Check Yo Self: STD Awareness Month

Posted by Strange Lil Black Grl on April 28, 2016
Posted in: Relationships, Sex, Sex Education. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
originally posted on my other site: http://www.mistressofinfo.wordpress.com

 

Guess what month it is? Time to get yourself checked. April is STD Awareness Month. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) also known as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) are the icky things that like to attack your genitals and may become a hindrance to a fulfilling sex life if left untreated. For many people, STDs rarely show symptoms until it’s too late. Almost all of us are aware of HIV/AIDS, but there are other diseases just as deadly. These STDs/STIs below are just a few you should be aware of.

Herpes. One of the most common STDs is herpes. There are actually two types of herpes, HSV-1 and HSV-2. It’s been reported that approximately 67% of people under 50 HSV-1 . Outbreaks present themselves as what we commonly call canker sores, cold sores, or fever blisters. Often, we contact HSV-1 early in life; our parents, aunt, uncle, etc. will kiss us probably not evening knowing they have the virus.

Herpes 1 & 2_Medium

Image courtesy of Google Images

However, the one most of us think about when we think about herpes is HSV-2; genital herpes. As with any virus, once in your system, it’s there for life. More often than not, the virus will remain dormant; with many people never experience outbreaks. Herpes is transmitted by skin to skin contact and is not protected by condom usage.

Chlamydia. Chlamydia is one of the most common STDs and can leads to infertility in women when left untreated. Burning and unusual discharge are common symptoms of a chlamydia infection. Women may experience painful sex, lower back pain, or abdominal pain. However, according to ASHA, 50% of men and 75% of women experience no symptoms. If left untreated, chlamydia can infect a woman’s entire reproductive system, including ovaries and Fallopian tubes.

Gonorrhea. Also known as the clap, gonorrhea often goes undetected, especially in women. Signs of infection are a foul smelling discharge coming from the genitals or a horrible burning sensation during urination. Men may feel intense discomfort in their testicles or experience discharge from the penis that is yellow, green, or white in color. Women may experience painful intercourse. If the infection has spread to the stomach or Fallopian tubes they may also experience extreme pain in their lower abdomen. With early treatment, gonorrhea is curable. However, left untreated, gonorrhea can lead to throat, rectal, or genital infections.

Image courtesy of Google Images

Image courtesy of Google Images

These are a small handful of STDs/STIs. Many don’t show signs of their presence or share common symptoms. This is why, if you are sexually active with someone other than yourself, you will want to add regular check-ups to your sexual health maintenance. Part of an enjoyable sex life is being safe and knowing your STD/STI statuses and sharing that information with anyone you may be interested in sharing your body with.

If you have a regular primary healthcare provider, you can include a full STD/STI panel during your annual physical. There are also clinics throughout the country that offer free or low cost testing. Your local Planned Parenthood is a good choice if you are unsure where to go.

Sex is fun and should always be a pleasurable and safe experience for you and your partner(s). To keep that pleasurable and safe experience going taking responsibility for your sexual health is a top priority. Get tested and get tested often. You owe it to yourself to know your stats.

 

Batman has a new movie y’all

Posted by Strange Lil Black Grl on April 27, 2016
Posted in: Nerd Life. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

I am in no way a comic book aficionado. Truthfully, my knowledge of comics comes from TV shows, movies, and the nerd in me that loves researching and will spend hours online learning about a particular superhero. With the exception of some Black History and Beetle Bailey’s comics as a child, I have always had a bit of difficulty getting into the habit of reading comic books. I’ve got the first 5 issues of the now defunct “Fearless Defenders,” sitting on a bookshelf…unread.

My lack of direct comic book knowledge is probably why I don’t find myself wanting to march on Washington due to the release of the new Batman vs. Superman movie directed by Zack Snyder. All across Nerdland collective shits are being lost due to perceived awfulness of the flick. Sometimes I wonder if I’m the only person who liked the movie. Hell, I even paid to watch it…twice. Full price at that!

If you haven’t seen the movie…SPOILERS (possibly).

Things I Liked

Wonder Woman-without a doubt Wonder Woman jumping into battle was the best part. It was a classic “I am here to save you,” introduction. There was even some cheering in the audience. A lot of the nerd folk on the Internets were complaining about the actress, Gal Godot, not being big enough to represent the Amazonian princess.

Wonder Woman image courtesy of Cinema Blend

Wonder Woman image courtesy of Cinema Blend

It made me wonder if they had ever watched the Wonder Woman TV show starring Linda Carter or if they only knew of WW from the more recent comics. If you look at Linda Carter and the early versions of WW, she wasn’t some huge hulking 7 foot tall woman.

 

Superman- Henry Cavill was pleasant on the eyes as usual. When I first saw Man of Steel I had problems concentrating, because Cavill is a hot guy with that strong jaw and muscular body without appearing like some steroid freak.

Justice League. There was a brief glimpse of the coming Justice League when Wonder Woman/Diane Prince clicks on the links in the email Bruce Wayne sent. It was cool to finally see Aquaman in action even if it was only for a few seconds.

