Reblogging Coz Luvvie's feelin' the Spirit today...

I posted this over a year ago (close to two now, I guess). Anyhoo, Luvvie's been all up in my newsfeed and on my dash and in the timeline in a blessed and highly favored kinda way today, and she made me think of this convo and of this post. So here it is for ol' time's sake!

I don't know why, and really, does it matter, but I woke up feeling like a Blessed and Beloved child of God!  So I did what I do with most of the random thoughts and feelings I experience... I Tweeted it.  This started a short exchange between me (@amymay117 on Twitter) and one of the coolest bloggers on Planet Earth, AwesomelyLuvvie (@LuvvieIG on Twitter).  It went a lil sumthin like this:

me:  Feeling blessed and loved today! Yea, I know it's not my usual kinda tweet, but ya gotta give God praise and gratitude, too!

Luvvie:  @amymay117 YESSS Amy!!! You betta SAY DAT! The Big Man Upstairs rocks my socks. And he fights for my tights so I don't have to. *waves fan*

me:  @LuvvieIG I woke up feeling (dare I say it) Spirit Filled today!! I've reached out to some old "friends" *ahem* and put down some baggage...

me:  @LuvvieIG Lemme quit... I'mma be testifying on Twitter here in a minute!!

Luvvie:  @amymay117 Gurl u gon have me singing "This Little light of mine" on Twitter. Giving glory to God (passa, everyones, everyones)

me:  @LuvvieIG I'm on the second verse of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"... the Choir can't keep up!

Luvvie:  @amymay117 LOL! You besta SANG!!! The Qua (choir) Director in his Sunday Best is gon love you

me:  @LuvvieIG I heart you for appreciating this mood I'm in! LOL! God is Good!

Luvvie:  @amymay117 I appreciate some Lord-thanking anyday (b/c He is great). It's the Bible thumpers that make me go o_0

me:  @LuvvieIG The ones who carry the Book, but never open it??? Them folks ya mean?? mmmmmhmmmmmm.....

Luvvie:  @amymay117 And I'm talm bout the folks who u can't have a convo with w/o them shouting bout them being sanctified. Saved McHolysons

me:  @LuvvieIG Especially when their "ad campaign" isn't backed up by their actions....Loud McTalkerfaces

me:  @LuvvieIG OHHHH!!! What about the ones who act like being on the Church Board is a social accomplishment instead of a chance to Serve God?

Luvvie:  @amymay117 Some folks take their Head Usher duties VERY seriously. Them white gloves don't wear themselves!

me:  @LuvvieIG Let me keep my mood... I'm not perfect, just grateful and blessed. And that's a reason to say Amen!

me:  @LuvvieIG LOL! Them white gloves don't WASH themselves, either!

I know I don't always come across as someone you'd assume would be lovin' her some Jesus, but I am.  I know I'm cranky, sarcastic and a professional at profanity.  I had a child out of wedlock, ain't married to my man and I've got tattoos.  I'm a hot mess, an the Lord knows it.... but he's far from done with me.  And there's material there for Him to work with... I believe, I love, I care.  I may not wear Sunday best everywhere I go.  Maybe I don't always let people see the part of me that knows I'm nowhere and nothing without my God.  But it's in my heart every day, and I tell Him thankyou every day, and I have faith that all things eventually come to His Glory.

And Luvvie, you truly are Awesome! Thanks for sharing that little moment with me today and letting me be who I am (even if it is just on the intrawebs).... glad I eStumbled into your lifespace! You and the rest of the ePosse and the IGs are the Bees Knees!

World AIDS Day... And I'm Tardy!!!

I have a good excuse for being late... really!! You see, I'm doin' the most right now, and it's almost the end of the semester, and I'm old, and I'm tahd!!  So I'm recycling the post I wrote this past March for National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. I promise you, I'll blog on semester break... I have a couple of wonderful stories about how I almost murked a chick in my Research and Practice class...

But in the mean time... here's the rerun.

Ok, this post is late in the day.  Blame my laptop, coz it's trippin'.... might be time to upgrade to that Apple I keep thinking about.  But that's a post for another day....

Today is National Women and Girls' HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.... and it's time for my periodic rant a discussion about the virus again.

However, today instead of my usual statistics, facts and examples, I wanna say a couple of positive and personal things.  I have always said that my motivation to be involved with the Red Pump Project and HIV/AIDS awareness stemmed from my profession as a nurse.  Weeeeelllllll..... yeah, but naw.

