Can We... Could We.... Maybe.....

The above is a topic that hit me this week....

Actually it began about two months ago, when I was approached by a local guy, who said he was gay, he works in the restaurant business here downtown.... he described himself as open to dating, friendship, etc.....

He approached me... ..I'll call him ..Edward, which was flaterring since, I don't get approached that often in the Lil City by the Red...

As we began to have the discussion on a possbile date/meeting, I knew I had to inform him of my status....  when you are in politics, when you hold a position of recognition in a small local area, it makes you very aware of the pluses and minuses of informing a person... cause your status is going to be broadcast ... whether you like it or not....

So, in the last two months..... I have continued to talk to the guy... but I also have been allowing myself to communicate my status to folks in a way to bring awareness, openness to myself, and just plain honesty.  It certainly has been an eye opening experience...

Yesterday, Edward, text me and wanted to say hello, (I havent as of yesterday, told him, nor had I meet up with him).  I told him I wanted to speak/meet  with him about something before we had any private time.. .. cause Edward has expressed a lot of desires in having an encounter (before this point in time).

I told him I was HIV +, ... Edward said "O"..... the conversation fell off after that....

Edward started the conversation two months ago with "Can we get together for fun"..... then it was "Could We".... Now the "Maybe" got washed away by the "O".....

I am glad that I did begin to open myself up with folks.. I have openly spoken about my status with my Boss the DA, the immediate upper management of the Office (which I am third in rank), selected staff, my CPA, the State Democrat Party's endorsed candidate for Secretary of State.. (venturing into the state political regime, and a Sundry of other folks....  

So, when it came time for me to disclose with Edward, I was comfortable at that point, and I did yesterday... I will see him I am sure within the next few days, as I eat twice a week at his establishment downtown... I wonder if the "O" was the last word or will there be a Smile and Hello the next time.

DisGusted..... at Being Ingested.

Well... The Weekend.... went and went.... for me in the bathroom....

On Saturday, I make my normal "rounds" shop at the local hardware store, shop at the local men's store, then local meat market... all owned by hometown folks... everywhere you go.. Everybody knows your name....

Since we have no local grocery stores... we are at the hands of Krogers and Albertson's ...

Kroger just updated there store here in the Lil City by the Red....

So, my last stop was Krogers....

Around noon time, I made it home, I was a tad bit hungry.. so I opened up the Kroger Brand Mustard Potato Salad.....

ate two large spoons full..... and drank a beer.... hmmmm 45 minutes later I was on the toilet... spewing .... it wasnt pretty.... all doing the day and night I spewed waste....

Late in the day, as I was trying to regain my composure .. I went to check on the Kroger Brand Mustard Potato Salad....

I took a spoon and examined it... in the middle of the tub ... was what I found... a fungus infected potato..... I called the main number of Kroger's .. got a nice customer assistant... she took my info... then told me to call the store.... the new manager David... answered.. I told him my story... he wasnt really concerned.... he said he would check into it.... Damn.... no sympathy......Shit... Whole Foods here I come in Lafayette... or Albertson's...

Wednesday down the Hall

Some years ago.... I published a series of Floral Prints.... sold to local doctors' offices etc..

I was up in the top of the Courthouse the other day, wandered into the old jail.....the old jail and Courthouse was a WPA (Works Progress Administration) Building... built in the era of FDR.. 1939...

The old jail is abandoned now..... the last administration to use it was in the early 1970s and they were indicted for cruel and unusual punishment....

The photographs are hung down the hall at the Office... for all to see and for the thoughts that are provoked....  the comments sometimes are forceful

Here is my narrative on a series of photographs I am publishing now..... all taken and developed by myself....


Narrative:

"The photographs are meant to provoke thought concerning how the Nature of Law affected the Human Condition.  The feelings of dismay, powerless, the Power of Corrosiveness in Our Society and how We do Not deal with it.  Each photograph is explained in Emotions, not statements."

Peaceful... Yep.... Sure Is....

There is something to be Said for being Peaceful and Content...... with your surroundings......

Certainly I am.... my lil neighborhood is Peaceful.... My Neigbhors and I are Content......

Its Five O'Clock.. somewhere..... and its a Saturday late late Afternoon.............

I'm standing in front of my lil bungalow.... with the drape of the Crepe Myrtles.. both vehicles are washed... and the Lawn is mowed.....

Being Content.... and its Peaceful on this Saturday Late Late Afternoon.... in the Lil City by the Red..

Life is OK.... and I am home.... on the Red Bricks..

Friday ..... and its the End of the Week..

I got to the office today....

We have a staff member... heading to a new administrative job.... he is taking over the head of the security department for a local private college.... so we are wishing him Happy Trails....

And its Friday.... after a week of politics.... but all that will be warming up right after Labor Day....

This weekend I have been invited out to the country... near the National Forest.. out in the upper crust area of Gardner..... where the Rich Rich live on the country estates... down winding gravel roads... ..

Sunday is a bbq, for one of those families I have innumrated above, that I recieved an invitation to... .. one of the very successful business families in that area... they have gay sons, lesbian mommas, even a transgender person of note... truly a 21st Century Family.... who has transended the culture of the South.. and continues to strive both in personal lives and their business lives.....

So.... kick back Friday here at the office....

Its all a Lil' too Much

As I write this blog entry....  I find myself speaking to myself..... wondering if it all isn't a Lil' too too much... . too much in the fact that most of my comtemporaires are retired... living a less stressed life.. fishing in Arkansas, mowing grass early in the morning, late lunches with a three martini minimum, and/or on the golf course with other lesbians....

I came home from the office yesterday... I was worn the slap out.....  then the gay nephew came over, he was searching for advise on the issues of a 26 year old... heading into the final semster to finish his masters program.....and finding his own way in the world...

So, after a brief, brief kicking the feet up... I went off to listen to him, moan and groan about the lack of avaialble men.... LOL... Really.... at 26... with a Masters Degree...

Go Forth Young Man.... Go West.... and seek Your Fortune....


Here I am before the Nephew came in............ it was a lil too much.. .. but Johnny Walker Red came to the rescue...

Well.... Hmmm

Not much is going on ... that's a untruth for sure...

Just not ready to discuss it here.... Heading into my Sixth Fifth Year is not going easy for me...

Not sure where I want to start.. but not really sure.. if I want to start/begin the matter....

Let me try to get through with this week...