all hail the garryowen geezers
i'm sitting in an irish pub. this is where the magic happens... i have made friends here. i have a writing group meeting here every week where i can find support and give support in the creation of the art of writing. the guinness flows freely, and the indian bartender vish makes the very best tanqueray martini i've ever had.
i left work this evening, knowing i'd head to gettysburg to meet with my [...]
Which Cloud is Grandpa?
What happens to us when we die? Why did Grandpa die? Where do we go when we die? Why do we die? When will I die? Die, die, die … These are common questions from our children. They are also common for many of us. This article will not point to answers, instead it is a philosophical look at our adorable children who ask the darndest things.
My mom, Diana, mentioned the other day that she remembers Xander looking up at the sky, pointing, and asking her, “Grandma, which cloud is Grandpa?”
These are the moments that bring tears to your eyes and at the same time [...]
Vitamins: The Newest Public Health Threat
With the boost in advertisement for vitamins and supplements, you may have jumped on the bandwagon, assuming that these products are safe. Unfortunately, not all websites like Neuropathy Help show you the true review of their product, and now as many people are quickly finding out that all vitamins and supplements aren't what they're cracked up to be, they are changing their mind about even using the healthy supplements out there. The products that you think are safe for your body may actually be doing more harm [...]
Women’s Health on Pregnancy and HIV
Editor's Note: The statistics and information listed here does not reference a specific resource, so I cannot guarantee their validity. That said, this is a very useful and staggering article!
Pregnancy and HIV are more common now. Annually, 6400 women become pregnant while infected with HIV. In the past, there were many complications associated with being HIV positive and [...]
When Life Throws Decreasing Radius Curves
Sometimes life does throw decreasing radius curves at us. I suppose before I dive into today's lesson, I should first explain this mythical curve to those of you who have no idea what a decreasing radius curve actually is. Most of you can simply guess based on the name alone. But I will take a moment and clarify so we are all on the same page.
In a decreasing-radius curve, the curvature gets [...]
Live Until You Die
I am an asshole.
The reason I say this is because I spent the entire month of September reading Mary Tyler Mom’s story about her amazing daughter’s battle with cancer. Every day, I read with tear stained eyes, wrapping myself in a bubble of fear as her [...]
Distraction Tactics
This article might or might not be what you expected when reading the title. Essentially I was thinking about how we humans use diversionary thoughts and practices to avoid facing the tough challenges we tackle in everyday life. Sometimes this strategy is on purpose and sometimes it is subconscious and we have no control over it. Even more important is [...]
I Will Always Remember
I will always remember where I was and what I was doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. For my generation it is akin to what our parents said about the Kennedy assassination. We will always remember it. ALWAYS! The funny thing is I remember a country that came together. That loved and cared for one another. A country that stood together to fight tyranny and terror. A country that no other would want to face in open battle. For a brief period, democrats hugged republicans and vice versa. Over the years our wounds have [...]
City Boy with Cowboy Heart
I am fond of saying, "I'm a city boy with a cowboy's heart." Most folks look at me with a tilted head and wry grin when I make that statement. Usually it's right after someone notices and questions my cowboy boots. You heard that right ... I wear cowboy boots. My goat leather Lucchese (pronounced Lu-K-C) boots are my absolute favorite and I wear them fairly often. My boots are only part of the story. I also [...]
How I Self Published
Since my book, Survivor, has come out, I have been asked a plethora of times what the process was, how long it took, and how I did it. So, I decided to create a blog article to detail what made me decide to self publish, the steps I went through, the pitfalls, my struggles, cost, and of course, how long the entire publishing thing took.
Let's go back to the beginning to really get this post kicked off properly ... In 1986 I was diagnosed with [...]
Chiseled Abs
It seems that the whole world argues about whether big muscular men are attractive. Some believe that a sinuous (almost skinny) body of a runner looks best. While others look at the swimmer's build and wish to replicate it for themselves. And, yet another group looks at the massive bodybuilder physique and find that appealing. Regardless of which body type you dig on, there is one thing we can all agree [...]
Stress Kills
The title is a bit ominous, but I honestly believe it's true! And, I'm not the only one. There are literally thousands of studies that show (and prove) that stress damages and deteriorates the immune system.
Stress and related issues is such an important topic to me that I've [...]
Sheepdog in Sheep’s Clothing
I am a warrior. And, I have warrior's blood flowing in my veins. My father fought in the Vietnam War and was awarded the Bronze Star for acts of bravery. That said, the joke is on me … I was born in the body of a hemophiliac. And, on top of that, I contracted HIV back in the 80’s from a bad blood transfusion. That is why I call myself a sheepdog in sheep’s clothing. You see, I am constantly on the lookout for the wolf, but if I find him, we may both [...]
A Son’s Eulogy for Julien Kim Ripley
My dad, Julien Kim Ripley, died on December 4th, 2011 at 1:12 a.m. It has been almost a year and not a day goes by that I do not think about him. In tribute, I decided to blog a eulogy.
Often when you see a headstone in a graveyard [...]
My Dream is a World Without AIDS
My claim to fame is being one of the longest surviving HIV+ people in the universe. This isn't exactly the coolest title to have, but I am proud of the fact that I've made it so far. I attribute much of my success and survivability to [...]
P90X Redux
Many moons ago (actually two years ago) I bought and started the P90X® training routine. It was crazy tough and time consuming ... I only made it [...]
Social Media is Here to Stay
I occasionally hear some old school folks put social media down and I've even heard some say it is a passing fad. To that I say, "Bunkum!" Social media is not simply a passing fad. What you may find is that some of the social media SITES are passing fads. They come and go so fast, many don't even know [...]
Mountains of Misery 2012
I have a mighty tale of intrigue, adventure, and excruciating pain. A few months ago my good buddy, Keith, sent me an email calmly asking if I'd like to join him on a century. For the uninitiated, a "century" is a 100-mile long bicycle ride. As you can imagine, 100-mile on a bike is a long and painful trek. This particular ride (aptly named: the Mountains of Misery) was beyond [...]
Epic Training Day
It has been a little while since I shared one of my ride stories with you fine folks ... So, I thought I would tackle today's training trek, because it was a bit epic ... At least I like to think so, as I sit here with my back aching, thighs singing, feet pounding, calves tight, triceps burning, tingling hands, and neck hurting. Did I mention that [...]
Why I Powerlift
With my third powerlifting competition coming up, I’ve been mulling a question that seems to recur before each competition: Why do I powerlift? I mean, it’s not like I don’t have enough to do, so why do I devote so much of my spare time and energy to getting stronger at the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Here’s what I’ve come up with.
What is Powerlifting? First, for those of you who don’t know, [...]
Jump Start Your Day
What if I told you that if you give me 13 minutes, I PROMISE your day will be more enjoyable and go smoother!!! What have you got to lose?
Lately I find that I am slower getting out of bed. Perhaps this is because [...]
Fit4LifeTraining
You've probably seen me touting Fit4LifeTraining lately (especially if you follow me on twitter @vripley). The hashtag #Fit4LifeTraining says it all. It encompasses so much in a compact package of words. As most of you know, I will be in an upcoming issue of Competitor magazine (I think May). There is a reason for that. Besides the fact that I've befriended professional athlete and one of my triathlete mentor/inspirations, Pip Taylor (she authored my article). And, [...]
Find Vaughn Online:
My memoir, Survivor: One Man's Battle with HIV, Hemophilia, and Hepatitis C is available at bookstores and online. You can buy your copy here.
And, be sure to checkout all of my books here.
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