Just got back from the Be-All Convention (Be-All you can be? Hmmm…...can't place it right now but I think some military group had this same "theme" a few years back) in Chicago where I lived five wonderful days and nights as Melissa. I had a great fun roomie in my WV girlfriend Joanne Carter and had a ball meeting some many wonderful new people and renewing some old acquaintances in the sisterhood. First, let me say it was a well planned and executed event with lots of fun things like the pool party, dinners with great food, awesome suites, well placed vendors and time for everyone to take in shopping and seminars as well as fun hitting the clubs and dancing at night! The fun started Tuesday on arrival and the unloading of all my wardrobe which was quickly criticized by roomie Joanne -but she was impressed by the fifteen pairs of shoes I brought which did not even make a dent in collection). We went to the hospitality suite for food and drinks and mingled and I quickly engaged in doing my favorite activity (get your minds out of the gutter people) which is meeting new sisters and chatting with them. Interaction with old friends and making new ones in our sisterhood is something I cherish deeply!
Wednesday was the trip to the casino where I actually came out ahead which is always a good thing I say (although not as good as two girls who went with us - one won over 2000 dollars in craps ) Wednesday was also the pool party where I arrived for the first time in bathing suit as Melissa ( a scary proposition to say the least) The food was good and afterward we headed out to some clubs where my roomie Joanne made her first mistake of the trip by forgetting her ID even though we are older than dirt ! Thursday brought some seminars and my first real viewing of the vendors. I enjoy some of the sessions and I took a big chance and went to the one called "voices” which had nothing to do about our voice pitch but about our written expressions as transgendered people. I read one of my earlier blogs ( The Cocoon) and one I wrote in class as well. Powerful stuff and not by me but by many other vastly talented people who just happen to be transgendered. It opened my soul to hear such expressions! Thursday we went out to dinner after changing our minds ( like girls do ) about five times as to where we were going to dine. Thursday night was the open bar and food party at a cool club where we heard a rocking band called "Barely Standing" who played lots of 70's , 80's and 90 's rock music. My roomie Joanne made her second blunder of the event by consuming incredible mass quantities of alcohol which forced her to visit the ladies room so she can now say she tossed her cookies and then some in a ladies room of a general club. She was taken back to the hotel room for further nursing and expunging. She looked like hell the next morning and all the makeup in the world is not going to fix that my friends!
Friday was some more shopping and seminars and more opportunities to meet and chat with more of my sisters. I adored the session on "outrageous eyes" and also checked out electrolysis. It is something I would love to try but it is not cheap for sure and even the new techniques seem a bit “painful". But at least I have more information to make informed decisions. Friday we also had a luncheon with a fashion show and dinner with the talent show and girls we have some talented sisters for sure! Our feminine side is a great source for creative talent most definitely. Finally, on Friday we went to the club called Hunters where I danced and had fun and watched Joanne nurse cokes and water all night ( hmmm- I wonder why hon.?) Saturday I had more opportunities to meet more girls and I took some outdoor pictures of a girl named Jennifer who just had a makeover and I enjoyed so much chatting with her as well (just wish I had Glenda's talent for photo shoot but they still came out pretty well ) Saturday luncheon was awesome as we heard from Susan Stanton the transgendered person who was lynched by her townspeople and her council after 17 years of splendid work because God forbid she announced she was transitioning after being outed ( well I guess we all know woman can't be city directors as this position must be filled by only men I guess ) I will say this - for a person who has undergone all that she has she still has a wonderful sense of humor and did a great impersonation of the Baptist minister who was on council and made the wonderfully compassionate "Christian " statements and who has obviously studied Jesus ' HR policies in his study of theology!
On Saturday evening we rounded out the event with a fabulous evening of a limo ride after dressing in our formal gowns and dresses where we received the red carpet treatment and photos and a wonderfully delicious meal with a fifteen minute firework production over the lake! I dreaded Saturday night though because I know what it brings - Sunday morning and the packing up of Melissa -but just like the fact that all my new things added from shopping now produced bags that just did not hold it all like they did when I came five days earlier, my shell did not fit so well on Melissa either. My emersion into Melissa for extended periods of time and interactions with my sisters in seminars, over coffee, in the lounge or over dinners always expands me and pushes me forward in my journey as Melissa and I no longer fit as well in the shell that covers her from the most of the world who produce people like the above mentioned minister on council. You know when you try to recover something you opened, it just never seems to fit as well as it did before you opened and unpacked it. That is how I view Melissa after these experiences and just like when you don't quite cover something after you have opened it and parts of it now out stick out and show , more of Melissa is revealed by my shell and I wonder whether one day the shell will fit at all and I will be standing there as Melissa for all the world to see. I know this day may come - I have known it since I began this journey and I only hope that when it does I have the courage of Ms Stanton and many others like her and friends who will support me in place of the shell which once trapped me
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