I don't think I've ever posted pics but I rescued a sweet little boy today so I figured it's time for a picspam :D

( Peektures! )

Hey, I'm new to this community. MtF, 27, from Upper Michigan. I've been living full time as a female for about 3 months now. Doing the hormones on my own. I take 2 mg of estro and 25 mg of spiro in the morning and 50 mg of spiro and my vitamins at night, just started in the last two weeks. Wondering what others have started on and the results you've seen. (Please do NOT preach to me about the dangers of DIY Hormones)

Otherwise I am having problems with my computer. I seem to be having trouble reprogramming my parental units. Both the male and female units break down frequently when using my username. (My username is too long and complicated and cannot contain any other letters or numbers besides STEVE.) I no longer answer to my slave name. So yeah I'm wondering how I can get both units to accept my new username and correct pronoun usage? Sister units and their kid units are unaffected by my changes at least.

The parental female seems to think I have a virus. The female unit has been avoiding all public contact with me and seems to be embarrassed by me. She seems to think the whole thing is a phase and that I am ill. She also feels the need to try to explain to everyone in the family what she thinks is going on and that "just ignore him, he's only trying to get attention". She has called me a pervert in the past and said that everyone is gonna think I'm a child molester if I continue on this path.

The male unit claimed when I started my transition to "be an expert on sexual orientation and gender identity" ...based on a college course he took back in the 70's... yet he still can't understand the difference between the two.  He has read a few books on the subject and seems to be trying to understand at least. Funny story.... he went to Salvation Army and bought a bunch of female clothes for me to try on, to show his support.... Well all the female clothes are UUUUUUGLY and from the 70's and 80's.

I've been informing both units for over a year of my intention to transition but how can I get them both to fully accept and embrace the new, happy me?

And an observation. As a male I had few friends, girls thought I was creepy and guys avoided me altogether. But from the moment I've begun transitioning... guys are weirded out and now I have girlfriends like crazy. Is this typical?

Since my childhood I've known inside that I should have been a girl and I've wanted more than anything to get pregnant and be a mother. Not possible yet I know but do you other MTF's have a strong maternal instinct? It's not that I want to be a mother (I already have a daughter with an ex) but I NEED to get pregnant.... It's been a lifelong ambition. And when I try to explain to someone that I'm jealous of every other genetic female I see and they say "No you aren't. You wouldn't like periods and PMSing and pregnancy and all that..." How can I get people to understand that those things are what I've prayed for my entire life? Do others feel this way?

My rat flicks his tail, like a cat does, when he's agitated.
Do any of your rats do this also?

Since my last post about losing winnie I am now down to my last girl. After losing 5 of our 6 girls this year my husband and I have decided not to get any more rats for the time being. It has been an emotional rollercoaster and we are not ready to take on more ratties just yet.

Now with olivia being our only girl, and very outgoing, I want to know if there are any special things I can do for her. We were thinking about getting one of those "hampter balls" but her size so she can run around freely in the house. We have a cat and dog so I am afraid to let her run around on my bed.

I do take her out to watch tv and cuddle for an hour or so.

Now I have this big martins cage and it seems so lonely in there.

Thanks!

P.s. I want to say thank you again for all of the kind words you said for winnie.

Application Name: Brittany
Age/Birthday: 20/ 5.31.89
Location: New York, USA
Hobbies: Reading, writing, drawing, movies and so many other things (:
Do you want snail mail penpals?: Yes! I think receiving a letter and giving one, is a joy that's disappearing too quickly. It would be nice to meet someone with similar interests.
Do you want new livejournal friends?: Sure :)
What are some countries do you want to meet friends from?: UK, Iceland, Germany, Korea...any!
Favorite movies: Period dramas (costume dramas) Tim Burton, Baz Lurman, Ridley Scott and many more.
Favorite television shows: Big Bang Theory, Law and Order, Masterpiece Classics, Colbert Report, I do not have a lot of time devoted to television.
Favorite music: I'm all over the place with music taste. I love Kings of Leon, Imogen Heap, Lenka, The Beatles, Asian music, classical
Favorite foods/drinks: Noodles, tea and water (:
Favorite books: I am an English Major so my list of favorite books runs a bit long: Jane Austen, Phillipa Gregory, Harry Potter series, Oscar Wilde..   

Nigel's showing signs of another UTI all of a sudden: dribbling pee here and there, squeaking and licking his little weewee, etc. I'm making a vet appointment for him in the morning but I was wondering if anybody out there can suggest what I can do to stave off any future infections. With his hind legs starting to go I assume that I need to keep the cage even cleaner since his parts are closer to the floor and litter. Should I try to integrate cranberries into his diet? I'm not sure he'd really dig dried cranberries (he's picky about his dried fruits), and he probably wouldn't dig straight cranberry juice either. Suggestions are appreciated!

