Good Morning All,
Today is the day of my new adventure. I can't believe it's here. In the upcoming months and blogs you will get to know me and read stories on my adventure and the people I meet. For those who know me, I like to laugh. For those who don't know me, you will see that I try to make light of serious things that have happened in my life. I think humor is our best medicine and I feel this keeps me looking at our broken world positively rather than negatively. Don't get me wrong, I can be negative and you will see all sides of me coming through my blog posts. For the most part, I like to laugh and this is what I call "Positive Inspiration." Sometimes, when I can't find something to laugh about or be grateful for, I look to others to receive "positive inspiration". I would like to introduce you to a man that helped me see things a bit differently in life and to get me where I am today. His name is Randy Pausch (1960-2008). I take my teaching techniques from him as well as the way he looks at life and difficult situations. He uses a lot of humor and has helped me a lot in my quest to live positively. If you haven't seen "The Last Lecture" it is a must see for those of you that think life is over. When we are diagnosed with a life threatening disease or things aren't going our way, then we have to know how to turn things around positively and live as if it's our last day on earth. No one knows the exact hour that we will go (only God) but we have to enjoy the time we have here. I have been given many chances and each day I wake up it's always a new learning day to help me get through the next. The most important lesson I am learning is to laugh!
I am not only positive, but I am a recovering alcoholic as well. I have to stay positive because there is a lot at stake if I don't. Being HIV positive and not drinking works hand in hand with each other because if I drink I lessen the chance of medicine working and it makes being positive difficult. Drinking will lower my immune system so it will defeat the purpose of me taking meds to live. Today, I want to live! Both drinking and being HIV Positive can be negative connotations looming over me but I refuse to view it as "looming over me" I believe that being HIV Positive keeps me positive and being sober gives me the world I never knew I could have. Do you see how they work together positively so I can live positively? I feel it's not the what happens to us but how we handle what happens to us that is important. What are some things in your life today that are negative that you can turn it around and be positive about? We control our own happiness, and when we can't figure it out we turn to others or more importantly a Higher Power of our choice that can and will help. My Higher Power, despite what the Church thinks of me, is God. I am writing a book on my life that will explain all of the God talk. I am Gay, Catholic Raised (not practicing but believe), Male, HIV Positive, Mexican American that has a lot of funny stories to share concerning the clash of religion and culture with the Gay lifestyle.
In my blogs I will be introducing several people to you that inspire me and how they help me stay positive in a negative world. Randy Pausch is one of those people, and even after his death, he still is a great inspiration to me. Watch his video and let me know what you think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7zzQpvoYcQ
A round of hugs and smiles for everyone!
Ray
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
A New Adventure - Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
For the past 3 years, I have been living in Macon, GA., with my partner David and my dog Rosco. I am sure you will understand. I have been very happy with him and Rosco, but Macon rubbed me the wrong way at times. I am very lucky because David gives me the world, within reason of course, but I couldn't have asked for a better partner. He is certainly my best friend and I am deeply in love with him. We hit it off immediately after meeting on a cruise, and after the cruise ended we stayed in touch. After living in Az for most of my life, I ventured out to Macon, GA where David. lives. A year later, he bought me a dog for Christmas from a family in Alabama. They had named him Rosco and when I tried to change his name he wouldn't answer to anything else. So Rosco it is, and here we are, the three of us. We do everything together. The past 3 years have been wonderful and I know there's more to come.
This past October, David and I decided to go on the cruise we met on as part of our 3 year anniversary. There we met several people and one of them just happened to be the founder of the World AIDS Museum, in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. He came up to me and asked me to be part of it. I thought it was a ridiculous idea at the time because I live in Macon, GA. Could the presence of a Higher Power be calling me to add my talents and time to this great cause? Well it would have to take a miracle for me to move, so for now I will be helping via Macon, GA.
Before October, in April, I walked away from a low-paying, bullying type of job and was hired as an online teacher, which pays absolutely nothing. Leaving the job weighed heavily on me, but somehow I knew that everything would work out; until I got depressed. Ugh! David saw my potential and skills as a teacher so he started sending me opportunities he found on Indeed.com around the U.S to apply to. I would have never viewed these opportunities if I were alone, but I was not. I am with a wonderful, caring, loving man who promotes people without recognition to himself. He sent me an opportunity that was asking for a corporate trainer for an airline in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. A fleeting thought came to me that this might be the way I get to Fl to help with the World AIDS Museum, but since I had been getting rejection letters left and right, I didn't hold this opportunity in high expectations. I applied and didn't think I would hear from them and then one day, I received the email I had been waiting for. They were interested in me and wanted to interview me.
Long story short, I am on my way to work for the airline as one of their trainers. I will be training the company on a new reservation and ticketing system they are implementing. This couldn't have come at a better time. This will give me a paycheck and benefits I have been looking for the past 10 years in Higher Education. There is no money in Higher Ed, so it was time to leave it all together. I am putting this question out there? Do you believe in God or Higher Power that can call you to opportunities such as this one?
As I prepared for my new adventure today, it was bitter sweet because I will miss my David and Rosco since I will be training, but I know everything is going to turn out okay. I will work hard to bring David and Rosco to Ft. Lauderdale. My meds are up in the air until I get settled, but it's the unsettling that bothers me. I guess having faith doesn't mean that everything will be explained or else it wouldn't be called "faith" Makes sense to me. More will be revealed.
I will post more on my adventures and feelings. Until then,
Hugs and smiles are on the house!
Ray
This past October, David and I decided to go on the cruise we met on as part of our 3 year anniversary. There we met several people and one of them just happened to be the founder of the World AIDS Museum, in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. He came up to me and asked me to be part of it. I thought it was a ridiculous idea at the time because I live in Macon, GA. Could the presence of a Higher Power be calling me to add my talents and time to this great cause? Well it would have to take a miracle for me to move, so for now I will be helping via Macon, GA.
Before October, in April, I walked away from a low-paying, bullying type of job and was hired as an online teacher, which pays absolutely nothing. Leaving the job weighed heavily on me, but somehow I knew that everything would work out; until I got depressed. Ugh! David saw my potential and skills as a teacher so he started sending me opportunities he found on Indeed.com around the U.S to apply to. I would have never viewed these opportunities if I were alone, but I was not. I am with a wonderful, caring, loving man who promotes people without recognition to himself. He sent me an opportunity that was asking for a corporate trainer for an airline in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. A fleeting thought came to me that this might be the way I get to Fl to help with the World AIDS Museum, but since I had been getting rejection letters left and right, I didn't hold this opportunity in high expectations. I applied and didn't think I would hear from them and then one day, I received the email I had been waiting for. They were interested in me and wanted to interview me.
Long story short, I am on my way to work for the airline as one of their trainers. I will be training the company on a new reservation and ticketing system they are implementing. This couldn't have come at a better time. This will give me a paycheck and benefits I have been looking for the past 10 years in Higher Education. There is no money in Higher Ed, so it was time to leave it all together. I am putting this question out there? Do you believe in God or Higher Power that can call you to opportunities such as this one?
As I prepared for my new adventure today, it was bitter sweet because I will miss my David and Rosco since I will be training, but I know everything is going to turn out okay. I will work hard to bring David and Rosco to Ft. Lauderdale. My meds are up in the air until I get settled, but it's the unsettling that bothers me. I guess having faith doesn't mean that everything will be explained or else it wouldn't be called "faith" Makes sense to me. More will be revealed.
I will post more on my adventures and feelings. Until then,
Hugs and smiles are on the house!
Ray
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