Suggestions for getting my attention
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Dec 18, 2011 4:30 pm
1945 Views
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For those of you who are interested in contacting me, I thought I'd give you a little help in writing. Ok, so this post is going to part rant, part helpful suggestions. What can I say, I'm a multi talented girl.
So, I'll start with the rant part. One thing that really anoys me is when someone sends me a message to contact me and it's a sentense or worse yet just a phrase. If you're not going to make an effort to impress me, why make the effort at all. I'm not saying one has to write a novel, but say something more than, "Hi there," or "I want you." Anyone who writes so little either doesn't really expect me to respond no matter what they write, an incorrect assumption I might add, or they do respect me enough as person to be bothered with an honest attempt at contact. That is definitely not the way to get me to respond back.
That ends the rant portion of this post. Now for something constructive.
So, if you really want to contact me, and want me to respond you need to write more than a line or two. Lets face it there are dozens of things you can say in your first message. All it takes is a little thought. I'll give you a few possibilities to start you off.
1) Since I'm a standard member, I can't see profiles, so it is a good thing to start off with a little about yourself. I'm not just alking about your age, height, weight, hair and eye color. Though those are useful. I'm talking about things like what you like to do in and outside the lifestyle, your hobbies, maybe something about your personality.
2) You can tell me what it is your looking for. How am I supposed to guage whether I'm right for you if you don't tell me what you seek? Hmmmm? I'm not a mind reader (and if I were I wouldn't admit it).
3) You can tell me some of the things you found interesting about my profile. What about my profile prompted you to to write? This also gives you a chance to say why we might be compatable. Neat, huh? 
Now if you've done just that little bit, you have a first message that is at least 3 paragraphs, probably more. I know, it requires a bit of thought and effort, but let me tell you, I am worth it.  Actually, if you do just that much contacting most anyone on here, you'll be more likely to get their attention.
Oh and one last thing that will get you noticed, use correct spelling and grammar (do not use text speak), and proof read your message before sending it. After all, you have 16,000 characters for Alt's messages, and to give you an idea of the space you have this post is a little over 3,000 characters with spaces. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it will show you care about how you come across. It's like taking a shower and putting on a clean shirt for a first date. It's presenting a good first impression. 
See, I told you I would help. Everything I've siad here doesn't just apply to contacting me. Anyone on this or other dating sites you're wanting to send an email message to will be much more impressed by this than by, "Hey there, let's fuck." Really.
Take care
Bri
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Have I, would I...
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Mar 7, 2012 12:19 pm
770 Views
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Greetings Gentle Readers,
Today, I'm going to touch a little on the personal side of things. From time to time I get asked if I have ever or would ever consider becoming a transsexual. The question comes in many forms, but that is the gist of it each time it comes up. I will usually answer it, and I will do so here, but... There's always a but, isn't there. There are somethings you should know.
The path to becoming a transsexual, is just about taking a few hormones or getting breast augmentation surgery. Certainly that is part of it, but being an informed individual, I know there is more to it. I'm going discuss a bit what one is really looking at if one wants to switch sexual characteristics.
Lets look at breast augmentation first, shall we. Now first off, no reputable surgeon is going to do breast augmentation on a male without some assurance that it is warranted. That means the subject should be involved in some form of counseling or psychotherapy addressing their gender issues. Yes, there are a number of surgeons who will do the surgery without taking such precautions, but one has to wonder about the ethics od such surgeons. Lets face it if you're letting someone cut open your body and put foreign objects in there, you want to be able to trust them, right? So, we're talking seeing an ethical surgeon, so we can expect months (maybe years) of counseling first.
Now hormones, are another matter. Again they have a lot of risks involved like increased chances of cancer, organ damage/failure (especially the liver) to name a couple. So if you're going to decide to take hormones you definitely want to do so under a doctors supervision. Again, you want it to be a trustworthy doctor since the complications and kill you. Which means counseling again. Another thing to consider is that breast development takes around two years to complete, which means you have to wait a couple of years to know what you got before you can decide if you should use breast augmentation to improve it. In addition, you never stop taking hormones, it becomes a lifelong regimen, and over the years that can add up to a hefty financial investment.
