The Department of Justice is acting like a 50 year old teenager. WAIT! That's MY job!!

Today, the Department of Justice showed how juvenile they were where Airlines 101 is concerned.

I'll admit, I took great pleasure listening to conversations of others....AS A TEENAGER.

I'll admit, I took great pleasure holding information against others ...AS A TEENAGER. Oh yeah, and as a DRUNK (of old).

Today, the DOJ decided it had important email information and quotes about how the new American leaders planned on raising prices and fees after the merger. Really! Was there any doubt? Where has the DOJ been the last 30 years of deregulation? Have they misplaced the long list of defunct airlines like their homework. Maybe the dog ate it.

Has the DOJ forgotten how low the profit margins are of airlines? Apparently word on the street is that Daddy has a few extra dollars these days, so let's spend it all by not planning for the future. Oh well, when it's gone, it's gone. Obviously, the DOJ views US Airways and American as big Daddies because they have a few bucks in their pockets. But like any child, they have no understanding that being an adult sometimes cost money. In this case, the DOJ is very juvenile.

The DOJ and their tactics have me suspicious. Why now? They know there is broad support of this merger. Plans are in place. Managers have been hired. Who pissed off the 13 year old (Eric Holder)? Perhaps your gang of buddies over at a few other airlines are jealous of the merger and need a bully.

That's really cute...when you're a teenager. But we are talking about the realities of a business. A business that rarely flourishes and must be smart to survive even if it means merging in GOOD TIMES.

Meanwhile, every teenager likes a good NFL football game. Check out the prices and tell me if Daddy flinches at taking you to a game at today's cost of living increased prices.


Perhaps Eric Holder needs to take HIS kids to a professional football game and experience TRUE price gauging. Meanwhile, please educate yourself on the airline industry as an adult....and not a teenager.

HPV (human papillomavirus)...It's dirty little secret about men and what you need to know to survive.

This teenage 50 something has a very important message for all I love...and then some!!

What is genital HPV infection?

Genital human papillomavirus (also called HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are more than 40 types of HPV that can infect the genital areas of males and females. These HPV types can also infect the mouth and throat.

HPV can cause serious health problems, including genital warts and certain cancers. There is no certain way to tell who will develop health problems from HPV and who will not. In most cases HPV goes away by itself before it causes any health problems, and most people who become infected with HPV do not even know they have it.

HPV is not the same as herpes or HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). Both viruses can be passed on during sex, but they have different symptoms and cause different health problems. ~ CDC

There's a dirty little secret out there, especially in gay land, that nobody wants to talk about. It's called HPV. Ask any man, gay or straight, what HPV is and they will look at you like you have two heads. If they DO know what it is, they pass it off as a woman's STD. I'm here to tell you it isn't. Here's why and the reason most men are too embarrassed to discuss the issue.

People have alway been shy when it comes to chatting about the realities of sex and what is done in the bed, especially the not so vanilla kind. Gay men are finally getting over the terrors of the '80's and the onslaught of the AIDS epidemic where many witnessed the disease in all it's horror. So they are REALLY shy about opening another can of worms that may include that community and fuel the fire of the extreme political right. 

I'm going to open a can of worms and it just might save your life.

I just so happen to be gay. I know, shocking! I am no saint. Imagine anything sexually and I have done it. Sorry, Mom and Dad, I am human. I'm not ashamed of anything I did because life is about discovery. I was young when HIV/AIDS hit the world. HPV wasn't talked about until a few years ago. Unfortunately, many of my experiments led to my contraction of HPV and contributed to squamous cell carcinoma of the anus.

How did I get HPV? Anal sex and rimming. What is rimming? I'll let Sex and the City explain this one. Sex and the City .

What are the signs? Usually one will get anal warts. In my case, over time the warts morphed into a growth. The growth was pre cancerous and removed. A year later a mass formed in the same area and was cancerous. As a man, I was lucky because the tumor hit the prostate gland and was causing pain. The tumor was quickly found, but was in the anal canal. Surgery here is not an option unless all fails. I was subjected to intense radiation and strong chemo drugs. After three months of treatment, the tumor was gone. IF the tumor comes back and fails to go away, I would be forced to undergo an ostomy. And it would be forever.

Three years later, I still suffer the results of anal cancer. My doctor calls it the "new normal". Some "new normals" don't fit into my world as a gay man and I have had to face many unfortunate realities. I can be sexual but there are limitations. It will take a very kind, loving, understanding person to be able to accept my complications for what they are. A part of me understands how the Misfit Toys feel. 

But I am thankful to be alive. I think of the men and woman home from Iraq who have no limbs. Their problems are much bigger than mine. Yes, I have survived another cancer, but I STILL have SO much to be thankful for.

So why are the leaders in the gay (and straight) community so afraid to talk about HPV? Are they embarrassed? Afraid of backlash? I have learned from the AIDS/HIV epidemic that we must educate each other as a means to protect. Silence DOES equal DEATH. Why is there a failure to protect our own?

I'm here to educate.

