Gold Rush before?  Be All?  What did you think?  Did you benefit very much?  I've heard that it's possible to meet w/ a Dr. one on one, sometimes.  I need to see if that's possible.  Has anyone done that -- how was it arranged?
I'm very hopeful that I'll get a sense of the styles/approaches/personalities of the Dr's I'm considering.  I'm a newbie here, so I bet this has been a thread before, but show me some love, k girls?
Chrissy

[Brianna]

Colorado gold rush? I live in Colorado, though I never do these events. Do you have a link?

Bri

[Maud]

http://www.gicofcolo.org/

[Brianna]

I have heard about this place. My one experience with them on the phone gave me the impression it was geared twords transvestites rather than transsexuals. The meetings are aparently mostly forums for TVs to go dress publically.

Fabness for them, not for me.

Brilala

[LostInTime]

Their lineup of speakers and topics suggests something else entirely.  It appears to be pretty much geared towards those who think they may be TS or are pretty sure about it.  However, there are a number of topics that would go across the T spectrum.

[BrandiOK]

  After reading the schedule of events for this conference it seems to be geared towards the TS crowd so I would think you made a good choice Chrissy.

  I've never been to any kind of gender related conference.  I've often wished I could attend "Southern Comfort" in Atlanta but not in the budget.

  Have fun Chrissy and let us know how things went

[Melissa]

I have heard about this place. My one experience with them on the phone gave me the impression it was geared twords transvestites rather than transsexuals. The meetings are aparently mostly forums for TVs to go dress publically.

Fabness for them, not for me.

Brilala

We have one up here in Washington called esprit and I get the exact same impression.  I have heard from other TS that have gone that it was great, but apparently they weren't fulltime yet.  I mean why would I want to pay $2000 to travel up (Gas/hotel/food/Conf fee) and attend just to dress how I normally dress, when I could put that money into surgery.  To me it just doesn't make enough sense financially, but that's my opinion.

Melissa

[Brianna]

I mean why would I want to pay $2000 to travel up (Gas/hotel/food/Conf fee) and attend just to dress how I normally dress, when I could put that money into surgery.  To me it just doesn't make enough sense financially, but that's my opinion.

EXACTLY. My issues are all financial and twords repairing my relationship with my family. It's just nothing I can relate to. I don't need makeup tips, and I certianly don't need "dressing expereince." That's called MY FREAKING LIFE.

And even if it were all TSs, I just don't know. I give many hours of support a day at Susan's. But I had to learn that doesn't cross into real life.I made a personal rule that I made a while back when I realized that being an open TS is RL is an invitation to place I didn't need to go.

I feel very strongly about this.

Bri

[Chrissyts41]

Thank you for adding the link, Mawd and for taking some time to look at the event schedule in depth, Brandi -- you're right, this is a conference for the TS community, with FFS and GRS surgeons speaking there in order to provide girls w/ info about them, their clinics, their procedures etc., so that it's a bit easier to make decisions about surgeries that we may have to sell our homes to afford (not kidding).
Now that THAT'S straight, is there anyone who can answer any of my legitimate questions? 
Chrissy

[melissa90299]

I never attended any of these events. I went to a meeting of TGSF a year and a half ago. Many of the people who attend these events seem to be CDs, and it's a chance to dress up. Really, I don't feel comfortable in that setting.

[BrandiOK]

  My interest in attending one of these events isn't for "makeup tips" or the opportunity to get dressed up.  I've been fulltime for five years or more so that isn't even a concern.  It was simply to meet interesting new people and experience our community on scale larger than I have before.

  I live as "stealth" as possible in RL and no I wouldn't attend an event like this if it were in my own area.  However attending something like this in another region would be relatively safe.  I'm pretty sure all or even any of the people I associate with in RL aren't going to jump out from behind a curtain and yell "Ah Ha!! We caught you! You're a TS!!". 