Speaking of financial investment... I should mention that transition is not a cheap process. Over ones lifetime it can cost upwards of a hundred thousand dollars. With inflation the way it is, probably more if I were to start now. That's a hefty expense. By the same token, if one is driven to transition, it is well worth it. And given the outlay is over many years, it is not as terrible as it sounds. You're not plunking down $100,000 and saying make me a woman. Sometimes it trickles, for the cost of hormones and counseling, then there are moments of torrents when you lay out for whatever surgery is needed.
So, we are looking at the entrance point being counseling. And in my case, that really is where things should start. I'll be the first to admit a make a much better woman than a man, and probably would have been better off being born a woman. But, you'll not the probably in there. Counseling would assist me in sorting out my feelings about myself and what/who I feel I should be. Now there is always the possibility that I'll find I don't feel it appropriate to tinker with my biology. On the other hand, there is every chance that I'll be even more motivated to transition. It's not really something I can predict at this time.
In addition to what I've mentioned, there are a few "minor" cosmetic procedures I feel that would also be appropriate if I were to decide to transition. Just minor stuff to help with a more female appearance: trachea shave, hair transplants and such. Nothing that other such women haven't had done in their search for femininity.
And what about sexual reassignment surgery (SRS)? Again you want to look at using a reputable surgeon, which puts one back to counseling. You need to consider the type of procedure. Yes, there's more than one way to create a vagina, and you need to consider carefully since each has it's own potential complications. Not to mention the type of procedure will determine which surgeon you seek out to do it. Then again, most of those who ask about transitioning, don't consider this part because they are usually looking for a "chicks with dicks" not a re-manufactured woman.
I think by now you already know what my answer it to those who ask. Just reading the above tells you that I've not only considered it, but I've done some homework on it as well. So, when asked, I usually explain that yes I've considered it, and the factors I've discussed above. Would I transition, I don't know, but I certainly would start with the counseling to help decide if it's right for me. If it is, then yeah, I'd transition. If not, then I'll remain a guy in a dress.
So now you know, and won't even need to ask me, huh?
Take care
Bri
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You're a what???
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Feb 25, 2012 8:01 am
1029 Views
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In a previous post I commented on a couple of categories of divergent gender behavior to which I consider I belong. I thought today, I'd give you a brief lexicon for us non-conforming gender expression folks. Keep in mind that the definitions are my opinion of the definition. Different people have different ideas as to what each one means. If you feel that one or another of these should be different than I have expressed, by all means post a comment to say so and explain why. I am always happy to have comments, even if they disagree with me.
Before we start, I want to be clear on something that will help in understanding some of the definitions: the difference between biological sex (or sex) and gender. Sex is the biology, defined by sexual characteristics at birth or by genetics. It is strictly a matter of biology, though not near as clear cut as most folks want to believe. Gender on the other hand is how an individual internally identifies as either male or female. I am not going to say that sex and gender are completely separate, especially since the underlying causes of gender behavior are not fully understood as yet. There are a number of correlative biological factors that seem to accompany some gender behaviors, so there is still a lot to be learned yet.
As an additional warning, don't get so get hung up on the labels, gender expression is just a part of any individual. We are people with all the complexity that entails, and I think most of us would be happy to be accepted as people, not a particular label. I understand that as human beings we rely on names/labels/schema to be able to predict the world around us. We know a chair is a chair because there are specific characteristics associated with it, and because we recognize a chair is a chair we know we can sit in it. However, people are not chairs, and trying to predict us by one or two labels is going to get you majorly surprised (and/or disappointed) over and over again. So feel free to look through the labels, but don't rely on them too strongly.
One last thing before I give you Brianna's Lexicon of gender variant terms. Some of the terms are considered by many to be derogatory, so be careful when using them. I have tried to note those that for some are considered derogatory, but often this changes over time. So, terms that are reasonably safe today, may well get you slapped next year, or the year after, or the year after that, or... Well, you get the idea.
Now, on with the lexicon.
Androgyne: A person who lives without appearing or behaving in a manner particular to a specific gender/sex. Yes, this would be someone who is androgynous in their appearance and/or behavior.
Bi-Gendered: A person who can shift between masculine and feminine behaviors.
Cisgendered/Cis: A person who considered their gender to match their sex (someone who is "normal"). Gender conformists.
