Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Manic Monday

From Fleur-De-Lisa Blog....

Have you ever danced under the stars?
No, I am not much of a dancer. Although I wouldn’t mind doing it sometime with the right partner.

Have you ever listened in on a private conversation?
Now a days how can you avoid listening in on conversations with all the cell phones out there. You can’t help it standing in at banks, supermarkets, etc. and it’s not like you are sneaking under a window to listen. People just don’t care who hears them and I consider them rude, not us for listening.

Have you ever splurged on something you normally wouldn’t purchase? What was it?
Other than food no. I budget large ticket items, like my camera and laptop.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

A Decision Has Been Made

I made up my mind and I decided not to tell the engineer at work. The possible out come is the same if I tell him or not, so I decided not to. Thank you all for commenting and helping me out.

In other news, I went up to my brother’s and sister-in-law’s condo in Maine this weekend and while there I went out shopping with my sister-in-law. I bought a couple of tops and some school supplies; my sister-in-law was kidding me about buying school supplies at my age.

Well back to the books, I read one chapter this weekend so far now I have to read two more for the other class.

Friday, January 26, 2007

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Smoking Bans: There's little dispute that smoking and second-hand smoke is bad for your health. But did you know it could also be bad for your driving record? Last week in Maine, the Bangor City Council passed an ordinance making smoking while driving in the car with children under the age of 18 a primary offense, meaning the police can pull over motorists who are suspected of breaking the law, with violators being fined up to $50 per occurrence. Do you think the Bangor City Council made the right decision, or is this just another situation where the government is interfering in our lives?
Here in Connecticut we have a ban on using cell phones while driving; it hasn’t stop the use of cell phones and I doubt that the Bangor law will have any affect on smokers

Q2 - Time: Which do you prefer: Military Time/the 24-hour clock... "I'll meet you at the gym at 19:00," or the more traditional way of expressing time via the 12-hour clock... "I'll meet you at the gym at 7:00 p.m."?
I prefer civilian time, it makes no sense to use military time.

Q3 - You're Outta Here!: Were you ever suspended from school, and if so, what for? If not, did you ever skip school? If you did, what was your most memorable skipping-school experience?
Nope, I have never skipped classes and I feel guilty when I was out sick. That is not to say that I liked school, I just didn’t feel right not going to school.

Q4 - Gas: Sixty-five percent (65%) of U.S. respondents to a new UPI-Zogby International poll say a rise in gasoline prices to $4.00 a gallon would cause them to make a significant cutback in driving. Another 13.3 percent said it would take $5.00 a gallon for them to change habits, while 3.1 percent said $6.00 would get their attention. How about you...at what price per gallon would you choose or be forced to make a significant cutback or change in your driving habits?
I might change my driving habits where it reaches $5.00 a gallon. But what hurts me more is the cost of home heating oil. I have already set the thermostats back one degree during the day and two degrees at night, 67 and 56 respectively. Last year for one fill up it was over $500, OCH!

AN ACT CONCERNING DISCRIMINATION

As many of you know that I am with the Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition and we are part of a coalition that is trying to get “Gender” and “Gender Expression” added to the current Anti-Discrimination statues. We are again trying this year and the bill was just raised in the Senate:
Bill History
Session Year 2007
Raised S.B. No. 1044
Introducer(s):Judiciary Committee
Title: AN ACT CONCERNING DISCRIMINATION.
Statement of Purpose: To prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression.
Bill History:
01/26/07 REFERRED TO JOINT COMMITTEE ON Judiciary Committee
Co-sponsor(s):

Thursday, January 25, 2007

A Dilemma

What to do? When I started going to class I didn’t think of the aspect that someone I know will be attending class at the same time. It turns out that an engineer at work that I have know for over twenty years is also attending classes on the same small campus as me. One of his classes begins at the same time as mine and the other begins the same time as mine ends. The campus is small, only three buildings and also I figure I will have to go to the library or bookstore which are in the undergraduate building. Yesterday when I was talking to him he mentioned that he saw my car in the parking lot, it is the only red ’07 Prius there and the licenses plate is VERY distinctive.
Now the quandary, should I tell him before we bump into each other or wait until it happens? I mentioned it to the Human Resources person at work and she seems to think I should tell him.
Your comments are more than welcome, I encourage them!

Schoolwork!

