This will be short. We're expecting the plumber this afternoon. I have no idea when exactly, so I don't want to be busy with anything when he gets here. The problem hasn't gotten bad yet, but it will if we wait. Knowing our luck, it'll happen on Friday at midnight, leaving us with no toilet for the weekend. Oh, that sounds fun. Until tomorrow.
Alright, allergies are bad enough, but recently there's been another culprit. We live half a mile from where our town burns it's brush & whatever else there is to burn. Its been going on for a few day now.
The night before last, I kept smelling smoke & hoping the house was not on fire. It was so intense, that I couldn't smell anything yesterday & my sinuses were hellish. Last night, right before bedtime, I got a fairly serious nose bleed. I finally dealt with it & went to bed. This morning, a sneeze revived it. It took forever to stop it.
Ragweed & grass pollen are bad enough. Did we really have to add the smoke from burning whatever? My head still isn't happy. My roomie's fairing no better.
I think this is it for now. My roomie has a doctor's appointment this afternoon. Hopefully, all goes well.
My book is getting thinner. Life keeps ripping chapters out of it. I have the memories, but Memorex just isn't the same. Every so often I hear on the news or read on the net of some person I grew up watching on TV or listening to on the radio has passed & left this world a little dimmer. I know that's the way of life, but it really sucks.
I occasionally google places I use to live & use the map feature to play voyeur. I really should stop. Most of the time, the nostalgia I endure isn't for things still standing, but things long gone or faded past the point of recognition. The fantastic theatre I went to as a kid no longer plays films, it's just a sporadically used playhouse. My burger joints, skating rink & even the creek I played in as a child are long gone. It's like they erased a part of my life.
Why so weird today? Today was the birthday of person that used to be close to me during my early college years. We went our seperate ways during our grad school & never really came back together. I google & facebook people I used to know as well as places.
Some, I've never found. Maybe they've changed their names or don't want to be on the net. Other s are living their new lives wherever they are now. My motivation for the searches was curiosity not hopes of reunification. Those boats have long since sailed. These people & I share memories & there's really nothing more awkward then trying to talk to someone you used to know, when both of you have moved on with your lives. Reminiscing get's old fast.
The friend I spoke of earlier, she was born on September 28, 1966. She was someone, I reconnected with a couple times over the phone during the late 90's & early 2000's. But, it was obvious, the calls were just uncomfortable & bordering on unpleasant. We were strangers with no reason to talk any more. So, the calls stopped, I recently found out, she passed. It was back in 2004. Almost a decade before I found out. She lived less than an hour away & I didn't her anything. I'm not sure what I felt about that, it was just a hollow weirdness.
Since, my 20's, I've known a lot of people who have passed that were in my crowd of people. Some from HIV, others not. I guess I should say it brought about a lot of sadness to my life, but not really. It was just strange, like someone altered a picture on the wall & made part of it fade away. As I get older, some things are harder to feel, like the intense feelings you have as a teen or 20 something. Maybe that's a good thing.
I losing chapters, places & people in my life. I know I can't replace them. I'm not even sure at this point if I can write new 1's. Maybe... I'll leave you with a videos of how I feel this day. You probably know the song. Listen to the lyrics.
Cya...
PS: Happy Birthday Donella, I'm sure you would've rocked your late 40's...
I was doing better this morning. My allergies & stomach issues had settled quite a bit. That was earlier. Just before 11:00, the lawn guy came & ruined my morning.
I wasn't expecting him this soon or early. He never mows before early evening. The mower had an extremely loud, death-rattle.
He stirred up every allergen in the yard & provided enough noise to resurrect any dead 1's. My head is pounding. My sinuses are congested & my eyes are slightly stinging. I'm not a fan of nature at this moment. I hate grass!
We've been very humid here & there was some stress last night over plumbing. I think the plumbing issue is handled for now. This morning I woke up very tired & dehydrated. I'm still not feeling all that great.
We had to go shopping. I got through with that, but now I'm pretty much spent. I've not been feeling that well the last few days & last night just capped it off.
