The Gym, The Appointment, and The Trannies

On Saturday, November 21st Athens Boys Choir - a trans spoken word artist named Harvey Katz - came to Salt Lake City to a small little independent cafe on the west side of the tracks. I grew up on that side of the tracks and hadn't been there for some time since packing up my bags and hopping over to the more bicycle-friendly east, but I was very pleasantly surprised by how vegan friendly and cozy and neat this little Mestizo Cafe was. A fan, instantly.

It also helped that the place was packed with gender variance and transtastic'ness galore.

Harvey Katz was excellent. He did his spoken word thang, then his singing song let's dance thang. During the spoken word portion I was a little caught off guard by the audience finger snapping during certain parts or bursting out with orgasmic sounding "Mmmms!". See, I haven't been exposed to the spoken word culture and the audience's behavior was completely bizarre and distracting for me to witness. And so, to remedy my what-the-hell, I looked into it and discovered that I'm not alone in wondering what this is all aboot.

After one person asked on a forum why people snap during poetry sessions, one feller responded, "I don't know why. I felt stupid not doing when everybody else was. Then I felt real stupid when I did it. I probably shoulda asked somebody.", and someone else replied, "people still snap their fingers?" and finally, at last, someone had a response with some potential substance to it!, "In the fifties, and perhaps in the forties, small clubs in Greenwich Village that featured poetry readings were located in basements of residential buildings. The scaled-down applause kept the clubs from being evicted as public nuisances."

Ah ha! Was this true? Even if it's faux subtance, instead of digging further, I decided that this explanation was good enough and I'd leave it at that.

Moving on.

The gym has become more... interesting, lately. I've decided to opt out of both the locker rooms these past couple of weeks. After reactions became increasingly more threatened and shocked by my presence in the womens locker room I've stopped going in there. And since I haven't had top surgery yet and refuse to tightly bind for a hardcore sweaty slathery workout session, the mens locker room isn't quite an option yet either.

Or is it?

After perusing around for potential options, I stumbled across a binder from Underworks that advertises itself as,

They see a perfectly fitted soft to the skin cotton spandex knit muscle shirt that stretches and recoils as your body moves but on the inside are powerful layers of nylon spandex knit binding your chest, flattening your belly and pressing against your back in support. Wear it to workout or down the street, the compression is a secret between you and your shirt. A chest binder breakthrough!

Wear it to workout, you say? Oooo!

Sold from the oh-so-comfortable description, I decided to fall for it and fork over the precious pennies to acquire this thing. And about a week ago I received it: The Cotton Concealer Compression Muscle Shirt, Style 974 from Underworks. I got a large, 40-43. And guess what? I can actually work out in it!

It's a tiny, itty bit more difficult than the sports bra I'd been wearing, but a gazillion x's more comfortable than the discomfort of having gelatinous bounce in my chest.

The first time I worked out in it was on chest/tricep day, which was admittedly a bad idea. Due to the not-as-tight-as-it-could-be chest compression, the right area of my chest did ache a small bit (I suspect this is due to it being larger than the left side. So more to compress. Boo.)

However, I've worn it to the gym every time since and I haven't had any aches or pains. I have to exert myself a bit more on the cardio machines, but not a significant amount or enough that I'm concerned about my health or physical well-being. PLUS, even though it doesn't bind as efficiently as what I wear when not at the gym, it does a good enough job that I -may- be able to navigate the mens locker room long enough to trickle in the loo or stuff my junk in a locker.

Assuming I get over being so nervous about it.

I want to wait to pack on some more muscly fatty man mass beforehand, or ... well, I'm also nervous about the staff there, including the inquisitive knows-my-name-and-runs-around-the-gym manager. He's a nice guy, but I'm wondering if I should just be forward with him and say, "Alright, so here's the deal. I'm a transgender guy who's currently transitioning and I'm going to start using the mens locker room in the near future here." , or something. See where that goes. I'm not sure. I think I might. But I'm waiting, biding my time, building up the nerve.

