LifeCircle 2012

The LifeCircle is restarting for 2012 and rather than posting in the blog I started specifically to post to last year I'm going to add my posts to this blog.

Kate has set the first task to be to introduce ourselves to those who are taking part in LifeCircle. So here goes.

Well I'm Jenna, as evidenced from the blog name. Honestly that really is my name and not a pseudonym for use online. I've been Jenna all my life but legally only since November.

I was born and raised in the South Wales valleys. My father throughout his working life was a fireman on steam engines, a builder and a factory worker. My mother was a sewing machinist, a full time mother and a home help.

I have one sister 2 years younger than me.

I've had a strong feminine streak ever since I was in my mid teens, although one of my earliest memories was of the first time I ever wore a dress. I was 6 and my nan and mum put me in a black satin evening dress for some reason that I cannot remember other than we were playing dressing up.
Over the last 10 years I’ve been in the process over trying to transition from male to female.  This last year has seen me finally taking the steps necessary in order that I can finally live my life as the woman I should have been from birth. On the 9th January I return to work after 3 weeks holiday as Jenna rather than my old male self.

I was OK at school academically, never excelled at sports. I'm still not good at sports but I run, swim and cycle and race in triathlons, 5K, 10K, half and full marathons.

I spent 3 years at the local Polytechnic and left with a degree level qualification in Computing.

In my early 20's I finally left home and started my first full time job working for a defence company.
I worked and lived in Portsmouth for 5 years, where I met my wife, before moving to Dorset and then Somerset and continuing to develop and for the last 15 years test computer systems.

As far as interests, I love Science Fiction and Fantasy, especially Dr Who, A Town Called Eureka, Warehouse 13, Start Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Merlin, Torchwood

I love to read, especially anything by Terry Pratchett, Katherine Kerr, Simon Hawkes, Anne McCaffrey, Raymond Feist, Janny Wurts, David Eddings. I also enjoy reading anything with a Religious, Transgender or Science theme.

The other thing that I love is burlesque. I've spent the last year learning and have performed twice, once to a small private group and the other as part of the Pink Kitten Christmas Cabaret. I intend to develop my burlesque and perform lots more.
I said to a friend recently, when discussing the church I attend, that I'm probably the only transsexual burlesque performer in Somerset and I'm sure that the church will love it when they find out.

What do I want to achieve out of joining LifeCircle?
For a long time now I've been focused on dealing with my family, my son has had a serious illness for most of his life, although that seems to have finally been dealt with. I've also been focusing on reaching the point where I begin my Real Life Experience as part of my gender reassignment treatment.
By joining the LifeCircle I want to work on a set of goals that aren't completely related to my family or to me gender reassignment. I have ideas from the work that I did in 2011 as part of the LifeCircle. I plan on reevaluating those and once I've firmed up those goals then using the LifeCircle as a means of accountability.

Well that's all about me and why I'm joining the LifeCircle. If you want to know more about me then please read back through the blog.