Crossdresser/Cross-dresser/Cross dresser/CD: Anyone who dresses in the clothing traditionally considered to be appropriate for those of the opposite sex. I tend to take this a little further so that it does not become a totally blanket term. In addition to dressing in nontraditional gender clothing, they do not identify as having a gender in opposition to their sex, and do not need the clothing to achieve sexual arousal/gratification. Basically, I use crossdresser as a catch all for those who don't identify or fit another term.
Dairy Queen/DQ: A drag queen who has had breast implants. As I'm sure you can guess, this isn't a very nice term.
Drag King/Drag Queen: A form of performance art in which person who dresses and behaves in an exaggerated style associated with the opposite sex.
Dragzilla: A derogatory term for someone who is not accepted as a female.
Female Illusionist/Female Impersonator/Illusionist/Impersonator/FI: A style of performance in which a male performer dresses and behaves in a manner consistent with a female. This is distinct from a drag performer as it does not rely on the exaggerated presentation.
Gender Bender: Anyone who is divergent from their assigned gender/sexual roles/behaviors/appearance. Ah variety, the spice of life. 
Genderqueer: A person who can't/won't adhere to the two gender presentations that our culture expects as based upon ones sex.
Hermaphrodite/Intersexed/IS: A person born with a congenital defect in which they possess the primary and secondary sexual characteristics of both sexes. Note: Hermaphrodite is an outmoded term and has taken on a derogatory connotation.
Metamorph/Shape Shifter: Some people who choose not to identify as transsexual, express their belief that they are not changing their gender, but rather changing their body to reflect their inner feelings and gender identity.
Shemale/She-Male: A term popularized in pornography to represent a transsexual person who has not had sexual reassignment surgery. This is often considered a derogatory term and highly offensive.
Sissy: A man who enjoys being dominated by another (often a female) while in various forms of feminization.
T-Girl/T-Gurl/T-Grrl: A transgender female.
Tranny/Trannie/Transie: A term used by Women TG women to describe other TG women. This is ofter considered offensive if used by a non-TG.
Transgender Person/Transgenderist: 1. A blanket term for anyone who presents a gender other than their sex. 2. A person who lives as a their target/preferred gender without wishing to change their sex to match.
Transman/Trans Man: A biological female who identifies as male.
Transsexual/Transexual/TS: Someone who wishes to take all the steps possible to change their sex to match their identified gender.
Transvestite/Transvestite Fetishist/TV: Someone who dresses in the clothing of the opposite sex in order to gain sexual arousal or gratification.
Two-Spirit: A term for both same gender loving and transgendered people that emerged from various Native American traditions.
I think I've covered the majority of the terms, but I probably missed one or two or three or four or more. If you have one that I didn't include, feel free to mention it and the associated definition. And if you have an alternative definition for any of the above, by all means give that as well. We are a very diverse community, and no one term, no one definition is going to suit everyone.
I hope you found my ramblings to day interesting, and if there is something you'd like to see me comment on, by all means feel free to speak up. It doesn't even have to be BDSM or LGBT related, though I avoid discussion of religion and politics.
Take care
Bri
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Communication
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Feb 15, 2012 8:05 am
1175 Views
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Greeting My Dear Readers,
Today's lesson is on communication, so let's all take out our Getting Along colouring books. lol
Ok, I'll stop before someone decides to try hunting me down. But, I really am going to take a bit to speak on communication. I'm just not going to do so like you were two-year-olds. So for you adult babies, you're going to have to grow up long enough to read this, then you can go back to your diapers and bottle.
I used to spend a lot of time in chat rooms, lifestyle and otherwise, was always amazed how often I'd hear someone mention or ask for advice about something they don't like that their partner does. And when I ask, "Have you talked to him/her about it?" they say, "No." I've also run into this talking to individual in real life. Every time I can't help but give them "the look," you know the one. Of course, that doesn't do much good in chat, but it never fails in person; I think it's the glasses that do it. It's usually at that point they go, "I know, but..." There is always a "but." I've always been terminally shy, anxious and reserved so I know all about avoiding difficult conversations. I'm as guilt as anyone else. I've gotten better about it, but... lol
So, if I'm a horrible offender why do I put so much stock in communication. First, because I AM such a horrible offender. Having done it repeatedly I've seen first hand what a lack of communication does to any relationship. I'm not just talking about the Lifestyle here, but business associations, friendships, or more vanilla romantic relationships, all require communication to maintain healthily. The real difference is just about what you communicate, and to a degree the style in which you put that communication. Think on this, how many friends have you lost track of over the years because they or you didn't try to keep in touch? It happens all the time. It's worse for more intimate relationships because of the need to communicate is much higher. We've all heard about couples who say they've "grown apart." All that says is they didn't keep talking and so as their lives changed over time (and it always does) they neglected to keep their partner involved in the changes.
