Balancing both worlds

[Alice D]

OK- I feel better, showered and shaved (all the important places) and moisturized, clean undies and a satin nightgown on. Problem is, I spent the entire day working on a remodeling project cutting and breaking out a concrete wall, setting jamb forms and pouring concrete for a new sliding door overlooking the pool and canal. My hands are a mess, I drew blood a number of times and I feel about as feminine as ----. I like working with my hands and I'm good at it. I could easily afford to have someone do the work, but down here plumb and square are not in the vocabulary. How do you girls handle both sides of your lifes? (PS gloves don't work for me- I can't get the job done).

Alice

[27th Jennifer]

I know exactly how you feel! I maintain a large building for a living, and my hands are always getting gouged up and cut on machinery, lumber, tile, etc. I hope somebody has an answer for people like us. And you're exactly right. Down here, people don't seem to understand plumb and square!

[Kate Simmons]

It's a tough job Alice but somebody has to do it. Not only that, but if I want a job around the house done by my specs, I have to do it myself. I can't go off balacnce with regard to feelings though. I need both parts of myself to function. Sometimes it's a mix, sometimes not. The important thing for me is one part balances the other, therefore my ID on this site which is my reminder.:happy: Ericka Kay

[Bethanygirl]

Simplify, get rid of that annoying male world, it really is too much to deal with!

[MandyTX83]

its very hard to balance these things, i work as a carpenter during the day and can't wear gloves so that I can feel the smoothness of the wood to see if it appropriate for what the people want. I also stain, hammer, and beat the tar out of my hands on almost a daily basis. But the second I get home and get in the shower I rinse my maleness off into the drain, I spend a couple of hours reshaping my nails and moisturizing my body to get back to the smooth silk that body is when I come home. I put on some of my favorite outfits and have a nice relaxing night doing what I have wanted to do all day.

So in short, I come home wash my maleness off and slip into my femininity and love every second of it. I hope to get into another career that wouldn't have to split my life quiet like it is now, but thats another topic all to itself.

Hope this helps.
:be:

[tekla west]

I work with my hands, and no gloves. Try a good lotion like Kerry Lotion.

[Joy Carter]

I workout side year round and in winter my thumbs and index fingers all split painfully near the nail. I believe it's from the skin on my hands shrinking from the cold temp. I've used "New Skin" but it only helps till I start working again. I use hand creams but have had little success. Any suggestions?

[Beckii_aCDInOz]

And I thought my guitar calluses were a b#tch.

[Peggy55]

I'm not working at the moment (first time in 11 years.) The problem is I can dress all day and I don't get anything else done!:eek:

[Eugenie]

There are quite a few handy jobs that I like to do: wood working building furniture, making shelves, chopping logs for the fireplace, simple electrical wiring, etc.

I understand the strange feeling of getting in activities normaly attributed to men. But who says these should only be "masculine" jobs?

This brings the point which probably upsets our relations with feminist groups: as CDs, we tend to have a rather stereotyped and conservative view of what it is to be a woman, and I'm guilty of that bias as well. Isn't the whole discussion about wearing skirts or dresses but an illustration of that spirit? However, without those dress codes stereotypes most of us wouldn't exist, would we?

To our defense, our SOs often use the male stereotype to ask us to do some handy jobs around the home after all...

So we split ourselves in two sorts of stereotyped roles: on the one side the male handling a hammer and all sort of electrical tools, on the other side, the role of women dressed "as women should (in our stereotyped views :heehee: )"

Some of us enjoy both sides. Some hate the male side and only do it as a chore. Some, it seems, manage to have that kind og job done by someone else... I've tried that a few times but my SO insist that I do it... It may be a way for her to get "the man" out of Eugenie :happy:
:hugs:
Eugenie

[Kate Simmons]

I'm not working at the moment (first time in 11 years.) The problem is I can dress all day and I don't get anything else done!:eek:That's what I'm pretty much doing now too, Peggy. I semi-retired last week, so I'm trying to see how long I can go being Ericka. I still have the need of Richard time however. This will give me an idea if I can really be Ericka 24/7 or not. For me, it's about balancing both aspects. Rather than "dissing" my guy self, I embrace it. :happy: Ericka Kay

[Veronica E. Scott]

I don't know what the answer is either. I work on high rise bldgs. all concrete and steel I am the cut man if someone wants something fabricated they come to me, seems as though everyone in the morning wants a piece of me ,the stress level is extremely high all I do is pull my panties up knowing that in a few hours I can be Veronica and that makes the day go a little faster. Balance is walking an 8" I beam 27 floors above the ground that is balance.

[melissacd]

Simplify, get rid of that annoying male world, it really is too much to deal with!

