Courtney's life begins here, redux

[Lori Dee ✅]

My electrologist told me she is naturally near-sighted, so that helps even with the magnifier.

There is always a need, so it could be a lucrative business. She is always booked solid, and there are other salons around. So even with competition, it can still be worth getting into.

[Gina P]

What a great idea, and career move. That would be a really interesting job. We could use one here in my part of WV. Every town and hamlet has at least 2 beauty saloons but I have yet to find an electrolysis.

[Courtney G]

Thanks, ladies, for the words of encouragement!

I'll be honest: at 60 years of age, I don't really want to go through the cash investment, training, setting up a business, which will include fitting out a space for my practice, as well as commuting to/from school during training, then commuting to my practice location once I'm up and running, plus the period of low revenue whilst I acquire customers.

I make less money now than I'd likely make after a few years in business but I work at home, sometimes in my pajamas. I can dress any way I want, and I don't have to satisfy anyone's requirements around gender. I eat at home and can nip out on the nearby bay if the fishing is good and my customers are taken care of. I can look at the water from most of the windows in my home and often see ospreys and bald eagles from where I sit. Plus, I'm mostly the housewife here, so I'd still have to take care of the home if I was spending many hours away from here.

Basically, it's a "Plan B" but definitely something I'm considering. I'm making a push to increase my current business's revenue. I really hope I'm able to succeed because the work aspect of my life right now is very enjoyable. I'll be eligible for social security benefits in a little over a year and a half and I might consider starting to collect then, or 1-2 year later. I just need to make a bigger contribution to the household finances.

My mother passed away when I was in my 20s (she was 57) and my father passed a few years later, in his low 60s. I hope to live a long time but I'm not a "live to work" person; I'd rather work to live.

[Stottie Girl]

Thanks, ladies, for the words of encouragement!

I'll be honest: at 60 years of age, I don't really want to go through the cash investment, training, setting up a business, which will include fitting out a space for my practice, as well as commuting to/from school during training, then commuting to my practice location once I'm up and running, plus the period of low revenue whilst I acquire customers.

I make less money now than I'd likely make after a few years in business but I work at home, sometimes in my pajamas. I can dress any way I want, and I don't have to satisfy anyone's requirements around gender. I eat at home and can nip out on the nearby bay if the fishing is good and my customers are taken care of. I can look at the water from most of the windows in my home and often see ospreys and bald eagles from where I sit. Plus, I'm mostly the housewife here, so I'd still have to take care of the home if I was spending many hours away from here.

Basically, it's a "Plan B" but definitely something I'm considering. I'm making a push to increase my current business's revenue. I really hope I'm able to succeed because the work aspect of my life right now is very enjoyable. I'll be eligible for social security benefits in a little over a year and a half and I might consider starting to collect then, or 1-2 year later. I just need to make a bigger contribution to the household finances.

My mother passed away when I was in my 20s (she was 57) and my father passed a few years later, in his low 60s. I hope to live a long time but I'm not a "live to work" person; I'd rather work to live.

Amen to that Courtney! I am working part time so the amount of money that is coming in is pitiful but I've never been happier. If I can get made up to full time as I hope I will be this year then my wage will mean I'm just about comfortable and that's all I want. When I've had high paid jobs they always want a pound of flesh for that and the quality of life is terrible. It led to two breakdowns in my case. I will take less cash and grab more of life everytime now thanks.

[Dawn Kellie]

I wish at this point I could swing part time. Wife and I got ourselves in some financial trouble. It's our own making and we are working on a couple things to get us out.

[Lori Dee ✅]

I will take less cash and grab more of life everytime now thanks.

I had a boss who could not understand why I would turn down overtime hours. Their pay was really good, but I said my time was worth more than they were willing to pay. He didn't understand. My wife and I ran two home businesses in our spare time, selling scented candles and jewelry. So he could pay me $50 per hour, or I could go home and make three or four times that. Plus, we enjoyed it.

The only time I would agree is if we needed to catch up on a job and they switched us to working four ten-hour days. That gave us a three-day weekend, and our employer did not have to pay overtime for it. Win-win.

[Gina P]

   I can't imagine starting a business at my age. Retirement, even with less money to spend, is far better than the stress. I worry often, how few years we have left in life. Many I knew, worked till they had everything in order to retire, then died only a couple of years later. Good luck on bosting your current business. There is a huge market for what you do. Perhaps more advertising?   

[Courtney G]

It's amazing that the laser removed the scar on your chin. So happy for you.

I have to chuckle. I read back through this blog and I noticed that a few months earlier, you suggested I check out laser for the scar. Perhaps your suggestion inspired me to proceed with that, but I can't recall. In any case, here's a belated "you were right!!"

[Courtney G]

(I can hear a bald eagle chirping outside my window while I type this - I live in a beautiful place)

Seems like a month since I've posted here. If I'm honest, I've been ruminating on deeper stuff, like "Am I really trans or is this just a fetish that I've taken to an extreme?" You know, impostor syndrome stuff.

But I went to electrolysis yesterday and my tech cleared a lot of dark hairs on my chin and it made me euphoric. Sometimes, I go there in girl mode, then stop at the grocery store on the way home with a pink face mask to cover the redness and remaining stubble. In yesterday's case, I wore one of my new Victoria's Secret push-up bras and a cute top, along with tight jeans and a some jewelry. I feel a little less awkward and nervous every time I do this.

