strohma

1. i looove my new job. its fun and challenging and i am actually using knowledge that i learned in school
2. i get my stitches out tomorrow- should make for easier moving around. hopefully it all goes well.
3. i get to see my family in 2 weeks (havent seen them in a year!)

hope everyone else is doing well

had surgery will go into detail later.

here is me and raffie:

Its been about 3 weeks since my last update apparently...since then:

1. i have decided to go full time back to school. right now i am going for an AAS (associate of applied science) in accounting. from there on i will decide if i want to go further.
2. i am now working for a new real estate company as an accounting & general assistant. its been fun. very laid back. some travel required to the condos...amazing pay.
3. top surgery is this thursday!!! ahhh
4. no longer working at borders (part deux).
5. have been running a lot. lovin it. i've done everything from 2-8 miles in one go, which is amazing to me.
6. after my surgery i will not be able to work out for like 6 weeks, which blows.- basically start from square one. eh. i'll do fine.
7. it doesnt even feel close to thanksgiving or christmas. oh man
8. i am vegetarian again and i feel great,


wish me luck on my surgery!

after a long walk...

Updates!

I didn;t realize it had been so long.

WORK: 

So I'm back at Borders as a supervisor. Basically, management has unrealistic goals but instead of letting it stress me out I'm just coasting, enjoying my co-workers and relaxing. ha.

SCHOOL: 

I am really enjoying my accounting class and I am trying to figure out the best way to get a degree and where. Who would;ve thought? 

FTM

I have my surgery in november!! so excited and nervous! trying to stay in shape. i've been running 3 times a week, hiking once a week or so and lifting irregularly.

on a down note- because of my work schedule and stacy;s school schedule we've been seeing each other less and less. our one date night ended with us dalling asleep at like 9. haHA. we did get to go to OKC last weekend and enjoyed it a lot.

all in all- life is good.

hope everyone else is well : ) 

i am so exhausted my fays are running together.
i thought to day was wednesday or maybe thursday, but saturday? nope.

last week i worked: 

mon4-11
tues 10-7
thurs- 6-3
fri 7-4
today 7-3

this week i work

sun 10-7
mon 4-11
tues 10-7
thurs 10-7
sat 10-7

while it is nice to have wednesday and friday off i was really looking forward to having a drink tonight and having tomorrow off...ah well. it could be worse.

my paycheck is gonna be niiiice.

i know this is odd but...my hairy belly :) 

First day back at Borders went great. I forgot how much I like working there, no matter how  much drama there may be.

I also set up a date with a friend of mine to train for a 5k this fall.

In addition, I bought a pair of these bad boys and am excited to test them out: 

I am loving my accounting class.

I got an interview as a supervisor at Borders (where I used to work).
The interview went well but the manager cannot make an official decision until she takes the post down next week.
So, as of now, I am working part time on IPT.
I hope I get the position. It'd be better money or at least the same money as I was making at Follett and I'd be working with people I actually enjoy most of the time....

Fingers crossed!

So I put my week's notice at work on Thursday. I am just so sick of the discrimination that I was facing. And I know a lot of people say that it was a dumb, selfish move to quit a job without another one lined up, but I should not have to stay at a job or a company that disrespects me and taunts me at every turn. It is ridiculous. You could not pay me enough to work for that man or that company.

So, my last day is the 14th. Stacy is stressed about bills and such, which I understand. I have bills coming in. However, I do have an interview with a bank on the 17th and I am continually applying for jobs. If worse comes to worse I can always go part time at Borders until something more permanent comes along.
 

It'll work out.

cross your fingers for me,.

I would split the money up between AIDS research, GLBTQ rights and safe houses/homes for Trans youth

i put my one week notice in today. my boss and that company can suck it. honestly. i have never been so disappointed and disgusted not only in one person but in an entire corporation.

so...the job hunt begins.

i am going to school and if i can't find anything else i will go back to borders for part time.

to ease my stress i went on a 3.02 mile run then had a beer and sat in the hot tub.

fuck corporate america

So I just got in from FL...had a good 4 days of doing absolutely nothing. I slept in until 10 am every day, went to the beach, read books and hung out with Stac. It was pretty much exactly what I needed.

In other news, I am looking for a new job because my current boss is...difficult *shrugs*. I'm also looking into going back to school for business. We shall see what happens.

So Stac is still in FL until the 13th and I went grocery shopping. What did I get you ask?

Kashi Go Lean Cereal
Fruit
Coffee
Lunch meat
bread (with 2 times more fiber than normal!) 
protein bars

No junk food or chips or candy.... Yeah...

A real update soon...I'm kind of jet-lagged and overloaded right now.

I know most of you only vaguely know of Third Eye Blind as that band with the doot doot doot song (aka their 1997 hit Semi Charmed Life) but, to me, they are much more. They were the first band I really fell in love with and they have a new album (oh 5 or 7 years in the making) coming out this fall and I am super stoked...and like I do...

Lyrical Excerpts:

"Are you frightened by the weight you possess
Or is this life just weightlessness?'"

"I spent the last three years setting myself on fire for you
I spent the last three years never knowing if what you say is truth
and it will be this way til one of us dies
is that a blessing in disguise?"

"With your chest puffed out
What are you so afraid about?
What are you so afraid of?"

more to come.

