Willy Or Won't He – So Many Years of Experience But Still Making Mistakes!

World AIDS Day 2025

As I have done every December 1^st since 2007 I will repost an entry from Everything Is Not Real – a long dormant blog by Christopher, a London party boy. At the time I wrote: “… Christopher could write frivolous, naughty, nasty, informative and touching. His entry for World AIDS Day two years ago moved me immensely. As I know I could not write anything as appropriate to the day..” That last statement reads as true today as it did 18 years ago.

December 1, 2005

I have lottery fantasies.

I dream about being able to buy fast cars and designer clothes until they come out of my ears. I want houses in London, New York, East Hampton and Rio. I want to be able to travel first class and work out at The Third Space and get reservations at Annabel’s just because of who I am. I want to be able to take hot dates on tours of the National Gallery. When it’s closed. Because I’m one of it’s biggest benefactors.

Needless to say, twice a week, I am disappointed.

This morning, on the way to work on the tube, I was reading a Times article, written by Annie Lennox, about the millions and millions of people in Africa who are suffering with HIV and AIDS, and dying, and how the governments of the richer nations, such as the one I live in, have pledged support over an eight year period. And how they absolutely must stay committed to this goal.

One of the kids she spoke to on a recent trip to Africa was dying of AIDS. But before he got sick he lost his mother, father, brothers, sisters and pretty much everyone else he cared about to the same disease. He was totally alone in the world. With no hope. And certainly no dreams of fast cars or a nice comfortable house, anywhere. And that shit isn’t even near the important stuff.

There are approximately 6,450,000,000 humans on Earth.

Most of them are not 33 year olds who have careers which afford them access to guest lists to the best clubs and bars the city has to offer. They don’t have friends who will stick with them no matter what (and slip them Jil Sander dress shirts every now and then). They don’t have housemates who have Thai cuisine prepared and ready to eat when they arrive home. They don’t have comfortable beds to sleep in at night.

6,450,000,000.

When I think about it I kinda did win the lottery.

Christopher – Everything Is Not Real

It has been 41 years since I lost my first friend to what was, in 1984, called the “gay cancer”. More friends were to die in the next decade; they were the “lost generation” of the ’80s. We lost them not just to AIDS but to prejudice, ignorance, fear, religious bigotry, and indifference. Slowly over time, as it became acknowledged that a virus does not recognize sexuality, attitudes seemed to change for the better. (It would be cynical of me to think of it as also a chance for big pharma to profit.) Many countries began education programmes both at home and abroad. The commemoration of December 1st as World AIDS Day became a given throughout the world. Sadly there were still places where it was demonized or said not exist but was a disease of/or brought by “foreigners”. Happily it seemed that number was getting smaller.

However as the political scene changes around the world those old ways of thinking appear to be making a reappearance. Only this past weekend the Government of the United States has instructed American officials to not commemorate World AIDS Day, following up on earlier cuts to HIV prevention. This from the proclaimed World Leader comes as a major step back in education and prevention. And this from a country where an estimated 31,800 new cases were diagnosed in 2022 and in 2023 approximately 1.1 million American were living with AIDS. (Newer statistics are not available for the US as there has been a delay in CDC reporting.)

World Statistics 2024 – UNAIDS

40.8 million [37.0 million–45.6 million] people globally were living with HIV in 2024.
1.3 million [1 million–1.7 million] people became newly infected with HIV in 2024.
630 000 [490 000–820 000] people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2024.31.
6 million people [27.8–32.9 million] were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2024.
91.4 million [73.4 million–116.4 million] people have become infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic.
44.1 million [37.6 million–53.4 million] people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic.
Globally 45% of all new HIV infections were among women and girls (all ages) in 2024.
In sub-Saharan Africa, women and girls (all ages) accounted for 63% of all new HIV infections.
In all other geographical regions, about 73% of new HIV infections in 2024 occurred among men and boys.

Regardless of government dictates we must never forget or cease to support awareness and education not just on December 1^st but every day of the year.

I may have “won” the lottery but many people I care/cared for did not. As always this is in loving memory of those lost: Gary, Brian, Lawrence, Doug, Bill, Andrew, Pierre, Jim, Don, Billy and so many others. Also for those who may have lost the lottery but continue to fight the battle with courage and our support, love and hope.

The word for December 1^st is:
Support /sə-pôrt′/: [^1.verb^2.noun]
^1.1 To aid, argue or advocate for a cause, policy, or interests of.
^1.2 To bear the weight of, especially from below; keep from falling, sinking, or slipping.
^1.3 To keep from weakening or failing; give confidence or comfort to.
^1.4To offer advise to.
2.1 The act of aiding or advocating for a cause.
2.2 The act of bearing physical or moral weight.
Middle English supporten, from Old French supporter, from Latin supportāre, to carry : sub-, from below.

Advent I

Though I have bypassed some of my traditional blog posts in the past year or so I felt that as a lead up Christmastide I would once again celebrate Advent. So I ask you to join me as I light the first of the candles on this years’ Advent Wreath.

