YOUR INNVESTMENT

VOL. VII, NO. 4 An Innvestments Publication MARCH 1999

Page Index

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

Don't come up into the classic boxing stance with fists clenched. Keep moving around. Keep your palms open and waving like a defensive maneuver...but if necessary, be ready to punch forward with the heel of your hand. Keep your weight on your back foot. Check the rear seat of your car before entering. Do not stop to check your hair, redo your lipstick and/or whatever else, before driving out of your parking spot...And the list went on. Smiles and looks of exclamation flashed across the faces of those in attendance as point after point was understood. Each of what may at first seemed like insignificant items, all wove together into a matrix of chain mail that provided a good defense, should the occasion ever occur when you found yourself in a box and had to get out. But the biggest recommendation of all was...avoid confrontation. When dressed you do not want and should avoid at all costs confrontational situations. In today's society, there are too many dead heros who stood their macho, masculine ground and found out that dying, just to prove they could mix it up with the best of them, was detrimental to their health.

The March meeting started as usual with a few announcements and continued with an excellent presentation from one of our supporting members, Michelle. Michelle who appeared in her guy mode, holds several degrees of black belt in martial arts. She is also an instructor and an active competitor who holds many medals and trophies. Michelle's presentation was really on situational awareness. Keeping aware of where you are and what you are doing is paramount to survival. Getting caught up in the moment and loosing sight of your surroundings can place you in a situation from which there seems to be no way out. This type of a situation should be avoided at all costs. Keeping alert to your situation, your location, entrances and exits around you, other people, etc., is vital when going out in public, especially at night and to the club scene.

The class was not designed to give you instruction on how to defend yourself or how to disable your opponent but was geared to making you aware of where you are and to alert you to some options that may be available to you should you find yourself backed into a corner. Remember, it is better to run away so you can get dressed and go out another day than it is to get beaten to a pulp and die on the street. Even the best boxer or martial arts person can be at a disadvantage when in a skirt and high heels or when attacked by more than one antagonist. Remember, bigots who want to tear you down, rarely do this on a one to one basis. They have to show off to their friends just how BIG they think they are and their friends are probably just as bigoted and as bent as well. Strategic withdrawal is not defeat. It is smart sense!


PAGE 2 YOUR INNVESTMENT MARCH 1999

YOUR INNVESTMENT is a publication of Innvestments, P.O. Box 2194, Orleans, MA.02653-2194 / P.O. BOX 354, Sagamore, MA 02561-0354. Innvestments is a non-sexual service organization founded to support and to provide a socially acceptable outlet for the crossdressing, transvestite, transsexual, transgendered community located primarily in Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint any article in Your Innvestment is hereby granted to non-profit similar organizations provided that publication and authorship credit be given. Any commercial use of Your Innvestment material is hereby prohibited. Some material may have previously appeared in print. Publication and authorship rights of material reprinted from other sources remain with its originator. The editor/s of Your Innvestment are not under any obligation to accept information and advertisements. Information and advertisements may be published in any form deemed acceptable. Any information about services, products or sympathetic locations published in Your Innvestment is not considered an endorsement of such by the staff of Your Innvestment or the Board of Directors of Innvestments. Innvestments is also know in open source publications on Cape Cod and the Islands as Cape Cod Cross Dressers (Triple C-D).

OFFICERS

Liz W..................................President

Julie W...........................Vice President

Brenda L...............................Treasurer - E-mail Brrendaa@aol.com

 

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Candy Scott........... .....................Board - E-mail Candyscott@capecod.net

Judy Thompson...............................Board

DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

Membership (including newsletter) is $30.00 per-year (pro-rated after Jan.) with a $15.00 meeting fee. Meeting fees payable only for those attended. Subscription only rates are $10.00 per-year.

FEBRUARY 1999 YOUR INNVESTMENT PAGE 3

HEELS & HEMLINES

We've all been there: in front of a full lenght mirror, turning this way and that, not quite sure which shoe looks best with what. So just in time for prime skirt wearing weather, a guide that eliminates guesswork. Even better, our footwear selection is comfortable, too.

FASHIONS

 

HATS

Now that spring is right around the corner, thoughts turn to Easter bonnets and fancy hats to decorate and make elegant. The following are a few "haute hat" tips you may find useful.