My current no-locker-room-give-crap-to-gym-buddy-and-pee-beforehand strategy is working out okay thus far.

It's clear already that there's a measure of curiosity going on with the staff who have seen me going in since months before I'd started transitioning. For the first time earlier this week, in addition to my nifty new binder, I also opted to wear basketball shorts vs. the long track pants I usually go in. This was a new move for me, seeing as my body hair is MUCH more abundant than it was, especially on my legs. But, dag nabbit, those basketball shorts are so comfy and breathable I'm going to wear them! And that's that with that.

In other news, I have an appointment with my hormone doctor December 7th! I've been nervous about it for some time now since becoming uninsured, but last Thursday I injected the last remaining droplets of testosterone from my previous prescription and have no choice but to go in and have my hormone levels checked, update the dosage I'm taking and get a new prescription. Good news: she has a flat rate for uninsured patients: $50. And then she bills for whatever tests are being done, which I can make monthly, incremental payments on. So this will work. Bit by bit. Over time.

And then December 11th is my ONE YEAR TRANSITIONING ANNIVERSARY! Woo! I may have a little phallic par-tay of some sort to celebrate. I should, anyway. Then it's a tricky way of duping my loved ones into giving me two birthdays a year instead of just one. Sucka foo's.

p.s. an adorable cisgender female clearly tranny lovin' friend of mine went and bought a t-shirt from Original Plumbing that says "NOBODY KNOWS I'M A TRANSSEXUAL". How adorable is that!? Not only is it adorable that she's going to strut around with this awesome shirt, but she also snagged it before I even knew Original Plumbing had shirts.

p.s.s. Which reminds me of the time I went to my parents home a few years back and my mom had a local drag king calendar plastered on the front room wall. And when I asked, "Mom! Where did you get this calendar? What is this!?", it was the first time a.) I'd even heard of a local drag king troupe and b.) knew that there was a calendar. And she replied, "Oh, your father and I bought it from the Utah Pride Center. Aren't they cute?"

Local Media: "Transgender officer living his dream -- as a cop and a man"

Look what popped up in The Salt Lake Tribune yesterday:

Bountiful police » 'We're glad he works here,' says chief.
By Rosemary Winters

As a child, Kerry Bell dreamed of growing up to become a policeman -- both a police officer and a man.

Becoming a cop was relatively simple -- Bell joined the Bountiful Police Department 14 years ago. Becoming a man took more time.

Born female, Bell came out as transgender about a year and a half ago and started a transition to a new life as a man. He always had felt male, but did not think switching genders was a viable option until he saw transgender people gaining wider acceptance, along with advances in medical technology. Read More >

(UN)Packing Gender Conference

I just got home from spending the entire day at the downtown library for Trans Action's 1st Annual "(UN)Packing Gender Conference", which was a really refreshing and exhausting experience.

Only exhausting because at the wee hour of 7:30am (that's very, very early for me) my friend, Jay, drove by to rip me from my precious slumber like a gremlin snatching a crying baby from a crib. Well, maybe that's a bit dramatic, but it didn't feel like it at the time. Then off we went to help get things setup for the conference; a table of muffins, bagels, grapes, juice, waters. Room setup. Signs. Yada yada.

Workshop #1: Makeup!

The first workshop I attended with orange juice and a bagel in hand pertained to highlighting feminine features with the magic of makeup. I chose this one over the how-to-shave workshop going on at the same time because I can't resist my love for special FX makeup. I know how to make a bloody eye socket, zombies, werewolves, fangs and anything mutilated or melted - but beauty makeup? It couldn't possibly be more foreign to me. Eye liner? Eye shadow? What's the difference? Huhwha?

And I learned a few things! Like that applying white eye-liner under one's eye can make it look larger. Or that applying a light color to the inside eye area can help light reflect into the eye and have a bit of a popping effect. Or bringing out cheekbones with glittery light makeup.

But then the instructor got side-tracked into a conversation about removing nail polish blah blah and I couldn't resist raising my hand eventually and asking, "Could you elaborate more on makeup tips for enhancing feminine facial characteristics?"

