Quick Review

Ok so after getting back home from the seemingly endless task of Christmas shopping around 1 am last night I had rented movies in hand and was determined to fall asleep to a movie. Despite rave fan appeal I figured wouldn't care to much for The Hangover and promptly rented it anyway. Upon viewing it started pretty decent but something nagged at me. It didn't take me long to figure it out. It was constantly winking at me. The entire movie was one continuous wink-a-thon about the "Tales of Vegas" or to drag out what they dragged out all the times they used it to often... "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". It is already a tired degenerating line and it is positively geriatric in The Hangover.

That said I can understand the appeal. It is an easy film that doesn't pretend to be even the remotely intelligent, or strangely even stupid. It aspires to average and nails it. I would like to tell you that it makes average look good, but it only manages average. Average cast, average mentality, average jokes, average cast, average movie. It is just to bad that I was so wired I actually watched it all. However it wasn't until the end that I felt I wasted my time, so it was a good relaxing movie that maybe helped me get a little more emotionally centered.

'Tis the Season to be FRANTIC!!!!!!

As I rest between shopping ventures with my "Chasing" play list (complete play list on the bottom of the page) pumping from my computer to my home speakers and enveloping the room and washing clean of the hustle and bustle of my shopping day. Strangely Queensryche seems to wash me clean and reinvigorate me as I write this.

But has it always been this way? You know in the annuals of fanatic American Christmas. Please remember that it is more the Germany Immigrant influence on our society that makes Christmas a bigger deal than it was at our founding. Remember one of the most decisive victors that the Colonist had over the British was on Christmas because they didn't really celebrate Christmas in the grand fashion that the German Mercenaries did.

Quick note to the Pentagon and involved U.S. politicians; those that do not heed the lessons of history are deemed to repeat it. No major Empire or Empirical Power (though I am loath to the idea that is exactly what we have become) has ever been able to maintain an Empire or win a war through the use of mercenaries. Rome came the closest with forced inscription and moving the unit too far way from home. That however would never work in today's world. No one is fooled when there is a 15% draw down in Iraq of U.S. armed forced to be replaced with a 30% build up of "contractors" which is merely a gentle euphemism for mercenaries or "Soldiers of Fortune". The United States of America is better than that and has to be better than that. If those in office don't realize this soon you will all be replaced. Rant done for now.

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Ok my friend came over as I was writing. I had to wrap it up and go out shopping again. I didn't get back until after midnight and I still have shopping to do. I almost want to cry. Honestly I hurt all over. The muscles I use when raising kids are not the same ones I use for marathon shopping apparently. Or maybe more to the point, I'm way out of shape. Sadly I admit that I have not used my Wii Fit, nor have I done any workout for a few weeks. I have plenty of excuses... all of them bad and none of them really hold water. I know what I need to do and I allow myself make excuses why I am not going to do it. It effects my overall health and well being. I know and I need to get on what I need to do.

However back on subject it is the next morning and I am hurting mentally and physically and I am not yet done. You know one of these days when I know I have marathon shopping to do I think I might just do it en femme. Just get a nice outfit together, put on some heels, makeup, and stockings, then go to it. Maybe even manage some time at a salon for a break. Mentally it might be a boon to be out of the closet. Physically I think my back would hurt less (because heels force me to stand straighter) though my butt might hurt more, I think my calves my be in the same shape they are now (I think most stockings and hose actually aides in circulation).

However there is always the bigot, danger, and gawk factors. Which is why I am still mostly closeted. But one day I have to be brave right? A big Charlie Brown...

*SIGH*

At any rate back on subject. It seems that the Holidays are too much anymore. It used to be more fun to holiday shop (I am being inclusive with Halloween, Thanksgiving, birthdays, Easter, and Christmas), and now it is seriously like work. Maybe that is because I am concerned about more than just the two of us and there is five of us. It is likely at least part of it... but still... how do you carry forward when it gets to be so hard?

Sorry that I rambled, ranted, carried on, carried over, and likely made you want to hari kari. I am scatterbrained, so it seems the posting will be.

