POZ Community Forums

Off Topic Forums => Off Topic Forum => Topic started by: wolfter on February 03, 2011, 09:48:30 pm

Title: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 03, 2011, 09:48:30 pm
I was looking through my old photo albums admiring the beautiful faces of all my friends who died so young and never got the chance to experince this beautiful thing called aging.  They remain forever young in my heart and mind.

I thought it'd be kinda fun to temporary change our user photos.  This is perhaps the last known photo I have before my diagnosis.  Wish it wasn't so grainy.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: GSOgymrat on February 03, 2011, 11:11:03 pm
This photo was taken in November 1992, a couple of weeks before I was infected. A friend took several photos of my partner and me together. Sometimes I look at the couple in the photos and feel like I am looking at people who died a long time ago.

We aren't those people anymore.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: leatherman on February 03, 2011, 11:30:58 pm
my new avatar pix is from 1981 when I had been a sophomore in a Christan college.A year later I would break the shackles of the Baptist faith, coming to grips with just who I was (and that I really liked dick! LOL) and would come out as a gay man - by breaking up with my lesbian fiance.  :o

while cleaning out a closet during our recent horrible snowstorm here in SC (it took the snow 2 whole days to melt!) I came across some old polaroids that my Dad had taken of me in 1987
(http://reigningpages.com/leatherman/2011/january/oldies/mcb02b.jpg)
I am a little unnerved looking back at this picture. Little did I know then that I had probably already been HIV positive for 2 to 3 years. All I knew back then was that I was happy with Randy, we had recently opened our pet store, and soon would be making the move down to Canton where I would live for another 22 years. Little would I know, nor would I imagine, how much our lives would change when nearly 5 years later to the date of this picture (five years and 6 days to be exact), I would being getting my positive test results back.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: tednlou2 on February 03, 2011, 11:43:31 pm
I don't think I have pix prior to infection on digital or even scanned in.  I'll have to scan one.  Remember when we had to send film off and wait to see if they turned out?..lol.  I'll be interested to see the pix people post.   
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: leatherman on February 03, 2011, 11:48:21 pm
Remember when we had to send film off and wait to see if they turned out?..lol. 
argh! Randy and I went to Disney (back in 1993) barely 6 months before he passed away. I took 5 rolls of pictures and not a one of them (!!!!!) came out. I have those pictures in my memories but sure wish I had the printed versions.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: tednlou2 on February 04, 2011, 01:49:31 am
This has been a little sad, actually.  After seeing the thread, I began looking back at pix of me prior to infection.  I look so happy and full of life--far from what I've become.  Well, I was trying to act all sexy in the first pic, so I don't look all that happy.  However, I feel some encouragement to get back to that person.  Looking back at pix can do that.  Here are a couple of the last ones I took prior to infection.  These were all in a section of an album together.  The first 2 are some of the very last pix taking before infection.  Actually, very close to infection.  In that same section of pix, I found some of my meeting President Clinton--just before the 2000 Election.  Others are from Election Night 2000 in Nashville.  Why do I post those?  Well, I was so outgoing and involved in many things then.  And, those were some of the very last pix I have prior to infection. 

(http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/tedunk/utf-8BSU1BRzAyMDYuanBn-1.jpg)

(http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/tedunk/utf-8BSU1BRzAyMDguanBn.jpg)

(http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/tedunk/utf-8BSU1BRzAyMDkuanBn.jpg)

(http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/tedunk/utf-8BSU1BRzAyMTEuanBn.jpg)
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: rondrond on February 04, 2011, 04:36:51 am
<<with beard


sans beard:

(http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8294/194049904015789412.gif)



y'all are mean people.. ;)
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 04, 2011, 05:43:16 am
Nothing spoke gay like tank over t's.  LOVED that look, especially with the satin gym shorts.  Loved the pics all.  It was a melancholy day, but it was the good kind.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 04, 2011, 05:45:57 am
I don't think I have pix prior to infection on digital or even scanned in.  I'll have to scan one.  Remember when we had to send film off and wait to see if they turned out?..lol.  I'll be interested to see the pix people post.   

I still have a roll of the old 110 not developed from years ago.  Great pic!
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: hope_for_a_cure on February 04, 2011, 06:34:31 am
This one is of my mom and me (taken at my brother's wedding reception).   