It became clear in no time that he thought I was referring to myself and meanwhile a woman in the audience who had earlier mentioned she worked in beauty makeup stared at me. Eventually I had to clarify that I just wanted to know tips in general and not for my specific complexion or jawline.

Workshop #2: Trans n' Families!

Afterwards, I wandered over to the 11:35am Trans n' Families workshop to sit on the panel with my father and brother. The woman who had been staring at me in the makeup workshop turned out to be the mother of a trans girl who was also on the panel. She later explained to me during lunch that she had been staring at me earlier because she thought I was a cisgender guy wanting feminine makeup tips for myself. And that, while staring, she was lost in thought pondering over ways I could feminize my appearance and had concluded that this poor guy had no hope of ever passing as a cisgender woman. HA! Talk about flattering! She only later admitted this to me after the panel where she learned I was a trans feller. Awesome.

My pops and brother were adorable and touching on the panel. When asked when they first suspected their child was trans, my father responded that it had never occurred to him because how my gender expression manifested wasn't relevant to him. Feminine, masculine, whatever. To him, his role is to help me live happy and to support his sons as unique individuals. He explained that my being trans has actually been wonderful for him because he's spent his life living as a cisgender heterosexual male and, because of this, hasn't had intimate access to this "community of unbelievably amazing people" he's been exposed to by having me as a child. It was so damn cute.

My brother talked about how I'm the same brother he loves and that he's just learned something new about me. And that, to him, my gender expression or trans identity are such a small speck of dust in his overall perception of who I am (which he described as a "mountain of mannerisms, ideas, personality, interests, memories,...") that my coming out as trans wasn't a big deal to him.

It was really touching, the two of them. My poor mum would've been there also, but she later told me a sob story about how she'd gone to a movie the night prior, her phone was off, she'd forgotten, slept in, didn't turn her phone on til' later, got my text messages, the realization of what she'd forgotten hit her, called to apologize profusely, on and on.

Most Important: Lunch!

After the panel a group of us - including that makeup mum and her daughter - went to go grab lunch. While at lunch I learned from the two of them that the laws regarding name and gender change have been altered recently in Utah. First, the cost of a name change has gone from around $100 to $350. Second, having one's gender marker changed on their I.D. has become much more complicated. Oy.

The daughter also told me a story about how when she went to the DMV to have a new I.D. picture taken (since her old, pre-transition one no longer looked anything like her), because her "appearance didn't match her gender marker" (which was male at the time) - subjective criteria to be determined by employees from the DMV - they refused to take a new photo of her until her gender marker was changed to "female".

Which makes me wonder - a little later down the road here when I have the "female" gender marker and I have an abundant amount of facial hair (oh yes, I will! Any day now!) and I go in for a new I.D. vs. my old 18-year-old-doesn't-look-anything-like-me-photo I.D., will the DMV employees determine that my appearance doesn't "match" my "gender marker" and therefore deny me a new I.D. photo? What about butch women? Or cisgender women with facial hair? What the heck?

We'll see.

I'm going to make a big ol' stink if they do, that's for sure.

Moving on.

Trans Clothing Swap!

At the end of lunch I dug through a "trans clothing swap" and snagged THREE SHIRTS AND 1 PAIR OF JAMMIE BOTTOMS. Oh yeah! This is a big deal! My clothing supply is tapped out from my body constantly shifting. Clothes that fit 3 months ago have been outgrown. In fact, I should do a photo update with my old JAWS shirt featured in earlier photos to demonstrate the body mass growth. It's ridiculous. Seriously.

Workshop #3 & Keynote Address!

After lunch my brother and I attended a "transmasculinity discussion panel" that opened up oodles of discussion. At one point the facilitator asked everyone to pretend that the room was a "masculine/feminine spectrum" and that the far south side of the room represented masculine and the north side represented feminine and to sit where they felt they rested on the spectrum. I sat near the center, barely tipping on the masculine side of things and explained that I sat where I did "because it's 2009". And, "If it was the the late 1600's when masculine fashion entailed wearing powdered wigs, blush, and high-heels I'd be sitting on the more feminine end of this spectrum. Or maybe just on the more impoverished, over on the east wall of chairs."

