Wedding photographer...

... is now sorted! Toni and I had a really good meeting with a local photographer last night and we have decided that he pressed all the right buttons and will be just what we need.

Slowly but surely everything is coming together nicely. Still so much to arrange and sort out but I am already getting very excited about the whole thing!

Hygenist, new bag and Orpheum rehearsal

This morning started in a less than pleasant way with my latest visit to the Hygenist. This is not a trip that I enjoy but for once I got praised for how good my teeth were which was a very pleasant surprise. I just have to keep up the good work now!

Following on from this good news I collected my stuff from home as the postman arrived and I was delighted to find that I has new bag! New bag is good!


Finally I have the perfect sized bag for my requirement that is functional in every way I could have hoped! YAY!

After a busy day at work full of more madness it was off for some light relief at The Unicorn in Kentish Town with a nice JD & diet coke. Orpheum business followed by a rehearsal at Zed One. Overall it wasn't bad although it wasn't great for me as I started to develop a migraine part way through so I struggled a bit. All is going well though I am pleased to report.


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Girly stuff and time out with friends

Toni and I spent part of the morning being a bit girly. There was a bit more waxing followed by some plucking of the eyebrows. It's all good :o)

We then headed to Coffee Town with Sam for breakfast and then did a little shopping. Have to admit I did turn a few heads. I don't think Eltham was ready for a trans KT walking around in cropped leggings and tights :o)  Oh well, they'll have to get used to the idea *grin*

In the afternoon Toni and drove off to North London to go and visit our friends Caz Mumin and Darren Tite. We had an awesome time. There was lovely good at Kervan's followed by ice cream back at their's. We even managed a little shopping at a fantastic Turkish shop nearby. The rest of the evening was made up of 80s music videos, drinking tea and coffee, chatting and a guest appearance from Darren Law too. We even survived the attention of five cats too without having to resort to anti-histamines. It was a wonderful escape for the evening but as with all good things it had to come to an end and we headed back home. We'll definitely be back for more shopping and Kervan's and also offering a return of hospitality back this way.

Breakfast, tidying up, iCade fenzy, kebabs and Fawlty Towers

Breakfast today came courtesy of the lovely Coffee Town. We spend far too much time and money in there but it is SO nice!

When we returned home Toni went to bed as she wasn't feeling well. Sam and I tidied up the house and then had a session on my new iCade unit. Downloaded loads of games to play including an awesome compatible version of Pacman along with various other ZX Spectrum "classics". The iCade is totally amazing and Temple Run also came into it's own when plated on it. Such an awesome present!!!!

Toni returned to the land of the living later on and we enjoyed a nice kebab and had some light relief courtesy of Fawlty Towers. It was a great way to end the day!

Rammstein @ The O2

Toni and I hit The O2 tonight to see Deathstars and Rammstein. We started off with a meal in Wagamama's before hitting the merchandise stand and spending and not inconsiderable amount on T-Shirts.

DEATHSTARS
We got into our seats not long after Deathstars started their set. They were good although the sound was a bit ropey and they didn't really have long enough to play.

See all the DEATHSTARS pics here: https://picasaweb.google.com/104946465990175774467/240212DeathstarsTheO2

RAMMSTEIN
As the bridge started to descend and the steam and sparks started to fly it was one of those WOW moments!


What then followed was an amazing set of Rammstein classics spanning their 10 year career.

See all the RAMMSTEIN pics here: https://picasaweb.google.com/104946465990175774467/240212RammsteinTheO2

An absolutely brilliant night, two great bands and a fantastic show!

Awesome birthday present: iCade!

Today was my birthday and I had a wonderful day! So lovely to get such a lovely set of messages on Facebook, loads of cards and the most amazing present.

Toni (and all the rest of the family) bought me an iCade. What is an iCade you ask? It's a wooden cabinet shaped like an arcade machine with joystick and buttons that is compatible with my iPad. Have started off with Atari classics and my next stop will be ZX Spectrum Elite classics! It is such a cool present, totally amazing. A throwback to my yoof and the trigger of much nerdgasms!