For a moment let me explain what I mean by communication. First off, let's get a glimpse at what communicating is not. It's not yelling/screaming at each other. It is definitely not "the silent treatment." It also does not have to be devoid of passion or energy. When I talk about communication I am talking about an exchange of ideas and/or information to reach some sort of understanding. Note I said exchange, that means it goes two ways. Lecturing is not communicating, unless the person(s) you are lecturing to provide some form of feedback (even if it is just an acknowledgment that what they were told was understood. So, you might ask why isn't say yelling or screaming at someone not communication. First, because if you are in such an emotionally agitated state that your delivering such histrionics that you are unlikely to receive/accept anything coming from the other person. You have half the process blocked. Additionally, when you start yelling at someone, quite often their own walls slam into place so that they aren't really getting what you're going on about.
This is not to say that it has to be totally unemotional either. There is a point where you have just enough emotionalism, and if you go beyond it you have too much and your "audience" stops listening. You have to find that wonderful middle ground. Have you ever sat through a lecture that was delivered in an totally bland monotone? How long did it take before you began to tune the speaker out. On the other hand, have you ever seen a speak who was animated and obviously enjoyed the subject he was talking about? Which one kept your attention longer?
That is another thing that is required, remember above where I mentioned that if you're in the middle of histrionics you've blocked have of the process of communicating. Well, if you want real communication to happen, you have to listen. That means you have to not just hear what is being said by the other party, but understand it. If you don't understand, you need to ask for clarification until you do.
Pssst. The cool part of being willing to ask clarification if you don't understand what is being said is that it makes it look like you actually care about both the other person and what they are trying to get across. Neat, huh?
So, to recap, Relationships require communication to remain stable and healthy. Communication requires both the giving and receiving of information. Communication breaks down when over or underemotional for the subject matter in question. So next time you think to yourself, "Oh, I can't talk to [so and so] about that" remember if you don't you are putting that much more distance between you and that person. If you don't mind the distance, cool, if you do then you need to rethink things. Odds are, if the person cares about you, they will want to know.
Take care
Bri
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Please check all luggage at the door
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Feb 4, 2012 10:48 am
1183 Views
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Welcome Happy Readers,
I don't know how many times I've seen personal ads or heard someone comment that they were looking for someone without baggage or didn't have drama - I've lost count. I always get a chuckle from that sort of comment. If you think about it the only ones without baggage or drama are children and the dead - and if you believe in ghosts or some other afterlife then even some of the dead seem to still have them. Seriously think about it, the reason we have them is because we've lived life. Children (and some of them are sadly born with their own baggage or drama) usually haven't lived enough of life to be hurt enough to have any baggage yet. The dead, well who knows what they actually experience, if anything, and I'm not inclined to die just to find out. As for having drama, I think it was the cable network TNT that use to say "Life is drama." There is no escaping it. So, dear readers, if you are one of those who is looking for a lack of either or both, well you are either going to do without a life partner or... Eeewww! My advice if you don't want baggage or drama, do without. Oh, and as a clue, most who are seeking the lack do so because of their own baggage or drama. None of us who reach adulthood (chronologically at least) does so without picking up a bag or two, and you don't live without some drama. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
So what is there to do? Well, the trick is to learn what is excessive baggage or drama and to avoid those with it, but to use the usual daily life drama and baggage to get closer to your partner. You'll have to decide just what constitutes an excessive amount (though no matter what you decide, I probably fit in the excessive category). How much you care about the other person is going to go a long way to helping you decide just what is excessive. The more we care the more we are willing to put up with, but there are limits. You have to decide where yours are.
