"Franciscooooooooo. That's fun to say..." ~Buddy the Elf.

Hello My Family and Friends from San Francisco!

Am I the non-cartoon version of 'Where's Waldo?' or what? I'm settling back into a life, striving to reduce and simplify, and in all likelihood, amassing and complicating as I go...we do our best, huh? Was laughing with my great friend Sabrina about the noble and freakishly unattainable goal of making life simpler. It came down to, 'I only want a few things, but nice, newest versions of things..." I hate the things I love and love the things I hate. Well, that's enough mental wordsmith push-ups for early morning.

I made the decision two days ago to participate in in AIDS/LifeCycle 6 this June 3 - 9, a 575-mile bike ride in support of the services and clients of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

I hope that last sentence wasn't the DELETE NOW prompt that I imagine it might be. "Uh oh, he's fundraising AGAIN, ABORT ABORT!!!!"

Wow, you're still here! Thank you for at least humoring me for another paragraph or three.

I signed up on the ride last year, but kind of assumed that with the transition and extreme debt mountain I've amassed, it wouldn't even be within the realm of the possible. (Don't worry, I PROMISE I won't say 'I'mpossible.' with requisite branding and copyright.) But I put the idea out there, and people cleared the path for me and showed me that anything you can imagine, can occur. Power of the will, the kindness of friends. It's a great thing.

This paragraph is where I should say poignant things and make you feel the need for the event. But, with this being my 12th year of participation, I've kind of said it all before. What can I say except that it's still so vitally necessary, that people need to ride bikes extraordinary distances just to keep friends and family alive. Kind people. Many of these people not normally active. It's not easy, it is commitment, drive, compassion. Your family, friends, neighbors--all connected, we are all our brother's keepers. I decided to challenge myself in a new way this year, by becoming a recurring donor at Keep a Child Alive. For $30 bucks a month, the price of just one of my 60 antiviral pills I take in a month, I am providing a month's supply of antivirals for someone in Africa. I can't give up two weeks of Biggie Diet Cokes so that a child can live? Of course I can! The extraordinary, prohibitive costs of health insurance and antiviral regimens here in the US makes this journey necessary.

So, logistics. I'd love to have your support. I wouldn't ask if it weren't necessary. I hate asking for money (did I hear eyes rolling?) but for this I get over the discomfort so that I provide you the opportunity to to be involved, without saddle sores, hemmorhoids or spider veins. Maybe just a little carpal tunnel from writing a check or, even easier, donating online! I can't guarantee you won't get grin cramps, of course.

Click here to donate securely online: https://www.aidslifecycle.org/donate/form.cfm?n=4147

Please consider joining my effort. Thanks for your time and continued presence in my life.

Namaste/Peace/Love
Craig
Rider #4147, SFAF Client, HIV+ over 12 years, Pain in the Ass far longer