Hello 
I'm Siobhan Curran/Kisa Naumova, and this is my weblog. I tend to write about stuff like crossdressing, Macs, code, cats, wine and Second Life, but in general it's just an ongoing conversation about all sorts of stuff. If you'd like to know a little bit more about what this all is, I recommend starting on this page which has a little bit of info on who I am, and what I'm trying to do — or you could dive into my five years worth of archives if you like.
Otherwise, feel free to close this box and explore...
To Boldy Go Where No Trannie (etc)
-----Warning — contains pointless navel gazing-----
All kudos to Becky. Not only does she create a fabtabulous Suduko game, but she has the balls to announce it in the Flickr API Group.
That kind of thing has been on my mind ever since about December last year, when I forked my diary off from my main site and let it have its own space. There was always a feeling in the back of my head that as much as I loved my old site (and the new one, incidently), there was something private about it — something not to be shared with the outside world.
It frustrated me though, that I'd put so much time and effort into making something — something that I felt I couldn't share, or use as platform to get involved in discussions.
It's to do with shame I guess, and perhaps a worry that waltzing into someone else's space could offend them — you know, leaving a comment on someone else's weblog and then they click on your link to see who you are and they find your own blog and they're like "OH MY GOD! A TRANNIE! MUST GOUGE EYES OUT WITH SPOON!"
But I'm being a little paranoid I guess. The world (or at least, certain parts of the world) isn't like that at all. In some places, it doesn't matter if you're a trannie, what's important is what you do.
I guess that what I'm trying to say here, is that sometimes I worry about doing things online — delurking in someone's weblog, or leaving a comment on someone's photo, or doing a bit of self-promotion after I've done something cool — because I'm worried that people will get stuck on the trannie bit. They'll not take me seriously. They'll get caught up on that "bloke in a dress!" thing, and not go any further. I'm worried that I'll get the response of "we don't like your sort around here" and get laughed off some forum as being a complete weirdo and crackpot.
But what Becky's experience shows, is that that's not the case. And I'm really impressed 
.
...
In my head, incidently, I'm drawing a parallel between all this, and going out in the Real World™. I think it's completely analogous to walking into a straight bar and just striking up a conversation — and not getting the crap beaten out of you.
...
There's one thing though, that I find really interesting about it all. And that's how the outside world perceive it in their heads.
Let me try and explain that a little better...
A few months ago, in a bout of Tom-Coates-Fangirlism, I sent the BlogDad Himself a little mock-up of a business card — based on stuff he'd done himself, but using one of my stripey pictures.
I was certain that he'd either think it was inappropriate, or that he'd just toss it in his email trash, but he seems to have liked it 
What's interesting about it, for me, is what was in his head when he typed "Siobhan"?
Was it this?
Or this?
Or this?
Do you see what I mean?
...
Another little example: following a little flippant comment I left in my response to Jon Hick's OS X Browser Survey, I got this response:
I'm ticked to death by that comment (#15). Does he not know where he posts!? =]
I wasn't in the least bit offended by the use of "he" — I mean, how could I be? — but I must admit, I was caught a little off-guard by it.
I suppose I'm used to everyone playing the "Keep The Trannie Happy" game — where despite all evidence to the contrary, everyone placates me by using the word "she". But actually, following the logic through of what I was saying about being taken seriously regardless of the trannie-label, it (a) doesn't matter what pronoun someone uses, and (b) if they use "he", at least I know they've taken the time to at least read the header-graphic at the top of the page 
...
Enough of this navel-gazing. I'm off to buy some coffee, as my 20-million-kilo tub of the stuff is about to run out 
Coverflow
Sorry about all of that rambling — it's a bit pointless and doesn't really go anywhere.
Here's some eyecandy by way of compensation...
CoverFlow aims to bring that aesthetic appeal to your mp3 collection. It allows you to browse your albums complete with beautiful artwork pulled from any sources it can find, whether that's buried in your song tags, collected via Synergy, or looked up on Amazon.
http://www.steelskies.com/coverflow/HomePage.html
Not only is it a wonderfully gorgeous app, that uses the same 3D-with-reflections effect that the new version of iChat uses, and not only is it a sheer joy to flick through your mp3 albums as if they were real objects, it's also fantastically useful for filling in all those gaps in your album artwork, using Amazon or Google Image searches
It's like Clutter, on steroids. And I love it
Ha! Saw that on Snopes.com a couple of days ago.
Bar None
How a CD bearing bar code-themed cover art proved a bonanza for customers. [New Urban Legends]
Priceless (ironically)
Actually, they are for sale already — or at least one of them is. The rest should be available sometime next month. (I must just take the time to apologise here to someone that bought one off me a while back, as I've only just managed to get it in the post today — which is really shite of me. I'm very very sorry and ashamed)
Biscuits Not Included
(via flickr.com/people/si08han) 
From a tin of Sainsbury's Coffee
Reminds me of the Hovis bread packets, which currently feature a design of continuous baked beans... or cucumber slices.
