At forty years old, I still dress up for Halloween. I go to an annual costume party for adults with prizes for best costume, most original, creative, etc. I missed going last year, and I want to be sure to attend this year. I have never won anything, and I am looking for a good costume idea for this year.

In the past, I have been a geisha and a Renaissance tavern wench. This year, I decided to go darker. I will be the Greek Gorgon named Medusa, who has snake hair and the power to turn her victims into stone. The costume should be pretty simple--a black dress, a gold sash, and some toy rubber snakes either tied or glued to a plastic cap to become a wig. For makeup I plan to use a pale foundation with dark purple lipstick and bright purple eyeshadow. Purple nails would look nice, too.

I know, it's not the most original idea, but I think it will look good. I don't really care if I win a prize, but it would be a nice surprise if it happens.

This particular Halloween party is for transgendered people, so I always go in a female costume. It's a lot of fun, and we celebrate the crossdressers' holiday, Halloween.


 

I survived an extremely rare illness. In August I was having seizures that were gradually getting worse. I ended up in the hospital emergency room after a particularly bad seizure and it turns out my blood sugar was only 15. I have been told I am lucky to be alive.

The low blood sugar was the cause of the seizures, but the next question was what is causing the low blood sugar?

Luckily I had a good endocrinologist who ordered a CAT scan and found an insulinoma tumor in my pancreas. I was scheduled for surgery and in two days the tumor was removed, along with my spleen and about half of my panceas. Now, I no longer have seizures, but my bllod sugar is high.

I had to have some more tests to see if I have another endocrine problem, like something wrong with my pituitary gland. Getting results is slow, but I am feeling much better and I will return to work in one more week.

It feels good to be alive.
 

Recently the IRS investigated the All Saints Church in Pasadena, California because the pastor preached "Peace on Earth." The IRS seeks to revoke the church's standing as a non-profit church because of "political" remarks favoring peace over war. What the US government is forgetting is that all Christian churches preach peace--don't they? What kind of Christian wants war? I don't get it.

Also, so many churches tell their congregations who to vote for in upcoming elections--why is the IRS not seeking to take their non-profit status away? I guess it depends on who is in office at the time? Is this fair in a so-called democracy?

It looks to me that democracy in the USA is going the way of the dodo and the dinasaur. If you don't agree with the president, you are an enemy of the people.

As a Christian, I am deeply offended that the message of peace is made a public enemy. I think Christians are no longer welcome in the USA, not while the GOP rules the land.

Go to http://www.ecapc.org/articles/article-11181.htm for more information.
 

"Cross" and its many meanings for me:

1. The physical cross used by the Romans as an instrument of death
2. The cross as a symbol for Christianity or Jesus on the cross
3. a verb, to cross something, i.e. Why did the chicken cross the road? But also figuritively, as in "to cross gender boundaries by "cross"-dressing
4. Anger, to be cross.

I have often thought of "Cross" as a title for a story I might write, as the word represents all of the above for me. As a cross-dresser, I cross boundaries, and sometimes I become cross, or angry, with people who have hate in their hearts and criticize without knowing what they are talking about. The religious aspect of cross comes in for me in that people use Christianity to throw their hate at someone like me, and I have also struggled with my own beliefs and now am a Christian myself, though I believe in "love thy neighbor" and not hate or judgement against others who are different.

The story would be biographical, though the focus would be on being TG (transgender), emotions and religion.