It's a New Year

I didn't even post this entry and photo when I first put them together, relegating it to my drafts instead. But I've not written in a while, and am staring the remaining work on my desk waiting to be filed and decided I need a break. So I'll post the following paragraph, written on 1/4/10 and the photo now! 

While chatting with Cameron on the IM between signing off case notes, this fabulous picture from Flicker popped up as a background. The extraordinary colors really grabbed me, so I felt compelled to share.


The utter exhaustion from a year of work/making jewelry, flea marketing and classes has overwhelmed me in the last couple of months. While the weekend promises to be wonderful, it will not bring any much needed rest, either. We are off to the annual GAFILK convention this year featuring the Alexander James Adams, the former Heather Alexander. I expect transgender issues to be on the forefront of my mind this weekend. Visit Cameron's blog if you are curious about Filk, GAFilk or Alex!


Incidently, GAFilk (pronounced Ga Filk) was where I met Cameron for the first time. So it has been 12 years since she entered a room wearing boots with bells...many transformations since then.



Speaking of transformations, I expect transgender issues to remain at the forefront of mind for quite some time to come.  I have just submitted my syllabus to my teacher for my directed independent study. Once she approves it, the Dean of Grad Students approves it, and I will be writing a 25 page research paper based on a project done two years ago and updated to reflect new research (50 articles published in the last year and a half on transgender issues! Talk about a hot topic.). I'll also be conducting a few interviews with an eye to gaining a greater understanding of what Transgendered or Gender Variant people need from a therapist when they enter therapy.


As Cameron continues her journey of self definition and discovery, being transgender is taking a backseat with her discovery of a learning disability. Certainly the disability explains a lot of things (like why such an intelligent person with excellent grades) can't pass Spanish. But the effects of this disability are far more reaching as it affects her ability to process information, sensory data etc. I never realized, until the time to do so was taken away by school/practicum/work, that the talking we used to do, hours and hours of it, was more than dating, more than simply the pleasure of being together, but actually allowed her to process her world and find ways to relate the information together or file it away. Something in the talking, the discussion, the process of communication, makes her far more competent at functioning. And since she has learned to function so well, not even me, the woman who loves her beyond measure, realized what I was seeing all these years.


Looking ahead this year, I'm also taking my last class at Converse in the art department looking at children's art therapy. I think it will provide a much needed opportunity for deprograming as I finish my degree. Then there will be festivals and jewelry making around taking my board exam in the Aug-Sep range. What an amazing year this year promises to be!