Another Fabulous Day in SF: Jeff's First Park Day! [san francisco, friends]

Meg's good friend Jeff from Iowa just moved to San Diego and is visiting us this weekend in the Bay Area, so we are doing our best to show him a good time. Yesterday was his first day here in the Bay, so we tried to give him a classic SF experience.

It goes without saying he needed a "Park Day" if he could truly say he experienced San Francisco, so as soon as we got into The City we got off downtown at Montgomery BART station, picked up a phone charger for Jeff and then headed to our favorite Taquería (La Zapata, if you're curious) in The Castro and got super veggie burritos (another SF requirement!), and then headed to Dolores Park for Jeff's inaugural Park Day picnic.

Jeff enjoying his first SF Park Day.

Yours truly, doing the same. But with wild and crazy hair!

I'm fond of my flower shirt. And my Wayfarers.

And my girlfriend.

Cheers!

It started to get super windy in Dolores a couple beers in (not to mention, we all had to pee!), so we decided Part I of Jeff's Park Day inauguration was sufficient and that it was time to move on to Golden Gate Park in The Haight. After a ride from hell on the 33, we arrived in The Haight and headed over to Skates on Haight before going to Golden Gate Park to pick up new wheels for my skateboard and so Jeff could see the skateboarder's wet dream that is Skates on Haight.

Drum circle on Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park.

Closer view of the drum circle.

Cute giggly sister moment.

Meg flying through Golden Gate Park trying out the new wheels on my skateboard!

Meg cruising, Jeff & Zoe looming.

Sisters who skate together get baked together!

Skateboarding Queen (and queen of my heart)!

Superamazingwonderful SF Bay Area Trip [day trips, photos]

Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge.

View of the city from Marin County.

View of Twin Towers & the bay from Marin.

 The Bay.

Clouds casting shadows on the bay.

I present: The City of San Francisco!

Cheesy smile a la SF-induced high.

Live with intention.

Getting a little skating in while in the Marin Headlands.

Doin' what I do.

Random couple enjoying glasses of wine overlooking the bay & Golden Gate.

Triumphant.

Saw Palmetto and Sex [life, video]

Tonight while shopping for groceries for M. and I, I purchased some Saw Palmetto; it is supposed to help with hair loss. I can't believe out of all people on T, I am going bald! I love my hair and I am sad to be losing it; hopefully the saw palmetto actually works! I'm growing out my hair for M. now and I hope the bald spot that is starting on my head doesn't look too terrible. It's a sad thought that this could be the last time I will ever be able to have long hair in my life.

Random thought: I am trying to make a conscious effort to eat more healthy and prepare more meals at home. I also want to plan for meals better, including items for M.'s work lunches.

I just want to be more organized (and therefore productive) in general. And that is happening slowly.










Oh, I have a slight "problem" I have been dealing with; details in the video below.


On another completely random note, I came across an article on soap grafting while reading through my green living blogs on my Google Reader last night. It's so random and comical to me that an article came up on soap grafting as it was just what I was doing when I was spring cleaning this past week.

I thought it was just one of my random/quirky/aspie/nerdy habits; I'm glad to know I am not the only one who does this!

Ideas!

M. and I had a wonderful discussion earlier today; we came up with so many wonderful ideas I am having difficulty breaking them all down in my mind and finding a place to start.

Lower surgery, business development, project planning, non profit/foundation starting, grad school applying, event planning, fundraising, networking - quite a brainstorming session; now I just need to start hashing out a rough outline of everything we went over and set my priorities.

Baby steps. It can be done; it will be done.

Excess [life].

I feel like shedding the excess.

Yesterday in addition to my weekly refrigerator/freezer clean out, I cleaned out my bathroom cabinet, underneath the bathroom sink, the tub, all of the random stuff in my big suitcase, and threw out all of the expired meds in M.'s first aid kit.

I don't need to be lugging all of that crap around everywhere, especially with moving around every three months. I have moved things from place to place in a box and often never get around to unpacking the box. What is the point in lugging a bunch of crap you don't even know you have and don't even miss?

I want to get rid of more clothes, too. That will also make moving easier.

Anxiety.

I have been dealing with an incredibly intense amount of anxiety over the past two days. Friday was the worst, yesterday wasn't as bad. I think I am on my way out of it, hopefully.