Finished the day off with an amazing meal of chicken, rabbit, cheese sauce and wedges followed by chocolate cake and Gu puddings! All this washed down with a healthy dose of Airplane!

Off to A&E with Sam

.... today was definitely a day of the "didn't plan to do this" variety.

Had to leave work early to rush back home so that Toni and I could take Sam to hospital as he was having trouble putting pressure on his knee. Lots of waiting, x-rays, more waiting resulted in a verdict of ligament damage in the knee, a brace and crutches!

CD proofs and Orpheum rehearsal

Band meeting in The Unicorn tonight went very well. Lots of important things were discussed and we got to see the proofs of the Treason EP cover as well. They look fabulous. It is very exciting to be in a band that actually has a product. Next stop is finding live gigs!

Rehearsal went really well and we are starting to sound very polished. Next stop will be working on stagecraft and interaction to put the final touches to our "show". Exciting stuff!

Elimination Chamber, wedding invites, more waxing!

Busy day at work although dull as hell. Have a few more days of monotony before I can get back on to the exciting stuff again!

Got home and we all sat down to watch WWE's Elimination Chamber PPV. This was actually better than some of the recent events although it is a shame that half the show seems to now be made up of catch up video clips or new promotional montages that means they can reduce the actual amount of in ring action. Hopefully they'll not be doing that come Wrestlemania time!

Toni and I prepared a load of wedding invites to be posted and handed out this week. It's all getting quite exciting now that we have actually reached the stage of inviting people!

I finished the evening with a continuation of the waxing. It's all going rather well and not much left to do now. Toni seems to quite enjoy doing it too, maybe she just like inflicting pain on me LOL. Don't know why I didn't start doing this years ago as it is amazing! Can't wait until it's all finished and then it will be quite easy to maintain.

Coffee Town, Man Flu, TV catch up and waxing

Late breakfast/lunch was provided courtesy of Coffee Town in Eltham! All hail the Burger Tall Town with cheese and extra bacon accompanied by chips and a bucket of tea!

Popped into Sainsburys for some provisions and some drugs for Sam's illness. We bought some of this for him just because it made us laugh

The smell was disgusting but it tasted quite nice!

TV catch up time as we watched latest Vampire Diaries and then watched the end of Warehouse 13 again so Toni could be up to speed with it.

The evening was also spent with me having a bit of a waxing! OUCH was the word but the results were amazing and so much better than shaving!

Meal at Ziyafet then shopping!

Today was pre-birthday meal day.
Toni, Sam, Aaron, Jade, Leanne, Antony, Shivaani, Indie, Jamie, Bob and I went to Ziyafet in Eltham for a Turkish meal. We had a lovely time and some fantastic food. It was nice to get out, chill out and relax in a restaurant and not feel rushed.

I got an early birthday present from Leanne and Antony: Hello Kitty card, bottle of JD and some Hello Kitty tattoo transfers from Shivaani, most pleasing! *grin*

Indie tried to ween herself on a lemon which was SO funny!

After the meal it was shopping time with Toni, Jade, Sam and  I hitting Eltham High Street. Jade and Sam got bored and headed back but Toni and I pressed on regardless. Superdrug was the downfall for us as we ended up spending a LOT on some lovely beauty products! Life is good when you can buy products to share!

The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing @ The Bowery

Toni and I met up after work to hit town to go to The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing's album launch party. We started off with some food at Wagamama's before heading to The Bowery on New Oxford Street.

Punks of the steam variety @ The Bowery:

AXIS MUNDI
This band were amazing. Acid trip samples and beats along with emo screamo rock and metal. The combination of the two was superb! Like being at a rock gig while standing in the middle of a field in Wiltshire back in the 90s! So much energy and fantastic songs! A definite must see!