I am currently reading Every Valley, a study of the times and people who created and performed the glorious piece of theology and music that is The Messiah. I’m sure we are all aware of the composer of that great work but who is the author of the libretto that Handel set? And yes like any oratorio or opera it has a libretto. Charles Jannsen’s text is taken almost verbatim from passages from the 1638 King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter. Often thought of as a mere potpourri Jannsen was very specific in his choice of text to create “a meditation of our Lord as Messiah in Christian thought and belief”.¹ An ardent Anglican and scriptural literalist The Messiah is his theological challenge to the Deism prevalent at the time. It is interesting that Charles King begins his fascinating, if slightly overwritten, book with Jannsen’s story.

I thought in honour of this unsung collaborator of this great oft-sung work I would quote from it as we light the candles on this year’s Wreath.

^1. Watkins Shaw, British Musicologist

The word for November 30^th is:
Psalter / ˈsɔːltə / [noun]
^1.1 The Book of Psalms. Often applied to a book containing the Psalms separately printed.
_1.2 Specifically for Anglicans, the Book of Common Prayer which contains the Book of Psalms.
^1.3 For Catholics, the Breviary containing the Psalms arranged for each day of the week.
^1.4 In the Roman Catholic Church, a rosary consisting of one hundred and fifty beads, corresponding to the number of the Psalms.
Middle English sauter; psauter, from Old French sautier, psaltier, from Latin psalterium (“a stringed instrument like a lute”), from Ancient Greek ψαλτήριον (psalterion, “a harp”).

Memes for a Monday

I know I should stop ~~making excu~~ explaining reasons I am late in postings; I mean it’s not like I post much else these days. But this morning I actually slept in – and I mean slept in. I’ve now spent the day playing catch-up. So late they are but here they are:

These days sadly with never a gap between.

Broadway fans will get this.

Non-performance art?

And that green stuff that has eaten its way into the Tupperware.

I’m nor sure that still applies.

The horses looked pissed off with someone.

It’s all smoke and mirrors.

I have never read a Steven King novel. I have nightmares enough from my medication.

Another confession: I have never seen Wicked – on stage or film. I guess I lose my Broadway Queen status.

Nor do I like sweet potato fries.

No this is not autobiographical.

A familiar dialogue Anyone?

I can sympathize with this. I long for the small grocery stores of old.

For my American friends as they approach the festive board.

And it’s never too early for a Christmas PSA!

The phrase for November 24^th is:
Smoke and mirrors /ˌsməʊk ən ˈmɪr.əz/: [nominal]
^1.1 Something that intended to make you believe that something is being done or is true, when it is not.
^1.2 An explanation or description that is not true or not complete and is used to hide the truth about a situation.
An idiom originating from the use of smoke and mirrors to distract and obscure in 18th century stage magic and illusion. Its metaphorical meaning of using deception to obscure the truth became popularized in American politics by journalist Jimmy Breslin in the 1970s to describe misleading political tactics.

Memes for a Monday

Once again it’s gloomy and rainy/wet-snowy but every so often Mom Nature gives us a glimpse of sunshine and blue skies. She can be a bitch that way! Ah well not much we can do about the weather s0 let’s look at a few memes what may bring a bit of that sunshine back.

We have 35 days to find a virgin to sacrifice to the Sun so it will return.

Or comment.

Being an adult is not anything like what they promised.

There is a great deal of truth here.

Logic at work.

Yep.

Or who would subject her to the torture of trying on a glass slipper.

Warning: incoming dad joke.

You won’t see this one in True Crime Magazine.

As long a there isn’t a hole in the sock there must be something they can do.

For several of my faithful readers.

I don’t understand this – I never get to bed before midnight.

A few of us (well me mostly) would ~~torture~~ tease a colleague with this, we didn’t know there was a name for it other than annoying.

F—a, P—y, C—–e et al.

The word for November 17th is:
Premature /prē″mə-tyoo͝r′, -too͝r′, -choo͝r′/: [adjective]
^1.1Occurring, growing, or existing before the customary, correct, or assigned time; uncommonly or unexpectedly early.
^1.2 Born after a gestation period of less than the normal time.
^1.3 Mature or ripe before the proper time.
Middle English, ripe, from Latin praemātūrus, ripe too early : prae-, pre- + mātūrus, ripe; see mā- in Indo-European roots.

We Will Remember Them

Remembrance Day 2025

The term for November 11^th is:
The Last Posts
Originally, the “Last Post” was a bugle call to signal the end of the day’s duties in a military camp. Today it is chiefly used at military funerals or Remembrance ceremonies to symbolizes that the soldier has gone to their final rest. The last note of the “Last Post” traditionally marks the beginning of a period of silence.. That is followed by the Rouse (or Reveille), which symbolizes a soldier’s “rising” above their mortal duties.
The term was first heard in the 17th century but became more widely known after Word War I.

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