I had the horrific thought last night that my Octoberfeast series might be short-lived, like the first victim in the horror movie that says, "We'll cover more ground if we split up." In keeping with my overall, in-house wellness policy of leaning into fear as opposed...
Diagnosed at age 11, I've lived many of my days with HIV... At 49 I am thankful for the advancements in HIV treatment that have allowed me to far outlive my prognosis. I wear my AIDS Memorial t-shirt to let the spirits know- and their loved ones- that they are not...
My dream as a musician is to, someday, be a one-hit wonder. I'm on a bit of a hiatus on the local music scene right now because, well, all of that shit is too exhausting. The brand-enhancing and public-facing escapism required to cloak what is a very vulnerable craft...
Another National HIV/AIDS Aging Awareness Day (September 18, officially) is here and, alas, I am one year closer to age 50. These days my overall health is on the front burner in a way that it hasn’t been since I started on HIV medications at age 23. It’s not that my...
For a long time one of my biggest fears about living with HIV has been the effects on the brain. Several years ago I leaned into that, which unexpectedly led to a diagnosis of ADHD after some testing. It's understandable how something like Attention Deficit Disorder...
With school starting up again, I decided to take the opportunity to discuss one of the biggest hurdles for people living with HIV: disclosure. For many years, I never thought I'd even openly discuss HIV. I'm thankful that, when I was ready, I was in a safe space to do...
There are a lot of factors as to why I'm able to live the life I am today. Part of being a longterm survivor, for me, is gratitude and understanding of the safety nets I had (supportive family, safe roof over my head, etc) growing up. I was fortunate that, by the time...
I have had very active blogging fingers. The last year certainly gave me a lot to write about. Most significantly, the passing of my mom... and her messages to me from beyond the grave (which I'm still, and will always be, receiving). I also gave some flowers to one...
Mark S. King caught up with Tez Anderson, founder of Let’s Kick ASS (AIDS Survival Syndrome), at the International AIDS Conference in Montreal and it’s a conversation worth reading. Any longterm survivor can relate to the wear and tear of HIV and the side effects that...
A lot of times when people delay getting tested for HIV and STDs, it is because of the stigma. Or simply not wanting to know the actual answer to a question that your brain cannot seem to turn off. But the reasons for knowing your status should trump your fears,...