  I think there's more to these events than simply a chance for beginning TS individuals or CD's to dress in public.  If that were the case I'm not sure people such as Dr. Bowers or Dr. Meltzer or Dr. Brassard would take the time to attend and hold lectures. 

  Is there anything I could "learn" at one of these events? Perhaps a little humility.

[Melissa]

Is there anything I could "learn" at one of these events? Perhaps a little humility.

See for me, the decision is mostly financial.  I would also need to take some precious vacation days off which I am trying to reserve for surgery.  If these 2 concerns were not a problem, then I would have no problem attending an event.  I mean it does sound like a lot of fun and you know people are going to accept you for who you are regardless.  I've thought about doing it after having surgery and I still may.  I just know somebody who has gone to these events and then she complains she doesn't have the money for surgery.

Melissa

[BrandiOK]

  I understand...that why I said "my interest in attending".  I cannot afford to go either but I still have an "interest" in it for the reasons I listed above. 

[Chrissyts41]

A friend of mine showed me a link to a Gold Rush yahoo-group site, so I'm going there to learn more before I go, but I never would have chosen to go if I didn't know it was TS centered and that the speakers would be some of the best surgeons out there today.
But, about the $$, I seriously don't have much, and I mean it's getting a little scary, so I was also paying close attention to that problem.  I limited my stay to the 2 "central" days on the agenda to cut hotel expenses and I searched online deals for about 4 hours to find one that would work.  My RT flight, hotel and registration came to $495 all together.  It's money I don't have, but to me it's an investment in my transition that I need to make now.  If I lived in CO and was within driving distance from home, it would have only run me $125 -- pretty inexpensive for a chance to meet the surgeons all in one place and to consult w/ them, too.
The whole thing w/ going to these things just to be "out" is not at all where I'm at either.  I'll take the best from it.
Chrissy

[ceecee]

Chrissy,
I went to GoldRush last year. It was my first event ever and it was everything I hoped for. Yes, there was good access to the SRS surgeons and their presentations reflected their personalities. Marci Bowers did do one-on-ones during the conference. I wrote more about my experience at the conference on the MyHusbandBetty board. I will gladly crosspost it here if it will help you, but it sounds like you already made up your mind to go.

I live in Colorado and will probably just attend the two core days this year. Last year I did the whole shebang but this year I will try and save some money (for hair removal and stuff!). You will meet people of every kind and in all stages of transition at the event. My wife also attended the event and we focused on the partner track last year. The facilitators were good, but unfortunatly, this track was lightly attended.

I am a bit of an introvert and I attending the meeting last year without knowing a soul there. I recommend that you attend the first-time orientation meeting on Friday morning. It gave me some familiar faces that I could relate to later in the event. I would enjoy meeting you. I will post my avitar and a bio on this board so you can decide if we share any common background and would like to talk over a coffee.

CeeCee

[Chrissyts41]

CeeCee,
Thank you!  I will be there late Thursday night - Saturday and plan to make as many of the FFS/GRS surgeon's presentations as I can.  I won't know anyone, but am not concerned about it.  I'm happy that you think highly of it enough to make a return trip.  I'm single, but linking your other post here might help some other girls here who haven't been there and have involved partners.  Who knows, maybe we'll bump into each other there, too.
Chrissy

[Shana A]

A few years ago I attended First Event (outside of Boston), I just drove down for one day. It was OK, but I didn't feel all that comfortable, there wasn't a diverse mix, it seemed to be mostly M2F. From what I understand, that has changed recently. I didn't make it down this year. I don't have the finances to go to these things for the whole weekend, and it's a 2+ hour drive each way from where I live, so it's hard to get motivated to go.

I attended Camp Trans (outside the gates of MWMF) about a dozen years ago. It was a wonderful mix of TS, TG, CD, IS, M2F, F2M, neither, and every imaginable place in between. Leslie Feinberg was the guest speaker. I had a wonderful time.

zythyra