Can't answer this as a normal guy !

[Teresa]

This is more of an observation than a question and probably won't get any takers ! Not to worry !

I was just off on my afternoon walk with the dog totally in drab, felt really good, younger than my sixty three years but Teresa was still in the background with CDing thoughts. Never once do I think I'm too old for CDing, it keeps me young, I take better care of myself watch my weight, maybe wear things too young for me, all this plus makeup and the wig knocks years off me !
So what does a guy of my age who doesn't CD feel ?
I can't answer that as a normal guy, only through the eyes of a CDer !
How many other things in life have I dealt with only through those eyes because it's the only way I know ?

[Kate Simmons]

It's part of us and who we are Hon. :)

[DeeArel]

You are normal in that is what you have always known. Every one is a sum of unique life experiences so no one is "normal." However, out of fear and insecurity, most only admit to thoughts that are confined to society's stereotypical roles.

Dressing is a pleasure once one (as you have done) realizes it as not being a curse. Pleasure, purpose, joy keep us young.

[mariehart]

If he's British like you he's thinking about upcoming premier division season and wondering will Van Hastie replace Suavaric in Manchelsnal united and wondering what's for dinner and should he pass by the offie and pick up a few cans and 'Wow look at the tits on that!'

If he's American, his thinking of next (add sport here) season............well you get the rest.

I'm not saying most men are shallow, well I am actually.

[CynthiaD]

I can't answer either, but "normal" seems so boring.

[Nikki A.]

We are a product of who we are. How those who don't CD take care of themselves depends on what motivates them and how they perceive their life. If positive then they take care of them selves if not then they don't. This also applies to CDers, those that feel hopeless may not take the same care of themselves.

[Kris Avery]

Well, I can't say either.

I CAN say - I'm glad I don't know and wouldn't want to know.

I'm sure it would be terribly boring not being enlightened and so much different.

Good for you that you show concern for them - those poor devils.

[DonnaT]

My mind says I'm still young. My body tells me otherwise.

I remember as a kid, someone in their 40s was old. When I got to 40 it didn't seem old at all. Nearing 60, my mind tells me the same thing.

But if I'm looking at someone else, like my neighbor, for instance, he is one year older than me. He looks 10 yrs older.

It's all perception, either what we see or feel, yet the minds eye can see something entirely different.

[Bria]

Teresa, We are as old as we feel in our mind, therefore I'm about 38 even though I was born in 1940. A good knowledge of new math helps!!

I have a sister that is three years older and one that is three and a half years younger. My younger sister and I have decided on a diffinition of old. If we don't get as old as our older sister then we are not old!!

As Donna noted, our preception of age changes as we age. I had an older friend that told me why time seems to pass more quickly as we age. He said that when we get to the age when we realize that there will be a point in time when our life will end then we think of all the things we still want to do and also see that the time available is decreasing, then a panic sets in to get the "bucket list" finished.

Live your life so that you are happy and enjoy what you do, life is to short to do otherwise!

Hugs Bria

[Stephanie47]

"Never once do I think I'm too old for CDing."

If the reason for CDing is to express who you are, then you are never too old to wear women's clothing. It's who you are on the inside. Maybe, the choice of attire is outside societal norms. I'm a little older than you. At my age I would never wear a micro mini dress and six inch heels. I would have worn that style when I was a teenager or young adult. Now? It's knee length dresses (+/- an inch or two) and three inch heels. The color of my wig matches my natural hair; gray.

The desire to eat and live a healthy life may be encouragement to be able to fit into a pretty dress. Men and women wear their fat differently. Women accumulate fat in a pear shape. Men? It's belly fat that will kill them. My drive to retain my 42-38-38 figure really is my drive to remain healthy. The earliest death from old age in my family is 82. The oldest is 103. I have an appointment at a VA clinic this week. I know I am going to see too many men totally out of shape from not taking care of their bodies.

I have many friends who are not cross dressers. I know they think about going fishing and hunting, retiring, vacationing, etc. Right now I'm sitting before the computer in a ratty Vee neck tee shirt, a pair of cut off 25 year old jeans that are threadbare in the butt, black BVD's, and barefoot. Unshaven. That's what an older cross dresser feels like wearing about 90% of the time.

[Judith96a]

If he's British like you he's thinking about upcoming premier division season and wondering will Van Hastie replace Suavaric in Manchelsnal united and wondering what's for dinner and should he pass by the offie and pick up a few cans and 'Wow look at the tits on that!'


What a stereotype! Unfortunately it's probably pretty accurate :sad:
As for this Brit... I couldn't give a xxxx about the foozeball or who will replace who in United, or about the contents of the offie! But then I'm a CDer so, by definition, not your average guy.

