Marion's Retirement

[davina61]

I tend to batch cook, have some pork belly slices that I froze as they were reduced price due to close to sell by date. Thinking sweet and sour stir fry but will cook them in the air fryer first to get rid of a lot of the fat, carrots and Monge to as well for veg intake.

[Maid Marion]

The air fryer is great for making pork less fatty.  I sometimes heat up prepared pork from the Asian Market in the air fryer.  I learned that if I cut the top off a 1/2 gallon milk carton I can stick the air fryer basket in it to drain the oil!

Wandering the aisles of a grocery store looking for markdowns is a great way to save money.
Just have to remember that you don't have much time before it spoils.

I like to  dress nicely to put myself in a good mood for grocery shopping.  I also pick my shopping times so the store is less crowded.
I think this helps get better service.  Last time I bought day boat scallops the guy spent the extra time to pick out the extra large scallops that are great for searing in the pan with hot butter.

[Gina P]

Our air fryer would smoke as the fat from chicken dripped onto the heating elements. I found if we put a few slices of bread in the basket to catch the grease it helps. 
Gina

[ChrissyRyan]

When not in use, it is best to unplug the air fryer, not just turn it off, to help prevent fires.

A cleanable and replaceable liner has proven helpful to use in my air fryer.
The cleaning seems to be easier too.


Chrissy

[davina61]

element is in the top on mine, took 2 big paper towels to mop the fat up just.

[Maid Marion]

Just got a purple crop blouse through Revolve, a popular Internet shop for clothes.
I'm really short, so this is very figure flattering when I wear it.  I do a lot of "retail therapy." 
My wife used to pay for a therapist "out of pocket"  as insurance wouldn't cover it.  "Retail therapy" is less expensive!

[Maid Marion]

Instead of moving, I transitioned at work over several years, first wearing nail polish and high heels, which made that distinctive sound on the linoleum floors. It was a pleasure to switch to women's clothes as I have a feminine hourglass figure with hips that are a tad larger than my chest.  I started before the Pandemic.

After the Pandemic some women began to wear excessively casual clothes to the office, so a dress code was instituted.  I wore skirts to the office, as they were allowed while shorts were prohibited.  But, all good things have to come to an end eventually.  I realized that I had more than ample savings and it didn't make a lot of sense to continue working past 60, so I gave six months notice.  A few months later they hired another Tgirl, who happily maintains the "in your face" evidence that we exist. She wanted to move to a new city after transitioning, and our company was the ideal fit for her!

[Maid Marion]

I was getting take out sushi and spotted a pink Hello Kitty Mitsubishi Mirage on my way home!
A cute little car made in Japan.  I also drive a cute little car made in Japan.

When I go out I'll often wear a little bit of dark red lipstick.  It doesn't take long to put on and helps as a gender clue.

[davina61]

My go to lippy is a bright red or an orangey pink? hard to describe but it goes with any clothes with orange or pink in them.

[Maid Marion]

The bathroom sink drain was getting slow so I cleared it with a rubber plunger.
I filled the sink with water and instead of pushing down on the clog, I pulled up!
The suction pulled the clog up and broke it up in pieces to be picked up and tossed in the trash.
Much better than using nasty drain cleaners.

Marion

[davina61]

Tip on the telly in a house cleaning program, baking soda and white vinegar followed by a boiling kettle of water. Baking soda and a bit of washing up liquid to shift calcium stains around taps, tile grouting and things like that using a tooth brush.

[Maid Marion]

I changed the gender identity information this week with both my doctor and dentist offices.

I find it much easier to present as female.  When I used to present as a guy I'd often fall into the uncanny valley between male and female! 

[Maid Marion]

Danger Zone!  The uncanny valley between male and female is a danger zone!
It sets off all sorts of alarm bells.

Drag queens are safely out of the danger zone.  They aren't considered threats.

It is like an airplane flying near its stall speed. 
You may think  you are safe, traveling slowly, when in reality you are in great danger of tumbling out of the sky if you lack enough altitude to recover.

Based on this thinking, if you are going to out yourself, best to go full throttle and present as convincing a female image as is practical.  Avoid being right in the middle, thinking that may be easier for people to accept.  Being in "uncanny valley" makes it harder for the people you wish to reach.

[LoriDee]

I have found that it doesn't take much to look more feminine. Too often drag and cross-dressers try too hard and end up way over the top.

When someone looks at you, what do they notice first? Hair? A feminine hairstyle, short or long works. Their subconscious mind is already taking in data to decide. Eyes? A little eyeliner works so well that I skip the mascara. Lips? A light touch of color is all that is needed. Some people like bright reds but I prefer dark pink. Maybelline Color Stay stains the skin, so after wiping it off, I still have a hint of color. As they scan down, next is boobs. Big or small, ANY will register. If the overall look is feminine (not slutty or overdone) their subconscious will whisper "female".

FtM can use the same tricks. Shorter hair in a masculine style. A little smoky eye shadow around the mouth can give the illusion of a five o'clock shadow. Shoulder pads to make the torso look wider at the top.

I agree that "going all out" is the way to go to stay out of "danger alley". But it doesn't require heroic efforts to signal your gender. Observe how most women (or men) dress, talk, and behave in general. If you can mimic what they do, you will blend in perfectly.

[Maid Marion]

I wore high heels to the garden club meeting and bought freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
I made two cookies without any chocolate and made the cookies really small since everyone seems to be on a diet these days. 

Winter in New England is drab and dreary so I opted for some bright color in my outfit, wearing a florescent yellow shirt over a light green crop top.  I picked out blue jeans with a shiny fabric.

[davina61]

Pass the shades!!! All the colours of a flower bed dear.

[Maid Marion]

I think it is more feminine to read the room and adapt to what your audience wants, hence the small cookies and providing an alternative for those who don't like chocolate.

I had spotted someone new and had a conversation, identifying myself as one of the more experienced members.  I found she wanted to grow roses where there may only be enough sun for them to flower once during the year, yet she wanted modern repeating roses.  I suggested she may want to consider old garden roses and hook up with gardeners who like give away roses that are out of commerce because they don't repeat like modern roses.

[Oldandcreaky]

Suggesting your fellow member mine someone else's garden for old school roses who's going new school is a good idea, Marion.

[Maid Marion]

I just got my annual fix of See's chocolate! 
$90 for two boxes of dark chocolate, five candy bars, and assortment of Easter themed candy.
The weight goes to my hips to maintain my hourglass figure.  😀 

I bought my first glass nail file from the Mark Twain gift shop twenty years ago.
They really make a difference in keeping my nails properly shaped.
I decided to stock up and bought eight new ones via Amazon.

A box of aluminum plant tags for properly naming the hundreds of flowering plants I have growing around the yard.  A sharp pencil leaves a mark that won't fade in the sun. I've also used Avery labels and a laser printer to make tags that last twenty years but it is useful to be able to make tags without a computer.

[davina61]

Your lucky , mine just goes to my tummy--------