Shiraz Turvey 🌲🇪🇺
Published author, mostly transgender YA fiction, & radio station studio engineer. Sometimes the two things merge!
Transitioned Mar '23, HRT from Dec '23
I spent 20 years inside UK Govt, mostly implementing international IT systems, infosec/comms. Linux nerdette. Studio engineer for floating Ofcom licenced radio station. Qualified adult tutor. Radio amateur since 1985. Community volunteer. Occasional beer fest organiser. Green. I love trains!
Living with a lifelong neuro condition.
BBC Radio news covered the Pathways case on the 1030 news bulletin and then played an interview with Cass. The radio went off!
A transphobe defending a transphobic health policy against a failed lawsuit brought by her transphobic friends?
There's an irony or 2 there but it still doesn't help trans kids get the support they really need!
Unfortunately this impacts me as I live in Essex (in Clacton!)
Essex CC, however, has a short shelf life due to the planned & authorised local government re-organisation in Essex. No doubt Deform will try to intervene to save their arses?
✅ Having a productive day with the scribbling
❌ Decided to get the salad prepped ahead of lunch and promptly knocked my lidded food container onto the floor, which burst open spilling lettuce, red onion, carrot spears and cherry tomatoes across the floor.
Most was ditched (the lettuce was okay after washing) and I started again.
On my travels today. That meant using the ladies loos at a mainline railway station and, after a beer, a pub loo.
Although I'm known in this pub there's an unknown barmaid.
I washed my hands in the vanity basin but the paper towel broke away and disappeared back into its cylinder.
So I have to tell barmaid so she can fix.
Zero issue.
I fell asleep early last night (possibly alcohol induced) and was wide awake by 5am.
No chance of further kip so I'm now dressed, made up, and just about to head to Morrisons for a few bits.
I wake up and can smell toast but then realise it's still dark outside. Finally my phone says it's nearly 3am.
I can still smell toast
Err, is someone in the kitchen?
At 60yo I really should be better at this - I placed an Iceland order and that included a load of frozen goods. I didn't check how much space was in the freezer and way under-estimated how much I might need!
Only after removing a few things* did it all (sort of) fit in there.
*including a Cornetto
I had a routine mammogram last week and phoned the hospital this afternoon for the results, but not yet available. "Just send us an email and we'll send you your results back when we have them."
No problem, and email sent. Oh, but aren't I supposed to tell them I'm trans so I can be excluded?
I have more Estradiol Valerate (pills) due this morning with the postman. I didn't need this order, but ....
I've recalculated my Estrogen stock based on what's due this morning and what I still had:
At 4mg daily I'll have 5 and a half months worth.
At 6mg I'll have 3 months 3 weeks worth.
I can re-order (when known finances allow it) in 7 weeks
6mg is giving me real breast growth whereas 4mg stabilises it. Just 1 more cup size please!
One of the provisions of the draft EHRC code of practice would be to deny me access to mammograms.
I had my first one two months after transitioning as my circs ticked all the relevant boxes (female and aged 57 at that point). I was also high risk due to family (both parents) and had previously found a lump.
The three year anniversary of that first breast scan was fast approaching so I emailed the local breast unit. Unfortunately they were running late due to a computer 'upgrade' last summer.
Today (6 weeks later) I asked again. After some to-ing & fro-ing I got a date - 28 July. It's a way off by it's in my diary.
So, what happens if the code of practice becomes law?
I don't know, but my appointment is booked.
I get the feeling that if my phone has an app forced upon it which searches my photos, then my documents, then my music (etc) and restricts access at Big Brother's behest:
two things can happen:
Jailbreak phone
&
Carry my DSLR
They would probably both happen.
I have a spare handset.
Trying to work out if a package will arrive today. It's reached the local courier depot and could be on the way ... standard Yodel tracking code but notification email from Inpost. Yodel app tracking is out of date, Inpost app doesn't recognise the Yodel tracking number!
A British guy I know has just flown to Austin Tx as part of a broadcast team for a media company covering the FIFA World Cup for the next 45 days.
As he's a Cis Hetero White Male I'm sure he'll have zero hassle.
Something odd has happened.
A grocery order, due at 6pm tonight, has no substitutions or missing items.
The supermarket used the rare phrase "delivery in full"
I am very confused!
I've had a legitimate* need for a RADAR key for many years and had spread 3 across my bags.
Today I can't find a single one.
So, ordered three more. I rarely need one, but I need that safety net.
*Hidden Disability
Please share this poster - Dignity for Brianna - and (UK citizens/residents) sign the petition for a posthumous GRC
Yesterday was the 77th anniversary of the UK publication of Nineteen Eighty Four (The US anniversary is this coming Saturday)
77 years on, when a post-WWII novel pretty accurately describes what the UK & US are walking into, somewhat willingly by a vocal minority.
It's been said before, but it's almost like "1984" is being used as an instruction guide? I have no doubt it'll be banned (again) in a vain attempt to prevent the proletariat identifying this for themselves?
We have hail* in Clacton-on-Sea for the second time since June started
*Icy lumps of water, not any other variation of Hail (sp) you might associate with Clacton since the last General Election
I have just discovered that a charity I support with my time had a very recent visit from a Deform councillor. I have yet to make any enquiries about this and will reserve that for a phone call during the week
Today's frock demanded a strapless bra, so I grabbed one from the drawer. Within an hour it was uncomfortable and needed shifting but by two hours it was unbearable.
Off it came, and I found a very red & sore mark plus a corresponding sharp underwire. That bra has gone in the bin and I've gone bra-less for the rest of today - the dress has a shelf!
Sociological cohorts has never bothered me and I don't think I have ever been labelled as such.
But Gen X is a (constructed) thing and I hail from the very beginning of that era, in 1965.
However, the further I get from 1965 the more useful Gen X is as a descriptor, especially when dealing with so-called* 'social experts' who can't imagine that far back in terms of living people.
Obviously, they know more about Gen X etc than those of us who were there!
So I'm Gen X, not a number, apparently.
- I have no idea if this term exists, but it should.
Draft cover art for my next book, Tammyverse book 19 "Nemesis"
Out late August or early September.
For an online training session I thought I would use my studio headphones with the mic attachment. I couldn't find the cable (phones have detachable cables for easy swap)
So I checked everywhere and pulled this place apart. That led me to finding the form to update my address with a govt dept (only 4 months late) and then tidying up my desk, sorting nail lacquer, scrunchies etc into some order.
I grabbed a simple headset with mic for the session but then went through my headphones accessories bag again ... and found the missing cable.
Oh well
I used the simple headset for the session, audio was good. Not good enough to edit HQ sound, but good enough for MS Teams!
My next batch of life saving meds seemed to disappear in the South Pacific a week ago. It's now been located at Heathrow, where it spent just five mins in International Processing this afternoon. Delivery tomorrow courtesy of Royal Mail.