My Journey with AIDS

Unpacking (more) personal baggage

Pardon me for the humourless dissecting of my neuroses Have I mentioned before having used, for many years, the esteem-busting mantra “If anyone deserves AIDS, I do!” (Looking at it now I feel like each word should be italicized for emphasis, rather than...

Published Sun, Feb 06 2011 9:21 PM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: family, autobiography, AIDS and HIV, stigma, sexual orientation, homosexuality, coming out of the closet, fundamentalism, social conservatives, sexual abuse, Christianism, recovery, homophobia, youth suicide, self-forgiveness

A simple gesture over the holidays that could make a world of difference

I know that I was not the only Canadian very proud a few years back when Parliament passed legislation designed to make it easier for generic pharmaceutical companies to ship life-saving AIDS medications, and others, to developing nations of the...

Published Fri, Dec 17 2010 10:49 AM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: Uncategorized

Senator Don Meredith?

This Don Meredith? Stephen Harper’s cynicism knows no bounds – appointing to the Senate the fifth-place finisher, himself an appointed replacement to the Conservative candidate, in the Bob Rae by-election. Read More...

Published Mon, Dec 20 2010 1:36 PM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: activism, politics, Toronto Centre

The Town of Perth, Ontario’s appreciation of her past

My heart goes out to the people of Goderich who learned this week how quickly our architectural heritage can be severely damaged or wiped out completely. Having recently returned from a summer visit to my ancestral home (in Canada, at least, say ancestry...

Published Wed, Aug 24 2011 12:31 PM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: photography, Perth, architecture, Perth Facade and Signage Improvement Program, Perth Heritage Conservation District

This post serves as a reminder of what has ailed me in recent days. On the day of Jack Layton’s funeral I spent an inordinate amount of time on my feet, standing in one place, taking pictures, standing in line, etc. A few days later I noticed some...

Published Thu, Sep 08 2011 5:29 PM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: autobiography, health-care, medical update, displaced fracture dislocation of the right distal radius and wrist, Displaced intertrochanteric fracture of the right femur

Txt, telephone or…blog…let’s talk about mental illness!

This is Bell Let’s Talk Day. Multiple Olympic medallist Clara Hughes, lead spokesperson for the campaign, was on CTV’s News at Noon in Toronto. From among the calls she fielded came this articulate gem, “To kill the pain too often means...

Published Wed, Feb 09 2011 11:48 AM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: family, youth, autobiography, mental illness, childhood trauma, activism, AIDS and HIV, health-care, mental health, bipolar II, stigma, friendship, youth suicide, Bell Let's Talk Day

Mental Illness Awareness Week through Saturday

The stereotypical walls are long gone this Mental Illness Awareness Week which finds me bridging between a recent, quietly-endured “brown out” state-of-being in Toronto and my absolute delight as I bask in the love of family members gathering...

Published Tue, Oct 02 2012 6:15 AM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: youth, autobiography, mental illness, mental health, bipolar II, stigma, suicide, Mental Illness Awareness Week

For a young peoples’ video look at the history of the Tay Canal please click the link below, by which I mean…

…this one! I am so proud! Not that I had anything to do with this (and I didn’t) but because the video shows how the appreciation of Perth (Lanark County, Ontario, Canada) history is, and will continue to be, alive and well! Congratulations...

Published Sat, Aug 25 2012 10:16 AM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: media, youth, genealogy, photography, Perth, politics, YouTube, Tay Canal, Heritage Perth Ontario, history, YAK Youth-Centre

For those who loved Kyle

I’ve been wrestling all day – less with what to write than how to write it – so I thought I’d begin with an absurd fruit-plate. Leading with humour is something I’ve done for as long as I can remember. Regardless of what...

Published Mon, Jul 09 2012 7:18 PM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: autobiography, activism, mental health, stigma, homophobia/transphobia, Kyle Scanlon

Five Years Since a Critical Day One

It was an early night to bed on Tuesday, June 19, 2007. I had absolutely no more drinking to do and decided that the last day of this particular spring was a bitterly appropriate day to reach out for sobriety. Ruminations of suicide the past few days...

Published Tue, Jun 19 2012 8:02 PM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: grief, autobiography, AIDS and HIV, mental health, bipolar II, recovery, brain trauma

Jerry Sandusky guilty, now what?

In the hours following the conviction of their once-revered Jerry Sandusky, Penn State is most anxious to move on. After my exclamation on Facebook of “Yes! Yes! Yes!”, attached to a media account of the guilty verdicts on Friday, I wondered...

Published Sun, Jun 24 2012 12:46 PM by My journey with AIDS...and more!

Filed under: youth, autobiography, child abuse, mental health, sexual abuse, post-traumatic stress

Pictures of Christmas in and around Perth, Lanark Cty, Ontario

The chiming clock atop Perth Town Hall Maximilian’s on Gore Street East (a great menu with greater service!) Code’s Mill and the original Code family home overlooking beautiful Stewart Park The former Bottling Works (now condominiums) overlooking...

Published Sun, Dec 20 2009 10:59 AM by My journey with AIDS

Filed under: family, autobiography, photography, Perth

On the late David Dewees and trial by sensationalist media

Note to readers: I’m taking an extended Thanksgiving break away from my computer, facebook and twitter. So for the six days or so that I cannot respond to your comments, please know that they are appreciated and I will be reviewing them when I return...

Published Mon, Oct 05 2009 4:22 PM by My journey with AIDS

Filed under: Global TV News, family, Toronto Mendelssohn Choirs, media, Fairview Mall (St. Catharines) washroom arrests, St. Catharines, David Dewees, John Musselman, media sensationalism, CTV Toronto, grief, youth, Lama Nicolas, Jarvis Collegiate Institute

What makes a good teacher?

Another victim of my elementary school teacher-as-nemesis, Carl Glenn, has been in contact with me and I can’t describe the sense of validation I feel. It’s like having a friend in my corner, even if we were years apart. (I am also hoping...

Published Thu, Sep 24 2009 7:27 PM by My journey with AIDS

Filed under: youth, autobiography, personal journal, Gault School, Chateauguay Valley Regional High School, mental illness, childhood trauma, Carl Glenn, child abuse

My last “visit” with Craig three years ago today

From Mourning diary: Craig’s last days – and a few more April 28, 2007 – Update on Craig My sister Janice and I came to Montreal today for a visit with Claude, our sister Lynn and Craig. Little could have prepared us for how we found Craig...

Published Wed, Apr 28 2010 7:53 AM by My journey with AIDS

Filed under: family, grief, Craig Chaplin

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