Year in Retrospect

[Kristen Kelly]

[SIZE="3"]What a year it has been. I’ve gone from the shy wallflower of a girl to someone who when out walks with the confidence of I belong here. I have developed a large circle of friends a lot online but a lot of personal contact meeting new friends and getting out. I am always challenging myself going out to places that had been outside my comfort zone. I have told my GF about Kristen and she has accepted her has been out with the girls as well. Most of all I’ve learned about who I am and have total accepted just who I think I am. I say who I think I am because with ever day I am learning another piece of the puzzle. I gained a new respect for myself and with that lost 40 lbs.
What I see in my future, a loss of another 20 lbs would be nice, but seriously, I learned something I knew but didn’t admit it, I love to be in the spotlight. I missed being read, being noticed so I am going to begin taking to the real spotlight, amateur theater in male mode, and performing in local drag shows enfem, don’t know where I’ll find the time but I will.

Girls post your comments as well as your own year in review, would love to hear about them. [/SIZE]

[Julie York]

I've had the most amazing year. I don't do much of the dressy thing really...I am a hobbyist at it compared with some of you. But I did a dress-up with a real live human! So that was quite amazing.

I have also been pushing back the frontiers of struggling with 20 years of agrophobia type problems, and have been doing things, going places, meeting people and expanding my horizons. If I get any better I'll be almost normal!! (Well...that's debatable but you get the idea.)

So this year....onwards and upwards! Romance and rampant sex next.

[JenniferMint]

I went from having no idea of how to present as female to passing and being called pretty.

I'm still new at this, though. I only have ~4 months of experience, not a year. I have lots to work on, especially voice and confidence.

[marie354]

Pictures.
I have always taken pictures of my self or my GF did, but until I found this site, I always deleted them shortly thereafter, after seeing how I looked... It has been a long work in progress, still is.
Now, since I've been here, well, my pics are on the internet now where anyone can see me. Big change for me.
My goals for 2007 are to go public, in accepting places with people like me.
There is only 1 gay bar that I've found so far in the tri-state area, Md, Del, Va, lower eastern shore.
I've met a couple people in my area online and we're going to meet in Jan., so the future is looking brighter.
Oh shut up! I'm such a chatterbox. I could rant for hours on end.
Any way... I think that I've found a home here with a lot of people that are very supportive.... It's just wonderful!

[trannie T]

I took no big steps, but took several smaller ones. I went out dressed several times, I did a lot of shopping and I found this site. Not a bad year 2007 will be better.

[Kate Simmons]

Thanks Kristen. One of my best "finds" for this past year has been the Forum. Typically, I've been more of a doer rather than a talker and kind of a loner. When I came out in 2001, I joined an Org which got me started but I felt it was moving too slow, so struck out to pave my own way and develop myself. I'd come up with my own style and my own outlook. While searching for something else, I came across this site last April. Initially, I thought a lot of the stuff talked about was kind of silly, but then I realized it was mostly honest hearted people trying to understand and sharing their feelings and experiences.I felt maybe I could share some of mine and other folks could be helped a little. It didn't take long to realize it was a two way street and I could learn a lot myself. It's all about people being people really. I've come to know and love a lot of you my online friends. The other thing I've realized this past year is that I'm a people oriented person and am interested in getting to know them. I've always been tolerant but have gained a new level of tolerance for diversity and appreciate everyone for who they are inside and not just appearance. Some of my best friends are TG folks who have far more insight and understanding than so called "normal" people. I've also finally been able to amalgamate both sides of myself into one overall stronger person whereas before I was kind of fragmented. All in all, kind of a "banner" year for me. I look forward to the coming year as I will be seeing what it's like to attempt being Ericka full time. For myself, the adventure is just beginning and I couldn't think of a nicer group of folks to share it with. Ericka Kay

[julia46]

Well, as usual, I threw all my clothes away in a fit of guilt, and then started buying more!

Ah well ;>

[Glenda58]

I also went from a wallflower to going out. Meeting new friends here on the forum has helped a great deal. I now go out all time dress from groceries to eating out alone. If I am leaving the house I'm dressed femme.

[Casey Morgan]

This has been one of the most amazing years of my life. January 1 I was a freak who wasn't really a man and not a woman either. I crossdressed and wished I could just stop and make it all go away. I was sick, broken, perverted, any and all of those. This was a deep dark secret that I was very ashamed of.

I went looking for a crossdressing site in March figuring that I could learn a little more about me and if I was a freak at least I'd be in good company. I found this site and found not freaks but humans. I came here thinking I was a crossdresser but I quickly (withing the first week) discovered that I am actually transgendered. I finally found myself described in words, good words, written by others. A few months later I was calling myself genderqueer, and a month or so later I claimed my true identity: androgyne.

In what seems both like a few short months and an entire lifetime I've come to see myself in terms that are good and self-affirming. I'm stil not out to many people but it isn't because I don't think well of myself (althugh some of that is still there); rather it's partly because I still need to trust people more and partly because I'm afraid people will kick me to the curb if I tell them.

I see a psychologist every other week, so I have some direction in finding out more about myself. I just joined a RL transgender support group, so I'm not the only transgender person I have any real contact with. (I haven't seen the person I met before in quite some time.) I talk online with other androgynes who know exactly what I feel and can relate to my experiences very closely.