A big part of it is that a friend I met about 18 years ago, and loved well, died of AIDS related pneumonia in 1998.  But here's the thing.  She had a daughter.  Her daughter was born before HIV was part of the picture.  However, she was still left to carry on with the stigma that "Your mama died of AIDS."

She didn't get resentful or bitter.  She started advocating.  She started talking and educating.  And she started doing this at about 16 years of age, when it is really not the easiest thing to do to go against the opinions of your peers.

She's an inspiration to me.  She went on to get a Master's in Social Work, and lives in Northern California, working as a family therapist.

The moral of the story, there is life after HIV.  Not just for the loved ones who lost someone to the virus, but especially for people who are infected and managing the virus.

Follow the links below for facts and examples!

Much love and blessings to all.  Get tested, know your status and protect yourself.

http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com

http://www.theredpumpproject.com

http://www.raelewisthornton.com/

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/

http://www.aidsbeacon.com

My Second 21st BornDay!

First the bad news... I gotta work on my BornDay. *boo*


Now the good news... Absolutely everyone I love and care about remembered it was my BornDay!  


Of course, many of them had Facebook reminding them.... but that's ok, too.  Because I am the absolute worst at remembering birthdays and anniversaries and whatnot.  So I totally don't consider that cheating!!  In fact, I think that Facebook's little birthday reminders are probably saving relationships the world over!  Kudos, Facey!


I'm at an age now where lots of folks, especially us chicks... don't front, you know I'm not lying... well, lots of us start hedging around the whole birthday/aging/real age topic.  Not me! It seems like a cliche, but most cliches are cliches b/c they are true at some level... anyway, life just keeps getting better!!  


Don't get me wrong, I still have the typical human type ups and downs, just like everybody else.  I just find that for the most part, I like who I am a lot more now than when I was younger.  I am more comfortable in my own skin. 


The older I get, the more I realize there isn't infinite time to get caught up in peripheral bullsnit.  
The older I get, the less likely I am to keep my opinions to myself.
The older I get, the more likely I am to stand up for what I believe.
The older I get, the better I am able to express myself honestly without hurting others in the process.
The older I get, the better I distinguish between what matters and what doesn't.
The older I get, the better I am at recognizing what is genuine. (No Ginuwine... this is a babyhurr free zone!)


Other awesome things that have happened since last BornDay:


I have developed and fostered several new friendships, many as a direct result of the Twittuh and Faceybook and Blogging!  #Shoutout to the ePosse!! 


I have learned how to let go and act a fool!! Interestingly enough, your sense of humor is a muscle, apparently, and it will atrophy with disuse... but trynna keep up with the wit of some of my eFamily has got that mufugga ripped!! Damb a six-pack, my sense of humor is sportin' a case, I tell ya!!


My creativity and love of writing and words has been tapped again!!  I used to dream of being a "real" writer. I guess what I never knew is that I already was a real writer... I just hafta work at it.  That doesn't mean I will ever actually be published, but hell... who needs that when the world has Blogger and Wordpress??  I'm good!  I don't ever intend to support myself by writing, it just makes me happy!  


So these are my Thank you for making my world a better place shoutouts:

• Eli, my son makes the world wonderful!
• Marc, my boo... drives me crazy in ways good, bad and ugly!! (Luv ya boo!)
• My Dad and Fathead Brother... they support me, aggravate me, entertain me... all the things a Dad and Fathead Brother should do.
• The ePosse, ThePBG, NaturallyAlise, and Awesomely Luvvie... these ladies have forced me to step up my Ig, sharpen my wit, stay relevant, and blog, blog, blog!!
• NaturallyAlise, individually, because she is not only my Cosmic Twin, she has been subjected to my poetry in all its varied states: good, bad, raw, crappy, unfinished, inspired, in development... you get the idea.  And she has never not even one time said, "HEFFA PUHLEEZ!!"  And for that I thank her!
• My Ranch/KFC homies! You guys make the work world an awesome place to be! Now, let's get out there and fix us some sick people!!
• Everyone who reads my blogs.  I am constantly and sincerely amazed and gratified that anyone anywhere gives a good gahtdamb bout what I have to say... much less that they enjoy it!  I love y'all, for realz for realz!!

Ok, that's about all I've got for today...

Make sure y'all remember to laugh and be ignant!!  Thanks for making my corner of the innanets a great place to live! 

More from the Side Eye Hall of Honor...

Last time we looked in on these hallowed halls, it was pretty much just a random happening.  This is a deliberate reprise.  Now, I will forewarn you, there is one Side Eye which is glaringly missing.  It ain't for lack of tryin'... but since she's had a lot on her plate, I'ma give her a pass (we have ferocity from eLuvvie, instead).  But despair not, I have Side Eye a-plenty!

