Hair fun

One wash and blow dry later and Toni decided to have a play with my hair. I love it when she plays with and styles my hair. This is her latest creation:






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Orpheum rehearsal, new studio and first EPs

Tonight was Orpheum rehearsal night. In a break from tradition we have dumped Zed One in favour of Storm. The studios are much nicer and have better gear so it was definitely a wise choice.

We put the first copies of the Treason EP in their sleeves tonight.

As is our want we the tool the opportunity to pose with them!




We had a really good rehearsal with the fantastic sound at Storm really helping us progress. With upcoming gigs we can almost taste hitting he road! Almost there!


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Mantyhose/Brosiery - what the fuck?

There has been a lot of noise on the interwebs over the past couple of days about tights for men, being called "Mantyhose" or "Brosiery"!

The Daily Mail ran a feature here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2111246/Brosiery-mantyhose-men-seek-warmth-comfort--fashion-statement-patterned-tights.html

I have no problem with men wearing tights (as you can imagine) but this new "niche" market is a joke. Emilio Cavallini has apparently designed a range of "unisex" tights. Now, having taken a look at these wonderful creations they appear to be nothing more than fashion tights that are rebranded to try and appeal to a bunch of men who don't have the nads to buy a pair of tights that are branded for women! They also appear to be more expensive than buying the "female" equivalent. If you want to wear tights then wear them but don't get ripped off, you don't need a specially branded "unisex" product to take away any stigma that you might have in your mind about what you are buying and wearing!

Think about it guys, even if they are branded as "unisex", "tights for men" or even *shudders* "mantyhose" or "brosiery", they are still tights. That's right tights! No rebranding will change that fact. If you buy these new, more expensive, items then you will be still be wearing TIGHTS! So don't pay more for this rebranded nonsense to try and save face/your masculinity, just buy a normal pair and wear them with pride if that is your thing!

That is all................

What It Feels Like For A Girl

What It Feels Like For A Girl

Girls can wear jeans
And cut their hair short
Wear shirts and boots
'Cause it's OK to be a boy
But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading
'Cause you think that being a girl is degrading
But secretly you'd love to know what it's like
Wouldn't you
What it feels like for a girl

Silky smooth
Lips as sweet as candy, baby
Tight blue jeans
Skin that shows in patches

Strong inside but you don't know it
Good little girls they never show it
When you open up your mouth to speak
Could you be a little weak

Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world
For a girl

Hair that twirls on finger tips so gently, baby
Hands that rest on jutting hips repenting

Hurt that's not supposed to show
And tears that fall when no one knows
When you're trying hard to be your best
Could you be a little less

Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world
What it feels like for a girl

Strong inside but you don't know it
Good little girls they never show it
When you open up your mouth to speak
Could you be a little weak

Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world
For a girl

In this world
Do you know
Do you know
Do you know what it feels like for a girl
What it feels like in this world

 - What It Feels Like For A Girl (Madonna)

A soggy day in Bexhill-on-Sea

We took the Kia Sedona out on it's first long distance excursion today. Up early and out in the wet zooming off to Bexhill-on-Sea to visit Pam.

It was a good run down and the old wagon is SO comfortable. Definitely a great choice for our family travel machine.

Sadly the weather never broke out of wet and soggy so the plans for a nice walk were canned. Lamb roast dinner and lots of chat and looking at photos was how we spent our time. It was nice to spend some time with Pam but it was a real shame the weather was so bad.

A quick but wet journey back ended with us returning to a cold house. We cranked on the heater which promptly decided to flash and short out on us! Luckily Toni was cooking some stuff for our lunches next week site oven managed to take the edge off o the cold.

Chilling out, kebabs and Chewin' The Fat made a nice evening before we all took advantage of an early night.


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I like this a lot...

....it's my new motto I think LOL!





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Living with the reality that the world can be a fucking shitty place....

..... especially if you are trans. I had a real hammer blow to my confidence today. It's easy to convince yourself that you are invincible and take a don't give a shit attitude. When you walk the trans path you have to do this or just hide away in bedrooms or in dark and dingy venues away from the prying critical eyes of the world.

When you start to be 'out' (as in going out dressed) then you have to be a little bit brazen. It is very easy, as I've just discovered, to forget about the impact that it might have on those around you. I am truly blessed to have a wonderful fiancé and family who support and wholly accept who and what I am. I guess I've been a little selfish in pushing the limits when I go out.

As any 'out' trans person will attest, we take a risk every time we step foot outside our doors. The thing I hadn't factored in was the risk that this might also pose to others that are with me. Needless to say my loving caring family wouldn't be able to stand by and watch if anything bad was to happen to me if some idiot got nasty. This suddenly made me feel very exposed and very destructible!

So, a few well meaning and sensible words knocked me sideways and made me want to crawl under a stone and cry.

Sam had expressed concerns to Toni that he wouldn't be able to defend me while he was on crutches! He wasn't worried about how I was dressed but about whether he could defend me or not. I didn't like feeling exposed, I was invincible after all! Or maybe I wasn't.....

The potential risks are real for all 'out' trans people. Yes they are and by default this poses a risk to those that are with us too.

I spent the morning and some of the afternoon wrestling with my brain and talking to Toni about all of this. I was suddenly very confused. It took some rationalising what I knew to be common sense and logic but I've now accepted that I need to think about appropriate times and places for wearing certain things. To be honest I've always been aware of the need to do this anyway but I guess that got lost when I became invincible. I think perhaps I have been trying to run when I'm only just starting to walk!

So, the bottom line is this: the world can be a cruel, hard and intolerant place and can be risky too. This doesn't mean that we can't go about the business of being who we are but sometimes we need to think about what we are doing and the impact it might have on others (as well as ourselves). I'm not going to suddenly stop being trans and go back to being a 'bloke' I will however modify my attire accordingly if I need to (even if it is reluctantly at times) to try and keep some sanity for my loved ones and friends.

As I've already said. I am truly blessed to have such amazing and supportive people around me and my heart goes out to any trans people out there who feel they are alone and don't have friends and support to help them deal with this fucking shitty place we call a world!

Oh, and although this post seems very angry and maybe even sad I have worked it all through in my head and everything is cool in Glitzland and my confidence hasn't been too badly dented after all!


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Exploding kettles

Today was not a good day to be a kettle in the Glitz household. I was making a late night cuppa when suddenly there was a very strange gurgling noise in the kitchen. Sam asked what it was and I thought it was the sink draining. As I turned round I could see a lot of thick unhealthy smoke coming from the kettle with a rather toxic burning smell. After some careful unplugging it was clear we had reached burn out.





RIP Mr Kettle!


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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!