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Listening to: From the Choirgirl Hotel. Not for long, though... it's not really matching my mood quite like I was expecting it too.

Currently Reading: Just barely started Jonathan Lethem's Gun, With Occasional Music. Kind of saving it for the train, as well as a stack of others (both fiction and non). Also, I recently read Laurie Notaro's I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies): True Tales of a Loudmouth Girl (again) in like two days, and peed myself laughing. Highly recommended. I also devoured The Broke Diaries by Angela Nissel in, like, a mere few days. Laughed until I peed. Also highly recommended.

Wishing: income. Lots of it. Other than that, life's pretty good.

I couldn't be more The current mood of ronkc@diaryland.com at www.imood.com right now.

Buy "Civilised Conversation..." Merchandise! Please? All the cool kids are doing it....

Please help me pay for college by purchasing items from Amazon.com through this link!!

Do you love me?

01 December 2002 | 9:06 PM

On A Serious Note

Okay.

I haven't given y'all anything for quite some time, and I was hoping to give you something lite and enjoyable. I'm afraid, however, that in honour of World AIDS Day, I must write about something somewhat more serious.

Today is World AIDS Day, and I ask you to please visit the website for UNAIDS World AIDS Campaign 2002-2003. It has a very, very compelling opening sequence.

As is my usual custom when dealing with heavy subjects, I'd like to take this opportunity to share a personal experience, if that's okay with you, dear reader.

As I have never worked with or cared for anyone with HIV or AIDS, I ordinarily would not have anything to say, really. However.....

Today, here on Seattle's Capitol Hill, there were quite a few World AIDS Day events. One of which was an interfaith service that my friend Sheila and I happened upon, and joined.

We just caught the tail end, but someone led a part of the service where everyone who lost someone to AIDS in the past year was invited to light a candle, and sort of plant it in this container of sand near the altar. Those who were taking care of someone with AIDS or HIV, or are themselves have AIDS or HIV, were invited to light a candle and take it back to their seat with them. This was so moving. I was amazed at how many people sitting around me got up to light candles. I was totally blown away. I always knew it intellectually, but tonight, it became devestatingly real that we have a problem on our hands.

A man spoke of how he was speaking with someone about World AIDS Day activities, and someone actually said to him, "Oh, is that still a problem?"

Please folks, try to get a red ribbon to wear. Or paint a fingernail red. Or donate to AIDS organizations in your area, or to The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), or to Seattle's Lifelong AIDS Alliance, or to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Or some other AIDS charity that I can't think of just now.

Thank you for letting me go on for a while, and be sure to offer support to AIDS organizations, (morally, financially, or with kind words of thanks on behalf of the community).

For more information, discussion, an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on, please let me know. Email me, or sign the guestbook, and we'll chat.

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