Friday, November 20, 2009

One a month

Today is the eleventh annual Transgender Day of Rememberance. Each year, we memorialize those transpeople who have died from hatred or prejudice. And each year, we add more names to the list. Because on average, one transperson dies each month.

I long for the year when we can say "We don't need to memorialize another death this time." But I don't see that happening anytime soon...

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

SCC 2009-only two months late!

Either I feel like writing about the Southern Comfort Conference as soon as it's over, or I end up waiting a while. It is not a matter of how much fun I had, rather what sort of mood I am in after the convention. This year? I went through some ups and downs and I'm in kind of a mid point so...

Observations from SCC 2009:

* We are finally getting used to the Crowne Plaza, which I still want to call "the new hotel." I still miss the old venue (Sheraton Colony Square, now the W Atlanta Midtown). It was in a good location, within either walking distance to places or a relatively short drive. The Crowne Plaza is on the northwest side of Atlanta and while there is a great mall across the road (Perimeter Mall) and stores and places to eat within a short drive, everything else requires a drive on the Interstate or GA400. And rush hour in Atlanta lasts almost all day...

* The convention ended up with about as many memberships as last year. But about 40% of those were new attendees. We need more new people coming to SCC but we need to retain as many of our regulars as possible.

* Driving from Dallas to Atlanta takes about 13 hours. If you don't have to avoid a flood, that is. I rode with someone this year, and while it was not that bad of a trip, flying is still a better option other than you can carry anything you want in a car. Speaking of cars, not having one sucked-I spent the entire convention either in the hotel or at the mall. I didn't get to go down to Little Five Points, Outwrite Books, etc.

* I missed a lot of people this year-both who attended and who did not. I regret not being able to catch up with people I don't get to see anyplace else. Part of this was having too many things going on, and part of it was deciding to spend time with people who I felt comfortable with.

* Only went to one seminar-after telling myself I was going to make as many as possible this year.

* Spent less time with the "pervy" girls this year. Mostly because I can't fit into a lot of my old stuff and partly because I just haven't felt connected to that part of me too much lately...

I know I missed something, but that's all that I can think of right now.