Bari Jo's Corner

[Allison S]

Aw that was a very eventful update. Wow!
Doesn't it feel great being gendered female?! Even if they're trying to be polite or have jobs that require it... I just hated being called sir so I'll take what I can get it.
You seem to be handling all the changes well.  Have the emotional changes leveled out for you on estrogen?
I feel the same way about getting a boyfriend, it's been so long! Hang in there, even when guys start to pay attention it can get complicated. It's still a good thing though when it does happen that a guy is interested. But it can be a bit annoying when they don't pursue or initiate things. I don't like doing that myself so it does make me feel undesirable at times.

Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk

[Roll]

That is a wonderful update!! So happy that things are so positive! (And they are, all of that was way more than "neutral" even on its own merits.)

Also we don't chat enough anymore!

[Bari Jo]

Also we don't chat enough anymore!

I do miss our chats too.  I need to hang out here more again.  I'm writing from the Narita Airport in Tokyo.  I don't know what the bathroom policy is here, so I started to use the mens just in case there is some law I'd break.  A woman said, miss, that's the men's room.  The ladies is over here.  Then she looked at my face and said, oh I'm sorry.  I thought you were a lady.  So, I am not going to get mad at that.  I will learn what I can and move on.  What I learned is my presentation is passing. However my face is not.  Well, I know what I have to work on, boo, and whimper.

Bari Jo

[Roll]

I do miss our chats too.  I need to hang out here more again.  I'm writing from the Narita Airport in Tokyo.  I don't know what the bathroom policy is here, so I started to use the mens just in case there is some law I'd break.  A woman said, miss, that's the men's room.  The ladies is over here.  Then she looked at my face and said, oh I'm sorry.  I thought you were a lady.  So, I am not going to get mad at that.  I will learn what I can and move on.  What I learned is my presentation is passing. However my face is not.  Well, I know what I have to work on, boo, and whimper.

Bari Jo

Honestly, I'm not here as much as I should be. Mostly Twitter and Facebook Messenger because they give me alerts.

And that happens to me a lot too. People will flag me down with "maam" and then get confused. One person at Target actually stumbled and said "Maam, sir, maam". I've started just saying "It's cool, I'm trans I know".

[Jessica]

Love your update Bari Jo.

Hugs and smiles, Jess

[Ericalaine]

Thank you for your updates! Life is about changes. You seem to have accomplished said changes with all the grace and dignity of the Lady you are.

[GingerVicki]

Honestly, I'm not here as much as I should be. Mostly Twitter and Facebook Messenger because they give me alerts.

And that happens to me a lot too. People will flag me down with "maam" and then get confused. One person at Target actually stumbled and said "Maam, sir, maam". I've started just saying "It's cool, I'm trans I know".

That's a great attitude to have.

[Bari Jo]

My Tokyo trip is coming to a close.  I thought I'd post a couple picts and tell stories.  First off, as far as I can tell trans people are treated with respect here.  I don't know the laws on bathroom use, but have been using the ladies room here and no troubles.  I guess I should have expected this from a culture that gave us Birdo in Super Mario 25 years ago.

Anyway, one of my best memories on this trip is meeting with another trans person here in Japan.  He is a trans man and we had drinks at one of the top 50 bars in the world.  Wow is all I can say.  I was definitely the girl of the group and he the man which I loved.  Included is a couple picts from the bar.





Another is from a giant art installation called Borderless.  It was about 4 acres of projection and lighting installations.  I'm including just a pict of me in front of one of them. I'm not particularly attractive there, but I like it.



Oh, one more.  I went shopping in Harajuku which is known for their quickly styles.  I had zero trouble shopping for ladies clothes and bought a leather jacket, a couple shirts and a hat that screams I'm from Japan.

I guess lastly I went video game shopping too.  The gamer girl is part of me and always will be.  Anyway, I'm living life as Bari Jo.  I love being me.

