HIV/AIDS Awareness Party!!

Last Saturday evening, I hosted an HIV/AIDS Awareness Party that served as an opportunity for me to practice my Peace Corps assignment of being a Health and HIV/AIDS Educator. I provided drinks and snacks, and gave a short presentation to attendees about HIV/AIDS. I taught about HIV and how it spreads, testing for and treatment of HIV/AIDS, and ways to prevent transmission of the virus. I demonstrated (*using a carefully selected zucchini from the grocery store) how to properly put on a condom, and then distributed condoms. A Donation box was passed around, and any money collected was given to the Aids Action Committee to support the fight against AIDS.

The night was an absolute success. People were eager to talk about HIV/AIDS and had questions to ask, particularly about transmission of the virus. As part of the presentation, everyone participated in a game. Then after the game, everyone received prizes of cards, Fruit-by-the-Foot, or packs of gum. When all was said and done, we raised $75 for Aids Action Committee, and everyone had a great time.



A Short Story: The Perfect Zucchini

So, I'm standing in Stop&Shop after work the other day trying to figure out what fruit or vegetable is the most phallic. I need a phallus for my demonstration on how to properly put a condom on. So, not only do I need something that looks like a penis, I need something that can stand up on its own on a table. This is my conundrum as I wander the isles of fresh produce. Then I spot the zucchinis. Bingo! The vegetable is firm enough that I can chop one end off and it will stand upright on its own, and it also is just the right size for a condom to slide on without much fuss.

Now, which one looks the most like a penis? Which one is the straightest so that the phallus won't tip over mid-demonstration? I realize that I've been staring at the zucchinis for at least two minutes and I feel my cheeks blush. I'm in the middle of a public place comparing zucchinis to penises. The pressure becomes too much. I grab two of the straightest, sturdiest looking ones of the right thickness that I can find, and I toss them in my produce bag. As I make a beeline to the candy isle, I think to myself 1.) I'll never look at a zucchini the same way again, and 2.) I deserve something chocolate.

Thank You!

And, for my fourth post, I'd like to give a shout-out to the first few followers of my fantastic and enlightening blog. Chris, David and Dad - Thank you for humoring me, you guys are the best!

Also, thanks to Mom, Dad, Jess and Chris for being so supportive of my decision to follow my dreams. Honestly, nothing means more to me.

J.R. Liggett’s Bar Shampoo

Best. Product. Ever. That is all.

Just Kidding! Seriously, though, this stuff really works! Weighing in at 3.5 oz, this little bar is supposedly the equivalent of a 24 oz. bottle of most shampoos, and is awesome for traveling and camping. With minimal paper packaging, and a cost of $4 - $5 it is both budget and eco-friendly. I have long hair, so I needed to use a spray-in conditioner, but if you have short hair, the bar alone should work just fine. J.R. Liggett’s Bar Shampoo is also supposed to double as a shaving bar… I have yet to test this, but I’ll let you know how it goes after I give it a try!

*Update: ...wait for it... This product works great as a lather for shaving as well! An all around great product. However, I'm finding that a regular conditioner may be necessary.

Condoms from Costco

...only cost $9.99 for a pack of 40 Trojan condoms! What a deal! I bought two boxes the other day for the HIV/AIDS Awareness Party that I'm hosting at my apartment in Boston. I'm practicing being a Health and HIV/AIDS Educator to prepare for my volunteer position with the Peace Corps. Next Saturday, I'll be giving a short presentation on the biology, transmission, prevention, and treatment of the disease, and then a party will follow with snacks and beverages for guests. The $5 cover goes straight to Aids Action Committee, and my two chill roommates (two guys who go to Northeastern) are helping me out by talking up the party and, of course, being cool with having the party in the apartment. Thanks, guys!

Hi Everyone!

So here's the deal. I started this blog to keep track of all of these awesome projects that I've got going on in my life right now. I wanted to be able to document them and share them with friends, family, and anyone else even remotely interested in watching as I struggle to try make this world a better place. I tend to prefer to just jump right in, so here is your brief orientation.

I am currently:
- Preparing for a stint as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sub-Saharan Africa (May 2010)
- Planning for and doing Fund-raising for Sustainable Harvest International in Piedras Negras, Honduras (Thank you, Hancock UCC!)(Feb 2010)
- Preparing for the HIV/AIDS Awareness Party that I'm hosting in Boston, MA (Jan 2010)
- Working in the Investigational Pharmacy at Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Projects in the works include:
- Figuring out what I can do to help out with Haiti
- Red Cross Re-certification in Adult, Child, and Infant CPR and First Aid
- Getting this blog up and running
- Chipping away at my mile-long List of Books to Read
- Learning some Spanish for my trip to Piedras Negras, Honduras
- Learning French to enable my travels around Africa (*temporarily on hold in order to focus on Spanish)