The change in the seasons is not being easy on me this time. The light levels & amount of humidity are getting to me. Hopefully, I'll adjust soon.
The trash is gone & the weather is fairly pleasant. There isn't much going on. We're adjusting back to the Fall level of TV availability. There's so much more to try to keep up with during the Autumn.
This morning's been about laundry. Getting some done & a boat load of towels actually folded & put away. Other than that we've been pretty quiet here.
That's about it for now. I'm just sitting here watching sparrows jumping in the bushes tweeting their annoyance at a very red cardinal. He really thinks he's all that.
Last week we hauled brush to the curb & now all that is gone. The yard looks more manicured, except now it needs mowing again. Hopefully this mowing crap will end soon. We didn't used to have to mow passed late July. All the grass had died off already. Now, it's still green, wet & growing. I hate grass.
The trash is out for the week. We're wrapping up the month. All the bills are paid. There's just a doctor's appointment for my roomie lingering. Past that, we're set until October.
It's chilly again. The mornings are a bit too brisk for my sake. Socks have found their way back on to my feet to ward off the nippy weather.
This is Fall. We're just waiting for the leaves to start changing. I'm hoping for a lengthy Autumn & not another fleeting glimpse at it like last year. Until next year Summer. I hope Fall brings everyone good tidings.
I've found 2 articles today citing how the new epicenter of HIV in the USA is in the southern states. I guess for some of you that's news. It's not surprising. These are primarily good ole boy, conservative, religious pits of hell.
This is a land where the mnetality concerning HIV go something like this. No one talks about things like HIV. No good person has HIV. If someone is + then they probably deserve it. No one should help these people, they should be shunned.
The southern US is a cultural pit. Before all the screaming starts, I consider my neck of the woods in the South. So, I'm including my own area.
The first of these articles discusses the South as an epicenter of HIV. The next article details the top 15 cities in the US for HIV rates. Among the top 15 only 3 aren't in the South. Most are in the far South.
This isn't big news for people in my area, at least not those already dealing with HIV. It might be for other folks though. New York & San Francisco are no longer the kings of HIV in the US.
Had an emergency clean up to handle in the house today. It's handled & hopefully it won't have to be repeated. In the process, I cut the inside of my hand a bit. Not bad, but cuts on hands never like to stop bleeding. It's also a struggle to keep a bandage on your palm.
This will be short, I can't type well & keep the cut covered. The bandage is bunching & making it difficult to type at all. A little while longer & the cut should be closed well enough not to worry about it.
Besides cleaning, this morning we went shopping & by the mailbox place. We're so exciting. I'll get back tomorrow.
Autumn is virtually here, my body has accepted this for about a week now. I'm not a fan of the onset of shorter days, actually I hate it. I like it being light until almost 9 & having the sun risen when I get up. I disdain getting up when it's still dark out. Such as the time known as Autumn. At least until the time change & we get our hour back, but that's not until early November.
These changes have impact on me. Besides the allergies I've talked about often, I get get anxious this time of year. It's not about anything in particular. I generally assume it's going to concern finances, but usually it's just some cloud of tension & worry over me. It's something I face as the sun sets earlier & earlier.
Past this, as this season progresses, my blood pressure worsens. It notably rises from the lower Summer numbers. I sleep odd this time of year. It's a combination of too deeply & not enough. I have a very hard time getting out of bed once Fall gets under way. I have an even harder time getting fully awake.
All these things, the mood, the allergies, the blood pressure, the sleep are all things people go through with the changes in seasons. Some doctors downplay this matter, but IMO, they're wrong. The change of seasons impacts everything in the world, why wouldn't it cause changes in our bodies as well? The best advice I can give you on this is simply to be aware that its happening & try to adjust accordingly.
What's this got to do with HIV? Everything, that's what. HIV impacts your overall health & your overall health in turn impacts your HIV. Talk about a vicious circle. Being aware of & treating your HIV helps your total health. Taking care of your other health concerns, improves your HIV treatment. Its as direct as that.
