First, I want to thank Transward for her generous appreciation on my transition thread. I wrote to her privately that I have little clue as to how much what I posted there has helped anyone. What I know for sure is that writing on the Archive has been a huge help to me.
John, you posted a question there something like "How does it feel to have a smooth face?" after all the electrolysis work. It's wonderful! It is very expensive, though, and I still have months of treatment before I am finished.
For the last week or so, I gave some thought to essentially continuing my transition thread, but in a different format. Then I looked back at some of my posts, particularly over the last 14 months or so. Reading those convinced me that some of my stated reasons for ending that thread remains valid. I need to put many of the major events of the last year or so behind me. The economic environment remains challenging and I need to look at my work life, my social life and the way I will reach my transition goals in a new way.
In a very real way, though, I somehow feel fully transitioned. As I wrote elsewhere, not a soul in Illinois ever knew the 'old' me. Everyone here knows Danya, period. Even the few who know I am transgender. This is another reason why I did not want to continue the other thread.
I went through a period of not wanting to write here at all, mostly because I am reluctant to devote as much time to writing as before. I will make an effort to keep these posts shorter and less frequent. Unless I'm in a talkative mood!
Work is going well, although at times I feel like I am in an isolation ward.
There is practically no talking among coworkers. Instead, everyone texts each other all day. It's all strictly business. Should someone, in a very unusual situation to be sure, find a need to speak with me he or she will first send a message asking if it is OK to call. One thing I enjoyed about all my previous jobs was the chance for face-to-face interaction about all kinds of business things. And a little strictly social chit chat, too. The only time I sit down and talk with real, live humans at this job is when I go to business meetings.This weekend, I updated my resume to include the roughly two months of experience I have on the contract job in downtown Chicago. At the urging of several friends at work, who all started out in similar contract jobs, I am going to start applying for permanent jobs at this company. Including jobs that are not located in Chicago but on the east and west coasts.
My close woman friend in Minnesota advised me that she thinks it would be great if I can remain with this company for two reasons. They are very trans friendly and they will pay for GRS. I agree on both counts.
Other locations include Manhattan and San Francisco, but these are just two examples. I love New York and, having grown up on the east coast, I would feel right at home there. San Francisco is also terrific and I have dreamed of the chance to live on the West Coast for the first time in my life. In the end, if any of this works out, I'd prefer to stay in the Chicago area. Mostly because I have already gone through a number of major life changes over the last year. Another out of state move would be stressful. I'd move anyway, for a permanent position.
There are locations I will not consider, because they seem undesirable for a number of reasons. Even though some are in gorgeous locales.
I will take other action in late November if
1. I have not yet been offered a permanent job at this company and
2. no one is able to tell me that looks likely down the road.
What I would most prefer, after nearly six months in Chicagoland, is a great job in a smaller city with a more pleasant climate. I can wish, can't I?
I still love Chicago, and spent time downtown Saturday and again today. I'm also still very glad to be working downtown. But the traffic is starting to get on my nerves. It is possible, then, that I might yet make another move on my own. Only after I carefully research job markets and other factors. I would not do this until late March at the earliestFinally, I am in the process of getting all of my paperwork submitted to set up a date for gender reassignment surgery. I hope Dr. Brassard will have all of it in his office by early next week.
Oh....there is the 'X' situation. I don't have time to write about this tonight and may not any time soon. For now, I will simply say I found a compelling reason to try to see things from his point of view. Oh hell! This is one reason why I try not to write here.
I find it difficult to stop.What drove me to try to view things as he might is this. I was frequently telling him that a major problem in our country is that we are becoming polarized. People with the same view points tend to speak with each other and no one else. Unless they are shouting.
So I decided to practice what I had been preaching with 'X', with some success. I started this off in a round about way.
Please understand that I am absolutely NOT starting a political disucssion on this thread. I am not stating my views or those of 'X.' It just happens that political differences were a major problem for us. Or at least for me.