[Emi_]

I'm a perfectly normal guy who just happens to wear women's clothing. There is nothing abnormal about me. Each and every human is an individual - this is the normal state of things. We all come to the table with different perspectives. Were I not trans*, I would still not be like you because I am Mexican, and I am a veteran, and I am a Christian, and I like Star Wars, and so many other things make me not like you or anyone else. None of what makes me uniquely me makes me abnormal, however; none of it makes me flawed or dangerous or unworthy of dignity and respect. I am just another normal person with my own personality and perspective like everyone else.

[Wildaboutheels]

Well you are certainly correct in that "normal" guys are not nearly so likely to be "consumed" with their appearance/trying to look younger as females are.

Because they don't NEED to be. It's not likely to help them much like it does females. [to be/stay attractive]

Just one obvious clear advantage to being male IMO. More time, energy and money for other pursuits.

But ANY quirk that enables or motivates people to take care of their bodies is a good one especially in the US.

[Beverley Sims]

Teresa,
As a CDer I make many observations about life that other male counterparts miss or would not even bother with.

[I Am Paula]

I was just off on my afternoon walk with the dog totally in drab.

The dog was in drab! That's terrible.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Teresa, I just looked in the Cross Dressers Handbook , In chapter no. 7. ,
It says that there's no age limits on Cross Dressing.

Otherwise I would probably be in trouble.

[UNDERDRESSER]

"This is more of an observation than a question and probably won't get any takers !"

Well, seems you were wrong there! Replying as a normal guy? Don't think I qualify. (see my first signature line) As a non-Crossdresser? Well, maybe, I don't think of myself as one anyway. I did identify myself as such to my soon to be GF, when it started looking serious, but once I started wearing skirts around her, with the plan that she would help me with makeup and the like, before going public. Well, I found that was as much as I wanted to do. I started finding skirts that could work with male tops, I looked into some non traditional kilts. (couldn't make myself pay those prices when workable skirts could be got from thrift stores for under $5) In my mind, the fact that I'm not trying for a female outline, trying for a athletically sexy look, as a man, means that from my POV, I'm not a CDer. I understand and accept that others will still think of me that way.

I have been exceptionally fortunate, I've never really tried to stay fit, I ride my bike a lot, and I tend to be "on the bounce" all the time, these days I do try avoid excessive quantities of unhealthy stuff, though I can go through a large bag of chips in very short order. One day I turned around and thought, "Holy cow! I'm a geezer!" Then I looked in the mirror, "Sure as hell don't look like one"

So, how do I think of myself? Does my clothing choices influence that? I really find it hard to think of myself as 58. My GF is more than a decade younger, and looks younger than that. Sometimes she can leave me in the dust, but not often. I have come to realise that I'm actually a good looking guy these days. Was I always? I could have been, if I'd had the confidence I have now. Part of that is coming to terms with who and what I am. I'm a bit gentler than most guys behave. You could say more feminine, but I don't accept that, I'm just more willing to show my gentler side. The world could be much saner if we all felt free to do that.

So, do I look and feel younger? Yes, but not because I'm trying to look like a woman, but maybe because I'm trying to emulate some of the accepted "feminine" traits? I can yes to that.

[visualkei]

I can't answer either, but "normal" seems so boring.
Nailed it. My thoughts exactly.
In my city, droves of hopefuls come from the midwest and beyond hoping to aspire to become singers, actors or celebrities. 95% of them are normal people trying to emulate uncreative talented people.
In any situation I'd take weird over normal if those are my only options.

[charlenesomeone]

Teresa,
I think anything we do will have some amount of CD bend to it.
Being just a guy, not sure how. I will probabally still have to fix something around the house.

[Marcelle]

Hi Teresa,

I am not sure the intent of your question but I get the impression you were looking at if guys who don't CD feel older as they age? I can only respond for myself as I do consider myself a normal guy who just happens to dress differently on occasion. I was a late bloomer (did not start fully until last year). So up until that time I felt the onset of age . . . body didn't heal quite as quickly in my late 40s as it did in my 20s, skin getting a bit saggy in spot, weight gain easier (slower metabolism) etc, etc. It is for this reason that I continued to work out, eat well and try to stay healthy. So I believe aging affects men just as easy as it affects women . . . I know lots of guys who dye their hair, dress younger and try to recapture their youth in order to be attractive to the world around them.

Hugs

Isha

[Teresa]

Isha as I said it was more an observation, that without really thinking about it I was ooking after my body better because of my CDing and the whole process made me feel younger. The fact is I could only see it that way and not as a non CDer, OK I used the word NORMAL and didn't mean to imply I was abnormal which some have commented on !
I know all CDers don't have hour glass figures but if I look at non CDing guys my age most are out of shape and look older for their years, I'm sure you could say the same !
The bottom line is CDing is deeper in my brain than I realised so I mostly see things from that perspective !