First... we have the Lethal Look  reppin' the District of Columbia.  This look has been honed by years of laser sharp wit and a bullsnit detector bar none.  It screams, "Go head, then... if you're craaaazy..."

Behold The PBG! (Twitter @thepbg)

Our next two Side Eye Samurai hail from North Carolina.  Ignance is their stock in trade.  Please don't make the mistake of thinking you can prevail in a battle of wits with either.... they grow 'em merciless down there, apparently!


This gentleman makes one beg the question... is Rude necessarily Wrong?

Crownie McLocsface... Master of the Side Eye/Stank Face combo! Soul crushing, ain't it? (Twitter @crownieisRUDE)

Also hailing from NC, my sister from another mister... NaturallyAlise!!  Now this isn't a traditional, lookin' at you like you short style Side Eye.  
This is her "I'm slaying hoes effortlessly" Side Eye.  

NaturallyAlise trynna look innocent, but she knows she's bout to be on some ho-sh*t! (Twitter @NaturallyAlise)

This is the place where we should be dazzled by the brilliance of the Side Eye of Awesomely Luvvie.... instead, we have an image of one of her AwesomelyLuvvie Tees!  Getchu one... here's the link to her SpreadShirt online store:  LINK!

(Twitter @luvvieig)

And here's Luvvie's eSelf giving the Side Eye of Devastation!   

Now here's a Side Eye near and dear to my heart... It's because I can take credit for the nurturing of this Side Eye, it's development and growth... my own dear son.  No, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  *Single Tear*

Awesome!

And it seems that he is making an attempt at the Side Eye/Stank Face Combination as well... must be a guy thing!


No Twitter for this lil' man... at least not yet!


And finally... one of my own.  I only aspire to have true Side Eye greatness one day.... in the meantime,
this is me.

(Twitter @amymay117)

Which is still closely related to this:

Yeah.... I love that Cat!!

Come back tomorrow for the BornDay Breakdown.... 42 and still acting like 35.  What? I was a late bloomer!!

By the way, click the pics of Peebz, Alise, and Luvvie for links to their fantastic blogs!

You can also check Peebz and Luvvie out on The Fresh Xpress!

World AIDS Day

Today was World AIDS Day, and I am shamefully late with this post. I'll spare you the explanation, because it is totally devoid of any entertainment value.... Instead, I'm gonna repost something I wrote a while back, because it still says what I wanna say about HIV/AIDS.

As usual though, I want to take this opportunity to urge everyone to KNOW YOUR STATUS!!

I don't care what you think, HIV is world wide, yes, even here in the Cornfield. Just like with so many other things, knowledge is power!

Originally posted 3-2-09

I was enduring a long and boring day of orientation for a new/old job today, and as my mind is prone to do, it wandered. It was wandering in the direction of trying to come up with a blog topic. I haven't posted for a while, so it's about time I got off my duff and did something about it.

**side note: if you work with me, no, I'm not leaving. I just caved into the pressure from a couple of people and am picking up an ER shift or two a month at another hospital. If you don't work with me, you probably don't give a dang that I picked up a "spare job."**

Anyway, as I sat there with my mind meandering, beginning to despair of my totally idea free inspiration zone, my phone buzzed. I checked it at the next break, and it was Luvvie's blog post on my email. Of course I read it immediately. What better cure for interminable boredom than that? Leopard print leggings....oh my damn! But it wasn't the leggings that got me, it was the public service announcement about the upcoming National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on March 10 and the RED PUMP PROJECT. In this PSA there is inspiration to write about what I know......

I'm a nurse, and one of the hats I wear at my "real job" is Infection Control and Prevention. I'm a card carrying member of the Southern Illinois Chapter of APIC (Association of Practioners of Infection Control). This is the most active and influential professional association of it's kind. ( I admit to being a microbiology geek. Deal with it, I have.) They write standards of care for every situation you can imagine based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Infectious disease is something that gets me riled up. So here goes my rant on HIV/AIDS.

In the years since HIV/AIDS first landed on the world with both feet, there has been a continuum of response ranging from no reaction to over reaction, ignorance and ignoring to fear and alienation, and just about everything in between. I remember at one time feeling safe and isolated from the big bad bug because I lived in the middle of a cornfield in the middle of the country, and this was a Big City, fringe of the nation, fringe of society problem. And at that time, that was the message we were getting from the media. I was in maybe 8th or 9th grade at the time, it was the early 80's and AIDS was a "gay men's" problem. Then more information came out, the bug crossed gender and orientation lines, and the panic set in. (If you really want the scoop on the mishandling of the early days of HIV/AIDS, read And the Band Played On: Politics, People and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts. And if you're not pissed off before you're halfway through, screw ya!)

