That was the Year That Was ... Incredible

Dear friends,

First of all, my apologies for such a long blogging lapse. The fact is, I've just felt too happy living my life to pause and document it. Even at its craziest, I've been enjoying the ride too much to step off and comment about the view.

But now an incredible year is coming to an end. And a profusion of "Best Of" and "Top 10" lists all testify to our modern culture's drive to summarize, draw conclusions, and even proselytize a bit when the calendar flips. It feels like I too must step up to the microphone, and say something about 2011. So here it is.

Gun Hill Road

This is not a review or an endorsement, but a definite heads-up on what promises to be an exceptional movie featuring a transgender character.

Last weekend I saw a trailer for Gun Hill Road. 

Dressing the Part, Chapter One

I try never to wear my own clothes, I pretend I'm someone else.
- David Byrne

In those earliest days, long before gender transitioning involved matters of medicine, anatomy and biology, it mostly found me experimenting with clothes.  Dressing up, in other words. Finding apparel to look and hopefully feel, as Mr. Byrne would have it, like "someone else" ... even before I realized, ironically, that the someone else was actually me.

Three Faces of Gender

Genitals.  Brain wiring.  Society.

Which of these make you a man, or a woman?

Rock Bottom: from JK to DK

A few days back, I watched the incredible live YouTube webcast of the Harry Potter world premiere celebration. All Trafalgar and a good part of Leicester Square (very brief clip) was packed with fans, cameras, and large outdoor movie screens paying tribute to the genius of JK Rowling's entertaining and superlatively money-making creations. It did me good to see the H.P. cast and especially JK herself give stirring little speeches, and take their final Potter bows before the entire world.

But to me one of Rowling's finest creations -- and certainly one more of us can relate to -- was her extraordinary speech before the Harvard Graduating Class of 2008.  If you can believe it, the topic was one hardly associated with the (officially) Wealthiest Author Ever.  The subject was: Failure.

State of the Blog

For some of us, the more we live life, the less we tend to write about it. Between coming out to my family and you all, attending the Be-All Conference, implementing my name change, and marching in the Pride Parade ... well, I've not written much these last few weeks.

However I've recently improved my other "Pages", over there on the right, adding a Welcome page and incorporating others together, making this blog easier to digest, hopefully, if not necessarily tastier.

Freedom To Be

Possibly the first ever transgendered High School Prom Queen.

I am so happy to learn about this. Amazed, and happy.

Proud

As the date for my name-change court appearance drew closer, I began to feel pretty good about how far I'd come these last 7 years. One morning a thought possessed me: this year, I'm marching in the Gay Pride parade.

Seven Years in the Making

Set your reading glasses down and just enjoy this one.

Lucky Lady

Its been two weeks since the momentous Coming Out, on Facebook and through emails to other pals. And I can say one thing for certain. I am a Lucky Girl.

So pardon me if I take a moment to talk about a trans woman who was not so lucky.

Important Message to my Friends

Recently I spent hours wandering the halls of our Circuit Courthouse down in Daley Center, on a mission: to legally change my name. And by June 21st it shall be official and final. I'll no longer be David.

This name business is of course just the tip of the iceberg. And I understand how a major life change can make others feel left behind, alienated.  Like when your child graduates from high school, or neighbor gets divorced, or even when a loved one passes on.

I'm sharing my journey in some detail expressly so you won't feel that way.  I care about you, and our relationship.  Reading on, please remember, you are not just part of my history. You will always play an ongoing role in my life, be it high school pal, drama school alumnus, neighbor, fellow arts professional, or simply ... my friend.

So you deserve to hear this straight from me. Not through the Holt gossip mill, a friend of a friend, or some other social grapevine. If you're willing to give me a listen, please begin reading here.

 *   *   *   *   *