May Day
01 May 2012 Leave a Comment
Well bugger me! It’s May already.
So what have I been up to over the last couple of months?
Family: We’ve had a few family get-togethers. My eldest grandchild, KMan, turned 7 and we had a party for him. On Easter Sunday we gathered at my daughter J’s place for an easter-egg hunt and we had a family Dinner to celebrate a visit from my Queensland family. Daughter K’s pregnancy is going well and bub is due later this month. K is looking forward to starting maternity leave.
Friends: I continue to have regular dinners with BFF and her family which is always nice. Our group of friends have also had a couple of restaurant nights, Friday night drinks, the odd lunch and a trivia night! I managed to catch up with my former university workmates for a lunch. They want me back but I tell them they can’t afford me.
Movies: I went to the movies a couple of times over the past few weeks. First I saw Coriolanus which I enjoyed but found a little jarring at times – a brave effort to present a Shakespeare play, originally set in ancient Rome, in modern-day Bosnia. I also saw Margin Call with great performances from Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore, Simon Baker and others. And of course, over the Easter weekend I dusted off my Chocolat DVD and had a good laugh and a bit of a cry. I love that film.
Books: Ian McEwan’s Black Dogs has been sitting on my bookshelf for years and I finally read it. He is a fine writer. I also opened my copy of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare and read Coriolanus before going to see the movie. One of my farewell presents when I finished working at the university last year was a signed copy of Tim Bonyhady’s book Good Living Street, a story of several generations of his family from their life in Vienna, patronage of the arts, flight from Austria with the rise of nazism and life in Sydney, Australia.
Culture: My sister visited and we went along to the Renaissance Exhibition at the National Gallery. It was interesting in that it covered a period when artists were beginning to use oil paints and moving to canvas. There were some brilliant pieces but also a lot of pretty average stuff. I much preferred the Picasso exhibition in Sydney that we saw in February. While my sister was here, we also visited the Canberra Glassworks which was a real eye-opener. It’s been around for a few years now, but this was my first visit.
Reunion: My high school classmates got together recently to celebrate our collective recent-or-near-future 60th birthdays. The turnout was not as great as previous years but there were a few guys turn up who I hadn’t seen at previous reunions. This was quite interesting given we went to an all boys school. I was chatting to a couple of my classmates when another came up and asked me how I knew the two guys I was talking to. I told him I went to school with them and then watched as he slowly processed this information. It took a while for the penny to drop. A photographer who came to take some photos also wanted to know how I was associated with this group of old, grey, balding men and seemed quite surprised when I explained that I went to school with them. It was a good day and I look forward to our next reunion which will be in late 2014.
Other: My new year resolution to keep the weight off is going well. I’m now 16.5 kg lighter than I was last August! I just love being able to wear some of my old clothes. The local ABC radio station has been reading out cryptic crossword clues during the Breakfast program and inviting listeners to come up with the answers. I have been getting a few mentions on air (as Peta of Holt) for my solving ability. Canberra is beautiful at this time of year as the leaves turn bright yellow, gold, red and orange. I’ll need to turn on the heating soon.
Well, that’s about all I can recall. Next post should have a photo of my new grandchild.
Tempus fugit
29 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
I’ve just returned to Canberra after another delightful few days at Jervis Bay. And here we are at the end of February already.
I am really enjoying my retirement!
It has been a very mild and wet summer but I’m not complaining about that. I have never seen Canberra look so green at the end of Summer. We’ve only had a handful of days where the thermometer has nudged above 30. Nevertheless, I managed to spend 3 days lazing on the beach at Jervis Bay in early January.
I’ve seen another couple of movies and enjoyed them both – Midnight in Paris and The Descendants. And I just love the quote from the Descendants where George Clooney’s character says “you give your children enough money to do something but not enough to do nothing”.
We had a bit of a family gathering last Saturday night. A cousin’s son does a Roy Orbison Tribute show and was playing at the Huskisson RSL Club. Three of my cousins, a brother and a sister and their partners were all there to enjoy a dinner and the show. The show itself was actually very good and it is always nice to catch up with the cousins. We generally only get to see each other at funerals! I also had a ball with some of my sister’s friends who joined our table.
