captainrick

Hey guys. Yea, I know, I know, the phantom pirate strikes again. I've been absent a long time. But, I've been really busy... at least I have a good excuse. See my new blog entry. Anyhow, If anyone is looking for a new book. I have co-authored a new book that is being PUBLISHED. YES! on paper. I have co-written a book with Adam Donaldson Powell entitled "Tunnel at the End of Time" and it is published and right now available through the publisher's web site at www.cyberwit.net . It should be available at Amazon.com sometime later. Hugs, Rick

Wow! Didn?t realize it had been so long since I had posted here?. Well? when you read below, you will see that I?ve been rather busy. After my diagnosis, well, I had to face a few realities. The biggest one was, I was a gay man with AIDS. That is simply not conducive with the fa?ade I had been living for more than twenty years, and yes, in the end it was more than my wife could handle. We had a lot to sort out, I moved into the guest bedroom, and well, yea, we were finally divorced several months ago, and I?m living on my boat. But, it was a VERY friendly divorce, and we are still very close friends, but we both knew we had to move on. I like to tell the folks that I?m ?out? to (which is most anyone who wants to know) that it most closely resembles a ?Will and Grace? type relationship if one has to define it, but we did share most of our lives together, so it?s really the only thing that makes sense. She has moved on and is seeing a nice man, and ummm so am I. More about that later. My boss at work was very cool and understanding about all my ?issues? as were some of my co-workers I chose to share with, so no real work problems. I decided all this had to have a purpose. I met a wonderful person here in Mississippi that was trying to start up a HIV/AIDS peer support group and AIDS service organization. I agreed to serve on his board with several other wonderful people and have become a bit of an AIDS activist. There are SO many things Mississippi DOES NOT have for HIV survivors that other places take for granted, the list is too long for me to start that here. So far, our group has been quite successful. More about that in a bit as well. I have also kept up with my writing. After I finished Sky?s the Limit, Book II, (hosted here at AD) I wanted to do something different. Well, a wonderful fellow author whom I originally met at AD and formerly had some of his stories posted here, Adam Donaldson Powell, asked me to co-write a book with him. Adam and I had struck up a beautiful online friendship, and I had read and enjoyed all of his work so it seemed like a good a fit. The project would be more or less a sequel to his earlier PUBLISHED book, ?2014, Life and Adventures of an Incarnated Angel? which was a sort of science fiction/fantasy genre work. I was immediately intrigued. So, now it?s done, AND PUBLISHED. Yes, I am now a published author. The name of the book is ?Tunnel at the End of Time? and is available for purchase at www.cyberwit.net. It should be available at Amazon.com soon. Adam?s earlier book, ?2014? is also available at Cyberwit or Amazon. There?s lots more info on the book at Adam?s web site, www.adamdonaldsonpowell.com , along with some excerpts. Now, back to where I left off above. In the course of organizing a peer support group for the Jackson area, I met a wonderful man named Sam who joined our group almost a year ago now, right after he himself was diagnosed. Sam and I became instant friends as we quickly discovered in conversations that we shared many things in common. In fact, WAY too many to list here, but a short list would be the same TV shows, movies, music, etc., but also both of us had been married and had a son apiece until we had to finally face our sexuality. Sam and I dated for several weeks before he eventually moved in with me on the houseboat, and the two of us are also trying to restore an old house in North Mississippi where his grandmother had lived and is situated on family land. We call it ?the farm? as the adjacent land is inhabited by cattle that his dad raises. We pretty much stay on the boat during the week and work on the house on the weekends. Sam is a wonderful man, and both of us are very happy. I think THIS is what a relationship is REALLY supposed to be. Our AIDS organization has really taken off. We co-hosted an AIDS town-hall discussion here in Jackson by the White House AIDS czar and his Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) which Prez. Obama has tasked with the responsibility of formulating the first U.S. national AIDS strategy/policy (about 25 years late, but better late than never). The meeting was one of only a dozen fact-finding meetings held in the U.S. last year. See www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/onap/events . We also sponsored a huge city-wide World AIDS Day event here in Jackson, with Dr. Joycelyn Elders, the former U.S. surgeon general under Prez Clinton as the keynote speaker, and the Mississippi Mass Choir, which has one numerous recording awards performed as well. So, yeah, I?ve been sorta busy. A new life, a new partner, a new published book, and a new calling, and sometime in there have to find time for my 9 to 5er to keep the bills paid. Hugz all, Rick

GREAT NEWS!!! My Friend and former AD hosted author Adam Donaldson Powell and co-author Albert Russo have won a very prestigious international literary award for their book "Gaytude" a collection of bi-lingual (English-French) poetry. "Gaytude is a poetic study of both the universality and the diversity of gay experience ... an experience of confluence whereby individual love, lust and identity are constantly in tandem and conflict with collective mores, customs, codes and trends." http://www.adamdonaldsonpowell.com/gaytude.html here is the link to the award page: http://www.indieexcellence.com/indie-results-2009.php#40 under categories choose "gay non-fiction" in the pull down menu. WAY TO GO ADAM!!!!!

