Herpes, STDs and Ignorance

I was on a dance music site i frequent, and was surprised at how ignorant people were, even those who consider themselves well educated on things sexual. I realise by posting this some people may think I have an STD. I don't as far as I know, 'tho will be getting tested again soon. And frankly, i don't care what people think. There is too much stigma associated with these diseases, which doesn't help the control of their spread imo.

Anyway, as far as Herpes goes, most people know there are two types, oral (HSV1) and genital (HSV2). What many people don't know is they don't spread purely by oral-oral or genital-genital contact. It can be spread through oral sex which is where many people don't protect themselves.

Both viral types [Oral and Genital] are easily transmitted to their site of preference, and can also be spread to other sites. Both are most contagious during active outbreaks, but are often spread through viral shedding when there are no recognizable symptoms. According to Spruance, people with recurrent oral HSV-1 [Oral herpes] shed virus in their saliva about 5% of the time even when they show no symptoms. In the first year of infection, people with genital HSV-2 shed virus from the genital area about 6-10% of days when they show no symptoms, and less often over time.

...

While HSV- 1 (Oral Herpes) can be spread from genitals to genitals, "we think it is spread more easily through oral sex because HSV-1 reactivates more frequently in the oral area," says Wald. However, she warns, "transmission of genital HSV-1 during asymptomatic shedding has been documented." In other words, genital HSV-1 can be spread through genital sex, even when there are no symptoms.

...

If HSV infection is as easily transmitted from the mouth as from the genitals, then why do people take steps to prevent genital but not oral infection? Why don't we kiss through dental dams ?

"It's ironic, isn't it?" says Wald. "It's not about health, it's about social acceptability."

from

http://www.herpes.com/hsv1-2.html

There is plenty more out there including a number of herpes forums where you can get accurate information, and support, from people who have it.

Many herpes sufferers aren't aware there are now drugs that can control the severity of outbreaks, lessen their frequency and reduce the amount of viral shedding when you're not actively symptomatic. Shame prevents many people from taking care of themselves and their partners.

Knowledge is power. Power doesn't lead to happiness, but it's useful stuff.





listning to normal sounds of life, still letting my brain recover from too much noise.

Bruised, Battered, We Go On

Monday morning, probably the first truly "free" Monday I've had for three weeks. Three weeks of burning, partying, people-ing, DJing, stressing, job-quitting, late-nighting, cuddling, overspending, back-aching.

time for some Me-time.

really looking forward to getting my physical health back. I thought my back was getting better, but it just took one weekend of lifting light stuff and partying to make it ache again.

mentally, i'm at a low point which i know is purely due to the aftermath of tiredness and stress, and residue of past self-doubt. With intentionality at my side, i will not slide into depression, just quietly allow myself to feel a bit down and nurture myself back up again.

lots of food, vitamins, massage and quiet home time sounds nice to me.



listening to a confused mixture of sounds in my head

I Quit My Job

Yes, it's true.

After kiwiburn, a week of niceness in Wellington and WDC's first party which was FTW cool,

i've come back to Auckland and quit my job.

Does Burning Man/Kiwiburn change your life? Hell yeah!

To those who worry, it was in the works anyway.

Sooooo.... anyone want to pay me to hang around? Will DJ for food. Heh heh heh.

For those who don't know (ie most of you), I'm considering a move (back) to Wellington. Likely timeframe will be Bliss March 23 (Auck), Bliss July ?? (Auck) and move after that. Or maybe go overseas, go to Greenbelt, Cornerstone, Canada, Burning Man Nevada, and move after that.

Anyway. Still thunking about it.

Any Dorklanders want to make it worth my while to stay up here?

:P

Plans Are Afeet

Right. Back in Orky-Dorkyland.

I may write myself, but here are two great reviews of what Kiwiburn was all about

http://www.kathysgetaways.com/212/kiwiburn07/

http://people.tribe.net/f5c80bc8-0f43-40b5-a2d4-881254100d81/blog/6267b91e-9164-4898-af85- 1010d1e01e39

I met, hung out with and hugged both Kathy and Cass. That's the kind of place it was.

So.