(http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/jj727802/momjames.jpg)

This one would be around the time that my ID Spec. said he thought I became infected (2000).
(http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/jj727802/Jas_redwood.jpg)

Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 04, 2011, 06:55:50 am
This one is of my mom and me (taken at my brother's wedding reception).   

(http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz117/jj727802/momjames.jpg)



Nice.  Your mum is beautiful.  Very southern belleish.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: hope_for_a_cure on February 04, 2011, 07:03:09 am
Why thanks wolfter.  She is a very special lady and yes... very southern.  lol
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: mecch on February 04, 2011, 07:43:51 am
I dunno --- you all look cute before - and of course you are young in those pics so. 
Yet you all look handsome now.

I guess you are mostly LTS so you see the infection date as a dramatic marking point.  I never thought of a before and after "me".  At least not something capturable in pictures, cause my infection is so contemporary and in my 40's to boot. (So that young hottie was long gone before HIV arrived.)

Its just a different ball game.  Thought I might add that perspective to this thread.  I think my brain and spirit took a beating however.  But obviously minor compared to the fear and illness you all had to live and overcome for so long.

Is HIV what separates you from that old you?  Not age as well, or maturity and life's misc. compromises?
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: hope_for_a_cure on February 04, 2011, 08:13:13 am
Is HIV what separates you from that old you?  Not age as well, or maturity and life's misc. compromises?

Thats a good question.  For me, I would not say that HIV is what separates my old self from the person I am today.  I would say its age, and yes the maturity that came with aging.  One cant help but see the date of diagnosis as a milestone (is that the correct word?) we use as a before and after point. 
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: skeebo1969 on February 04, 2011, 10:35:17 am
(http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv22/tedunk/utf-8BSU1BRzAyMDkuanBn.jpg)
[/img]

Wow Teddy, seroconversion must of been rough.  You look a lot older in the pic above.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: leatherman on February 04, 2011, 10:59:10 am
Is HIV what separates you from that old you?
actually my life has been very nearly dichotomous since I'm coming up on 49 in about a month

for nearly the first half (21 yrs), I was very Baptist and very religious
for nearly the first half (22 yrs), I didn't have sex and had not considered myself a homosexual
for nearly the first half (24 yrs), I lived in the South (in NC)
for nearly the first half (24 yrs), I was HIV negative

for the latter half, I have been agnostic and very non-religious
for the latter half, I have definitely been out and proud, and very sexual
for the latter half, I lived in the North (in Ohio)
for the latter half, I have been HIV+, and most of that time (18 yrs) with an AIDS diagnosis

without counting HIV into the equation, the differences between being non-sexual and homosexual, and between living in the North rather than the South have been major factors in the young Michael and the older Michael. But the HIV status of being positive almost half my life now (and the deaths of my two partners) has definitely made the older Michael a totally different person from the younger Michael.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: HippieLady on February 04, 2011, 11:07:58 am
I have not changed much visibly since my diagnosis.  I'll put up a few pictures of before and after, maybe I'll throw in a very old one just for fun.

This first one was from before my HIV infection.

This one is recent from my birthday in January when I turned 35...I treated myself to a new haircut.

This one is from when I was 21, hanging out with my mom and sister.  I'm in the middle, holding the cream soda and ciggys.

I'm not going to leave these up forever so everyone should get their eyefull now.

Love from Hippie  :-*

(I removed my photos...sad, I know but I was feeling uncomfortable.)
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: leatherman on February 04, 2011, 11:26:25 am
Wow Teddy, seroconversion must of been rough.  You look a lot older in the pic above.
poor, poor Teddy ROFLMAO  :D that was a great one Skee!

This one is recent from my birthday in January when I turned 35...I treated myself to a new haircut.
was that just last month?! I do like the new shorter do, and you really haven't changed much at all over the last decade or so. ;)
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: skeebo1969 on February 04, 2011, 11:28:26 am



   Very nice pics HippieLady, you look so happy.

Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: HippieLady on February 04, 2011, 11:38:08 am
was that just last month?! I do like the new shorter do, and you really haven't changed much at all over the last decade or so. ;)

The second one was from last month.  The first one was from halloween of '07 and the last one was from summer on '97.  I have only really changed slightly since my 20's.



   Very nice pics HippieLady, you look so happy.