You ever make friends with someone straight away because you think they're a very fem looking guy and are curious as to why they're hanging out with nobody else who looks queer only to find out a few hours later that they're actually a straight woman but you still want to be their friend anyway because by this time you think they're cool but you never tell them about how you thought they were a guy at first because you don't think they realize it and probably never fancied themselves as a guy and years later you probably see them as one of the most fem people you know and witness a lot of straight guys developing crushes on them which you find kinda odd because deep in your head it's kinda like seeing straight guys crush on someone who probably would pass as a fem guy if that's what they wanted but that's not what they want so at the same time you feel guilty about thinking about this and maybe even a little angry because they never thought of themselves as a guy? Man, I hate when that happens.

Someone just posted this in a guild I belong to on Gaia.
I thought it was amusing.
I hope Stegarat kicks Tyrannocats butt.



xposted to splodefromcute

So, after about 8 months of MtF transition and therapy I flew a crossed the country to visit my family who had never seen me since I came out to them 5 months prior over the phone. They were extremely supportive and it was spread quickly through my extended family with very few problems (twilight zone moment!). So I arrive and get nothing but reinforcement about my decision. Constantly everyone has been telling me I am a completely different person and full of life in stark contrast prior to transition.

That being said all my previous reservations for full transition have fallen and now I'm looking at coming with a sense of commitment. So right now I dress act and with the help of hormones I know I appear ambiguous to people at a distance. My own father even made mention I seemed to be at a "mid way point."

I'm really looking to hear others thoughts on that point of no return which I feel I'm getting to. I know I'll be working on my voice and electrolysis very soon, and other steps that it will become impossible to remain in my current comfort zone to be successful. I mostly just let people presume I'm homosexual male since I'm more comfortable with that. With the full changes I would push for full female the prospect of "point of no return" is terrifying. The hardest is I'm currently going to school to be an MA and I'm worried about attempting to find work without legal change of gender and name. I seem to be more comfortable with the idea of getting a job first then transitioning while in employment so I can establish my skill as an employee rather than my transition being top issue.

I'll stop, I'm rambling.

Here's a cute rodenty crafty project for Christmastime. I think he was marketed to us as a "mouse" but he could also be a rat. My mother made this guy many, many years ago, and he had a bunch of brothers but I only find three anymore. It's also simple enough for a child to help with, which is pretty awesome.

( Cuteness beyond! )

i lost winnie today. She had a internal tumor in her pelvic/urethral area which what seemed overnight got very ugly. I came home as most of you may have read to a very lethargic girl who has a lot of porphyrin crusted on her eyes and nose. I cleaned her up and tried to make her comfortable. Today my husband and I took her to the vet to discover that her body temp was 92 degrees. We knew she was on her way out. I decided it would be best to euthanize her. The vet believed by the motor reflex tests she was doing that Winnie had suffered from a stroke and that was what was causing her neurological disorders that were not there yesterday morning.

Winnie was a few months away from celebrating her 3rd birthday. Although it is never easy to make the decision to euthanize...i had to share something with everyone. When she was in the process of having the anesthesia put her to sleep before having the heart stick administered...she did something i didn't expect...she began boggling of all things, and it really felt like she was being released from any pain or suffering. She then decided to chew on the towel i had put in their with her as her eyes slowly closed ....my husband said she was "dreaming of yogies".

photos of her last day with me behind the cut

( winnie )

THANK YOU to Pinky & Morena's mom! Stella and Zoe are so very excited about their new warm cozy beds! They are currently chasing each other in and out of the hammock!

(Especially because they "moved out" of their hanging hut last night, and decided to construct a new nest out of their cage liner. Not like I don't provide them 5 other places to sleep! oh well :P)

also, I love the fact that you sewed their names onto the snuggle sack. Awwwww :D

hope you guys have a happy holiday!! <3


PS. The Polaroids!!!! I am not kidding you, that MADE MY LIFE omg.