Yesterday was tiring & frustrating. Our internet was gone most of the day. Thanks Suddenlink. On top of that, my roomie is going through 1 of my problems, an issue with getting her meds. Seems her doctor took some personal time & failed to call in anybody's scripts. Now the physician is having to play catch up, how responsible....
We went out to, hoping to alleviate some stress. We had a good meal. Then we faced a crappy drive home. There was little chance of avoiding stress yesterday.
I'm a little tired from yesterday. My allergies aren't helping any. I wish utter hell on those people who made yesterday hell on my roomie & me. Yeah, I'm back to cursing.
My net has been crappy for the last few days & it was out for over 8 hours today. It's still sketchy at best. Sorry, for no post, but I can barely get this out. Thank you Suddenlink for your typical F'ery. I'll be so glad when you guys lose your contract in our area, then maybe we can get a decent internet company.
Pretty much forgot about posting today until it was almost time for me to go pick up my roomie in Ft. Smith. Sorry about that. I'll get back to this tomorrow. For now, we're still recovering from all the brush cutting/moving we did. My sinuses hate me. Still, I needed the exercise.
We finished the pruning yesterday & hauled the brush to the curb this morning. We're tired & sore. Neither of us is used to this kind of work. As if we needed something to add to our woes, there were more fire ants, of course. Normally, I can avoid the little asshats, but both of us got bit/stung this morning, a lot. At this moment in time, nature is not my friend, it is the enemy. It made those bushes grow, so that they needed whacking. It produced those horrid little ants that were intent on attacking everything in sight. I'll get over it, but for right now, Nature, consider yourself unfriended.
It began yesterday & continues on today, possibly into tomorrow. Its time to whack some bushes. I'm not talking about some Facebook game either. I'm referring to the act of rather aggressive pruning.
The bushes in the yard get cut back once a year. Most of them get it in the Fall. My winter berry bushes get handled in the early Spring. There are crepe myrtles & rose or sharon bushes. Then on to the shaggy yellow flowering bush, the snowball bushes & the smelly lilac.
I'll be getting my exercise from this for a couple of days. I wish it wasn't some humid. All the rain has brought back the fire ants. I've been poisoning them all morning, nasty things.
I can't do too much at a time. My energy levels just won't allow it. Not to mention, I'd overheat & be done with for a few days. Have to be smart when i'm trying to handle this level of exertion.
It's drizzly overcast morning here. Nothing much going on. We went shopping & it's been a bit of a lull since. This weird weather is taking a toll on us. Up & down & sort of raining. There's lots of allergens for everyone.
I checked the articles & all I found were things I'd posted about a lot recently. Summer's winding down, just a few more days. Yes, we're in Summer still & we've been in the 50's F already. This Fall & Winter are going to be cold. Isn't that just wonderful...
Hopefully, the lawn guy will mow soon. The yard is getting high & the bushes need trimming. Bush whacking, that's out big Autumn goal. Aren't we just exciting...
Its a nice Sunday here. The weather has warmed up a bit & the doors are open again. The allergens are still high, but we can't have it all, can we? My roomie & I are just enjoying a non-stressful, do nothing much weekend. Its just us, the cats, some TV & the net.
The lawn guy will be here in a day or so. Once the lawn's mowed, we can get to pruning some bushes back & having the mess hauled off. Then the yard will be pretty much set for Winter.
As I said, not much going on here. So, I'll let this end for now.
A few days ago I was sweating in the upper 90's. Last night I was making sure all the fans were off & windows closed because it dipped down into the 50's. It shouldn't drop 40+ degrees in a few days. I want a real Fall. Not some overly cold, abrupt switch from Summer to Winter.
The impact of the change has left me stiff & achy. My allergies are on high, with a lot of sneezes & watery eyes. The cats can't figure out if they feel frisky or just cold.
