St. Monday / St. Valentine's

Nobody can say what the matter is,
I'm trying to recharge my batteries.
--Billy Bragg, "St. Monday"--

Time for my monthly epistle, no? Monday was very nice, as my usual workmate was taking a day off. I like John, but a day without his repetitive questions is like a vacation for me.

And now, the world is transitioning into Tuesday. It's the marketing department's designated day for professing undying love. I have done so by purchasing dying flowers. Mixed message, you say? Perhaps. I will suggest that we go out to lunch, and hope that she hasn't made a less perfunctory purchase for me, as that would be embarrassing for both of us.

We are often on different pages when the gift-giving holidays roll around. I tend to spend more on her when we are in an iffy period. She spends more when I am charming the pants off her. I guess my approach to this holiday indicates that I am flush with love for my spouse. Today will be the test to see if my perception is wrong. I'll let you know eventually.

Had a meeting a week ago, though, alas, no pictures. It was a very exciting meeting, as we had several guests in the field of speech therapy. The university will be forming a group to train transpersons in changing their speech to match their preferred gender. The main thrust of the project is to give students some experience with a demographic they might not otherwise come across, a group with unusual and challenging needs. One of the leaders has done something similar in Albany, New York for three years, with excellent results.

They hope to have a group of eight to twelve each semester, and I think we will have no trouble providing that number for their project. There is an upfront $50 fee, for a scoping of the vocal cords, ensuring there are no physical issues before work begins. After that, it is $20 a week for a Monday night 2-hour meeting. I would love to get in on this, but I work in the evening, and I cannot skip out of work every week. Just as well, as I don't have the money for it, and really, I have nowhere to be that I need to have a good female voice.

Anyway, don't worry about me. I am getting along fine with the family, and the dysphoria has been modest all winter. I am having my head shrunk only once a month, and even that seems beyond my needs at the moment. It could all coming crashing in any minute, but for now things continue to sail along smoothly.

Later, girls!