Thanks skeebs.  I'm generally an upbeat person.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: woodshere on February 04, 2011, 12:00:16 pm
Hmmm, if I were straight......
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: skeebo1969 on February 04, 2011, 12:08:50 pm


   Woodsie, I think HippieLady alluded that she may want to remove the pics at some point.  To help her out you might want to edit your post to remove the picture.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: Denver Toad on February 04, 2011, 12:16:29 pm
Can't delete, Picasa isn't loading for me.... any idea why?
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: hope_for_a_cure on February 04, 2011, 05:42:57 pm
I have not changed much visibly since my diagnosis.  I'll put up a few pictures of before and after, maybe I'll throw in a very old one just for fun.
Love from Hippie  :-*



You look Marv-a-las Daw-lin ! 
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: newt on February 04, 2011, 06:08:53 pm
Aged 16, post exams

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=377331&id=850200542&l=992ecd3aba

- matt
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: WillyWump on February 04, 2011, 08:24:21 pm
Aged 16, post exams

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=377331&id=850200542&l=992ecd3aba

- matt


Holy crap. We have a winner! Hold your calls.

But you all are beautiful :)

-Will

Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: tednlou2 on February 05, 2011, 02:58:52 am
poor, poor Teddy ROFLMAO  :D that was a great one Skee!
was that just last month?! I do like the new shorter do, and you really haven't changed much at all over the last decade or so. ;)

I did not have sex with that..woman.  I did, however, have sex with that guy over there. 
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: Matty the Damned on February 05, 2011, 03:42:20 am
This is a picture of me addressing the Rural and Provincial Conference of the Australian Labor Party in 2002. The conference was held in a small town in southern NSW called Cooma. I had been diagnosed about 4 months previously:

(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j232/matty_the_damned/mattyspeaks.jpg)
Such a magnificent prison pussy!

I remember it vividly. The conservative catholic right of the Labor Party had attempted to amend the Party's health care policy to severely curtail harm minimisation programmes such as needle exchanges, require the compulsory registration of drug addicts and HIV sufferers and prohibit the "promotion of homosexuality" in schools.

In that pictar I am shown speaking to my amendment which not only called on Conference to reject the catholic amendments but strengthened key aspects of the original policy.

When my amendment was put to the vote it passed with 375 ayes to 18 noes and the catholics had to suck it up.

Stupid boy buggering, ring kissing, Mary worshippers.

Also I was incredibly hungover, not that you can tell. :)

MtD
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 05, 2011, 06:10:19 am
MTD, I'm glad you explained the hangover.  Now I don't have to comment about the evil expression.

I tried to find a pic of me before I knew I was gay, but our house burnt to ground when I was in gradeschool so there aren't any.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 05, 2011, 06:20:50 am
I dunno --- you all look cute before - and of course you are young in those pics so. 

Is HIV what separates you from that old you?  Not age as well, or maturity and life's misc. compromises?

It did for a long time.  The old me didn't watch all my beloved friends dyiing and KNOWING that I was next.  The old me was optimistic about the future, then I wasnt', now I am again.

The old me used to spend way too much time on my hair but not the new me...oops...that one has nothing to do with HIV.  That one was my punishment for exteme vanity.

Thanks for question though, I spent the evening thinking about it last night.


Greg
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: fearless on February 05, 2011, 06:38:02 am
what a coincidence. I hadn't seen this thread but was doing some cleaning up today and stumbled across some old photos from the early to mid 90's. I spent half the day reminiscing.

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295078/in/photostream/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295078/in/photostream/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295078/in/photostream/)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295116/in/photostream/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295116/in/photostream/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295116/in/photostream/)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295146/in/photostream/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295146/in/photostream/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295146/in/photostream/)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295198/in/photostream/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295198/in/photostream/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5420295198/in/photostream/)

edited. scratches head. can't figure out why i can't see my new avatar or the flickr images i uploaded/linked to
edited again to include hyperlink
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: mecch on February 05, 2011, 07:34:41 am
I lost lovers to AIDS.  I was negative. 

All these events and changes seems like a continuum of life, to me.  I teach college kids all day so I am reminded of the difference between 20 and 50 for so many things.  I miss some things about 20 - the spirit of boldness and the physical force that never, ever failed.  I can see plain as day the trajectory from that me to me now.

When I think about those years, that trajectory, it makes me feel old heavy and tired out -- so I try to compensate by living in the day and valuing the benefits of maturity.  Sometimes this cocktail shakes up smoothly and drinks pleasantly, other times, not.   Oh well.

Its good that the optimism about the future returned for many of you.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: hope_for_a_cure on February 05, 2011, 08:00:55 am
wolfter - Great thread here!  Its great to see the pictures of the forum members who have participated and I hope others will put theirs up as well.

