Many special thanks to my friend Axel for putting together this teaser for ‘Paralian’ as early as spring 2014 (Back then my book still had the working title ‘The Fortunate Nomad’ and we thought it would be published a lot sooner as you can see from the projected launch date at the end of the video.) So now, we are finally approaching the finish line in tiny little steps… only five more months to go to the actual launch!
Last week, one of you asked how I came to choose the name ‘Liam’ for myself…
For a long time, even before beginning hormone therapy, I wondered about the right name. My first thoughts were along the lines of carrying on family traditions and maybe pick ‘Karl’ in honour of my late grandfather and my father. But I soon felt, since I was given the rare chance to name myself, I should go for something to really represent my personality.
Weeks of pondering didn’t get me anywhere. Then one evening I watched ‘Blown Away’ with Jeff Bridges. I watched the movie several times, identifying with the hero he portrayed – a sensitive, vulnerable, yet strong character who doesn’t give up. Incidentally, his name in the movie was ‘Liam” and I began tasting it on my tongue like a very delicious, full-bodied wine.
Research into the name’s meaning revealed that it derives from the German name ‘Wilhelm’, which literally means ‘will’ and ‘helmet’. He is a protector, someone who shows courage and determination in the face of adversity. I liked that very much and considering all I had already survived and faced at that point, it seemed fitting. To take it literally: I was strong-willed. And while I had never worn a helmet, I had spent my teenage years wearing thick, black leather jackets to protect myself.
To my ears, ’Liam’ was a soft-sounding name lacking any harsh consonants, which also felt just right.
As a middle name I then came up with one more perfect tidbit. I soon decided on ‘Kieran’ with, I must say, a twinkle in my eye. If I’ve learned one thing in life then it’s to never take anything including ourselves too seriously. Ciarán (Irish) or Ciaran (Scottish) is a Gaelic name meaning “little dark one” or “blacky”. Since I’ve always been quite a little guy with a shock of thick, dark brown hair, this completed me rather perfectly.
So there you go, the determined little dark one with a helmet: Liam Kieran Klenk.
#Paralian #LiamKlenk #notjusttrans #odyssey #lifejourney #nevergiveup #memoir #LGBT
After many weeks of pondering the right subtitle for my book, we decided on “Not just transgender”.
Being trans has in many ways impacted my life and also shaped me as an individual. I came into this world as a little boy, trapped in the body of a girl. Until the age of 23 people perceiving me as female influenced many of my life experiences significantly.
My path has been fraught with obstacles because of being trans. This in turn has shaped me into a (I hope) mature and compassionate individual.
BUT, being trans is only a small part of who I am as a person. I have also been shaped by being orphaned and adopted, by my adoptive parents, by my many life experiences, by living and working abroad and by the many inspiring people I’ve met along the way. I am not just trans. I am Liam Klenk, a complex individual, my own kind of guy, a romantic, a worrier, someone who doesn’t believe in ever giving up, who values family and close relationships, an adventurer, a traveller, a listener, kind, compassionate, tenacious, courageous, funny, humble, impatient, sometimes too stubborn, and much more…
Above all, I don’t believe people can be labelled and put in a box. We are all far more interesting than that.
#Paralian #LiamKlenk #notjusttrans #LGBT #lifejourney #memoirs #odyssey #lovingmylife #comingsoon
I spent four days in Budapest last week. It’s a beautiful old town with breath-taking historical buildings and a romantic river, meandering through the heart of the city. As I soaked in the sights and smells all around me, I found myself traveling to places I had never expected.
The steaming hot lentil stew and sausage from a humble restaurant around the corner transported me into my grandma’s living room. I remembered how I would explore the depths of an iron pot with my fork to find the hidden sausage pieces, leaving only lentils for everyone else. It seemed like yesterday when Grandma would shake her head and, with a big, exasperated smile say, “Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay”; then continue to let me fish for sausage pieces because she loved me too much to be concerned with trifles.
The rich, suddenly familiar aroma of gigantic bread loafs in Hungarian bakeries reminded me of how I had once come back from summer camp with a recipe for organic bread. I had run to my grandma and asked her to help me bake it. Grandma sacrificed a big lump of her pension money for the expensive ingredients. She then dedicated an entire afternoon to our endeavor, enduring my impatience with the baking process in Zen-like serenity. Self-absorbed, with true teenage obliviousness, I behaved horribly and shouted at her when the bread didn’t turn out the way I had expected.
Throughout my stay in Budapest, bitter-sweet memories flooded me. I watched the calmly flowing Danube River and wished I could jump on a float and be transported upstream towards a past horizon, into the arms of Grandma. One more, long hug, enveloping her like a warm, soft but firm cashmere blanket, letting her know from my adult self just how deeply grateful I was and always will be for her unconditional love.
Traveling is never just a search for new horizons. Inevitably, our sensory impressions along the way trigger memories and, while past and present merge in our minds, our sensual experiences become the true landmarks.
#Paralian #LiamKlenk #lifejourney #memoirs #notjusttrans #lifeisbeautiful #nevergiveup #love #family
Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance…
https://www.facebook.com/thefortunatenomad/
#Paralian #TDOR #LGBT #humanist #lovinglife #diversity#respectforeachother #notjusttrans #nevergiveup
If you have a moment, take a look at this list of transgender individuals who have been murdered so far in 2015.
How can this gruesome list still be so long in our day and age? I am not much of a politician, and never will be, but I hope with all my heart to be able to make a difference in the years to come. As a human being, a fellow transgender individual, and as someone who loves life and the diversity on our planet with all his heart.
#Paralian #notjusttrans #nevergiveup #goforward
Liam Klenk 