Posted in Wednesday Night HIV+ Support Group, tagged HIV SUPPORT, HIV support group, HIV+, Support Group, Wednesday Night HIV Support Group on October 29, 2012| Leave a Comment »
The topic this Wednesday is Halloween and Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is 3 weeks away and we’re going to discuss our annual Thanksgiving Pot Luck scheduled for November 21, 2012.
Since it’s Halloween, we’re only going to have a 1 hour meeting 7:00-8:00 pm and then go over to Wilton Drive and enjoy the festivities. So come in your Halloween costume and let’s have some fun.
Steve
Posted in Movies, Stonewall Library, tagged ACTIVITIES, Fort Lauderdale, Friday Movie, ft lauderdale, MOVIES, Stonewall Library, Support Group on October 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Friday October 8, 2010 Stonewall Library’s Out Boys Movie Night Presents: Details below.
Hey, Happy! (2003) FREE Movie
@ 7:00 PM Not Rated 75 minutes. Stonewall Library
Movie Starts Promptly @ 7:00 pm 1300 East Sunrise Boulevard
Free. Open to Members and Non-Members Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Discussion following Movies (time permitting) 954-763-8565
Fred Phillips & Dale Thome
Out Boys Movie Night Guys
This review is from: Hey, Happy! (DVD)
What a wonderful discovery! Noam Gonick has designed a film which is impressive in every way. It is shot in 16mm Cinemascope with expansive shots of the prairies around Winnipeg, and its railroads. The design is striking, and the colors vivid against the bleak post-industrial, pre-apocalyptic locations. The score is varied and descriptive. The story is a wonderfully curious blend of science fiction, sadism, and romance, with glances over the shoulder towards Fellini’s ‘Satyricon’ and Kubrick’s ‘2001’.
Mr. Gonick has put together a cast which could not be improved upon. The title role of Happy, a Parsifal-like innocent who communes with aliens through his short-wave radio, is sweetly played by Craig Aftanas. Clayton Godson, as Spanky the vicious queen, is appropriately outrageous. John Simone as Ricky G, the owner of an outdoor XXX store, is (especially when he laughs) a cross between Paul Lynde and the undertaker in Bruce LaBruce’s equally stunning fantasy, Hustler White. But the centerpiece of the film is certainly Jeremie Yuen as Sabu, the stunningly sexy and sensual prairie boy on a personal quest to bed his 2000th man.
When Sabu falls in love with Happy, Spanky (who wants Happy for himself) goes ballistic. Their lopsided triangle is played out against the background of an impending flood and the planning of a final rave, bringing nihilistic and biblical overtones to Mr. Gonick’s allegory. Happy is told that, if he gives himself to Sabu, the aliens will take him with them. His romantic encounters with Sabu lend lovely moments of tenderness and affection to the film, plus a bit of serenity in the midst of the surrounding madness.
Mr. Gonick’s delightful little gem joins, in my mind, Curtis Wehrfritz’s ‘4 Days’ as two of Canada’s finest indies. I love Bruce LaBruce, but these very special works cannot be topped for sheer imagination of conception, remarkable design of production and, above all, the beauty of their respective leads.
Reviews
“If you did not like Pink Flamingos, you probably will not like this film.”
–Fred Phillips
“The most subversive Canadian film ever.”
–Border Crossings, 2001
Posted in Movies, tagged Friday Movie, ft lauderdale, GAY, HIV SUPPORT, HIV support group, money never sleeps, MOVIES, Support Group, wall street on September 25, 2010| 9 Comments »
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
“Greed is Good” Gordon Gekko is back, hawking his book “Is Greed Good”. Michael Douglas revives his Academy Award winning character in today’s world. Set against the recent Wall Street collapse, $800 billion bank bailout, Real estate meltdown, and overleveraged loans everywhere, Gekko comments that Greed is legal now. This is one of the better sequels in a long time. It did seem to reflect the times we’ve just gone through although I do wonder, does Hollywood really understand the difference between rich and working class. To Hollywood, rich seems to mean the very rich. When the lead character decides to donate her $100 million dollar trust fund to charity and live off her job at a non-profit organization, she still lives in a fashionable apartment in Manhattan that’s totally decorated. But then maybe she kept a couple million of it and I missed that part.
We had a good showing of 15 guys show up to see this movie at the Coral Ridge AMC. Reviews were slightly mixed. 1 person didn’t care for it at all, some people thought it started off slow but then picked up. We all agreed that Shia LaBoeuf and Carey Mulligan made a cute couple. Although with Carey’s short short haircut, I hope everyone realized that Carey was a female, and not a 22 year old boy.