See all the AXIS MUNDI pics here: https://picasaweb.google.com/104946465990175774467/170212AxisMundiTheBowery

Here's a video of The Limitations Of Thinking Things Are Real:



Interval comedy and poetry was provided by (I'll change this when I can remember). He was a very funny man with some great gags and poems.

THE MEN THAT WILL NOT BE BLAMED FOR NOTHING
We've seem them before and we'll see them again! This band are firing on all cylinders with a great blend of steampunk style and substance and punk and metal songs mashed up with comedy. Another fantastic night from them and I can't wait for the new album to come out.

Nice to get out to a gig again and this was a real stormer!

Orpheum release Treason EP on 12th March

It's been a while coming but Orpheum are pleased to announce that their debut EP, Treason, will be released on 12th March. The Treason EP can be ordered as a CD or download and costs just £3. The first 10 orders of the CD version will get some surprise extras, including a signed photo of the band. Orders can be placed using PayPal on the Orpheum web store: www.orpheum.co/store

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to my gorgeous fiancé Toni!

I love you so very very much!

We exchanged some wonderful gifts today. I gave Toni a Myth & Magic Garden Of Delight figurine and something naughty and I received a lovely painting of Whitby Abbey and a fabulous new dress. I have to say that as a trans person it is pretty damn amazing to have someone buy you a dress for Valentine's Day!

Orpheum band meeting and rehearsal

Tonight Orpheum met up for a band meeting and rehearsal. Everything is almost in place now for our EP release. More details on this will be available very shortly! I can't wait to get the release out there, it's been a while coming and hopefully it will be well received.

Rehearsal went really well and things are tightening up nicely. Only a few minor things to work on now and we'll be completely ready to hit the road!

Underworld: Awakening 3D

Toni, Jade, Sam and I ventured off to Greenwich to the Odeon cinema to see Underworld: Awakening 3D.

I wasn't sure what to expect after being slightly disappointed by Rise Of The Lycans. I was pleasantly surprised though as Awakening was really really good. The story was good with a nice twist on the whole Underworld landscape. It was great to see Kate Beckinsale return in the catsuit, corset and boots (oh how I wish I had the figure to pull that look off LOL). This time though Selene is hardcore with plenty of action, blood and gore and her taking on a very hard vengeful role.

I thoroughly enjoyed Underworld: Awakening 3D and thankfully they have left the door nicely open for a sequel which I am delighted about!

The only bad thing for me was the fact that it was in 3D. I've never really been a fan of 3D movies and although the technology is impressive I still find it just a bit too finicky and unnecessary for the cinema. It didn't take anything away from a great film though I just wish it had been in 2D. Hopefully this will happen with the sequel.

If you are a fan of the Underworld franchise then Awakening is definitely a must see!

Here's the trailer:




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Visiting SWF and seeing the babies & Fellowship Of The Ring

Today we ventured back to SWF to go and see Sophie, Sam, Scarlett and Kenzie. We went over taking gifts for Scarlett's birthday which she loved.

Took the opportunity to grab some new photos of the monkeys

While there we took the opportunity to indulge in Rockit Pizza so that Toni could have a pizza for a change as they do a gluten free range. Completely stuffed we loaded up the car with various bits I wanted to take back and then headed back to Eltham with Sam.

One shopping trip to Asda later and we were earing doughnuts and watching the extended version of Fellowship Of The Ring on Blu-ray!

Monkey go Ugg, films and trans day

As some of you are probably aware I am not really a fan of Ugg boots. They are a real fashion faux pas for me. Sadly there are a LOT of woman who find then acceptable to wear. It amused me greatly to see this monkey adorned with matching Ugg boot! How tasteful!



The day was spent taking drugs for my teeth, working out new ways to try and eat so I could get off of the liquid diet and also watching films. Three Musketeers, Roast Of David Hasselhof and Four Lions were my entertainment buddies.

In between these activities I also took the opportunity while I was at home to embrace my trans side. It was nice to kick back and wear what I wanted to wear. I am so lucky that Toni loves that side of me and actively encourages and supports me (and provides valuable advice/tips too!)



