Progress bar

One week done, 51 remaining, the progress bar for the year sits at 2%

Early Week

New years day I was bitten by a dog, hopefully not a rabid one, although frantic googling suggests it is only present in bats in the UK. Didn't seem to get through my coat anyway. I didn't pause to get for a selfie with it.

On Monday I was feeling really sorry for myself, partly the dog, partly having to go back to work the next day, and also the question of what to do this year in terms of transness, what is the goal, do I even need a goal. 

I did come to the conclusion that I perhaps I should try to be more healthy, not just with food and exercise, but with my social life and online activities. 

Insta for example, I don't think is as healthy for my mental state as I had one thought, I am exposed to too much kink on there, I've followed people back who have been liking my photo's and well their content isn't what I want to be associated with. I have made some good friends on there, so I don't want to stop, just perhaps be more selective. 

I wasn't quite paralysed with it all, I did get some things done, washed my two main wigs - they turned out to be pretty filthy, really grey water afterwards. 

Tuesday wasn't too bad at work, Wednesday felt more stressed. I decided I also best get on the scales, see what the damage xmas had done, and after they wished me a happy new year (smart scales) , they told me the bad news, 75KG, which is +2Kg on late last year.

Did some weight loss googling, think I have a plan.

Thursday - Trans Wakefield 

This was at a new venue, not far from the pub we normally use, it's a new LGBT community centre with a café : Our House - Wakefield 

I parked outside the pub and walked the 3 mins to the venue. Wakefield at night doesn't feel too salubrious, so although I was wearing a dress (of course) , I had my biker boots on, they made me feel safer - could probably run faster than in heels too.

I always arrive later than everyone, because I go to way too much effort probably. It was a nice place, it had blacked out windows and doors, I assume for safety and privacy, but it did give it a air of 'sex shop' from the outside. Once inside the were some sofas and tables near the door, then the normal sort of community centre / school type tables setup in a long row of three for us - quite a few were ill this week, otherwise we would have needed at least one more. 

The café section was a little further down, with a lovely apologetic centre manager who was on her first day and still working out how to do everything.

The group organiser had brought nibbles, I did my best to eat as much of the food as possible, partly because I had attempted to diet and was starving, but it's rude not to tuck in :)

We mainly talked about how everyone was, if everyone has had a good break etc. I didn't say too much as usual. Philippa was there, and she gave an update on her health and planned operation. We tried to lighten the mood with rude remarks, it wasn't too depressing really.

I talked to a girl about the Gender GP hormone treatments that are offered, as well, it's a possibility I suppose. I like to absorb as much information as possible. 

Blue tongue

The trans-masc Sam from the previous week wasn't there, which was a shame. Perhaps I will see them at another one.

We were kicked out at 9:30pm, which is a bit early for us to finish, but enough seemed to want to have a drink to get a critical mass of people to the pub where I was parked. 

Turns out nobody had told the pub we weren't going that night, so the kitchen staff needed placating, and they got a few orders for cheesy chips, burgers and such. I was good. Philippa won some blue sweets from Australia in the xmas raffle, so we all had fun making our tongues blue.

I left after an hour or so, wished Philippa good luck with her op.

 

Friday - Leeds First Friday 

I really wasn't feeling too much in the mood when I got up, and with the weight gain on my mind, decided to cancel the hotel and drive back instead. 

Ann was up for the day, and it was meant to be OK weather, so we arranged to meet at the Yorkshire Sculpture park , as she would be passing, and had never been. 
We had a nice times wandering around there, had a warm drink in the café.   

After this we proceeded into Leeds, and decided to have a bigger meal earlier on, more chance of a table, and we would be under less pressure to get ready. LFF was starting at 6pm at the new venue going forward. It used to be 7:30 ish before.

We decided on 'Las Iguanas' near the corn exchange, which we had failed to get a table at in December. We were the first customers, so we had no trouble getting in :)

It was lovely food, I had chilli , Ann had pork belly. They had a two for one on cocktails but I didn't read the small print, they were if you got two of the same. So we both ended up with two each. They were quite tart too ! 

One of our other friends was having her makeup done, so wasn't going to be ready before 4pm, so we decided to hit the art galleries to kill an hour before the hotel was ready. Had a good look around the main one, and also the Henry Moore institute next door - they had some really nice sculpture on display.

Wandered back to the hotel so Ann could check in, then to the pub to catch our friend. Had a couple in there, and a nice chat - it's becoming a regular trans haunt, but isn't anywhere near the freedom quarter. Foleys Tap House. Some more girls turned up, and it soon got towards 5pm, so we decided to find a Greggs and get sorted for the evening. I had still brought a change of clothes with me so I could be a bit more dressy.

We were ready just before 6pm, and headed to the new meeting venue - The Viaduct. They were opening early for us, and had provided seating, and turned the speakers off at one end, in the hope it would emulate what we had at the Marriot bar. It somewhat worked, but it wasn't a very big area, and everyone was jammed in, so hard to circulate. There was also the outside courtyard with benches and a few wall heaters, but wasn't that warm out.

It wasn't really that good, so we headed out in search of a few others who has com
e to that conclusion a little earlier. We found them in  Baracoa Luxe, which we had never been in before. It was pretty good - we all got dragged off our seats by a tall and commanding cis lady, so did do a little dancing :)

After that we headed back to Foleys for a bit with Alice, she likes her real ale, did a bit more chatting in there, then went to the Smokestack. It was getting towards 1am and with driving I didn't want to get too tired, so I made my excuses and headed off home. 

Not a bad night all in all ! Really nice to catch up with Ann and the other girls, looking forward to the next one.