Both men and woman get HPV. For most, it lies dormant. Riskier sexual behaviors can make matters worst. 

First sign you may have HPV? Anal warts, especially in gay men.

How to prevent? Condoms and anal shield. Yes, I know, they are not glam, but neither is cancer.

Protect yourself! Get tested! This is not just a woman's thing. If you are HIV+, you are at high risk the longer you have survived the virus of anal cancer.

Put away the shame! Stuff happens! Too many put their heads in the sand when they suspect something is wrong. If the worst result comes back, the sun will still come up in the morning. Anal cancer is treatable, but if not discovered, can quickly spread as was the case with Farrah Fawcett.

 Remember there is enough love to get over the idea of never finding love due to a "new normal".

Most important, spread the word. Share this and help save a life.

Much love,

Chris

Nose and Ear Hair Perils

I've never been a hairy man. Somewhere along the byways of life, I pissed off the hair gods. The tease was my head full of hair. It was wavy, thick, and everyone loved it. I hated it. The rest of my body resembles an unfinished piece of art. Let's try a little hair here and there and see how it looks but let's not finish the job.

I started shaving certain parts of my body not because I dislike hair, but because it was a half ass attempt to bridge me pass puberty by the man or woman upstairs. Yes, sometimes God does screw up.

To make matters worse, my hair started thinning out. When I was diagnosed my second bout of cancer, the chemo caused my hair to fall out. I decided to shave the hair off my head. It stays that way today. No, I don't have a desire to be a 11 year old boy or Mr. Clean.

Having said that, It blows away my last brain cell when I think of the chores this 50 year old man must go through when he has the body hair of a teen. If hair refuses to grow anywhere on my body because of radiation, why on earth does it grow like a weed in my ears and in my nose? What is that about?

Haven't I faced enough adult humiliation with the patches of (now) gray body hair unevenly placed on my chest ? Could we transplant these quick growing follicles to other areas of the body? And why did other areas of my body fail to produce hair when I had chemo and radiation, yet the feisty little ear and nose hairs refuse to die?

Thank God for the modern day weed whacker that allows the easy removal of such unsightly existence called the ear and nose hair... every 50 year old's nightmare.

New Blog Name

I have changed my blog name to "Rants of a Teenage 50 Something".

Boob of the Month...Thank God!!

Good morning!

Some things in life are worthy of being C.B.S. ( cunty, bitchie, shallow) over and a big fat drama at that. To this, I give you Dennis. He get's my C.B.S Boob of the Month!

The above text pretty much sums up the way this date went.

Let me just say I wasn't nearly as offended with the content of the text as I was with the timing. My date was at 7:30 and I had a 25 minute ride so I was literally out the door. Who am I fooling? The content burned my ass, but the timing fired my brain as I envisioned it exploding like a cartoon character from "Family Guy".

I mean, who the hell did this guy think he was, John Wayne in any number of cowboy movies from the 1940's? For some reason, I highly doubt John Wayne, the ultimate manly man, ever engaged in homosexual activities, kissed, nor held hands with another man. Was I about to meet John Wayne's gay equal that I had to somehow pass the straight acting test? The fella better be as manly as he was expecting. He wasn't.

Now I realize we all have a line of determining what is too feminine and what is too masculine before deeming a person just friends, but I would like to think "the content of one's character" should be extended to not only race issues, but gay dating etiquettes as well. I mean, come on, I believe in chemistry and sometimes chemistry trumps all other things, including how manly or girly a guy may be. But if one has already placed any condition as top priority, the sum of who a person one is meeting gets lost.

In my moments of stalking a few straight dating sites, I have never ever seen the term straight acting. Imagine if a woman posted gay acting? Really. What would that look like? A great listener, fashion sensibilities, sensitive heart, overall good taste? Oh yeah, they are called..."meterosexuals".

As I drove to visit my Scruff encounter, I could only think of how much I wanted to turn my car around and go home. I decided to go on the date and keep an open mind. At some point, I knew the text would come up in conversation.

I barely sat down with Dennis before he brought up the entire text situation. I explained that I was a bit taken back and that I almost didn't come on the date. He looked surprised and generally concerned. He explained that many put things like being masculine down on their profile and then they aren't what they appear. I explained that nowhere in my profile was anything written as I don't believe in placing expectations.

Dennis apologized for the situation. I tried to let it go, but first impressions mean a lot and I couldn't get pass this one. If anything, it opened my eyes to all that transpired on this date. I believe in respect. It is disrespectful to order your meal before your date has arrived. I believe in getting to know one another. Dennis went on and on about wanting to be in a relationship and wanted to know my desire level for such. I would say the first date is too soon for that conversation. I also got the impression Dennis wanted to complain about all gay men, clumping us in one big gay category. I was not impressed.

Importantly, the above text showed me the most telling issue about Dennis. If you can't handle the amount (or lack ) of masculinity of a person, there's a good chance you may not be able to handle much larger issues. Let's say, issues like...being a long time HIV survivor, HPV+, in recovery, and having battled cancer not once, but twice in three years. AND, having physical effects that may not fall in line with a typical person's expectations.

