: Family time :

I just got back from a night out to dinner with my family - we wanted to go to a Cajun restaurant, but the line was too long so we ended up going to La Madeleine, a French cafeteria. Afterwards, we came to their house and watched a movie.

I guess if I were to use an international political science metaphor, I would say that relations between us have normalized. They are treating me pretty much the same as they always treated me as a guy. They are trying to use proper pronouns, but there were a lot more slips tonight than Saturday night. And there's really no discussion of how I'm doing, transition or otherwise. It's almost as if this past year never happened at all for them.

So I think that will be the end of my family obligations for a while, which suits me just fine. Post transition, my relationships with some people improved; with others they deteriorated. But with my parents and brother, it appears now to have remained unchanged. But while the relationship I had with my parents was fine for me back when I was a guy, it's not enough for me now. Part of the reason I transitioned was because I was dissatisfied with the superficial relationships I had with everyone in my life. And for me, life is too short to spend time with people who simply tolerate me. I'd much rather spend time with people who really love and care about me.