IOWA SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN GAY MARRIAGE BAN!!!!! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090403/ap_on_...wa_gay_marriage

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090402/ME...s+scampering+by

You know... I thought after over 30 years, when i went through this same crap in high school, maybe we were getting past it... maybe tolerance and acceptance were becoming more universal.... I guess i was wrong.. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/...8335&page=1 hugz all... Rick

President Obama made it very clear last week when he signed the Omnibus Spending Bill that this bill was a relic of the previous administration and that he disagreed with many provisions including many of the earmark provisions, but it's passage was necessary to keep the government running. He did not even have a "public signing" ceremony for this bill. I think we need to give this administration and this new Congress a chance. It takes time. The bill in question was drafted and agreed upon in conference when the Repubs controlled the Senate and White House. The Prez does NOT have line item veto powers like the governors of many states to veto only distasteful portions. It's all or nothing. Let's not jump to conclusions on the basis of this bill which was actually drafted under the previous administration. I think if you want to know more about this Prez, let's go look at HIS website. http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/civil_rights/ hugz all.. Rick

You know, there are some articles you have to read twice to see ... "Did he really say that????" :omg: This is one of those times. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090317/ap_on_.../af_pope_africa How do you fight such blind ignorance... None are so blind as those who refuse to see, and none so ignorant as those who refuse to learn. Hugz for us all... we really need them Rick

well, ummm Wibby, what are Prez. and Mrs. Obama really like? Did you have a nice visit? http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/20...oons-sneak.html

URGENT FOR ALL RACOONS>>> READ IMMEDIATELY ! http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/59566.html

okay.. local Pizza chain here in Mississippi and in Memphis. Old Venice Pizza Co. The best is the "Mardi Gras" Comes with cream cheese, andouille sausage, grilled chicken and bell peppers. I also usually add the boiled crawfish tails... YUM!!! Pizza ... Big Easy style

Alrighty, I posted the following link in the thread I started "OK Peoples ..." but it also is equally relevant in this one, and I want as many as possible to read it. --- That includes you James, I think you will like it. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-ostertag...w_b_152717.html

Okay, my final word on the topic isn't even going to be my own, but this amazing article. EVERYONE READ THIS!!! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-ostertag...w_b_152717.html

I agree that Democratic governments should be secular. That is the basis of much of the United States Constitution and its prohibition against state sponsored establishment of religions and the first amendment rights of freedom to worship as one chooses or not at all. This is the "wall of separation between church and state" as the phrase was coined by Thomas Jefferson. With that said, I also am forced to admit that unfortunately conservatives have inextricably linked certain religious views to the issues of gay rights. That's why their attempts to deny equal rights to persons of different sexual orientations will ultimately fail. At least in this Country, assuming our Constitutional government actually survives long enough. However, I don't think a totally secular society is either realistic or even desirable. This world is very diverse and it is that diversity that makes us human. Whether Jew, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, New Age, or whatever, the world would be an incredibly dull place without any religion. Are there some religions that will never accept or embrace homosexuality? Of course there are. But also remember that religion has inspired some of the world's greatest art, music, literature, and philosophy. Yes, a secular world, where we have given up any belief in a creator, guiding force, or reason for our very existence would be a dreary and dull place indeed. I meant no disrespect btw, and apologize if it came across that way, it's just that I get frustrated when the point is lost. Hugz, Rick

You guys just don't seem to get it.... I didn't mean to start another discourse on religion or religious intolerance....... It's much deeper than that. In California, it was simply political ignorance of those fighting that ridiculous proposition and failure to be inclusive of blacks and other minorities that helped pass the gay marriage ban. WE CAN NOT just sit on asses and whine about our lack of equal rights. We have to put forth a positive image of ourselves and work together to cross cultural AND religious barriers that stand in the way. It can be done as the following link (article) clearly demonstrates: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=6491162&page=1 However, condemning all religions, Christians, etc. because of the intolerance of a few is self-defeating. It's up to us to educate and convince those that are intolerant and full of hate or fear or both that we pose no threat to them, their families, or society in general. We just want equal rights. Period. Hugz, Rick