Quote from: LoriDee on Today at 12:41:59 PMI had my first appointment with my new Voice Coach. I am in Rapid City, SD and she is in Iowa City, IA so the appointment was done through a telemedicine video link. It was mostly giving her background information on prior training, and medical stuff like injuries or trauma to the neck or head. I do have a cervical fusion of neck vertebrae but I doubt that affects my voice. She wasn't concerned. We had a great time chatting and both of us griping about the impossibly slow pace of government.

We set up the next two appointments. We will meet each week. My "homework" is to download an app. Done. Our next question will be filling out a bunch of questionnaires. She says it is boring, but the government loves its paperwork, and we must get through it.

After the appointment, my Bestie called and asked if I could take her shopping. She had some great news she wanted to share. Her son has moved back here from Sioux Falls and I haven't seen him in a couple of years. He would be coming along. No problem.

I picked them up and the son said he finally won his disability claim from Social Security, AND he received all of his back pay. Over $70,000. Wowza. He bought a car and needed a ride to the bank to get cash and then to the car dealer to finalize the purchase. He got a good deal on a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It's in great shape.

I was kidding with him and said, "So what is the great news you wanted to share?"

He handed me $20 and said, "You don't need to drive us to Walmart!"

They went shopping and I went home. I'm a little richer and they now have the freedom to go places without relying on me or her sister. Win-Win.

It all sounds good.  Except that her son is disabled, that is a bummer. 

Chrissy

It is nice to wear the clothing that is for your gender.  I enjoy being able to switch between slacks, jeans, skirts, dresses, shorts, skorts, etc., depending on the appropriate dress for the day.

Chrissy

Wait weight

My skin is very soft, but not velvety soft as some CIS women.  Not that I go feeling the skin of many women.  Soft, but not as soft.  Close though, at least where there are no hairs.

Since I started crossdressing at age 18 life has been great.I knew looking back at age 7 when I was diagnosed with asperger's syndrome which is a form of autism,therapist said I would have LGBT issues and it happen.It was two months after graduating from high school,would go in my mom's room opening up her closet checking her wardrobe out.Finally did try on a few of her tops,skirts and dresses.I put them back making sure they were put back in right.Did not get caught at first.Did get caught finally,she came home early seeing me wearing a dark blue dress of hers.I saw she was shocked and it was tough on her.Thought she was mad at me too and she was not.Next day we talked and told her I enjoy wearing female clothing.Both did the research together,came up with me being a crossdresser.She also remembered the therapist saying I would have LGBT issues.We also worked things out and she surprised me.Found someone that made me over as female.I got it all with my hair,makeup and nails done.Plus a whole new wardrobe and lessons too.Learned to walk like a young lady and walking in heels.First time I seen myself as Adrianna,my life changed in the right direction and seen I wanted stay as her.First time my mom saw me,was told to say hello to her new daughter and did.Looked at her and said I am staying as Adrianna.My 2 younger brothers were there too,mom told them say hello to their much happier big sister.To this day,my family has always been there for me.

Thats just (pea) nuts

I played in SL too for many years. It took a while, but I set up a business (a detective agency) and did pretty well. It was mostly drama from people with online relationships checking up on their partners and I got paid well to snoop.

Eventually, I met a young man and we became close. He lived in Nova Scotia and was part of a volunteer fire depart on Prince Edward Island. He suggested some other online games that we could do together: WoW, World of Tanks, and the other two related games (warships and aircraft). We spent a lot of time chatting online while playing and he became infatuated with me. He was my first stalker. He tried to track me down from bits of information I had shared. My next-door neighbor contacted me saying that a young man was in town looking for me. I freaked out and deleted all of my accounts.

About five years later, I decided to venture back into SL. New account, new name new look. I got settled in and started a business building cars and trucks. I bought some land and set up a garage and role-played a mechanic while building vehicles in the shop. About a month later, the owner of the sim stopped by and we chatted a bit. He said he wanted to introduce me to an old friend of his and the new town Fire Chief. It only took a couple of minutes of chatting and I recognized him. The. Same. Guy.

I used my snooping expertise to locate someone he claimed was his wife IRL. The information I got from her was that she knows him, but they are not in any RL relationship. He is 19 years old, lives with his mom, and does not work for the fire department. His fantasy is to be a fireman someday but he lacks the motivation/ability to actually apply.

So I closed that account too and never went back. I had so much fun there exploring my new-to-be gender, relationships, and interests. But I was not going to take any chances on running into him again.

Is anyone here still active in SL? heathernorton is my account name. Feel free to look me up if you are

United Methodists end anti-LGBTQ policies

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/united-methodists-end-anti-lgbtq-policies/ar-AA1o3TRT?ocid=windirect&cvid=4cabf0472d4e40d69912e316bc01ecc7&ei=58

Story by Michelle Boorstein (2 May 2024)

The United Methodist Church, one of the largest organized Christian groups in America, ended a slew of anti-LGBT policies this week, including a ban on gay clergy and on penalties for clergy who conduct same-sex marriages.

The moves came as votes of the UMC's General Conference, the denomination's legislative body, which normally meets every four years.

While multiple other mainline Protestant groups, including Episcopalians and the United Church of Christ, years ago ended anti-LGBTQ+ policies, the United Methodists — who historically have been more politically and regionally diverse — remained deeply divided. Tensions stayed high in recent years as advocates for liberal reforms kept pressing for change and conservatives continued to resist.

Because of the tension, nearly a quarter of the UMC's 30,000 congregations in the United States have left since 2019, primarily conservatives. That's when denominational leaders opened a window for congregations to leave with their property, according to the UMC news service. The deadline to leave was at the end of December.

On Tuesday, delegates voted overwhelmingly to delete mandatory penalties for conducting same-sex marriages and to remove the denomination's bans on considering LGBTQ candidates for ministry and on funding for gay-friendly ministries. It also ended a ban on consecrating gay people as bishops.

As I noted in my other post, I've noticed that the color of my skin has become paler on estrogen.  So I really need makeup on top of my sunscreen, otherwise people think I have the flu (some have asked why I have flour or chalk on my face, or that I look like "death warmed over").  And since the pandemic I have found that since Covid, many people are fearful of people who even have a hint of a flu or some sickness, even if you are not sick!