Comments on: Life in Front of the Eight Ball http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm Going where no blog has gone before. Fri, 21 May 2010 00:53:03 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Rachel Moore http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm/comment-page-1#comment-44597 Rachel Moore Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:25:33 +0000 http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/?p=477#comment-44597 Hi hun, have just kinda stumbled onto here. I'm a UK pool player, not straight pool or 8 ball as you play it but a similar sport on a much smaller table. Hope I know what game you play but never been to the states, tho have played a few games of pool on your big tables. I am interested as I have asked our regulating body, the EPA (English Pool Association) is I am able to qualify to play at county level which leads onto selection to the national side should I be good enough. I am confident of being able to qualify in terms of ability for the county circuit and if that is my level then that's fine. I am happy that you have been accepted on the circuit as a woman, most the girls I know who play accept me fully as female even though I am still transitioning. I hope that two TS girls, different sides of the Atlantic can prove that pool is a game without prejudice. The biggest debate is probably whether being born male gives me a natural advantage but in my eyes pool is a game of skill, not strength so I hope for a favourable decision. Keep up the blog hun, good on you and all the best for the future :) Rachel Moore, Cornwall, UK Hi hun, have just kinda stumbled onto here. I’m a UK pool player, not straight pool or 8 ball as you play it but a similar sport on a much smaller table. Hope I know what game you play but never been to the states, tho have played a few games of pool on your big tables. I am interested as I have asked our regulating body, the EPA (English Pool Association) is I am able to qualify to play at county level which leads onto selection to the national side should I be good enough. I am confident of being able to qualify in terms of ability for the county circuit and if that is my level then that’s fine. I am happy that you have been accepted on the circuit as a woman, most the girls I know who play accept me fully as female even though I am still transitioning. I hope that two TS girls, different sides of the Atlantic can prove that pool is a game without prejudice. The biggest debate is probably whether being born male gives me a natural advantage but in my eyes pool is a game of skill, not strength so I hope for a favourable decision.

Keep up the blog hun, good on you and all the best for the future :)

Rachel Moore, Cornwall, UK

]]> By: PiterKokoniz http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm/comment-page-1#comment-41581 PiterKokoniz Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:43:53 +0000 http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/?p=477#comment-41581 Hello !! ;) My name is Piter Kokoniz. Just want to tell, that your blog is really cool And want to ask you: will you continue to post in this blog in future? Sorry for my bad english:) Thank you! Piter Kokoniz, from Latvia Hello !! ;)
My name is Piter Kokoniz. Just want to tell, that your blog is really cool
And want to ask you: will you continue to post in this blog in future?
Sorry for my bad english:)
Thank you!
Piter Kokoniz, from Latvia

]]> By: wendi R http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20286 wendi R Wed, 24 Dec 2008 03:10:24 +0000 http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/?p=477#comment-20286 Monica, No truer words have been spoken. Beautiful! Wendi R Ps. Maybe I can show my engish [brooklynese] to Angela and you at IGFE. Hugs LOL Monica,
No truer words have been spoken. Beautiful! Wendi R
Ps. Maybe I can show my engish [brooklynese] to Angela and you at IGFE. Hugs LOL

]]> By: hannah http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20134 hannah Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:24:17 +0000 http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/?p=477#comment-20134 I very much love hearing up beat stories about we transgender. There is a pervasive undertone in our community of doom, every day we hear of pain and suffering. This story is a breath of fresh air, I think I'll reread it. I very much love hearing up beat stories about we transgender. There is a pervasive undertone in our community of doom, every day we hear of pain and suffering. This story is a breath of fresh air, I think I’ll reread it.

]]> By: Angela Brightfeather http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20065 Angela Brightfeather Tue, 23 Dec 2008 05:27:17 +0000 http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/?p=477#comment-20065 OK Polar, now you've done it. We both know how much Monica wants to beat me in pool. What she did not mention is that I, me, moi, was the person who insisted that she join a league in the first place. I've been playing APA league play for years and have insisted that in order for Monica to play me in 9 or 8 Ball, she must join a league so that she will get better, and be able to givwe me some competition. Don't get me wrong now. Monica has very good skills on the table, but she has yet to beat me after trying about 25 times now (I'm really not keeping score on that). So she is coming to the IFGE Conventon in February and stopping at my house where we will shift her "stuff" to my Tahoe and head for DC the next day. She has already warned me that when she gets here, she is challenging me on my table (Series 3, Brunswick, 9' X 4 1/2' regulation table). The thing is, that Monica's league plays on 7' tables, so I'm not sure that she can see to the end of my regulation table. LOL But we shall see and I am sure that if she wins even one game, this blog will explode the news like a Chinese New Years celebration. Actually, when Monica wanted to join a league after my coaxing and prodding, I called a few people at the APA and asked them their official rules concerning league competitions and gender status. Officially, I received a ruling from them that any gender diverse person can compete all the way to the Women's U.S. Open and the Women's National Ameteur Championships so long as they can prove they are in the process of transition and have a diagnosis of GID. That makes me wonder if Zucker plays pool? However, I am sure that the fact that Monica is prohably playing her games in league with a low cut tank top, helps to hold down some of the questions also. LOL But seriously, I know that many of us T girls probably had what might be referred to as an itinerant youth growing up, that was supplemented by many hours on the table of "felt and challenge." I also know that it is not expensive to join a league, become a member of the APA and play every week and the social benefits as Monica explained are immersearable as to the great girlfriends one meets during the course of playing in a league. Which leads to celebration dinners and holiday parties, wedding showers and many other activities that we didn't get to enjoy that much growing into our Trans selves. It also helps to know that one night out of the week, every week, at the same time, you are going out and having a good time with your friends. And Polar, I am sure that if Monica manages to win even one game during her visit, you will feel the rumble coming from North Carolina and a loud "whoop and huzah" echoing across the Smokies and through the valleys and finding it's way Tennessee. OK Polar, now you’ve done it. We both know how much Monica wants to beat me in pool. What she did not mention is that I, me, moi, was the person who insisted that she join a league in the first place. I’ve been playing APA league play for years and have insisted that in order for Monica to play me in 9 or 8 Ball, she must join a league so that she will get better, and be able to givwe me some competition.

