Hi Ladies,
Well, blizzard or no blizzard, the show must go on! Actually, the weather was very kind to us and on the day of our presentation (Thursday) it was only a little windy. "A little windy" in Wyoming is a feat in itself. So I probably should call it REALLY GOOD weather!
The morning started like many for me. I woke early and had a light breakfast. My nerves are always a little shakey before I go out, and I've learned that a light meal is always better on my stomach. The night before, I shaved my legs, so I didn't have to wake too early. Also I painted my nails Wednesday evening, because I usually rush to do my nails and it shows. This time they had the whole evening to dry. I can't say how girly I felt walking around the house with painted nails. It probably sounds silly to most women, but every time I glanced down at my fingers or toes and saw the glossy color, it brought a smile to my face.
With three of us getting ready, both upstairs bathrooms were a flurry of activity. My daughter was the only one who knew what she wanted to wear...my skirt! Well, at least it
was my skirt. It became a little snug on me and it fit her so well, I gave it to her. I went through three different outfits before I settled on one and still I wasn't overly pleased with how I looked.
Unfortunately, we needed to get going and I couldn't spare anymore time deciding, so I went with a tan long skirt and matching jacket. A dark patterned blouse and black boots completed my outfit.
We planned to leave around 9AM, and walked out the door closer to 10AM. (Hey, we're on CD time!) The drive up was pleasant, and as I said, it was only a little windy. We saw some deer and antelope on the way. (No, they didn't look like they were playing.)
Parking on campus is always difficult, so we parked in a lot and took one of the shuttles to the Union building. Our facilitator, Cindy, greeted us when we arrived and showed us the room we were using. It was MUCH bigger than last year. We jokingly made a bet that since we had so much room, no one would show up. Thankfully we lost that bet! We had about 35 attendees in the first session and about 25 during the second one.
Cindy has a way of making people feel very relaxed and she soon had them smiling and laughing. There was great interaction between the panel and audience. Our presentations start with a little education covering the differences between sex and gender. Then member of the panel are introduced and we give a little bio. The object is to whet their appetites and prod them into asking questions. Some audiences are like zombies or drones. (They just sit and stare, as if hypnotized) Not so on this occasion! We fielded questions spanning from makeup and hair to how friends and family react.
This was the first time I heard my SO speak publically about my CDing. She spoke of the rollercoaster emotions, learning to deal with a husband who wears dresses, and how it affects her perception. She told of how she helped me with wardrobe and makeup. (I'd forgotten how far I've come in such a short time!) And she finished with comments about how we've raised our children and being accepting of all people.
My daughter told her story last, and although it was brief, she touched on some really important points. She started with her involvement in the High School Gay/Straight Alliance organization, and moved on to tell of how she felt when we told her, and finished up with the tales of how her friends feel, knowing about her dad's alter ego.
I think all those in attendance left knowing a bit more about crossdressers and the whole gender spectrum. That's an interesting point, because this was a conference whose major populace is from the GLBT community. I would've expected them to be more familiar with terms dealing with gernder variance. I was surprised at some of the expressions on faces when Cindy spoke of the differences between Draq Queens and Crossdressers, etc.
I think many, if not all, left knowing a little more about crossdressers and a little knowledge goes a long way. Education is the key to acceptance, ladies. That's a fact!
To close out a wonderful day, we went out to eat. Chili's won the coin toss and we enjoyed a great meal. We were afforded all the courtesies one would expect from an accepting establishment. I guess the servers have learned: Treat us well, get a really nice tip!
I could probably go on and on for another hour, but I suppose I should close for now. It was a fantastic outing for me. I'll be on cloud nine for another week or two.