Matty - you look almost exactly like a buddy of mine from college.  You may have a long lost twin somewhere in Charleston. 
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 05, 2011, 08:11:49 am
wolfter - Great thread here!  Its great to see the pictures of the forum members who have participated and I hope others will put theirs up as well.

Matty - you look almost exactly like a buddy of mine from college.  You may have a long lost twin somewhere in Charleston. 

You from SC or WVA?  I'm from just outsdie Charleston WVA.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: hope_for_a_cure on February 05, 2011, 08:19:20 am
SC.  I have been through your Chuck-town once.  That was on Amtrak between DC and Chicago.  I have always wanted to check it out though. 
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: Ann on February 05, 2011, 08:36:18 am
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5417758769/in/photostream/)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5417765321/in/photostream/)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5418371194/in/photostream/)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5418370488/in/photostream/)

edited. scratches head. can't figure out why i can't see my new avatar or the flickr images i uploaded/linked to

I can't figure it out either, Steve. I checked in your profile to see if you've entered the URL correctly and you have. The only thing I can think is maybe you have the highest privacy setting on your flicker account. ???
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: leatherman on February 05, 2011, 09:52:40 am
II checked in your profile to see if you've entered the URL correctly and you have.
Flicker photos can't be individually posted here from what I'm reading over in their help section. They only allow you to embed HTML or link to the page with your photo embedded in it.
"Send individual photos to people, either as attachments to an email or as a link to a Flickr page"
http://www.flickr.com/help/sharing/?search=sharing+a+photo#2182

here's the link to the photostream of fearless
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58898262@N08/5417765321/in/photostream/
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: hope_for_a_cure on February 05, 2011, 10:01:20 am
(http://reigningpages.com/leatherman/2011/january/oldies/mcb02b.jpg)

Mikie - such an innocent young man in this pic and in your avatar! 
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: leatherman on February 05, 2011, 10:10:24 am
I have been through your Chuck-town once
After my first visit/vacation to Ohio (before we moved up there) Randy and I got incredibly drunk at some gay bar in downtown Charleston (July 1985). Afterwards we drove the night on the turnpike and OLD highway twisting through the W VA mtns (before I-77 was completed that was a god-awful, miserable experience driving between here and there!) headed back down to Charlotte. What a night that was! Round and round all those curves, and every couple miles, we stopped. Randy would go to the back of the car and puke; and I would go to the front of the car and take a whizz. Somehow by the time we finally hit the last toll booth, Randy was passed out in the backseat and I had stripped down to the nothing but my jockstrap. The lady at the toll booth was very surprised to say the least. Hell I was surprised too. ROFLMAO

such an innocent young man in this pic and in your avatar! 
I really WAS innocent in the avatar back in the early 80s while I was at the Christian/Baptist college. Heck I didn't drink, try drugs, or even have sex until I was 21! But in the late 80s in that picture, boy howdy! Innocent, I was not. Experienced is the more appropriate word. LOL The after-the-bar party usually ended up at our house, with broken coffee tables, booze spilling onto the floor and a lot of sex. Ahhh, good times LOL ;)
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: skeebo1969 on February 05, 2011, 10:39:00 am



   I have got to figure out how to hook this scanner up to my new computer.  I have some really awesome pictures of myself taken minutes before a crack run back in 87.  I'm 18 in one of the pictures and look like I'm about 30 years old.  Then I have pictures taken in 91, at about 2 years clean, posing after working out at the gym.  The difference is like night and day. 
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: denb45 on February 05, 2011, 12:28:56 pm


   I have got to figure out how to hook this scanner up to my new computer.  I have some really awesome pictures of myself taken minutes before a crack run back in 87.  I'm 18 in one of the pictures and look like I'm about 30 years old.  Then I have pictures taken in 91, at about 2 years clean, posing after working out at the gym.  The difference is like night and day.  

I just want to forget ANYTHING about the 80s & 90s, those weren't very happy years for me, I lost way too many wonderful people, too many to even speak of, and now I get to live as an old geezer, can't blame me for NOT wanting to remember so much pain & loss   ???
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: Ravhyn on February 05, 2011, 12:51:50 pm
My post timed out last time I was trying to post so gonna try again =)

This picture is me 27 years old the day after being diagnosed (Xmas 2009)

(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t287/Ravhyn/SDC10346.jpg)

and this picture is me at 23 about a month-3 months prior to infection.