Oh well, Dennis is my boob of the month...thank God!!

I guess one man's foolishness is another man's blessing.

Oh, the single life...
Chris

Confessions of A New Found Vegan

Defeating cancer twice has allowed me the chance to take a look at my diet. Could I be getting sick because of what I am eating? Perhaps it was time to look at what I put in my body. Maybe the food itself wasn't causing but allowing cells to transform.

There will always be scientific discussions about what causes cancer and why some get it and some don't. It my best interest, I need to change something or I might see Cancer 3. I would prefer to avoid that outcome.

My cousin Teresa turned me onto a book called "Eat To Live" by Joel Fuhrman. In this simple book, I was reminded of how we should eat as opposed to how we actually ate. Since when did fruits, veggies, raw nuts, and beans become the enemy? I had forgotten how little of these foods I was actually taking in. Not to mention, I was taking in processed foods and sugars to beat the band. Nothing natural in my diet. I was also eating a lot of dairy. I was cramping and feeling bloated most of the time. I wasn't eating a lot of meat, but enough.

One thing was certain. My stomach was producing a high amount of acid. I have acid reflux and a hiatal hernia, so most of the time eating was torture. Many will recall I don't eat late because of this. Was I to be subjected to a lifetime of horrible eating experiences? Perhaps there was a reason behind the torture. Doctors kept wanting to give me medicine and I kept buying tums. Nothing was working.

So I decided to change the way I looked at food and how I ate. I needed to or I was going to be miserable the rest of my life. Perhaps a vegan diet was more to my liking. "Eat To Live" isn't about not eating meat, but in the beginning starts a cleansing by eating more fruits and veggies. There are tons of recipes to get one started. I decided to be vegan not on the premise of saving any living being, but to save my own life. It's the best decision I ever made.

As I started to prepare for my new diet, I discovered how lazy I was where food and food prep was concerned. I had fallen into the fast food revolution without actually buying fast food. Whatever was quick, I grabbed. I warmed prepared foods. That was my idea of cooking. I discovered I was intolerant to dairy products. I ate too much cheese, thinking the protein was good for me. I also stopped drinking sodas including diet. Coke stock just dropped. I only drink water.

Something amazing happened just two weeks after I changed my diet. The reflux was nonexistent, I wasn't bloated, and I dropped weight  from nowhere. AND I wasn't going hungry. My energy was up and I slept much better. 

Many will argue I don't get enough protein in my diet. Ironically I discovered how many veggies indeed provide a lot of protein. Beans also provide protein and fiber. But alas, the vegetarian haters abound. They throw out remarks like "beans make you fart" without realizing red meat digestion makes one pass gas as much.

Not to long ago I had dinner with friends at a Mexican restaurant. When I found out, I decide to eat something because I knew there may not be a lot on the menu for a vegan. I was correct. Everyone was concerned about my well being. The snarky remarks followed. You would think I was promoting my diet. I simply saw nothing but fat on the menu and that wasn't the food I was eating.

It's funny how I was being put down for trying to change my way of looking at food, all parties knowing I had cancer twice, yet the one making the remarks the loudest was woofing down chips and cheese sauce like it was his last meal. Perhaps a little more cheese and the stomach could be used as a table. But I was the weirdo for wanting to eat healthy.

As a recovering alcoholic/addict of 5 years, I have learned it isn't my place to tell a person they need to change their habits. I do whatI do for me.

After two months, I have dropped 15 unwanted pounds, have no reflux issues, sleep well, am energetic, and look the best I have ever looked. Yes I am a bit vain at times, but I must confess it's nice to look good in clothes that are flattering. Fat ages a person. It makes people sick. It wears a person down. And yes, it promotes disease. 

I made my own self discovery. I had to reprogram my brain as to how much acid was needed on a day to day basis. Today, that amount is less and I can actually have a nibble when out with the guys late at night.

Was it easy changing? Oh no. My body took three weeks to adjust and the adjustment period was less than flattering. But my body had to rid itself of poison. I knew there would be an adjustment so i wasn't surprised at the transition. Today, my body is taking in healthy food. I shop for better food. I spend more but feel the price is worth it. I actually enjoy cooking and I no longer make excuse why I can't eat healthy. I just do it!

The vegan diet isn't for everyone and I don't push it on people. It works for me. 

I have never heard of anyone dying of diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease because of a vegetarian diet. I'm hoping the same will be said for cancer.

Just trying to be healthy...
Chris

Back To Work I Go

Those that know me are aware that I have been out of work for almost nine months fighting cancer. Today marks my return to the skies. I have learned a lot in my time off. The challenge comes with living life in a world where so many forget to enjoy the small things life has to offer.

Will I be able to approach life with a more understanding heart? Am I more compassionate because of the last nine months. How will I handle petty complaints and snarky remarks that have C.B.S pickling the soul when all I can think of is "at least you don't have cancer"?

Stay tuned...

Chris