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I got my first wholly pointless STD screening yesterday! God, I miss being slutty.

Dr. Brandon usually requires an in-person visit ever three months for renewing my Truvada prescription. But, even as early as last March—my last appointment was during that whiplash-inducing transition week between returning from Australia and starting to work from home—they already knew that this pandemic would be bad enough that, if it could be avoided, he did not want me to see him in person for my next screening check in three months. He merely gave me the sheet of paper with the info on it to give to people at the 6th floor lab at Virginia Mason Medical Center, to get my blood drawn and leave a urine sample.

He even gave me the supplies to do my own throat swab or anal swab should it be necessary, but neither were necessary at all. This pandemic has forced monogamy on most of us, and anyone still going around having multiple partners in the current health crisis environment is truly a moron. I still hold no moral judgment whatsoever on sleeping around as a concept unto itself (and neither should anyone else), but it is certainly not something that fits well into the concept of social distancing. Although, to be honest, it does kind of feel like how much of the risk is minimized by wearing masks during sex is still a bit of a question.

So, if I have been monogamous for the past three months, then why get tested at all? Well, because keeping a prescription for Truvada requires it. A reasonable follow-up question might be, why stay on the Truvada? Well, let's get real. I expect that within the next six to twelve months, I will be right back to being non-monogamous again. Getting out of the habit of taking this very effective HIV prevention pill every morning would be just plain dumb, even if it doesn't seem to be technically at that necessary right this very moment.

I did kind of wonder what going to the hospital would be like now, three months into the pandemic. It wasn't that drastically different, really: I did have to go through a check point right inside the lobby entrance, a lady asking me several standard questions about any symptoms I might have had (none) and whether I had been exposed to anyone who tested positive (no). Because I did not have a doctor's appointment, I did not have to check in; another key difference though was the clear plastic barriers installed at all the check-in desks. Those things are everywhere now, and I'm beginning to wonder what will be done with all that plastic when the pandemic ends.

Oh, and of course wearing a mask was mandatory. I already knew to expect that.

The screening itself was very standard, although I did ask to be moved to the chair on the other side of the room, so it would be easier for me to look away from any needles or blood vials as blood was being drawn from my left arm. I hyperventilated a little as always, then it was done; I went to the bathroom to leave a urine sample and then I was out of there.

I thought about emailing my doctor just to let him know I had gone, and that the swabs had been unnecessary, but there as no need. They tested my samples incredibly quickly, and I already got my email from Virginia Mason at 7:25 this morning, having tested "nonreactive" for both syphilis and HIV, and there was just a short note from Dr. Brandon that he had renewed my prescription for another three months. My appointment in September will be back to having to see him in person again. I wonder how similar he will look to all the gear he had on when Shobhit last saw him—which, incidentally, means Shobhit will likely need to get his own screening done soon too.

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— चार हजार सात सौ इकसठ —

I had just happened to start thinking about how it was probably time to go get that STD screening over the course of the past few days: Dr. Brandon had said three months and that was three months ago. I realized I had the time right after work yesterday, so I might as well get it over with.

I rode my bike. And on my way, that was when I noticed some pretty significant changes to the "CHOP" (formerly known as CHAZ; now Capitol Hill Organized Protest). I decided it best not to go down there to check things out more closely until after I got back, and had also taken my bike back home. So I did that, dropped off my helmet in the condo closet, and then walked down there.

The photos seen in today's DLU are from the 13 shots I took while I was there yesterday, taking the full photo album to 59 shots (so far).

My first impression was that it was a reflection of the protest getting itself a lot more organized and focused, but it seems that was at least partly borne of working with the city to make the area safer, for everyone involved and near it. Street occupation has been shifted around a little, allowing for better access to buildings inside the "zone" in case of emergency.

I have sort of mixed feelings about this. I mean, I get the need for people to work together. On the other hand, with the city sort of just working and around them, the whole thing feels less and less like the true disruption it needs to be. Granted, the East Precinct remains almost entirely surrounded by the protesters. Still, the "CHOP" area feels a lot like some kind of casual market area rather than a true protest, albeit with some new booths focused on legal issues and defunding the police (which gets to them indeed getting legitimately more focused on tasks at hand). It seems understandable that someone drew huge letters on Pine Street near 13th that read THIS IS NOT A FESTIVAL.

There was another march yesterday that temporarily closed down I-5, which apparently is becoming a daily occurrence, at least for now. The momentum and support for this movement is nothing like I have ever seen in my life, and I keep wondering how long it will last and how much lasting change it will actually result in. I keep hearing about protests and boycotts that lasted weeks to months during the Civil Rights Era, and I don't think we've seen anything like this since then. My take on it all, broadly speaking, is this: it's time. It's well past time.

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[posted 12:47 pm]