Yard Work...

Not much going on today other than some yard work.  Which is mostly done.  I think it's actually done, but the moment I say that, something else will need tending to.   I meant to spend about 15 minutes out there & wound up spending 45.  That could prove to be a mistake, hopefully not.  I try not to push it any more when I do things like this, but sometimes I just get caught up in what I'm doing & push on.  I'm really hoping I didn't push it too far.  I don't think so.

That's one problem with being +,  I never know exactly how much energy I'm going to have in a day.  I have to be careful not to over exert & knock myself out of commission for days.   Unfortunately, that's a lot easier to do than I'd like.  The rest of my day will be devoted to getting small things done & food together.  Hope you all had great weekend.

Cya...

Disease Free...

A lot of hookup sites have people who pitch themselves as disease-free.  According to this article, they may have to start proving it.  According to some clinical studies, people who were interested in the at home HIV tests, were interested in using them on would-be sex partners, as well as themselves.

I can imagine the shock if someone got a partner home & said OK I'll need about 30 minutes for you to take the test & the results to show.   Getting ready to hop into bed with someone is not the place you want to find out that you're +.   I get wanting to use every available means to be safe, but this is dubious.  

Any test can screw up.  What if the person you brought home does turn out to be +?  What if you do turn out to be + & your would be tryst partner is a blabber mouth?   So, if the test says the person is negative will you still use a condom?  Or will you risk the possibility the test was wrong or the person has another STD?

I don't support at-home testing for reasons I've already detailed in this blog.  I really detest the idea of would be F-buddies suddenly becoming lab techs.  This is just inappropriate.  I'm sure a lot of people will see it as being just fine & a literal godsend, but I see as a potential disaster in the making.    I haven't supported OraQuick for personal use & I won't support it for this.

Cya...

Yesterday's Goof...

Yesterday I blogged about my 1st yard work of the season.  It didn't go well.  I had shaky arms for an hour afterwards.  The goof here was that it was my own doing.  It wasn't just that I did the yard work, but that I did it without the right gloves.  

I had on my typical gardening gloves.  Normally, those are enough for doing things in the yard, but not weed-eating.  I have a pair of shock absorbing gloves that I should've wore & didn't even think about them until this morning.  I did more yard work & weed-eating today with the right gloves & have very little shaking in my hands.  

The point is that my shaky arms were my own fault.  I should've remembered I needed the other gloves.  I failed to employ a basic work philosophy, "The right tool for the right job."  The gloves I wore yesterday were not the right ones & I paid for it.    If I had stopped & thought about it a little more, maybe I might've used the right gloves.  

Today, I took my time & remembered the right gloves.  I did the work & I am sitting here with no shakes or aches.   A lot of what happens to us in our lives boils down to bad choices we made.  We get in a rush.  We don't stop to think the matter through.  In the end a lot of the unwanted in our lives is their because of our own doing.

Cya...

Shaky Arms...

Did my 1st bit of yard work of the Fall.  Not much, thankfully the rechargeable battery on the weed eater doesn't last long.  I know that sounds counter productive & for most people it probably is.  However, after doing very little work I'm happy it's over.

1. I ran the weed eater over an overgrown patch of mint
2. I edged part of the drive
3. I trimmed a few unruly limbs from bushes
4. I sprayed weed killer along the drive
5. I gleefully poisoned a large fire ant mound
6. I replaced the tools & other things

After what amounted to about 20 - 30 minutes of work, my hands are weak & arms are shaking.  I get this every time I use power yard tools. It goes away in a bit, but it's always weird when it happens & I have to be careful how I hold things.  It isn't making typing all that much fun either.  So that's my day so far & this post has to come to an end.  

Cya...

Consent...

In the USA, for the most part you have to give your consent to be tested for HIV.  There are a host of reasons why from privacy & to being in the right place to handle a possible + diagnosis.  There are steps to be performed before being tested for HIV.

This article goes into account of a woman that was tested without her consent under the guise of another medical test.  I support much more aggressive testing.  But, this not only ruined her trust in her physician, it also broke the law.  

This woman had been asked for permission to perform the test before & had denied it.  Later she was covertly tested.  She was informed she was + without any preparation or support.  This doctor & all those  knowingly involved should be prosecuted & lose their licenses.  

This woman was already physically unhealthy & stressed.  Then out of the blue this jack ass nonchalantly informs her, "Oh BTW you're +."  I'm sure it didn't go exactly like that, but it might as well have for all the negative impact it had on the woman.

She's suing the doctor.  I hope she wins & this arrogant ass of a physician is duly punished.   A person should be made aware of any & all tests to be performed on them, end of statement.

Cya...

September Exercise Woes...

It seems I'm still paying dues for exercise I did last month.  1st, I got sidetracked by a foot issue.  Which led to me overcompensating & making the other foot sore.  When, that healed up, my allergies kicked in hard, making it hard to breath while I was doing my steps.  But I got back into it.  It seems somewhere down the line, my lunges, reverse ones or something else strained an abdominal muscle.  It's fine most the time.  But if I lean this way & reach with my arm another, then wow, that hurts.  It's better today, but it's hard to exercise & not stimulate your abs.  Maybe tomorrow will be better & I can get back into the swing of things again.  

Cya...

PS:  Sneezes & ab issues are not a good combination.

Cya September...

The door's closed on September 2012 & October is here.  It wasn't a bad month, a bit warmer than I would've liked, but other than that it was OK.  Now, here we are in October, the year is winding down.  Fall is here & the biggest kid holiday is drawing closer.  I din't have a lot of plans for September.  I was just riding out the rest of Summer.  My roomie is being industrious & making some plans for the upcoming month.  I'm not sure if I will or not.  I want to keep up my exercise & watch what I eat a bit better, but other than that, I haven't got anything planned yet.  I do need to get a flu shot sometime soon.  Here's hoping every one has a god October.

Cya...