Twenty-three years now...

It was 23 years ago on a gray Thursday afternoon that the phone rang and I picked it up. That call changed my life forever. It was my Infectious Disease doctor calling to tell me that she was very sorry to break the news to me that I had tested positive for HIV. I remember going into a kind of trance that was only broken when my office mate walked in and asked me what was wrong.

"You look like you have seen a ghost," he said to me.

Ha. My own.

I still see it now and then, but with all of this time, there are days when the specter of my death is vague and distant.


Categories: HIV AIDS HIV/AIDS anniversary testing

Fado: Mariza sings "Gente da minha terra" in a Special Fado Moment

I just posted a note on a Facebook account to David da Silva Cornell. He shared a video of Fado performer Mariza performing the song "Gente da minha terra" or "People of my Land."

Here is what I wrote to him:

WOW! I wept! Thank you for sharing this here. I will post it on my blog as well. Those without Fado in their lives need to see this performance through to the end.



The lyrics listed below are taken from this page and indicate that this traditional Fado was written by Amalia Rodrigues. I have subsequently edited the English translation to try to better capture the bits of the original poetry that I can pick up.

Ó Gente da Minha Terra
by Amalia Rodrigues

É meu e vosso este fado
Destino que nos amarra
Por mais que seja negado
Às cordas de uma guitarra

Sempre que se ouve o gemido
De uma guitarra a cantar
Fica-se logo perdido
Com vontade de chorar

Ó gente da minha terra
Agora é que eu percebi
Esta tristeza que trago
Foi de vós que a recebi

E pareceria ternura
Se eu me deixasse embalar
Era maior a amargura
Menos triste o meu cantar

Ó gente da minha terra
Agora é que eu percebi
Esta tristeza que trago
Foi de vós que a recebi

People from my Land

This fado is mine and yours
Destiny that keeps us tied
The more we try to deny it
To the strings of a guitar

Each time we hear the groan
Of a singing guitar
We soon are lost
In our willingness to cry

Oh people from my land
Now I have understood
That this sadness that I carry
Came to me from you

It would look like tenderness
If I'd pack up my things
It would be the biggest bitterness
But less sadness for me to sing

Oh people from my land
Now I have understood
That this sadness that I carry
Came to me from you

If you don't know Fado, it is an amazing tradition. I have had to try to pick up as much information as I can from various sources and find myself trying to discern the lyrics in Portuguese that fulfill the requirements of the song structures. I noticed in this song, the form of a guitar is invoked. I am always amazed by the unassuming ladies who sing Fado with such strength in their voices and the pure beauty of the instrumentals. I recommend a number of artists, including Amalia Rodrigues, Misía, Madredeus, Lura, Mariza and Dulce Pontes for their work in the Fado tradition.

Categories: Mariza Fado video Gente+Da+Minha+Tierra Madredeus Misía Amalia Rodrigues Lura Dulce+Pontes

Keith Olbermann of MSNBC on Gay Marriage and Love

Thanks to my friend Jhonny for sharing this video with me. Once again, Keith Olbermann speaks out in a way that makes me take note. I hope that you will share this editorial with those you know and love.




Categories: civil+rights LGBT marriage civil+unions Proposition+8 editorial Keith+Olbermann MSNBC gay, lesbian bisexual transgender love politics

North Carolina Goes Blue for the First Time Since 1976

Left: A celebratory dinner North Carolina-style: Hickory Smoked pulled pork bar-be-cue, cole slaw and hushpuppies purchased from Allen and Son BBQ in Chapel Hill, NC, and homemade Carolina Blue-state potato salad, made with blue potatoes. Yum!

For the first time since I have been able to vote, North Carolina has gone Blue, electing a Democratic Presidential candidate. The final tally was very close. In fact, the race was so close that the results were not known until 2 days after the general election. However, the verdict is now officially being reported.

In addition to the Presidential victory, we unseated Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole with a victory for Democratic challenger, Kay Hagan. This victory is particularly sweet to me as this is the first time since I have been able to vote that Jesse Helms or his hand-picked political successor has ever lost an election in North Carolina. When I used to travel for work, I would meet people from all over the world. On telling them that I hailed from North Carolina, their response was almost inevitably "Jesse Helms! Why??" This was particularly true on meeting friends in the gay community.

We have a long tradition of Democratic Governorships and this year is no exception with the election of Bev Purdue. Also, the Democratic Party has been able to maintain a rather good stronghold on other Council of State offices. Not all of the candidates that I supported were successful, but the vast majority of them were.