Batfleck-Ben Affleck was surprisingly convincing as Bruce Wayne. He was suave and debonair without even trying. However, as Batman, it just seemed like Matt Damon’s buddy dressed in weird, bulky metal suit. I am only vaguely familiar with this version of Batman and I’m not a fan.

Things I Didn’t Care For

Dream sequence-Midway through, Bruce Wayne has dream…within a dream. The first time I saw the movie I didn’t even realize it was The Flash in the second dream/vision. I know the movie is fantasy, but this felt out of place; almost as if it was filler. Maybe I just hate dream sequences.

If you’re like me and went into the movie thinking it was a sequel to 2013’s Man of Steel prepare to be disappointed. Supes got duped. Batman was clearly the star of the movie. It’s like the X-men movies. They aren’t really movies about the X-Men. They’re movies starring Wolverine and he brings some other people to help him fight the big bad.

Batman vs. Superman promo courtesy of Fandango

Batman vs. Superman promo courtesy of Fandango

Speaking of Batsy, can we get a moratorium on all things Batman for a few years? Wasn’t there just a Batman movie in 2012. Do we really need to relive Bruce Wayne’s parents getting gunned again? I’m not a Batman hater; I get he is DC’s money maker. However, other characters won’t get to prove their box office might if they never get a chance on the big screen. Seriously, there are other characters! COUGHCOUGHhawkgirlCOUGHCOUGH.

My biggest dislike: lack of after movie end scene. When it comes to super hero movies, after credit scenes are damn near necessary. They’re the delicious extra bite of dessert you just have to have when you swear you can’t handle anymore food. These extra scenes top off a flick and get the audience all tingly for more. Hopefully the extended Blue Ray/DVD release will correct this error. It doesn’t even need to be super big. Maybe Superman’s fist punching through his coffin or an oil rig in the ocean with Aquaman glaring from below the water as the rig pollutes the water. I’ll take Cyborg downloading anti-virus software. Hell, give us something!

Overall, I enjoyed the movie. There was enough Wonder Woman to get me excited for her feature length film in 2017. I wish there was more Superman; poor guy got cheated.

 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Wonderful WonderCon 2016

Posted by Strange Lil Black Grl on April 16, 2016
Posted in: Nerd Life. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

         It’s been over 2 weeks, but I’m still on a WonderCon 2016 high. This was my third comic convention and second time attending WonderCon. The first was in 2011 when WonderCon was still in San Francisco. This time my best friend and I made the 50-11 hour drive down I-5 from Oakland to Los Angeles to attend all three days of the convention. Guess what? The Strange One even cosplayed for the first time. I went as Cruella De Vil. While I always said if I were to cosplay wings would be a part of my cosplay, I decided my first time cosplaying needed to be simple, comfortable, and allow for easy access when it came to the restroom.

Bring on the puppies!

Bring on the puppies

Overall I enjoyed the con. My biggest complaint was not enough time to see every panel or walk the entire exhibitor floor. So many panels from Women in Film, to Sleepy Hollow, to LGBT in comics etc., it was overwhelming at times. I did manage to make it to quite a few though. My favorite was the panel discussing the influx of heroes of color coming to the forefront of comics. It inspired me to continue writing and creating content that is fun, engaging, and where the leads just happen to be people of color.

As with all the conventions I’ve attended, a weapon of some sort needed to be purchased. Strange likes big, sharp pointy things. I got a replica of Michonne’s (The Walking Dead) sword.

When the zombies attack I will cackle loudly has I slice through decayed flesh.

When the zombies attack I will cackle loudly has I slice through decayed flesh.

My weapons collection now includes 2 Katana swords, 1 dagger, and a pair of sais (or is it a pair of sai). At some point I’ll need to figure out how to display my growing collection.

Next con: San Francisco Comic Con, September 2016

~ Strange

The Summer Fuckfest that Never Was- Part 3

Posted by Strange Lil Black Grl on October 12, 2015
Posted in: Sex, Single Life. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

He wore a dress

Pretty self-explanatory dontcha think?

This dude and I sent a few messages back and forth earlier in the year, but nothing came of it. He contacted me again in late July. We texted for about a day and then decided to meet up for lunch that same weekend. I walked into our eating spot and there he was…in the most shapeless, boring, short purple dress ever. Being born and raised in the Bay Area, I didn’t even flinch when I walked in. It’s no big deal to be exposed to people living outside the lines of socially constructed genders

Courtesy of Google Images

Courtesy of Google Images

Having said that, I also know what gets me wet, turns me, makes me want to jump your bones, and dudes in dresses don’t do it for me. I can handle a dude wearing some eyeliner, nail polish, or even lip gloss. Some dudes make it look sexy as fuck. There’s something about men wearing dresses turns me off. Had he mentioned in his profile an identity other than a cisgender (one of the rare times you will find me using that word) I wouldn’t have agreed to go out with him. Part of being open to other people, is also being open and honest about what turns me on. I may not be into gender roles, but I enjoy a gender identity. FOR ME, when it comes to dating, romance, and fucking, there are only 2 genders, women or men who identify with and present as the genders they were assigned at birth*.

