Sunday January 11, 2015 - Lunch with T-Lady

For the past two years I have been going to Electrology 3000 (e3000) in Dallas, Texas to remove my beard. I have been wanting to go since the mid to late 1990's when they were e2000 and owned by the original founders, Ruthann and Bren Piranio.

E3000 has done a great job, my beard shadow is gone and after each session, my regrowth is reduced. I am now toward the end. I am going to miss them because they are so T-friendly and just nice people. 

While I was there, I met another client. As we talked, I found out she had just had her SRS surgery in the fall of 2014. 

After we both finished our sessions, I asked her if she was hungry because I was starving. She said yes and I asked her if we could lunch together because I wanted to talk with her.

We agreed on Chipotle Mexican Grill.

We had a very enjoyable lunch. For me, I wanted to talk with someone who had completed the SRS part of the journey. I do not know yet if I will go that far, but as I finish Part 2 (eletrology - Part 1 was weight loss), I wanted to talk with some who had completed both my Part 3 (hrt) and Part 4 (SRS).

We have a lot in common. We are both in our 50's, married (she is recently divorced), children (our children are similar in age - mine are slightly younger) and knew we knew we were different at an early age.

Mary (not her real name) told a touching story of asking her mother at 5, what would she have named her if she were born a girl. That is now her legal name.

Even though we both knew before we were ten, we eventually assimilated into our cultural norms.

For those readers old enough to remember back in the 1960's and 1970's, not only was the wording wrong (everyone was either gay and/or a crossdresser) but there was no network to join. 

I joined TRi-Ess in the early 1990's, but left after a few years because it was not for me. I am still searching to find my place. Mary may have found her place, but as we move through our lives we continue to evolve.

One difference between us is that I told my wife before we married and she was OK with it. Mary did not and when she did in 2012, the marriage of over 30 years ended within 1 year.

Within 2 years, Mary lost her job, her house and her belonging to start a rapid journey to womanhood. That is different from me who started in 2010 and is on a much slower path than Mary.

One reason is that Mary had a successful career that enables her to this day to live off her savings. I am still recovering from the crash of 2008. I still need to work, where I can not transition.

So as I get my body and mind ready, I have to move much more slowly.

Hence this blog is part of my therapy and a way to leave bread crumbs on my journey.