_ Men must take their hats off indoors, but women do not unless it's a rain hat.
_ The frillier the hat, the simpler the outfit.
_ Felt hats can be worn year round.
_ Straw hats look good with floral print dresses.
_ Most hats are made for a 22-inch-circumference head but can be stretched a bit.
_ Rethink smoking if you're wearing a veiled cocktail hat.
_ Store hats in separate hat boxes on a mound of crumpled tissue paper to protect their shape.
_ Don't buy a hat without a sweatband, as it will quickly stretch out and blow off your head. It also will scratch your forehead.
_ The tag that covers the sweatband seam always goes at the back of the head.
_ Don't let a salesperson, or anyone else, intimidate you. Wear the hat at any angle you like.
_ Spray starch will freshen an old straw hat (but don't spray the ribbon).
_ If your felt hat gets really wet, stuff it with tissue paper, shape it a bit with your hands, and put it on top of a mixing bowl for about three days until it dries.
_ To block a crumpled felt had, pass it over a steaming tea kettle for a few seconds to dampen; then reshape it, stuff with tissue paper, and let dry.
Thank you Los Angeles Daily News

RAIN

No matter how clear the skies are when you start out for the day (or evening), when you arrive at your destination, the weather could be drastically different.
But then again, I'm sure that you know the "umbrella rule" - - if you have one it won't rain, but if you leave your umbrella at home, inevitably it will rain.
These days, umbrella's, without loosing their efficiency, are being designed in smaller and smaller packages. You can slip one into most decent sized purses without anyone knowing that should the sky turn dark and pour on your parade, your preparedness will see you through until you can reach your ultimate destination.
The old adage, "better safe than sorry" applies.
Thank you Holiday Inn Express Navigator

PAGE 4 YOUR INNVESTMENT MARCH 1999

 

www.cosmetics.com

BOBBI BROWN ESSENTIALS
www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com

Known for her subtle and stylish makeup, Bobby Brown has lived up to her reputation with this site. Browse the beautiful photographs in the Looks section, which is divided into categories such as Global, Over 50 and Black Tie. The shop online for Bobbi's full line. Also check out her guidelines for makeup that photographs well.

COSMETICS CONNECTION
www.kleinman.com/cosmetic/index.html

If you've spent any time on the Web shopping for cosmetics, you've probably heard about Heather Kleinman, a consumer and makeup enthusiast who runs this site and contributes to others. Her frank reviews of more than 60 brands are being added to all the time, as is her list of toll-free-numbers for every cosmetics company we can think of. This is real advice from a real person.

ELECTRA BEAUTY
www.electra.com/beaumain.html
This site is a great general resource for hair, skin, nails and even feet. Christine Dimmick, a regular consumer and one of the site's contributors, shows you how to make good--and frugal--homemade concoctions for the whole body. (Such as the cucumber eye pads.) Contributor Heather Kleinman (see Cosmetics Connection above) offers advice on the more expensive cosmetic counter stuff here.

BEAUTY BUZZ
www.beautybuzz.com
A dim background makes the red links hard to read, but if you're into cosmetics, this site is worth a little squinting (just buy some eye cream to sap any resulting wrinkles). Beauty Buzz is stocked with great information, swaps, reviews and giveaways, but it's the Shopping Buddy that really stands out. Just type in the product you want--it'll even handle drugstore brands--and it will be shipped to you.

CLINIQUE
www.clinque.com

Going to the Clinque site is almost as good as going to the counter. Take its mini-quiz to find out your color and skin type; the site will use the information to recommend colors and products for you, which you can purchase on line. Color swatches of makeup are true on a good monitor.

IVILLAGE FITNESS AND BEAUTY
www.ivillage.com/fitness

iVillage takes a well-rounded approach to beauty, with fitness and nutrition just as important as makeup and other grooming techniques. The site's practical approach is great for busy people. One favorite feature: Keyboard Yoga, which teaches basic yoga postures and self-massage techniques that you can do while sitting in front of your computer.

PROFACES
www.profaces.com

The Profaces site feels like a clean, well-lit makeup counter--a good start for this group of professional makeup artists from New York City. They offer makeup tips plus professional quality makeup in mix-and-match colors and brush sets, all at "45 percent below department store prices." Best bonus: the free make over. Fill out a form online, send in a color photograph and experts will e-mail you makeup advice.
Thank you www.accessmagazine.com

MARCH 1999 YOUR INNVESTMENT Page 5

 

HUGS FOR HEALTH

 

Source: Hugs for Health Foundation

Time was that hugs came easy, milk costs a nickel, and you could trust the president alone with an intern for five minutes. Those days of innocence are gone, but the Hugs for Health Foundation is trying to mount a comeback for the simple hug. Hugs are one thing the transgendered community excels at. As a group of people, I think we hug more than any other. We hug upon meeting; we hug upon departing; we hug when we are sad and need cheering up; we hug when we are over flowing with happiness...just to pass our happiness on to others and we hug to give support because Lord knows, at times we certainly need it. Here are some tips provided by the Hugs for Health Foundation just to make sure your next hug doesn't get you slapped either physically or with a lawsuit.

