Photographs and Memories

"But we sure had a good time when we started way back when...."

--Jim Croce, "Photographs and Memories"

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Being a writer, I'm not sure how I feel about that: if someone produces a camera, does that mean I have to write a lot to match their work output? Seriously, even I will admit that photographs and drawings are fun, especially in the TG community. I'm reminded of a joke I heard once:

Question: How many TGs does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer: Two. One to change the bulb and the other to take pictures.

Of course, photographs are also the best way to remind ourselves of what we have done, and where we have been. On this page, I invite you to come and share some memories with me.

These were among the first photographs taken of me. They were taken at the Xpressions Christmas party in December of 1997, and you might recognize them from elsewhere in my garden.

The party was my first time out. As we all know, such an event is an important one for any TG, and it was no less one for me. Add to that the fact that I had only been in the club a short while and the only people I knew in it weren't going to be there, and you had one very nervous Lynne. I still say that one of the longest walks I have ever taken was the one from the elevator to the ballroom.

Fortunately, once there, I recognized Cynthia and Lynnette from the Pink Room, and introduced myself to them. They have since become dear friends, and have helped me in many ways. Cynthia had a camera, and was kind enough to take these photos.

As you can tell, I might have been nervous at the start, but I ended up having a great evening!

A few months after that--in March of 1998, to be exact--the IFGE convention was held in Toronto, and I went. I had managed to get to know more people in Xpressions, and since they were involved in organizing the convention, I wanted to take the opportunity to learn what I could and have a little fun. The convention seemed the perfect chance.

This photo on the left shows how I looked after the Friday dinner, but before going out for the evening. I don't look too bad in the photo, but we went to a nightclub and I looked exhausted after that! I rarely dance, but Lynda, an aesthetician who specializes in TGs, insisted. "Come on, Barbie, let's go party," Lynda sang with the music, and I had to laugh and join in.

Lynda has since become a good friend, and we keep in touch beyond conventions and parties. We all need confidantes, and I'm glad that she is one of mine.

Another person whom I'm glad I took the time to get to know is Amanda, shown here with me. This is again from the convention, on the Saturday night.

When I arrived at the hotel where the convention was being held, I recognized Amanda from past Xpressions meetings. I didn't know her very well, but she was a familiar face, and I was glad of that. We started chatting, and we've never really stopped, continuing to catch up at club dinners and via e-mail.

Amanda and I have shared a few experiences since then, but I'll never forget how glad I was to see her there in the hotel bar when I arrived for the convention. Thanks for being there, Amanda!

In June, Cynthia was kind enough to invite Lynnette and myself over for the weekend. It was a chance to all of us to be full-time, if only for a few days, and we made the most of it. There were flowers and music, a lovely dinner, some shopping, and plenty of talk. It was heaven!

Of course, since we all knew each other originally through the Pink Room chat, we had to log on there and spend some time chatting with our online friends. For each chat session, we took a photo of the three of us. Logging on as "Cyn, Lyn, and Lyn," here we are as we appeared to our friends in the chat room on the Friday night.

I've always been adequate with makeup, though never outstanding. But Lynnette and Cynthia had been looking through Kevin Aucoin's Making Faces and found a look they thought would be good for me. They decided to give me a makeover, to which I gladly complied. Between Lynnette's skills and Cynthia's cosmetics collection, they were able to work wonders, and I was quite pleased with the results, as you can see on the right. A new dress that I had just bought, and a pendant from Cynthia, and I was ready for a portrait.

Sales are always fun, and while we were out shopping, we spotted one. Actually, we spotted many, but one shop had clothes that were cute and fun, and were just my size. Naturally, I couldn't resist, and so while Cynthia and Lynnette stood in the mall and laughed, I joined in with the others plowing through the sale racks in the shop. A miniskirt-and-top outfit resulted, and while it didn't help me in my Spice Girls audition, it gave a special sense of fun to our online chat session that night. As you can see, I was having a great time!

Before the weekend, Cynthia had taken care to ensure that Lynnette and I liked, or at least didn't mind, cats. I love cats, which was good because Cynthia has a few of them, and here you can see Cynthia and I with one. It was a warm day, and the cat must have been quite hot with all her fur, but she couldn't resist a tummy-rub. And we couldn't resist giving her one!

It was a lovely weekend, and one I have many fond memories of. We had a lot of fun, but we also had a few times that were a little more serious, and I think many things were learned. Speaking for myself, I know that the weekend helped me to confirm something that I had felt for a while--that I had made the right decision in speaking with my doctor, and exploring my TGism with the help of the professionals. Thank you, Lynnette and Cynthia, for being there; and special thanks to you, Cynthia, for being the perfect hostess!

Pride Weekend is an important date on every TG's calendar, and we made the most of it. The Xpressions club dinner was held near where the festivities were taking place, and we all met for drinks and dinner.

Yet strangely, nobody remembered to bring a camera. Fortunately, a gentleman with a Polaroid offered to take a photo of a group of us enjoying drinks on the patio. That's Kerry, Cynthia, and Lynnette seated in front, and myself and Lynda standing in the back.

Questions? Comments? Just want to say hi? Send me a message:

lynnemca@hotmail.com

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