Thoughts and Reflections - Lynn Jones

So this is it eh? Welcome to the blogosphere. The giant swirling hive mind of the Internet. Pushing memes and new paradims through the datasea... Or, just a load of old tosh that's randomly updated by people who should know better. :)Well, the jury is out on that one I'm sure.
 
So, welcome to my little spot of the t'interweb - soon to be filled with occasional guff and nonsense. I'll be straight with you (heh - straight*) I'm curious as to how long I can keep this blog thing going. Will it disappear by the end of the year or take longer than that? Hmmm... we'll see.




That was Lynn Jones' first post.

It didn't disappear at the end of the year.

The date of that first post?

October 22, 2005.

Oh my, my, my.  I do believe that Lynn may just have the oldest, continuously running blog on T-Central.  Even Stana's Femulate blog didn't start until 2007, I believe.

I've been following Lynn's Yet Another T-Girl Blog from the beginning.  There  were many blogs that I just loved to read back 8 to 10 years ago, and almost all of them were authored by English T-Girls.  I guess I loved that English sense of humor.  As far as I can tell, Lynn's blog is the only one that is still active.  I would love to stand corrected, however, so if anyone knows of an older, continuously running blog out there, let us know. 

Enough of my babble, however.  Lynn has agreed to do a Thoughts and Reflections guest post for T-Central so, Lynn, it's all yours.....

Hi there,

The other day, Calie emailed asking if I'd like to do a piece for T-Central. Well, why not eh? I mean, as an unprofessional waffler, how hard could it be to rattle off a handful of paragraphs?

Hmmm.... Well, harder than I first thought. I did start off the usual Who Am I route, but in all honesty, that felt a little bit too much like I'm blowing my own trumpet (don't be filthy :-) ) when there's a chance to say something else.

So, here's my soap box moment, a chance to say you're awesome. Keep pushing at those gender boundaries and don't let up. Keep going until you find peace and are comfortable with who you are. Sure, it'll be difficult at times, but all the good things worth fighting for are. Relationships don't happen without effort and opportunities are what you make of them, So to, I think, it is with our lives - and I won't use the word 'lifestyle', because I don't think we chose it. I think it might choose us, and we do the best with how we land in the world. 

Being trans can be tough and if there was some fictional pre-world, where those getting on at this stop, all queue up and pick a door to go through, I think I'd be the first to stand by that and ask: Are you sure? It'll be great once you get your head around it, but it may take a while. Not everybody makes it. Some give up, some disappear and some can't live like this..... but many more flourish. More and more of us are just out there, living our own lives and just not worrying.

Be bold. Be brave. Be yourself.

Hell, if I can do it, anyone can. That's the reason I got into blogging: to connect with people and hoping in some small way, that if just one person who read YATGB and felt a little better, or even that they could just get out there, that's cool in my book.

I've tried to share a little about about the 'how to' although I'm no expert. Tips on making your own hip padding, making the best cleavage, how to shop (hello Frock Magazine) and even tips on make-up. I certainly won't be opening a salon any time soon, but again, if someone finds it helpful, that's all good.

I've shared posts about being outed, about going to a trans group (really, I think that's one of the best things I ever did), going out socially and then the darker times, when I was laid low by depression. With the latter, I got over it eventually and the friends I met at Chameleons really helped. They were there when I was low and didn't give up. A few people were kind enough to share their stories with me and I no longer felt so isolated. 

At the group we've welcomed new people, we've celebrated, we've been strong when we lost one of number and we've done all the cliches: themed parties, wig sales, make-overs, and photo shoots. We've also done more serious things, such as hosting a stall at pride events, given talks to the police, universities and mental health charities. Each little thing we do - just like you do when you go out - we put trans people on society's radar and maybe one day, we'll be fully accepted for who we

are.

Now, I try to play it forward and I do what I can to help those new to the group. Someone once said that there's little better in life, than helping other people. At the time, I didn't get it, but I do now.

So, here I am. The other side of 40 with a lovely wife and two great kids. I get out to a trans group twice a month and blogs/social media let me keep in touch with friends. If I could send a letter to my teenage self, I'd tell myself that everything was going to work out. Maybe not overnight, but it will all be okay: just hang on.

Look after yourselves and stay gorgeous,

Lynn