Soon the workshop turned into a heated discussion about "patriarchy" and the "power" of being dude which I've always had a difficult time with. Prior to transitioning and being read more and more as a cisgender male every day, when I was perceived as a masculine woman my experiences were uniquely my own and not synonymous with the class of "woman". I experienced a lot of pros and cons, but my pros and cons socially were vastly different than what I presume Pamela Anderson's have been or any feminine or hyper-feminine individual's, male/female/other.

I immediately thought about how feminine AND masculine men are harmed in many ways, like how they are not taken seriously by the police as victims of domestic violence (just one example out of a gazillion I could rant and rave about - for all individuals from binary gender pressures).

Which, in contrast to the man/woman shindig, there was an amazing keynote address to end the conference where the speaker, PJ Carlisle, phrased the whole crazy kaboodle in a little nutshell way that resonated: a "masculine/feminine gender tyranny" - one that has a huge impact on cisgender AND transgender individuals as human beings who are much more diverse than the hyper-masculine/hyper-feminine box leads us to assume.

Nice.

And now I'm home, tired but about to head out to play with the family pup, Gany, who has been severely neglected today! What kind of a vegan am I? Neglect no more!

Zionized 15: Transgender Awareness Month

Oh.my.gawd. I turned completely red watching this.

About two weeks ago a friend of mine at City Weekly referred Marty Foy to me for an interview in regards to Transgender Awareness Month. Feeling compelled to do my small part, I agreed to it - but instead of doing the interview somewhere with just Marty and I, I requested we do it at the Utah Pride Center so he could also interview some other trans-identified people or show the little happy Center in the background or somethun'.

Honestly, in my stage fright ridden little world I hoped I would appear for 1.4 seconds and someone else for 3.4 seconds and another for 6.7 and so on and so forth. I'd be a blurb. Get in, get out. Part done, stage fright averted. But alas, that's not how reality panned out.

Reality rarely pans out the way my noggin predicts it should.

As my awkward and rare viddy documentations have proven, there's something about a camera 2" from my face that instantly liquefies my mind and transforms me into a terrified, monotone robot. No humor. Only terror. Absolute, sheer sweat and redness.

Oh the woe of trying to be an out-and-proud tranny and an increasingly inquisitive media. It's a good thing, actually. I just like to complain. Which, I'm sure, comes as a complete surprise given the title of this blog.

At one point Marty asks, "How do you define yourself as a trans person?", and in my mind I answered, "Well, as a trans guy or just tranny! And I know some people may think tranny is a derogatory term, but I think it's cute and endearing and kinda sounds like a teddy bear.", -uh, not a good answer, so out loud my lips forced out a, "Well, transgender, to my understanding is an umbrella term for people who are... and I would identify as transsexual ... " instead.

Trans Bonanza in Salt Lake City

A whole lotta transtastic somethun has been going down in the li'l knook that is Salt Lake City within the grand red state of Utah. Just last night I went to Trans Action's "Open Mic" and prior to that sat on a panel with other trans people (and parents of one FTM) to help raise awareness about trans issues (it is Transgender Awareness Month, after all). And before that? Went to a film down at the library and watched the Q&A from the trans panelists there and before that? Went to a trans chili cook- off and just, whew... I'm definitely getting my tranzbonanza fill this month.

It's wonderful, really. First those ordinances passed protecting LGBT individuals from workplace and home discrimination. Throughout there have been little bits of media coverage pertaining to Transgender Awareness Month, especially last Monday when Rosemary Winters published Transgender community pushes for acceptance, awareness in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Some of the reader comments on the site are really empathetic and supportive, while others are incredibly bigoted (and all have numerous thumbs down and become hidden comments, which reflects the getting-tired-of-the-same-ol-hate-rhetoric attitude growing every day). It's astounding to me, how one reader comments, "Guess the next step is the grown men who want to wear diapers, be bottle fed and take naps in a crib. How about everybody feel sorry for them too." or another, "As long as IT is cornfused about or has a overwheling fetish to dress like a woman. Then what do they exopect from society? Get a heartwarming welcome from NORMAL American folks? Sort of like we call a SHE a HE just because they FEEL like a male (Chasity Bono). Vagina or no vagina, this girl is stil a girl. Albeit a damn ugly one."