Earlier this week my sister and I travelled to Sydney to see the Picasso Exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW. It was wonderful. What many people do not know it that he was a very good drawer and could have followed a conventional path of painting life-like portraits and still-lifes but chose to take his art in a brilliant, unconventional direction. I’ve booked tickets for my sister and me to see the Renaissance Exhibition at the National Gallery in 4 weeks time.
My youngest daughter and her family have moved to Brisbane and I really miss them, especially the 3 grandkids. I’ll plan to head north during the winter and spend some time with them. We spent a lot of time with them before they left. My other two daughters are still here and we have had a couple of birthday parties for 4 and 2 year olds already this year. And grandchild number 7 is due at the end of May.
The pace at which this year is flying by means that it will be no time at all before the new arrival is enjoying the cuddles and love of our family.
Carpe Diem.
The year that was
01 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Life, Politics, Transgender
2011 saw its fair share of natural disasters, political unrest and economic uncertainty but, for me, it was a pretty good year (as years go).
I worked closely with the ACT Law Reform Advisory Council which was tasked with recommending to the government how to implement changes identified by the Australian Human Rights Commission. In early December I saw a confidential draft of the Council’s report to government and can say that I am pleased with the recommendations. The ball will be in the government’s court now to legislate to protect the human rights of trans people.
At the national level (and quite out of the blue) the Federal Government announced a new policy for the issuing of passports to members of the sex and gender diverse communities. Apart from no longer requiring a person to undergo surgery in order for their gender to be recognised officially, much of the red tape was done away with. And I am now the proud possessor of an Australian Passport.
It was the year I decided to finally retire from paid employment. My last working day was 20 December and at my farewell, our Director has some very nice words to say about me and made it clear that if I should ever change my mind, a job would be available to me at the University.
It was the year I turned 60. I arranged a big party for family and friends and it was a splendid affair if I do say so myself. A week before the party, M & I took me to Material Pleasures, an op shop that stocks and sells some pretty classy labels. I bought a couple of dresses, some linen pants, a top and a long skirt. On the day of the party I went over to BFF’s house where her daughter did my makeup and she did my hair and nails. I think I brushed up pretty well.
And it was the year I lost over 14kg. In August my doctor read me the riot act concerning my weight and lack of exercise. I have taken to walking like a duck to water and am happy to say I have dropped a couple of dress sizes. I can wear clothes I thought I would never wear again. My BMI has gone from “overweight” (approaching “obesity”) to “healthy”.
At the start of the year I saw “Black Swan” at the movies and finished the year by seeing “The Skin I Live In”. I could watch Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya all day! Gina over at Skip the Makeup has an excellent review.
I expect 2012 to have more natural disasters, more political unrest and more economic upheaval.
But I’m planning to have a great year and am looking forward to the birth of my 7th grandchild.
TDOR Canberra
19 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Family, Life, Transgender, Transphobia
I went with some friends to Canberra’s TDOR ceremony yesterday evening. It was held at The Gods Cafe at the ANU’s Arts Centre. Quite a few people were there and once again it was pleasing to see a large number of our allies turn up to show their support.
G gave a wonderful talk (which should be up on Youtube in a few days) and the Gay and Lesbian Qwire sang beautifully.
As was the case last year, small plants were handed out to be planted in public spaces in honour of the trans men and trans women who lost their lives during the last 12 months because of transphobia. (There’s one such plant thriving outside the ACT’s Legislative Assembly Building.)
In other news, I have now lost 12 kg and am happy to say I can now wear clothes that I thought I would never wear again. A couple more kilos and I’ll stop with the weight loss and concentrate on weight maintenance.