Don’t get me wrong now. Monica has very good skills on the table, but she has yet to beat me after trying about 25 times now (I’m really not keeping score on that).

So she is coming to the IFGE Conventon in February and stopping at my house where we will shift her “stuff” to my Tahoe and head for DC the next day. She has already warned me that when she gets here, she is challenging me on my table (Series 3, Brunswick, 9′ X 4 1/2′ regulation table). The thing is, that Monica’s league plays on 7′ tables, so I’m not sure that she can see to the end of my regulation table. LOL But we shall see and I am sure that if she wins even one game, this blog will explode the news like a Chinese New Years celebration.

Actually, when Monica wanted to join a league after my coaxing and prodding, I called a few people at the APA and asked them their official rules concerning league competitions and gender status. Officially, I received a ruling from them that any gender diverse person can compete all the way to the Women’s U.S. Open and the Women’s National Ameteur Championships so long as they can prove they are in the process of transition and have a diagnosis of GID. That makes me wonder if Zucker plays pool? However, I am sure that the fact that Monica is prohably playing her games in league with a low cut tank top, helps to hold down some of the questions also. LOL

But seriously, I know that many of us T girls probably had what might be referred to as an itinerant youth growing up, that was supplemented by many hours on the table of “felt and challenge.” I also know that it is not expensive to join a league, become a member of the APA and play every week and the social benefits as Monica explained are immersearable as to the great girlfriends one meets during the course of playing in a league. Which leads to celebration dinners and holiday parties, wedding showers and many other activities that we didn’t get to enjoy that much growing into our Trans selves.

It also helps to know that one night out of the week, every week, at the same time, you are going out and having a good time with your friends.

And Polar, I am sure that if Monica manages to win even one game during her visit, you will feel the rumble coming from North Carolina and a loud “whoop and huzah” echoing across the Smokies and through the valleys and finding it’s way Tennessee.

]]> By: MauraHennessey http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20056 MauraHennessey Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:52:38 +0000 http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/?p=477#comment-20056 Don't always agree with you, girl, but then I don't always agree with my wife either. That said, you have spirit and drive Monica and the world is yours for the taking. Don’t always agree with you, girl, but then I don’t always agree with my wife either. That said, you have spirit and drive Monica and the world is yours for the taking.

]]> By: Polar http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20055 Polar Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:40:07 +0000 http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/?p=477#comment-20055 Quite right. Life is not about what flavor of T you are, it is about who you are as a human being, and about having a good life. Nobody gets everything in life they want, but Mick Jagger's first theory of life still applies: you can't always get what you want, but sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need. May more folks in our community find what they need in the next year, as you have. What I really want to know is this: can you beat Angela Brightfeather in 9-ball, yet? Quite right. Life is not about what flavor of T you are, it is about who you are as a human being, and about having a good life. Nobody gets everything in life they want, but Mick Jagger’s first theory of life still applies: you can’t always get what you want, but sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need. May more folks in our community find what they need in the next year, as you have.

What I really want to know is this: can you beat Angela Brightfeather in 9-ball, yet?

]]> By: Pellegrini http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20047 Pellegrini Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:41:07 +0000 http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/?p=477#comment-20047 Nice piece. because you're at peace, we can read and feel the steady and solid approach to life that makes you special. I always thought you were capable of running the table. I guess you're saving that for '09. Nice piece. because you’re at peace, we can read and feel the steady and solid approach to life that makes you special. I always thought you were capable of running the table. I guess you’re saving that for ‘09.

]]> By: brynn http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/dnc/life-in-front-of-the-eight-ball.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20040 brynn Tue, 23 Dec 2008 02:24:55 +0000 http://www.monicahelms.com/blog/?p=477#comment-20040 Don't let that vicious "tiny majority" get you down. You're better than them. Don’t let that vicious “tiny majority” get you down. You’re better than them.

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