I am swamped with homework! Read this! Write this paper! All my free time is taken up reading now. When I wake up two or there in the morning I use to turn on the TV and watch some old movie on AMC, now I pick up the book on social theories and starting reading; boy, does that get me back to sleep quickly.
In my “Marco Theories: Human Behavior in a Social Environment” class I feeling a little bit better, but I still worry about the mid-term test. And I am also starting to interact with my fellow students.
In my other class, “New Perspectives on Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender” we met for the first time this week and I like the classroom dynamics more than my other class. We seem to get along a lot better, maybe because most of the students are older and more mature. The professors (There are two; one gay and one lesbian.) had us do an icebreaker; we had to tell to the person next to us something about ourselves. I was telling the woman next to me that I do outreach at local colleges and she said, “So do I” it turns out the she is the Treasurer of the Connecticut chapter of the Stonewall Speakers. As we talked some more it turns out that we have mutual friends and also she remembered me from the True Colors conference.
Well back to work…

Monday, January 22, 2007

Manic Monday


Have you ever made snowballs and preserved them in the freezer?
Yes, when I was preteen, a very, very long time ago.

Have you ever had a cooking disaster?
Yes, my latest disaster was trying to make lobster ravioli. I couldn’t make the dough right, it was too thick and couldn't be rolled out thin enough.

Have you ever sent or received a piece of fan mail?
No, I haven’t sent or received any fan mail, I am just not fascinated by movie stars or rock stars.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Trans Conference

I just got back from a three day trans conference up in Burlington, MA called First Event and I met a lot of old friends and went to a couple of good seminars; “Family through a Gender Transition: Psychotherapy with Spouses, Significant Others and Children” which was given by Moonhawk River Stone, M.S., LMHC
Despite our varied experience in our families--both of origin and of choice, it is the presenter's opinion family ties are precious to us; maintaining families across a gender transition is often an incredible challenge and journey for all involved, particularly for children. This workshop will focus on the methods the presenter has successfully used in his private practice over the past ten years to transition families (and the relationships within the family) along with the transperson.

What I got out the lecture was about how to tell small kids (five – ten) about someone who is transitioning. Play an imagine game; imagine if you were a squirrel, what would it feel like and then go on to other animals like birds, frog, etc. then have them imagine that they are the other gender. Then tell well your uncle/aunt feels hat way and they are going to become your aunt/uncle. For older kids don’t sit down with them and talk to them, let them come to you when they have questions.
The other seminar that was interesting was given by Helen Boyd called “Trans Sexuality” which was about cooping with ours and our partner’s sexuality and identity. One of thing that Helen had to deal with as her husband, Betty dealt with his gender identity was how they were perceived by others. Helen identified as heterosexual, but as they went out more and more in public with her husband as Betty they were being perceived as a lesbian couple. They found it harder to show public affection. Helen and Betty related stories about riding on a train and Betty not being able to curl up on Helen’s shoulder and sleep or when they were walking down a street holding and having kids chant “Lesbos” at them. They are trying to work this out together and they say the most important thing is to communicate and listen to what your partner is saying.



All dolled up for the Banquet on Saturday's night banquet

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Do I Stand Out?

My Blogs entries are going to be fewer and farther between entries now that I have started classes. The reading lists is unbelievably long and it is just for one class, I start the other class next Tuesday and from what I see the reading list is long in that class also.

I went last Tuesday to what I thought was my first class, everything I got said classes begin on the 16th. Well when I got there the room was dark and I waited but no one came. There were other students there for other classes wandering the halls asking if we have the right day and one of the other students went down to the office to find out. It turned out that all the other schools in the university started on that day but the School of Social Work started the next day (Wednesday). Grrr.... it was in the fine print down at the bottom of one of the forms that they sent us.

On Wednesday I went to my other class (Marco Theories: Human Behavior in a Social Environment) and that started on time. There are about eighteen students in the class, all but one (me) are in their twenties, fifteen of them women, two men and one tranny and all but one (me) got their Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Talk about the odd ball; a fifty-eight year old, six foot Electrical Engineer Tranny in with a bunch of kids. Naw! I don’t stand out! When the professor was talking about the Newark and Watts riots it was old history for me. I guess I can bring a different perspective to the class.

My other class that will diffidently start next Tuesday (if it doesn’t snow) is New Perspective on Lesbians and Gay Men should be interesting but there is also a lot reading in that class also.

