Hello Again

[Cassie2024]

Hello Everyone,

At last we talked, I was preparing to travel to Provincetown for Transweek being held the last week of October. Well, I took the trip. WOW! What an experience! it was a lot of firsts for me. The first trip I took so far from home, ALONE. First time I left my house so long without anyone being here since my mom passed last September 2023. First time I was able to dress in "Cassie" mode all day. First time I presented in public so much, for so long. Provincetown is amazing. Pretty, quaint, friendly people all over. It was like a dream come true. I left home Sunday morning at 6:00 am and returned the following Sunday night at 10:30pm, so I had a good week in Provincetown. I learned a lot about myself as I interacted with the other participants. Thye were great. All on the Gender Spectrum, from dressers like me to those who transitioned and living very happy lives. I've concluded that my dressing will always be part of my life but transitioning was not something I needed to pursue, nor would be best for me. The trip was well worth the time I spent in the year prior preparing, and planning for the trip.

Upon my return, it's been like full steam ahead. It's been one thing after another. Before I knew it, the holidays were here and gone. Now, here I am, this Sunday afternoon.

So, I hope everyone's holidays were pleasant and more good memories were made for each of you. Here's looking to a good 2025. I'll be around.

Cassie

[Maria 60]

I love reading these stories and I could really feel the energy and excitement in your writing. It sounded like a fun and educational trip for you. I'm going to look into this and see if I could get that feeling of finding more about myself. Cheers to you and hope to read more positive stories in the future from you.

[Sometimes Steffi]

Just some notes:

Google "says" that Provincetown is 8.5 miles from me. But, I'm originally from Boston and have driven from DC to Boston many times. Unless you go in the middle of the night, there's always rush hour traffic somewhere along the route, e.g., DC, Baltimore, Delaware, Philadelphia, NYC, Connecticut, Providence. Between rush hours and pit stops, it usually took me a minimum of 10 hours, often more. That' well outside my comfortable driving range alone. I would love to go and to meet up with others to share the driving.

As I said, I grew up in Boston and I went to Provincetown many times once I was old enough to venture out on my own, or with a carload of friends or with my family. We took my daughter wale watching from P-town at least a couple of times.

When I first went, around 1970, P-town was a Portuguese fishing town. No way I would go there dressed. I even avoided any bar that looked like a fisherman's bar. Then P-town turned gay (men), then Lesbian, then what it is today.

P-town is dead in the winter. Fantasy Week extends the summer tourist season for a week. Then the P-town tourist venues shut down for the winter.

As for a week as a girl, all day and all night, even in public, my event is the Keystone Conference.

[Cassie2024]

Yes, I did learn that Provincetown began as a Portuguese fishing town. I had not known that fact. The town has made sure their heritage is still evident all over town. I learned from the conference organizers that many of the business owners agree to stay open just for our week. There were signs all over town that indicated seasonal closure would begin the week after the conference. i had never been to a town where the season dictated the town's business activities. It was understandable, but different from me. Down here in Texas, even down around the coast, business is a year-round activity. The weather was just perfect. The sun was out everyday and the temperature was in the high 50s or low 60s during the day, down to low 40s, maybe a bit cooler at night. The day I left town, we hit 78 degrees, lol. We didn't experience such temperatures for another month, i think it was after Thanksgiving that it finally cooled down here in South Central Texas. It was this past week that we experience our first 32 degreed night, lol.

I did leave with a wealth of knowledge about what it takes to transition, both physically, mentally, and emotionally. In many respects, the physical challenges, which are formidable, may be the easiest. However, i also learned the town is facing a gentrification threat, to Commerical Street and the private small businesses that line the street. I believe I was told the only corporate business on Commerical Street was a Tom and Jerry's ice Cream store. if I got the story correct, many of the business owners are reaching retirement age and want to sell their businesses. The dynamic is that many are gay and do not have heirs to take the business over, or if they do, they heirs are not interested in taking over the business. So, corporations are hoovering to start buying and they are trying to influence the town council to begin making code changes to the areas, promote corporate buyouts, etc... The conference organizers were beginning to have trouble finding sponsors for the various activities, not receiving the usual cooperation from the town offices with permits, commitments, and general support they enjoyed the past fifty years the conference has been held. So, things may be changing. At the time I left, the organizers announced at the Saturday night banquet they decided to officially put the next year's conference on hold. Things may have changed by now. I have not checked. I think I'll be sticking close to home in 2025. I want to direct my funds to repairs and upgrades on the house.

[SIZE=1]- - - Updated - - -[/SIZE]

I love reading these stories and I could really feel the energy and excitement in your writing. It sounded like a fun and educational trip for you. I'm going to look into this and see if I could get that feeling of finding more about myself. Cheers to you and hope to read more positive stories in the future from you.

Thank you, Maria. I travel from Texas to Massachusetts, alone. I knew no one at the conference. But I can tell by the time I left, i felt, i knew many of them for years. I even had lunch with the Director of the Conference. I was sitting alone at lunch, and she came over and asked if she could have lunch with me. We had the most incredible conversation about our experiences, transitioning, being true to ourselves, and so much more. I was so touched by her kindness.

Of course, I made my mark by losing my name tag that had all my lunch tickets inside the tag holder. It didn't take long before the Director heard of my situation and came to me to tell me I would have my new credentials by the 2pm that day. It was that day she found me at lunch. She had heard that after the talent show that night, I took a stroll up and down Commerical Street. it was a bit chilly, but I just want to walk leisurely in my floor length skirt, heels, and poncho coat, carrying my purse. I had never done that before. Along my walk, i ran into the presenter of one of the workshops i attended earlier that afternoon. The workshop was on Spirituality, the Church, Faith, and Gender Issues. The presenter was a Catholic brother who had transitioned and hit home for me as i am an old Catholic School boy/gal myself We had a marvelous conversation right there on the sidewalk for about an hour as the night was turning colder. We didn't seem to mind th temperature. Well, the word got out that "Cassie" was walking last the streets the night before and apparently the Director thought enough to seek me out and reach out. I don't think I ever had an experience such as that night. I usually try to blend in all the time, whether if I am in boy mode or Cassie mode. I just was touched with awe and wonder by the gesture. Most appreciative.

[alwayshave]

Cassie, That is wonderful. I love P town.

[JesseVF]

Cassie - congrats on having such a great week. I went to that conference two years ago but was only brave enough to go for an afternoon. I was hoping to go this past year and spend more time but ended up moving to SoCal in September. That would be really sad if they have to discontinue that Transweek tradition. Glad you made it and enjoyed it so much.

[NatalieR]

So cool! I went several years ago and it was magic. I want to do it again, but I always seem to have a schedule conflict. I'm glad you had a good time.

[bridget thronton]

Great post thanks

[docrobbysherry]

Sounds great, Cassie!

But, r u transitioning or not? Your posts have conflicting info.