Hello from the Rose City
Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 8:57 am
I know I got out of sequence here -- reading and posting and THEN Introducing myself -- but there's nothing new about that. I've always done things my own way often with spectacular results, Unfortunately not always spectacularly successful.
Professionally I am an accountant and have worked as a management consultant. I grew up in the New York City area, got my college degree in the Midwest and have lived on the West Coast since my early 20's. Nearly all of that time in Portland OR. I enjoy bicycling for exercise and studying history for mental exercise. I have also become active in my church. Like most people I enjoy movies and music. I also have a darling 2 year-old granddaughter whom I adore.
I turned 65 in August 2015. By that time I had been separated from my wife Susan for about a year and a half and decided to make skirts and dresses a part of my regular wardrobe. After going through the usual paranoid experiments of late-night forays and finding I not only didn't get any second looks, I didn't get many first looks.
I attribute that to:
1. People are too busy with their lives to worry about mine.
2. It is the 21st century.
3. I live in Portland OR. Like the rest of the state, it very much has a live and let live ethos and, unlike the rural portions of the state, is politically liberal and consequently people tend to be pretty tolerant of differences.
My church was the first place I wore a dress in public where people were likely to know me. Before I made that move I consulted with my pastor. I had in mind talking to the congregation first. My pastor, who's about half my age cut me off mid-sentence to say, "Just do it." The next two times I tried to throw out an alternative it was kind of humorous, "But don't you think I should" "Just do it." "But wouldn't it be better if I" "Just do it." "Well, I guess I'll just do it."
She knew whereof she spoke because she had been through something even bigger herself, she's a lesbian who was getting married soon and had convinced her parents, who still lived in the small rural town she'd grown up, in to come. Her Dad even gave her away.
The wedding turned out to be the first social event I went to in a dress. Even though it was in another rural town everyone was nice, accepting and gracious towards me.
When I went to church in a dress for the first time I almost didn't get out of my car, but after 3 deep breaths I decided taking another one wasn't going to change anything so I hopped out of my SUV and sashayed into church, where everyone was even more welcoming than I had ever known them to be.
Why? Because I presented my genuine self with poise, (somewhat faked) confidence, and the kind of humility that says, 'Hi. here I am. Nice to meet you too.'
I went into this depth on my coming out story to say, this is the model I believe in: Accept yourself, especially your unconventionality; Take whatever steps necessary to get comfortable with yourself, Be sure of your surroundings and do what you can to test the waters before you jump, and Then, just do it assertively and with confidence but without being defensive or aggressive about it.
And try to display good taste and present yourself well.
So hello there, thank you for accepting me in the café these last few months. I hope you appreciated my posts and photos and I look forward to my future visits.
Professionally I am an accountant and have worked as a management consultant. I grew up in the New York City area, got my college degree in the Midwest and have lived on the West Coast since my early 20's. Nearly all of that time in Portland OR. I enjoy bicycling for exercise and studying history for mental exercise. I have also become active in my church. Like most people I enjoy movies and music. I also have a darling 2 year-old granddaughter whom I adore.
I turned 65 in August 2015. By that time I had been separated from my wife Susan for about a year and a half and decided to make skirts and dresses a part of my regular wardrobe. After going through the usual paranoid experiments of late-night forays and finding I not only didn't get any second looks, I didn't get many first looks.
I attribute that to:
1. People are too busy with their lives to worry about mine.
2. It is the 21st century.
3. I live in Portland OR. Like the rest of the state, it very much has a live and let live ethos and, unlike the rural portions of the state, is politically liberal and consequently people tend to be pretty tolerant of differences.
My church was the first place I wore a dress in public where people were likely to know me. Before I made that move I consulted with my pastor. I had in mind talking to the congregation first. My pastor, who's about half my age cut me off mid-sentence to say, "Just do it." The next two times I tried to throw out an alternative it was kind of humorous, "But don't you think I should" "Just do it." "But wouldn't it be better if I" "Just do it." "Well, I guess I'll just do it."
She knew whereof she spoke because she had been through something even bigger herself, she's a lesbian who was getting married soon and had convinced her parents, who still lived in the small rural town she'd grown up, in to come. Her Dad even gave her away.
The wedding turned out to be the first social event I went to in a dress. Even though it was in another rural town everyone was nice, accepting and gracious towards me.
When I went to church in a dress for the first time I almost didn't get out of my car, but after 3 deep breaths I decided taking another one wasn't going to change anything so I hopped out of my SUV and sashayed into church, where everyone was even more welcoming than I had ever known them to be.
Why? Because I presented my genuine self with poise, (somewhat faked) confidence, and the kind of humility that says, 'Hi. here I am. Nice to meet you too.'
I went into this depth on my coming out story to say, this is the model I believe in: Accept yourself, especially your unconventionality; Take whatever steps necessary to get comfortable with yourself, Be sure of your surroundings and do what you can to test the waters before you jump, and Then, just do it assertively and with confidence but without being defensive or aggressive about it.
And try to display good taste and present yourself well.
So hello there, thank you for accepting me in the café these last few months. I hope you appreciated my posts and photos and I look forward to my future visits.
A lot of folks don't even bother and just start posting and never do a formal introduction. I myself did like you, posted for a while and then did my intro. 