Tomorrow I head up to Burlington MA for a Trans conventions called “First Event” it is a five day convention with workshops and seminars during the day and at night they have entertainment. It is a great place to network and meet old friends. Most of the workshop I have already attended in the past, so I will just sit out in the lobby talking to friends and probably also doing a lot of reading. I plan on attending the Saturday night banquet just because I want to hear Helen Boyd’s speech about her new book, “She’s Not the Man I Married”. So until Sunday, g’nite.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Manic Monday

Feel free to expand on your answer beyond yes or no!

Have you ever refused to tip a waiter or waitress?
Yes, a couple of times for bad service. I never not tip them for bad food, which is not their fault, it is the chief’s fault and I will not go back to the restaurant.

Have you ever been on a hayride?
Nope, I might consider it if the right person came along.

Have you ever driven a vehicle faster than 100 mph?
Can I take the Fifth? Yes, I have once when I was a teenager and it scared me so much that I never tried again.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Are We Women?

I try everyday at work to walk during our morning and afternoon breaks and while I walk I think on many things. This week I was thinking about labels, how do I see myself. And then at the support group meeting this Saturday the question came up, “Are we women?
That question is a heated continuous discussion in the Trans-community, after surgery are we a woman? There are some who strongly maintain that we are, without an internal exam there is no way to tell, all our records are changed to reflex our new gender (birth certificate, drivers license, Social Security, passport, etc.). That is a very hard question to answer; the law in Connecticut says yes but many non-transperson say no.
For me, I know I never really was a man. I remember in high school when the other boys use to say; “Wow, she’s hot! Wouldn’t you like to get in her pants!” and I use to think; “Yeah, those slacks are nice. I wonder where she got them?” Not exactly what your average teenage boy thinks. I never was into sports or cars; I guess I was what you would call today a nerd. I was a square peg in a round hole.
As a woman when I am with other women and when they are talking about scouts, they are talking about Girl Scouts and I am think Boy Scouts. I remember one time a former support member came back to one of the meetings and she was crying, she didn’t know what to do. It seems that she was living deep stealth (hiding your background), she was married with an adoptive child and they were buying a house. Well the credit check came up with her male name and her husband didn’t know she was trans. She was petrified. No matter what we do or what say, we cannot escape our past
We don’t have a common background. All the surgery in the world will not make you a “woman” (Heresy! She speaks heresy. She betrays the trans-community).
So how do I define myself? After those walks this week I decided that I am a Transwoman. I think that is how it is best to describe myself; yes, I am a transsexual but that is a disorder. I am a woman with a different set of memories and with a different set of life experiences. I am a transwoman.

Patrick’s Weekender

Saturday Six - Episode 144


If you knew you would die the following day, what would you do with your blog: edit some parts of it and leave it up for posterity, leave it as it is, or delete it?
Hhmmm… good question. I think I would add it to my diary, burn a CD and give it to the college library GLBT collection.

2. Other than your own blog, what single website do you visit the most?
(en)Gender forum


3. How many different email accounts do you currently own, counting work and home?
Yikes! Lets see….
1 – work account
1 – college account
4 – personal accounts (Diana – Yahoo and my own domain account, Don – my domain account and a Comcast account)
4 – COS support group accounts (info, webmistress, exec and a Comcast account)
1 – CTAC account
__
11 Wow!

4. Take the quiz: How addicted to the internet are you?


You Are 57% Addicted to the Internet

You're somewhat addicted to the internet - but who isn't?
You can keep it under check, and you're by no means a hermit.


5. Are you more likely to visit the internet the first thing in the morning or the last thing at night?
Yes

6. Who was the last person you had an email/instant message conversation with? When was the last time you saw that person in person?
A COS member, we were coordinating an Outreach at a college in New Haven and the last time I saw her was at an Outreach that we did together at the same college in November.

3x Thursday

Transportation

1. How do you get from one place to the next? Car? Train? Walk? Something else? Do you like that mode of transportation? Why/why not?
I drive everywhere like a typical suburbanite. Because where and when I want to go there is no public transportation.

2. Do you have a car? Do you like it? Do you like having it? Would you consider not having one? Why/why not?
I have a hybrid Toyota Prius and I love it! See the answer to number two.

3. What do you think of public transportation? Do you have good public transportation where you live? Do you use it? Why/why not?
I think that we need a lot more public transportation. It is the only way to cut our dependence on oil.