Wow. Hate much? Trans babe Emily puts it well when she writes, "Transphobia doesn’t work on the level of literal sense, instead it proceeds along a path mapped out long before, relying more on a cis common sense of how things “should be” (and therefore are) than on any real knowledge of trans lives." in an article that hits comments like this in the core: Transphobic Tropes #5 – The “man in a dress”/stealthy deceiver double bind, and various other articles in regards to transphobia in this spot on blog.

"Cis", by the way, is a shortened version of "cisgender", which Wikipedia defines as, "Cisgender is a "newer term" that means "someone who is comfortable in the gender they were assigned at birth. "Cisgender" is used to contrast "transgender" on the gender spectrum."

Back to my giddy gravy train: Just yesterday, November 17th, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker signed into law the recently approved Fair Workplace and Housing ordinances. As Eric Ethington (a local blogger) puts it, "San Francisco signed Fair Workplace and Housing laws into effect with Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscone in 1969, now 40 years later Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker signs his name to the list of champions of human rights."

This past month I've struggled more so than usual with feeling insecure and hopeless internally, so it helps to focus on the positive change that's happening for trans people - even here in Utah. Increasing awareness, acceptance. Protections and hope for a future with equal civil rights.

And this kind of stuff helps, too:



So frickin' cute.

Speaking of the PFLAG (Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays) meeting, that was so much fun. They were so receptive to my story and the stories from the other panelists. They had a million inquisitive questions that could've gone on for hours.

There was an older heterosexual couple there, presumably in their 70s who I'd recognized from an awards ceremony I'd attended a couple of years ago from Equality Utah, acknowledging them for their tremendous support to the LGBT community. Turns out that this older homosexual couple and this heterosexual guy had started the Utah PFLAG chapter years ago and, here they were numerous years later hearing about this "transgender" thing and "transsexual" and "genderqueer" and "gender identity" and "gender expression" and "pansexual" and on and on and on. Poor them. However, knowing how thrown through the loop they were, I can't wait for what I'm going to be exposed to that I'd never thought of when I'm in my 70s. Woo!

And watching them in action - in their element - was the best when this woman who had walked in late asked, "Um, am I in the right meeting?" as she had been aiming for a PFLAG meeting and, instead, sat in on a panel of trans people. That must've been a trip.

She shared her story about how she's LDS, but four out of her five children are homosexual. She expressed how difficult it was, worrying that they'd be hurt or not live happy lives because of it. She talked about four years prior her eldest son had been hospitalized from being attacked in downtown Salt Lake City and still has health problems from it to this day. When she asked, "I feel so guilty, and I don't know how to help my children or what to do or why this has happened. Did I do something wrong?" and INSTANTLY, like pigs in mud or peas in a pod or a rabbit on a carrot those PFLAG members reassured her that she wasn't alone, that she had nothing to feel guilty about, that almost every parent in there had had similar worries and concerns and experiences - and they gave her information for support as she cried and encouraged her to come again and just, .. ugh. It was something else. I loved it.

2 Pro-LGBT Ordinances Passed In Utah With LDS Church Support

Prior to 1978, Mormon leaders forbid Blacks from holding the Mormon Priesthood. In 1978, due to mounting pressure from pending lawsuits concerning racism, Spencer W. Kimball conveniently received a revelation that Blacks could hold the Priesthood and enter the Temple. If the LDS Church had not changed its views on this, it would have lost its Tax-Exempt 503(c) status - as pending litigation in several states in America was proceeding.