(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t287/Ravhyn/untitled.jpg)
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: leatherman on February 05, 2011, 01:01:39 pm
This picture is me 27 years old the day after being diagnosed (Xmas 2009)
what is the deal with so many of us being dx'ed around Christmastime? ::) I read that from a ton of people here and I've met a ton at my ASO who got the news around Xmas too. Definitely not the best present under the tree for any of us. You don't look any too happy with Santa. LOL

computertutor note:
just before you post, if you've taken more than a minute or two to write, click in the textbox, hit ctrl-a, then ctrl-c. That'll "select all" and then "copy". Then if you timeout (as I do allllll the time it seems), all you have to do is click in the textbox, hit ctrl-v (to "paste") and pop what you wrote right back in and submit again.

or write your post offline in a text editor first, and copy-n-paste into the textbox and submit.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 05, 2011, 02:06:14 pm
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad246/wolfter/CuteCouple.jpg)

I don't know why my scanner is so crappy?  Or maybe I'm not holding my finger correctly or something.  This was probably the happiest I ever was in my life.  Me and honey had just started dating.  Bill's the tall one of course.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: Ann on February 05, 2011, 02:43:02 pm
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/March1964-1.jpg)
March 1964, sixteen months old, being held by my (then) fifteen year old brother George.

(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/Thirteen001-1.jpg)
Halloween 1976 - nearly fourteen. I'm the one with the glasses.

(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/Sixteen001-2.jpg)
Sweet sixteen! 1978

(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/Wedding-1.jpg)
November 9th 1984 - my wedding day (best man in background). Had just turned 22 on November 4th.

(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/FlyingLessonJune97-1.jpg)
Giving flying lessons, summer 1987. I was 24, daughter was three or four months.

(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/Xmas1989-1.jpg)
Christmas 1989. I was 27, daughter was two and a half.

(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/Amsterdam2003-1.jpg)
In Amsterdam, 2003, six years post-infection two years post-diagnosis.
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/Jan2011-1.jpg)
Five minutes ago. Age 48, nearly fourteen years post infection (in April/May), will be ten years post diagnosis on the 22nd of this month.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 05, 2011, 03:00:53 pm
Sweet Ann, that sweet 16 photo might cause me to question myself.  I found that kinda HOT.  Awesome pics.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: GSOgymrat on February 05, 2011, 03:01:15 pm
Honestly, there are some attractive people on this forum!
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: skeebo1969 on February 05, 2011, 03:08:28 pm


   Dayum Ann!!  I like the hair to the side allowing exposure of the neck area...  SHIT, now I am going to start getting turned on when you give me those warnings.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: Ann on February 05, 2011, 04:07:55 pm
Sweet Ann, that sweet 16 photo might cause me to question myself.  I found that kinda HOT.  Awesome pics.

And you're just the type of guy looks-wise I have always gone for. :)

SHIT, now I am going to start getting turned on when you give me those warnings.

I hear getting spanked has that effect on some people.




Here's a couple pics of my bf...

(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/scan0005-1.jpg)
In Sudan, 1993, around three or four years before infection. 32 years old.

(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/HHin029-1.jpg)
August 2009 in Thailand, around twelve to thirteen years after infection. 49 years old.

edited to add ages
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: hope_for_a_cure on February 05, 2011, 05:18:32 pm
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad174/dash1293_2010/OldPics/Jan2011-1.jpg)

Stunning!  Absolutely stunning!

Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: aztecan on February 06, 2011, 10:50:43 am
OK, let's see if I can do this correctly.

The first photo is me in 1981 while living in Los Angeles.

(http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b430/aztecman_1957/me3a.jpg)

The second photos me at a birthday party for a good friend.

(http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b430/aztecman_1957/bunny-1.jpg)

The last photo is me at a the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco.

(http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b430/aztecman_1957/folsomstreet.jpg)

Edited to add: They were right side up when I copied them. I don't know why they are topsy turvy now. ???

HUGS,

Mark
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: WillyWump on February 06, 2011, 10:56:40 am
WOOOO Ann! Sexy biatch on that Trike! Saucy and 16 :)

-W
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: leatherman on February 06, 2011, 11:04:13 am
WOW!

Excellent photos everyone! Everytime this thread pops up on my unread list, I click here first to see who else has joined in. I have enjoyed this thread very much. Seeing the selection of pictures from each of you has really made y'all feel more "real" to me.

