Nice to see old friends again & My 1 cent's worth about

[Penny T]

As another 'refugee' from a once excellent message board it is certainly nice to see many of my old friends here once again. Other than having to figure out the best way to navigate this site(yeah, I'm not so sharp but I'm trying)I do think I'll like it here. About me...

I live in Greenville SC, quite a 'redneck' kind of place, and I am totally out to everyone except at work(it cost me my last job). My usual dress is androgynous/femme due to a paucity of anything but women's clothes here, but I do get out enfemme whenever and wherever I please, which I find more readily accepted. I am involved with TG activism and am a board member of Kappa Beta TG support in Charlotte NC, a board member with NC TG Unity, on the SCC planning comittee, a columnist for Q-Bliss and other TG related sites and publications, and a sometimes outspoken seeker of truth. I am a Master Carpenter by trade(which I hate having to do but the money is vital right now) and am soon returning to school where I can pick up some more suitable work skills for the years ahead.

I am comfortable with who I am and am about to embark on the next leg of my journey, HRT, having almost totally finished electrolysis from the chest up. I will not opine whether it is going to be the final leg of my journey anymore but I do know that I will transition as soon as past debts are paid off and my future fiscal security seems do-able. I am in my mid-40's, 5'-9" in height, 155lbs(OK, that's just where I'm usually at, with a target of 10 less and not willing to see if my recent lack of diret control puts me at 160ish...), brown shoulder length hair that is too thin in front to pass so I still use a wig(Propecia coming soon, I hope it works!), brown/green eyes, and a happy disposition caused by leaving 39 years of gender denial. I am a deep thinker who loves to write, enjoys radio(CQCD), and loves springtime with my flowers. I live at the end of a redneck trailer park in an ancient 10x50 tin box with my friend the Suzy-dog, and everyone here knows all about me. Because of my denial in the past I have never been able to sustain a relationship for any great length of time, and now those who will consider it now are much fewer in number but I live in hope anyway. Read single, never married into that(sigh).

Most folks like me unless they are prejudiced or cognatively dissonant, and in either case it's their problem, not mine. You'll find me knowledgable about many things, especially concerning transgenderism in all of it's womderful colors and hues, and always willing to listen and learn, though I can also be stubborn in my opinions at times. I'm done with hate, but I'm no pushover either. I just want a peaceful world where everyone is equal legally and socially, and free to express themselves uninhibited by social pressure to be someone they're not. Some folks use other terminology, but I prefer to be called...

Penny T.

[Virginia]

Penny'hon, it is great that you "came over" to our site. I have read some of your other posts and I just know you will be a tremendous contributor to your sisters here! UH, I do have some carpentry questions. - sorry, Beauty will kick my butt for that so I will let that one go! ha ha. I look forward to your sharing with us.
Love,
Deborah

[Marie(SO)]

Hello and Welcome Penny T

My husband Rae and I (Marie(SO)) would like to welcome you. We too are new to this forum. There are many wonderful people here and lots of help and support.

We live in Kinston, which is also 'redneck' county.

I just recently found out about hubby's CDing and though I have taken it well and am supportive of him, it is nice to have others to talk to about all of my concerns and question.

Now he is only open to me about this at this time. I am openly Bi to my friends and family but not at work. So I can totally understand were you are coming from there.

I hope you enjoy being a member here and if you want to talk or need any help please feel free to message me.

[GalicianGirl(SO)]

Hi Penny T,
Welcome to our forum!!! Glad that you decided to finally come and join us. I hope you feel comfortable here and will make this your new home...

That was a very interesting story. So, you are from Greenville, S.C.... Shannon and I lived there for a couple of years around 1994. We used to live in the northern part of Greenville, out near Travelers Rest, on the way to Ashville. We moved in that area so Shannon and I could attend Clemson University.

If you would like PM me sometime...I'd like to here how everything is back in Greenville....

Sharon(SO)

[Beauty]

Hi Penny!!

I'm glad you decided to join this forum!

It's great to have you here. The wisdom pool of this place keeps growing and growing!!

Wow.. it's so good to see you here (officially).

Beauty

[Anita]

Hi Penny--
It's good to see you here. I'm surprised you're still in the same location, because I thought you were being forced to move. That may still be a threat, but you've had some time to earn money, at least.

You'll like it over here!
Anita

[Loretta Ann]

Hi there Penny T.

I have read many of your posts on the other forum that you used to be apart of, and began posting there at the time you took your leave. I often wondered where you went too. I am glad to see you found us.

here dear.

[Jamie Ann]

I live in Greenville SC, quite a “redneck” kind of place, and I am totally out to everyone — except at work (it cost me my last job).  My usual dress is androgynous/femme due to a paucity of anything but women’s clothes here, but I do get out enfemme whenever and wherever I please, which I find more and more readily accepted. I am involved with TG activism and am a board member of Kappa Beta TG support in Charlotte NC, a board member with NC TG Unity, on the SCC planning committee, a columnist for Q-Bliss and other TG-related sites and publications, and sometimes an outspoken seeker of truth.