By the Way Sunday

~Cookie Moods~


Okay, so I'm in the mood to bake cookies.
My favorite cookie to bake is peanut butter, chocolate chip comes in second.

By the way...
Do you ever bake cookies? If so, from scratch, or mix, or ready to bake?
No, but I have made breads and cakes from mixes.

What is your absolute favorite fresh baked cookie?
Chocolate chip cookies.

Your second favorite?
Oatmeal raisin.

Okay, be honest, after you eat one of those warm, yummy cookies,
do you stop or do you eat until you're sick?

That is why I don’t bake cookies.

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Gift Cards: The National Retail Federation says that we spent $24.81 billion this past holiday season on Gift Cards, and that each one us spent more on gift card contributions last year than the year before (the average consumer, says the NRF, spent $116.51 in 2006 vs. $88.03 in 2005). Did you purchase a gift card for someone last year? If not, did you receive a gift card from someone as a holiday gift?

I gave a couple of gift cards this year because that is what they asked for and I did not get any in return.

Q2 - Email: When you open your email in-box for the first time each day, which messages do you read first? Do you read them in reverse chronological order or do you pick and choose which ones to read first based on a different priority?

Top down, except at work then I read my boss’s first.

Q3 - Weather: The current El Nino weather anomaly that can create atmospheric havoc around the world should continue into the spring, extending unseasonably warm temperatures in North American through March, the U.S. National Weather Service predicted yesterday. How has the weather impacted your life these last few months? If you live up north, are you receiving more or less snow; and if you in the down south, is it cooler or warmer than normal? Despite whether (no pun intended) you normally receive snow or not, are you happy, sad, or indifferent about your area's current weather?

It has been wired here, we broke the record fro the longest above average weather and we have had no measurable snow yet this season. If we do not have any snow until after January 26th we will break the record for the longest time without snow since records were kept.

Q4 - National Guard Service: For the first time since President George W. Bush mobilized the National Guard and Reserve (after 9/11), the Pentagon is abandoning its limit on the time a citizen-soldier can be required to serve on active duty. Until now, the Pentagon’s policy on the National Guard and Reserve was that members’ cumulative time on active duty could not exceed 24 months. That cumulative limit is now lifted; the remaining limit is on the length of any single mobilization, which may not exceed 24 consecutive months. In other words, a citizen-soldier could be mobilized for a 24-month stretch in Iraq or Afghanistan, then demobilized and allowed to return to civilian life, only to be mobilized a second time for as much as 24 additional months. In your opinion, is the Pentagon's change fair, and furthermore, do you think it's called for?

I think that our troops are getting a raw deal; they never expected to be serving for as long as they are now. Not only is a hardship on them but it is also a hardship on their family and employers. The pay that they receive in the military nowhere comes close to what they are earning in civilian life. Where I work we match the difference to what the military pays and their civilian pay, but other companies might not be doing that so the families have to get by on military pay which can be a lot less.
It also creates a hardship on their employer’s, they have to fill the employee’s position with temporary workers and some of the Guardsmen are critical to the companies and their positions will be nearly impossible to fill. The company by law has to give them their jobs back. For me I have an employee who at anytime might be activated and sent over seas, he has been with us for over fifteens years and know his job inside and out. For someone to learn to take over his job at the same skill level would take years to train.

Monday’s a Bitch

Random Joy

1.After a long day, I like to kick back with…?
With a hot bath.

2.Do you know anyone “famous”/who is the “most famous” person you’ve ever met?
It depends on how you define famous. When I was first coming out I read articles about transgenderism and civil rights, now I have been meeting and working with a lot of them.

3.What is your favorite piece of classical music?
Classical music? What’s that? I don’t usually listen to classical music, I don’t hate it, it’s just not my cup of tes.

4.Have you ever found and picked up any money off the ground? How much?
A twenty

5.How much money would it take for you to give up the internet for a year?
An awful lot, I have come to depend on the internet. At work, doing the volunteer work I do it is vital and also just staying in touch with my friends.

Manic Monday

This and That


Do you wear a watch every day? If so, describe it.
During work I wear a basic stainless steel digital watch. At night I have analog watches, one with 14K gold band and the other a silver band.

Do you wear cologne or perfume?
No, too many people are allergic to perfume.

What’s under your bed?
I have a raised bed and in the draws I has bed sheets, blankets and in one draw all my old camera equipment.