I agree with Erica in the need for balance, because that is our reality, however, I really do like Bethany's response too. One only wishes that it could be that simple :happy:

[Amy Hepker]

Grin and bear it, My hands are a dead givaway to my Male side and one reason I cannot pass in public. My GLady is a big girl and her hans are the same length as mine as are the fingers, my hands and fingers are about 2 times larger around. Nothing femine about my fingers. My job does not help as I Drive semi and unload Tires, up to 1400 at a time, so my hands have to be ruff and tuff as is the rest of my body. At nearly 6'2" and 235Lbs. I make a rather large Lady, with only Fat around the stomach area, that can be held in by a corset or waist cincher. My head is the other big givaway, it is to large for a females. Still I make one large Lady. I do pride myself on my legs as they still look pretty good. I stll need more hips and butt though, and oh yes Breasts.

[Tina Dixon]

Grin and bear it, My hands are a dead givaway to my Male side and one reason I cannot pass in public. My GLady is a big girl and her hans are the same length as mine as are the fingers, my hands and fingers are about 2 times larger around. Nothing femine about my fingers. My job does not help as I Drive semi and unload Tires, up to 1400 at a time, so my hands have to be ruff and tuff as is the rest of my body. At nearly 6'2" and 235Lbs. I make a rather large Lady, with only Fat around the stomach area, that can be held in by a corset or waist cincher. My head is the other big givaway, it is to large for a females. Still I make one large Lady. I do pride myself on my legs as they still look pretty good. I stll need more hips and butt though, and oh yes Breasts.
Unload tires:eek: , I'll have to keep a eye on some of our deliveres at work from now on.

[Kate Simmons]

I agree with Erica in the need for balance, because that is our reality, however, I really do like Bethany's response too. One only wishes that it could be that simple :happy:Well, Melissa, we have the opportunity to re-create our world each and every day when we wake up. Our reality is determined by who we are inside. It depends on how creative we are and what we are trying to accomplish. In a sense, we came "back to life" every morning and only because of our memory and sensory inputs do we continue on and know who we are. Not to get too "Matrixy" on you, we do have choices to make each and every day. The choices we make basically determine who we are and what we learn that day is always something new. How we respond to things is determined by our goals and needs. We have the power to co-create our own world on a daily basis. How we use that ability is totally up to us.:happy: Ericka Kay

[Diana West]

Life is a balancing act.
Some of mine include:
Work and play.
Father and husband.
Male and female.
Dress and casual.
Jokes and seriousness.
Truth and lies.

I think everyone works at balancing their life. I believe that is the journey in life.

[suchacutie]

We are all very concious of all of the differences between genders, and I think we often focus on making sure that ALL the signals we give to those around us are feminine, as if every GG does that. This is not the case, of course, and the functional issue is to be as feminine as possible. My hands, too, get abused on many days, but even if our hands were "perfect" if we don't move in a feminine way, or use our hands in a more feminine way, sit, chat, use voice inflections, etc., then these perfect hands aren't going to help us give the feminine signals we wish to give. Being feminine is a whole package. We all know the obvious trouble spots of adam's apple, big biceps, not small enough or large enough here and there, walking, sitting, talking, voice, not to mention makeup, etc. GGs use their hands in rough settings as well. Moisturize, work those nails, do all we can, but in the end, it's the poise, the walk, the confidence, the aura of being en femme that takes the prize. My :2c:

:love:
Tina

[MsEva]

Well, you just do manage don't you...I am putting in a new bath room at our casa. Doing the tileing and put in new vanity and granite top. It is pretty cool that we can do all kinds of things.:D

[Alice D]

Well, you just do manage don't you...I am putting in a new bath room at our casa. Doing the tileing and put in new vanity and granite top. It is pretty cool that we can do all kinds of things.:D

It's comforting to hear that I'm not the only one with problems like this. I agree that you "just do manage", but it still doesn't do your self esteem much good.

MsEva, one tip though- when you are grouting the tile, [U]do[U] wear rubber gloves. I've pretty much tiled this whole house and didn't at first- grout dries out your hands unbelieveably. When I starting wearing them I said hey- lather on moisturizer before you put them on and get some benefit out of this.

Alice (feeling better today :happy: )

[Tiffy]

Alice, I have the same problems. And now, raising game chickens it is even worse. Because some of the fellas are not all that friendly and they bite like fire. My hands bleed and have welts all the time. Plus slivers and cuts from building cages and cutting wire. Gloves do not work for me either as it makes it to hard to feel the bird. I do not know of much that can be done. Just try to mind where I put my fingers as best I can. But the roosters are faster than I and often remind me that I did not get my fingers out of the way enough:Angry3:


Tiffy

[telawilson]

P.S. The avatar is not me...Wish it was...

Tiffy, where'd you get your avatar? I love it! I want it!

[Eileen]

Joy I live in Vermont and have a problem with my hands cracking in the cold weather. I solve the probem with Bag Balm! It is a bit sticky, but for those outdoor jobs it keeps my hands soft and smooth. A woman needs to take good care of her hands.

Eileen