PPS. I had a rough day today: two final exams, and my boss LIT into me when I stopped in for my tips... accused me of LYING about whether or not I had scrubbed the floor. Oh hell no. >_< OT, but it made me EVEN MORE excited to get something nice in the mail, lol.

i_hope_that
For many of us, the holidays can be kind of rough. If you're searching for a network of understanding friends, this ultra-nurturing community encourages you to express your heartfelt wishes and offer other members encouragement and acceptance. Not for the terminally snarky or emotionally-challenged, this is a good-spirited place to lend comfort and support.

diygifts
Feeling crafty? If you've got a few last folks on your holiday gift list, this is a great place to seed your creativity and generosity. You'll also discover wonderful DIY tips to decorate your home and entertain guests. Offering a no-frills-no-skills attitude that welcomes the cash-challenged and arts-phobic, you're sure to get ideas and make friends in the process.

cooking_club
A fun and friendly community dedicated to those who love to cook, whether you're a meat-and-potatoes type, an aspiring gourmand, and/or a vegan. In search of a brilliant dish to use up those weekly leftovers? Post your ingredients and you'll be whipping up a feast by dinner. You can also share favorite recipes. For Type A chefs, you can spice up your culinary repertoire with exciting cooking challenges.

The National Union of Jewish LGBTQQI Students's 14th annual conference will take place January 15th to the 17th at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. As usual the conference will be held over a weekend, and co-hosted by a campus Hillel, the NUJLS leadership conference features workshops, services, community building, and social time. This year's keynotes are Rabbi Bradley Artsen, Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and comedian Dana Goldberg!

We welcome students from all sorts of backgrounds (religious, not, newly out, not, liberal to conservative, and more). Workshops, speakers, and text studies address such topics as Judaism and homosexuality, activism, relationships, ethics, coming out, and politics. Last year more than one hundred students came from across the United States and Canada to participate, and we anticipate a similar turnout this year! Registration ($80) includes meals (all kosher), housing, and all conference events. Travel and registrations subsidies are available upon request (in the registration form). View past schedules and register at http://www.nujlsonline.org/conferenceinfo.html

Has anybody thought of a way to make a dildo taste more like cock?

Does salt damage silicone?

So my ratties (aka the dooders) hate hate hate the Regal Rat food that I bought them. They take sooooo long to eat it and will live off hidden scraps of table-food as much as possible. I know they're not going to starve to death while a full bowl of food is always available, but regardless, I feel kinda bad :/

Is there a more palatable diet that's just as healthy? I hear Teklad is best but the shipping would kill me. Suggestions?

AND here's a photo of my Petco-adoptee, Athelia P. Davis (hooded) with curly little Poe. Picture depicts one half of my rat pile (another nickname for em). They're buddies :) <input ... ></input><input ... >

Hi all. I thought I would introduce myself. My name is Katie, and I am actually quite cisgendered. I am here because I am honorarily part of a very uniquely awesome family. I live with one of my oldest and dearest friends and his son and daughter. When I met my roommate, he was superwoman - mother of three, working wife, holding down two jobs and going to school to support a husband and children. Now, at the age of 40-something, he is navigating through life as a ftm, and trying to fit all of the pieces together.

Myself being happily cisgendered, I have no frame of personal reference for his life, but I love him and support him the best that I can. So, here I am, trying to support my roommate/friend/family through something that, frankly, I haven't experienced before, and in my narrow social circle am not likely to see on a daily basis. It's a journey for all of us, and I am trying to help his daughters understand as much as I can (they are adults, in their twenties, with kids of their own), but again, it's not something I fully understand. His son seems to be fine with the transition, it's the girls who are having a hard time dealing with it.

Did any of you experience having to help your children understand? How did you do it? Can you think of anything I can say to help the girls understand a little more? (They don't listen to their mom, because, well, they're kids, damn it!! lol)

Thanks for being here as a livejournal community. I am so glad I have found this!

For the record, after he gets my fetlife profile set up (hahaha. My fetish? I am straight and vanilla! HAHAHA!!! What a profile....) we are getting him a livejournal, because we were reading some of this community's posts together, and he's looking forward to joining!

I'll stop rambling now.

Hey guys,

I wanted to ask you about internal tumors. One of my older rats winnie was diagnosed with an internal tumor in her pelvic region about 2 months ago. Since we had our other rat olivia down for a very large benign tumor to be removed we decided it was best to leave winnies. Also it being so far into her intestional area I did not want to risk it. She has been doing great until tonight.

When we came home from xmas shopping I noticed she was very lethargic in her bed and had a LOT of stain in her eyes..crusted. So I picked her up and took her to the bathroom where I wiped her eyes with a warm washcloth and gave her a little warm bath to soak her pelvic area (it smelled bad like it was infected) after the bath she seemed like she peed so I cleaned her off again. I also cut her back nails.

Now she is in a seperate cage alone so I can monitor her urination and bms.

I will call the vet tomorrow. Any ideas what could be going on? Why the sudden change? She has great weight on her and still takes food but seems like she can not support herself with her back end and will eat with her food on the ground.

Thanks :(