I have been quiet for a while, but I am not going away.

I have left Project Inform. I am not sure what my next move(s) will be, but I won?t stop being an AIDS activist. For now, I am just that- a freelance AIDS activist.

I haven?t written for a number of reasons. Mostly I have been taking some time to reflect and to rest. Today is a new day- in the plain sense that every day is, and the more dramatic sense that it is January 20, 2009, the day Obama takes office. A new day indeed.

Transitions are not easy, but they happen. As far as Project Inform: PI is fine, I am fine. I have been honored and very fortunate to work with PI and all of the brilliant people who make and made it up. PI’s work goes on as does mine.

As people may of may not know, Martin Delaney, my friend, my former boss, and my mentor is in failing health. Yesterday I went to spend some time with him in the hospital before he went home. On his message board was a note from Larry Kramer and a phone message from Cliff Lane of NIH. I sat by his side and re-read a tribute piece from Tony Faucci.

Death has the power to make the mighty small and the small mighty. Marty is both. His work is larger than that of a single person, but he is but a person. His legacy is profound and starts with the fact that so many of us are alive and thriving with HIV. I am grateful and humbled to have spent some time in his company, and to have worked along side him.

I write this after watching the inauguration of Barak Obama. An old activist friend came by while I was with Marty and said, ?We lived to see a Black President.? He smiled as said quite loudly, ?Yes We Did!, Yes We Did.?

Today is day of celebration, and the work begins in ernest tomorrow. Close Gitmo now. Repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell now. Investigate and prosecute torture now. End immigration and travel restrictions against people with HIV now.

Transitions are what they are. They are hard and they are necessary. They happen on their time, and on their terms. They can feel like death. They can field like new life.

So, I will re-start my blog here- as just Paul Dalton, person with AIDS, treatment geek, freelance activist.

To get in touch with me, please use the following email address paulspozblog@gmail.com