For those of us who are the drama/baggage carriers, we have to learn just how much to share, and more importantly HOW to share it. If you have a little problem with jealousy, going into a screaming fit every time your mate glances at someone else probably isn't the best way to express it. Ok, that may be an extreme example, but I have known more than one person who would react that way. By the same token, I've also met one or two who were insecure enough in their relationship, would do the looking just to elicit such a response just to confirm the other person is still interested. There are a lot of other examples of ways someone can improperly communicate fears or concerns that stem from our baggage and therefor results in excessive drama. I can't tell you the best way to find the right medium, but I would suggest talking with your partner in a rational manner. If you need to find an IMPARTIAL mediator to help keep things from getting out of control. It doesn't have to be a professional, a mutual friend will often suffice, just someone to keep things from going crazy. Communication is the key.
So, accept that as adults we all have baggage and experience drama, but rather than try to avoid it, try to understand it, and use it as a way to grow closer.
Take care and happy hunting
Bri
P.S. Ok, so maybe I'm full of shit, then again who knows.
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Two in one-ish
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Jan 23, 2012 10:29 am
1374 Views
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Greetings Once Again Gentle Readers,
I don't know how many of you have noticed there there is a whole alphabet soup and terms applied to those of us who do not conform to the gender stereotypes associated with our biological sex. If you add in the terms and abbreviations for those with genetic or congenital defects related to primary sex characteristics or sex chromosomes and you have a convoluted mess. Gender queer (GQ), crossdresser (CD), transvestite (TV), transsexual (TS), transgender (TG), drag queen/king, hermaphrodite, transvestite fetishist, and so many more all relate to those whose gender or sex does not fit in the sex dichotomy that our society seems to stubbornly cling to. Now I could go one discussing the differences of the terms defining each, and I may one day give it a shot, but there is even disagreement as to the definition of many of the terms. However, I'm only going to discuss two that have a relation to me just now: crossdresser and drag queen. Since I'm am both now I thought I'd talk a little about my perceptions of what it is to be both.
I've made mention in previous posts that I recently started doing drag performances, actually it's been a couple of months. Now that I've been doing it, and it looks like I may continue to do so for the foreseeable future I figure I can offer a few minor comments on it. First off, I should give you an idea of what I mean when I say drag queen or drag king. So you understand a drag queen or king is a performer, a gender illusionist. They carry on a performance in the exaggerated guise of the gender opposed to their sex. This can take more forms than just the typical dance and lip-sync that is the common form of performance. There are drag queens/kings that do stand-up comedy, or magic. There is a lot of variation in drag performance styles and that makes it a wonderfully diverse medium of expression. However, it is a performance style, not necessarily a lifestyle. Many drag queens/kings do not dress outside of their performance and/or rehearsal. So the key defining features of drag is the exaggerated illusion of gender and that it is part of the entertainment industry, a performance style. Off stage it has no relevance to the performers life. That does not mean that a drag performer cannot be involved in alternative gender presentations outside of their performance, but that simply means that they are also something beyond a drag queen/king, such as a crossdresser, or transsexual.
As my profile clearly (I hope) states, I'm also a crossdresser. I've been crossdressing for decades. Now, being a "crossdresser" can be a lot harder to define. Why? Because there is no generally accepted definition, and so it gets wrapped up in the terms transvestite, gender queer and others. So rather that trying to separate out what each of the terms means and how they differ from crossdressing, I'm just going to give you a rundown of what it means to me to be a crossdresser. So what characteristics do we see in a crossdresser? Well first off, as you can guess they dress in the clothes of the gender opposite to their biological sex. So as a male, I dress in female clothes. A crossdresser has not taken any drastic or obvious steps to physically alter their body to fit the gender they are dressing in. That means they have not taken hormones to transform their body, they have not had surgery to modify their form. I will allow that minor alterations may be used by crossdressers, such as laser or electrolysis for hair removal. Even a crossdresser can appreciate the convenience of not having to shave. Next, there isn't eroticism associated with the act of crossdressing; a crossdresser is not a fetishist. Yes, that means that I don't get sexually excited by being crossdressed, of need to be crossdressed to obtain sexual gratification. Which leads us into the hardest part of defining a crossdresser, motivation. And this is where we get into opinion within the definition. To me crossdresser is a kind of lump category for those who don't belong in one of the other "categories." So the reason they crossdress varies greatly from person to person. For example, for me crossdressing and behaving in a somewhat feminine manner is more comfortable for me that trying to seem masculine. Any sense of masculinity I present tends to be a mask I hide behind to be safe. It means I'm not going to get beat up, or other unpleasantness. Yes, that puts me in the position of being somewhat confused about my "proper" gender, and I could possibly qualify to follow the path to becoming a transsexual. Unfortunately, that is a very expensive path to walk, and I'z juz a po country girl.