HUG ETIQUETTE
_
Always respect another person's space.
_ Ask permission when sharing hugs. (In our community, use your discretion.)
_ Keep in mind a hug is a nonsexual form of affection, so hug accordingly.
_ A hug is a warm, gentle embrace, not the Heimlich maneuver.

TYPES OF HUGS
_
ME-HUG: Give yourself a big stretch and wrap your arms around yourself.
_ HAND-HUG: Also known as the reserved hugger's hug or our socially acceptable handshake.
_ SIDE-TO-SIDE-HUG: Also known as the buddy hug. Huggers may stand or sit with arms around shoulders or waists.
_ A-FRAME-HUG: Huggers stand about 1 to 1½ feet apart, bend at the waist with only the shoulders touching. This is a very safe hug.
_ CHEEK-TO-CHEEK-HUG: This hug requires no arms and may be applied with residents in bed or for those unable to lift their arms. Simply press facial cheeks together, either facing one another or facing the same way which then makes it a "Kodak moment" hug.
_ BACK-TO-FRONT-HUG: This hug can be shared with folks using wheelchairs. Hugger, let the huggee know you are behind them, then gently embrace around huggee's waist.
_ BEAR-HUG: This is a full-bodied hug and all-time favorite. Hugger and huggee are toe-to-toe, belly-to-belly, and eye-to-eye, for a big bear hug.

KEEP IN MIND:
Not everyone is a hugger. Respect those not interested in participating: however, be sure to wish everyone a "Happy Hug."

Page 6 YOUR INNVESTMENT MARCH 1999


CANDY'S
CUPBOARD
_
I want to thank all of you who have called during my most recent illness. Your calls have meant a lot and have been appreciated.

_ Karin Ferron from A-Plus Electrolysis was successfully operated on last weekend. She is home and recuperating well. She hopes to start back to work next week, at least for a few hours here and there. We send her our prayers.

_ Merissa Sherrill Lynn, the founder of Tiffany Club and of IFGE is still recuperating in Rhode Island after her stroke at the end of 1998. She would appreciate a card. You may send it in care of Furney, 96 Milton Street., Warwick, RI 02888 or contact her by telephone at 401+941-0932.

_ Lady Di has just moved from Lowell to Provincetown. She was fortunate to obtain a job with the town and now considers herself a Cape Codder and not just a visitor, wandering through on week ends.

_ In case you had not heard, Linda Buten, long time Chair of IFGE had decided not to run for office again. The latest vote placed Pam Geddes from Toronto as the new Chair. Also added to the IFGE Board was our own Phyllis F. We know they both will do a good job.

_ DO WE HAVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS? If you would like to share your E-Mail address with other members of Innvestments as well as some of the other transgender organizations in the area please send it to us at Innvstmnts@aol.com and we will add it to our group news list as well as publish it in future issues of Your Innvestment. Please inform us of any restrictions. We will try to have a column each month, depending upon available material, with Internet information.

_ For transgender movies, check out website http://WWW.planetout.com/pno/popcornq/

_
And you think you have problems? Headlines can be very misleading. When companies go overseas and convert from English to the inter-national market or vice versa, it can become downright hilarious. For example: Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux used the following in an American ad campaign: "Nothing sucks like Electrolux." Needless to say, it was pulled after two days. In Taiwan, the translation of the Pepsi slogan "Come Alive With the Pepsi Generation" came out "Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead." Also in Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan, "Finger Lickin' good" translated as "Eat your fingers off." When General Motors introduced the Chevy Nova in South America, it was unaware that "no va" means "it won't go." After the company figured out why it wasn't selling, they changed the name to "Caribe," for its Spanish-language markets. Ford had a similar problem when the Pinto flopped. The company found out that Pinto was Brazilian slang for "tiny male genitals." Hunt-Wesson introduced its Big John products in Quebec as Gros Jos before learning that means "big breasts.' And Japans second largest tourist agency was mystified when after entering the English speaking market, that it was receiving requests for "unusual sex tours." Upon finding out why, the owners of the Kinki Nippon Tourist Co. changed its name.

 

 

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