I Walked The Walk In 2008

I did it again, and I couldn't be happier.

I did the AIDS Walk again this year, and became a part of a record-breaking event. As reports have shown thus far, this year with 45,000 walkers, the AIDS Walk NY raised a record total of $7,058,497. Many reports found this to be somewhat mind-blowing because of the tough financial times we're living in. I find it mind-blowing as well, but not for that reason.

The reason I find it mind-blowing is because we seem to live in a time where people are so busy looking out for #1 that they are full of #2. That may seem like a cynical statement, but I'm sure with us now being back to our day to day lives, that is the behavior we are seeing. Well, it was good to see that for 1 day so many people came together putting their usual petty prejudices aside all for the sake of a common goal. A goal that they know is way bigger than their single selves, therefore needs not just our individual attention, BUT our united attention.

This year I was a member of Team Showgirls. Just like last year when I walked with the AIDS Service Center NYC, I knew absolutely no one on the team, but I felt extremely welcomed by all. So since I always try to give credit where credit is due, I definitely have to say THANKS to the entire team for making me feel welcome.

And without a doubt, I have to give a big THANKS to our team leader, Michael for posting his bulletin on DList.com , and extending his invitation to me to be a part of Team Showgirls. Since becoming a part of Will Clark's events like Porno Bingo and The Bad Boys On The Hudson Sea Tea(July 20th), I've seen some organizations show themselves to be the biggest hypocrites, and act as if they want nothing to do with porn or porn actors. Remember the statement, "Doth the lady protest too much?" It is most likely because they probably have a porn collection that they need an area the size of the Batcave to store it, and a secret passageway to get to it.

Thankfully, Michael could care less, and I never told any of the team members until some of us were hanging out after The AIDS Walk. After all, I wasn't trying to draw a bunch of attention to myself. In fact, I was trying to be my usual quiet and low-key self when in the presence of new people so I could study them and find out the right way to interact with them individually.

Still giving out credit, while most of the males on our team were gay, we did have a couple who were straight, and the homophobic ghetto trash (blog explaining to soon follow) that I work with on my day job could learn a lot from them . A clear example of what I mean is that after the AIDS Walk, we went to eat at Vynl. While saying our goodbyes, one of the straight guys actually hugged everyone -male and female, instead of just shaking hands. That's a security in oneself that many homophobes can learn from, and an action that many hetero-phobic militant gays need to take heed of to get over the "gay vs. straights" war they want to propagate.

I obviously had fun, because I wouldn't have hung with these guys until late in the afternoon otherwise. Needless to say I was exhausted, but the adrenaline kick I was getting from the day didn't make me aware of it until after watching the season finale of "Desperate Housewives".

I know! I know! How gay can I get, right? Well, after watching that, then I knocked out.

I told one of the other walkers about the long flight of stairs at the World Trade Center PATH Station that I jog up Monday through Friday to get to work, and how that AIDS Walk was going to make me for once use the escalator. Would you believe Monday morning I flew up those stairs like no kind of extremely long walking took place the day before?

Maybe I got enough rest. Maybe it was another adrenaline kick from feeling a sense of accomplishment. Whatever it was, I felt good, and I hope to feel it again. So maybe next year.....