What do you keep on your nightstand?
Alarm clock, lamp, flashlight, nail file and body lotion.

Miss Elaine

I Can’t Believe Someone Would Eat That-

1. To you what is the most exotic food(s) that you have ever eaten and would you eat it again?
It has been so long ago that I tried something truly exotic that I cannot remember what it was. What I truly hate is Chinese food and mushrooms.

2. Is there a food that you would like to try?
No, only if I had to.

3. Does someone in your family eat certain foods that make you cringe just looking at it?
No, they are pretty much meat and potato type of a family.

4. As a child was there a food that you just wouldn’t eat, but as an adult you like it and eat it often?
I eat more vegetables now than when I was a kid.

5. Do you know someone who is a “FOOD SNOB”?
Nope.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Our peaks are high and our valleys low

I have been down in the dumps lately, so I haven’t been keeping up with the blog. As I wrote a friend; our peaks are high and our valleys low. For the lows an acquaintance just resigned from the Board of COS and that hit me hard, for my New Years Eve party only a quarter of those invited showed up and I have tons of food left over (I had fun and every one who came left at 2:00am). Also I had to go back to work on Tuesday, back as Don. For the peaks there was Christmas at my cousin’s as Diana and I had the whole week between Christmas and New Years off.

Saturday Six - Episode 143

Patrick’s Weekender

1. Are you hoping to lose weight, gain weight or stay the same weight by the end of 2007?
I hope to lose around 40lbs, but my weight seems to be going up not down

2. Now that Saddam Hussein has been executed, are you more worried or less worried about possible terror attacks?
More, we just stuck a stick into a hornets nest.

3. Who was the last performer you heard sing on television? Did you sing along?
I do not watch to TV to hear singers, I prefer CD’s and the last CD I listened to was Namoli Brennet “Chrysanthemum” CD

4. Take the quiz: What is your career personality?

Your Career Personality: Empathetic, Loyal, and People-Oriented

Your Ideal Careers:

Chef
Corporate trainer
Designer
Events Coordinator
Librarian
Politician
Psychologist
Small Business Owner
Social Worker
Teacher



5. Of the listed careers, which is the most appealing?
Social Worker, since I am going back to college (I hope) to get a Masters in Social Work. After working for 29 years as a supervisor of an electronic test department.

6. Of the listed careers, which is the least appealing?
Corporate trainer, Events Coordinator and Small Business Owner.

By the Way Sunday

~Tax Time Again~

By the way...

How prepared (forms, receipts, etc.) are you right now to do your taxes?
Not at all, after all you do have until April 15th

Do you file your taxes yourself or do you go to an accountant/tax preparer?
I have one of those national chains do it for me.

If you file your taxes yourself, do you e-file or put pencil to paper?
See the answer to #2

Do you file as soon as possible or do you wait until the last possible minute?
See the answer to #1 or “What me worry?”

Do you think you'll get a refund or will you be paying this year?
My theme song is “I owe, I owe, its off to jail I go...”

Do you have any good tax-saving tips that you'd like to share?
Cheat! (Just kidding.... if you are from the IRS reading this.)

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1 - Investing: If you had extra money to invest in 2007, where would you put it? Real Estate, the stock market, municipal bonds, a friend's start-up, in a savings account, in a hedge fund, under your mattress, in a foreign market, in U.S. savings bonds, mutual funds, precious metals, your 401K or IRA, baseball cards, or somewhere else?
I have a broker who handles all of my accounts and I trust his judgement, which has been very, very good.

Q2 - Execution: As recently as yesterday afternoon, nearly six days after it happened, U.S. President George W. Bush steadfastly denied having seen the video of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's execution. Do you believe him?
No. If he didn’t then he should have. He should watch the seeds he has sown.

Q3 - Gays in the Military: A recent poll from Zogby International shows that U.S. military personnel are increasingly at ease serving with openly gay colleagues. The poll reveals that 73 percent of military members are not bothered by lesbians and gays serving alongside them. Nearly one in four (23 percent) service members polled reported knowing for certain that someone in their unit is lesbian or gay, including 21 percent of those in combat units. Do you feel gay people should be allowed to serve in the U.S. military, and despite what you believe, has you opinion on this matter changed any over the last 5-10 years?
I think everyone knows where I stand on this issue; I believe in Equality.

