It's December 31, 2020. There are only 14 hours left in this year. January 1st won't solve all our problems, but maybe it'll give some hope & pep us a bit.
The trash is out of the house. Plans are made. We've done fairly well in 2020 considering... Best wishes to everyone. Light candles, drink drinks & sing songs for those no longer with you. May 2021 be the start of something good for all of us.
Take care, be safe, be kind.
For the last time in 2020, Cya...
Last year, on December 27th, I woke after a really bad night & was very sick. It progressed until the 30th, when I went to the clinic. I was sent to the hospital for pneumonia. It was pretty awful & now we're wondering if it was COVID19. My symptoms better fit that, than pneumonia. I got myself out of there on New Year's Eve. It took forever to recover.
It's nearly the end of 2020 & I'm trying not to get ill. No more hospital trips. If what I had was even a minor case of COVID, you don't want that bug. Whatever I had was far harder on me than any pneumonia I'd dealt with before.
Let's wrap up 2020. Take care & be safe.
Cya...
BTW - It's the last trash day of the year.
Woke to the seasons' 1st seriously gloomy morning. It was overcast & threatening cold rain. We'll be cloudy all day & have precipitation chances for the remainder of the year. What a way to go out 2020. Wouldn't want anyone to have a nice day, would you? We need a little rain to meet the monthly average. Still, it'd been nice to in on a sunny day.
Take care.
Cya...
There are only 3 days left in 2020. I'm really hoping they go off without a hitch. I'd like to make it through the year without a major illness or hospital stay. I want things to wind down smoothly. That may be a pipe dream.
Orange trumpius signed the Covid relief bill finally. I found & got paywalled by an article over the Covid vaccine & safety for HIV+ people. So far, what I've read hasn't suggested any additional risks for those living with HIV.
Some people are refusing the vaccine. Of course they are. OK, hello Darwinism. Some places are considering vaccine passports requirements for entrance into their country. It wouldn't surprise me if some businesses followed suit.
Take care, may 2020 end well for you.
Cya...
Excessive advertising & paywalls have always been an issue when I've been looking at HIV articles. They've always been bad, then they got intolerable. Now, some of them are completely unavoidable & very preventative for valuable info to be disseminated to the public.
I understand these sites have bills. However, the people who could truly use the info they're reporting can't afford all these paywalls. In a single morning's search for articles, I can easily hit 3 - 5 paysites. That's a lot of articles I can't read or bring to this blog. If I'm lucky, another site will also report on the matter & not have a paywall. That doesn't always happen & it usually takes a while.
There should be sites where people can stay up to date on health issues. If not, it will only leave sites of lesser quality & credibility for health info. That's how misinformation & conspiracy theories get started.
Take care.
Cya...
There are 5 days left in 2020. 3 more & we're at my anniversaries. Mid December marked the 21st year since the last time I smoked a cigarette. My nonsmoker status is now legal & can buy booze or cigarettes. Soon my HIV status will be legal as well.
OK folks, can we try to finish out 2020 with more hell drama? It'd be nice. Take care.
Cya...
Take care.
Cya...
This is a strange holiday season. I'm normally fairly non-Christmassy compared to most people I deal with IRL or online. This year, I'm in the top 10 most sharing the most holiday cheer. Something's really off with that. I'm no Grinch or Ebeneezer, I'm usually just fairly indifferent to the matter.
If I'm posting the most, then what's the problem. It'd be bad enough if it were all about COVID. But, it's not. They're still focused on Trump, anger, hate & lies. They've let the orange Burgermeister kill of the holiday. So much for their reason for the season BS. They've replaced Santa with a hate machine.
Take care & may you find joy this holiday.
Cya...
I'm waiting for the last of the 2020 bills to arrive. Once paid, 2020 is financially concluded. We've already paid the 1st 2021 gas bill. I'm ready to leave this doomed year. 2021 may not hold any promises, but maybe it can be a start out of this mess.
