It’s “Read an E-book Week” at Smashwords, and my book is available FREE until March 9.
Just head over here
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/248813
and use coupon RW100.
If you’re not already registered at Smashwords, you’ll have to sign in–lots of free or reduced price books this week only!
I headed to Templeton Pool yesterday, New Year’s Eve, for my regular swim. It was holiday hours and holiday staff and I met up with Stanley, everybody’s favorite aqua-fit instructor from years ago, doing holiday shifts.
The place was pretty deserted and so I was alone in the change-room after my swim. I was just about dressed when the outer door opened and a young woman ventured into the change room and stopped dead at the sight of me. I smiled at her as she said, “This is the women’s change room, GET OUT OF HERE.” Maybe not a full out shout but firm and loud and nasty. Continue reading
One time when I was visiting Deedee in San Francisco, she took me to the Museum of Modern Art. We drank in the art and culture till we both had to pee and headed for the washroom.
We got into cubicles without incident, but when I exited the stall, there at the mirrors and sinks, and between me and the door, were two women. They were thin and starchy and brittle-looking, and made up with everything sprayed in place. They were busy applying more makeup when they caught sight of me and literally gasped in unison. And horror.
One said, “What are you doing in here? This is the ladies’ washroom.” Continue reading
I found a great story by Sokari Ekineon about the South African spoken word poet and performance activist Andiswa Dlamini, who was quoted in the story:
This week I will be taking a field trip into the world of women’s beauty products. My family has just started a tradition of drawing names for gifts “Secret Santa” style and just getting one useful (and specified) gift rather than a whole slew of best guesses. (I’m glad to note that my mother and children under 16 are exempted from this new austerity.)
My partner and I drew one niece and one sister-in-law. Happily they were into similar gifts, body gels and shampoos, and they were wonderfully specific as to flavor and texture. Who knew there were so many choices of each? Not this butch.
But this butch does feel confident that somebody will help me out. Continue reading
When I entered the change room at my pool the other day AquaFit had already started, so it was deserted. Before i even got my jacket off, a woman entered. As I turned to say good morning she abruptly froze in her tracks, the complete double-take, her whole face scrunched up in horror and fear. I was about to speak, when a woman who I do know to see, and who knows me, came round the corner and threw me a friendly good morning as she went to her locker. I watched the furrowed lines of the other woman smooth before my very eyes. The horror faded and she even smiled, was shy but friendly, though it was clear she didn’t know the other woman, and she and I didn’t speak the same language, but she KNEW the second woman belonged and so her acceptance meant every thing. Continue reading
The other day, I had my flu shot. As a health worker I’m required to have one, and they are administered in the clinic at the org that I work for. Nurses and trainees were brought in for a two hour block of shots for staff.
As I waited my turn in the hall, a white woman with an English accent came out to fill in my form with me. I spelt my last and first name clearly and she carefully printed SHEILA, and then circled the M with a great flourish and asked me my birthday.
“I’m not an M. I’m an F,” I told her. Continue reading