Q4 - Movie: What was the last movie you saw, and would you recommend that I take my Mother to see it?
I take it you mean in the theaters, I can’t remember the name, it was about a year ago and the movie was about the Middle East oil and the CIA. I don’t think she would have liked it. If you mean on DVD, it was “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” and I watched it last night.

Wednesday Mind Hump


1. What's your favorite beverage to suck up through a straw?
A chocolate milk shake (for those of you who are not from Connecticut – a milk shake is ice cream, milk and syrup and it is all blended together).

2. Do you prefer the ordinary straight straws, or the crazy, colorful, twisted straws?
Straight, like me ;-)

3. Do you ever make those loud sucking noises at the end of the drink to annoy other people? And does that annoy you?
If I am all alone but not in company and yes it does annoy me.

4. Name one thing to do with a drinking straw other than using it to drink.
I will be naughty and say a paper wad shooter.

By the way Sunday


By the way...
As the years go by, what will you remember about 2006?
Two things, coming out to my cousins and going to the first family function as Diana.

Can you remember anything about 1996?

You got to be kidding; I can’t even remember 2005, let alone 1996

Let's really go back, what do you remember about 1986?
Now you are kidding right?

Patrick's Weekender

Better late than never!

Saturday Six - Episode 142

1. You spot a UFO, a genuine flying saucer. You decide to mention it to those close to you. Do you expect that most would believe you, or assume that you're either joking or nuts?
I think most will assume I am joking or finally flipped my wig.

2. If it had to be one or the other, would you prefer that your blog readers were all family and friends who knew you personally or folks who had never met you in person, and why?
I write for folks that I have never met and I do it to educate. I hope that by reading my blog that they can learn a little about what it is like to be trans. That they learn of our trials and tribulation, to learn of our hopes and fears. I hope that they will realize that it is not a “Lifestyle” but it goes a lot deeper than that, it goes to the soul.

3. Are you planning to do any special posts tomorrow or Monday to look back over either your best posts or the significant events of 2006?
Yes, I did. See my year in review.

4. Take the quiz: What kind of jewel are you?



What kind of jewel are you?

Pearl

Classic and lovely, you are exquisitely feminine.

Personality Test Results

Click Here to Take This Quiz
Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.




5. Do you own a piece of jewelry with this particular jewel in it?
No, it is a little too expensive for my tastes.

6. Whether you normally make them or not, suppose that you have to make one New Year's resolution: what would it be?
I could always say something like peace to the world, etc. But I will say “May I find my inner peace.”

Monday, January 01, 2007

We Burn-out Our Leaders

It is a common phenomenon in support groups and service organizations, leadership burn-out. So few people are willing to step forward to help out that the same leaders run the organization year in and year out until they throw their hands up and walk away. The members think, well they are doing a good job so they don’t need me. But that is not true; we always need people in the wings so to speak to learn the ropes. We need people to sit in on meetings, to listen, to help out on projects so that over time they will be able to step up when needed. We need you to be more than a member; we need you to be involved.

It is not just in the trans community that I am talking about, it is all organizations. My father was in a national service organization that worked with high school kid to teach them leadership skills and to provide college scholarships. He use to complain that no one wanted to run for office. My brother is a member a member of a different national service organization and they also have problems finding leaders. At work one of my technician’s is a member of an organization that raise money for medical treatment for kids and they have problem finding members and leaders.

Why should you volunteer to help?

  • The number one reason is that it feels good to know that you helped out someone. That is the main reason why I am involved, it feels good to know that I have helped out and made life a little easier for others.
  • It teaches leadership skills that you can use through out your life.
  • It teaches you how to work in groups for a common goal.
  • It builds confidence, I never talked to an audience before but now I given more speeches and talks since I became Director of COS than I ever did before in my life.
  • It is great for networking and you meet a lot of interesting new people from all walks of life. On Friday I went to a Latino coffee shop in Hartford with a friend. I would never have gone there on my own but I am glad that I did and I had a good time sitting with my friend talking a politics.

So volunteer and get involved.

Welcome to the New Year

The New Year here is starting off on a cold, wet and dreary; hopefully it is not an omen for the rest of the year.
I am a little under the weather this morning because party at my house didn’t get over until 2:00am. The party was a lot smaller then I had planned on only six friends showed up but we had a very good time, however I have a lot of food left over.

Best Wishes for the New Year

Diana