And the small print "serving suggestion".
What... this bag of bread ISN'T full of beans? I want my money back!
Becky
(Still at queue position 4 on the Fasthosts support line waiting to get her website fixed) 
That's funny, for them to suggest a serving of 7 biscuits only to not even include them in the package!
On that other, though... I'm always thinking about that. What others think about when they think of me... I mean, if you only know me from online and my blog, than you don't have anything to think but what I give you. But others, that see me all the time, like people at work... My birthday, last january, one woman that knows me fairly well got on the intercom and said for everyone to hear, "Happy Birthday Emily!" Which was nice, but wierd too. I don't know if she did it because she was being thoughtful, or just being funny. My wife says that I think too much. I've tried to stop thinking, only to end up drooling on myself so I try to find a happy medium.
By the way, I have no idea why, but I found myself thinking about you all day at work today. yesterday. whenever it was (i work nights). Wasn't even anything really specific, just thinking about the lovely pictures you show us, (I just LOVE other peoples photos) thinking I should take my camera with me more places, and wondering what you were doing. Apparently you were buying coffee!
12.34pm
(via flickr.com/people/si08han)
(via flickr.com/people/si08han)
(via flickr.com/people/si08han)
Argh!
Well... at the very least, it isn't, you know, with the seconds showing...
12:34:56
12:34:56
God, that would be awful, but at least my horror would only last a second, rather than the whole minute.
I think that you changed all your clocks to 12.34 on purpose to freak yourself out.
I deduce this via a clever process which involves recognising the background to the shot of the mobile phone, recognising the microwave and realising that these items are downstairs. The final shot is the radio alarm clock which is up stairs. Knowing your obsessive nature I suspect that the photos each took several seconds to get them to your liking and as a smoker your lung capacity would not then allow you to get up the stairs within the remaining time in order for the clock upstairs to still read 12.34.
Although actually I am not sure that the last photo is the radio alarm clock so the whole theory could be codswallop.
Sherlock Holmes
The last photo is most definately a radio alarm clock, the Hitachi KC86, which can be purchased at dixons for £12.99. Whether or not it is indeed the bedroom radio alarm clock, I do not know. Nor would I say if I did know. That would be creepy.
I say holmes, your logic amazes me!
But just one moment, the camera might well lie but does the EXIF data? I took the trouble of checking on Flickr and found that, indeed, all those pictures were taken on or around 11:34 BST, which (allowing for the vagaries of household chronometers and the fact that the protagonist probably neglected to change the clock in her box brownie when the clocks went forward to daylight savings time) would suggest that those pictures were indeed taken at 12:34!
Perhaps the deductive powers of the worlds first consulting detective are slipping,maybe you aught to think about laying off the opium?
Now hold on a minute. I have a theory that there were three cameras, all set to go off at the same time, by some contraption or suchlike, to provide an alibi so that we wouldn't suspect her in the murder of Countess Kaptcha.
Inspector Lestrade
Meme (me-me-me-me-me-me-me)
I don't usually do these things — especially not in a "I must fill my blog with stuff" kinda way. It's partly because I find I've enough to talk about if I just engage Rambling Gear™ in my head, but also because sometimes I find it tiresome to read the same stuff in everyone's meme answers.
But this one, that I found through NRT, looked like it had enough interesting things in it to warrant a stab...
When was the last time you...
...ate a takeaway meal?
Um, we polished off the ends of a Chinese takeaway the other night. Mixed it all up and had it as stir-fry. Yummy...got drunk?
Last night, and the night before, and the night before......ate meat?
I've just eaten a ham sandwich...ate in a restaurant?
God, bloody ages ago. It's something we must do more often. Tomorrow night though, I think my parents are taking us out for a meal. Although I'm starting to think that I might suggest to Kath that we cook instead....ate at McDonalds?
Um I do sometimes slip up and grab a cheeseburger on my way from the pub to the station in Leeds. Your Honour....watched a movie?
Last night — The Mask Of Zorro which was rather fab....rented a video/DVD?
No idea. Months ago. Why traipse all the way to Blockbuster in Morecambe when I can just use Sky Box Office?...gave money to charity?
I have some standing orders that go out of my bank account to charidies each month. Mate...spent a lot of money?
Depends what "a lot" means doesn't it? More than £100 — my camera, about a year ago. More than £1000 — that'd be the kitchen. More than £10,000 — the house, nearly exactly ten years ago....wore clean underwear?
Um, today. Honest....bought some new clothes?