The California-based Christian Research Institute Journal sums up the LDS Church’s financially-footed flip-flop on its racist doctrine:

Writes Latayne C. Scott in "Mormonism and the Question of Truth:"

"LDS leaders... perceived threats in both the outcome of a recent court case on racial discrimination and in the possibility of an IRS review of the Church's tax-exempt status.

So, in a statement the LDS Church released to the public - which was a far cry from earlier revelations - they announced that Blacks were suddenly eligible for what they'd been denied for almost 150 years.

Just back in February all of the bills under the Common Ground Initiative were shot down, including the one that protected LGBQT people from being fired or evicted simply on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.

And yesterday? Finally, at last, in the face of mounting national pressure the LDS church had another sudden revelation and at a public hearing that they officially support 2 ordinances against LGBT discrimination - so no one can be fired or evicted on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.



From the two most prominent local papers, the Deseret News (owned by the LDS Church):

Mormon church supports Salt Lake City's protections for gay rights
Salt Lake City has become the first Utah city to offer housing and employment protections for gays and lesbians — an action supported by the Mormon church.

and, from the Salt Lake Tribune:

Salt Lake City adopts pro-gay statutes -- with LDS Church support
Hours after the LDS Church announced its support Tuesday night of proposed Salt Lake City ordinances aimed at protecting gay and transgender residents from discrimination in housing and employment, the City Council unanimously approved the measures.

Sweet! Finally having a measure of legal protection in the city I was born, raised in, and call home brings an overwhelming sense of comfort and hope. Just in 2007, for example, Krystal Etsitty, a trans woman who had worked as a bus driver for the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) was fired. As I've mentioned in this blog before, in Etsitty v. Utah Transit Authority, 2007 WL 2774160 (10th Cir. Sept. 20, 2007), the Tenth Circuit ruled that a transsexual is not protected by Title VII as a class and that this particular plaintiff could not establish "Price Waterhouse" gender non-conformity discrimination.

And now, just two years later? We are protected. And the LDS Church has to follow suit with the rest of the evolving world or sink. I also hope that it's a reflection of the changing attitudes of church members and internal pressure. Or so I hope - and, if so, that it's a change that will last and progress.

SLC Passes Pro-LGBT Measures. Will It Last?

My Pitbull, Gany!

So excited! Our family canine companion, Ganymede, is one of the first two pitbulls to graduate from the Good Canine Citizen program here in Utah. Gany, my pup, is the cute little golden brown guy who knows how to "stick em' up!". He is now, officially, a local celebrity:

Animal Experts: Pit Bulls the Perfect Pet
 

I can't stand it. He's so adorable and I'm so proud. He's the best advocate EVER for pitbulls. I'M GOING TO IMPLODE.

Chaz Bono

I don't have television so I'm a bit out of the loop when it comes to what the hot issues of the day are. So, lately, I've been hearing through the grapevine bits and pieces about Chaz Bono being plastered aboot on the telly (who made headlines this June when he announced plans to transition from a female to male), especially after an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight (airing this Thursday? Or has it already?). My grandma even e-mailed me about it saying, "I watched Chaz Bono being interviewed and he was so clear and intelligent about his transition. Of course it made me think a lot about you, Mel, and what life must have been (and is) for you. I continue to worry about your health and safety but heck, I worry the same about all of the family. I just want you to be whole and happy. To B U."

Awwww! Cute accepting, loving granny.

And go Chaz, for being open and brave about his transition even in the face of an undoubtedly frustrating media onslaught.

So alas, lacking television viewage, I have been reading news online about the latest antics involving good ol' Chaz Bono. In one article released October 30th from People Magazine, Cher was quoted as saying (in regards to supporting Chaz's decision to pursue a sex change), "The one thing that will never change is my abiding love for my child."

Awww again!

ET did an interview back in the day with Alexis Arquette when she came out as trans and media shit hit the fan. She tells Chaz that "he is not alone and he’s never been alone and anyone like him will never be alone." and in regards to the People Magazine cover story titled "Chastity’s Choice" Alexis says that it isn't entirely accurate because he "made the choice to come out as transgendered [he] never made the choice of being transgendered. Nobody would chose this life… We all just want to be accepted for who we are."

