Hi jaedevon,
I'm Laurie, the wandering waif of Susan's Place. Good to see you here with us. Welcome.
Like Kathy, I grinned as I read your post. It brought back my experiences in going full time. But to be truthful I had been out dressed many many times in the privacy of my car. That was a safe place like dressing in my bedroom. However, going out into public areas and interacting with people is a whole different matter and that is what I am talking about here.
My first forays into the public eye were accepting dares (suggestions) from other members here at Susan's Place. The first was to go dressed into a store. I did this that night by going into Walmart 5 minutes before closing. I was scared but in I went. I went into the cosmetics section took a picture as proof, walked through the women's clothing section and left. I posted the picture and related the escapade. Not good enough I was told, I was then instructed to go into a store, shop for some women's item, take it to a live cashier and pay for it . I chose Target the next night got gussied up and off to Target I went. ( o'clock at night and there was a steady stream of people in and out. It took me 15 minutes to get up the courage to get out of my car and go inside. I browsed through the ladies wallets and picked one. I looked at earrings and clothes and the beauty products and picked up a nail tool I wanted. No one gave me strange looks that I know of. So off to the cashier and in line behind one person, A couple more get in line behind me. Oh crap, let me out of here. The cashier looks up and smiles at me with a look like"that's a guy" I'm sure. But when it is my turn she says nothing and politely rings up my items which I pay for and almost run out of the store. I had survived!
My next outing was even more in the public eye. I went to visit another member for the weekend out on the coast for the Astoria Pride festivities. A whole weekend dressed! I really didn't know Tessa James but I would after this weekend as I was staying the weekend. I found out she is one of the founders of their Q center and very active in the festivities. Everywhere I went with her I was introduce as her friend Laurie from Portland. Everywhere! I swear she knows everyone! Before I knew it I was holding up one end of a rainbow banner just behind the official Astoria Pride banner at the front of the parade. How's that for public interactions? I survived that, the block party and he dance. How many people I met I don't know but a lot.
The next escapade would be the last time in male mode. I had announce here in Susan's that I was going to take a road trip to Maine and back to Oregon and asked if anyone wanted to meet me along the way. I had eight people say they would. The first two were in the Denver area where I would have lunch with
@Janes Groove and stay the night with
@RandyL and his wife. I decided I could go that far dressed so off I went as Laurie. I met Jane outside the restaurant and in we went for my first time in a restaurant. Visiting with her was so fun I ignored everyone around us. My visit over night with RandyL was also a very enjoyable time. I could hardly believe I was staying overnight in their home when they barely knew me. they were gracious hosts and even their vegan diet they fed me was good.
From the I went further east, still dressed, to visit other friends in Missouri who knew of Laurie but had never seen her. On the way I managed to lock my purse, phone, and keys in my pickup at one of those big truck stop/gas stations. OMG!, I had to go inside and ask for help. They called a locksmith for me and I had to explain I was dressed as a woman so he could find me when he got there. Yes I was scared and embarrassed, but I did survive.
To shorten the tail I went on with my trip to Maine and back visiting 7 other members of Susan's, My friends in Mo., and my niece in PA. I wound up changing to male clothes only twice on the way out. Once to go fishing in Mo. and the other was to take my niece out to dinner in Altoona, Pa. All these encounters with everyone and running all over in public had it's effect on me. By the time I had gotten back to Idaho on the way home it occurred to me that I had been living full time as Laurie for 3 and a half weeks since I had last changed to male clothes and there was no reason I could think of for me to stop. Yes it had snuck up on me, I was full time and just realized it. That was over a year ago and I have not been in male clothes since.
All it takes is getting yourself out there and getting over the fear of being seen. Get over the fear then own it girl. You can do it. If you have friends you can go places with that will help. Good luck.
Hugs,
Laurie