My plans for next year's contribution to kiwiburn include:

* Pink Moa
* Radio Insomnia
* Band Camp
* Evil Playground + LemmingSpace
* Camp Cannibal
* Fred Dagg Camp

They are all do-able, provided I allocate my time and resources wisely. Besides, I'll be looking for slaves, gimps and masochists to help me pull them off.

:-)

*sounds of evil laughter fading into the distance*


listening to Massive Attack | Teardrops

Kiwiburn, Pink Moa and lovely people

I've been on holiday for the last week.

It's been great, truly re-recreational although perhaps not very restful at times.

Kiwiburn was absolutely beautiful. I met so many wonderful people. I can't really describe it, but i am now on the executive committee and will be helping making next year's happen. All i can say is, if you can possibly make it in February next year, do. You will never regret it.



Pink Moa went OFF!! Good sets by all. Big ups to DJ Dee and Nat for making it. Big ups to Sam (it's his photo) for being the backbone of Pink Moa setup. You rock, dude.

I played several times, but the highlight had to be my 4 hour set on the night of the burn, which was incredible in terms of crowd response and my own performance (especially considering my back was severely playing up that night). I played "Seasons", my Xhile industrial dnb track which was very well received. It's still very unfinished, so i will be finishing it this week for Club Bizarre on Saturday 24th.

And tonight, I play an outdoor party at the Massey Memorial in Wellington for the Wellington Dance Collective, the fluffiest loveliest people i've met in a while. Life is good.


listening to Boards of Canada | Triangles and Rhombuses

I'm going to Burning Maaaaan This Weekend!

Well, the New Zealand one anyway.

So excited.

Three days of debaucherous partying. I get to perform at least six times, in my pink dress, lei, and fluoro pink hair.

Yay yay yay.



listening to Front Line Assembly | Beneath The Rubble (their recent album is growing on me)

NZ Independent Music Marketing

An industry body representing dozens of independent music labels expects hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of licensing deals to flow to local artists through the formation of a global group to represent them.

Independent Music New Zealand joins similar trade groups from a dozen countries in joining Merlin, which will negotiate music licensing deals on behalf of its thousands of members with music download sites like Apple's iTunes.com and mobile phone service providers.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/3/story.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10422741


listening to Anti Kati | He Seemed To Have a Lot of CDs

Girls Are So Like This

listening to The Mercy Cage | Hymn 0.1

Flame Warriors

http://redwing.hutman.net/%7Emreed/index.htm

I've been on the net, and in various forums for years. I think I've met some of these people...

I want to add "Immaturitron". The 19 year-old whose daddy is very rich, knows it all, has never had a real job, likes to say lots and has an opinion on everything. When confronted with his rudeness and mean spirit will fight back with "it was only a joke, where's your sense of humour?".

listening to the neighbour mowing their lawn. so over it.

Party Now While You Can

... but maybe consider doing it with the power off without driving anywhere or consuming anything.

The world's leading climate scientists said global warming has begun, is "very likely" caused by man, and will be unstoppable for centuries, according to a report obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

The scientists — using their strongest language yet on the issue — said now that world has begun to warm, hotter temperatures and rises in sea level "would continue for centuries" no matter how much humans control their pollution. The report also linked the warming to the recent increase in stronger hurricanes.

"The observed widespread warming of the atmosphere and ocean, together with ice-mass loss, support the conclusion that it is extremely unlikely that global climate change of the past 50 years can be explained without external forcing, and very likely that is not due to known natural causes alone," said the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — a group of hundreds of scientists and representatives of 113 governments.

The phrase "very likely" translates to a more than 90 percent certainty that global warming is caused by man's burning of fossil fuels. That was the strongest conclusion to date, making it nearly impossible to say natural forces are to blame.

What that means in simple language is "we have this nailed," said top U.S. climate scientist Jerry Mahlman, who originated the percentage system.

The 20-page report, which was due to be officially released later in the day, represents the most authoritative science on global warming.

read the rest here http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070202/ap_on_sc/france_climate_change

Al Gore, i'm sure will be saying "See - I told you so".


listning to some psychedelic trance track i don't know