Just some random rants and raves

He's having my baby

2008-04-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

Pregnant and happy. The most contriverstial topic for most people. Wife Nancy and husband Thomas are a happily married couple who own a small business, live in a normal neighborhood and are expecting their first child. So, what's different? It's Thomas who's experiencing pregnancy. Now here's the catcher... Thomas who is Nancy's husband, was actually born a female. Thomas grew up in hawaii with two other brothers and had a tragic loss at the age of 12 when his mother passed away. As Thomas grew up (under the name Tracy don't forget) he started dating men (which is normal for most females) and felt he was sort of "forced into it". He felt like that is what normal society does. He dated his martial arts instructor for 3 years and felt it was a great reltaitonship, however he wanted more. He continued on his journey of life and started to attend college where he says "That's when I found myself, it was a process of self-discovery for me, and I ended up having my first girlfriend. We were together for three and a half years."
"It was difficult for society to respect me the way I felt on the inside if my outside didn't match it." Every morning as Tracy got up, she felt more and more like a man. Tracy stopped wearing women's clothing and began dressing in men's clothes. "I'm a masculine person, and I preferred wearing clothes that made me feel comfortable," The transition didn't take long, but over time people started to call her 'sir'. After looking into what it meant being transgender, Tracy discussed the subject with her first girlfriend. "She wasn't very supportive of the idea," He said. "I was discussing having a surgical procedure of removing my breasts, and she just said, 'Why can't you just be a lesbian?'" After the relationship took a dive, she deiced she would then speak to a physician, and decided afterward to start taking the male enhancing hormone 'testosterone', soon becoming Thomas.

Over a few years and many treatments, his voice became deeper and he was able to grow facial hair. The hormone treatments also altered his sexual organs. He says his clitoris grew to the size of a small penis. "It looks like a penis, I can have intercourse with my wife." he comments. In 2002 it was a big year for Tracy. The young women who was confused about her sexual orientation had plastic surgery to remove her breasts and legally became a man. The kicker.... Thomas still has his female reproductive organs. "I wanted to have a child one day," he says. "I didn't know how. It was just a dream." Which has now becoming a reality for him. When asked how he felt about being a male and having the desire for a child of his own he states "It's not a male or female desire to want to have a child…it's a human desire, I'm a person, and I have the right to have my own biological child."
After Tracy legally became a male and changed names to Thomas he and now wife Nancy got married and a few years later decided to attempt having a family. Nancy has two children with a previous husband and can not carry another child due to endometriosis. They attempted visits at many doctors offices and had many troubles finding a doctor to help them become pregnant. "We got rejected by our first doctor because he said that his staff felt uncomfortable working with someone like me." He says. The finally became pregnant and lost the first one due to the eggs fertilizing on the fallopian. On a miracle day in October of 2007, the finally accomplished their goal. Nancy and Thomas were pregnant for a second time and hopefully the last.

On an ultrasound it shows that Thomas is expecting a baby girl. At 24 weeks and five days along, Thomas learns that his little girl is perfectly healthy. "This is a miracle," Thomas says. "We see her as our little miracle." Dr. James who is caring for the new family says she has not been concerned about her reputation in dealing with this 'different' family. She hopes that people will see her as a normal doctor who is caring for a pregnant family.

After all, 'ultimately it is the family that chooses us' she says. Now you are probably asking about the baby's health right? Is she going to be normal? Will she turn out like Thomas? Will the fact that he is a female taking male testosterone affect her at all? No... he has normal hormone levels and the baby is as healthy as any baby from a normal pregnancy.

"He's been off testosterone for two years before even trying to conceive." Says Dr.James. She is very confident that Thomas has done his research to avoid as many complications as possible.
Now what does a pregnant man wear? Does he wear solid colour mo-mo's? Well he says for now he is wearing 'fat jeans' but its getting almost impossible to hide his baby bump from neighbours and friends. "Unfortunately, they don't make man-ternity clothes, so I'm kind of stuck. I have no idea what I'm going to wear in the future when I get bigger." He claims. (Does anyone know how to make men-ternity clothing?)
The two daughters Amber, and Jen feel they are very proud of Nancy and Thomas for their news of becoming pregnant and are excited to have a baby sister however "We're scared for them because I don't know that the world is all that prepared, but we're just regular, boring people and a regular family." Amber states.
So in his final comment Thomas states "Love makes a family, and that's all that matters."

What will the new day and agehold? Will it be filled of both men and women walking the streets with baby bumps? Will husbands and wifes be shopping for maturnity and man-turnity clothing together? Its an ineresting phase we go through and change is not always a bad thing. For now, its something we have to wrap our heads around before we can answer any more questions.

Well if you are expecting, here are a few links for you to look at!
Enjoy and Congrats to Nancy and Thomas!

http://www2.oprah.com/xm/bgreene/200702/bgreene_20070205.jhtml

http://www2.oprah.com/health/webmd/slide/health_pregnancy_superfood.jhtml

To Infinity and Beyond

2008-04-02T06:08:00.000-07:00

Amazing .. how else do you put it? I was watching a Barbara Walters program last night *Tuesday April 1, 2008* at about 10:30 pm and could not believe what I saw... is it true that people are living to be 103, 104? Scientists from a company called Advanced Cell Technology Inc believe they can use human embryonic stem cell lines to treat a variety of diseases. They believe if they get to the root of the desiease, they can eliminate it all together and therefore helping us live longer. Is this what we need? Or do we just need good diet, excersise, and a healthy lifestyle?
Yes there are many diseases that we carry on from generation to generation that we may not be able to out live, but does it mean that if we know there are diseases that we may get that we can just push eating healthy, being active and enjoying life aside all together? It certainly shouldn't.