There were a lot of cameo’s through out the movie from Martin Sheen to Warren Buffet. We have to give credit to the screen writing. The one liners were on target and memorable. Two of our favorites: “You stop telling lies about me and I’ll stop telling the truth about you” which I will probably use in private conversation some time and “The greatest commodity is time” which might make a great topic for The Wednesday Group.
A couple guys, who shall remain nameless, went to the Gateway instead of Coral Ridge to see the movie. What would we do without cell phones?
Afterwards, 9 of us went to Peter Pan for a late dinner. Two of our members just got back from overseas work assignments. One went to Rome, the other to Afghanistan. What a difference!
Talk got around to another group field trip. Spirit Airlines is offering ticket from Ft Lauderdale to the Dominican Republic for $25/each way. A few guys seem to want to go as a group. Sounds fun to me. One of the guys is looking into it.
As for the movie review. Personally, I’ll have to give it just one thumbs up based on the mixed reviews.
-Steve
Posted in Activites, Spituality, Sunshine Cathedral, tagged ACTIVITIES, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, GAY, Gay Christianity, HIV support group, Rev. Durell Watkins, Spirituality, Sunday in Ft Lauderdale, Sunday Morning, Support Group on September 19, 2010| 3 Comments »
Progressive Positive Practical
I go for the music. The music is diverse and fantastic every Sunday, although some Sundays are better than others. Today was one of those Sundays when the music was absolutely Spectacular. Elena Correia performed an aria from La Traviatta that was outstanding and received a standing ovation.
But mostly I go for the message. Spirituality is a cofactor integral to my health. I could get spirituality at any number of the gay-friendly progressive churches. But the sermon today is why I go to the MCC.
The Reverend Durrell Watkins is an HIV Pozitive Gay man, just like me. His sermon today was titled The Magic of a Grateful Heart. This is what moved me:
“I’ve seen people survive amazingly difficult health challenges, seemingly because they were more grateful for the possibilities that existed than they were discouraged by the disease, or they were more grateful for the medical treatments available to them than they were troubled by their discomfort, or they were more grateful for one more day of life than they were afraid of an uncertain future. The power of gratitude sustained them and sometimes transformed their experience.
I’ve even known people who were grateful for their disease, because they said it helped them wake up, to know what mattered, to be more present to the people in their lives, and even to take better care of themselves. Whether or not the disease shortened their lives, it did cause them to be more mindful, more loving, more grateful, more intentional, and therefore more alive for as long as they lived. Gratitude can work miracles.
……Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone. Feel it and express it. Express it with your words, your actions, your giving. Release the power of gratitude by expressing it”
Let me restate my first paragraph. I go to the MCC church for many reasons. There is the social aspect, a place to go on Sunday morning to be with friends I love very much.
Posted in Activites, Wednesday Night HIV+ Support Group, tagged Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, GAY, Health, HIV Positive, HIV SUPPORT, HIV support group, HIV+, newly diagnosed, POSITIVE, POZ, Support, Support Group, Wednesday in Ft Lauderdale, Wednesday Night HIV Support Group on September 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »
The topic tonight is “Making a Plan”. If you were working in an HIV Testing and Counseling clinic and had 20 minutes to tell someone they had just tested HIV-Positive, what would you tell them to do? What are the things you wish someone had told you? Let’s create a list of things a newly diagnosed person needs to do.
I’m creating a New Page for the Web Site called NEWLY DIAGNOSED. Have a look, click Here. Tonight is your opportunity to comment on this page and help work up Part 5, Making a Plan.
-Steve
Posted in Activites, tagged Alibi, Debra Hampton, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, GAY, HIV Positive, HIV SUPPORT, HIV support group, HIV+, Support Group, Tuesday in Ft Lauderdale on September 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Tuesday Night at Alibi
Tuesday Night The Group is meeting in The Manchester Room of the Alibi to enjoy the music of Debra Hampton.
Shows from 8:00 to 11:00 PM.
Come Join us
-Steve
Posted in Activites, Hep C, Wellness Center, tagged ACTIVITIES, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, GAY, Health, Hep C, HIV Positive, HIV SUPPORT, HIV support group, HIV+, POSITIVE, POZ, Support, Support Group, Tuesday in Ft Lauderdale, Wellness Center on September 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Wellness Center of South Florida is starting a new Co-Infected (HIV/Hep C) forum.
