Ian J.

As I said earlier...

With three on order all coming along in November, which is also my yearly car costs month, I think not only this Christmas is cancelled 😱

That slight side-to-side movement sounds like mine. It's almost unnoticeable, and I thought it probably reflects the real thing anyway.

My understanding about the white stripes on the balls is for visibility when at school/college and training to be able to see spin. Once into the professional side of football they're not considered needed...?

Once the T3 is steaming and running trains, and getting around the country on invites, it may become more of a target for manufacturers to look at.

I've had the payment request email for 1504, I'll get that sorted out today.

I suppose I'm old fashioned. I do actually like to have decent manual override of all these things getting automated, so that I can decide when something happens, not somebody else's idea inserted into some form of 'I know better' AI.

Tesla don't care for ergonomics, they think everything can be done via touch screens. It's one of several reasons why I would never consider a Tesla.

I think my eyes have just burnt out... 😳

Always useful 🙂

SR/BR(S) U or Q, just sayin' 😏

This is true of course. Our electoral & parlimentary system desperately needs total overhaul, but the people never vote for it, and the politicians (of all colours) gain from leaving it as is once they're in power.

Proper livery 😁😉

My GP's fine with the blood tests, just not the prescriptions.

I think my main concern is one that my sister and friends have in mind, that I can get good quality mental health assistance and assessment before and during transition. Without the NHS to provide in any reasonable timescale, I need a neutral person or persons who is/are thoroughly knowledgeable of the endocrine and psychological situation for trans people that I can bounce my history off and get perspective so that I can reassure my sister and others that what I feel 100% about is actually valid and they don't need to be concerned. I think they still have pre-WPATH concepts of validity in their minds and are worried I might not actually 'be valid'. I've been suggested the Beaumont Society as a possible source of that help, but I don't know anything other than the relatively scant info they have on their web site.

Referrals to NHS GICs have very long waiting lists at the moment, upwards of 5 years in many cases, which is why I mentioned that currently the NHS gender services aren't fit for purpose. However, my GP did put in a referral, so it will be interesting to see how long that actually takes. For now, I'm going private. While it costs me, it's not too bad, and I get more control over what's happening rather than having to go through the NHS's non-WPATH old school approach. I'm hoping to go on Cyproterone acetate as the T blocker, but it needs to be taken with care due to potential liver issues. I may also need minoxidil as I have significant male pattern baldness that the CA alone might not be able to handle. The E will just be a lovely extra 😊

I work from home at the moment, so I get to do normal work days in what I now consider normal attire, and only have to 'boy mode' when going outside, or if I'm expecting a delivery 🙂 My name has completely different initials to my 'old name' (it's not a dead name yet) but I'm happy about that. It does kind of rhyme and so have a similar sound to my 'old name', but that's deliberate.

OK, so I'm going to 'come out' now with the news that I have recently discovered that I am trans. It follows a life with some indicators but nothing striking, and then at the very beginning of this year an almost epiphanal moment of realisation. Since then it's been discovering what it all is and learning that this is the start of a journey. I'm now at the point of starting private medical services for hormone treatment*, which will hopefully be sometime in the next month or two, but there's some preamble to work through with the provider first. I'm 'out' to my sister, most close friends, and my workplace manager, with the workplace to be told soon. My plan for my transition is to do it 'under the male clothes' - that is, to keep my current name, pronouns and clothing from the point of view of the rest of the world, until such time as it's clearly the case to me and those around me that that is no longer sustainable. Then I will 'switch out'. Up till then, things like skin, hair, etc, will be slowly changing. It's those changes that are why I'm saying something now rather than later. Any questions feel free to ask, this is not a secret, but I'll be out for much of today so won't be around to reply for a while. *going private because the NHS gender services are currently not fit for purpose. It also has the advantage that I avoid the NHS's non-WPATH compliant process and get to manage it myself. My GP is onboard though won't prescribe, so some of the medications are a bit more expensive, but I can live with that.

Many years ago there was a guy I worked alongside while in a temp job and everytime I mentioned I came from Poole, that would be the joke he'd trott out... 🤣

Got my b/g version from Rails this morning. Looks lovely. It'll unfortunately be going back in the box for some time as I'm still on modelling mojo hiatus.

I've had issues with my own domain when SPF wasn't set up with other people not receiving my emails. Once it was sorted out (by me on my provider's site) everything worked as normal again.

I've just put in a 'pre-order' for the b/g version. I'm obviously hoping they will have enough allocation to meet it, will see what happens.

I presume there's no news yet of releases in the future to cover early to mid 80s versions (1980 to 1986-ish)?

Of course, Q ≠ Q1

U1? Would like a U or Q first, just sayin'. (Southern/BR(S), of course) 😏