Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Sorry to bore again with my seemingly never ending retirement.

I was given a farewell retirement function and I was asked how large or small I wanted it. I opted for a lunchtime open-house. My work place supplied food, my colleagues contributed to a lovely gift and of course there were speeches.

I was asked before hand by the person organising the event, a close and dear friend and who runs one of my ex-labs, if I was OK with pictures of Peter being shown during the presentations. My hesitation must have been obvious and she said, everyone knows Peter and Cindy, they appreciate your work and teachings as Cindy and as Peter, I of course said yes.

I wasn't looking forward to this.

My original Head of Dept, now retired for many years came along and gave a lovely short talk and then my mentor and supervisor for many years, also well retired, gave a talk and focused on my scientific achievements. People were a little taken aback by some and I had that sort of inner glow smile of satisfaction.

There were then talks from past students and I was suitably astonished by where some have ended up. My technical interest in the analysis of particles had been taken up in so many different ways and past students are everywhere from climatology to pharmaceuticals to the wine industry to nanotechnology (a colleague and I had a crazy way to treat cancer using nanotechnology and radio waves, he has taken it to an exciting level!). I was also taken that a colleague has developed a test for viral infection in oysters that farmers can have on site with a simple to use machine and test. The half a room sized monster machines that I started on are now briefcase size.

I gave a short talk in thanks (using slides in case my 'voice' went) and the title was 'Don't Plan' based on my life experience that when ever I didn't plan something I had a wonderful time, and when I did plan an event it went down the gurgler.

I mentioned a time on a Friday afternoon when in an unplanned moment I came out as transgender and that I was Cindy.  I made the comment that being accepted was the most indescribable feeling of joy. There was a collective sigh and smile and love feeling.

After the talks I was catching up with old friends and the comments was made that: 'We wish you had told us'. There was a heap of gossip about why Peter was appearing in more and more feminine clothing, nail polish and strange hair do's. My sanity was being questioned and when I came out as TG there was a collective sigh of 'Oh is that all'. So my idea of subtly breaking in the fact that I was TG  didn't quite work :laugh:

So I had a nice time. I appreciated the honour that my colleagues gave me and of course, as ever, I found that the fear of the moment is greater than the moment.

Afterwards, my now ex-research group said, 'you are still coming to the meetings every Thursday'. It wasn't a question and yes I am.

Cindy, I am glad that they had such a nice retirement do for you.  I can understand your hesitation, especially knowing that they were going to dredge up pictures of your old self.  But you have had an illustrious career, and it is good that your colleagues recognized and appreciated it.  And I am happy that you enjoyed it in the end.

Cindy,

I'm very glad to hear it seems to have gone well...

Quote(a colleague and I had a crazy way to treat cancer using nanotechnology and radio waves, he has taken it to an exciting level!).

Did he by any chance go up the spectrum to short-wave infrared?

Cindy, congratulation on surviving the retirement party :)

I love " the fear of the moment is greater than the moment".

Cindy,

Congratulations on your retirement, I guess the Thursday meetings will keep you in touch still which is really nice.

What a lovely affirmation of acceptance by your colleagues it must have been a day of emotions for you. I can relate to not wanting to see pictures of Peter, but as they said they knew Peter and Cindy and it's lovely that their response was why didn't you tell us sooner, which I think show they really cared.

Hugs,

Nicole

Be careful, Trump may revoke your authorization.  ::) ::) So glad you were celebrated by your peers.  You are truly worth the praise.

Congratulations Cindy!

Chrissy

Cindy, It's wonderful to hear things went well and that they have appreciated your contributions as a college all along. Congratulations. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: zirconia on August 19, 2018, 08:45:22 AM
Cindy,

I'm very glad to hear it seems to have gone well...

Quote(a colleague and I had a crazy way to treat cancer using nanotechnology and radio waves, he has taken it to an exciting level!).

Did he by any chance go up the spectrum to short-wave infrared?

Thanks Hon,

We (royal we!) were having issues with failing to kill the targets and it was a little complex to get to the bottom of it. We needed to change the dendrimer charge and the metal atom in the dendrimer. For reasons that I don't understand, as they are way out of my knowledge area, some metal atoms will resonate better to the radio frequency than others and it was a matter of calculating which.
The charge stuff was just dumb. We had missed the fact that when we did the conjugation of the dendrimers to the protein carrier, an immunoglobulin molecule, we ended up with the same charge on the molecule as we had on the cell surface. So of course the binding was pathetic. For some reason we spent ages wondering why the binding and the proximity was so bad and then there was an 'Oh dear' moment. My fault for planning it!

Quote from: Cindy on August 20, 2018, 02:58:12 AM
Did he by any chance go up the spectrum to short-wave infrared?



Thanks Hon,

We (royal we!) were having issues with failing to kill the targets and it was a little complex to get to the bottom of it. We needed to change the dendrimer charge and the metal atom in the dendrimer. For reasons that I don't understand, as they are way out of my knowledge area, some metal atoms will resonate better to the radio frequency than others and it was a matter of calculating which.
The charge stuff was just dumb. We had missed the fact that when we did the conjugation of the dendrimers to the protein carrier, an immunoglobulin molecule, we ended up with the same charge on the molecule as we had on the cell surface. So of course the binding was pathetic. For some reason we spent ages wondering why the binding and the proximity was so bad and then there was an 'Oh dear' moment. My fault for planning it!

say what? O.o

In laywoman's terms .. you did stuff and had trouble with stuff :P

Cindy, I've followed your posts about your work (not that I understood much) and subsequent multi-retirement.
congratulations seems trite after all that, meant insufficient, but you have them any ways. To earn respect and admiration in both guises and also outside it, like here on Susan's, takes a special kind of person.

Faith

Cindy this is another point of validation that you are loved and cared for by many.  That is special, like you!

Judi

Cindy, this all confirms that your successes in life had a very strong influence on your peers.
It didn't matter what gender you were, you made an impact and that is a very satisfying achievement. 
You have also given all of us direction and knowledge that has us feeling that society is and has been ready for situations of dramatic change.

Congratulations on your retirement and having many friends share their experiences with you.

Now .....everyday is Saturday!!

Hugs and smiles, Jess