Thursday, October 30, 2008

Remember when you had to worry about crazy neighbors altering your Halloween candy?

We have a big problem.

No On 8 needs money

I just send another $100.00 to support the No On 8 campain. The opposition is pouring millions of out of state dollars in to yes. Oh did I mention it is mainly the Mormon church behind all the contributions to yes on 8?

They have even launched DoS attacks on the No on 8 website.

http://www.noonprop8.com/

We need to come up with 3 million in 3 days.

https://www.kintera.org/site/c.krLRKXPBLqF/b.4710633/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?c=krLRKXPBLqF&b=4710633&en=8gIOIWPrEeKMLNNzFgKEKUPGKnIZK1PBJjJRJWNyFdIMJXOFKuH

If 8 passes here it will impact other states. We need to act now. Even if you live out of California please contribute.

April

Friday, October 17, 2008

Hardest two days ever

The last two days in Paris were thick with emotion. In the short time I have been in France I have come to love the country of my great-grandfather. I wonder why he left such a wonderful place where he had such deep roots. I guess the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence. I am thankful he did come to the US because I am thankful to be going home to the US. I told my friend Anna last night I will cry on the plane about leaving France and the friends I have made here. It's normal, I have been through it before. Leaving and saying goodbye are always hard. But this time there seems to be something different. Maybe I will figure it out maybe not. I felt it when I first got here. I felt a very deep with France and the French people.

Thursday I packed. I have excess baggage and it is always easier to send it back Fed Ex. It took me a while to get three boxes ready. I moved most everything from my closet to my suitcases except the clothes I was going to wear on the plane. I filled out the forms and put the boxes down at the front desk for pick up.

Later on I headed out to the perfume store I had been in a couple of days before when I asked about a particular scent I was looking for. It was closed by the time I got there. My client had called while I was walking there about coming over for a drink. They were at a place not far from work we lunched at a few times. I hung out with them and we chatted about many things not about work. I told them how much I loved France and how I was going to cry on the plane tomorrow. One of the gentlemen told me how at another company he worked for the people from the US could not wait to be out of France. I don't get it, how could someone even think that. We finished our drinks and I headed off to dinner.

We have a regular place we have used as a meeting place and watering hole called Les Agapes. As I walked over that way I soaked in the sights and smells of a walk I had made many times. I saw the Taxi stand, the rental bikes and the cat on a leash. We have seen this cat many times out with the man and woman who own her. As I approached Agapes I could feel it coming. I felt the tears start to flow. I had to stop a couple of times pull my self back. One of the owners of Les Agapes Joel has been so sweet to me. We went from the French air kisses on each cheek to one day he decided to kiss me on the lips. It has continued that way until tonight when I came in and did the air kisses. I could barely speak tonight let alone speak in French. I knew this was going to be my last meal in Paris. Tears were flowing freely now and he sat me at my table. I was at such a loss for words especially French words to tell him I am going home. I called one of my friends to explain to him what was up. He knows this women. I met her when I first arrived and she speaks French and English.

I had very nice dinner with some mushrooms in a garlic cream sauce. Yummy! For the main course I ordered the calamari. See the picture.

I was lucky there was only one other customer in the place so it was a perfect night to be there and not worry about everyone seeing me so upset. I was eating and I heard Bob Marley's No Woman No Cry come on the music he keeps behind the bar. Joel came over and said he put it on for me. More tears.

For dessert I ordered a little chocolate cake that was warm and has melted chocolate inside. Joel's daughter Melanie who is the chef brought it to me. She said "Chocolate is good for morale" I knew she was right from the first bite. It was a perfect dessert for my last night in Paris.

I gathered my self up and kissed Joel goodbye. As he was seeing me out the door I snapped our picture with my iPhone.















I had a wonderful last evening in Paris.

Plumber beware

Joe the plumber, the new national celebrity had better take a hard look at the business he wants to buy. In my experience when we had our hair salon business was insurance costs, power, rent and the ever-increasing triple net where the landlord charges back to the tenants every little expense. Workers compensation insurance costs were a very big drain as well.

Ya it's a wonderful time to be buying a business. I bet the current owner is selling it cheap since the housing market is doing so well. Joe please, take a good look at the big picture. If you are paying any taxes you are doing well.