2007 won't be better than 2006. But I think 2007 will be more real somehow. There's so much I've done that I don't have to do anymore. In 2007 I can concentrate more on just being me. ALL of me.

[Kenix]

The last few months really changed a lot for me and I describe it as Kenix coming to her own.

Before I joined this forum I am a "casual dresser" and after raading the posts here suddenly I want to know what I look like en femme. I got a makeover and a couple great pictures from the photoshoot. I got some positve feedbacks and I was wondering what to do next-Do I just go back to the "stay at home" dresser stage or to go out as Kenix, knowing the latter means I have to put in a lot of effort to achieve.

After a lot of thoughts my goal for next year is go out en femme. It will be a lot of work but I know it's worth it.

[kerrianna]

This has been a year of opening up for me. I was determined to lose some of my cynicism and negativity and isolation, but the first half of the year was a struggle to see life in a new way. Just going through the same old routines.

This summer Kerrianna popped up - I've been crossdressing most of my life, but I had forgotten that a long, long time ago I actually did want to be a girl, so my CDing was just kinky play, and nothing more. Opening up and indentifying my female self changed everything for me - almost overnight. I am a happier, more optimistic person, and willing to take chances and risks. I reach out to people more, and try to help others more. I'm no longer just going through the motions.

It was an amazing opening-up, and I was calling it my mid-life crisis/male menopause, because there's certainly something driving me to re-invent myself. Of course my SO trumped my little mid-life crisis by being diagnosed with cancer recently, and now in dealing with this I am so, so grateful that I am in the headspace I'm in now, rather than the shut-down, negative space of most of my adult life. Things happen for a reason.

Finding this forum and all the great people on it was something I will always be grateful for. I know with friends and support, my SO and I will battle through this and make 2007 a great year after all.

[Calliope]

I arrived in Portland ME a man and left a womyn.

Yeh, this forum has been great.

Love ya all!

[marie354]

I arrived in Portland ME a man and left a womyn.

Yeh, this forum has been great.

Love ya all!

Not to change the subject, but why do you always misspell woman or women?
I know that MTF's can never be women, but why misspell it?

No offense, just asking.

[Kate Simmons]

Not to change the subject, but why do you always misspell woman or women?
I know that MTF's can never be women, but why misspell it?

No offense, just asking.

Just DT's inimitable style, I think.

[Calliope]

Not to change the subject, but why do you always misspell woman or women?
I know that MTF's can never be women, but why misspell it?

It's a feminist thing I picked up from the Maoists.

[Joy Carter]

Joined the forum in April and met so many wonderful gurls. I Got together face to face with my good friend Teresa Amina an it's been a pleasant up hill climb ever since. The love of my life now knows up front who I am and where I'm going with this. She has acknowledged me but, well you know the story. I'm finally happy with who I am and there is no turning back. I have also been out twice since Halloween and it just feels so great to be out dressed as who I am. BTW. If you ever do met me I'm the soft genital ballsy broad in the room.

[michelleliz]

It's been a fast paced year for me. Going from maried to Single. Living as michele all except for when I am at work. Trying to figure out how to live by myself is being a chaleng for me. I have never been alone for more then a couple of months at a time. Most of the time it is grate being me. Just a little lonly. I am retiring in April so I will be developing into the women I think I want to be. Would like to make more frineds to do things with.
Mary Christmas every one

Michelle Liz

[kerrianna]

It's a feminist thing I picked up from the Maoists.

Yeah, cats don't always spell the same way as we do.

[Wendy me]

i did one of theirs in the lounge .....http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/...ad.php?t=47634

[donna h]

Since joining in April I too have learned alot and done things I never had the courage to before reading the posts here and joining the family.Ive been shopping, got out a few times, without the group here sharing their stories those things would not have happened.Just wish things were better between my wife and I over this but thats life.Those of you who have supportive SOs and wifes should know how lucky you are. To all here Happy Holidays to you and yours, and thanx to the forum and its members.

[Kristen Kelly]

[SIZE="3"]With the end of the year approching fast lets hear it girls ,was this a great year or what.[/SIZE]

[Kate Simmons]

I'll second that Kristen. I've learned a lot about myself and CDing in general this past year, a lot of it due to the interchange with all the fine folks on this site. As far as the coming year, I see nowhere to go but forward. I wouldn't trade being who I am now for anything. Ericka Kay

[Sweet Jane]

2006...the year that I "discovered" that I was not the only heterosexual crossdresser who dressed for reasons other than sexual relief.

I now "know" quite a few crossdressers through this forum and because of this I feel slightly less freakish. I certainly feel much less alone.

I still don't really like this part of me, but I am a little more understanding of it, and who knows in 2007 I may begin to "like" all of me, all the time.

[Robingirl]

I have to also say that its been a good year for this New Jersey. I have gotten more confident with my femininity,met some terriffic new girls, and in general feel better about Robin. My spouse still does nor like it, but at least we co-exist about Robin's life without any real problems. I hope to meet you in 2007 as well, Kristen, as we know some of the same girls! Huggs to all - Robin

[kaitlincd]

I went out in public for the first time and started both a MySpace profile and joined this forum. I have met so many wonderful new friends both at MySpace and here. It's good to know we are not alone!