World AIDS Day 2015

The time to act is now.

Did you know that HIV disease is a communicable disease spread through semen, vaginal fluids, blood, and breast milk? It’s spread through shared needles during intravenous drug use. It’s spread through sexual contact when one partner isn’t aware of their positive status. It does not discriminate based on gender, race, culture, age, economic status … it affects everyone.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “an estimated 36.9 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide … Around 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the United States, and 1 in 8 don’t know it.” There were 1,566 new HIV diagnoses in North Carolina in 2013, and there were 541 deaths due to HIV disease in 2012.

HIV disease is preventable, and it’s treatable – but it’s not curable. Yet. If you have HIV disease, you need to know how to not spread it; if you don’t have HIV disease, you need to know how to NOT get it. If you have young people in your family, love and respect them enough to get past the discomfort of discussing sex, disease prevention and responsibility, and provide straight talk. It’s unrealistic to assume your children are waiting because it’s what Jesus would do, or through the sheer force of YOUR will. Kids are smart nowadays; educate them as to why they should wait until they’re more mature to handle the emotional side of being sexually active, and how to be as safe as possible. Teach them to protect and respect themselves, and in turn to protect and respect their partner. The smart choices need to be present in the quick, stolen moments when intimacy will occur, and your conversations are only a memory.

So know your status; knowledge is power. And wear a condom. Every time. Until the cure …

Learn more about HIV disease

• How Can I Prevent HIV Transmission?
• What is HIV?
• The Body – The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource
• AIDSVU – North Carolina
• World Health Organization
• CDC – World AIDS Day 2015
• National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States

HIV Test Locations

• gov
• CDC
• STD & HIV Screening Recommendations

 “Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”

– St. Francis

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It’s time to sign up for Intro to Grantwriting

Interested in funding a project for your non-profit organization, or a need in your community? It’s not too late to sign up for my Introduction to Grantwriting course at Wake Technical Community College. This seven-week course is part of the Continuing Education program, and is offered at Athens Drive on Tuesday evenings, 6:30 – 9:30, from October 27 – December 15 (skipping Thanksgiving week).

Adventuring in Vancouver

While my sweetie was conferencing, I tagged along to get in a little adventuring. I found Vancouver to be a rather functional working city, with pretty spots peeking through on occasion. The Stanley Park area was our favorite, particularly watching the rowing club in Coal Harbour. I walked about 45 miles over four days, took the city bus, the Sea bus and the water taxi. All around, a fun week.

The view from our balcony.

I thought this was a statue of a mermaid. Turns out it’s a girl in a scuba suit. (Mermaid would’ve been better.)

Totem poles!

Totem poles!

This “beach” was pretty and rocky, though this NC native and beach girl would never swim in that cold water.

Me and my sweetie at Stanley Park, pausing along the seawall for a pic.

Found a great local distillery. Again, enjoying my libations with a view.

Looking back toward downtown Vancouver from the seawall at Stanley Park.

Here’s a view across Vancouver Harbour, from Granville Island.

Orca! We didn’t go IN the Vancouver Aquarium because it’s so freaking expensive, and they didn’t have a prorated cost for arriving 45 minutes before closing for the day. But the parking lot statuary was lovely.

Enjoying the waters of Coal Harbour.

More totem poles!

Cairns along the shore at English Bay Beach.

The marina off of Granville Island was lovely.

Long, tiring flights home remind us that regardless of how fun adventuring can be, there’s really no place like home.

Look at my Adventure Hat! It’s been to four countries on two continents, from deep canyons to high mountains, and in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

Walking bridge. Yikes.

The BEST lattes at Breka cafe, made all the tastier with a long view of downtown.

Sign up today for the Business of Writing for Children

Put your thinking caps on … it’s time to sign up for The Business of Writing for Children!

The Best Last First

 

“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!”
–   Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

21 and counting …

On any given day I’m happy to follow my flights of fancy to see where they’re going. I’m an optimist and an idealist, after all. And loathe though I am to admit, numbers can tell a story as good as words (had I not spent years as a technical writer and grant writer before turning to fiction, I never would’ve admitted it). Here are some numbers for you.

Today is my twenty-first anniversary with Matt.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• At 42, I’ve now been married half of my life.
• I’ve loved my partner over half that time.
• The thing I’m most proud of is our son, Peyton, who’s been with us for 24.7% of my life (and 81% of our marriage).
• And though nothing in life is certain, I am 100% sure that I have lived a happy, adventurous, challenging, fulfilling, hopeful life. And without the man at my side, things would have been quite boring.

So here’s to 21 x 21 to infinity more … I’d still stop the world and melt with him.

Happy Pi-Day-of-the-Century Birthday!

PS: It’s not too late to donate to our Pi Day Pi K race team, The Ice Sickles. All proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity of Durham. Thanks!

 

42

Over the weekend, I turned 42.

It seems this might be the year that I learn the answer to everything. Which is good, because I have a thousand questions … like, a day.

In case you were wondering, there’s a fun list of 42 things that are focused on 42 on The Independent. Here are some of my favorite 42’s:

–   Buzz Lightyear’s ship
–   Fox Mulder’s apartment
–   Harry Potter discovers he’s a wizard on page 42
–   Michael Jackson’s album, Thriller, lasts 42 minutes
–   Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland has 42 illustrations

Romance author, Becky Moore, turned 42 this weekend … and so did children’s author, Dolly Dozier!

Got a question?
Lemme know.

Me and Elvis: A Life Experiences Afternoon

I had the best day yesterday.

And it’s all thanks to my friend, Bonnie-Clare, who asked me to photograph a raucous special event at Life Experiences where her niece is employed. A colleague of BC’s has a side entertainment business, and man did he get the crowd going. I left with a smile on my face and lightness in my heart.

Life Experiences is a non-profit organization that offers a choice of satisfying work experiences for adults with varying disabilities, and at the same time allows those adults the self-esteem of earning a wage for their work. According to their Web site, they’re currently accepting applications. If you or someone you know has a disability and is interested in building self-esteem through work, contact them at 919-467-1973 to arrange for a visit soon.

It’s time to do a little grant writing!

Excited to work with a new group of professionals as my Introduction to Grantwriting class kicks off tonight. Got a community initiative or program you need to fund? There’s still time to join!