Fear of Flying

Thank you for the advice and encouragement you readers provided regarding my plans to fly rather than drive to St. Louis in September.

To tell you the truth, I don't need much encouragement to fly as a woman. It is on my bucket list and is something I wanted to do for a long time.

I have no fear of flying, however, I do have a fear of packing for flying.

I am familiar with Big Brother's rules about how to pack, so that is not an issue. The problem is how to pack economically as a woman.

When I go to Hamvention, which is five days en femme, my Subaru is full of luggage... typically, a large suitcase, small suitcase, garment bag, cosmetics toolbox and computer bag. Taking all that on a flight would just about double the cost of my ticket with most carriers.

I could eliminate the cosmetics toolbox by just taking what I really need and I could eliminate the computer bag by carrying my laptop, iPhone and accessories in my big handbag. But how do I compact a large suitcase, small suitcase and garment bag into one piece of luggage weighing less than 50 pounds?

There's the rub.

Wearing Diane von Furstenberg (Source: Diane von Furstenberg)

The boys of Marshall High School in Marshall, Arkansas, 1986 (Source: Starla)

This and That Thursday

In the news...

A few days ago, Stan Jones posted this 1979 womanless pageant photo on Pinterest. This event took place in Burns, Oregon, and I could not help wondering if any of these gurls are now militia men or women.

On the tube...

Last night, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) showed Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. It was on past my bedtime, so I did not watch it, but I have seen it before and recommend it.

The plot, according to IMDB, "The Disciples of James Dean meet up on the anniversary of his death and mull over their lives in the present and in flashback, revealing the truth behind their complicated lives. Who is the mysterious Joanne and what's the real story behind Mona's son, James Dean Junior?"

Karen Black plays Joanne and is the key character from the perspective of a trans-chick flick.

In the air...

Frequent Femulate readers know that I go to Dayton, Ohio, every May to attend Hamvention. I already made my hotel reservations, but I am trying to decide how to travel to and from Dayton.

In the past, I have made the 735-mile trip by automobile with me driving solo both ways and I have learned to hate it, especially the return trip which I do in one day. After 13 hours on the road last year, I told anyone who asked that I would fly this year. I have said that before and ended up driving, but this year, I am seriously considering flying.

And if I fly, I will do it as a woman.

I have made many roadtrips including the Dayton trip, as a woman, but I have never flown as a woman. Jenn, one of the gurl hams I usually see at Hamvention sent me this link to a recent article about flying transgender. Despite that less than encouraging article, flying as a woman does not worry me; I will be thrilled to do so.

What gives me pause about flying as a woman is how to pack. For my Dayton roadtrips, I typically have two big pieces of luggage, my makeup tackle box and a computer bag. So I will definitely have to pack differently if I fly pretty.

Wearing Elizabeth and James.

Gurls attending the Closet Queen Ball in Los Angeles, circa 1974.