Has it really been only five months? Somehow it feels as if Rita has always been part of our lives. My wife Julie continues to enjoy time with Rita. We go out to the tgirl Tuesday party at Hamburger Mary's in Long Beach. It's a great time with a karaoke contest in the beginning of the night and a dance party to finish it off. I'm not really a club type person. Getting out as Rita however, is immensely satisfying. We have met several of the ladies from these forums there. I don't know that we have ever entered a new environment and felt so welcome and included. We have made some wonderful friends and it seems life couldn't be better.
When we go out for date night I get dressed and Julie does my make up in the van on the way. Not really the relaxing and intimate experience we enjoy when at home or in a hotel room. Our resident is still home recovering from his surgery so our weekly date night is my only opportunity to dress. I very much enjoyed being able to go about my daily activities dressed up and am anxious to return to it.
We have gone out into public a few more times. I'm still ridiculously uncomfortable. I don't understand why being out and about freaks me out so badly. Almost all of the interactions I have had with Johhny Q Public were positive. A few were amusing and only one person was antagonizing. It shouldn't bother me.
There is a group of ladies, the T-girl SoCal Fun Events Group. They get together for dinner before the T-girl Saturday parties and they get together to do other things. We joined them for dinner last month. We attended their first anniversary party at a club in West Hollywood the other day. These are some of the most amazing women. They have been so kind and welcoming. Even a socially awkward closet case like myself feels welcome.
I now have seven outfits, enough panties that I never seem to run out before laundry is done, and a couple of nighties. We can't get enough of shopping together. We are having a lot of fun dressing alike. Julie and I now own four matching outfits. We will have two more once we find the right tops.
I still prefer shopping at places that don't have an associate at the dressing room. Most of the time I can overcome my discomfort though. Policy is if I can't try it on I can't but it. The quantity of wasted purchases have dropped considerably. Occasionally I will violate this rule if its easy enough to make a return but I try not to.
The only sadness I have experienced; I attended the funeral of a young sister. A beautiful young woman. I only met her once but from all accounts a gentle and loving soul. She was a victim of hate. I cannot even begin to express how the loss of this stranger affected me. Her family only posthumously accepting her as her true self. I attended in a suit and tie rather than a dress. I'm not sure why this girls murder hit me so hard. Maybe merely empathy. Maybe it's because I have seen her and I have seen the man charged with her murder. Looking into her mothers eyes is an experience I will remember the rest of my life. Please be careful while your out and about!
I would like to thank you all for your services as therapist.
Hug
Rita