I hope everyone can finish out the year as safe as possible. Happy holidays & take care.
Cya...
Today is the Solstice. Autumn has fallen & Winter is here. It's the longest night of the year. There's supposed to be a "Christmas Star" shortly after sun down tonight. Light lights, sing songs & remember those not with you as we edge back towards the light of the year.
I had to call in a script & we'll go shopping soon. The holiday will alter our normal routine. That's OK. Maybe people will get a little joy this week. They need it.
Take care, be kind, be safe & Happy Holidays.
Cya...
It seems like the articles threw in the towel. I looked for them & most had nothing to with HIV. Some in my search weren't even health related. If not about COVID, they were about the holidays. Both of those are important. Still, they shouldn't show up in a search for articles over HIV. Especially when the article is completely unrelated to HIV.
That's it for this morning. At least it's a bright day. Only 1 remaining Saturday in 2020. Here's hoping 2021 pulls its head out. Take care.
Cya...
It's almost Christmas. The year's almost over. In a little over a month we'll have a new president. There are a lot of almosts going on.
There was almost an article for me to post over this morning. It was over HPV, low CD4 counts, Gay/Bi men, anal sex & anal cancer. It was inferring sexually active Gay/Bi men with low CD4's & HPV had a greater risk of anal cancer. However, the entire piece was barely a paragraph. That's not an article. That's a blip. Maybe more will show up later. Another reason to get the HPV vaccination.
I made it through this week. But, apparently I was just delaying the stress onset. Once, the issues were over, my body let the stress hit me & it was a lot. I was anxious & exhausted. I'm getting better. Hopefully, the rest of 2020 will be issue free.
We're almost there, take care.
Cya...
It seems the car drama is over for now. I'm glad. I handled this week as well as I could. But, yesterday it got to me. Once, it looked like most of it had passed, I relaxed. That's when my nerves kicked in. I was anxious most of the evening.
Many affluent people with dependable social circles have a hard time understanding how even the smallest things can feel like mountains to others. Without the finances or support, even a small setback or issue can be very detrimental to others.
Take care.
Cya...
OK, maybe the drama llama has moved on. I tested the car this morning & it seems to be working. It started & the tire pressure read normal. I hope this settled. We've had enough of the alpaca fracas & other crappy issues.
That's about it for this morning. I need to get around. My roomie has some place to be shortly. It's a little brighter this morning, but still cold. Maybe we can finish out 2020 without more drama.
BTW, it's great the vaccinations are rolling out.
Cya...
Car drama continues. It took forever for them to get the door handle fixed. Now the battery's dead. I'm trying to jump it. So far that isn't working. Looks like it's time to call someone.
More tomorrow.
Cya...
As much as I don't want to, we have to go out in the cold later. The car needs the door handle repaired. So, it's off to the mechanics. Merry Christmas to you guys.
Last night we watched, the 10th annual Cyndi Lauper & Friends: Home for the Holidays. It was fairly good & easily streamed off of Youtube. Give it a watch. It supports True Colors United. A charity to provide housing & support for Gay & Queer young people.
Take care, be kind.
Cya...
Today is the day the Electoral votes have to be sent in to Washington. They won't be counted until January 6th. We still have 37 days until inauguration.
It snowed between 1 - 2" yesterday. It was pretty but cold. We're still under freezing. I was surprised to see the snow still here when I woke this morning.
Finally, not to be out done, the car needs a repair. The car door handle broke. We have an appointment for it tomorrow. Oh well, needs to be done.
That's all for now.
Cya...
I think there may have been a couple of interesting articles this morning. I don't know, they were behind so many paywalls & commercial bombardments I couldn't get to them. I hate it when people hide articles over health matters behind paywalls. These aren't oped's or Pulitzer pieces, they're articles concerning very real matters over people's well being.
