Hi All,

I'm a 'newbie' out in blogistan and it's a very intimidating feeling knowing that what I write can be read by the whole world. I'll try do this right, but forgive me if I stumble with these, my first steps. I'm here because of encouragement from people like Halle and Leslie.

Every story has a beginning and this is mine. I also have a past and like so many of us it began at about age six when I first remember that something was different. Had the usual problems in school, hated gym class, was always the last one picked for teams, the loner, and then puberty hit and hit hard. Began dressing with the attendant shame and fear of getting caught, made it through school and college. I was very shy around girls and did some dating starting about sixteen, a few girlfriends in college and then afterwards got married late in my twenties. I thought the dressing was gone but no, just very deeply buried. The marriage ended in divorce and I relocated south. Met a wonderful woman whom is my wife of ten years. All the while I was deep in the closet, it just wouldn't go away no matter how hard I tried to stuff it. Well, just like a plastic garbage bag that can only hold so much, it broke last fall and I outed myself to this wonderful woman. It's been tough, but I am certain that love endures, we are still together and going to make it.

More later, Elly