Morning Edition - 5/16/06

Blowin’ Out The Back
Last Monday I stood in front of my sink preparing for my work day and checking my pores under three high-intensity 100 watt bulbs, when I was suddenly stricken with the overwhelming and uncontrollable desire to sneeze. Rather than render myself unconscious and add disfigurement to my already sagging ‘cara’ by bashing my head against the fast approaching faucet, I opted for tensing my body during one of the most violent contractions a sneeze has ever conjured. What resulted from my little mishap left me bent over – not in a good way either – for over four days and popping a paralyzing concoction of muscle relaxers and Vicodin that had me singing Jeffrey Osborne’s On The Wings of Love, while drifting in and out of sleep. The reverberations of the excruciating pain that gripped my lower back still linger today, but I’m finally recovered enough to stand straight and climb on to a treadmill again. So, after a week of proving I’m really not twenty-something any more, I’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t have to continue taking your pain medication after the unbearable pain has stopped – oh wait, no- what I meant to say was, this is life and regardless of whether I’m up or down, showing signs of aging or on the dance floor until the lights come up, thank God for long-term relationships built on trust, respect and comfort – like the ones I have with my doctor and pharmacist.

Stats Don’t Look Good; 17 in 58 and 3 in 7
In the last 58 years the state of Florida has seen 17 fatalities from alligator attacks. Unfortunately, it appears the gators in Florida have figured out there is a plentiful source of food that isn’t very fast and is sometimes oblivious to the dangers of wildlife predators. Annemarie Campbell, Yovy Suarez Jimenez and Judy Cooper all met their death with their encounters with the giant alligators in Florida. Authorities warned Florida residents to not swim in water that has dense vegetation and asked them not to walk their pets from dusk until dawn when gators are known to be more active.

It’s Syphilis Again
Syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease long thought easily treated, is making a strong comeback in gay and bisexual men. Presently the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that cases of syphilis have increased in the gay and bisexual male population by over 68 percent. Even more alarming is that gay and bisexual men account for 64 percent of all new syphilis cases. The CDC is ramping up efforts to educate men about the spread of this disease.

On Blast
Emotional numbness. It can be diagnosed as a case of careful-what-you-ask-for-because-you-just-might-get-it. After several years of suffering some heart shattering relationships, we can sometimes become emotionally numb to prospective partners (boyfriends, girlfriends, etc.) and begin a whirlwind dating situation that is both exhausting and addictive. What can be done to remain focused on truly enjoying each individual we date without feeling the need to push “fast-forward” to the next subject? Is dating several individuals (openly and honestly) in any way depriving you from experiencing true love and happiness? Are we conforming to society’s need to box everyone into a monogamous relationship by settling down prematurely? Is human nature really designed for one-on-one contact as we progress into our more “mature” years?

Keep passin’ the open windows…