A 4:54AM PSA

My niece graduates from high school in a week and it's because of her that I will make this PSA.
Niece, I have said this to you enough in person but read this and learn it again!
I used to laugh at Teyonah when she would scold people for their behavior and bad decisions…now I'm on her boat. I am ready to scold. I am scared for people's lives out here…but first know this: It is 4:54AM. I am wide awake. I want to go to sleep but if I do I may not get up by 5:30 to make my 6:45 workout…


UGH!!! This one is going to be tough.


Why am I still awake? Well, I came home after a late night reconnection drink with my gal pal. My intention was to go to sleep after I prepared everything I needed to prepare for this morning. After doing that I figured this was the right time to call HP tech support and resolve an issue with my practically brand new computer. Of course the tech guy was in India and was speaking so swiftly that I had to ask him to repeat everything no less than five times. He asked me, "Is it a problem with volume, the telephone connection or are you having difficulty because of my accent?" It was his accent. Why did I feel badly for telling him the truth? That phone call lasted over two hours. In the middle of the tech call, that I was so sorry I made after ten minutes had passed but I was too far in at that point to end it, I get an "I AM IN DISTRESS" text from a friend asking if I was awake.


My text response: call me in twenty, I should be done with this computer business by that time.


Clearly I can't predict the future.


After over two hours of computer confusion I return my friend's call. It WAS a distress call. There was no waiting until later in the morning. I contemplated waiting but then decided to make the call since the friend did call me in exactly twenty from the original text and I had to quickly answer and say I would return the call after my computer was fixed.


So glad I called.


AND NOW THE PSA


Listen up everyone. It is 2010. Diseases are real. Everybody doesn't practice full disclosure. It is very important that you ask questions first. Please ask questions. Do not assume the person you have decided it's okay to be intimate with is going to give you information you don't specifically ask for. Use specific language, PLEASE! I beg you. I beg you. After being intimate with a person (and by intimate I mean having sex of any kind…oral or whatever…) you should never have to hear the following phrase, "There is something I need to tell you…" It is not a given that if you would have asked they would have told you but never give anyone the opportunity to say, "You never asked…" 


 ASK THE QUESTION. It is for your own protection…who cares about the moment being ruined? That is the dumbest reason to not ask… and be specific. Need an example? Here are a few: Do you have AIDS? Are you HIV positive? Do you have herpes? Do you have…whatever… fill in the blank and ask the darn questions that you should be asking!
Just a reminder because this AM I am honestly scared for my friend and will accompany said friend to the doctor in a month to make sure the rapid test was accurate. There is no need for this fear…let's protect ourselves. My goodness…