Your 201 Checklist!

Here Is The Scene:

You are supposed to meet a girlfriend for brunch but are still at home, it's taken an hour to get ready, and while you are slightly frazzled and running late, you are just about to walk out the door.

So what is the last thing you should do before grabbing your purse?

Use Your 201 Checklist!

I developed this technique after repeatedly leaving the house missing one thing or another. So just before I leave, I stop and mentally run through this list to make sure I'm ready to meet the outside world.

Start at the top of your head:

• Hair looks good from front, sides, and back.
• I remembered to use hairspray (if needed).

• I have my earrings on and they go with the outfit.

• My make-up looks good, and is well blended.
• No black blobs of mascara where they don't belong.
• Lipstick looks good.
• No lettuce or other food on the teeth.

• Slight hint of perfume.

• Necklace in place and positioned properly.
  

• All the buttons on the top properly fastened.
• The girls are where they should be.
• Your top and skirt are not inadvertently tucked in somewhere.
• Skirt, slacks or jeans look good. No spots, cat hair, or open zippers or buttons.

• You have your watch, rings, bracelets you wanted to wear.

• If you have hose on, it's straight with no runs.
• Your shoes look good and they are clean with no major scuffs

And finally...

• I have my keys, cell phone, purse, makeup case, and anything else I was supposed to bring with me!

So there you go. Feel free to suggest things I might have overlooked!

Handwriting and Voice

It's pretty much a given that all of us need to keep practicing our voice from now to doomsday, especially if you wish to sound completely convincing over the phone. I know I do, I accept that, and I keep working on that.

But handwriting remains my other challenge, and this is a not so obvious downfall. Especially at times like yesterday, when I was over at Nordstrom's Rack, and found a great pair of Not Your Daughters Jeans. I love the fit and the styles, but typically they run around $115 a pair. The Rack had several styles on sale for under $40, which is too nice of a deal to pass up!

So after standing in line and practicing tossing my hair over my shoulder a few times, I pulled my credit card out, handed it to my cashier, and then proceeded to sign my name to the charge slip.

And then it struck me. I have the handwriting of a deranged scribbler, and I should have the very neat and precise cursive handwriting as my Mother proudly displayed for many years. Which means . . .

Homework Assignment to Self:

Practice my handwriting till it's neat and precise, and would make my Mother proud.

What's This Mean?

Trans-Dar - this is a spin-off of the word radar, with the implication that occasionally a person can sense when a person that they are watching is a transgender. A synonym of Gaydar.

Welcome to Passing 201

Welcome to my Passing 201 blog, where our goal is to help you present yourself as the wonderful person you are and be completely accepted by whomever you encounter.

So if this is the 201 class, so to speak, what is 101 then?

I'd consider your "101" education as those first steps into the world as the person you want to be. Maybe not completely "dressed", possibly hyper-ventilating occasionally as I did, probably scared to death that someone would catch you.

But you have survived those first tentative steps like many of us have, you have learned the basics, and now you need to evolve to the next level not only for your own sanity, but so that you feel very comfortable and accepted by the people you encounter.

Welcome!

By discussing a wide variety of topics, including how to interact with people, clothes, accessories, make-up, poise & movement, finance, and security, and getting the feedback and suggestions of our peers through this blog format, we really hope that we can all evolve and grow into the people we need to be.

I'll also be adding resources and tools to help you as needed. And as always, feedback only helps everyone to learn and grow!

Hugs,

Linda