Far too long ago. I suppose though, that you could say that the clothes I got made for the fashion show count. And that was in June....read a book?
I don't read books. I read computer manuals. Really. Although I did read the new Doctor Who novels in June....read a newspaper?
Saturday. The Guardian. Of Course....went skinny-dipping?
Ah — Germany 1989, in a swimming pool, in a hotel. I was drunk....went bungee-jumping?
I never have (nor ever will, I suspect)....went to another country?
Scotland doesn't count. Neither does Ireland. The last time I went abroad was to Emma's house in Cincinnati in February 2004....lied to someone?
Depends if that's a "I'm working on it right now" lie, or a "I'm going to Kath's for Christmas" lie. Or if it's a "Um, today. Honest" lie....betrayed a friend?
I don't really understand this question. I don't think I ever have....snogged someone of the opposite sex?
Yesterday...snogged someone of the same sex?
January 2004...met a celebrity?
I refer you to my post of January 21st...smoked a cigarette?
I'm smoking one right now....took drugs?
1998 I think. I was back at uni and I had a joint. I never touch the stuff these days, but I was a right little pothead when I was in my early twenties....went to the library?
A couple of months ago — but it was to give a lecture...stole something?
Does my laptop count? I'm going to give it back soon, I promise....watched TV?
About half an hour ago....made a difficult decision you didn't regret?
Quitting my job — it was hard to give up the salary, but the sheer pressure of the job (and the insane working hours) meant that it was the best thing I ever did. (My old job BTW — not the one I do now)
Now, I believe that you're supposed to add your own question to the end of these things...
- ...taken a picture of yourself that would get an "Adult" rating on urnotalone.com?
Last week
More Spammage
This just popped into my inbox:
Dear Eyefood Member,
Your e-mail account was used to send a huge amount of unsolicited spam messages during the recent week. If you could please take 5-10 minutes out of your online experience and confirm the attached document so you will not run into any future problems with the online service.
If you choose to ignore our request, you leave us no choice but to cancel your membership.
Virtually yours, The Eyefood Support Team
"The Eyefood Support Team" eh? . Um guys, that would be me. Nice try
Spooky
Just going back to those photos of the clocks for a second, if you check out the EXIF data of the one of my phone you'll notice that it was taken at 12.34:56 
(And Doctor Watson, you're right, I never put the clock in my 300D forward for the summer — I just forgot about it)
Best Before
(via flickr.com/people/si08han)
How can you tell if soured cream has gone off?
"How can you tell if soured cream has gone off?" — It starts being nice to the salsa again?
Scrolling all the way back to your opening ramble about being self concious (sp) about commenting or linking outside the trannisphere. I'm paraphrasing wildly here. Not being a trannie but having quite a few links to trannie blogs I did think about splitting them into TG and other and then I thought no, these are all blogs I like and all blogs are equal if one of my non trannie readers happens to go through my links and doesn't like what he or she sees they know where the back button is but hopefully some of them will stay and read, learn a bit about a world they may never have been exposed to before go away with a little more knowledge and understanding and most importantly enjoy that blog.
In the real world I showed a friend of mine my blog she had a look through and she asked me the trannie blogs so I explained and I think she is now a lot more switched on to the idea than she ever was before and if she ever meets a trannie she will be able to say "Oh that's cool, do you blog?"
I wouldn't worry about the whole "OMG a Trannie has read my blog/ visited my site/ left a comment".
Folks who have any online presence have probably come across much more disturbing subsets of humanity (not that I suggest for one moment that gender warriors such as ourselves 'disturb' fellow cyber travellers). Furthermore, if your content and comments are intelligent, humourous and show a semblance of reasoning, I think your gender presentation becomes less of an issue. People see the comments and then form an opinion.
And if some nugget gets caught up on the Trans* bit, their loss. Not that I imagine you view and contribute to sites maintained by people who are likely to be freaked out by us lot.
Kings of Convenience
Kraftwerk
Leftfield
someone has taste in music
musical joe
very nice little visual album browser — would be lovely if something like that was available for PC....?
Another thought provoking blog Siobhan. We all wear labels to some extent. They can be restrictive but are also convenient. There are certain labels which some people just cannot see beyond. We all do it to some extent, I for instance would find it hard to see past the the 'Genocide' label and accept Adolph Hitler purely on the basis of being a 'dog lover' or a 'moustache wearer'. There are people out there who will never see beyond the 'Tranny' label, hell there are people out there who can't see beyond 'muslim', 'christian' or Arsenal supporter' but the problem is with them not us. Trouble is these people are exactly the type who, through their behaviour make it our problem.
Kate Weston
And a cautionary tale for when you ever decide to sell your stripey picture things, (and on the subject of CD covers....) here