Flamingo beverages

Had a day off today, so I decided to go into Leeds to have a look around. I've never done a very busy public place in broad daylight - I'm not including goth-fest, which was different entirely, as there were loads of weird looking people about, so I didn't feel like I stood out. 

So I decided I might as well jump in at the deep end. I figured Leeds was the biggest place I could get to easily, and I knew of a decent car park from my previous LFF adventure.

I had also hoped to look in some of the charity shops, but I actually didn't end up seeing any - I should have thought to find where they all were :)

I got ready at a leisurely pace so it was nearly lunch time before I was there.  I had planned on trying an LGBT+ friendly Café I had found while googling friendly venues locally  https://flamingoscoffeehouse.co.uk

I had a Pastrami and Emmental bagel, with a Cappuccino - it was lovely :

Then I headed around a few of the shops in Trinity, got some trainers in Deichman, took an obligatory selfie in a mirror in Next  :

Then had a pleasant stroll around the art gallery, bought a book from Waterstones and headed home via the large Asda nearer home.  I got myself a spotty dress in there (also wearing the new trainers).

I didn't really catch anyone staring at me around Leeds itself, I didn't hear any bad comments - well no good ones either :)  - I was largely ignored. 

There was one guy in Asda that perhaps studied me a bit, but he might have just being staring off into the distance wishing the world would end, he was shopping with his wife.

I spoke to the sales people in the book shop, and the shoe shop, all was well. Spoke to a guide in the art gallery too, everyone treated me very nicely, it was great, it all felt very normal, I was fairly relaxed and having a good time. I'm not sure if I would have had as much of a good time in man mode to be honest.

I think I will try and set off sooner next time, and make arrangements so I don't have to be back so soon.  I think there are other galleries and museums I can visit.

Perhaps I will do York or Sheffield some time.

Gothic seaside fun

We went to Whitby Goth Weekend as a family. Drove to a hotel in Scarborough after work on the Friday, in man mode, ate at the restaurant next to the hotel in the evening.

Got up early on the Saturday and spent quite a while getting ready. I wish had spent more time making sure my selfie was in focus, but never mind :)

We drove to Whitby in the morning, and met a friend who had also come for the weekend. We wandered around doing the usual Whitby activities, the abbey, drooling in the jet shop windows. 

The wind wasn't great for my wig, I was eating it a lot, and the fringe I had set with hold spray was not holding. It was less problematic in the town though.

There were loads of goth people around, especially over the bridge on the south side. I didn't see any obvious trans folk, only one I think. But then again, with all the makeup and gothic dress it would have been harder to tell.

Nobody gave me any funny looks or said anything, I didn't feel out of place or ill at ease. 

Had one amateur photographer ask me to pose for a photo , which was unexpected and nice - he didn't want me to smile though.

We ate at a lovely little restaurant on Bridge Street, very nice lasagne, sat on a bench while the kids retrieved broken pottery from the harbour beach. Then we did the pier, I braved the ladies loo's - no trouble, also no mirrors !! 

Then we walked along the beach, and back up the cliff.  

We finished the day in the hotel bar - the hotel our friend was staying at. Everyone seemed to have a great time. Wife seemed happy.

I reverted back at the hotel before we headed to the pub again for our evening meal. That was a bit of an anti-climax, but I didn't fancy being a goth in there.

Would definitely recommend the event.

 

50% more support

I had found the Facebook page of a more local trans support group at the previous weekend, it's also on a Thursday in the local LGBT+ friendly pub.  I had discounted it previously, as I had only found it's website, and it didn't seem very welcoming. 

It required you to call before attending, and didn't seem to me to be aimed at anyone who wasn't in the process of transitioning.

The FB page seemed a lot more friendly, so I ended up trying the group on the Thursday just gone. It was good, there was a pool competition - I had arrived too late to join in that.

Then we had a quiz, followed by music bingo. Our table managed to win the quiz and one of us won the bingo, which was nice :)

I am certainly going to go back again. Met some really nice people. Perhaps won't wear a dress next time, I felt a little overdressed.

I think many of them pop to the pub at the weekend too, so perhaps will allow me to have somewhere I can drop in randomly and actually know people. 

A penetrating experience

I've been quite busy this week ! 

The parents in law came up last Sunday. this meant that I had to clear out the spare room, a lot of my clothes, wigs and other things that would give the game away were kept in there. You don't realise how much stuff you have until you need to move it all. 

Anyway it only moved to the master bedroom, so not too stressful.  Although had to go around all the other rooms looking for anything I had forgotten. 

Fortunately they were not staying long, so I was able to go to Chams on Thursday. It was another quiet week but I managed to speak with one lady who I had not managed to until then. We had tended to be at opposite ends of the table for other nights. Took the EV as the petrol prices are just silly at the moment, so ended up charging at the nearby restaurant - got a nice selfie for Insta while waiting :)

Friday I did Nottingham Invasion for the 2nd time, it was a lot better, lots more people. I had been keeping and eye on the FB group to gauge the level of interest, and there was a lot more of a buzz about this one.

I did turn up a bit early, and was thinking I might have perhaps mis-interpreted the level of interest, but it started to fill up after 8:30, and I saw a few friendly faces I had met previously.

One lady did also arrive a bit early, poor thing turned up perspiring badly with a limp, had marched half way across the centre - she nearly gave up apparently. I went over and introduced myself, given we were the only trans looking people in there, she hadn't seen me when she walked in. Spent a lot of the night with her and a few others. We did four pubs in total, the highlight was the Hockley Arts Centre with a very photogenic top floor. 

I sneaked off just after 1am as I was starting to feel pretty tired, and it's an hour and a half drive home. It goes on until close at 4am - I'm not sure I will ever manage that.