OK, rants over. It's grey & drizzling this morning. It's going to be the coldest 24 hours we've had so far. It's not supposed to get into the 40s. So cold, dark & wet, with a possibility of snow. Yuck.
Take care. Be safe. Be kind.
Cya...
Yesterday was a dismal pit of a day. It was dark & drizzly all day. A serious does of a drear. Even with the all day spit of rain, we only got about a third of an inch.
There isn't much planned for today. Just fix some food & try to stay warm. Luckily, it's a little brighter this morning.
That's all for now, take care.
Cya...
Other than shopping & running some errands, we have nothing to do today. I'm happy about that. We're both still a little worn out from the trip to Tulsa.
It's supposed to storm today. We need rain, not storms. Winter air & heaters are already knocking my breathing around. It's part of the season. Other than watching birds & fuzzier squirrels, I don't see many high points to the dark of the year.
Take care.
Cya...
1st, this is an interesting site AIDSVu allows you look at HIV data at a national, state & sometimes local level. It's relatively current & would be helpful to anyone needing this kind of info. Give it a look.
2nd, other than some issues with the drive, my appointment went well. I was told as long as I was managing my blood pressure there was no current evidence I was at risk for another stroke. I am an established patient & if need be, I can go back. However, as it stands, yesterday was my last neuro appointment. Yay me!
That's all, take care.
Cya...
I have very little time this morning. I have to be out here shortly. I need to head up to Tulsa for an appointment. It shouldn't be difficult, but that depends on the drive. It will take a while though. We'll probably be tired after this.
Until tomorrow, take care.
Cya...
We have nothing planned for today. I have an neuro appointment in Tulsa tomorrow. That trip will probably wear me out. Hopefully, it won't be a difficult trip. If this was something they could do over telemedicine, I'd request it. It'll probably be like most my Tulsa appointments, a long drive up & back with a very brief meeting in between. With COVID, we can't do much else.
That's it for now, take care.
Cya...
Today is the end of the 1st week of December 2020. It's all coming to an end. Time is winding down in the year, until the holidays, until a new president... People are wrapping up whatever plans they have for the holidays.
2020 started off bad for me. I spent the 1st several weeks recovering from a stay in the hospital. That may very well have been COVID-19. By the time, I was feeling more myself, the world started falling apart.
This has been a horrible year & I don't blame the virus. I blame all those people who took upon themselves to aid & abet COVID-19. The protesters, ralliers, rioters, etc... All those trumpers, christians, conservatives & other denialists caused this. Their actions & refusals to be responsible turned an outbreak into firestorm.
To those who tried to protect themselves & others, I wish a tidy ending of 2020 & a happy new year. To the rest of you, why don't you just stay in 2020? You made it, enjoy.
Cya...
It's a little chilly this morning, but at least it's bright. We don't have anything planned for today. Tomorrow, will be shopping. I also need to call & confirm my appointment for neuro. I'm not a fan or "eu" words. I almost always put them in reverse. The appointment is on Wednesday. It looks as if that day should be a bit warmer & dry. I'm happy about that. This week will be busier for us than usual.
That's all for now, take care & be safe.
Cya...
We don't have any plans for today & I'm fine with that. It was sunny when I woke up. I'm running a little late, so this will be short. We may have lost our last porch cat. They come & go. Most are beyond taming, without a lot of time. We had several in the Spring, due to a neighbor who didn't take care of his cats. We were down to a black tom. I put a house out for him. I can only hope he found a better home.
I wish people would take care of their animals. I can't take in or even help all the stray cats. It's hard to have to realize that. I hate seeing strays & not being able to much about it. If you can't help a stray, at least try not to harm them.
Take care.
Cya...
There are only 3 more Fridays in 2020. There are 3 weeks until Christmas & less than that for my roomie's birthday. 27 days & the new year will be here. 47 days more & the orange tyrant will be out of the White House.
In other words, things are winding down. Yuletide is upon us & tomorrow night is Krampusnacht. Whatever you can do this safely this holiday season, I suggest you did it as big & brightly as possible. We probably all need it.
