It snowed here yesterday. And the forecast calls for snow again today, Sunday. Thursday and Friday the temps were in the sixties, the sun was shining, the top was down on my shiny convertible, and all was right with the world. It is amazing to me how folks' outlooks on life itself are impacted by the weather. Myself included. Why don't we all live in California, Florida, Arizona, or some other sunkist spot?
Somehow, that old argument about seasonality always comes up. "I like the change of seasons!" Well, so do I but I think I'd be perfectly content with just a week or two of Winter and a smaller smidgen of Fall. I'll put that in the old suggestion box. Along with a few other suggestions.
I'm starting to believe one's age can be determined by the percentage of his/her thoughts and conversations that relate to weather. My kids never talk about the weather. I don't think they even think about it at all. They just (sometimes) don the appropriate clothing and gear and go out and face it. I hereby determine to speak and think less of the weather. And hopefully think less about it. I've always been a fan of that serenity thing: God give me the wisdom blah blah blah, don't fret about stuff you can't effect anyway, etc. There, I feel younger already.
Along that same line I find myself, somewhat disturbingly, feeling tranquil about my medical situation/cancer. Oh, I'm certainly efforting to take much better care of myself than I have in the past. But beyond that I feel like it's out of my hands. In the hands of the "higher power". And I'm really OK with that. I just completed chemo treatment number 3 and I'm coming out of the funk and sickness. My existence now is really sort of bipolar. On the week I have treatment I feel like total crap Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday then slowly ramp out of it the rest of the week. I'm conciously trying to push myself physically more each day. I'm no Bear Grills. I just try to walk a bit more or do some curls with my immense ten pound barbells. Feel better and better each day until that dread Monday when it's back to the chair for another treatment.
I get a week's respite this time to go to Disney World/Orlando with my son, Mom, stepdad, and stepsister/stepbrotherinlaw/theirkids. Should be a lot of fun. And the weath...It will be warm! We're off this coming Saturday until April 2. Then back to the chair April 5. It will be a good exercise in pacing. I'm so looking forward to it.
At the risk of diving into one of the three unswimmable pools of philosophy; love, politics, and religion I'll just randomly dangle my feet in the last puddle for a moment. It's something one thinks about in my situation. At least this one does. And these are my musings, right?
If you asked me today, "What is your religion?" I would quote one of my heros, Honest Abe Lincoln, who said; "When I do good I feel good. When I do bad I feel bad. And that is my religion." Sort of a golden rule/karmic ideology that I honestly adhere to. I know I have done bad, many times in my lifetime. And I'm genuinely sorry for all the pain I've caused my friends and loved ones by doing so. So sorry. But I also know I've done a lot of good and my concious aim every day is to continue to do more and more good and less bad every day. If I can continue to do so I'll feel I've lived a good and valuable life and made a positive impact on the planet.
OK. Deep. How about that NCAA tournament? I love me some March Madness. I kept thinking about my friend John as I watched the stunned and defeated Kansas players exit the arena yesterday. John bleeds Jayhawk blue. Since I've never really had any strong allegiance college basketball wise I can only imagine how that felt for him. Maybe like I felt at the end of the epic Miami-San Diego playoff game? Anyway, I felt for you Johnny B. And you have to admit it's hard not to pull for a team with a guy named Lucas O'Rear. If he doesn't make it in the NBA he might have a future in gay porn with a name like that. I do root for the underdogs in the tournament and it's heartening to see a St. Mary's or Northern Iowa make a run. Here's hoping one of them makes it to the Final Four. When does football season start?
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Oscar
A few notes on last night's Oscar telecast then probably some random babbling.
First, am I the only person who's shedding no tears over Baba Wawa's hanging up the steps after 29 interview shows? I have never understood the woman's appeal. If we consider asking Ricky Martin about his sexuality hard hitting journalism then OK. But I just don't get it. Please go quietly into that dark dark night, Barbara. I realize tradition dies hard but she's almost as painful for me to watch as Dick Clark at this point.
And now for the obligatory style points. I don't claim to be Mr. Blackwell or any fashion plate myself but...Who dresses some of these people? Since I do know a little bit about men's formal wear (based on my three years working in the schmata business and my yearlong senior year gig as sales representative of Nick's formal wear during which I wore tuxedos to school every day. And no you can't see any of those pictures) I'll start with the men.
I wasn't taking notes so forgive my not knowing the fellow's name but let's just call him "That tall sound effect guy who clearly picked up the wrong tux at the cleaners then didn't know how to dress himself". You know the one I mean. Black tail coat with a vest six inches too short and no cufflinks. How do you not stop at the Circle K for a pair of cufflinks when you see your cuffs flapping in the breeze. I really felt for the guy. He was only the most glaring example of the truth that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him tie his tie correctly.
As for the ladies, well, I'll just say there were a lot more gowns that made me say Hmmm? than those that made me say, wow! At least there were no Cherlike, or Swanlike costumes to really heap ridicule and scorn upon.
Now for the awards themselves I didn't see all ten nominated films. Did anyone? But I did see Avatar and Hurt Locker. Now usually I'd step up on the artsy fartsy platform and applaud the "serious" film's multiple victories. But I have to say I really thought Avatar got gypped. Backlash against all its box office success? Anger over the way Jim Cameron treated Kathryn Bigelow? I dunno. All I know is I personally thought Avatar was the superior film. I do think Bigelow's victory (for femaledom) is way overdue. So congratulations to her.
