One of my greatest concerns with the aesthetic changes associated with hormone therapy? Ending up in male-only spaces, like locker rooms and public restrooms.
Why?
Because apparently individuals in these spaces have the potential to be downright weird, bizarre, and creepy.
Just yesterday I spent some time studying at the downtown library. Eventually, I had to use the restroom. There were a few stalls leading back to a fourth, larger stall. Since the restroom only had one occupant (a guy sitting in the stall directly next to the larger stall), I darted to the larger stall.
As I engaged in my business, my phone vibrated. I checked it, selected "ignore" with the intention to call them back - and then I noticed something unusual in my peripheral vision. I caught a glimpse of activity beneath the stall divider to my left, near the floor.
It looked like the top of a head, upside down, darting up quickly.
What!?
I was stunned. And stuck, wishing that I could just stop what I'd started, pull my knickers up, and run off.
I hoped that maybe my mind had played tricks on me, and maybe it wasn't the top of a head. But very soon and a second time, I saw the top of a head begin to emerge and, before I could see eyes, the occupant to my left sat up again.
And then I felt adrenaline. I thought, something is wrong with this person. I wasn't sure what to do, what to say, how to react. It was just me and this weirdo in the basement bathroom.
And then, I started to see the top of a head slowly creeping down towards the floor a third time. Slowly, slowly... and then: upside-down eye-contact.
Just like this! Except for the fact that his head didn't come out -as- far: just enough to make quick eye contact. And I wasn't holding a plate of food: I was holding a phone. And the toilet I sat on was quite a bit further away from the stall door, making me feel even more exposed. Aside from those three flaws, the image above is a spot-on portrayal.
It was quick. He sat up again.
At this point I pulled my knickers up. As I swiftly darted out of the restroom I caught a glimpse of him, sitting on the toilet, pants completely on, with his stall door open about 3 inches. I decided not to wash my hands and just left.
IT WAS SO BIZARRE.
In hindsight, I should have reported it to the library security - but I was caught off-guard. And by the time it dawned on me, I was long gone.
Hormone Therapy Acne Update
I received my acne.org goodies and have been following good their benzoyl-peroxide-lovin'-flesh-scolding regimen. I've discovered that my tender face is extremely sensitive to the stuff. I'm supposed to work up to two full pumps of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide per application, but I can only get away with 3/4th of a pump, BARELY, and maybe only once a day instead of twice. Otherwise my skin becomes red and flaky. It was so bad in San Diego that I thought I had a sun burn and my friend, Jude, alerted me to the existence of a magical elixir called Aloe Vera that I ended up slathering all over my not-charred-but-irritated flesh.
Once back in Utah, I reduced the amount I'd been using (down to 3/4th pump a day) and have been caking on the moisturizer which has helped quite a bit. And I bring some moisturizer with me on the go, just in case.
Besides these cons, my skin is much clearer. Hopefully, I'll eventually adapt.
Other Updates
I'm working on obtaining my first ever driver's license - finally. The only transportation vehicles I've ever owned have been bicycles. So I've never been interested in acquiring one. But now that Salt Lake City has a city-wide car share program, I'm suddenly interested in having one.
Also, I had a job interview at a local coffee shop earlier today. I was hired on the spot. Swell! So, as of this morning, I have my first job as a barista.
One more side note, I'm very excited to be returning to school. I received an acceptance letter last week from Westminster College, a school I never ever imagined realistically going to. It's an expensive and private liberal arts college. I was told that due to receiving good grades at the community college, I'd be offered enough in financial aid and scholarships to realistically attend. I intend to try, at least. And if it doesn't economically work out, I can transfer to the more-affordable University of Utah. Today Jude and I perused campus and I met with a financial aid advisor. And Thursday I meet with an academic advisor specific to possibly majoring in neuropsychology. This is surreal.
Why?
Because apparently individuals in these spaces have the potential to be downright weird, bizarre, and creepy.
Just yesterday I spent some time studying at the downtown library. Eventually, I had to use the restroom. There were a few stalls leading back to a fourth, larger stall. Since the restroom only had one occupant (a guy sitting in the stall directly next to the larger stall), I darted to the larger stall.
As I engaged in my business, my phone vibrated. I checked it, selected "ignore" with the intention to call them back - and then I noticed something unusual in my peripheral vision. I caught a glimpse of activity beneath the stall divider to my left, near the floor.
It looked like the top of a head, upside down, darting up quickly.
What!?
I was stunned. And stuck, wishing that I could just stop what I'd started, pull my knickers up, and run off.
I hoped that maybe my mind had played tricks on me, and maybe it wasn't the top of a head. But very soon and a second time, I saw the top of a head begin to emerge and, before I could see eyes, the occupant to my left sat up again.
And then I felt adrenaline. I thought, something is wrong with this person. I wasn't sure what to do, what to say, how to react. It was just me and this weirdo in the basement bathroom.
And then, I started to see the top of a head slowly creeping down towards the floor a third time. Slowly, slowly... and then: upside-down eye-contact.
Just like this! Except for the fact that his head didn't come out -as- far: just enough to make quick eye contact. And I wasn't holding a plate of food: I was holding a phone. And the toilet I sat on was quite a bit further away from the stall door, making me feel even more exposed. Aside from those three flaws, the image above is a spot-on portrayal.
It was quick. He sat up again.
At this point I pulled my knickers up. As I swiftly darted out of the restroom I caught a glimpse of him, sitting on the toilet, pants completely on, with his stall door open about 3 inches. I decided not to wash my hands and just left.
IT WAS SO BIZARRE.
In hindsight, I should have reported it to the library security - but I was caught off-guard. And by the time it dawned on me, I was long gone.
