Random Life Lesson #56

yesterday, while on the way home from work, i heard (between songs on my iPod) an announcement in the subway station telling people not to stick hands or bags between the doors in an attempt to stop them. the announcer was very irate about this and stressed that there was no need to hold the train; there's always another one behind it. this reminded me of my own train door story...

a few years ago, while on the way home from AIDS Walk NY, CawfeeMate and i had planned to take the subway from Central Park, down to the Village (or possibly Chelsea) for dinner and some window shopping. Thankfully, he is one of those New Yorkers that knows where all the trains stop, start and wind up; which are locals, which run express, which have good air conditioning and the best overhead lighting. he guided us to the nearest subway entrance as a train was pulling in. being the complete opposite in every way, i have no idea which trains go where, but my golden retriever-esque brain flashed the urgent message "there's a train" and i bolted to catch it, regardless of whether or not it was "our" train.

as it turns out it wasn't and with one foot in and one foot out, CawfeeMate grabbed me by my backpack before we were separated. in an instant, the doors closed aroudn the ankle of the one foot which was in, which happened to be wearing a leather flip-flop. after several seconds, the doors opened and i was able to extricate myself from the door. sadly, now the flip flop was stuck in the door. this time, though the doors didn't open and i chased after the train and eventually retrieve it.

the entire affair couldn't have taken more than 30 seconds, but provided a lifetime of lessons, not the least important of which is that i never attempt to hold the doors on a departing train and will never wear flip-flops to the AIDS Walk ever again.

Sunday In the Park With Stephen (and Maybe Rufus)

yup, once again i'm strapping on my mandals for the annual AIDS Walk New York on May 18th. Now, i'm sure you've noticed the bright blue block on the right, which has been there for the last month or so, but consider this my formal appeal for donations.

AWNY has raised millions of dollars for the HIV/AIDS community and, through the GHMC (Gay Men's Health Crisis), has been able to provide support to other local AIDS related organizations (you can get all the specific info here) for over twenty years. it's a great event for a great cause.

i know times are tough (trust me, i know) but anything you can give is greatly appreciated; just hit up my link on the right to make an online donation.

Long Weekend: the Day After

I am so beat. It's hard to believe i could be this tired after a 3 day weekend, but here i am.

the MRI went well, though the PA who gave me the dye injection seemed to have pierced a vein. so there's a big bruise on my left arm and i look like a really clumsy heroin addict. i'll get the results when i go back to see Dr. Demonico on June 1st. after the MRI i spent quite a bit more than i should've on comic book graphic novels (dunno why, but i'm on a comic kick lately). it was totally an act of comfort through spending, since stephen and i had gotten into a bit of a row that morning.

Saturday, i had to bring the car in to get new front brakes, which meant getting up at the ass crack of dawn to be the 1st at the garage. little did i know that since the guy who owns the garage is stephen's cousin, that i'd be out in an hour (and $350 lighter). afterward, we did some wedding "chores: we checked out rings and chose tuxes for ourselves, our fathers and our groomsmen. sadly, Men' s Warehouse does not rent out top hats.

the AIDS Walk went very well, yesterday. Again, up at the ass crack of dawn to make the 7:30 ferry. i have to tell you, i had a great time. it was a totally gorgeous day out and i really felt like we made a difference (thanks to all the help from my family and friends, i collected $410). Plus, i got to see Cyndi Lauper, Whoopi Godlberg, Hal Sparks and TR Knight at the opening ceremonies. my hips are killing me, i have blisters on my feet, and shin splints but i'm glad we walked.

since we were walking 10k i didn't feel too badly about not sticking with Weight Watchers. i had my Starbucks Skim Vanilla Latte` for breakfast and a couple of 2 point bars throughout the day. All bets were off by the time dinner rolled around, so i had a nice entree at the diner and of course my late evening bowl of popcorn. i don't feel like i over ate but i won't do it again for a very long time.

all in all...it was a good weekend. expensive, but good.


“The rhythm of the weekend, with its birth, its planned gaieties, and its announced end, followed the rhythm of life and was a substitute for it.”~ F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes

Long Weekend

i won't be in tomorrow, as i have my 6 month follow-up MRI. the appointment is late in the day, so hopefully i can bum around 1st. i feel like it's been months since i played hooky.

