Cosmo Sez…Don’t Meth Around!

No, I’m not lisping…this is a therious—I mean, a serious issue. Maybe you’re tired of hearing about it, but maybe you’re more tired of watching people you care about waste away to nothing. Maybe you, yourself are wasting away to nothing. Meth has affected many lives, including my own.

I was a baby boomer, and therefore I was also a hippie love child, and therefore I experimented with all kinds of mind-altering substances. I mean, back then…who didn’t? Some of them, like peyote and “magic” mushrooms, were actually “all-naturale” and have been used throughout time by American Indians and others to have “spiritual visions.” It was all about expanding your mind and opening up your “third eye.” It was all about taking a trip and never leaving the farm. It was about stimulating your creative side. It was, for all intents and purposes, a positive experience, oddly enough. I’m not endorsing this behavior, but I’ve never met anyone addicted to peyote or “shrooms.” 

Now, fast forward to present times and the present drugs of choice. Have you noticed that the “new” drugs, especially in the gay lifestyle, seem to be based more around a sexual experience than a spiritual one? Drugs like “X” (ecstasy), “G,” “K” and “Tina” (still meth) are common for this purpose. They are often dangerously used in combination. Why, I even know people that won’t have sex without first getting high! When did sex become so boring that we have to “spike” it up with chemicals? Also, are we having sex with people that we would never have sex with unless we were high? These questions can go on and on. Anyway, the point is this…of all the substances I have encountered from hippie days of old to the modern manufactured drugs, I have never seen anything more devastating than crystal meth. It takes much more than it gives. One more particularly important fact is that meth is not physically addictive—it is emotionally addictive and only 8 percent of all those addicted will recover. For more sobering facts regarding this drug, you can check out www.lifeormeth.com.

As I mentioned earlier, this has affected my life too. Not only have I witnessed friends destroying their lives with it, but I also lost a partner of nine years who got addicted and started making very poor choices. I watched a bright, talented and sincere man turn into someone that I didn’t know or even want to know anymore. Everything became about self-gratification, lies, infidelity and acting out intense sexual acts that coincide, coincidentally, with childhood abuse that occurred in a family where both parents were alcoholics, and all four children became alcoholics or drug addicts. Hmmmm…maybe there’s a pattern here! It’s not that I’m bitter, only heartbroken. I miss the person I once loved. When you are on meth, the people that love you become the “enemy” because they don’t want you to do it. The addiction to the drug is so strong that it becomes more important to you than your own family. After all, they are getting in your way from doing what you really want: meth. Is it really worth the price? I personally don’t think so.

WhistlePig + Alfa Romeo F1

SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.

The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.

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by Spectrum Medical Care Center

Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz

When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.

I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.

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Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area

Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!

Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.

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