Game Night - The only reason I got dressed today (a short post)

 

We did not play the above game tonight.  But we did play ONE game.  Yet, for the second time in recent memory, I was the only person who went to game night.

But first....

I woke up early, and took my time to get moving.  For the most part, I did nothing until about 4 pm.  And then I started to get showered, made up and dressed.  Going in any of the dresses I laundered the night before wouldn't work, so I pulled out a tunic and leggings and felt that would be perfect for the day. 

I left the house 15 minutes earlier than usual, and was in Yonkers in time to get a bite to eat AND to get to the host's place in time for the first game.  So, I decided to stop by the recently remodeled Burger King on the side of the NYS thruway in Yonkers.  This was a big mistake!  After placing my order on the touchscreen, I selected pay with cash at register.  And that's where the "fun" began.  Three woman, all Spanish speakers, were trying to place an order with the one lady manning the register.  Five minutes later, they vacated the counter area, and so did the lady who took their order.  There were at least seven people waiting to pick up their orders, and no one came to the register.  After another ten minutes, I walked out.  I received no food, so why should I wait to pick up any food?  If they can't keep up with the orders coming in, management should make sure that the store maintains proper staffing levels.  They lost $15 worth of business simply because a place that normally serves "fast" food wasn't fast enough to take care of its patrons.

A few minutes later, I had picked up a bottle of soda and a bag of pretzel sticks to hold me over until I could get to another fast food joint. Then, it was off to game night.  I was the only one there.  No one else showed up.  Weird.  At least, I was able to play one game before leaving.

 

I realized something about myself the other day

 

OK, it's a weird title for a post.  But it makes sense given that I am noticeably risk adverse.  I like safety, especially when I'm going out into the unknown.  That's why I found cruising to be so attractive - one goes to new places, and has a curated and safe experience when in those places.  

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Traveling in the United States is easy for me.  We have a shared culture, and almost everyone knows the rituals and what they should expect when traveling.  I can't say the same about foreign travel, especially when people don't speak the same languages that I do.  (I don't need fluency in a foreign language, but I do need the ability to ask for directions, etc. when needed.)  So, I felt comfortable going to Norway on my first overseas cruise, as many people speak English as a second language, and just as many also know German in addition to their national languages.  In short, I can feel safe, and yet still get a taste of the places I visit.

It's nice to let someone else handle the logistics of getting me from point A to point B.  I can do this within the USA, but that's because I know the rules (both written and unwritten) to set up my own travel arrangements.  Yet, if I'm going on a cruise, I'll let the cruise line handle the logistics outside of New York, because it is easier for me to do so.  Even so, I know what to do when traveling to cruise ports in Seattle, California (SF, LA, & SD), Texas (Galveston), Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa), Philadelphia, and Boston.  Outside the US, it's something else altogether.  Could I do this in London?  Maybe so, but I wouldn't want the hassle.  The less I know about a place, the more I want others to handle the logistics.

Last night (as I write this), RQS decided to add a shore excursion to our cruise at 11:30 pm.  I got a little nervous, as I know that most people make mistakes after a long day, when they are running out of energy.  Since I just paid roughly $3,000 for the cruise, the last thing I wanted was a check-out problem that could cost us the cruise.  (This happens on some cruise lines when payment for incidentals has not been completed.)  Luckily, RQS got everything right.  But if something went wrong, there was no one I could call at that time of night.

As you can see, I am a "Belt and Suspenders" kind of person.  Although I can "wing it" much of the time, I always want good options for the times things go wrong.  That's why I was nervous about going out as Marian for the first time.  Now, I have confidence in my presentation, and it shows.  And yet, I still needed help until I had the experience and associated knowledge to do things myself. 

A visit to the doctor - he listened a little today

 

 

I always dread going to my doctor, as he always focuses on my weight.  Although he made his usual comments about my weight (though I was down several pounds on his scale), he finally paid some attention to the problems I've been having in my back and with my legs.  And he did this only because he was instructing a trainee who needed some field experience in addition to her class work. If there was any doubt in my mind that it's time to change doctors, it has gone away.  It's now mental inertia that gets in the way of making a switch.

As I get older, I'm noticing the slings and arrows of old age.  The indignities of aging are annoying at best.  Arthritis is a constant presence - especially when the weather changes.  (What old person can't predict the weather by the pains in his/her joints.)  I notice that I'm weaker than I used to be.  No longer can I imagine helping two men lug my entertainment center up the stairs to my apartment, when I'm having problems bringing my laundry up and down the stairs.   And, sexual dysfunction is a norm, not an abnormal occurrence.  Yet, in a strange way, it makes it easier for this trans woman to shift into a more female existence.

It's easier for me to go out as Marian these days, as I've gotten much more confident in my presentation. Several times as of late, I've noticed women make the kind of friendly compliments to me that they would only reserve for other women.  Yet, there is still a long road ahead of me on this path to being accepted as a woman.  I know that there will be many bumps on this path, but it's better to hot them than not proceed any further. 

 

Buying tickets for a "Last Minute" cruise on the cheap can be confusing.

 

I had "written off" a cruise because my passport might not arrive by the time we had to depart for the cruise.  My passport was issued within 2 weeks of my application for renewal, and many options became open to me.  The cruise I just booked was one of those I thought wouldn't be open to me due to the time it might take to renew my passport.

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Both RQS and I had an itch to take another cruise, and I had already planned to treat her to a cruise once the family homestead was sold.  Well, the house was sold, and it was "put up or shut up" time.  So, with RQS talking about other cruises, I saw the cruise we're going to take and suggested it.  She loved the idea!  So, I booked that cruise today, paid the bill, and now had to deal with the logistics of getting a wardrobe down to RQS's place before the cruise.