Hormone Therapy Acne Update
I received my acne.org goodies and have been following good their benzoyl-peroxide-lovin'-flesh-scolding regimen. I've discovered that my tender face is extremely sensitive to the stuff. I'm supposed to work up to two full pumps of 2.5% benzoyl peroxide per application, but I can only get away with 3/4th of a pump, BARELY, and maybe only once a day instead of twice. Otherwise my skin becomes red and flaky. It was so bad in San Diego that I thought I had a sun burn and my friend, Jude, alerted me to the existence of a magical elixir called Aloe Vera that I ended up slathering all over my not-charred-but-irritated flesh.
Once back in Utah, I reduced the amount I'd been using (down to 3/4th pump a day) and have been caking on the moisturizer which has helped quite a bit. And I bring some moisturizer with me on the go, just in case.
Besides these cons, my skin is much clearer. Hopefully, I'll eventually adapt.
Other Updates
I'm working on obtaining my first ever driver's license - finally. The only transportation vehicles I've ever owned have been bicycles. So I've never been interested in acquiring one. But now that Salt Lake City has a city-wide car share program, I'm suddenly interested in having one.
Also, I had a job interview at a local coffee shop earlier today. I was hired on the spot. Swell! So, as of this morning, I have my first job as a barista.
One more side note, I'm very excited to be returning to school. I received an acceptance letter last week from Westminster College, a school I never ever imagined realistically going to. It's an expensive and private liberal arts college. I was told that due to receiving good grades at the community college, I'd be offered enough in financial aid and scholarships to realistically attend. I intend to try, at least. And if it doesn't economically work out, I can transfer to the more-affordable University of Utah. Today Jude and I perused campus and I met with a financial aid advisor. And Thursday I meet with an academic advisor specific to possibly majoring in neuropsychology. This is surreal.
God, that pic with the guy peeking under the stall is hilarious. That is really weird for someone to do that. Nothing even remotely close to that has ever happened to me in the womens restroom.
ReplyDeleteBizarre!
-mom
Uh, that is creepy. Sounds like he was looking for some public restroom sex. Yes, men are weird. I dunno what I would have done had I made eye contact. I'm lucky in that I don't poop in public (the most public is at work, and even that is a last resort). I have bathroom issues.
ReplyDeleteSorry you had to deal with that. I've never had that happen to me, so maybe you are just one lucky SOB. :)
BTW, I use two full pumps of that BP and it still doesn't seem to do the job. I'm just cursed with bad skin on several fronts, so I guess it shouldn't surprise me.
Your bathroom story although very odd, made me laugh out loud. Just the thought of this head appearing out of no where. That aside, that is very very very very creepy!
ReplyDeleteI also found out. Cali puts chlorine in their water. So its no wonder your poor skin was so irritated and sensitive. I think this is also the reason why we were all so dehydrated during the whole trip. I drank SO MUCH water when we got back.
I started thinking about it... Did the man look anything like senator Butters, Orin Hatch or any other white conservative republican? If so chances are he was just looking for a date ;)
ReplyDeleteWhere?! Where is this coffee shop you're now employed at? So I can come and buy coffee based beverages from you... and... not... heckle you...
ReplyDeleteBoyd: It may have been. He had really crisp, blue jeans on and new Converse; so I wasn't quite sure what to make of him. I figure, when something is THAT unprecedented and peculiar for me, choose flight. I'm all about the flight option. It's worked well for me thus far. ;]
ReplyDeleteYou use two full pumps!? How long did it take you to build up to that god awful mass amount?
Kegg: Ah the Cali water scolded my tender flesh!
ReplyDeleteKestryl: I'll tell you on the flip side.
ReplyDeletewhat coffee shop are you working at?
ReplyDeletealso, are you going to the u? or somewhere else?
i am going back to school in the fall too. i finally got classified as a resident. woohoo!
miss you!
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks guys are creepy. =P
ReplyDeleteBut holy crap! I've never had anything like that happen. I think by the third time I would've started yelling and throwing things at him (I guess that's fight rather than flight, your option's almost definitely safer).
ViviBlue: I've had strange things happen, but that one in particular was unnerving in ways I hadn't experienced before. As in, NOT in public and, instead, alone in a bathroom with him.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, flight all the way. ;]
yeah, that bathroom bit is v. v. strange. Glad I don't have to deal with that or wide stances.
ReplyDeleteI had Benzoyl Peroxide medication as a teen. The dermatologist had me put one med on half my face and another on the other half. This was the experiment wherein I discovered I'm allergic or at least highly sensitive to B Peroxide. I had something akin to a chemical burn on half my face for a few weeks. Huzzah.
There are a couple of great things I really like for exfoliating and whatnot. One is NeoStrata Glycolic foaming wash, which intends to peel off the top layer or so of skin. A bit of peeling is normal, and keeps the pores clear from top layer clogging skin cells. The other is LaRoche Posay Biomedic Micro-exfoliating scrub. They also have an acne scrub. This has by far been my favorite skin care product I've ever purchased.
dscokween: What was the med he had you use on the other half that DIDN'T give you a chemical burn?
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the product suggestions!
It was probably something like Retin A or there was another sulfa topical I used for a while as a teen. All in all, I think a lot of the medicines I used were very drying, and I didn't get a good moisturizer to go with it, which aggravated some of the acne even more.
ReplyDeletefwiw, the main ingredient in the Biomedic is diatomaceous earth mixed with glycerin, etc. It would seem this is readily available online, but I'm not sure if this particular flavor of diatomaceous earth is ground to a uniform/extra fine grain.
I think the other topical was Sulfacet - I used this one for a while and it worked pretty well. I like to use the cheapy knock off Oil of Olay moisturizer - just the daily use one. This one is light weight and I slather it on a couple of times a day.