An update on me...

[JudiBlueEyes]

Michelle you are certainly looking wonderful!  Love the nail color.
Judi

[Donica]

I am taking a self-care day until group tonight.



Decompression is good!


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Wow Michelle! You are looking fabulous. Enjoy your self-care day girl. You deserve it.

Hugs,
Donica.

[Jessica]

I am taking a self-care day until group tonight.



Decompression is good!


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I'm happy for you Michelle.  It does feel good!

[Laurie]

 The color looks a bit darker. I like it. Their sparkle matched the sparkle I see in your eyes.

Love,
  Laurie

[Michelle_P]

I got about an hour and a half of electrolysis in today.  My friend Jodie, also my electrolyst, was kind enough to take a whack at me early this afternoon.  She's getting ready to retire, so future visits will be purely social.   She did clear everything off, and I am quite happy with that.  The left cheek hadn't been touches since July, and was getting a little scruffy.

We also had fun with her new (to her) car, a Subaru Forester.  How traditional of her...

I helped her clear out some old settings in the electronics from the prior owner and pair her phone with the car's Bluetooth electronics.  She's tickled to have her music and phone calls coming in over the car's speakers and microphone.  The vehicle voice recognition system and it's speech synthesis are pretty pathetic, so we set things up so her phone's little AI will handle speech recognition duties.

I'm still cleaning up in the apartment after my former roommate left and I shipped her stuff.  I should have everything tidy within a week.  Other tasks currently have a higher priority.

I am writing some stuff for my turn as Worship Associate this weekend, and will be doing it again November 11, just in time for Trans Awareness Week. 

@Laurie sent me a snap of her re-done nails.  Pretty close to mine currently!  Twinsies!

I just noticed.  The two-year anniversary of my going full time and the one year anniversary of my gender confirmation surgery (GCS) are coming up this weekend!  Wow!  How to celebrate?

[Anne Blake]

Michelle, congratulations on your two year full time mark. Your mentioning it  reminded me of my two year anniversary three days ago on the 15th of October. Not to derail your thread but that got me thinking of where the two of us were two years ago, each in our own life and death struggles. Now I only see a couple of ladies getting on with life. The things that you post and the things that are keeping my life busy are just life stuff, you know, the kind of stuff all those CIS folks are busy with......and two years ago I don't think that either one of us ever expected to to feel this good about living an incredibly exciting "Normal" life.

Well done girl, keep it up,
Tia Anne

[Laurie]

@Laurie sent me a snap of her re-done nails.  Pretty close to mine currently!  Twinsies!

I was just thinking the same thing. <3 Mine is a little more translucent I think.

Congrats on the anniversaries  Girlfriend

Hugs & kisses,
  Laurie

[Michelle_P]

Michelle, congratulations on your two year full time mark. Your mentioning it  reminded me of my two year anniversary three days ago on the 15th of October. Not to derail your thread but that got me thinking of where the two of us were two years ago, each in our own life and death struggles. Now I only see a couple of ladies getting on with life. The things that you post and the things that are keeping my life busy are just life stuff, you know, the kind of stuff all those CIS folks are busy with......and two years ago I don't think that either one of us ever expected to to feel this good about living an incredibly exciting "Normal" life.

Well done girl, keep it up,
Tia Anne

It's amazing, I think.  A few years ago I could never picture myself dropping into a nail salon, or just pushing a cart through Costco as myself.  And public speaking, or talking from the pulpit in a church?  No way would that person have considered doing that!

It's just life, and I'm just me, doing it!

Some parts of me still haven't quite caught up to reality, but they will get there eventually.

A little while ago, while doing some cleaning in my apartment, I saw a woman across the room and was startled.  It was me, in a bathroom mirror, but for a second I just saw her, without all the stale data my brain tries to layer onto an image.  She was actually cute, in an older woman sort of way.  I hope someday soon my internal self-image, carried in those slow-learning 'mirror' neurons, will catch up.  It will happen, hopefully sooner rather than later.

My gender therapist actually suggested looking at myself in the mirror a few minutes every day! 

I was just thinking the same thing. <3 Mine is a little more translucent I think.

Congrats on the anniversaries  Girlfriend

Hugs & kisses,
  Laurie

Thank you, @Laurie !  It feels a little odd, but good.  I've come a long ways relatively quickly.  It may take a little while for some bits in my head to finally catch up.  Meanwhile, you have a slightly crazy girlfriend!

[Sonja]

@Michelle_P @Laurie

Nice nails girls! I love fancy embellishment!

Michelle - No matter how feminine we look, our memory will remind us of our former until those memories are replaced with newer ones, and then we start to see what everyone else did.  Smiling through that journey from old to new is the best way forward, and smiling into a mirror is the best way for your mind to capture the new you.

I haven't had a chance to get to know you yet or as many people as I would like, but I have been following a lot of your posts.

Take care,

Sonja.

[Laurie]

Some parts of me still haven't quite caught up to reality, but they will get there eventually.

  It was me, in a bathroom mirror, but for a second I just saw her, without all the stale data my brain tries to layer onto an image.  She was actually cute, in an older woman sort of way.  I hope someday soon my internal self-image, carried in those slow-learning 'mirror' neurons, will catch up.  It will happen, hopefully sooner rather than later.

  It feels a little odd, but good.  I've come a long ways relatively quickly.  It may take a little while for some bits in my head to finally catch up.  Meanwhile, you have a slightly crazy girlfriend!