Anyhoooo..... what I've been seeing in my cornfield lately is an increase in people being treated for AIDS and the opportunistic infections that go hand in hand. I had gone 4 years as a nurse in this area and actually cared for only a smattering of HIV positive patients. The last 6 months or so, however, has provided my total clinical experience with HIV with exponential growth! I can't say it's making a "comeback" because it never went anywhere. Not really. It just lost attention because the antiviral cocktails slowed the mortality rate. People are still dying, just not as fast and furiously as before the drugs were developed. But that slow down, the discovery that babies could be spared the virus if the HIV positive mom was on the meds during pregnancy, and the acceptance that casual contact didn't spread the virus all contributed to a change in perception of HIV/AIDS. It kinda fell off the radar, but it didn't fall out of existence. And new cases are on the rise again. And most of these new cases are women. And, as Luvvie pointed out, most of these women are black--66%.

So, I'm thinking, if I go 4 years and see 2 cases of HIV in my cornfield, then see 3 cases in the last 7 months...... what the hell is going on in the Big City? What is the new infection rate like in high density population areas like NY, LA, DC and Chicago? What are the chances that we aren't going to see a frightening upsurge in new cases in the near future?

The science behind preventing the spread of HIV hasn't changed in a decade, really. The fact that AIDS kills hasn't changed...it just takes a little longer. What has changed is the general attitude towards it. It used to be a BIG DANGED DEAL, and now, it's not, in many people's minds. Well, dammit, it NEEDS to be. Get tested. Be careful. Use condoms. Quit acting like it has gone away, because IT'S BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME!!! Quit ignoring HIV/AIDS. It's as much a part of our world as the oceans, the forests and the fields. Open your eyes, and deal with it.

See, it still says what I want it to say... and it's still relevant (unlike Paula Abdul or Lil' Mama).

For more information, visit the Red Pump Project or the Red Tie Project, or the CDC website.

And for a lil' Ig with your Info, check out Awesomely Luvvie!

I'm a bad stan....

I woke up this morning, and while I made the first pot of coffee, I was struck by a thought. I don't know where it came from.... I never really know, that's how my brain works. Anyhooo.... the thought was about another blog I read n stan hard for... Oh Hell Nawl.

A while back, they had an anniversary n whatnot. They asked readers to let them know how/why/what, and all that there, about how the readers came to OHN n what kept them coming back n stuff.... At the time, I really thought I came to find OHN through Luvvie (Luv gets the blame for a lot of ignance she ain't start), but this morning... for some reason, I remembered where I REALLY heard about OHN. It wasn't the LuvBug at all! Not that she isn't awesome... just that she's not the one to blame for my lurking and occasional comments over yonder... which led me to be filled with shame at a crime of omission on my part!!

Follow me here... coz my mind can be a scary place. This is pretty much where the train jumps the tracks...

My introduction to OHN was by a passing remark on Twitter from The PBG. The shame I feel and my crime of omission are not that I gave credit/blame to the wrong person for leading me to OHN.... not at all, but because that caused another random thought to blip across my brain.

I had never truly acknowledged that I stan hard for The PBG's blogs! I have mentioned NaturallyAlise numerous times. I wrote a welcome home post when Luvvie went on vacay this summer. Yet, I have totally neglected to acknowledge and thank the person who left the very first comment on my blog and was my very first follower!!

The PBG is probably one of the coolest people I have encountered on the intrawebs.... She is intelligent, wise, straightforward and funnier that any one person ought to be. She has three blogs... which I have linked through out this post.

Hey, You Asked... is an advice blog. She has this way of cutting through the bs and telling ya what you really need to hear... the truth!! Fifty-two(52)Flavors is her nail blog. Shoot... she convinced me, a nurse, that I could keep my nails looking great, even if I do wash my hands 183 times a day. And then there's See, What Had Happened Was.... which is mostly random life kinda ignance.

I should be mollywhopped for taking so long to give The PBG her props... because she's the bees knees! And I appreciated her encouragement. And she's totally the coolest!

So here it is, for what it's worth... I Stan Hard for The PBG and the whole ePosse. And thank you, Miss Ma'am! You're the Bestest!!