Aha!
I do have some photos from Phoenix - I forgot I took my digital camera out one day instead of my good camera. Anyway, this is one from Fiddlesticks, which is a mini-golf and more kind of place. I, perhaps because I am small and adventurous (or maybe just ridiculous), had the pleasure of riding the kiddie roller coaster with my nieces. We honestly were on the thing for 6 or 7 minutes I think. Around and around forwards and backwards. They loved it though and laughed at me because (and I quote my niece here), "Adults aren't supposed to scream on a kid ride - kids are supposed to scream!". It was funny.
A weekend at home
After returning from Phoenix, I was home for less than 48 hours before I had to catch a train to Chicago for a good friend's wedding in Milwaukee. Woo hoo Wisconsin! Pictures from both weekends will be posted soon...or at least eventually. Finally, I am home for a weekend. LHPJ is away visiting friends and I'm hanging out with the dogs.
Yesterday, I saw The Whalers in a free concert as part of the Diversity Festival downtown. Good times, strange crowd, mild sunburn. I also got a free Pirates shirt from a booth they had at the festival - pays to know people.
And now...I'm off to the zoo!! Anyone suprised?
Heading west
LHPJ and I leave today on our weekend journey to Phoenix, AZ for a 40th birthday extravaganza! It's strange not flying out during the wee hours of the morning - instead I woke up, took the dogs out, had a leisurely breakfast, and now I have time to just sit around for a while before getting ready to take Sadie to "camp". Even after that, I'll come home and have time to pack, eat lunch, relax a bit, and then prep Pancho for his weekend hanging out downstairs with his boxer friend Cutter. At last, we'll leave and spend 10 hours in various airports and airplanes before finally arriving in lovely Sky Harbor airport. Woo hoo!!!
It says something when I'm looking forward to the Phoenix weather because I'm too HOT here in Pittsburgh. Honestly, it was 102 degrees here the other day. I would take 110 in Phoenix over 102 and humid in Pittsburgh ANYDAY (especially because everywhere you go in Phoenix, there is air conditioning, whereas WE DON'T HAVE AC HERE).
And it continues
More Cutbacks in HIV/AIDS Support Programs.
While at least most people have access to medications for AIDS in the U.S., that doesn't mean they have access to other services that address anything beyond survival. Sadly, after spending a lot of time in medical institutions, I can say that survival seems to be the goal. Keep the virus under control and the person is fine, right? Never mind the fact that many people have lost their jobs or can't get jobs because of discrimination (and yes, this does happen OFTEN). Doesn't matter if people can't afford cars and don't live in areas with good public transportation, so they can't get to their doctors. Who cares if they are nutritionally compromised, which undermines the body's ability to fight illness and heal?
HIV is a big one, but this mindset seems to be applied across the board. If a person can walk, talk, eat, and remember to turn off the stove, he's fine to go home, with no additional supports. So say the third party payers.
This soap box is nice and tall, I know. I just get frustrated, because I see it a lot. I can't close my doors, live in my little safe middle class bubble and pretend like the world outside doesn't exist - I wouldn't want to if I could. I also can't fight every cause - that would be equally as silly to attempt. I'm really not sure how to fight this one anyway.
So, I complain about it - that's what blogs are for, right? For me to be totally self-indulgant and whine and preach and say whatever the hell I want?
Woo hoo - it's all about me, ME,
ME!
ok, back to being serious...
This sucks. That about sums it up I think.
