June was a very light month. . .not much action on the list.

15. Read at least 10 books I haven't read before. (6/10)

Finished The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon on 06/02/2009.

17. Take 5000 pictures. (460/5000)

Technically more pictures have been taken but I only really count them when I've processed and uploaded them to my Flickr account, so only 14 made this qualification in the last month.

As always pictures can be viewed HERE.

75. Try to keep T-Cell counts high and viral load counts low.

As of April 6, 2009, CD4 is 871 and viral load is undetectable. I know that the numbers can always change, but for right now I will consider this one completed.

I really HATE NBC coverage of Wimbledon. All the matches they are showing have been played already so I know the winners from earlier LIVE broadcast on ESPN. And because NBC is contract to broadcast Round of 16 during this time I'm missing LIVE matches that could be broadcast on ESPN at this time. *grumbles*

Got a hold of my April test results today. And let me tell you they are music to my ears. CD4 is at 871, and viral load is the most magical word in the world. . .UNDETECTABLE!!! Let's just say that's made my day, and my month.

I just got read by a Drag Queen. Via a Facebook message no less. I found it so amusing that I am posting it here along with my response. I realize my response might anger some on my friends' list and I will expound upon that at the end.

From the NYC Drag Queen ---> "You agree with Mutchnick's remarks? Well with that faggoty scarf you embarrass the gay community far more than any drag queens!"

My Response ---> "First off, it's a Dr. Who scarf, so that would make me a gay geek. If that makes me an embarrassment, oh well. Secondly, I don't necessarily agree with all of Mutchnick's remarks, but I agree with the sentiments behind the remarks. Pride no longer really represents it roots. It's no longer is an event that commemorates our history, our efforts to be free and prideful in who we are. Pride, like Mardi Gras, has become just another reason to be drunk in public and make asses of ourselves. I can say this because I have participated in Pride events, I have helped organize Pride, ridden on floats WITH drag queens, and year after year, it is more drunken debauchery, public sex, and drugs as with any circuit party. It is not the drag queens that embarrass the community, it is what Pride has become that embarrasses the community.

Even with all that, I would give anything for some sort of gay community to be a part of right now. Currently I live in the ass-crack of South Carolina with no community to speak of. I live openly even with the daily threat of lynching. This openness has led to losing jobs and currently being unemployed and being able to do nothing about it because there are NO protections in employment discrimination. I live with HIV and Rheumatoid Arthritis, in where what little immune system I have wants to attack my own joints. I knit that "faggoty scarf" myself and it took me over a YEAR to do so because of the arthritis, so it is something that I am PROUD of. You have the advantage of living in a gay mecca such as NYC, I do not.

And just so you know, drag queens have been some of my greatest friends. I have sewn dresses for them, repaired items, helped them choreograph numbers, and hell even have slept with some. So don't think for a moment I am going to let myself be read by one such as yourself.

Now with that out of the way, we are both intelligent individuals and I'm sure we can find some common ground, even if it is the common ground that we both disagree."

This of course is the scarf in question.


Addendum on Response: Now before you respond, my response comes from my own personal experience with Pride. I do know that not ALL Pride events are glorified circuit parties. There are some very good Prides out there I'm sure that still try to celebrate our history. These Prides I would love to experience and be a part of, but I also know that is something I can't ever afford to do. The Prides I've experienced have spend a majority of funds collected on alcohol and parties than actually celebrating Pride or donating to worthy causes including their own organization, and they wonder why they can't pay their bills to keep the organization running afterward. I also freely admit that most of my disgust on this issue comes from a form of self-hatred, which I deal with on a daily basis. I also admit that I have had some negative personal experiences with alcohol itself, one of the biggest being something I have to live with every day now for the rest of my life. I know that sometimes this shouldn't affect what I think about things, but it does. I will understand if some of you finally decide to defriend me after this entry. It will hurt, because the few friends I have, even those I have found online via Livejournal are important to me, but I will ultimately understand that we just don't view things in the same light, especially when it comes to alcohol.

Per fullmetal_puck & jj79

1. Anyone who looks at this entry has to post this meme and their current wallpaper.
2. Explain in five sentences why you're using that wallpaper!
3. Don't change your wallpaper before doing this! The point is to see what you had on!

1. This of course is one of my pictures that I have taken myself.
   
2. It's one of the better pictures I've taken.
   
3. This is an eeringly beautiful church ruins near where I live in SC.
   
4. I regularly use my own photography as wallpaper.
   
5. My last wallpaper I had accidentally removed onto a SD for storage and of course had to replace it.

Here I am watching the Tony's again and I just realized how out of it I've been this week because I didn't do my prediction polls for the acting categories like I did last year. How did the Tony's come upon me so suddenly this year? Where has the week, hell where has the year gone? How could I have been so out of it, and not even realize?

May was a busy month.

( Progress )

Snagged from d2leddy and fullmetal_puck

1. Comment with anything that you want to see of my real life.
2. I will post photographs of the requested items/people/places.

(And just so you know, I will veto any requests for nude pictures. Sorry, but right now just don't feel up to those.)

I can't believe what I just did. KnitPicks.com is having a sale on their wooden Harmony needles. I bought a whole set of 10" needles from 4 to 11, with a case, for just $50.00 (well $49.99). And because there is free shipping for orders over $50.00 I ordered some yarn too. I feel so naughty, but deliciously so. *giggles mischievously*

Today is my 2 year sero-anniversary. Basically two years ago today I was sitting in a hospital bed after having knee surgery for a staph infection and was told that I am HIV+. It was shortly after that time that I was determined to celebrated my life every year around my birthday because these two dates were so close together. For two years now I have kept this promise to myself. Still though I sit, pause, and wonder how things could have been different. Sometimes I just beat myself up for being so stupid. Most times I'm just scared that with no health insurance, health care won't always be there for me, especially in this economy. I just have so many things going through my head right now. . .and just don't really have anyone to sit down and actually talk to about it all.

1991-2009


I got Molly as a kitten when I was a junior in high school. She spend her last couple of years with my uncle in Kissimmee. She has recently passed away at the tender age of 18. May she be remembered fondly by all that knew her.

I'm home now. Not much to report for today. Just a lot of driving. As for driving I'm not going to do any of it if at all possible for the next couple of days. Blergh!