Project Kengikat

A Day To Chill

// June 7th, 2010 // Animals, HIV and AIDS, Me Time

Today was Monday which means a sweet day to relax and enjoy. Dodgers poop was much better after our morning walk, so I was really happy about that, plus he seemed to have his swagger back in his walk. This was awesome because I really wanted to go to the ceramic studio today, but if my little buddy wasn’t back to normal then I was just going to chill around the apartment with him.

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Most Monday’s I spend the day doing ceramics with other guys who are either HIV positive or have AIDS. I was told about this place shortly after being diagnosed from someone who reads my blog and watches my YOUTUBE channel. They saw a blog where I was talking about how support groups just didn’t seem to work for me and being part of social networks where the main focus is centered around HIV and all the members only blog or vlog about HIV also didnt work for me. Especially since more the 90% of the people were acting like victims or how their lives are some how now screwed up and over. For me that isn’t support and it certainly isn’t something that I consider to be healthy or something I want to be around. Now I am sure these settings work for some people, I am just not one of them and from what I am learning from some many people who are HIV positive, this setting doesnt work for them either.

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Dodger and I left home about 12:00PM walking to West Hollywood. I am not sure how far it is, but I think it is about 6 miles round trip, maybe a little more. It’s June, so we are experiencing what is called “June Gloom” which means there is a marine layer that hangs around most of the morning and then it burns off giving way for the beautiful California sun. The walk was awesome and along the way Dodger was able to mingle with other dogs and explore. I was able to get some much needed exercise in.

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When I walked down the walkway toward the back yard I started thinking about the pieces I created the last time I was there and how they should be ready to take home. Once I got in the back yard I was greeted with smiles and hello’s from the guys. Monday’s are cool at the studio because there aren’t as many guys as Saturday and Sunday and the guys who come are very chill and there is never any catty drama. I also happen to think the most creative guys come on Monday’s.

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Just like I had hoped for, my pieces were done and ready for me to take home, but what was really cool was the fact that they looked amazing and this made me very happy. Sometimes when I glaze I am not happy with the finished looked, but this time I was blown away buy how they came out. This was now the second time I was really pleased with the finished product. This gave me the energy to create some new pieces and this is exactly what I did.

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I spent the afternoon in the company of some really cool guys creating some really cool pieces over some awesome conversation and the focus was not HIV or moaning and groaning about being HIV positive. It was simply a good of guys who share having HIV, but our passion for life and art is greater then allowing HIV or AIDS to control, derail, slow down or end the amazing lives each of us still has.

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Just like always I left feeling happy that I took time out for me and the fact that I had the chance to spend the afternoon with some really cool guys making some awesome art. Dodger had the chance to play in this huge yard where he could explore and play in tall grass, chase cats and squirrels and then lay in the sun to nap. Our walk home was slow and steady. Once again, Dodger explored, mingled with other dogs and enjoyed his time with me and I was able to once again get some much needed exercise in.