Okay girlfriend,

  First I like the way you express how we see ourselves and the slow process we have of seeing our own progress.( Bold Black) I think you cover it well.

Second Read the RED... Those are the crux of your positive messages to yourself. That is what I see when I look at you.

Lastly there is the Teal ... Slightly crazy? Oh girlfriend ,please don't sell yourself short. I have it on good authority that you my dear are Bat poo Crazy! You have to be to have fallen in love with me. Now don't go making me sound like the sane one in this relationship. We both know that I a far from sane. But That's okay. We have each other.

Love and Kisses,
  Laurie

[Donica]

Congratulations on you two year full time anniversary and your one year post-op GCS. You have been an inspiration for many of us. I'm glad to hear you can continue to visit with your electrolysis. We spend so much time with them that we develop Painful meaningful relationships. Two years is too far into the future to even imagine where I will be. It feels wonderful now. Onward we go.

Edit: Oh ya! I would get myself a full length mirror for my bedroom but I'm afraid it would scare the crap out of me. I can imagine waking up in the morning still sleepy, heading for the bathroom and seeing someone standing in the doorway. "Pardon me ma'am! I didn't know it was occupied. Wait,,, What?".

Hugs Michelle!
Donica.

[davina61]

The woman in the mirror does make you jump , I see here sometimes as well, shop windows and stuff like that. Loving the nails, yours and the GFs

[LizK]

.

z, but they will get there eventually.

......My gender therapist actually suggested looking at myself in the mirror a few minutes every day! 


Thank you, @Laurie !  It feels a little odd, but good.  I've come a long ways relatively quickly.  It may take a little while for some bits in my head to finally catch up.  Meanwhile, you have a slightly crazy girlfriend!

Hi Michelle

You and I came onto this board and started our journeys very close together. It has been remarkable to see the woman I see before me emerge from the wreckage of her life...stronger more vibrant...like a phoenix rising from the ashes of her nest.  I admire you tenacity, drive and just down right stubbornness to accomplish your goals.

You are a remarkable woman and I wish all the happiness and joy of it.

take care

Liz

[Michelle_P]

Hi Michelle

You and I came onto this board and started our journeys very close together. It has been remarkable to see the woman I see before me emerge from the wreckage of her life...stronger more vibrant...like a phoenix rising from the ashes of her nest.  I admire you tenacity, drive and just down right stubbornness to accomplish your goals.

You are a remarkable woman and I wish all the happiness and joy of it.

take care

Liz

Thank you, Liz.  It has been one heck of a ride for both of us.  I think I rushed things a bit, but I don't see how I could have avoided blowing up my old family relationship, all things considered.  I think I was way past ready for transition, about to explode, when I started out.

I'm doing better now, and you certainly are doing well!

Today is the one-year anniversary of my Gender Confirmation Surgery (GCS).  And THAT means I am down to one dilation a day!  Yaaay!  I have done pretty well on this, still holding depth (all dots in) and using Mr. Big... er... the Orange SoulSource #4 hard plastic dilator (9" x 1.5")


I had some fun last night, whipping up a quick (and small) Apple Brown Betty recipe.  Yum!  This one serves two, about 250 calories, and uses rolled oats instead of bread crumbs (making it a little more like a crisp!), so it can be made gluten-free with the right rolled oats.

[Michelle_P]

I got through my Worship Associate gig on Sunday OK. Here is my short welcome speech
https://michellepaquette.blogspot.com/2018/10/welcome-for-october-21-2018-at-mduuc.html

Monday I did a bit of training at our local LGBTQ center, and will be doing occasional turns as a support group facilitator. More hats to wear...

It's a beautiful fall morning, and I'm doing something impulsive.  I'm going for a ride to look at the fall color in the mountains, and have a nice brunch.

There's a little restaurant up in the hills that does great breakfasts, and some places that sell pies and such.

I actually have a few days with nothing scheduled. I may just keep going and see where my heart takes me.  I'm feeling very relaxed, no pressure and no news. Just music and the hills.


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[Donica]

Michelle, that was a lovely, intelligent and heart felt welcoming speech. Thank you for sharing. Again you have been very inspirational. I hope I can always be a rainbow in the dark clouds of those I meet. It takes a constant positive attitude that, I will admit, I do not always carry with me. That part of me is changing for the better every day.

Enjoy your relaxing ride and brunch through the mountains. Be safe.

Hugs you multi hat wearing lady!
Donica.

[Michelle_P]

I actually have a few days with nothing scheduled. I may just keep going and see where my heart takes me.  I'm feeling very relaxed, no pressure and no news. Just music and the hills.

My heart took me here...



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[Laurie]

My heart took me here...



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  And my heart knocked on my door. I'm feeling very happy.

Hugs & kisses
  Laurie

[Kendra]

Michelle you are amazing. 

Some of the best destinations along the road of life are discovered if we allow ourselves follow our heart. 

[Linde]

Locking at your very feminine fingernails, how on earth do you guys do it to make them look so dainty?
I am supposed to be that girlish looking person, but my fingernail look as wide as a steam shovel!  And I have not very big hands at all, but my nails do definitely look male!  Short, wide and roundish! 
I can't have them long because I like to do yard work, and long fingernails would become dirt shovels.  But what can I do to get them look as feminine as yours?