AIDS Fatigue - A QueerJoe Perspective

I understand that many gay man didn't go through losing more than half their friends through AIDS in the 1980's. I can comprehend that a lot of the gay youth never had to deal with incoherent calls from friends as they just found out about a positive "AIDS test." I can sympathize with the fact that some folks never have the history of dealing with a health crisis that our president wasn't even willing to mention, never mind do something about.

Reasons To Avoid AIDS
All the factors that make AIDS a non-concern can be a compelling argument why you shouldn't worry about contracting HIV. I mean, we even have a cocktail drug combination treatment for it. Who wouldn't want to take a cocktail? And they've even gotten into a one-a-day pill. It's practically like a daily martini.

And the young gay community is bombarded from two sides. On the one side, we have the messages of folks like the Catholic Church that say that it's a damnable sin to be gay, or from state and federal government saying we're not worthy of marriage, and on the other side, we have a gay media that says hot looks, hot lovers, hot fashions and money are the most important thing in our lives.

Of course there's self-loathing and low self-esteem.

Well, I've decided to put together my list of reasons to avoid HIV/AIDS that perhaps will resonate with some of the folks who think it's alright to have unprotected sex.

1. You can't always tell if someone is infected with HIV. Sometimes they don't even know themselves. I don't care how young and hot and healthy they look, or how many lovers they've had. They still could have HIV coursing through their blood.

2. Can you imgagine having HIV? How do you tell prospective sex partners? Do you think it might make sex a little less exciting?

3. The drug treatment has some potentially REALLY BAD side effects on your system. In addition to the standard fatigue, diarrhea and nausea that are listed on almost every drug on the planet anymore, there is also sludge from your liver and kidneys and sudden heart failure which don't sound overly appealing to me.

4. One other side effect, is the drug therapies can cause significant body changes. Picture your body losing all fat from your face, legs, ass and chest, but moving it to your stomach and upper back. Click here if you need to see pictures other than in your mind's eye.

5. Pride in who you are and your life might be a more difficult choice, but it's worth it...to folks like me and of course, to yourself.

Off My Soapbox And Onto Knitting
I picked up a bazillion stitches and did a border on three sides of the blanket, and I didn't like it at all. I've decided that I will just use the garter stitch edging as the border. It's much nicer looking.

Picture of the finished blanket with all ends sewn in and fully blocked will hopefully be in my next post.

Other Fiber-Related Activity
I spun like a dervish, and got another two full bobbins of singles done with the never-ending Romney-like roving.



And even after spinning up what will probably be close to 10 ounces of singles, I still have at least two more bobbins full left.



Then there's still the decision on what to do with the resulting yarn.

More Flea Market Finds
I found even more vintage knitting booklets at the flea market



And while I know it might make Kim Salazar even more envious, five of them were from a Mary E. Fitch Filet Crochet series starting back around 1915.



The booklets are in amazing shape for their age (similar to their current owner). The most enjoyable part of the find was from this Series No. 2 Filet Crochet booklet. I loved the front panel.



I went to look at the pattern for the one day I decide to do something amazing, and here is what I find (you might have to click on the image to enlarge it).



I would imagine it wouldn't be any easier to do with a pattern, but I was just amazed that Ms. Fitch would allow the piece to be displayed on the front, and then not include instructions.