Bari Jo

[Northern Star Girl]

@Bari Jo
I am so very glad to read your terrific good news update centered around your Japan trip ... and to see your posted photos is such a treat for me and surely for all of your thread followers.

It was great to see your radiant smile and how you were so nicely dressed... and your great shopping trip for clothes.

I love your very last sentence: "Anyway, I'm living life as Bari Jo.  I love being me."
It made me almost cry with joy for you....... well, I did cry!!!

Thank you for sharing.
Hugs and well wishes... and safe travels home.
Danielle

[Jessica]

Thank you Bari Jo for the great pics and update. 
What a cute couple you and your new friend make!

Hugs and smiles from a California girl

[Bari Jo]

Thank you Bari Jo for the great pics and update. 
What a cute couple you and your new friend make!

Hah, no we are only friends.  He's actually married to a nice young lady:)

Bari Jo

[Bari Jo]

Sometimes the world surprises you.  This is an uncommon real life crossover.  I don't talk about my home business here really at all since it's not really trans related or has any run-ins with any of my personal issues.  This time I knew it would be meeting head on and I was pleasantly surprised by the result.

I design and build high end arcade and pinball machines for my home business.  Recently I had to do a photo shoot for an honor, which I will describe in a few months after it occurs.  Anyway the gaming community has not been known to be that friendly toward really anything.  It's so common to hear and read about stalking online, threats in gaming, profanity, etc.  It has gotten better lately, I will give you that.  Anyway, this was going to be the first real introduction to me, and my first near finished game publicly.  Internally I'm very proud of what I've accomplished both with the game and my transition.  Putting us together could invite hate on me for one being trans, or even hate on my work, so this was a big risk.

I took the risk and posted this picture.  This is my first MAME machine, which is an arcade machine emulator.  I based my design on the 1960s The Time Machine.  The thought process is if you want to play an old game, you will need to travel back in time to play it and this is the Time Machine to take you there.  I also wanted to build a game that belonged in the finest of offices and or bars.  It's a museum quality piece and took the small mame building community by complete surprise.  Of course a few did poke me at being trans. But the community itself backed me and trounced those few.

Experiences like this give me confidence that I can be me wherever I go, especially the communities that I feel love for, as they have my back.  All the stress, worry and what ifs about non support have been fading.  I know I'm lucky in this regard and indeed feel blessed.  Being my authentic self is starting to feel second nature, less like I have a secret.  I like being me especially when others seem to like me as me too.

Without further ado, here is my pict.  Tell me what you think of this!



Bari Jo

[Michelle_P]

@Bari Jo
First you look GREAT.  Confident and poised, and the hair looks like the popular pixie cuts I see everywhere. 

Second, the Time Machine MAME looks nothing short of awesome!  I remember the pics you posted while constructing this, and honestly, I was surprised at the work, quality and effort, you were putting into this project. The end result is spectacular.

Great results all around!

[Jessica]

I will tell you I haven't an iota of thoughts what a "mame" is. 
But it and you Bari Jo are beautifully built!

[Northern Star Girl]

I will tell you I haven't an iota of thoughts what a "mame" is. 
But it and you Bari Jo are beautifully built!

@Jessica  cc: @Michelle_P     @Bari Jo
Dear Jess:
I am with you, I also haven't an iota of thoughts what a "mame" is.

But this is what I found on Google, and will help to further confuse you and I.

"Over time, MAME (originally stood for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) absorbed the sister-project MESS (Multi Emulator Super System), so MAME now documents a wide variety of (mostly vintage) computers, video game consoles and calculators, in addition to the arcade video games that were its initial focus."

Hugs,
Danielle

[Roll]

Can't believe I missed that beauty. Truly amazing!!!

Glad to hear that the jerks were put in their place. It's sort of interesting, I've found that a lot of the more classic gamers, perhaps oddly even including the fighting game types, tend to be a lot more pro-trans. (See: SonicFox.) It's all the Fortnite era kiddies I worry about mostly.