Hi Penny T,

     Welcome to the forum! Yes, Greenville is a “redneck” kind of place, but so is that land across Lake Hartwell where I enjoy my grits. All of us do not wear overalls, chew tobacco, and drink moonshine, but I do wear Cabin Creek jeans, chew my food, and drink Chardonnay.

     I still read your essay on “The Meadow” from time to time, and I think Shannon, Sharon, and Beauty do an excellent job of insuring that the flowers here do not get trampled, keeping this site both a friendly and a stimulating “meadow” for those of us who crave such a place.

     Again, glad you are here!

[Josey]

Hi Penny,

It is so good to hear from the Greenville Lady again. Welcome.

My part of Florida is Red Neck territory also. My God, they're everywhere!! I also spent some time traveling through Greenville when I lived in Columbia and made frequent trips to Atlanta. Nice area but I never got to meet anyone. It's hard to at 60mph.

I repeat, it is good to hear you here. I look forward to more from you.
73.

[Sally]

Hey Penny,

It's wonderful to catch up with you again after a year or so. I know you'll be a wonderful asset here with your experience and the distance your journey has taken you to date.

Good luck with the HRT, I know you're done your research and spoken to lots of people and I wish you all the best if that's where your destiny lies, ( I always felt it was).
Just be prepared for the ups and downs with it, it isn't a magic fix but it helps. I found the first 12 months the hardest but it gets better once your body and especially your brain adjusts.

Kind Regards.

Sally.

[Kersten Lee]

Penny T,

My heart is rapid and I have tears. Back in the days, when I only first
was begining to know, accept and enjoy the being that I am. You were
always there with humor, logic, insight, help and the caring to help me to
feel special, not evil. I have missed you so much!

I was pounced on sometimes over there saying such things. I am free
here. We have a few heated discussions here, but I haven't ever seen it degeneerate into hate and vicious character assasination. Those that
feed on hate and prejudice don't last in this garden. My Captain my
Captain is a memory now from another time. I cried long and often
over that message you composed.

I too like Jamie have the Meadow available. It is a beautiful metaphor
in all areas of life and connection to community. My therapist
said it was beautiful and said you must be a wonderful friend. I
am so glad we can talk again.

Other friends from those times and newer friends now have been caring
for me when up and when down. I hope this can become one of your
homes that you can love, like I do.

Kersten,
PS don't anyone feel left out. All of you who have written in so many ways
have shared time with my therapist and I. She knows your all very
special people. Special in all the good definitions!

[RikkiOfLA]

Hi Penny T

On the "other board" you were one of my favorite people! Glad to see you here. This is a much safer place, none of the spam, flamers, etc. Just nice people like you!

You'll love it here!

And with you here, it just got even nicer!

Love and respect,
Rikki

[Penny T]

Deborah'

Thank You for the welcome, and I'll be happy to answer questions on whatever I know, but you'll have to pound your own nails...and please, NOT the painted ones on your fingers! I do enough of that for both of us

Penny T.

[Penny T]

Hi Sharon,

You lived in my neck of the woods! I'm a stones throw from Furman on 276, and a few years back lived 8 miles N of TR. Been here in Greenville off and on for over half my life. Greenville has grown unbelievably in the recent past. No longer does it have the small-town feel, it is more like a little Atlanta. I-85 is now 6 lanes wide in places, and the eastside is terribly congested during rush hour. Downtown hasn't changed much. There had been a huge influx of Latinos, which has had quite an impact on Greenville and surrounding area's economy; some good and some bad. There have been folks moving here from all over, too. This has brought us a more 'metropolitan' attitude overall, and the rednecks are fading fast because they can't deal with this. Slater/Marietta was very redneck back then, remember? They're all gone to Pickens and Oconee county and it's heavily Hispanic now. Subdivisions are springing up all over Dacusville and Pumpkintown. Glassy Mtn is covered with homes and even has a vineyard now. Many stores have late hours now and we have a 24 hour Wal-Mart on Woodruff Rd. But they still can't build or fix roads anywhere near ontime here, so that much is the same and you'd probably remember some of the same potholes....

Want any specifics from here? E-mail me and I'll answer ASAP. I'm getting better at navigating this format and I'll likely hang around here as it seems y'all do it very well indeed!

HUGS!!!!
Penny T.

[Penny T]

Hello Ms. B!
It's great to be here and I think I'll like it here. A few of the others went to a yahoogroup, which I just left as it had one bad apple too many for me, but I'll tell you about it privately if you wish. It's not THAT bad but it's nicer here, and I'm still WAY too busy to have more than one 'home on the web' so we'll hear more from each other soon enough.

HUGS2U!
Penny T