Disclaimer: I am a transgender woman. If this offends you, go elsewhere. This blog may contain LBGT issues, but that is not the primary focus of it.
A BIT ABOUT MYSELF
Born in Toronto, Canada, by all appearances male, 57 years ago. My father, in mergers and acquisitions, moved us around, first to New York, then Germany, Belgium, a long sojourn in Spain, and finally back to Toronto.
I went to high school at King's College Madrid, then moved to Toronto, where I never did find my niche, so I studied cooking at La Varenne, Paris.
I spent twenty years in the Restaurant industry, and did OK, slowly moving up the ladder, to Chef de Cuisine at a few places. I hated every moment of it. Working with hostile people, in a hostile environment, in an industry so corrupt that I sometimes forgot that all labor laws went out the window as I walked in the door.
The only long term love of my life has been music. My dreams of being a rock star may not have come to fruition, but a lifetime of trying did yield some success, and a lot of fun. Relying on the income of being bass player in a bar band is foolish, so I had other jobs, mostly within the music industry.
TRANSITION
With all the media attention surrounding Caitlyn Jenner, most of you have at least a working knowledge about transition...Transition? The movement, metamorphosis, or mutation from one state to another. In my case, male to female.
I knew something was wrong around the onset of puberty. Late for a transgender person, who are usually aware by age six, or so. I attribute this to having a mother who surrounded me in femininity, through being a fashionista, socialite, avid couturier, plus, I was the youngest child, and therefore alone with her a lot. I don't blame her, nor do I subscribe to the nurture theory.
By puberty it was clear. I felt feminine. I had never heard of transition, or things transgender, so I formed the only opinion of myself that I could. I must be gay. Plenty of exploration of all things gay (yes, I'm talking about sex) made me realize that there was something more missing.
Enter my good friend denial. Probably the one thing I've excelled at...denying there was a problem. I dated, and then serial married women. Built the American ideal of a home with a white picket fence, and tried to live happily ever after.
Knowing full well that the woman who will be Paula lived within, I tried everything I could to find balance, as a man, with a woman living inside him. Crossdressing, sometimes very publicly, and slowly changing my day to day 'look'. I began wearing women's jeans, and tee-shirt, carrying a purse, etc. really pushing the limits of what could be considered masculine. I knew I could find the point that the woman within was satisfied, and I could leave it at that. By the time this progressed to essentially presenting female full time, I had a gender epiphany, and decided there was not room in my head for two of us. Paula had to be the only, and true persona. The 'hows' of transition are well covered on the net, and details, as required, will creep into my writing.
Another disclaimer: The two taboo subjects of transgender women- Genital surgery, and sexual orientation, may come up in this blog as the subject requires, but is once again, not the focus of this blog. What's between my legs, and who I sleep with are my business, and I may, or may not, divulge this in my writings.
JUST PLAIN BAT-SH*T CRAZY
The point of this blog. My mission statement so to speak. It began by surfing the LBGT news, which led to the anti-LBGT news, to news in general, I realized the world is going crazy. Granted there are tiny pockets of sanity, but the more I sought out the absurd, the outlandish, the paranoid, and the just plain wacko, I realized there was too much of it for my daily Facebook post, that always ended JUST PLAIN BAT-SH*T CRAZY. There may be days that I write about things I like, or I find interesting, but don't fall in the JPBSC category. It's my blog.
Yet another disclaimer: My blog will cover subjects such as the religious right wing, republicans, gun control, drugs, one of my faves the Westboro Baptist church, Americans, music, the death penalty, fashion, the Duggars, pets, LBGT issues, trans issues, and abortion, to only name a few.
There may be some satire, and some venom. It's calling them as I see them. I DO NOT HATE ANYBODY, AND HAVE NO TIME FOR THOSE WHO DO.
A blog is, by definition, a diary. It's my thoughts, as they come to me. Some opinion, some fact, and maybe a cute picture of a kitty sometimes. Like most, my thoughts jump around. It you are looking for continuity, you can watch a soap opera.
Your thoughts, and opinions on my writings are always welcome. Rebut, cross examine, or disagree, but do not hate. I will delete any hate comments immediately.
Just writing this intro is part of a work in progress. There is a learning curve to blogging I will discover as I go. Therefore, pictures, artwork, links etc. will be included...sometime, when I figure out the features available to me. Be patient.
Well, you're off to a great start! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your first post! And, I had no idea you moved around so much growing up! I look forward to reading more of your posts! :) xo
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