Thoughts, opinions, generalized take on any and/or all subjects contained within?

Games! What I play.

TG gaming everyone! Just kidding;) Well sort of. I have played my share of games en femme. First off I only have the Wii and a PC. It is also all I want. I was actually done with console gaming until the Wii came out to offer something completely different in gaming.

So, at any rate, online games I'm playing currently is Mario Kart (Wii) and Battlefield 2142 (PC with the North Strike expansion). I might eventually look at Call of Duty 4 (maybe for the Wii I don't know yet) and a couple different MMO's coming out. I haven't done much with MMO's for over a year. Last I really got into was Guild Wars. I am looking at The Secret World and prehaps Guild Wars 2 but nothing seriously. I just don't seem to have the time.

Contact me if you would like to play online.

The Government doesn't work! Does it?

I started this post as a political discussion about health insurance reform, and to a smaller degree health care reform. I was starting to rant about not understanding how people don't get that such a large portion of our economy going to health insurance is not a good thing. I was going to visit Executive compensation and point to overall problems with corporations in America and abroad. As I( was doing this I was answering things I have heard people say time and again and almost immediately the voice of a friend and a very smart woman rang in my head.

"I'm against health care reform," she proclaimed when I broached the subject, "because the government doesn't work. It never does anything right." I was about to fly into the discussion armed with statistics, actual numbers, and percentages. But alias it wasn't to be, because she was running on an errand that I can completed only a few minutes before and our schedules both revolve around our respective children. And in a way I'm glad that I didn't get the chance.

Because the next day, on our way to school, listening to David Sirota get into it with a conservative caller about the facts of health insurance cost public vs. private. The caller kept yelling "Government never does anything right!" And I'm driving, talking to radio as Dave tries to get through to the caller that just repeats "Government never does anything right!" until he is disconnected for screaming repetitively. And as Dave wraps up why medicare is the government doing something right I can't help but say, 'Come on Dave! The perfect example is the simplest one. The roads are the best example of the government doing something right. Then later while waiting for my oldest to get out of school I was listening to Thom Hartmann, and texting friends & family, some professional talking head implied that the goverment didn't work in relationship to regulating something or other. That is when it all crystalized for me.

Does any one really believe that the Government does work? Look at the roads. I will grant you some states and some municipalities do it better than others. Then look at them work in concert with the Interstate system. Our roads is a modern miracle. Look internally. Most Americans use publicly provided utilities. Does the water come on? Does the sewage system take it away and clean it? How about the electric and gas? TV anyone? Though I agree somethings need better regulation in those concerns look at it. It works. It does it well. No matter which way you do it. Cable, satellite, over the air. Look at phone service, mobile and home. Hospitals, emergency services, educational institution, et. al. These things do not work for all despite the government, they work for all because of the government.

Believe it or not most of the modern conveniences that you take for granted as a basic right, was only going to be reserved for the few. It is the government that forces company to serve the public good, not companies doing it from their over flowing heart. It is due to government oversight regulation that our country became great. Robber Baron's just drain our resources, use up international good will, and attempt to enslave everyone. Just look at the nations that don't protect their people. Think of all those places without running water or education for anyone but the ultra rich. Think about how your life and that of your children would change.

So next time you think about saying it, or hear someone else say, "The government screws everything up!" Think about the road...

Touch

Have you ever noticed how little we touch each other? Not in a lewd or far to personal fashion. But more along the lines of handing a clerk cash or a credit card. Even that has gotten to the point of making the contact less or non existent with self checkouts, swipe machines on the counters and even the chip embedded cards that you just wave in the general direction of a sensor.

My point? My point is that it seems that all connection is lost. Don't get me wrong. I don't want anyone to come up and start grinding on me, nor I to someone else. However I did notice last week in a drive through that the clerk and I went to great pains, to the extent of it becoming awkward, to avoid touching the other person at the window when giving them a couple of bills and some change. It struck me as odd.

