{"id":696,"date":"2014-10-16T14:30:26","date_gmt":"2014-10-16T18:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/typingmonkeys.com\/blog\/?p=696"},"modified":"2023-05-02T12:48:07","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T16:48:07","slug":"so-theres-that-day-24-a-better-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/typingmonkeys.com\/blog\/so-theres-that-day-24-a-better-day\/","title":{"rendered":"So There’s That, Day 24: A Better Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

So There\u2019s That: Adventures in Transgendering chronicled my transition in 2014. One hopes the gentle readers will forgive any awkward or anachronistic language within.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n

I return to the office with a renewed enthusiasm. And perhaps it\u2019s because we have more of a skeleton crew, but it\u2019s a better day. A much better day.<\/p>\n

Or perhaps my attitude is better. We chat more amiably, and I\u2019m not afraid to be cheery and even broach the subject myself.<\/p>\n

One topic I raise is the concept of transitioning and assuming a feminine name (or femme name). One coworker relates a story of an associate at a previous job who transitioned from David to Debbie. It was more of a public unveiling after going dark for a few months. No longer David, now Debbie.<\/p>\n

Now let me be clear. I\u2019m not trying to be critical of anyone else\u2019s journey. Everyone has their own path to take. So I hope this doesn\u2019t get misconstrued as me opining for others. But for me, and only me, a femme name rings hollow. As I\u2019ve said before, I don\u2019t feel like a woman trapped in a man\u2019s body. Maybe a lesbian trapped in a man\u2019s body, but I\u2019ve truly enjoyed my life. This is simply a part of me that I no longer want to keep hidden.<\/p>\n

In other words, I don\u2019t want to go dark and reemerge as someone new with a different name. I am still who I am. Only 20% more awesome (you\u2019re welcome, Bronies). So my plan is not to change my name or go dark. Everyone calls me DiG (soft G). And I hope everyone will continue to do so. Because that is who I am regardless of the shape of my body, the timber of my voice or the size of my girls.<\/p>\n

I should confess, however, that my first name\u00a0is<\/i>\u00a0Joel. Pronounced like the Christmas-y Noel. So I already have a gender neutral first name. Perhaps if my first name were more definitely masculine I\u2019d feel differently. But I don\u2019t, so there you go. End of sermon.<\/p>\n

For lunch, I meet one of my old interns, and it\u2019s a nice, amiable conversation about work and life. Again, not planning on revealing my story, but I figure, what the hell. He\u2019s a little surprised and a little unsure of how to react, but my comfort with the story, the humor I have in the situation seems to carry him through.<\/p>\n

After work, I meet another colleague for drinks, a designer, and the reveal goes much the same as the other have in NYC. Surprise. Support. Laughter.<\/p>\n

In fact I give, perhaps, my best rejoinder so far. We are talking about what women drink. I used to have a predilection for Guinness Stout. But I gave that up years ago when my metabolism slowed. More recently, I drink Stella Artois. But I am looking for something with a few less calories. She recommends tequila. I then share a story of my college years that entailed downing multiple \u201cPrairie Fires\u201d (tequila shots with ample helpings of Tabasco) back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back.<\/p>\n

She then asks if I\u2019ve ever blacked out from drinking tequila.<\/p>\n

I pause with a wry smile and\u2026 wait for it.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t remember.<\/p>\n

Captain Jack Aubrey would be proud.<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n

N.B.: I should note that my thoughts on the above post have evolved quite a bit in the ensuing years. I have fully transitioned and taken the name Jennifer, the name my mom chose for me before my birth. <quietly steps down off her high horse><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So There\u2019s That: Adventures in Transgendering chronicled my transition in 2014. One hopes the gentle readers will forgive any awkward or anachronistic language within. \u2014 I return to the office with a renewed enthusiasm. And perhaps it\u2019s because we have more of a skeleton crew, but it\u2019s a better day. A much better day. Or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-so-theres-that"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t