As for the acting awards I haven't seen Precious (based on the novel whatever by whoever) or Crazy Heart. I loved the Nazi in Inglourious Basterds and also thought the joke about him was the best of the night. BTW, could someone fill me in on all the Hitler/Meryl Streep references? Also happy for Sandra Bullock though she knows as well as I she can't carry Streep's compact case.
Finally the first production number with Doogie Howser worked for me. Some excellent jokes in there that seemed to go right over the audience's head. The last one with the dancers (spotlighting the musical scores) was amazing. And I somehow liked the combination of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. I can't figure out whether Baldwin's sliminess is good slimy or bad.
All in all an entertaining show. It served its purpose in my case. I saw lots of smidges of films I want to see now. So let's all go to the movies.
And to hell with any further babbling. I've babbled enough. For the foreseeable future I expect I'll only update or post about once every two weeks since in the intervening week I'm feeling like crap. Until the chemo is over!
First, am I the only person who's shedding no tears over Baba Wawa's hanging up the steps after 29 interview shows? I have never understood the woman's appeal. If we consider asking Ricky Martin about his sexuality hard hitting journalism then OK. But I just don't get it. Please go quietly into that dark dark night, Barbara. I realize tradition dies hard but she's almost as painful for me to watch as Dick Clark at this point.
And now for the obligatory style points. I don't claim to be Mr. Blackwell or any fashion plate myself but...Who dresses some of these people? Since I do know a little bit about men's formal wear (based on my three years working in the schmata business and my yearlong senior year gig as sales representative of Nick's formal wear during which I wore tuxedos to school every day. And no you can't see any of those pictures) I'll start with the men.
I wasn't taking notes so forgive my not knowing the fellow's name but let's just call him "That tall sound effect guy who clearly picked up the wrong tux at the cleaners then didn't know how to dress himself". You know the one I mean. Black tail coat with a vest six inches too short and no cufflinks. How do you not stop at the Circle K for a pair of cufflinks when you see your cuffs flapping in the breeze. I really felt for the guy. He was only the most glaring example of the truth that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him tie his tie correctly.
As for the ladies, well, I'll just say there were a lot more gowns that made me say Hmmm? than those that made me say, wow! At least there were no Cherlike, or Swanlike costumes to really heap ridicule and scorn upon.
Now for the awards themselves I didn't see all ten nominated films. Did anyone? But I did see Avatar and Hurt Locker. Now usually I'd step up on the artsy fartsy platform and applaud the "serious" film's multiple victories. But I have to say I really thought Avatar got gypped. Backlash against all its box office success? Anger over the way Jim Cameron treated Kathryn Bigelow? I dunno. All I know is I personally thought Avatar was the superior film. I do think Bigelow's victory (for femaledom) is way overdue. So congratulations to her.
As for the acting awards I haven't seen Precious (based on the novel whatever by whoever) or Crazy Heart. I loved the Nazi in Inglourious Basterds and also thought the joke about him was the best of the night. BTW, could someone fill me in on all the Hitler/Meryl Streep references? Also happy for Sandra Bullock though she knows as well as I she can't carry Streep's compact case.
Finally the first production number with Doogie Howser worked for me. Some excellent jokes in there that seemed to go right over the audience's head. The last one with the dancers (spotlighting the musical scores) was amazing. And I somehow liked the combination of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. I can't figure out whether Baldwin's sliminess is good slimy or bad.
All in all an entertaining show. It served its purpose in my case. I saw lots of smidges of films I want to see now. So let's all go to the movies.
And to hell with any further babbling. I've babbled enough. For the foreseeable future I expect I'll only update or post about once every two weeks since in the intervening week I'm feeling like crap. Until the chemo is over!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
In like a lion...
March 1 has come and gone and the old man didn't exactly come in like a lion. So I guess that's good. It's actually sunny today here in the great white north. Yippee!
I did have to start out the month with another chemo treatment. That's never fun. Actually this one seems to be characterized by a most wicked case of hiccups that I can't seem to make go away no matter what I try. And those tend to make it impossible to sleep which makes me grumpy and otherwise irritable. Ah, well, could be much much worse.
Aside from that crazy symptom just the usual fatigue and nausea. If form holds, they will all improve over time so that by this weekend I should feel pretty decent. I guess i'll take it. Dr. Hantel seemed encouraged this week by the CEA scores and reduced pain. He's optimistic that this might actually work for a while.
I'll write more as I feel better. Right now I'm sure I've bored you to tears. Ho hum.
I did have to start out the month with another chemo treatment. That's never fun. Actually this one seems to be characterized by a most wicked case of hiccups that I can't seem to make go away no matter what I try. And those tend to make it impossible to sleep which makes me grumpy and otherwise irritable. Ah, well, could be much much worse.
Aside from that crazy symptom just the usual fatigue and nausea. If form holds, they will all improve over time so that by this weekend I should feel pretty decent. I guess i'll take it. Dr. Hantel seemed encouraged this week by the CEA scores and reduced pain. He's optimistic that this might actually work for a while.
I'll write more as I feel better. Right now I'm sure I've bored you to tears. Ho hum.
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