SCC 2008
A big thank you to everyone who attended my seminar, TG Adventures in History, at the Southern Comfort Convention this year! That was my first presentation at SCC, and I was pleased with the good turnout (about a dozen) for a 9am start. I know history may not be the most exciting subject at that hour, but it was a true pleasure to be surrounded by people who enjoy studying all aspects of our past. The best thing was all the ideas for reading material and transgender related topics. It meant so much for the attendees to share their experiences with me. I was particularly moved by the lady who says that this is my "reality" versus being a "dream." Those who read my blog know that is a big deal for me. That is a big part of the magic of SCC... hearing everyone's stories. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!
Once again, I volunteered with the tech crew at SCC. Due to my work schedule, I missed all of the fun setup work ;) I heard it went fairly well with the great sound crew from Be-All arriving early Wednesday morning. It also helped that we were more familiar with the Crowne Plaza Ravinia being the second year there. Someone on our crew made a great point Thursday that our volunteer work saves SCC a fair amount of money which can instead be used for scholarships. With so many newcomers this year to the conference, it is so gratifying to put a value on what we do. Saturday night was especially fun as I ran a handheld camera in front of the stage during the band's (TMI) performance. I love that kind of creative work although I've never done it wearing an LBD! Hey, I can still be stylish while lugging around the camera.
That reminds me also of the fantastic Thursday night at Maggiano's with the Vanity Club gals. Everyone knows I love dressing up, but I also enjoy seeing all the lovely ladies in our club show their stuff. It really is a varied group of intelligence, beauty, and style. I'm honored to be a part of them. So many asked about my reenacting. Thanks to Andrea for organizing the dinner. The food was great, and the company was even better.
So for those of you who keep track of such things, I wore 5 dressy/formal dresses: Thursday night: the pink strapless a-line dress at Maggiano's; Friday night dinner: the floral green dress; Saturday morning: the green Civil War dress; Saturday night dinner: the blue Loralie southern belle prom dress and the little black David Bridal's dress. Whew! I know my roommate Maddy thought I was a bit nuts with all those dresses. I still need to wear that debutante dress somewhere... hmmmmm. Work on that one.
The Sunday morning at the conclusion of SCC is the first planning meeting for next year. Everyone goes around and gives a quick thought. There are so many good ideas and tweaks. It's hard to do them all, but I know the planning committee appreciates all of the suggestions. Anyone presenting new ideas is generally encouraged to get the ball rolling on it. The biggest challenge is finding entertainment that most can enjoy. Some of the acts (particularly the stand-up comedians) fell a bit flat. The couple who played Friday night (Coyote Grace) were fantastic. I also enjoyed TMI Saturday night, but hard rock isn't for everyone. Donna Rose and Mara Keisling both spoke at Saturday lunch and were inspiring as always. I hope both speeches can be streamed online.
I will leave you with a thought that a few made Sunday morning: SCC saves lives. A bit of a stretch, you say? Just look at all the first timers at SCC (some of whom are going into public en femme for the first time). They have finally found the start line for their gender journey. Sometimes just starting the trip is the biggest triumph of all. I'm sure many never thought they would get to this point. Some may have even given up. Now they know there is a family ready to embrace and help them along the way. That knowledge can lift one's soul and spirit to never before imagined heights. Yes, SCC saves lives. And even more importantly, we can all carry that back to our homes and give that gift to more. Each of us can save a life by helping a person find their true self. Labels don't matter here. Living is what counts! Help all of us live to the fullest.
Once again, I volunteered with the tech crew at SCC. Due to my work schedule, I missed all of the fun setup work ;) I heard it went fairly well with the great sound crew from Be-All arriving early Wednesday morning. It also helped that we were more familiar with the Crowne Plaza Ravinia being the second year there. Someone on our crew made a great point Thursday that our volunteer work saves SCC a fair amount of money which can instead be used for scholarships. With so many newcomers this year to the conference, it is so gratifying to put a value on what we do. Saturday night was especially fun as I ran a handheld camera in front of the stage during the band's (TMI) performance. I love that kind of creative work although I've never done it wearing an LBD! Hey, I can still be stylish while lugging around the camera.
That reminds me also of the fantastic Thursday night at Maggiano's with the Vanity Club gals. Everyone knows I love dressing up, but I also enjoy seeing all the lovely ladies in our club show their stuff. It really is a varied group of intelligence, beauty, and style. I'm honored to be a part of them. So many asked about my reenacting. Thanks to Andrea for organizing the dinner. The food was great, and the company was even better.
So for those of you who keep track of such things, I wore 5 dressy/formal dresses: Thursday night: the pink strapless a-line dress at Maggiano's; Friday night dinner: the floral green dress; Saturday morning: the green Civil War dress; Saturday night dinner: the blue Loralie southern belle prom dress and the little black David Bridal's dress. Whew! I know my roommate Maddy thought I was a bit nuts with all those dresses. I still need to wear that debutante dress somewhere... hmmmmm. Work on that one.
The Sunday morning at the conclusion of SCC is the first planning meeting for next year. Everyone goes around and gives a quick thought. There are so many good ideas and tweaks. It's hard to do them all, but I know the planning committee appreciates all of the suggestions. Anyone presenting new ideas is generally encouraged to get the ball rolling on it. The biggest challenge is finding entertainment that most can enjoy. Some of the acts (particularly the stand-up comedians) fell a bit flat. The couple who played Friday night (Coyote Grace) were fantastic. I also enjoyed TMI Saturday night, but hard rock isn't for everyone. Donna Rose and Mara Keisling both spoke at Saturday lunch and were inspiring as always. I hope both speeches can be streamed online.
I will leave you with a thought that a few made Sunday morning: SCC saves lives. A bit of a stretch, you say? Just look at all the first timers at SCC (some of whom are going into public en femme for the first time). They have finally found the start line for their gender journey. Sometimes just starting the trip is the biggest triumph of all. I'm sure many never thought they would get to this point. Some may have even given up. Now they know there is a family ready to embrace and help them along the way. That knowledge can lift one's soul and spirit to never before imagined heights. Yes, SCC saves lives. And even more importantly, we can all carry that back to our homes and give that gift to more. Each of us can save a life by helping a person find their true self. Labels don't matter here. Living is what counts! Help all of us live to the fullest.
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Jessica