Lots of socialising coming up.The Denouement Dinner with the College of Law, the Legal Workshop’s Xmas party, my work farewell (retiring at age 60 to pursue a life of leisure) and my 60th Birthday Party in 4 weeks time! Not to mention Xmas Eve dinner here in Canberra and the annual family get-together in Sydney on Xmas day followed by a few days down at Jervis Bay with my sister.
And come next May, grandchild number 7 should make his/her entrance into the world.
UPDATE
Canberra’s TDOR Video now available on Youtube
I Was Only 19
06 Nov 2011 2 Comments
Forty years ago, I left home as a young 19-year-old to take up employment at the Commonwealth Treasury in Canberra. I was to start work as a Programming Assistant Grade 1, the bottom of the professional ranks in the IT world at the time.
I travelled to Canberra from Sydney by plane and it was, indeed, my very first plane trip. It was in a Fokker Friendship and I thoroughly enjoyed the flight.
On arrival in Canberra I bumped into John Gorton (deposed as Prime Minister earlier that year) and his assistant, Ainsley Gotto, as I waited to collect my luggage. I was then driven in a long black “C” plated car to my new residence, Lawley House.
Lawley House was a Commonwealth Hostel which housed the influx of public servants arriving in Canberra until they could find a house to live in. It cost me $50 per fortnight to live there (I was earning $80 a fortnight) and that provided me with a room (cleaned daily by a maid), and three meals a day.
After I unpacked on that Sunday afternoon, I sat in my room and thought “Shit, what have I done”. I was in a strange city, and about to start work in a field I had no knowledge of. (The Commonwealth Public Service was desperate for programmers and I was selected on the basis of an IQ test.)
I thought I would learn all I could about computers and after a couple of years return to Sydney. Little did I know that ten years later I would be married with 3 beautiful children and a mortgage and that I would have moved rapidly up the ranks at work to be a project manager.
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then.
I left the public service at the age of 45 and had no financial need to ever work again. I am now a woman approaching 60 with six delightful young grandchildren and am about to retire from my part-time job at the national university.
I love my life and would never have dared to imagine all those years ago that it would turn out so well.
Postscript:
I still love flying but I detest airlines and airports.
The building that was Lawley House is now the Australian Federal Police’s Training College in Brisbane Avenue.
Victory for Common Sense
06 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Transgender
Today the High Court of Australia delivered its judgement in the case of two transmen who appealed against a decision of the Western Australian Supreme Court which had denied them their gender identity as male.
The High Court found in favour of the transmen.
Passport within reach
16 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in Transgender
I’ve never had a passport. When I visited Fiji, Tonga, Noumea, Western Samoa and American Samoa with my ex and our children back in the early 80′s it wasn’t necessary. And I don’t really have a travel-bug. But it would be nice to have a passport now just in case I suddenly get the urge to visit NZ or Hawaii.
Until this week, to get a passport with my correct gender on it, I had to get statutory declarations from TWO doctors certifying that I have had gender reassignment surgery. I could then have my birth certificate changed to show I was Female and only then would the Department of Foreign Affairs issue me with a passport showing my gender correctly.
This was an overly bureaucratic process and clearly favoured those like me privileged enough to have the finances and good health to undergo the surgery. It was bad law which was identified as such by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Well, this week all that changed. No more is there a need to change a birth certificate. No more is there a need for statutory declarations from two doctors.
At my next visit to my doctor, I will ask for a letter from her certifying that I have undertaken treatment to change from living as male to living as female.
And then I’ll get my first passport, just in time for my 60th birthday.
Meanwhile, I’m now averaging over 10,000 step per day and the kilos are starting to drop away. All good.
Acting out of character
25 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in Diversions, Life
I know that when my doctor poked me in the belly and admonished me for not doing anywhere enough exercise I felt resentful. How dare she!
Well, since then:
- I have bought a pedometer to keep track of steps throughout the day;
- I’ve started walking to the local shops rather than driving whenever I need to buy a small number of items;
- I go for a 1 hr walk several times a week;
- I have a quick walk during my lunch hour when I’m at work; and
- I’ve acquired a bicycle and am just getting used to riding a bike with gears.
