Sunday, May 18, 2008

 

Ride, Lala, Ride!


As many of you know, The Esteemed Lala, wife of the much-loved (and equally esteemed) Rachael is preparing for a massive bike ride to raise funds for AIDS research and to improve the lives of those currently living with AIDS or HIV.

I mean dudes, 545 miles, San Francisco to Los Angeles. On a bike. I'd rather spend a month with a damp and cranky weasel inhabiting my trousers. While I'm wearing them. Maybe even a damp and cranky weasel with fleas.

Apparently she is a woman of far greater moral fibre than am I. This is hardly startling; many are. But she's taking it to the extreme.

Today is a special day. Last weekend she rode 89 miles in one day. She referred to those miles in unflattering terms, implying that they had had some sort of illicit congress with someone's maternal unit. But she did it. And then I think she ate an entire pig.

Today she's riding a century. 100 miles. On a fucking bike. Dude, I drive to the corner store and it's on the corner. She's mental.

But I have complete confidence that she can do it. I have complete confidence she can do the "big ride", too. If I had the loot, I'd be standing there at the finish line on the actual ride day, throwing rubber chickens at her and shouting "I told you so" or something equally supportive.

I'm supportive, but I'm also about as annoying as sand in your bathing suit, apparently. But I mean well. Most of the time.

The point of this post (and I do have one) is that I think we should all spend the day singing, "Ride, Lala, Ride" whenever it seems appropriate. In fact I think we should sing it even when it seems terribly inappropriate, too. Unless you're in church. There is a dispensation for those in church (unless you can get the entire congregation to sing it with you and then I'm gonna so send you some yarn).

I'd also like to ask anyone with a spare $1 or $5 or even $100 on their BastardCard to go and cough it up on her sponsorship page. The initial goal she set was $3k and she's raised $4011 at this moment. So yes, she's met that goal ... but that doesn't mean that there aren't folks out there who could use a little more. Go, give.

This cause is special to me as my best friend Martin died on January 19, 1995, of AIDS. He fought for so long ... for housing assistance, for meal supplements, for anything and everything that would just give him the opportunity to live what time he had with a little dignity. And in between the fighting I must say that he and I had the best seven years of my life. I've never until this year called someone my "best friend" since he decided to die two days before my birthday (bitch would do anything to get out of buying me a present). He was and is irreplaceable. I don't want to see anyone mourn for 13 years like I have.

I'd really like AIDS to go away one day. I'd like it to happen in my lifetime, FSM willing. But until that happens, I'd really like those who can no longer fend for themselves be taken care of in comfort and dignity.

Um, so yes, I'm going to get off my soapbox now before I get even more maudlin than I've been. If you have some loot, please send it to Lala's sponsorship page. If you don't ...

Let's sing!

Comments:
We'll be singing it here all day,loudly, you may be well assured of that. I hope Lala doesn't need ass-cheek implants after this. My bum hurts just thinking about all that riding... *winceing away form the computer now* C
 
Wow!! I get to be first!! I checked out Lala's blog too! You guys crack me up...RIDE, LALA, RIDE!!!
 
Done. (I had to donate; I don't go to church.) Yay, Lala!
 
I am SO singing! And I'm going to find out how much I can send when He Who Understands Money gets back. I remember quite a few years ago, hearing "Within five years, everyone will know someone who knows someone affected by AIDS." Well, less than two years later just about everyone I knew had *lost* a friend or loved one to it. I'm with you - surely there must be a way to eradicate it, and the sooner the better. YOU GO, LA-LA! I'm visiting on the far side of the country but I'm going outside and jump up and down and wave excitedly to the west. (If someone asks me why, I'll have them join me. So there.)
 
Go, Lala, go! What a ride -- and what a cause. Thanks for supporting it; my brother is HIV positive, and I tell you we're all plugging for something better than the treatment that's available (which in turn is SO much better now than it was 20 years ago!). It's gotta get better...
 
Read your post early this morning. Since then have been to church and asked the congregation to pray "Ride, Lala, ride!" for the next 3 weeks. To make sure we got it right, we had practice: this morning at 1045PDT, 60+ Anglicans chanted "Ride, Lala, ride! Ride, Lala, ride!! Ride, Lala, ride!!!"! She (and they) are amazing and so are you. Thanks for the heads up!!
 
Since I live so close to San Francisco and the Castro District, home of one of the largest gay populations in the country (and a damn fine place to meet accepting, lovely people and have a good time), I not only contributed but will sing loudly and wave my tits. Yes, they're floppy enough to double as flags, but we won't talk about that. Ahem.
 
ride, lala, ride!!! wish i could contribute, but i've already given on behalf of a hometown guy, a knitter, who's goin' to cali to participate.but now my thoughts and hopes will be split between him and lala. and i'm not an anglican, but i wish i'd been in that church for the chant.

ellen in indy
 
Singin' away! Ride, Lala, ride!
 
Great. Another song to get stuck in my head... ;-)

Ride, Lala, ride!!!
 
Ride, Lala, Ride!! It's gonna cool off soon!
 
Singing for Lala!
 
Ride, Lala, Ride. This is close to my heart, too. Good luck to Lala. I will be praying for her safe journey.
 
I have driven the way between San Francisco and Los Angeles many, many times. Riding a bike the whole way? An amazing feat and to be generously sponsored.

Question- What does FSM mean? Also, I have seen PSM in blogs. I thought I was up-to-date in my knowledge of internet abbreviations - but these two have escaped me. Best - Hester from Atlanta
 
I did that ride (the NYC to Boston one) 5 years ago. The frist was fine. The second day I couldn't sit on my saddle for the first 10 miles. My hats is off to Lala - and I must admit - I'm I sucker for people who do that ride - I'm sponsoring 3 people already!
 
You'd really rather spend a month with a man in your pants? Yeesh. That could be bothersome.

Ride Lala Ride! I've got no money to send so I shall sing from a distance.
 
Just sent $20 to the high school pre-med kids who held a walkathon for the AIDS kids at Childrens Hospital LA - on Saturday when it hit 100F here in Burbank. The track is in the football stadium across the street and it was so sad to see how few people showed up in the devastating heat. Different aspect of the AIDS community, but all a part of the need.

Sympathy for the loss of your friend. Ride, Lala, ride!
 
Okay. That "damp cranky weasel with fleas" thing? You know, the one in your trousers?

Pick the bike ride instead.
 
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