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Tooth fairies

Today was not a particularly enjoyable day for me. I had a lovely 10am appointment at Queen Mary Hospital to have three tooth extractions. Had to go there as there was no way on this earth that I was going to have it down at the dentist under a local. Sedation is the only way for me!

Started badly when the hospital dentist told me that they would be doing it under a local. I politely told her that was NOT happening and that sedation was the reason that I was there. Thankfully this was not a problem.

We got off to a bad start when veins decided they weren't going to pay ball. Fortunately one of the nurses was very good and with a little time managed to get a vein up so they could get the tube in and begin sedation. It didn't take long for me to be away with the fairies. Two hours later I came round very groggy. Toni was there to take me home and remember all the instructions that were given. Just as well really as I didn't take any of it in.

The rest of the day was spent taking drugs, drinking tea and soup and watching stuff. I started off with Carry On Screaming and moved on to Lost Girl and watched the first couple of episodes of the first season. It's a good little show that I look forward to seeing more of.

The evening finished in comedy mode as I dragged out the old Chewing' The Fat DVDs.

I'm actually amazed how little discomfort I am feeling at the moment (unlike when I had my first ever extraction). Hopefully the healing will be quick and I won't suffer much at all through it.




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Frustrating and emotional day then Being Human

Today was very frustrating. Things didn't start well with my usual train being cancelled which resulted in me having to board a packed Charing Cross on and then have the fun and games of changing at London Bridge which is always mega busy first thing on the morning.

Work continued in that manner for the rest of the day. Things that were supposed to have taken no more than half a day yesterday spilled over into today and ended up taking 200% more time than planned to do one job when the estimate was actually to do much more than that in the allotted time. Things are going to have to change on that front I can tell you.

The afternoon was then spent going round in circles and feeling like I was going nowhere. Sometimes you get a crafty little problem pop up that makes no real sense and takes ages to diagnose exactly what is happening. Fingers crossed we can get to the bottom of of tomorrow.

On the emotional front Toni was having a really bad day today. I feel so useless when she is hurting as I know I can't really do anything to help. Yes I can be there for her but I hate not being able to make it better. It makes me sad when she is upset as she means the world to me. She's been so strong through all that happens but today it all caught up with her :o)

We finished the day off watching the first episode of the 4th Being Human series. Wow is all I can say! A very bold kick off to the new season with some unexpected things happening. I can't wait to see how it all develops.

New beginnings

Today was the start of new beginnings and it was successful on day one. We all woke up at 07:00 and were all up and dressed and downstairs for 07:30. We then all sat down and had breakfast together, this was a real first for a weekday. Having breakfast at all is a novelty!

Work was pretty busy and ended with our usual puppet show/yawn fest. Such a waste of time but I guess it makes management feel important.

Spent a lot of this evening writing letters to various bodies notifying them of name and address changes. I think I've just about covered them all but no doubt something will creep out of the woodwork over time.

In other news I received my new bank card in the name of Glitz! It pleases me much!

Finished the night off with more wedding stuff. We are now moving slowly forward with cake and photographic requirements.

 

Walking in the snow, wedding stuff and new regime

Toni and I had a lovely walk in the snow today. It was very peaceful outside with so few people and virtually no traffic.

We stopped off in town and had a couple of pots of tea in Coffee Town before strolling back home again. I am really glad that we took the time to do this.

When we got back it was time to do some more wedding stuff, we are cooking with gas now with everything coming together quite nicely. Lots more ideas starting to flow and there is definitely a plan coming together!

Another interesting development is some lifestyle changes that we are about to make and implement to improve our general well being. The first really nice one was having a meal and NOT having the TV on. We had some background music on and enjoyed conversation while we ate. Definitely a marked improvement. Stage two is early nights and early mornings with breakfast now mandatory and not optional. That should make a real difference on getting through the day. 

Lots more to come too, it's all excitement and go here!