It's not about what we do or where we do it...

[Sara Jessica]

What a fun outing thread Suzanne. And without any mention of makeup or high heels...must be a record around here!!!



Not to take the thread in a whole different direction, but to me its not about the makeup or even the clothes anymore. Its about being me. You can tell by my pictures I haven't been going out in my Easter finest and it was the same on Saturday. Its nice just to be me.

(So I'll take it in a different direction here.)

...it's about who we are.

For many of us, being out and about is simply "being". Being ourselves, interacting with friends and perhaps influencing the perceptions of others whom we encounter.

What I appreciated the most in Suzanne's snowballs thread was that she was out doing what any other woman might do under similar circumstances. There wasn't a sense that she felt the need to demonstrate her femininity by chasing stereotypical feminine pursuits. She simply made the best of her day and the joy in the experience was more than apparent.

But call me guilty as charged when it comes to taking on what most of us do when we're out. Shopping, makeup and nails, shoes and clothes tend to dominate my outings. This is so for a number of reasons. I do genuinely enjoy these pursuits and getting out only once or twice a month, I'm more likely to center my experiences around such things. But of course adding friends to the mix and those invaluable visits to the likes of Starbucks to simply chill and talk is equally important.

I'm not sure I'm up to a challenge any time soon to create an outing which doesn't involve shopping/makeovers/nails, etc. But I do value moments of being and really appreciate it when I am witness to such states of mind and happiness in these pages.

[Kathi Lake]

Wow, I'm with you 100%! I really go out just to be me. Yes, there may be a little shopping involved, but for the most part, it is just time for me to "air the girl out."

Kathi

[sherri52]

I hope you get the opportunity like Suzanne. She is an inspiration to us all, taking a bad weather situation and turning into alot of fun.

[Karren H]

Damn.... And I thought who ever went out the most, in more places won the game?? I'm devistated..

[kimdl93]

Maybe there should be a way of keeping score on the most successful outings...I know - poor choice of word!

But seriously, whether its at home with your SO, shopping or just walking down a city street - being able to be out as the "real" you has to feel great!

[SuzanneBender]

But call me guilty as charged when it comes to taking on what most of us do when we're out. Shopping, makeup and nails, shoes and clothes tend to dominate my outings. This is so for a number of reasons. I do genuinely enjoy these pursuits and getting out only once or twice a month, I'm more likely to center my experiences around such things. But of course adding friends to the mix and those invaluable visits to the likes of Starbucks to simply chill and talk is equally important.

Guilty. I sentence you to buy me a Skinny Cininamon Dolce Latte at Starbucks while I am in LA and maybe go get our nails done! I get out there on the 5th of March!:drink:


Wow, I'm with you 100%! I really go out just to be me. Yes, there may be a little shopping involved, but for the most part, it is just time for me to "air the girl out." I love that saying! I think you may see it on my Signature soon. Kathi is there ever a time that you are not you? I envy you ability to find balance and happiness in everything in your life. :hugs:


Damn.... And I thought who ever went out the most, in more places won the game?? I'm devistated.. Thats the reason I put a knotch in my purse handle every time I go out pilgrim.


Maybe there should be a way of keeping score on the most successful outings...I know - poor choice of word!

But seriously, whether its at home with your SO, shopping or just walking down a city street - being able to be out as the "real" you has to feel great!

Kim see my method above. Its tough on purses but it helps keep track so you can win the game.

Many of us spend way to much energy in out lives fighting who we really are. In the end you are who you are and life becomes much more enjoyable once you accept it. <---Easy for me to say. I am still not there yet, but it sounded good anyway. :D

[AllieSF]

I can appreciate the point here. I get out a lot (no record attempt just yet Karren!) and to just be me in woman's garb. That normally, includes some type of planned outing to restaurants, bars, museums, et al. However, I have just a few times been out with little or no agenda. One was with my friend Megan from this site. We went to dinner (planned) but took our time having a drink and conversation, dinner with more conversation, and then the unplanned part, a long walk through San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, with no destination nor other objective but to be out and talk some more and just enjoy the moment. We did enjoy the moment and that is what I remember the most.

[kimdl93]

I have avoided setting a goal...tend to move ahead incrementally. So, next step is a corset, then a little more practice with the make-up. If I allow myself a long look into the future, I'd see myself spending a day en femme shopping and lunching in downtown Houston with my wife.

I'm comfortable at home and she's comfortable with me, now I have to move from comfortable to confident. (and from worrying about not passing to NOT caring about passing...just feeling good about how I look )

[JiveTurkeyOnRye]

This is another great post in a series of them lately! You're so right Sara, thanks!

[PretzelGirl]

I agree with you Sara.

I remember before going out, I posted that the types of things that I would like to do dressed would be things like picnics, site seeing; just getting out and having fun I might have en homme anyway. Now that I have gotten out a little, I find that I am willing to also do some of the more regular daily things dressed. I still need to build up my tolerance of the situations I will put myself in, but that is just time.

Because of this, I also find it drives my choices of how to dress. I seem to be leaning more casual which would be more appropriate for the types of things I am getting comfortable with. But I also feel I will get away from the casual more for things like meeting/going out with other members here and probably also Tri-Ess meetings. So I believe that it just means that I am ready to dress as an extension of my mood and the circumstance instead of feeling like I need to dress up everytime.

What it comes down to in my mind is that if you do what you are normally comfortable doing anyway, it will feel more natural to you en femme and hopefully in turn, more enjoyable.