Time is Tuesday, September 14, 2010 Dinner and Refreshments
7:30-9:00 PM
Facilitators:
Phil Younger & ‘Pup’ Lorenzo D’Oria
2921 NE 6th Avenue
Wilton Manors, FL 33334
Email: wcslink@ cs.com
Posted in Medications, Resources, tagged Broward County Health Department, Broward HIV/AIDS, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, Health, HIV medications, HIV Positive, HIV SUPPORT, HIV support group, HIV+, POSITIVE, Support Group on September 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »
The numbers for the ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program) Waiting List for Broward County was sent out on 09-13-2010.
292 patients were on the the ADAP Waiting List in Broward County as of 09-10-2010.
281 patients were on the the ADAP Waiting List in Broward County as of 09-03-2010.
This is up 21 patients from August 27, 2010 when 271 patients were on the Waiting List.
For information on how to contact the Broward County Health Department, go to HIV Resources in this Web Site.
Posted in Activites, Medications, PALS Project, tagged ACTIVITIES, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, GAY, HIV medications, HIV Positive, HIV SUPPORT, HIV support group, HIV+, POSITIVE, Support Group on September 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »
In the Know
HIV Expo
September 25, 2010
9 A.M.–3 P.M., Pride Center at Equality Park
2040 N. Dixie Hwy., Wilton Manors
Seminars • Screenings • Refreshments
We’re celebrating positive living with HIV by offering FREE health seminars, FREE health screenings and other FREE activities for you and your community!
Call Toll Free 866.474.2722 to learn more or to request a bus pass
FREE HEALTH SEMINARS
• Healthy living
• Treatment adherence
• Avoiding drug resistance
· About hepatitis
• Healthy heart
FREE SCREENINGS!
• Blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Rapid HIV testing
• Hepatitis A/B testing
• STD testing
• Pregnancy testing
FREE VACCINATIONS FREE!
• Hep A/B vaccine
OTHER FREE ACTIVITIES!
• Smoking cessation information
• Public policy discussions
• Ask the Doctor
This In the Know HIV Expo is brought to you by the InternationalAssociation of Physicians in AIDSCare (IAPAC), in partnership with the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) and a consortium of localpartners, including the Pride Center at Equality Park and the Broward County Health Department. The health seminar component of this In the Know HIV Expo is made
possible through generous support from Merck & Co.
Florida Department of Health, the Pride Center, Broward House, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Minority Development and Empowerment, Inc., Walgreens
Kristofer Fegenbush, MSW
PALS Project Manager
The Pride Center at Equality Park
2040 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors, FL 33305
954.463.9011 ext. 301
954.648.8102
Posted in Wednesday Night HIV+ Support Group, tagged Fort Lauderdale, GAY, HIV+, POSITIVE, POZ, Support Group on September 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Heidi from the Wellness Center was our guest speaker and we had 24 guys show up.
Heidi gave an emotional and inspirational talk about how far HIV/AIDS care has come over the last 27 years that she has been pozitive. She expressed genuine appreciation of how we in the gay community have built an HIV support network and how the heterosexual HIV+ community has not been able to replicate that. She then told us what the Wellness Center does:
The Wellness Center administers the AIDS Insurance Continuation Program that pays insurance premiums for HIV+ people who make less than $41,500/year. This is funded by the Florida Health Department. It’s cheaper for the government to pay these premiums than to pay for the health care of someone who loses their health insurance. We give 2-Thumbs up for thinking like that.
The Wellness Center also has support groups. They have an heterosexual HIV support group, A Gay HIV support group on Thursday night and they are starting a pan-sexual coinfection (HIV and Hep-C) support group on Tuesday. The Wednesday Night Support Group encourages you to try out different groups. This is not a competition. We’re all working towards the same goal, abetter life for POZ people.
The Wellness center also hosts HIV information dinners sponsored by the drug companies. But it seems the drug companies are not being as generous these days as they used to be. We give 2-thumbs down for that. We’re still out here and 56,000/year are getting infected. We need you to get the information out there.
We also had a lively discussion about pan-sexuals. That means everyone, Gay, straight, Trans, etc.
At break, we had home-made lemon cake. Excellent. Thanks.
In the second half:
We discussed the medications to take on the POZ cruise. I’ll be sending out a blog on those reccomendations.
Flu shots are now available.
We talked about the Bonnet house field trip coming up this Sunday. Amazingly, we had Mrs Bartlet’s butler at our meeting who told us wonderful stories of what life was like working for her. I think we’re going to have more questions next week after the tour, so we hope to see him back here.
Thanks guys for making these meetings so great.
Thanks Heidi for coming to our meeting and for all you do for us.
Steve
POZitive Attitudes 