Yes, I'm taking about the weather again in stead of articles. That's because when I looked up articles today all those I saw were written about people knowingly transmitting HIV to others. In 1 case, it was a kid molested by a teacher. Mind you, these articles were about people I hadn't read about when I talked about this a few days ago. I really don't want to dwell on this. For 1 thing, I don't have a shotgun & for another it seems to be against the law to just shoot these monsters.
2 days ago, our high for the day was in the upper 90's F, with an overnight low in the mid 70's, Today, we between 3 & 4 inches of rain, depending on which site you look at. We've already passed our monthly rain averages. We need the rain, but if this keeps up, we'll have flooding.
We're supposed to get back up into the 80's in the next few days. I hope so. I want an actual Autumn; not Summer, wetness, then Winter. It was nicer sleeping weather though. Most of the fans are off. That means a lot less noise & lower electric bills. I'm hoping we can make until around Thanksgiving again before having to turn on the heaters. We didn't make it that long last year & our average bill for gas went up quite a bit.
It seems every time I scan the articles regarding HIV, I come across more reports of people who know they're + continuing to engage in unprotected sex. This invariably leads to more people being infected with the virus. This is just ridiculous.
I'm not letting the partners completely off the hook. They should've insisted upon safer sex methods & didn't. Part of the responsibility for their situation is theirs.
Still, if a person who knows they're + goes out & engages in behavior that will lead to the infection of others, then they are guilty. They should be prosecuted. They should be put down. They're either maliciously spreading the virus, negligently indifferent to the welfare of others or mentally incapable of understanding their actions. In any case, they shouldn't be roaming the streets. They're either sadist, sociopaths or little more than zombies spreading their illness.
I know next week when I read articles over HIV, I'll find more concerning this topic. Something serious has to be done. If they won't or can't control themselves, these people have to handled in some other more direct manner.
It got really hot again yesterday. My body isn't used to that level of heat & humidity. Normally, I have a whole season to get used to these temps. This Summer it's been up & down the entire time.
Yesterday, goti nto the upper 90's with high humidity. After I cooked dinner, I felt like crap. Many HIV meds, like mine, react to heat,. It feels like being trapped in a sauna. There's nausea & headache. It took hours for it to subside.
I'm feeling a better now, but the weather is supposed to be a repeat of yesterday, Different plans are being made for dinner tonight. I can't take round 2 of that mess.
Just another fun part of having HIV & being on the meds. You never entirely know what's going to send you into a health tizzy. Real fun.
The 1st of the month brings a lot running around. There are bills to pay & errands to run. After today, there are only 2 more & 1 of those gets sent in the mail. So, we're mostly done with this part of the month.
I'm not sure what's hitting us, but both my roomie & I are dealing with some sporadic digestion issues. This isn't fun as thing are trying to heat back 1 last time. I'm pretty sure it's all the weather shifting & allergies. Still, I'm tired of spending so much time in the bathroom.
There wasn't much in the articles I scanned earlier. Just a lot of the same old. So, everyone have a good day.
Cya...
PS.: I was right about our trip being a bust yesterday. No one had what we were looking for. Turns out there was a recall on the product. Wish I'd known that before going over there.
Again, we're off to Ft. Smith to get something our Walmart doesn't have in. I have no idea how long this will take. I'm betting it'll be a bust. These trips usually are when it has anything to do with Walmart. I don't understand why they can't carry there damn products.
It's still cool here, that's the good thing. The bad thing is that my body really doesn't like drastic changes in temperature. Friday afternoon, in a matter of 4 or so hours, we rose then dropped back down over 10 degrees. That knocked my system for a loop.
Yesterday was still low, but the allergens were in full swing & my head was not in it all. I crashed fairly early last night. I was still tired when I woke up this morning & my stomach was in a foul mood. I don't like the days when the bathroom is your friend.
Hopefully, the weather & allergens will stabilize soon. My head & stomach could really use a break. Still the cooler temps are nice.
It's a little humid today, but after yesterday, today is so much more pleasant. It jumped into the high 90's F here. So far, we're in the low 80's. According to the 10 day forecast we only have 1 more day in the 90's. There were even a couple in the high 70's.