Living longer should not mean that we replace all our body parts with newer ones, engage in plastic surgery proceedures, or take magic pills. If we do not find the keys to living longer soon, some people will rely on cryogenics - chemically preserving their bodies at a very low temperatures in the hopes of one day being brought back to life. Ok, so what do we do today to help us live longer? Do we stay away from fast food and alcohol and restrict our calorie in-take and drink our required 8-10 glasses of water a day? Renowned gerontologist Dr. Robert Butler, an active 81 year old him self, says having a calorie-restrictive diet is the only proven way to extend life in animals. “In almost every animal species it has increased life significantly. If you reduce by about 30%, you get 30 additional percent of life,” he tells Walters. Ok - so is that it? segment over? Thats the secret behind living longer.. who knew? Not true! What about aging without the saggy skin, or the dark lines? What about aging and still being able to walk at 95? How do we do that? Sex is one of the key things that keeps the 76-year-old model, Carmen living a good life. As the oldest working fashion model she says "sex, exercise and attitude" is all you need! Wow, sounds like a good life to me! I would not mind having sex and a great attitude at 76! Oh yeah, don't forget your reduced calories too!

From one woman who’s over 100 and still driving, to a man who plays the sax at a nightclub to another woman who’s dating a younger man (94), they are all active and living life to its fullest and are ALL centraians.

Ok, so here's your final question.. do you want to live to be 104, have potentially more than one partner in your life, possibly out live your children? or see the world change over 100 years? I don't know if I do. It would be neat, but so hard to adjust to the change of lifestyles over time. What will our world be like in 100 years? Do you want to find out?

From drab, to umph!

2008-03-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

For ever, as long as I can remember the personal shield that I've been able to hide behind has been elimiated. The brown strands of fine hair I could call my own have moved on to a better life. I finally decided after much convincing that it was a much needed task that I must take on will full force. My hair, which was and always has been long was finally chopped to a length that sits just above my shoulders with many layers through out. I was nervous, happy and flabbergasted at the same time. Its amazing how a simple hair cut and visit with the hairstylist can change your overall appearance. I couldnt believe it! I am SO happy. I suggest that anyone who hasn't had their hair cut in a long time, do the same. Get a girlfriend to go with you for moral support, make it a surprise for your significant other and do something completely different than what you have. You can't just go in, have a trim done and feel brand new. You have to go in, chop a lot off and either have some colour added or some layers. Its amazing how new you feel. Your self asteem skyrockets and its fun to have something different to touch! (Not only that, but your boy will drop to his knees for you!) C'mon ladies! Who wouldn't want that?
Sometimes all you need is a simple hair cut to feel refreshed. Yes a trip to the spa or a vacation will do it too, but then you still come back and a week later feel as though you have a void. You miss the waves, the sand, the sun. But when you get your hair cut... what is there to miss? The long ponytail you danced around in all day, the 15 plus minutes under the dryer. Not me!
The middle of winter is the best time to get a new doo; it eliminates the mid-winter drabs! Uh, I hate that feeling.
So muster up some guts, don't think twice. Walk into your hair salon, tell them to just 'do it' and you'll be surprised at how good you feel!! I promise!

The Shopping Spree

2008-03-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

Time and time again, the useless items I find in stores seem to catch my eye. I have started to realize that I don't NEED everything that I see, but I still WANT it! I find little treats or little gimmicks that amuse me while I look at them and move on to the next store.
I have become extremely interested in fashion and the "appearance" world. I don't understand why people find it so hard to keep their clothes up to date. I don't see how you can possibly wake up in the morning, grab an outfit that has been in your closet since the day the first discount retail store opened and put it and say 'Wow, I look good'. Why do people still find velvet
shirts, or sweater vests still fashionable? That big gaudy fashion jewelry that women buy in extreme colours is somewhat disturbing. Sometimes when I'm out at the nearest mall or at a restaurant trying to enjoy a meal, I see a women, who seems to think she is trying to be upbeat and have her fashion sense in tact, walks past me and all I can think of is - OH MY GOD... Sometimes I see women wearing really nice clothes with good combinations and not enough accessories. I think to myself she needs that necklace I saw or I wish I could take her
home, show her what to wear, and send her on her way. I know that I have some
clothes that people would say the same thing to me, but for sake of woman's kind
and everyone else that has to look at me, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing it
in public. There are so many stores and so many places that you can shop at that
are reasonably priced, and VERY cute articles. Ok, for example. I shop at
Dynamite; high fashion on a medium budget. Yes they have some things that will
cost around 50-60 dollars just for a 'look good appearance' that are not special
names like Guess or Buffalo. But if you keep an eye out and venture towards the back of the
store, you WILL find things on sale! Cute shirts, pants, skirts and even
sweaters that the store is trying to clear out, or things that they have limited
quantities of.

Now again, I will get you to think.... Do I have anything in
my closet that I HAVE to keep that I don't wear? Do I have anything in my closet
that I would ask my friends to wear?

Please ladies, get the girls together, put on some good tunes, and gather in the bedroom with a few garbage bags and clean those closets. Its doesn't have to be an emotional time. Make it
fun, and you'll feel better. Yes some of the clothes may have cost a lot of
money, but really... let it go! for the sake of us fellow women!!