The Calm Before the Storm

by | Nov 27, 2006 | Blog, HIV/AIDS

The good news of Thanksgiving has settled in and, like with any other potential tragedy averted, it’s back to life as usual. Which, for me, entails a lot of travel during the taint between Thanksgiving and Christmas, where World AIDS Day falls.

Before I totally leave Thankgiving in the dust, I gotta write that this was a good one. We went with my family to a Japanese steakhouse, because Mom insisted that, given her recent worries, that no one stress over cooking and the ritualistic barbarism that are our cultural holiday traditions.
Then our Japanese-American friend, Riki, did a traditional Thanksgiving at his place, which he invited Gwenn and I to. She’s a vegetarian, and he was very worried about her not eating turkey, even though King Kong Bundy could have lived for half a year off of the sides provided. Riki, in his defense, was just sliding into that zone that my mother wanted to avoid.
My prediction in regard to the mashed potatoes and white wine held true. And all in all, I guess you could say it was A Very Japanese Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown.
Now I’m getting ready to leave home for about 10 days, off to speak with Gwenn at various places about our Very AIDS Love Story. Loading some Morrissey and New Order into my iPod, which I’ll probably fall asleep to on the plane. You see, Gwenn sleeps in cars. I sleep in planes. We make for terrible traveling companions. But I’m glad we don’t travel alone like most of our speaking friends do.
Then, after the whirlwind, we come home and decorate for the holidays, get a tree, and labor over the various Christmas Lists we have going. Just like any other couple.
Positively Yours,
Shawn