Yesterday's top was black, so I wore a black scrunchie and watchband but today's is white, so I color-matched those bits again. I shaved my chin this morning and put some primer, foundation, mascara and lipstick on and when I wasn't in bad lighting, I thought I looked pretty cute, which was nice.

But I still hide in the neighborhood. I had a baggy shirt with me so I could get out of my car and retrieve my mail without tipping my hand. If I'm dressed in a revealing top (anything other than a hoodie) I keep a baggie shirt nearby at all times, in case someone knocks at the door. But I do get a tiny bit braver by the day.

I'm continuing to look at a career as an electrologist. I have been working hard to bolster sales for my business but I'd like to significantly increase my income. I discussed it a bit further with my electro tech while she worked on me yesterday. She thinks I'll be good at it and says it's not hard to get clients. It's an AI-proof career during a time when so many are in danger of losing their jobs due to AI. I was listening to a Bernie Sanders interview this morning in which he expressed his concerns about the lack of oversight and regulations on AI. "If a 50 year old truck driver loses his job to self-driving trucks, what is he going to do for work when so many others are losing their jobs at the same time?" This is really something to think about when considering a career these days.

There are very few electrologists near me and there always seems to be more clients than practitioners. It will require about a $30k investment and about 6 months of training and preparation. Since I live in a pretty conservative area, I'd probably put "trans-owned" on my website and Google local listing in order to weed out people who don't think I should exist. Of course, this could easily out me to someone in my own neighborhood if any neighbors should happen to look for this service, but it's a step I'd be willing to take.

[Gina P]

  I had to laugh when I read this. I remember back in the 70's during grade school, having to write a essay on what to do with all the people who would be put out of work by computers. 

Sorry you are having imposter syndrome days. Even after being out full time, I still get a blip now and then when those thought enter in. I remind myself how miserable I was back then and they quickly disappear.  

[Courtney G]

I had to laugh when I read this. I remember back in the 70's during grade school, having to write a essay on what to do with all the people who would be put out of work by computers

But computers are over 6,000 times more powerful than they were in the 70s (I looked it up). Now we have computers stocking shelves at stores, driving cars and trucks, writing documents (books, even!), checking people out at stores, creating websites, working customer support positions, building things, diagnosing problems, creating recipes, therapy and mental health counseling, fixing things, programming software code, medical diagnosis, accounting duties, legal work, teaching jobs and on and on.

And we build things that are made to be thrown out rather than repaired, so a lot of the hands-on "technician" work isn't needed. Cars are so reliable that mechanics have to make up stuff ("fuel injection system flush") in order to keep their profits up.

It will be a long time before a computer-powered robot can stick a little metal probe into the base of every hair follicle in a human face. And hopefully, they won't come up with a drug that makes all of your facial hair fall out.

[Charlotte Kitty ✅]

With AI I'm just embracing it where I can and hoping the fact I'm not too specialised in my role will help. I've somehow got to keep in a job for another 24 odd years at least. Its scary as everything is going down hill in the UK.

[Dances With Trees]

For the last 25 years or so of my productive life I worked as a grants writer. Most of it in Indian Country. The typical grant proposal required about one month to put together between research, writing, and gathering documentation. Now, I can imagine someone in the IT department saying, 'Hey, Siri, write me a grant proposal for the Behavioral Health Program. Ten minutes later, the Tribal Chairman signs it.

[Courtney G]

For the last 25 years or so of my productive life I worked as a grants writer. Most of it in Indian Country. The typical grant proposal required about one month to put together between research, writing, and gathering documentation. Now, I can imagine someone in the IT department saying, 'Hey, Siri, write me a grant proposal for the Behavioral Health Program. Ten minutes later, the Tribal Chairman signs it.

What a coincidence. One of my neighbors is a grant writer who is winding down. When I asked her about that as a career choice, she demurred.

[Stottie Girl]

But computers are over 6,000 times more powerful than they were in the 70s (I looked it up). Now we have computers stocking shelves at stores, driving cars and trucks, writing documents (books, even!), checking people out at stores, creating websites, working customer support positions, building things, diagnosing problems, creating recipes, therapy and mental health counseling, fixing things, programming software code, medical diagnosis, accounting duties, legal work, teaching jobs and on and on.

And we build things that are made to be thrown out rather than repaired, so a lot of the hands-on "technician" work isn't needed. Cars are so reliable that mechanics have to make up stuff ("fuel injection system flush") in order to keep their profits up.

It will be a long time before a computer-powered robot can stick a little metal probe into the base of every hair follicle in a human face. And hopefully, they won't come up with a drug that makes all of your facial hair fall out.

Well to be fair there are robots doing intricate surgery now so the technology could very well do the job of an electrolysist! Thankfully the cost of designing. developing and aquiring such machines would be prohibitive, at least for now anyway. Who knows what Cyberdyne systems are developing for us in the future ha ha!

[Petunia]

Hey Courtney,
I'm sure you don't need another pile on or someone trying to massage your ego,
but for the life of me I can't see how you walk around without being all woman.

Yeah, I get all the self doubt, I've seen it through out my life that the best, capable, most competant people are the ones who doubt themselves the most.  It's the imposters who are so confident, self assured who are failing.

Please beautiful lady, stand tall, proud, shoulders back and chest out (I like the way you said you like looking at what you have, it is quite magnificent) and just walk forward.

Don't doubt yourself. This is what you worked toward.

The only thing you are missing is confidence and that can be faked