So odd in fact that it crossed my mind on subsequent visits. So yesterday, the awkward situation came up again. This time I didn't worry about it. My hand brushed the drive through window person's hand as I delivered payment. And once again as I gently collected my Extra Long Chili Cheesy Coneys. Strangle it made me happy. It seemed to make the drive through teller smile as well. I was a lot happier with my purchase and the interaction. Maybe this is just in areas where there is a higher dependence on cars to travel. I don't know. But it was nice to have the contact, or more to the point, it was nice not avoiding the contact.

Has anyone else observed this?

Not so traditional Holiday Movies

I know there are old favorites that get dusted off every year. We all know them so no reason to reiterate them. So I would like my first subject to be a light one. Even though, or because, politics and the world is driving me crazy, plus my Saturday shopping plans might be put on hold.

First is one that I would like everyone to see. Love Actually is a brilliant ensemble cast, with great storytelling, fantastic pace, and interesting characters. It takes place in the modern world so it becomes easy to get wrapped up in. One of my favorite movies of all time.

Less obvious would be The Lion in Winter. Great play as well if it is in your area. Additionally the made for tv 2003 version is very good along the 1968 movie. You can't beat Christmas Court in 1183!

The Holiday is a cute Christmas romantic comedy. Heart warming with a good over all feel to it. Even if it is a little quaint, who cares? Quaint and Christmas go together.


Serendipity is a movie that might not immediately come to mind as a Christmas movie. Let us just say it has John Cusack, Kate Beckensale, and Christmas undertones.

My last recommendation is The Family Stone. I don't like Sarah Jessica Parker, and am not a huge Dermont Mulroney fan either. But the it is well told, if a little heart breaking, and sort of reminds me what this time of year is really about. Family and being with those you love whether you are celebrating the birth of the son, or the return of the sun. It is a good movie about what is important in life.

I would however be remiss if i failed to mention two other odd movies with a seasonal theme. There is of course Die Hard in the action genre. Second I think more obtuse is 30 Days of Night. Though I do not remember if it is implicitly implied in the film, it would happen over the Christmas season. Just a bone to the action and horror fans out there ;)

What are some of your favorite holiday movies?

Greetings!

Hi! My name is Erin and I am trying a blog, again. This is my second attempt at blogging... but not in this persona;) I will attempt to keep up on it and I will attempt to make it interesting, thought provoking, and better yet... interactive. If I fail in any of these attempts you have my apologies in advance.

First, who I am. I am a transgendered person that spends most of my time dressed masculine but thinking feminine. I am not gender dysphoric. I like the ability to be both femme and masculine. I wish I could dress en femme more, but let us face it, this is not a society that it is manageable to be both. Especially if you have more than just yourself to take into account. That is right, I am married with children.

Second, what this blog will be about. Or in Seuss parlance, what is the shape of a blog (granted his blog was a Blogg, but shouldn't he be partially credited anyways for the invent of the word? I am sure that his The Shape of Me and Other Things story played some role in the name). This one will be a bit of everything. On more serious subjects like my societal pet peeves, political discussion, socio-political thoughts, news of the day, general rants & musings, and of course some transgender talk and/or how all the rest effects the transgender community. On a lighter note I will also try to talk about books (if I ever have time for an adult book again), movies, games, and music not usually with a TG slant but you never know.

Last, why should you care about me or what I have to say? You should care about what I have to say, because I may have some good ideas and thoughts. You never know. And it doesn't matter where good ideas and thoughts come from. Connection and discussion of is the reason you should want to read what I have to say. But the short answer for why you should care about me personally is... that maybe you shouldn't. Not any more than you care for people in general (and let us hope and pray that you do care for people in general). Unless you have some connection to me, who I am, shouldn't effect you much at all other than the above mentioned humanity angle. Perchance, maybe in time we will form that connection. Again you never know.

So with that I welcome you to enjoy and join my blog, musings, discussion, ranting or whatever happens to come out. If you enjoy it then stay and perhaps we can enjoy together. If not then it is what it is and I thank you for stopping by.

Erin