[Kathi Lake]

I love that saying! I think you may see it on my Signature soon. Kathi, is there ever a time that you are not you? I envy you ability to find balance and happiness in everything in your life.If I wasn't me, who would I be? I don't know how to be anything else, you see. :)

As to the ability to find happiness anywhere, it's quite simple, really. Number one, be easily distracted. Like the dogs in Up! I find myself sometimes in mid-sentence, really about to **Squirrel!!**

Number eleventeen, I'm not that bright. Forrest Gump is not only my idol, he's the brother I never had.

The biggest thing about finding happiness everywhere is looking. Although that sounds so simple, it can be hard at times. It is there, though. Find it and grab it!


So I believe that it just means that I am ready to dress as an extension of my mood and the circumstance instead of feeling like I need to dress up every time.Woo hoo!! Give the lady a prize! Sue, this is exactly it. GGs don't always doll themselves up or look like they're dressed to make some quick cash. They let their circumstances and their mood dictate their wardrobe. Good on ya' for discovering this so soon!

Kathi

[Sara Jessica]

Wow, I'm with you 100%! I really go out just to be me. Yes, there may be a little shopping involved, but for the most part, it is just time for me to "air the girl out."

Kathi

Going out to be ourselves, airing the girl out (luv that too!) or whatever we call our moments of being, it is the essence of who we are. I've posted a while back about simple pleasures and those rarely have to do with the likes of shopping, etc.


I hope you get the opportunity like Suzanne. She is an inspiration to us all, taking a bad weather situation and turning into alot of fun.

Well there's (thankfully) no snow around here so I have to make do with tilting my head up when it rains.


Damn.... And I thought who ever went out the most, in more places won the game?? I'm devistated..

No, that's exactly what it's all about. I gave up though because you built up an insurmountable lead.


Guilty. I sentence you to buy me a Skinny Cininamon Dolce Latte at Starbucks while I am in LA and maybe go get our nails done! I get out there on the 5th of March!:drink:

I might have to hold you to that!!!


Many of us spend way to much energy in out lives fighting who we really are. In the end you are who you are and life becomes much more enjoyable once you accept it. <---Easy for me to say. I am still not there yet, but it sounded good anyway. :D

The journey can be half the fun though.

Seriously, I don't know where I'll end up on the TG road, gosh knows I've had more questions than answers lately. But nothing can take away the fact that I truly am a happy person and make the most out of every opportunity I have to express my inner being.


However, I have just a few times been out with little or no agenda. One was with my friend Megan from this site. We went to dinner (planned) but took our time having a drink and conversation, dinner with more conversation, and then the unplanned part, a long walk through San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, with no destination nor other objective but to be out and talk some more and just enjoy the moment. We did enjoy the moment and that is what I remember the most.

What you describe Allie is the best kind of outing, with friends and no agenda (adding some good food and wine to the mix doesn't hurt)!


This is another great post in a series of them lately! You're so right Sara, thanks!

Awww, you're always good for a sweet comment! :)


I seem to be leaning more casual which would be more appropriate for the types of things I am getting comfortable with. But I also feel I will get away from the casual more for things like meeting/going out with other members here and probably also Tri-Ess meetings. So I believe that it just means that I am ready to dress as an extension of my mood and the circumstance instead of feeling like I need to dress up everytime.

Be careful with that casual thing and Tri-Ess, I hear they'll revoke your membership for stuff like that! ;)

[VeronicaMoonlit]

(So I'll take it in a different direction here.)

...it's about who we are.


Yes it is.



But call me guilty as charged when it comes to taking on what most of us do when we're out. Shopping, makeup and nails, shoes and clothes tend to dominate my outings. This is so for a number of reasons. I do genuinely enjoy these pursuits and getting out only once or twice a month, I'm more likely to center my experiences around such things.

I get out even less than that!


I'm not sure I'm up to a challenge any time soon to create an outing which doesn't involve shopping/makeovers/nails, etc. But I do value moments of being and really appreciate it when I am witness to such states of mind and happiness in these pages.

When I did some counseling a few years back, I started going to those en femme. I stopped goiing when I hit a brick wall in what I needed to do (tell my family I wanted to transition) and experiment more.


Wow, I'm with you 100%! I really go out just to be me. Yes, there may be a little shopping involved, but for the most part, it is just time for me to "air the girl out."

Kathi

Not "girl"....Woman! :-)




Many of us spend way to much energy in out lives fighting who we really are. In the end you are who you are and life becomes much more enjoyable once you accept it. <---Easy for me to say. I am still not there yet, but it sounded good anyway. :D

Sounds good, because it's true. Even though I haven't done hair removal or mones yet, I feel better because I admitted to myself and my family I want to transition.

Veronica Rogers

[SuzanneBender]

I seem to be leaning more casual which would be more appropriate for the types of things I am getting comfortable with. But I also feel I will get away from the casual more for things like meeting/going out with other members here and probably also Tri-Ess meetings. So I believe that it just means that I am ready to dress as an extension of my mood and the circumstance instead of feeling like I need to dress up everytime.

One of the most wonder parts of womanhood is that option. All men get is jeans, dockers or a suit. Blah.

[Sara Jessica]

Sounds good, because it's true. Even though I haven't done hair removal or mones yet, I feel better because I admitted to myself and my family I want to transition.

Maybe we're on to something here. Just being yourself, despite whether you move forward towards transition and if so, how fast you do it, is such an important key to being happy. The world is your oyster Veronica, I hope you find your pearl!!!


One of the most wonder parts of womanhood is that option. All men get is jeans, dockers or a suit. Blah.

This is true.

Which is part of the reason outings can be a pain, only having the chance once or twice a month (in my case) to "be" just isn't cutting it, especially because I love casual so much.

The experience of multiple day outings where you can be casual as all heck knowing that night you will dress to the nines, those are priceless.

Kind of like DLV, hint hint hint (my bratty side comes out again) ;)!!!