I was pretty tired yesterday, and in a bit of a mental haze due to it, which was sort of helpful in the end as I was in a 'sod it' mood. I had been wanting to have my ears pierced, as I really want to wear ridiculous earrings. One of my new online friends had been encouraging me to get them done, and not bother what people said - and one of the girls I had met before, who was at the Invasion had just had hers done, and was equally not fussed about what people thought.

I checked with my wife first, she hasn't been that keen for me to have them done, but I wanted to make sure it was a preference issue rather than a hard no, she uttered the words "it's your body", so that was enough for me.

So whilst in the mood to get stuff done, and after 30 mins of looking found somewhere close online that did ear piercing with needles. It was drop in only, so I thought I could go and if it didn't look nice just not go in. It looked very nice !  So I now have two pierced lobes !

They were really helpful, I had to fill out a form to say I wasn't likely to drop dead, one of the questions related to phobia's and fainting, which I answered in a positive manner - I have trouble when giving blood samples - they've had to catch me :) . 

I'm not so bad with receiving injections though. Anyway they offered to do them both in tandem, with two ladies at the same time, to minimise any stress. It was over in seconds, with no issue.

I went with some small black studs, which apparently are the in thing for the discerning male at the moment ( I was in man mode ) - I'm not sure that most blokes have both done, and she double checked I wanted both, I assume because it's slightly unusual. 

Got some cleaning spray from them too, so hopefully will be able to stop them becoming infected.

Looking forward to goth fest next weekend !

 

Snooze

 I suppose all weeks can't be exciting, but it's been a pretty boring one. There was nothing for me to attend this weekend, I missed a coffee and cake day in Leeds on Thursday, due to not keeping an eye on facebook.

I've been ordering lots of dresses for the next LFF , so I did dress on Thursday, and took photo's for Instagram.  I have two that I think are OK, although one will require my corset to be laced tightly - I am envious of several of my friends figures - if you are reading this when it was posted , chances are very high I mean you :)

This is the one my wife likes the most

I haven't really been stressing too much with the deep question, which is good. 

I have been trying to attempt to improve my dancing skills, with YouTube instruction videos, I had a go last night, I dressed - but without makeup, which I hate doing as I look like a man in a dress when I catch my reflection. It's not "me", it's the other resident persona looking silly.

Anyway I'm not sure I achieved much other than burning some calories, got a bit hot. Practise makes perfect though, I will try and do it a few times a week.

Had to block a weirdo on FB, seemed incredibly keen to meet up - although they live 250 miles away, and I told them I wasn't interested in any kind of hookup, asked if I could accommodate - after very little was said. Was being really odd, kept spamming the thumbs up button to remind me the tab was there.  They know I go to LFF, I hope I don't see them there, I booked a hotel for the next one, so it would be an expensive waste of an evening if they turn up and ruin it.

I managed to get out for a run this morning, which was nice. My legs can only take so much at the moment. Weight still hovering around 71KG, I shall have to do some slimfast days next week.

A Glittery trail was left

 It's been another busy week at work, I was working until nearly midnight on Thursday, then most of the morning on Friday, even though it was meant to be a day off. 

So I wasn't as chilled and refreshed for my first Leeds First Friday bar crawl, but I definitely didn't want to miss it, I had invested so much into picking the shoes and the dress, and practising my eye makeup wings a few nights before.

I had ordered a long sleeved peplum jacket in Mocha , to go out in, as I didn't want to risk taking my lovely warm long black coat, and have to lug it around all night. Proved to be a success, was light enough not to need to take it off unless we found a seat. Wouldn't have wanted to queue outside for long with just it though, but luckily the few places we needed to queue gave priority to trans people for that evening.

Was a bit nervous walking from the multi-storey into the hotel, there were not many trans looking people about, and I was looking particularly fabulous - at least in my opinion, certainly felt it.

But once inside, and after finding the bar, I was at home, must have been 60-70 people in there, and I didn't feel at all overdressed, I'm really not sure how it would be possible to overdress, there were some very glamorous outfits.  

No one was wearing the same as me, but a lady did approach me later in the night to talk about it, as she has the same one. They shed glitter everywhere - my bedroom, the kitchen, my car , everywhere I sat in Leeds, I even found a bit on my unmentionables when I visited the ladies room ! She had the same issue with hers.

We went around several different places : 

• Marriot Hotel Bar - posh bar
• Fibre - Really posh bar with dance floor
• Funny Girls - Caberet, really nice
• Blayds - tiny, didn't stay long enough to buy a drink
• Bridge Inn - Was a bit dead, karaoke, loos were OK
• New Penny - Pub with Dance floor , got very busy, bad loos

I spoke to a lady who had messaged that she was going for the first time herself on FB, we had said we would look out for each other, but I hadn't thought that she wouldn't recognise me due to the new wig. 

I added a few more lovely people I met to my FB, and a cis wig dresser to Insta.

I think I had my blank face on too much, I got asked if I was OK a lot :)  , I need to work on a perma smile.

I attempted some dancing, but I REALLY need to practise before the next one. 

Got a little male attention in the last place, but they were drunk and they soon gave up without much of a struggle. One dance request, and some guys who really seemed to want to chat.

I was panicking when returning to the multi-storey, as had forgotten what floor the car was on. Thought I had left it on 4B, not there, went to 5B, not there .....  was on 3B ....

Was also a lot more nervous walking back to the multi-storey on my own, and wandering around looking for the car.

Didn't get home until after 2am, I needed some food so was wandering around cooking hot dog sausages in my sparkly dress, it was very surreal. Got to bed by 3am , after eating and taking most of the makeup off.

Got up at 9ish, couldn't sleep any more, but need another 4 hours :(  - running on caffeine at the moment.

Oh and wig hold spray - life saver - didn't need a hairclip to keep my fringe in place.