He did message me on OkCupid a few days later and asked if I was still interested in chatting. I replied stating we weren’t a match and that was that. I’ve got enough sense to know not to go into greater detail.

It’s now October and summer is officially over for me. Summer 2015 will forever be known as the “Fuckfest that Never Was.”

On the bright side, there’s always Autumn and seasonal coffee drinks! ((^_~))

~ Strange

*I could have easily said cisgender, but I seriously loathe that word. That’s probably another post.

The Summer Fuckfest that Never Was- Part 2

Posted by Strange Lil Black Grl on September 22, 2015
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

I swear, finding suitable dick in the Bay Area is like trying to find dick in a haystack.

Dang near impossible.

Continuing with my lamenting of dating in the Bay Area, let’s talk about this next dude.

Some women have a 90 day rule. I barely have a 90 minute rule. It’s not even a rule, rather a preference. I like to get in bed as soon as possible to see if there is a connection. Yes, I know that goes everything ever heard about women and how we need to have a strong emotional connection before we have sex with a person. Not me. No sexual connection = no romantic connection. If I’m not a fan of you in bed, I can’t create romance with you. I’ve tried and it has never worked.

It’s a wee bit difficult to get into bed when a person moves slower than a turtle. Such was the case with dude now and forever known as “Turtle Man.”

lazy turtle

lazy ass sleeping turtle

We met for breakfast (way too early in the morning, I know that now) in early July. I don’t know why I don’t ever listen to my first instinct. I was bored 20 minutes into breakfast, but determined to be open to the universe and not poo poo people from the jump. As we were leaving the restroom, for some reason we ended up exchanging numbers. Maybe ‘cause I never know how to end dates when I’m not interested. The exchange of numbers led to weeks of generic small talk texts. At one point, I even said “next time you have a weekend off, let’s see a movie.” I was trying to move it along, ya know. I got needs. He was a nice guy and I was open to going out with him again. Either dude never had a weekend off or he was waiting for me to bring it up again. The last text I received from him was in mid August; I didn’t bother to respond. I can only do small talk for so long.

Something I’ve noticed, with the dudes that approach me is they are either way too aggressive and have no home training or they’re not closers and don’t follow through. Turtle Man was not a closer. If someone says to you (and you agree) “next time you have a weekend off, let’s see a movie,” take that as a sign and let them know when you have the bloody weekend off.

I’m. Just. Saying.

~Strange

The Summer Fuckfest that Never Was- Part 1

Posted by Strange Lil Black Grl on September 13, 2015
Posted in: Sex, Single Life. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

I swear finding dick in the Bay Area is a full-time job. Finding SUITABLE dick in the bay area is full time job. I can find dick, I usually just don’t care for the personality attached to the dick. Once I turned 40, I committed myself to dating and getting laid on a regularly basis. After 2 years since getting divorce and not dating (except for that one clingy chick I dated for a few weeks in early 2014) I’m ready to actively date. Seriously, how difficult could it be? My new favorite hashtag is #dickinahaystack. That’s what it’s been like; it’s damn near impossible.

The summer started off with potential. I was receiving plenty of messages after updating my online profile and I was making myself open to the universe by not immediately dismissing folks who sent one word messages or had stupid photos in their profile. Pictures of folks wearing goofy hats or flipping the bird at the camera in general are turnoff. I was feeling popular. Now it’s the end of the summer and I’ve got enough unused, opened condoms to start a free clinic.

No_Condoms_Photo

Photo courtesy of Jason Vance CC BY-ND 2.0

First up, the guy I like to call “Odd Virgin.”

This dude and I started chatting right before I left for my first international trip in mid-April. Once I got back to the states we made plans to meetup. Why the moniker “Odd Virgin?” Cause up until a year prior to our meeting dude was a virgin…and he was kinda odd. Not odd as in he got my spider senses tingly wondering if I’m going to wake up to find him standing over my bed; odd in the way that comes from lack of social skills and probably unpopularity in high school. Our times together went like this: pick him up from BART, my place, movie, fuck, drop him off at the BART, repeat. It was OK for a few weeks; I was getting sex so that was nice since it had been awhile. Then boredom kicked in. It went into high gear when dude complained about having sore gums after intense kissing before sex. Sore gums? I didn’t know that was a thing. Not only was it a thing, it was a wake up call. I’m not the most super kinky, wild sex having type of person, but I do enjoy a lot of passion when I’m getting hot and heavy. I admit to being a bit of an intense kisser. Don’t be kissing on me like I’m our grandma. Anyhoo, I realized then and there I wasn’t getting anything beneficial from hanging out with him and surely wouldn’t get the sex I wanted so I had to end that. It was the first time I’ve ever had to end it with someone I wasn’t angry with. I mulled it over for days; trying to craft most the concise text ever.

That’s right, a text. It was easiest. Like I mentioned, I’d pick him up from BART every time we hung out. I don’t know what it is, but driving and having regular access to a car doesn’t seem to be a deal for folks these days. So, yeah, dude got a text.

Tomorrow, the absolutely boring adventures of “Turtle Man.”

~Strange