Learning past and present

One difference between the kind of education I had and that of many children today centres around how we were taught.
For most of my education for instance generally the teacher led the class learning determining what the days topic was in any given subject. They often would dictate notes or write them down on a chalk board for you to copy to your exercise book sometimes with drawings or diagrams too which was fun if you were not good at writing or spelling things as you'd struggle to keep up.
Sometimes we'd have school made duplicated work sheets for some subjects such as Combined Science to complete as we did experiments with bunsen burners, electricity and magnets.
In History we often read from and makes notes using set text books and all homework (and there was heaps of it!) was to be completed by hand.

This scene would be almost familiar to me in high school as we'd move from old style individual wooden desks to clusters of tables and plastic chairs except for one thing.
That's right, where the girl is sat we'd have our exercise book but she has a laptop which looking at this picture closely is something most of her peers do not suggesting she has 'special needs' and has been given one for 'writing up things' with.
That is something I'd of benefited from personally as my hand writing was poor and spelling pretty rotten too.
A number of schools today have huge screens,  some interactive, for teaching with rather than chalkboards (they were called Blackboards until some edict came down saying that word was racist!) but debate rages as to whither or not this is any more effective from the chalkboard and rote learning we had.

Joanne has it licked

After this weeks stormy winds that blow a big garden arch of mine over and loosened the tape that holds the tv antenna coax to the masting, it is finally sunny with bees buzzing about. Buzz, buzz, buzz!
But sunny warmer weather leads to wanting to do things very much what this blogs about and one of them happened yesterday. It was warm, much warmer than it was first thing in our town so skipping off the bus, I called into the newsstore to pick up a magazine when I had this strong urge to get a lollipop, the sort of lolipop that's very little .

These are Swizzlers Matlows Mega Double Lollies the sort with two flavours in one billed as being "the original long lasting" and my little just took over and picked  up a Lime one from the candy rack in the store and paid for it.
Within minutes I was unwrapping it and skipping in the sidewalks licking it!
Instant regression.
You might recall my past a few weeks back with the image of the girl in her uniform reading while licking on her lollipop. Does Art imitate life or is is life imitating Art? All I know is for that moment I was back in time and it felt good.

Getting by

I saw this manga drawing a few days ago and liked it a lot although I'd of written the first speech bubble as "I started out as a guy" had I been any good at drawing because our girl is showing sensitivity to how she is perceived in her new role among the other girls.
I think one of most important things is having respect for your inner girl, that's to say you don't put her in crass or otherwise crude situations if you wish to hold your own in the company of those born and raised as girls from the outset.
Those of us who started out as guys can't just demand the right to accepted and be granted it; we may have to earn our right to be wear our uniforms as part of being regarded as the girls we truly feel.
It's also important to understand females have spent ages fighting discrimination in the home, in school and in work.Girls of our sort arguably need to both accept and embrace that same struggle fighting with our genetic sisters  for equal treatment in the workplace and supporting those who even in today's world get a bullet in the head for supporting girls education as fundamental human right. If you can, learn about those struggles and support our genetic sisters in practical ways.
The path to our acceptance isn't easy but we need to take responsibility for making it as smooth as possible.

Reflections on the death of Margaret Thatcher

Today, it was announced that the former Prime Minister of Great Britain, Margaret Thatcher died following a stroke.
I'm only too aware of the groan up political divisions her era has left however for me she left a powerful memory that's a part of my childhood
Without going into a lot of details on this public blog, my friends and I had the occasion to see Mrs Thatcher at school and we asked if we visit her. Surprisingly she agreed and her secretaries with the help of our school, organized everything!
There is inevitably a lot of work undertaking such an activity from sorting out dates, transportation and getting everyone security cleared with official permits and invites issued.
We were treated to a tour of Number Ten, Downing Street. Shortly afterward,  we did what you guys call 'small talk', talking with her and the staff over Afternoon Tea. Before we left we had pop in the garden at the back of the house (it's quite some garden I can assure you).
She was exceptionally nice to us and nothing was too much trouble.
It was a very memorable visit, something not every elected politician of any kind of  politics would just do for a group of school kids and a reflection of her personal generousity outside of the political posturing you saw in the press and tv.

Presenting

It's been a while since I said anything directly around presentation and the opportunities thereof so while I nom my Hello Kitty Easter Egg today and outside of chat I may not be around much tomorrow btw,  I thought I'd type this.
It is very tempting if you are either transgendered and/or an adult little girl to look at how other people may be presenting and maybe compare in your own mind them..
For those who are both transgender and alg these may cover such things as how much time you are 'out' in your grown up version (what I call "your big") and how much you're in your little side.
Some who (and with apologies as I loath labels) are more "transvestite/cd" may have their little side as the trans only side so won't have a big in the same gender as their little.
For me assisted by ill heath so effectively out of the workplace, I'm generally presenting in little mode - a dead ringer for the girl in this weeks picture - outside of visiting the general store etc and yes, it's what I feel most comfortable as. It also helps that Mommy can live privately with it (she's seen me in alg mode) to whereas there are issues around presenting as 'big me' (Androgynous is accepted, anything obviously feminine isn't).
If you're working then you may well be constrained by your employers dress codes (although you may get away wearing the odd thing that's IK) and what your co-workers can tolerate. As far as I'm aware dressing alg/ik in work isn't protected in law and may be seen as a disciplinary matter although it's better for them to give you a Warning first rather just firing you.
For those who are transgender who for their own reasons are still living with partners, the opportunities to express either 'big' or little may be constrained particularly if they have visitors.
For everyone it is going to be different and the important person in this is YOU.
Around presenting as adult little girls go, unless you're really into online video chat your time presenting at home will be a solitary one outside of our favourite sites.
Your options for presenting out of doors may be restricted by public visibility of your garden so your best options may well be attending an alg camp where you can socialize and generally have fun with others  or going maybe in 'everyday' attire out together to a show or a picnic which will enable you to put a name to face and maybe learn more about the people you encounter online.
Unfortunately presenting as school kids in public such as being in a park will only lead to police or public attention.