Busy Bee

How can I only be partially employed and still busy as hell? I woke up today with a "To Do" list that's a mile long.

I already went to the pharmacy to drop off a script and ask for a refill. I need to order new contact lenses from the eye doctor. I have to have all of my work clothes dropped off at the dry cleaner, and one of the pants needs a fastener repaired. I need to stain treat all my white work shirts and then do all my laundry. I have to drop off my resume at a bar/club about to open on 14th street, when I'll probably go back to the pharmacy to pick up my order.

As an aside, I've been thinking lately about how even though HIV has become a manageable illness (that's assuming you are lucky enough to have or qualify for health care, and it's also assuming you actually go see a doctor when you are sick and don't wait until you need an emergency room, at which point you can be so ill from untreated HIV that you die) you still have to spend an awful lot of time actually managing HIV. It seems that although I don't have to visit the doctor nearly as much as I used to (it's now four times a year) I am constantly running back and forth to the pharmacy or to the Community Health to get prescriptions and pick up refills. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for all the medical care I receive, but this myth that HIV is now just a pill a day and that's that is just not true. At least for me.

In any case I also want to get to the gym today, if for no other reason than to stretch out my tired legs and get some ab work done, and if there's time (not looking likely) I want to visit a free acupuncture clinic that one of the hospitals offers for me and my blood brethren. And I need to go the Greenmarket and fill up on fresh fruit and vegetables.

I also absolutely have to get to a Gay-A meeting. I will probably go to a night-time meeting I discovered last Monday. Not only was it full of new and interesting (new) people, but there was a stunningly beautiful 40 year old Latin man there. He had gorgeous big brown eyes and the most amazing copper colored skin. I wanted to trace the outline of his arm tatts with my tongue for the entire hour I was there. Not that I became obsessed with him or anything.

In other news ... Mr. Riley has gotten a clean bill of health. All the icky parasites got pooped away with his medication, and he is totally up to date on all his shots. Somewhere in that list he will need a couple of long walks, as the extreme heat and humidity that has gripped the city all week has finally broke. Good thing since I'll be out walking all over the East Village today.