Thanks so much for sharing so much of yourselves then and now.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 06, 2011, 01:29:00 pm
OK, let's see if I can do this correctly.

The first photo is me in 1981 while living in Los Angeles.

[

Absolutely handsome in that first pic.  That pic reminds me of someone I used to play with. ;D
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 06, 2011, 01:31:29 pm
OK Willy, waiting to see yours.  Hopefully wearing something skimpy?

And Anne, your BF is EXACTLY the type I've always been drawn to.  Tall, skinny and handsome.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: Jeff G on February 06, 2011, 01:32:04 pm
Great pix Mark !
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 06, 2011, 01:33:03 pm
WOW!

Excellent photos everyone! Everytime this thread pops up on my unread list, I click here first to see who else has joined in. I have enjoyed this thread very much. Seeing the selection of pictures from each of you has really made y'all feel more "real" to me.

Thanks so much for sharing so much of yourselves then and now.

Agreed!  I've enjoyed this more than I thought I would.  It was good therapy for the soul.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: gemini20 on February 06, 2011, 06:13:35 pm
This photo is my graduation a year before diagnosis:
(http://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx184/holbein51/scan0008.jpg)

And this was my second graduation approximately 2 months after diagnosis; only a year later so not much difference!
(http://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx184/holbein51/scan0005.jpg)

And here I am, 19 years after diagnosis:
(http://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx184/holbein51/HPIM2035.jpg)

In searching for 'old' photos I realise that I have very few pictures of myself as I never liked getting in front of a camera - so it's amazing that I ended up a poster girl for an HIV campaign!


Thanks to everyone for sharing.

Emma
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: leatherman on February 06, 2011, 07:01:34 pm
so it's amazing that I ended up a poster girl for an HIV campaign!
What a beautiful poster girl you are too! :-*
and just look at that big smile in all those pix!  ;D
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: hope_for_a_cure on February 06, 2011, 08:07:53 pm
What a beautiful poster girl you are too! :-*
and just look at that big smile in all those pix!  ;D

Her smile is priceless!  Everybody has posted some awesome pics in this thread. 
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: Ravhyn on February 06, 2011, 10:48:15 pm
Okay, I was so excited with some changes I made today that I wanted to share them on this thread. I took this photo about an hour ago. For the first time EVER in my life I got my eyebrows done.

Also got a hair cut (about 4-6 inches gone :( ) and we dyed it, highlighting on Wednesday. But just the two simple changes did wonders for me towards my self esteem.

(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t287/Ravhyn/new1.jpg)
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: rondrond on February 07, 2011, 02:17:28 pm
My 18th birthday....I was sleeping...so it started in my bed  ::)

Like Mark...everything got topsy turvy..... :D

My Aunt Fay and cousins had come down from Michigan and that is my kissing cousin Debbie (surprise..she is a lesbian) who first introduced me to that spray called 'sun-in'....it was my intro to my love affair with Lady Clairol.

The top middle was the day of their arrival....the others are after the application of sun-in.....notice how my shorts got shorter with my blond hair. The top left....oh dear...we went to Six Flags.....as you can see that after this day was over...there was no doubt in anyones mind that this boy was gay.... ::) ::)


(http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4205/194050156235747461.jpg)



And..then we come to my birthday in 1993. Yes, for my 40th birthday, I went to have a special test as all my friends were getting...sick...and insisted. This was taken at work at the Fort Worth State School where I worked with juvenile offenders. ....it is probably about two hours before I got the info, over the phone, that I was HIV positive...might want to make an appointment at the AOC.

(http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4963/19405015669473548.jpg)
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 07, 2011, 03:13:19 pm
Nice pics.  Sun In, my drug of choice of the 80's.  Added with the chlorine of the pool and a full day of sunning, would give us that sexy bronze look like we were construction workers. Well maybe not the actual workers, but possibily the supervisors.
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 07, 2011, 06:06:41 pm
I have so often mentioned my older brother.  Maybe he's the reason I've always been attracted to taller skiinny guys...lol  I found this pic on my mum's facebook page.  He doesn't like the gay lifestyle and I've always played it to the T with him.  I think I can officially blame it on him since he was older.  (http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad246/wolfter/youngins.jpg)
Title: Re: The way we were.
Post by: wolfter on February 07, 2011, 06:10:15 pm
Who in the hell dresses their kids that way?