Off to finish some bills & shop. Take care.
Cya...
There are constant reports on the death tolls & cost of COVID-19. But, those numbers are far from complete. The number of deaths & the costs to lives & welfare far exceed them. Those amounts mainly reflect what was reported to be directly linked to coronavirus.
They leave out any harm caused by the impact of fighting COVID or just it's presence. Many are avoiding healthcare or being sent away due to the pandemic. So many resources are being aimed at COVID that other health issues are being brushed aside. People who need hospitalization or treatment are being sent away due to lack of resources. Many are too scared of the pandemic to seek help.
Many articles have mentioned how the presence of COVID is interfering with fight against other illnesses; TB, malaria, HIV, etc... Besides the lockdowns, there is also fear & redirected resources. These battles are being suppressed by the pandemic.
Add to that, the economic devastation & more will be injured or worse. Many people will & have found themselves incapable of providing even the most basic of needs; food, shelter, healthcare... There are many who were surviving before the crisis, that won't make it through this.
In the end, the death & damages of this pandemic will far exceed the numbers given. We may never know the amount of people whose lives were ended or damaged beyond repair due to the fall-out of this virus. If you can't be part of the solution, try not to be part of the problem.
Wear a mask, social distance & stay sanitized.
Cya...
It's very dreary this morning. It's piddling rain & overcast with heavy clouds. I doubt we'll see any sun today. I know we need the rain, we were an inch short last month. Still, I hate these grey mornings.
This is about it. I nearly forgot to post at all this morning. At least I remembered to do this much. I need to get around & eat something.
Cya...
Today is the 32nd annual World AIDS Day. Here are a couple other links, the Hiv.gov site & the World AIDS Day site. This year's theme is resilience & impact. Noting the importance of solidarity & responsibility in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Today is the 1st day of December. Besides the typical monthly stuff, there will also be a weird version of the holidays. I have an appointment next week with my neuro specialist to monitor my recovery from the stroke. I hate the idea of driving up there during all this, but it's important.
I do have some wishes for this month. I hope this election crap settles. I hope 1 or more of the COVID vaccines works & starts rolling out. I wish some people would take this health risk more serious. I'd like 2021 to get back to some level of normality. I don't need much for myself. I'd just like some stressors off of everyone, so the whole place feels less on the edge of breaking into raging chaos.
Take care, be safe. Have a good December.
Cya...
This is the last day of November 2020. It was a weird, stressful month. Most of which had nothing to with the month itself or even our goings-on.
The issues with this month were firmly in the hands of others; the election, holiday stupidity, COVID idiocy & just assholery in general. People took an already nerved out month, that was overwhelmed by an election & a pandemic, then added their own special kind of stupid to it.
I'd love to say I'm hoping for a quiter, more sedate December, but I'm not. I know that's not going to happen. I know in a few days to weeks the COVID numbers will soar even higher thanks to the holiday idiots.
To all those people out there that made the election bad theater, treated COVID like a hoax or in general just made 2020 worse, I have a wish for you. My holiday wish for you is simple. I sincerely hope there is no new year for you. You've done quite enough damage already. Just sign out already & be done with it.
Goodbye November, sorry you got hijacked by asshats. Better luck next year.
Cya...
For the next 10 days of so, the overnight temps are supposed to range from just below freezing down to the mid 20s. It's nearly December, so I guess I can't complain. I still might, but I shouldn't be surprised. I'll never be a fan of the cold, dreary months.
There was a little rain last night & that will only chill things down. The sky's overcast by the lingering clouds. I hope everyone who likes this weather is enjoying it. Someone should be, it just won't be me.
Take care.
Cya...
There's not much happening this morning. We saw our 1st Christmas special of the season last night. Starting tomorrow night & for the foreseeable forecast, the overnight temps will be under freezing. Maybe it'll at least kill off some of the bugs & grass. It's time to add more blankets.