And Joe if you do buy the business, don't take out a loan to do it. You stand a better chance of making a profit.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Adieu Paris

I found out Thursday my project here in Paris will not continue to the next phase. It is a let down. It is also a relief. I have so enjoyed being here. My great grandfather emigrated from France to the USA in 1806. I still have relatives here. I have not had a chance to meet them. I think I will have to come back when I don’t have to be at work 5 days a week and have some money to see more of France.

I have made some friends here out side of work. I am happy for that. I went to go see my new friends perform last night. I spent an hour walking around looking for the place. I never found it after walking all over Saint Denis. I had a few new male friends I met that wanted to take me somewhere and do something. I know the word for drink and it wasn’t that. It’s hard not having full control of a language. I know horny it looks the same in any language.

The day before I met another friend after she met with her doctor to get her levels checked. The doctor did not have the results. I told her I just look online to see mine. The medical care here in France is good but same things are just like back in the day.

I met my friend near the Arc de Triomphe. I had another gentleman follow me like a puppy on the Metro. It’s a good thing I don’t where I am going because once I realized I was going the wrong way I did a u-turn and left him. Anyway my friend has a new Black Mercedes. I don’t know how people can spend that much money on a car. It is pretty cool though. Something about cruising down Champs-Ellysees in an expensive car is just right. It makes me forget about my personal financial struggles.

We ended up in the Saint Denis area. They have some shops with sexy lingerie, cute cheap boots, sex shops mixed in with other businesses. Walking is hell in Paris. Who thought cobblestones were a good idea. It is hard work walking in any kind of heel. You really risk your life or sometimes just look drunk even if you are not.

We had a nice dinner at a pizza place after trying to decide what and where to eat. It was pleasant and we talked about the things we all talk about, transition, ex’s, hormones, the future, the past. She is not yet full time. She has lived in Paris for 16 years and plans to complete her transition after a move and possible job change. She says she has a 4-year plan.

After dinner she took me on back to my place via the scenic route. In my opinion Paris by night everything is scenic. It is all so beautiful day or night.

I am going to miss Paris. It still seems a little like a dream to be here. I am glad my partner was able come and share it with me. Our two months here flew by. I was planning on her being back. It will be good to be home. To be able to be together again with Sandi. I miss her so much. To be able to sleep in our bed with our cats, see my kids and deal my part of the financial collapse. I am not sure exactly when I am leaving. I have some finishing up to do but it is soon.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Farewell 360


I closed off my 360 page today. Deep Freeze. If they come up with a cure for 360 death I may come back.

The early days of 360 were very amazing. I met some wonderful people not just in the trans community but from all over. In the early days it was exciting. There was nothing like it. At the time MySpace had grown so much it was not very stable. It was hard to get logged it with out it balking. YouTube was in the early stages. Now I have a program on my iPhone that works really well. It changed my mind about MySpace that works really well so I will spend a little more time there.

Here is the link www.myspace.com/april_bunsus

I am also working on getting Blogger to be how I like. Seeing how things work and how I can make it more personal. I really like how it just works. It not only works it works fast.

I have also been spending some time with my YouTube today finishing my profile looking at videos I had. Figuring out how to post ones I like on my page. Looking at a lot of amazing videos that are on there. I have a lot of video I have shot I need cut together and post.

Here is my like to that. http://www.youtube.com/user/aprilatvisage

It's cold here in Paris today. I went out for a while to the farmers market for a bit. I got some lettuce, apple pastry, 2 Pain au Chocolate, some grapefruits, and this spicy dip I love. I have some favorite booths I stop at. The gentlemen always are happy to give me big smiles at a little flirt. My French has gotten a lot better sounding so they like to chat. One gentleman told me he likes French with a California accent.

It is supposed to rain today but I have not seen it. I was hoping it would. I love big rain. Maybe later. I made some nice soup. I have the music on and I am just sitting looking out at Paris. I am in Boulogune Billancourt which is on the edge of Paris. I have a 5 min walk to work.

I met another TS here in Paris. I am really happy to have someone to hang out with. She is very sweet and is still working on her transition. She is a guy at work and a woman the rest of the time. She has an ex and kids so we have a lot in common. She speaks several languages so she helps me to improve my French and I help with her English.

I have been working on a political blog I have little bits and links I am putting together. I will work on it and post it pretty soon.

Oh for those I have not met yet a little introduction. I am a 53yo TS. I have lived full time for over 4 years now for the most part stealth except for all the people that knew me already at work and life in general. Life is good and I am very happy.

I wish happiness and success for everyone.

Regards,

~April~