Going on a family vacation - with outsiders who only know the OTHER you... Are there questions? Are there moments of awkwardness? What about vacationing in a state with no protections?

Is it a good thing to discover that you're NOT the trailblazer you thought you were? (Preparing to transition in the workplace.)

Having dinner with not one, but two pastors can be a tad nerve wracking. Now, imagine you're meeting one (who's known you for 20 years) as yourself, for the first time... And then imagine that you're meeting the other for the first time and he will be your pastor as you transition. Can we spell butterflies?

My church has been an important part of my life and the family has been in a single one for over 20 years now... Will I still be able to attend after transition?

When you expect to transition - before your kids are old enough to get married... What does this do to the Wedding ceremony?

I didn't believe it.

I'm baaack. Wait, you say you didn't know I was gone?

I was chatting with my older daughter (who also has a quirky sense of humor)... And, the following came up in the conversation:

Your ovaries took a wrong left turn back in the second trimester. They're on their way back, but they got lost in this odd little testosterone-filled sack...

Then, she went on and explained how it happened:

One doesn't choose one's family... They just are.

The wife and older daughter spent longer out running errands today than I expected... And, to my surprise, when they came in...

This blog was prompted by Nancy Cole's blog on posting frequency...

It's also a "status" report and feedback request - for the dozen or so readers of "A New Style of Education: Hidden Gifts".

This past weekend was, in most ways, far nicer than most have been over the past few years...

Why, you may ask? (Or, maybe not...)

Well - it was the first tree I took down, since HRT.

Back in the day - when my wife thought she was married to a guy, I took out several of our hemlocks. Very straightforward, if you know what you're doing... I mostly do.

I've come to realize that what many authors have said, many time, really is true. It's a lot more work to write a story than to read it. "Real Life" can intrude on time to write, as can other literary commitments. Nice encouraging comments, or comments that point out perceived flaws, but include suggestions on how to rectify them, are greatly appreciated.

However, seeing a comment or PM that basically says "yeah, you posted something, but when will you get back to the other bit" is very disheartening.

It's hard to believe, but just over two years ago, I posted my first "segment" of Who Was I. I believe my writing's improved a more than a little bit over the course of that time (though, you don't see this, as you generally only see stuff that have been edited). I pity those editors, but I also really appreciate them.