That's about it for now. Be kind & be safe.
Cya...
Thanksgiving is here. It doesn't really feel like it, but the holiday is here & the season has officially begun. It's been a while since the holidays have felt like they were special. I don't really dread them like I used to, but still, they don't mean that much to me. I can appreciate they're special to people & for that reason I hope they go well.
No dismal reports about the weather or griping about the lack of articles. This morning the sun is shining & the trash men have come & gone. The cats are fine & for the most part we're doing OK.
Have a great Thanksgiving, be safe & kind.
Cya...
The new system is operational. It's still weird & there are things that need altering. The mouse & keyboard that came with it may not stay. They're weirdly thin & cheap. I have replacements of those if I need them. Mostly, it's a go.
We have to move a lot to the curb for trash day. It's part of the annual box-odus. We hoard boxes all year thinking we might need them. What isn't used by the holidays is sent away. In that manner is the house is in better order for the new year.
Besides watching some fat squirrels & foraging birds, that's all for me. Take care.
Cya...
The weather is getting colder. We're not frozen yet, but it's on the way. This morning was foggy again & it's supposed to rain. We need the it, but I'm sick of the wet air & drear.
There were some articles concerning HIV, but most were still too abstract to discuss here. Too many people are talking about projects in their infancy & giving people hope for things that may never be. It'd be nice if they waited until the testing phase before making research public.
That's about it for now. Luckily the orange tyrant seems to be accepting his defeat finally. It'd be nice for him to be less than a bad memory. Maybe someday.
Cya...
I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. The cold weather is back again & this time it looks like it intends to stay. It was bright for a bit when I woke, then the fog rolled in. Crappy is stealing my sunshine.
I need to get around. We have to go shopping in a bit & I still need to get cleaned up. Had to do a little impromptu closet cleaning yesterday. It was full of electronics that needed to be elsewhere.
That's about it for now. Take care & be safe.
Cya...
The numbers outside are scary. It'd be nice if people would just stop doing things to drive the COVID cases up by the 1,000's daily. Those numbers are just in my state. My stupidly, stubborn county is having 25 - 40+ new cases a day.
Erratic school practices, sports gatherings, church going, random public events & even voting have drove these numbers up. Here comes the holidays. I'm sure the cases will sky rocket. It's not like they could be safe for a year so everyone they know would have a next year. My final opinion on this is; if you're a competent adult & too stupid or belligerent to follow safety protocol then you deserve what comes your way.
That's all for now, take care.
Cya...
I didn't do anything with the new system yesterday. After not sleeping well, I didn't want to deal with anything potentially frustrating. I think all that's left is moving some files & setting up email. Then it should be done & I can swap them. I'll get there. I'm not in a hurry.
That's about it for now. Articles are still running dry. We don't have anything planned for today. It's supposed to rain or storm. We need rain, not storms. I think we're caught up.
Cya...
Nothing wants to settle. The election, COVID, weather, allergens & none of it wants to calm down or end. I didn't sleep well last night because it got so warm. I woke & when I sat up my nose began to bleed. It wasn't bad, but I was so dehydrated that it took a bit to get it to stop. By then I was awake & never really got back to sleep.
We'll go shopping in a bit. I'll probably finish the new PC tomorrow. I just don't feel like much today. Maybe, I'll feel better later. Just take it a step at a time & I'll get through this. At least, that's the plan.
Cya...
I was hoping the articles would increase. They haven't. People are focused on the election & COVID. There's talk of vaccines & lockdowns.
I'm in a hateful mood right now. All of this should've & very easily could've been handled by now, both COVID & the election. Both of which were sabotaged by the same groups; the indulgent, belligerent & idiotic. AKA the super conservatives & hyper denialists. I'm doing my best not wish bad things on people, I'm not succeeding.
Take care, be safe.
Cya...