That’s so unlike me.
And I’ve further improved my diet. I now have fruit and nuts for snacks rather than cheese biscuits and I have been using more fresh vegetables in my cooking.
I know it’s pathetic – this deep craving of mine for approval.
But do you know what. I actually enjoy my walks.
I’ve been poked..
06 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in Family, Life, Transgender
..and I’m not talking about Facebook. But more on that later.
Last weekend I had a couple of nights out where I found myself pretty much surrounded by strangers. On Friday night I went to a local club where I had gone before with an old friend from the Democrats, expecting to meet her again. Only when I got there, another of her friends told me that she wouldn’t be able to get to the club that night because of carer’s duties. So I found myself with friends of a friend. And I had quite a good time.
On Saturday night, another friend from my Dem days was in town and had invited a number of her friends to celebrate a significant birthday with her. Again, I found myself surrounded by strangers as the other people attending were connected with her work or family. And once more I had a really good time.
On Sunday I visited BFF and we caught up on all the gossip, cooked some dinner and watched a bit of telly.
And now for the poke.
Every 12 weeks I need to see a doctor in order to get a new prescription for my little blue pills. I’ve been going to the same medical practice for close to 20 years now and it has changed quite a lot. My original doctor there was murdered back in 2006. Then a wonderful doctor there saw me through my transition to GRS and beyond before she went on a sabbatical. Since then, I just ask for an appointment with whichever doctor is available.
So on Wednesday morning I went to see a doctor. It’s bad enough when I have to pay over a large chunk of my hard-earned cash to spend a few minutes with a doctor who just pushes a few keys on her computer, prints out a prescription and then signs it. But when she leans over and pokes my jelly belly and gives me a lecture on losing weight, it’s a bit much. And then she made me stand on the dreaded scales! UGH
On Wednesday night I went to a talk at the University where the recent “Slutwalk” event was discussed and its role with respect to the annual “Reclaim the Night” rallies was questioned. A really interesting discussion was had. Many, myself included, found the use of the term “slut” to be problematic but the consensus was that both events are a response to men telling women how to behave to avoid being raped. There is room for both events (and more) with perhaps men telling men to stop raping.
I was invited to sit in on the first part of the ACT Law Reform Advisory Council’s meeting last Thursday to consider its response to the ACT Government’s request for advice on implementing trans law reform. I can’t comment on what happened at the meeting but I can say that I’m optimistic that the views of Canberra’s trans community will be passed on to the government. And I have to say that I am impressed with the number of powerful, non-trans people in this city who support our rights.
On Friday I got a text message from one of my daughters saying that she was meeting her sister for a chocolate fix at the Mall and inviting me to attend. So at lunchtime I found myself with 2 of my daughters and 4 of my grandkids having a chocolate overdose. While there, my youngest daughter said that she and her other sister had been discussing ways in which they could help the trans community and thought perhaps they could help by talking to people who are having trouble coming to terms with having a trans parent. Have I said how proud I am of my daughters lately. They are the best!
Beautiful friendships
13 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Life
Ten years ago today, I did something that I had sworn I would never do.
I joined a political party.
A party which believed that we live in a society not in an economy.
A party that believed in the dignity of all humans.
A party which opposed the use of violence.
A party which saw the dangers of global warming and had policies to do something about it.
Sadly, the party is all but defunct now.
When I joined, we had 9 senators in the Federal Parliament. Eight years later there were none.
During my time in the party, I did volunteer work in the National Office, did letterboxing, handed out how-to-vote cards at numerous elections, was policy co-ordinator for our branch of the party, was National Membership Officer, was a Senate Candidate, was on staff to a couple of Senators and was a part-time employee of the party.
Of course I was extremely sad when the last of our senators left the Parliament and our office in Canberra closed.
But joining the party was one of the best things I have ever done. During my time there I have formed lasting friendships. I never had close friendships before. I was guarded and built walls around me to ensure no-one got close.
I have friends now with whom I can discuss anything. And that is a beautiful gift.