So there you are, another glimpse into my mind and life. As always, you are welcome to comment or ask questions.
Take care and happy hunting
Bri
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Pride vs Eeew
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Jan 7, 2012 9:38 am
1825 Views
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Howdy Gentle Readers,
Todays post is about pictures. It's always tricky knowing what pictures to send someone when contacting someone new. Should you start off with a face picture or send one of you nude. Should you send a picture of you "in action," or something less dramatic. I'm going to give you my thoughts on this. Does this mean everyone thinks this way? Hardly, so you're still going to have to struggle with deciding what to send when dealing with anyone else, but when you contact me, at least you'll have an idea how to procede.
In my humble (or not so humble) opinion, when sending someone a picture for the first time, you should try to show yourself in the best light. Start off modestly, with a face picture or two and a full body picture dressed. That lets the person your contacting get an idea of what you look like and let's them know you have a sense of propriety. You can also include a picture or two of you doing something you enjoy. Enjoy with your clothes on (keep your mind out of the gutter). 
If after you've sent a few "PG" pictures the person with whom you're corresponding asks for a nude picture or an action picture, then you can send some, or if you've been corresponding for a bit and it seems appropriate to do so. They just shouldn't be your lead off set of pictures.
And guys, never lead off with pictures of your penis. I know you're just sooooo proud of that thing, but such pictures are in such bad taste generally that you more likely to turn off the person your talking to, than get them to jump your bones. Sorry, I know this comes as a blow to your precious ego, but if your best feature is that dangly little thing, you're in real trouble.
As I said, with anyone other than me your milage will vary. I'm but one voice, and lets face it some of the people you contact would be perfectly happy to see more adult oriented pictures to start off with. Use your best judgement. And good luck.
Happy hunting
Bri
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Are we there yet?
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Dec 30, 2011 9:21 am
1826 Views
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Ok, I understand that you're going to find the title of today's post a little misleading, but I hope you'll understand why I chose it once you've read this.
Now, when someone local contacts me, especially when someone finds me in a messenger or chat, they don't seem to realize just what it takes to become Brianna. I'll admit this is most prevalent with guys than it is with the ladies. Let's face it women getting dolled up is pretty similar to what I (or most crossdressers who go all out) do to just be presentable. So, let me give you an idea what I do every time I crossdress. I'm not going to go into detail about what I do, this isn't a discussion of makeup techniques or a transformation guide, just a quick rundown to explain why it takes 3+ hours to become Brianna.
First off, I have a male body, that means mean old testosterone, which means HAIR almost everywhere. Fortunately, I was blessed in that I'm not extremely hairy, but I didn't get lucky enough to have no body hair. And don't get me started on facial hair. So, have to start with shaving. So, if I've been out and about, I've already shaved my face once, but if I haven't it starts there. Then I'll either take a shower or a bath and shave the rest of me. Now we all know the Ladies shave their legs, but keep in mind, my body is not the same. I have a lot of area to shave. I usually work from the top down, so arms, underarms, chest, dangley bit and rear, and legs. Now keep in mind I'm 6'2" and these days close to 200 lbs. and that means those areas comprise a lot of surface area. If I don't want to lose too much blood it usually takes about 40 minutes to shave all that. I consider myself lucky that I have yet to need to shave my back. Don't know how I'll accomplish that should it ever become an issue.
So, I'm done shaving and showering, probably an hour total. So, if I'm in a hurry, I'll simply put my hair up and move immediately to doing the makeup. I hate doing things this way. I mean what's the point of having long hair if I'm going to wear a wig. So, most of the time, I use hot rollers to do my hair.
While my hair sets, I get started on doing my face. And that means shaving again. I know you're going, "Huh? Wait, you shaved already." I shave a second time, because no matter how close you think you've managed to shave you leave the barest of stubble. I let the stubble relax while I shower and then go back over my face to get what's left. It leaves the face smoother to the touch, and it is less difficult to hide the beard shadow, as I don't have that stubble trying to poke through my makeup.