I have next to nothing this morning. Articles were scarce & I'm still trying to set up this new PC. I hate new systems. Adding any program always take forever longer than it should. I don't want all the bells & whistles. No, I don't want to run it at this moment. Oh joy, you gave me bells & whistles to kill off. Oh, you also need to run now. Just great. I hate setting up new machines.
Take care & be safe.
Cya...
The end is nigh. At least of 2020. The countdowns are underway.
There are:
The other day I wrote about a long acting PrEP being studied in Africa. The research focused on women. Today, I found another piece about a different med being developed for the same reasons in the same region. I'm not going to talk about that piece's medical advancements. They're functionally the same as the other piece, but the article stated this.
More than half of new HIV infections globally occur in sub-Saharan Africa, with women accounting for nearly 60% of new infections in this region.
Let that sink in. 50%+ of all new HIV cases are in Africa. Of those 60% are in women. It tells us that even though this isn't male with male transmissions, it's likely being spread primarily by men. Many of these women had no choice in these sexual encounters. Others survive as sex workers. For a huge part of HIV cases, men have been the primary source of infection.
Onto progress. I'm still setting up the new system. I got sidetracked this weekend with yard stuff. But, at least it's handled. Now I can focus on the PC.
Cya...
I lived through the early AIDS years & now the COVID era & I have something to say. People are lazy, stupid & dangerous. Even if you follow every protocol you can still contract either virus. If you just can't be bothered to follow any of them you're playing Russian Roulette.
Just like people refused to use condoms, they're refusing to wear masks. Whining about comfort & their rights. I don't care if people who refuse to wear masks die. I care about all the people they may infect. If you refuse to protect yourself from COVID & then infect someone, you're responsible. If they die, you killed them. All because you didn't want to wear a mask, social distance, limit exposure, use sanitizer, etc...
A lot of people are stupidly & stubbornly dangerous. It's on you more, to protect yourself. Even in if it means telling some people to leave. Even if you don't die from COVID, you could be affected by it for a very long time or forever. Protect yourself, protect those you care about & those that can't.
Be safe, be kind, take care.
Cya...
We've handled a lot over the past couple of days. Well, at least it was a lot for us. I'm in the process of setting up the new PC. I hate this. Absolutely nothing ever goes as simply & straightforward as it should when setting up a new system.
I was stressed & tired, but still up late for me. I'm spent this morning. I'll wait until later to do more on the new PC. We might be getting yard work done today. If not, I'll probably have to handle it.
That's about it for now, take care.
Cya...
I bought the new PC yesterday. What happened to computer prices? I've never paid over 500 for any PC. I can usually shop, look at open boxed items, refurbs or something & get a good price. The last system I bought was for my roomie & it was good for the time, only cost in the 400 range.
My system is 7 years old & came with 4GB ram. It did what I needed. I thought in that long & with all the newer programs 16 would be the new base. I was wrong. That put me into gaming PC's at Best Buy. I finally found an open box 12GB Dell that was still 890 something. Tacking on an open box, on-sale monitor & tax left the total was well past the 1000 mark. If I hadn't found the sales & open-boxed items, it'd been several hundred more.
Yet another strike COVID has had at the economy. I expected the prices to go up. But I hadn't factored in enough the level of demand driving the prices. A year ago, maybe a year from now, this PC would've been considerably cheaper. But, with everyone working from home or doing classes, computers are in the biggest demand ever.
Oh well, that's handled. Now to start the cross over. Take care.
Cya...
PS - Labs didn't happen. They had the wrong tests & I'm not going back with these COVID numbers.
In a hurry this morning. I need to go have labs done. Pay a water bill. Then I need to see about getting a new computer. At some point, I get to eat & take my other meds.
Hopefully, the water department will be open. I'm really hoping this computer buy goes well. I'm amazing at buyer's remorse. I need some things to go well for a bit. Too much has been in red column lately.
That's about it, take care.
Cya...