Ok...real time


So I went to the dmv on Friday and officially got my name changed on my license! 
I also  had a meeting with a surgeon about top surgery. He said I was a great candidate, I have muscle and am pretty healthy (self esteem booster? yes) 
I made my appointment for January 14th. Unfortunately I did not realise that is the time of Spring Rush at work. Crap. So now I can either do it earlier (November) or later (February or March). Honestly, right now I am split. I do not know if I want to be all banged up during the Holiday season plus I do not know if I'll have enough vacation time/personal time saved up by then. By February or March I will have been on T for a year and it will be WAY less busier at work. Plus my vacation time starts over in March (e.g. I get two weeks for sure instead of the weird system I am on now). I think I just made up my own mind- March it is.

Also, in an odd turn of events I have decided to go back to school for Business (specifically Accounting). From what everyone tells me it is very methodical and tedious, and I don't have to deal with many people (which can be good and bad). Also, I really think I'd like it.

I'm hesitant to tell my parents about my plans because I will get the "I paid $35,000 a year so you can get a degree in something you didn't even use" speech. But, I guess, that is life.

Other than that...now that my top surgery is pretty much laid out, Stac and I are really focusing on getting pregnant (can you say multi-task?). The first organization we looked out didn't pan out so now we have a new one that we think is good. We have an appointment with a lawyer on Friday that can look over the papers and knows some physicians that might be able to help us. Apparently in Oklahoma if your marriage is not legally recognised most physicians will not help us out (because of the messiness later if we were to ever separate and who the kids would belong to). Which I understand...but it makes it even weirder because I am a transitioning man. When I get my gender marker changed (in OK they require a hystorectomy or genitalia surgery...) Stac and I can get legally married...but that surgery is a ways off.

Also, my boss is still being...my boss. An A** hole. Basically he's passive aggressive and pouts when he doesn't get his way. He's insecure with himself and his relationship with others. He taunts people and cannot take it when someone taunts him back. In short, he HAD to have blown someone to get this position.
 
Also, he has made everyone so stressed that they are contemplating quitting (and I do mean EVERYONE).

Our text manager (one of the most hardest working, nicest people there) got a promotion and will be leaving very soon (3 weeks-1 month). Thus, leaving the store with no experienced people. In other words, Rush is going to be a BIG learning experience.

Stacy's being sick since Thursday with some weird stomach bug.
Her birthday is in 2 weeks and I am trying to plan a party.
We go on vacation in 3 weeks for 4 magical days :) 
I've been cleaning the house all day and obviously needed a break to vent and write.
I hope I can fly home to Indiana this Thanksgiving and see my family and not have to worry about going to 3 different gatherings like it is here.
I love my wife with all my heart
I love my dogs and my cats
I love my life, even if it is hectic and frustrating and makes me want to punch a wall (or a face) sometimes. It is all worth it.

I'll update more often...maybe.

'Til next time


Gabriel
 

starting to really feel my skin roughen- especially my face..beard by the end of the year? *fingers crossed* :)) 

Its been 3 weeks since I updated. Sorry....

So my boss is a complete ass. I hope he gets fired soon. Or something...All my favorite people are leaving (good for them- promotions, well deserved, etc...but it still sucks) eh. I'll pay my dues and work my way up.

<B>Today I had my court date and officially got my name changed to Gabriel Quinn C****-S**** (yeah yeah hyphens are the 'in' thing now :))</B>

Looking forward to my appointment with a surgeon on Friday for my top surgery.

Also, I may have my photography featured in a restaurant soon- going to set up a meeting next week with the lady.

Other than that...looking forward to my vacation- Stac and I are taking July 31st- August 4th and going to her condo in Florida. Just me, her and the ocean :). All to ourselves for a few days. I am nervous about flying back by myself (stac is staying a bit longer to meet up with her friend).

Ah well...

Also...Friday goin to the DMV to get my driver's license changed. Next week going to the bank and social security department. Also need to call my insurance company...its never ending really :) 

I will update.


Work

Our new manager is...interesting (read: controlling, insecure and a bit of a nerd) but who knows maybe thats just first month jitters. I can only hope. It just sucks because I love my job and I am trying to stay out of the gossip (besides myself and the new manager everyone else is a woman...yeah.) I am not saying that is bad I am just saying...it is...stressful sometimes.

Animals

We got Mollie (our new puppy) and Charlie in obedience classes. Mollie is a dream and will do anything for a hot dog and Charlie is catching on just as well. Stac takes Mollie on thursdays and I take Char on tuesdays. Its been fun.

Personal

Stac and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary this weekend in OKC with a fancy hotel, lots of GREAT food, movies and of course lots of sex. It was great.

She got into  medical school for the fall adn I am hoping to get a promotion soon (fingers crossed)



Trans

I am now...5 months (i think?) on Testosterone. and I pass pretty much everywhere I go, which is good and bad. Its bad because my ID still has more old name on it and people seriously do not believe it is me, alas, less drinking out. ha. However, I do have a court date on July 8th to get my name officially changed. Also, on July 10th I have an appointment (consult really) with a surgeon for "top surgery". I need about $5,000 and I have $2,300 saved up. We shall see...

Oh and for the other news...Stac and I are going to try for a baby this September. Wow...it didn't really seem real until I typed it out just then. Anyway, as you can guess its a time consuming process on top of my own time consuming process. Its fun though. and scary. but mostly fun.

July 8, 2009= my court date for my name change :)

more updates soon

I will update soon. "hell week" (really, hell weekS are almost over)