For some reason, I always have a problem with entering data for this cruise line.  I may have the wrong email address on file for my account with the line - who knows?  But I finally figured things out and got into my booking.  Yes, there is a problem which may require some data entry from RQS.  We'll find out when she starts entering in personal data.

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The cabin we chose is one of several with a view of the main atrium.  This is not a liability, as the atrium is rarely used for loud events.  (This cruise line has an "elegant" clientele which still dresses up for formal nights.)  We will be in the center of the ship, and I'll be writing more about the cruise as the time comes near. 

By now, the election results will be in.

 

By now, we will know the results of election day.  Will the Democrats have gained control of Congress? Or, has the GOP manipulated things, so that they were able to override the results of a fair election?  Who knows, but I expect that our president and his loyalists will do what they can to avoid being held accountable to both the people and to the law in 2027 and beyond.  In short, I expect the GOP to cheat as much as possible.

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As I write this, it's 2 weeks before election day, and I'm waiting until the end of the week to hand in my early vote  I don't trust our post office to faithfully deliver ballots to the polling centers.  Right now, I don't feel that anything connected with our Federal government is worth any trust.  I feel lucky that my Passport and Global Entry card (Trusted Traveler Number for Domestic Air Travel) were both renewed in a little under 2 1/2 weeks.  Given this administration's hatred of transgender folk, and its hatred of people who oppose their crimes, I had wondered if I might get caught up in one of their sweeps.

I have to admit that I live in a leftist media bubble.  But I don't think that I'd be lone - even in the heart of MAGAland.  Even the "Red States" are getting tired of our president's insane actions.  But I don't count on enough of these people to stand up and protect our democratic republic.  All too many of them still follow an authoritarian cull leader.

Based on my last contact with the Foreign births Registry, my updated application should be processed by March.  Once that is taken care of, it'll be time for me to file for a second passport - this time, with the nation of my paternal ancestors.  When I traveled there in the past, I felt like a foreigner in the land of my ancestors.  Yet, it could be a second home to me if needed.

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However, I don't intend to dwell on the troubled situation in the USA right now.  We'll likely see troublemakers and agitators claiming that the elections were fraudulent.  I'm just hoping that enough sane people are able to keep things under control and checkmate our Orange Monster for good.... 

 

Sometimes, it pays to be a guinea pig

 

A week or two ago, my dentist made an offer to "the 1st 10 people to reply" to get a free CT scan of their jaw for use in a future dental implant.  Well, after 12+ years of procrastinating for financial reasons, I decided to take advantage of this offer while I'm still flush enough to afford an implant I've put off for way too long.

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This morning, I left RQS's place a bit earlier than usual, so that I could make it home and  change into Marian Mode before the dental visit.  It was a good thing I did so - all 3 East River bridges from Queens to the Bronx were bollixed up due to construction work on the bridges.  This was the worst I've ever seen traffic going to any of these bridges, as all were backed up for miles before even reaching the bridges.  And, even by bailing onto local streets to reach the 3rd bridge (the Triboro, aka: RFK bridge), I decided to suffer with the lesser of these evils and put up with the traffic jam until I reached the Bronx.

Once across the river, it was easy sailing, and I reached home 45 minutes later than planned.  This was enough time for me to change into Marian Mode, and take care of a problem arising from Amazon's mis-delivery of a package at 4 am.  (It's now scheduled for tomorrow at the same time - AARGH!)

At 3 pm, I went to the dental office, and everyone was addressing me with the correct pronouns, and the non-gendered version of my name was on the screen.  A rep from the CT scan company was teaching the dental staff how to use the new device, and I was the most cooperative guinea pig they could have.  Within 10 minutes of sitting down, and being moved around so that the scan could encircle my head, I was out the door.  I probably saved somewhere between $250 and $500 by being a guinea pig.  But now, I have to commit to the implant - and I'm glad I'm doing so.

Soon, I'll have a tooth that replaces a molar, and I could chew normally in the near future. 

I feel like a stuffed goose! (a short post)

 

This was a weekend spent as Mario.  But I had good reason - two dinners which required Mario's presence.  The first was with my brother, and the other was with RQS's cousin, daughter, and granddaughter.  There would be a lot of food on the menu, and not enough time to digest it all.

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Saturday came, and my brother was supposed to pick us up around 4 pm.  From RQS's place, we would then drive to the Rockaways and dine at an Italian restaurant I had seen in an online ad years ago.  Rocco's is just off a main drag, around the corner from a subway station.  Yet, it's a pain in the ass for us to get to without a car.  So, we only have gone there when my brother drives us.

This would be the last time we'd be able to eat and charge it to our business, as the house was sold in August.  But we made the most of it.  The food was yummy, and we were quite full when we left the place. It's too bad that we didn't order the Cannoli to go, as we were craving a sweet dish later in the evening.

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Sunday was our day to meet up with RQS's cousin (and her family).  We took the subway into Manhattan and got to the restaurant on time.  However, her cousin was late.  But that was OK.  The Dim Sum house wasn't busy when we were seated, but was very busy by the time we had finished eating.  Our conversations flowed like water, and we all wished we had more time.

RQS's cousin is allergic to shellfish.  So, I made sure that everything we ordered had no trace of shellfish in its making.  For example, there would not be any "Beef with Oyster Sauce" type dishes.  And, we had to ask the waitress to help us insure that there was no seafood related ingredients in the dishes.  Yet, I still had concerns when the Wonton Soup was delivered - there was a piece of seaweed as a garnish.  RQS's cousin said this was not a problem, and we had a tasty and filling meal acceptable to all.

Sadly, we all had to go home two hours later.  RQS's cousin went back to her hotel, while RQS and I went back to Queens.  Hopefully, I didn't gain too much weight over the weekend....