Well put, Alexis.

In another article from People Magazine, Chaz was quoted as saying, "I always felt like the male from the time I was a child,... There wasn't much feminine about me." -- which is one of a few quotes that differentiate some of us trans people from Chaz when it comes to the gender component. Like how there's Adrian, who is also FTM, but incredibly feminine AND attracted to men. Yeah, sex (biological) and gender (social) are linked, but, as illustrated above, they're also way distinct aspects of an individual's identity.

All n' all, I'm really excited about celebrities like Chaz and Alexis being out and proud and at least exposing the general population to the basic concept of being trans.

November!

Now it's November which might just become the year's second best month seeing as it's Transgender Awareness Month and Utah has some pretty spiffy trans activism going on these days. There are a slew of upcoming trans-awareness events planned throughout the month thanks to Trans Action:

Utah ain't so bad!

October!

October is the BEST MONTH EVER. I absolutely love it. I haven't exposed much of my horror-obsessed side in this blog because, well, it isn't intrinsically trans-specific and it's a huge gruesome turn-off to a whole lotta people. However, October is the one month that I will make a horror-in-blog exception, seeing as it's a.) my favorite month ever, b.) an excuse to do awful gruesome super fun makeup and c.) hard not to obsess about and, therefore, difficult to express anything else.

So, just to forewarn those who aren't also lovers of horror and gore, below I will be posting images of my gruesome Halloween costume!

And now with that disclaimer aside, I had so much fun on Halloween. My roommate, a friend, and I decided to do a group theme this year - as "Bill the Baseball Fury", "The Brown Knight" and "Wolf Melt" from a fairly recent indy horror/comedy movie called Murder Party.

In the film, the character I dressed up as, "Wolf Melt", he's a guy wearing a wolf mask for Halloween. Throughout the film he boozes it up until, ultimately, he's passed out on the floor drenched in alcohol. Eventually he stumbles outside for a cigarette but, low and behold, forgets to take the mask off and KABOOIE! One wolf melt.

Initially I had PROMISED myself that I'd abstain from doing some intense makeup job this year. These past few years, since finally purchasing a little makeup kit with some liquid latex and, well, makeup, the gore doors had opened and ever since I've gone hog wild. Perks: LOTS of fun and challenging, and reactions are swell. CONS: Generally difficult to eat, hot, and a pain to remove.

But, alas, a few days before Halloween I snapped and decided that I absolutely had to melt the mask to my face. Then laid awake at night looking forward to it. Oh obsession is fun. Healthy, too!

Pre-Melting Accident:

WOLF MELT! Arroooo! And Murder Party pals!

Oh that burns! Not fo' real real though just fo' play play.

"Bill the Baseball Fury" going after "The Brown Knight" as "Wolf Melt" hobbles along behind!

LATER, LATER, LATER at around 3am went to Dennys where they weren't going to seat us due to my face but, luck of the draw, I knew a manager working that night who vouched for me and the other manager reluctantly mumbled, "ugh, fine fine."

The feller who plays "Wolf Melt" in the actual movie, Macon Blair, wrote to me on Facebook, "Holy. Fucking. Shit. That's amazing, man. You recreated that to perfection...and you got the pre-burn wolf mask in there too! Your diligence and attention to detail is way way fucking impressive."

Now THAT'S flattering.

Happy Time San Diego!

Yeah! Happy time San Diego photos! Finally!

Also, to boot, I have a little pluggy-camera-to-laptop-memory-card-thingmabop that enables me once again to suck photos on to my computer and, thus, do some more photo/viddy documentation in the near future here.

In the meantime:

Look at this cute little ol' guy - a "Tapocyon" hanging out over at the Museum of Man in a plastic tree. Apparently he's similar to what modern dogs and cats evolved from and has retractable claws, which kitties retained and pups lost along the way.

Mom and I, enjoying our Spongebob Squarpants pops in Balboa Park

Mmm! Vegan pizza from Stephanie's Bakery in San Diego!

On the purdy beach at sunset with the mom and brother.