Sometimes I wonder if my heightened level of anxiety is testosterone-related; I used to be so easygoing and laid back and now I worry about everything. Testosterone seems to heighten a lot of things: anger, aggression, libido, appetite, etc so it seems it could be a viable conclusion.

My general down disposition could also have something to do with me being so sick this past week as well; oh, and not sleeping much. I feel like I've been sick nearly the entire time since we've moved back to the Bay Area. I have this cold/cough type deal that I just can't seem to shake.

I don't want to go on any meds for anxiety, but self-medication is not the answer either.

Strength in Transformation [video]

This is the latest video I have posted to my YouTube channel, called “Strength in Transformation.” During this whole tumultious and overwhelming transition process, more than just my gender has transformed. I am becoming more whole as a person; transitioning was just a part of the journey. In a way, it was the key that opened the door to the world so I could actually start my journey in life.

I think this is one of the videos on my channel I am most proud of; the footage was acquired over several years’ time in various parts of the country and took me several all-nighters to complete.

Perhaps my obsessive documenting and video editing/producing has paid off; I am starting to get some freelance work doing video editing stuff, which is what I've always wanted to do. I'm really stoked to be working on this new project and getting back into doing some mixed media projects for things not related to my YouTube channel and personal life. Like J. said, it's good to branch out; use this unique experience as a filter in which to see the world, but still ALL of the world and not just the (trans)gender side.

I used to struggle with finding balance between my trans self and just my plain old male/person/self, but this hardly comes up anymore in my day to day life. I still struggle with balance, but I find it is more "life-related," rather than gender-related. I worry about the stuff every one else does - my relationships, finances, work; it's quite a relief to not have to think so actively about my gender.

I'm so glad my active transition is over; I was very fortunate to get it done quickly and when I was relatively young. I am 26 and have been on testosterone for nearly six years now; it doesn't feel like that. In fact, it doesn't feel like anything. It feels like this is how I always have been. I can hardly distinguish my trans self from just myself now, and I think that is what I have been striving for since I started transitioning.

Skating, Energy [thoughts, video]

Now that I am back on a regular dose of T, I have a lot more energy to burn; consequently, I have been skating a lot more.


I have been striving to establish some sort of routine in my life and I think I am finally coming into some regularity in terms of a daily schedule, and it is nice.

Bundle of Joy [cat]

I love this little bundle of joy. She is such a good kitty; affectionate but not overly so, attentive, sweet, snuggly, and she likes all of the toys we give her. I have never had a pet that is so into toys like she is; M. said she hasn't either.

Little Wanda has brought so much happiness into our lives since we adopted her back in December. I am so glad to have made such a wonderfully sweet furry addition to our family!

Thankful - Where I Live [thoughts, california]

I shot these photos as the sun was just starting to set 15 minutes ago; it is now 6:15 and it is almost completely dark now, the quintessence of dusk.

I feel so thankful (and lucky!) to be living in Northern California. I do miss the city, but like M. expressed earlier, it feels like we're tucked away in the mountains yet SF is accessible in a half hours' time by both car and train.

SF is where my heart is - at least for right now; I will admit Portland seems to be whispering to me softly, but she's not quite calling my name yet.

There are certain values and aspects of an urban environment that are important to me that SF encompasses that seem to be present in Portland as well, but I have never been there and frankly, it is really difficult moving to a place you have never visited.

We've done this twice in six months and it's not as romantic and adventurous as it seems - it is expensive, stressful, and exhausting!

I really hope we can stay here or perhaps M. will choose another gig in the Bay area for her next position. She is happier here too so that makes things a little less stressful for us both being more comfortable in our location and living space.

Music.

I had this guitar at my parents' house in Florida so I  brought it back with me to California so I could start playing music more. It's something I've been wanting to get back into (it was such a huge part of my life at one point), but guitar is definitely not my forte (I prefer to play piano and drums) so I am often hesitant to pick it up. 

I guess that is how one improves though, right? Practice, practice, practice!

Plus, my girlfriend loves it when I play and sing to her - always a plus.

Zen. [skating]

I feel more zen on a skateboard than in any other instance I can think of, save one thing - surfing. I still want to get back into that, but I always will have concrete surfing.

Skate Park [masculinity]

I am getting ready to go check out the skate park in Walnut Creek. I'll admit I am intimidated.

Haiku [poetry, photography]

I took this photo last Friday and someone commented that it looked like you could write a haiku from the photograph; I thought I would try.

Rain falls through the trees
Rebirth through the cold water
No birds sing today