This Sunday is the AIDS Walk, so keep your fingers crossed for some sunshine. If you feel like making a last minute contribution, click on the link, above.

have a great weekend, kids!

today's my blog's birthday!

here's an update on this past year:

1. the Wedding: everything's going smoothly; we need to find a limo company and someplace to rent the tuxes from. also, a hotel to stay at post-reception, pre-honeymoon. we're gonna start looking at invitations this weekend, and favors by August.
2. the Brain Tumor: also, status quo. i go for a 6 month follow up MRI next Friday and then to the Neurosurgeon on June 1st. if it hasn't grown since the last visit (6 months ago), then i can start checking it out once a year.
3. the Job: see yesterday's post.
4. the Weight Watchers thing: going very well. i'm down 18 lbs, which is 2 lbs away from my 10% goal and 7 lbs away from my personal goal of 180 lbs. i fit into my old suits and sportcoats again, which is awesome 'cause i have a wedding to go to tomorrow.
5. the AIDS Walk: a little more than a week away and so far i've raised about $250 (not counting my own donation) which is far less than what i had intended to raise but i've just been too damn busy to canvas for donations. i feel a little guilty, but it's the best i could do.

did i forget anything?

thank you all for continuing to read and for all of your comments, it really feels good to know that i'm not whistling in the wind.

Sweet Charity

Yup. it's that time of year again. Open your hearts and open your wallets. thanks again to all of you who donated, last year. No donation is too small.

check out the link to my donations page, on the sidebar.

These Man-dles Are Made for Walking

This weekend i am participating in the AIDS Walk New York. It's probably the 8th year that i'm walking, the tradition having started when i was in college. At the time, my best friend, Jenn, and i thought it would be a great way to meet men (i would pick up the available and socially concious single gay men and she would get the sensitive gay-friendly hetero variety). while neither of us ever left with anything more than leg cramps or a slight sunburn, we always had a good time nonetheless.
like most traditions it's lasted and has taken on new meanings with time. Jenn is now a fabulous Chemistry Teacher/Married Lady in Bordentown New Jersey and hasn't been able to make the walk the last 2 years (family stuff, etc). She's always good for a donation, though and that's what really matters (though i have to confess: i really do miss the quality Jenn-David time that AWNY afforded us...but that's another entry for another day). Stephen, being the Worlds Best Boyfriend (henceforth known as WBB) has agreed to accompany me again, despite his discomfort/dislike for walking around Central Park for 4 hours.
i, on the other hand, have stopped going there to meet guys (i realized after the 1st year that when one is huffing and sweating at 8am is no time to be thinking of love). now i go because i honestly believe in what the Walk represents. I'm walking to raise money for AIDS resarch and support organizations. I'm walking because the government still doesn't give a flying shit what happens to fags who dies of AIDS (red ribbons have fallen out of vogue, replaced by yellow). i walk because i still hear about the rumors of what happens when queers donate blood. i walk because even though 8 years ago i didn't know a single person who was HIV+, now i know several. I walk because i had more than my fair share of scary experiences, waiting for a blood test to come back; praying that despite my many indiscretions and dalliences i would walk away unscathed. since i am negative, despite the debauchary of my youth, i owe quite a tremendous karmic and cosmic debt, which i'm hoping the Walk is helping to knock off (it's not guilt i feel, it's more a sense of thankfulness). i walk because i feel so shallow at my job; i work in an industry where i truly feel like i'm putting nothing of any worth out into the world/universe/cosmos that somehow i have to make an effort to be a good person.

hopefully this sunday will be as nice as the last couple have been. i'm sure i sent you an e-mail asking for a donation, and if you were able to: Thanks :-) i really do appreciate it. if you weren't, no hard feelings (we all have our own charities that we contribute to, and i'm sure you have yours. as long as it's not the Re-Elect George W Bush campaign, i'm all for it!). if you do still want to make a donation, you can e-mail me for the info or just hit up the link (the title) above.

have a good weekend :)