(no subject)

[Thoughts Before Bed]

I watched Ready Player One as this Sunday Night's movie. Fun movie, full of pop culture references.

But the thing that really sang with me was it's depiction of The Oasis. They could have basically called this "Second Life: The Motion Picture."

The Oasis, and Second Life, is a world where you can be whatever you like, do whatever you want, and fix many of the problems of life you can't fix in the real world. It was FAR more exciting than the real Second Life, but when Art3mis says, "You only know what I want you to know...you only see what I want you to see...this isn't my real body...or my real face" I felt that in my bones.

I've lived seventeen years in Second Life. And a few months in Resonite. In Resonite I look like Zelda. In Second Life, I'm a young anime-looking brunette. Both allow me the peace of mind that wherever I go in those worlds, I'm ignored because my looks are so...conventional, compared to real life.

I really wish, however, Second Life would embrace virtual reality. My time in Resonite has been as life-changing as Second Life was seventeen years ago. I wish they'd make the move into VR, as that world would actually be better than Resonite I think. Second Life is a WORLD. Resonite is walled-in-garden environments. Both are good. But I prefer the world over a set of unlinked gardens.

(no subject)

Today I learned that Babylon 5 wasn't the first TV show to use a five-year-arc.

The 70s sitcom Soap had a five-year arc, but only got through four years before it was cancelled.

(no subject)

Today is the 25th Anniversary of my Name Change. On May 20th, 1999 I became Jennifer Christine Hernandez, and I've never looked back.

So, I'm working on a book about being trans in the 80s and 90s. It'll get published one day, I'm sure. Let me share the name change story from that book with you.

I took a promising job at the beginning of 1999. I would be installing and configuring network cards for cable modems. Tech support - I could do this! I had one day of training before they told me "Um, you can lay cable, can't you?" And suddenly they were wanting to put me in utility baskets 40 feet in the air to check cable rigging.

This wasn't what I's signed up for at all. I also have a fear of heights after a nasty fall when I was younger. so, yeah, not doing that. I walked out the next day, got paid $500 for few days of work, and looked for more jobs.

But wait. $500 is a bit of money. I wonder....

A few calls around, and I found out that a name change in Pennsylvania was only $120.

LET'S DO THIS THING.

The real question was, what name? It's wierd...this was an awesome responsibility. I had the chance to change my name to a female one. This would be the name I would be stuck with for the rest of my life, or until I had another $120. My primary identification.

I knew what I was going to start with: Jennifer. I'd been going by this since high school.
Middle name: Christine. This is going to sound wierd, but while Steph thought I'd look like She Hulk as a woman, I always thought I'd look like Christine McGlade of You Can't Do that on Television.
Last name: ...

Now there was the clinker.

By now, Jenn Dolari had become pretty popular online, and I was already planning on branching out into webcomics (the first "coming soon" for Closetspace was posted in 97). Michael met me as Dolari, and often called me that. It was a part of my identity I'd assumed since I started this whole crazy journey.

But then there was my family's last name. That was the name I was born with, and the name of my family.

What to do, what to do.

A day before I was to put in my request for a name change, my mother called after. We had a good talk, and she said that no matter what, I'd be welcome if I called or came back.

I chose the family name.

With a $120 in hand, and an application for my new name, Jennifer Christine Hernandez, I ran off to the prothonitory's office for my name change. I walked out with the same name I walked in with, but a pile of paperwork, minus $120.

Turns out changing your name is a a slighly complicated ordeal. And this was before 9/11, and I can only imagine it's gotten worse since. I needed to get fingerprinted, I had to have a tax lien scan run, I had to publish a notice of name change in two different newspapers, and gather proofs that all three were taken and passed. I took some cash, and some poking of the Centre Daily Times to get all pushed through, but six weeks after my original application, I was back in the courthouse, ready for my name change.

I walked out with the same name I walked in with, but this time a date in front of the judge just a week later. Small town justice moves "quickly."

I was cool the day before the name change. Cool as a cucumber. Cool like fonzie. I got this. It'll be AWESOME. Woke up the next day in sheer panic. WHAT AM I DOING?! THIS IS FOREVER!! AAUUGGHH!!

I got dressed to the nines in my nicest women's outfit, and I distinctly remember putting a run in my hose from trembling so much. I made the trip to the courthouse, in silence, still trembling.

The county seat sits in a valley surrounded by large rolling mountains. All the roads are super steep, and I had a pickup with a bad emergency brake. I parked next to the courthouse, put the truck in gear, got out, and then had to chase the truck down as the gear popped from the parking angle and proceeded to roll down Main Street. Running in fashionable skimmer shoes? Not fun.

I found a better parking spot, chocked the tires (just in case), and walked right up to the metal detector with my petition. This was it. If I went through, there was no turning back. I was legally changing my name to Jennifer. This was forever. I took a deep breath and walked through the detector without a beep.

I walked into the prothonotory's office with my petition. I walked out with the same name I walked in with. But this time with a room number to go to. I walked through into a giant judicial chamber and took my seat. My hearing was at 10AM, it was 9:50. The judge, from what I could tell since I couldn't hear him over the entirety of my blood rushing through my ears, was negotiating bail for someone in an orange jumpsuit. There was another orange jumpsuited person on the side bench. And me in the back.

If I just remained a small little ball of anxiety back here, maybe no one would see me till I was called. 10:10, and the bailiff escorted me to one of the tables directly before the judges bench.

"This court is now hearing the petition of name change, for..." and then he dropped his glasses and relooked the petition over, then looked at me. "...MaleName Hernandez, to..." and again, looked me over, "Jennifer Christine Hernandez."

I went blanche. I distinctly remember tunnel vision.

"Does the petitioner confirm that the information entered into the record is correct?"

I put on the best female voice I could and said "Yes."

The judges voice boomed loud, "Is there anyone in this court who requests that the petition not be granted?"

No reply.

"The petitioner will approach the bench."

I walked up to the judge, fully expecting him to say "Go away, kid, you're wastin' the courts time." Instead he signed the petition, handed it back to me, "Petition granted." He then gave me the sweetest smile, grin and handshake. Then in the warmest voice I'd heard all morning, "Good luck."

Back into the prothonotory's office, I walked in, got my last signed court orders, and walked out with my new name:

Jennifer Christine Hernandez

Also, say it with me: Prothonotary. PRO-THO-NOTARY. It's a fun word to say.

(no subject)

Finally all caught up on Dr Who and Trek, and holy cow was Boom amazing. I still prefer Stephen Moffat's run on Dr Who to RTD or Chris Chibnall's, and this episode really shows that he's one of the best writers to grace NuWho. This whole thing just starts intense and never lets up.