It's not Fall yet, but the weather seems to be settling in already. I guess I'll be trimming bushes earlier than I thought this year. Soon the leaves will be changing & that's always nice to see. The green leaves are beautiful during the early Spring, but the mature season wears reds & golds.
The kids are back in school. The birds are putting on weight. Walmart has had Halloween candy up for a week. K-Mart is already doing Christmas layaway commercials. The equinox may not be until the 23rd, but Fall, it's pretty much here.
Today is the 1st Friday of my new year & of the month. We've gotten most of the bills paid. It's going to be hot again today. According to the forecasts, this is supposed to be our last venture into the upper 90's F for the year.
I used to love Fall, but now, mainly for Halloween, it's not the same. It's too hot. I don't have any of the rituals I did when I was younger. There is no back to school or anything new that comes with Autumn. No, I go from my usually non-event birthday into holiday season which I still don't like, even though I'm doing better with it.
I've never been 1 to look at things the same way as others. I'm not trying to put on airs or be all hipsterish. It's just if you grew up the way I did, many things never had the same meaning as it did for others. Holidays & special days were just another chance for my parents to spectacularly explode at me, themselves, the world, who knew what to expect? Holidays weren't cheerful, they were stressful.
My roomie & I have our own holiday rituals, but I know others would try to diminish them because they aren't like everyone else's. Screw them. My Winter holiday rituals are watching holiday cartoon specials & singing along with them. I look for cheap candy after after the big day. I do my best to avoid the big lines & well-wishers. I also do my best not to Bah Humbug anyone else's choices.
Fortunately or not, there are a lot of people like me. Those people who have to make up their own rituals, their own specials days. If you're 1 of those people, have a great whatever it is you're celebrating & a very happy Unbirthday to you as well. If you aren't 1 of us, making it up as you go by, if you can't join in our party, then just leave us the hell alone. Have a great whatever this day is to you & may it bring you whatever it is you need.
I'm not sure if its the weather, allergies or what, but I feel fairly crappy today. The pressure in my head isn't letting up at all. My body is stiff. It's very hard to focus right now. I think I'm just going to look a little bit of stuff & then lay down for a while. Hopefully, I'll feel better tomorrow. At least we got some errands ran this morning.
Wednesdays are normally a bit busy for me. They just lay out that way. This particular day, is also the 1st day of the month I can go out & pay some bills. On top of everything else I have to to do, like trash, I have to run several annoying errands. 1 of which will involve going to Walmart. That's bound to be extra crispy annoying at the beginning of the month. Well, I've got to to get a move on,
For the past several weeks I've seen numerous articles about people purposely infecting others with HIV; boyfriends, girlfirends, hook-ups, etc.... It doesn't matter who you are or why you doing it, no one has the right to purposely infect another with HIV. It's that simple.
If it can be proven this has occurred, the offender should be put down like a rabid dog. The offender has effectively ended the life of the other person as it was. The victim is no longer the HIV - person they were before. That life is over. Now they're + & it's a who new world, mostly not good.
Anyone willing to condemn another person to a life of being HIV +, has no rights as far as I'm concerned. In many parts of the world this is still an act of murder for all practicality. While it is everyone's responsibility to be as safe as possible, its also the other person's responsibility to be honest about any danger they may represent.
I know that may be expecting too much. But if you knowingly & willingly infect someone else, you are a monster. At least a rabid animal doesn't know any better. If a dog can be put down for transmitting a disease or even just for biting a person, then a human who knowingly passes on HIV should be treated no better.
Today is the 1st of September, I've turned 48. I don't have any plans for today. All the movies I'd like to see, I have. I really don't want to drive over to Ft. Smith. That's trying enough on a good day, let alone Labor Day (US) Weekend.
Maybe something will hit the theater later. According to ComingSoon.net, I shouldn't be expecting anything decent to come close to my area until October at the soonest. Fun times here.
Oh well, that's my birthday plans. I'll make chili later. Hello September, try not to suck.