Once I shave my face a second time, I start in on my makeup. The first thing I do is try to hide the beard shadow. Now for those of you who don't know, the beard shadow is the darkening of the face where the dark beard hair is visible through the translucent outer layers of the skin. The darker your natural hair color the more pronounced the beard shadow. Now, there are a number of ways to handle the beard shadow. Some foundations provide the kind of coverage to do it, but most consumer foundations don't. I actually use a product used to hide scars, heavy discoloration and blemishes. Once I've got the beard shadow hidden, I apply a normal foundation to even out my skin color.
Now the fun begins, I start with contouring. That is I apply a darker makeup to to assign areas of highlight and shadow to my face. This is used to tweak the face, make more prominent cheeks, more depth to the forehead, help hide the adam's apple and such. After going over the contouring with a blending brush I move onto my eyes. So, we've got eyeliner to apply, at least two shades of eye shadow, mascara, and and defining the eyebrows. If I got my eyes the way I want, then I can apply rouge to my cheeks, and lip liner and lipstick. Now the face is done, but I'm not.
It's time to take the curlers out of my hair, brush it out and spritz it with hair spray. And that finishes everything above the shoulders for another hour and a half to two hours (sometimes longer if I'm doing something really elaborate).
The rest is just a matter of putting on the clothes and shoes I selected to wear. You can figure another 10 to 20 minutes. More if I'm wearing something really crazy.
My point in all this is, Brianna does not spring forth from whole cloth, I am meticulously created. That creation takes time. Sometimes lots of it. Fortunutely, I'm patient enough to go through it all. One day I might find some shortcuts to speed up the process, but for now it's a time intensive work of love. You can like it or not, but I hope now you'll at least appreciate the amount of work that goes into it each time Bri is free.
Take care
Brianna
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To pass or not to pass
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Dec 15, 2011 8:13 pm
2181 Views
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Greetings Gentle Readers,
On occasion one or another person has commented that I'm attractive in response to my mentioning in my profile that I do not pass. I wish to clarify a few things, the primary being that being attractive and not passing are not mutually exclusive. There are a number of less than attractive crossdressers who manage to pass, just as there are those who are attractive who do not. Passing is about being able to "pass" for a woman in public. Being attractive is a somewhat arbitrary set of subjective standards for being visually pleasing. Actually, being attractive can work against one in trying to pass, as it promotes additional scrutiny.
So as I say in my profile, I do not pass (I'm not going to comment on my attractiveness one way or the other; you can decide that for yourself). You want to know why I don't think I pass? It's simple, it's something of a cascading process. First, we can start with I'm 6'2", yes there are tall women out there, however, women that tall are relatively rare. That starts the process of "outing" me, because it attracts and invites additional attention. That additional attention then allows someone to notice the little outpoints in my appearance that together belie the illusion: facial structure, adams apple, errors in makeup, etc. Put together I just don't pass. Add to that my untrained voice and bang me = guy/male. I do wish I could pass, but for the time being, I have to accept that I don't.
So, am I attractive? I can't answer that one honestly, I'm biased. Do I pass? Definitely not.
Toodles
Bri
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Music suggestions
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Dec 11, 2011 11:59 pm
2298 Views
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My Dear Readers,
If you've read my previous blog post, I've taken to trying my hand at drag performing. Unfortunately, I've run into a slight snag. I don't actually listen to music much. If I'm listening to something, it's likely to be an old radio serial (The Great Gildersleeve, The Shadow, Fibber McGee and Molly, Mercury Theater, Lux Radio Theater, etc.). As a result, I don't know much about what's out there as far as contemporary music. So I'm taking suggestions. If there is a song or artist you think would be "cool" performed in a drag show, leave your suggestion as a comment to this post. A couple of guidelines, though. 1) the music should be from the past decade or so (I'm ok with older music, it's the contemporary artists that I'm clueless about). And the song should be up tempo; I'm not going to worry too much about ballads and such. So, if you have an idea, let's hear it.
Brianna
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To link to this blog (subbriannacd) use [blog subbriannacd] in your messages.
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