Sometimes you prepare and prepare and end up missing a bunch of little details. Those details have since become a little bit of a pain.
A while back I decided to go to the eye doctor as Michelle. I needed a new perscription for contacts so I made an appointment at America Best Contacts because of their special club package for eye exams. Everything went perfectly but I had a few bumps from the beginning. When I arrived I had to fill out a new patient information card and then sign my name. First bump. I had prepared for everything but forgot about having to sign my name as Michelle. Before anyone jumps onto me, understand I don't have eye insurance and I paid cash. Paid for eye exam and then hit the second hurdle. I didn't bring enough cash to pay for contacts. Fact is that I had just enough money for the eye exam at the time. This is when I hit the second hurdle. I couldn't give them my male credit card so I had to drive back down there and give them cash at a later time. Then they ordered the contacts and I had to go back and pick the contacts up.
All of this had to be done while dressed and before 6PM or on Saturday. I realize now that while I succeeded at my goal of going to the eye appt as Michelle, I neglected to think about a lot of things which we take for granted. I guess this is how a lot of people feel after they begin their RLE. So many things happen that we never prepare for.
This reminds me of a story Zenith told on the TS forum about one such thing that happended well after she transitioned. She was on a date with a nice guy and he asked her an unexpected question about past boyfriends. She had prepared for just about everything but not that question and it caught her off guard. I think that is what happens to a lot of us when we start living on the other side.
It is more complicated than we think many times.