Me: How would you describe me to Clarence? (My partner Joey’s dad)
Drew (Joey’s son): well I’d say you’re a guy…
Me: or am I???
Drew: …who writes books. And you’re kinda flamboyant.
Month: August 2015
Quick quotes
Joey: I don’t know the terminal velocity of a squirrel.
Elliott: I’m actually surprised you don’t know the terminal velocity of a squirrel.
Supposedly “LGBT-friendly” campsites are (gasp) just catered to wealthy cis gay people!
Gross…. I’m doing research on “LGBT” friendly RV stuff, and all these camps are so sex-segregated and really just “LG” friendly. It’s all like GAY MALES ONLY. GAY FEMALES ONLY. Probably because most people who RV have a lot of money, and are not most certainly not trans. I think I’ll stay away. Though it would be amusing to raise hell at some of these “adult males only/clothing optional” places.
Isn’t there anywhere two demisexual trans guys can stay with a gender-not-identifying teen and two cats? (Ugh, that is an over simplification of my identity, but will suffice for now and for the sake of the sentence). Oh right, they are just called campsites. Sigh. The irony that “safe spaces” are usually less safe for me and my family never ceases smacking me in the face.
Salmon River Reservoir: Richland, NY
We’ve been spending some time up in the Tug Hill region. This place is really beautiful. Rocky beaches, great for swimming. We’ll be staying up here for a week or so eventually, so I’ll have more to say then. Right now I’m honestly thinking about some upsetting news stories I just read- about yet more trans women, of color, being murdered. I’m feeling very privileged to be able to do this, particularly as a trans person. Life has been really hard for very long. It’s kinda stupid how meeting the right person has improved so much for me. Not that it fixes everything…It just bothers me that people can’t get unstuck in this country (world?). I was stuck for so long. I still don’t have much money. But I have relative freedom now. I have support. Anyway. I’m feeling very privileged, and a bit sad, and scared. I still feel unsafe, often. A part of me doesn’t want to reveal where I am on things like this blog. A big part of me would rather just disappear. But I do think it’s important that all different types of (trans) people write their stories. And I also can’t help writing and sharing. I could just do it in a notebook, but that’s less satisfying for me than it used to be. So I keep writing. In other arenas, I’ve been sharing more about my mental health, and past, and family of origin. It’s…scary. It’s hard to shake off the feeling that something bad is going to happen. But that’s life.
Anyway, here are some pictures.
I’ve been feeling like the region around here is haunted. I know that sounds silly. Sometimes a part of my brain opens up and I find myself believing in the supernatural. It’s usually when my brain is seriously processing past trauma. Anyway, we were driving home the other night, through the country, and I saw three figures in the road. I was about to yell out to Joey to look out, when they disappeared. it was a man, a woman, and a child.
Joey’s currently hard at work with all the practical aspects of making this motorhome thing happen. I want to be more helpful in that area. My brain is in the clouds. It’s going to be ridiculously hot today. Lately I only really feel good when I’m under water. I should…work on that.
“christening” the RV (mobile fort)
Still a few weeks til we are on the road. But we had our best friend Erica over to officially “christen” Serenity.
So our first trips are as follows:
1000 Islands (NY) : early September
Somewhere in the woods of north eastern NY with Erica, her husband, and the dogs: mid September
Leaving Upstate NY: mid October. Heading hopefully to Arizona, possibly Florida.
I’ve got a temp job in August and October in Syracuse so that’s keeping us in the area for a bit.
Right now Joey is checking out a tiny car to tow. I stayed in the current car because social anxiety.
The other night Mittens and Snowflake escaped out an open window of the RV. Luckily they didn’t go far and came running when we called in the AM.
Washington, D.C.
So right now I’m in a parking lot in Watkins Glen, New York, but that has very little to do with this actual post. I am going to write about my trip to Washington DC last weekend.
So I traveled to DC with Joey in order to speak on a panel about transgender self-published authors at the 2015 OutWrite LGBT Bookfair. I set it up and was the admin. The other two speakers were Sophie LaBelle and DL Wainwright. You can watch the videos of it on my YouTube channel: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ifPckZQVCpc
I also had a table to sign sell my books and art at the event. There wasn’t much of a turnout so that was pretty disappointing and I had to endure some ignorant comments and questions.
We stayed with friends that we met in Philadelphia, Lane and Jes. Sophie stayed with them as well so it was like big radical trans sleepover party. Joey and I had a really good time. It was nice to hang around transgender and queer people who don’t hate us. 
Anyway that’s all I can think to say about the trip for now.
Motorhome! (Serenity)
We are getting the motorhome today! and then this shall be our home! So excited! Yep, we will be moving out of the house at the end of the month and then we are going to RV full-time. Only problem is figuring out how I’m gonna part with a lot of my wardrobe….PS, for the nerds: we are naming it Serenity. Because it’s Firefly class.
Elliott DeLine, Author 