I am particularly proud of North Carolina, my home state, because as I approach my 50th birthday, I have seen the state grow more and more progressive. As a child, I lived through segregation and integration of the public school system. I can remember going to a medical clinic where there were separate waiting rooms for "Whites" and "Coloreds" Now I can proudly say that my state helped elect our first African-American President. My seventh grade history teacher, Larry Bell, was one of the young African-American men who sat in defiance at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro in the 1960's to protest segregated eating establishments. He now figures prominently in the North Carolina Legislature having just won reelection for yet another term and has held the office of Majority Whip of the NC State House in the past. I wish him the best and congratulate him on his latest victory.

The votes for many of these latest races were closely contested, but in the end, Blue victory was ours. I guess the truth is that we are more Purple than Blue. Nonetheless, for the first time in my life as a voter in North Carolina, I feel the pleasure of victory and the great pride in knowing that my fellow Tar Heels are becoming more open to change.

God bless the Old North State.

Categories: politics electoral+college President Elect Barack Obama North Carolina ballot vote election blue+state

Early Voting Began Today in North Carolina

Early voting, also known as One-Stop Voting, began in North Carolina today, 16 October 2008. You can go to any of a number of sites in your home county to vote from today until 1 November 2008. If you have not yet registered to vote, you can also register and vote in a single stop. If you choose to wait for Election Day on 4 November 2008, you will have to go to your regular precinct to vote.

It is really convenient to vote early at the site and time of one's choice for the next 2 weeks or so. I also find it nice to know that my vote has already been counted and that there were no last minute irregularities with my registration that might have prevented or made it more difficult for me to vote. I urge each of you to consider voting during the early voting period.

Categories: politics early voting One-Stop+Voting North Carolina

Calculate your taxes for Obama vs. McCain

The Obama campaign has launched a tax calculator to help you figure out whose tax plans will most benefit you before you choose your candidate for the Presidency. At this site, you can input an estimate of salary, your number of dependents, the outstanding balance of your mortgage and a few other minor details and then press a button to see the amount of tax savings you will have under the Obama plan and the McCain plan.

I just input my numbers and was amazed to see that I would save ~$1100 with the Obama plan and $0 with the McCain plan. This is consistent with what the candidates have been saying. Under Obama, 95% of America's middle class will see a tax cut. Under McCain's plan, tax cuts will focus on the rich and on businesses.

Have a look for yourself and leave a comment to tell us how you would fare under each plan. It is compelling to see how I would do, but I think it might prove even more interesting if many of us list our results and we can see a trend.

Categories: Obama McCain campaign tax taxes calculator comparison cut politics

Coach Dean Smith Endorses Obama-Biden Ticket

There is a point in every contest when sitting on the sidelines is not an option. That is why Linnea and I are writing to urge you to join Barack Obama's campaign for President.

There are pivotal moments in history when the right decision by a nation can change its course for the better -- opening up new paths before us and providing future generations with opportunities that we had not thought possible. This coming election provides one of those moments. Linnea and I believe Barack Obama is the right leader at this critical juncture. I have written that when coaching a team, you must be prepared to make changes to meet new challenges and obstacles. We must be prepared to do the same as a nation. Now, it is the United States that needs a change in direction... and a change in leadership.

Join Barack Obama today by volunteering in your corner of North Carolina.

Linnea and I respect all that Senator McCain has done for our country. However, we feel strongly that it is Barack Obama who offers the real leadership our nation needs to tap its potential as a land of opportunity -- even as we face difficult times at home and abroad. Senator Obama is a patriotic American, a committed Christian, a good family man, and a man who shares the bedrock values that most North Carolinians have in common: fairness, hard work, respect for others, and personal responsibility. And he has the vision and judgment to help us push through this period of uncertainty to a time of greater economic stability and greater security from threats abroad.

If you believe America needs to set a new course, then the time to join us is now. If you are already an Obama supporter, please step up to help our campaign. There are only about three weeks left before Election Day, and if we are going to move away from the failed policies of the past, then we need your help now.

So we encourage you to get out there and get involved -- talk to your neighbors and sign up to volunteer today.

Get involved now by clicking here.

And pass the link to this message along to those you think might be interested. This election is too important to stand on the sidelines and watch history pass us by. Here is the link for you to copy and paste into your emails:

http://ronhudson.blogspot.com/2008/10/coach-dean-smith-endorses-obama-biden.html

Thank you,

Coach Dean Smith and Linnea Smith
Chapel Hill, NC

Categories: coach+Dean+Smith UNC Chapel+Hill Tar+Heels politics Barack Obama basketball endorsement

MC Yogi's Rap Video for Obama

Obama '08 - Vote For Hope from MC Yogi on Vimeo.

Categories: politics Obama video rap MC+Yogi Vimeo Obama+08+Vote+for+Hope youth vote hope change