Getting in as much sun as I can before next Wednesday...

I've been feeling pretty good- very good, actually! I've resumed a near-normal schedule again (tho' I'm still trying to figure in some stop and smell the roses-type action) as well as slowly-but-surely increasing my running mileage, lowering my time, and also regaining strength and stamina at the gym vis a vis resistance training and cardio (I'm still not near where I was back the end of April, and as I told a friend of mine the other day one of my remaining vestiges of male ego is seeing people at the gym pushing weight that I could just a few months ago but can't now; yeah, call me a meathead!) But it feels good to be able to do the things I had been doing, makes me feel normal. And I just feel good, feel well dammit, which is difficult to reconcile with how seriously ill- or at least how extensive my illness is- that I'm told. As for next Wednesday- I start chemo treatments then, and one of the things the docs tell me is that I have to avoid sunlight as a result... and I luv having a summer tan! Whaddya gonna do...

The NFL lockout is over- yay! Some interesting moves the Pats made today (Haynesworth, Ochocinco) but it doesn't seem as if they gave up too much to acquire them. At this point I trust in Bill and the Pats management... Two different friends of mine recently had their first children this past week- congrats to both... Finally got my hair done last Tuesday! She did a great job, tho' I still need to be a lil more ept at styling it like she did...

What I'm Reading Now: Leave Us Alone: Getting the Government's Hands Off Our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives, Grover Norquist

"Take the highway to the end of the night..."

Enjoying a Smuttynose Summer Weizen on what has turned out to be a very pleasant Sunday evening (My favorite non-adult beverage of the moment is Arizona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng & Honey- thirst-quenching and delicious!)

We had some of the hottest weather of the year the end of last week- Friday it got up over 100 degrees. I ran and hit the gym in it- screw cancer. I still need to step up my distance, speed, as well as the intensity of my gym workouts but it feels good to be really getting back at it... I hope to- finally!- get my hair done again this Tuesday; a lil shorter maybe (it is summer) but more it just needs some shape and style badly. I really let it go too long... One of my friends from college just had his/their first child last week, another has his/their first baby due any day now- congrats to both... The next few weeks are what I call birthday season; everyone in my family (except me!) has their b'days over the next few weeks, as well as a few good friends- Hallmark is getting their money's worth out of me... Various issues- personal as well as family, as well as work- have kept me from getting out in awhile now (in either mode actually.) And I do have some medical treatments I will be beginning early next month. But as the immediacy of some of those issues subsides a bit (and other realities begin to sink in a bit more) I need to re-evaluate some of my priorities and, just as much, find/make/take/create more time to begin doing some of the things that are of importance to me and bring me happiness, including getting out and about again, meeting some good people who want to meet. As one good friend has told me more than once: "It's later than you think." (That may necessitate a trip up to Glawsta as well! :)

Surprise! Women More Likely To Sext Than Men A new study finds women are more likely to send sexy text messages than men are. Who knew?!
10 foods that promote brain health
States Where People Pay the Most (and Least) in Taxes For what it's worth (maybe we're not Taxachusetts anymore...)
The Lurking Urge to Applaud Gay Marriage Another take on the issue (My .02-I favor separation of marriage and state, regardless of orientation. But if government must intrude I believe gays deserve all of the rights- and responsibilities- of straights.)

10 on shuffle...
Better Together, Jack Johnson
I've Grown Accustomed To His Face, Diana Krall
Sinful Love, Blue Oyster Cult
Cool Jerk, The Go-Go's
Aphrodisiac, Bow Wow Wow
I Can't Tell You Why, The Eagles
That's The Way (I Like It,) KC & The Sunshine Band
Light Up A Candle, Kasey Chambers
Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends, Willie Nelson
Tidal Wave, Dick Dale

"Let me go on lovin' and believin', 'til it's over/Please don't tell me how the story ends..."

Alright, enough serious stuff for awhile but I do wanna thank folks for their interest and kind offers of encouragement and support regarding some of my recent issues; I'm not used to needing such support and admittedly I'm a lil awkward receiving it. But thanks :)

Got a lil too much sun today. Between all that's been going on in my life of late this was one of the first times I'd had time to lay out and work on my tan all summer. I usually tan up nicely, so hopefully this bit of a burn will be temporary... What a GREAT win by the US women's World Cup team today over Brazil! Especially given the atrocious officiating it really was a sweet victory. Now on to the semi-finals... Here's hoping the NFL labor dispute gets settled soon. Beyond my sheer enjoyment of pro football I also depend upon wagering on those games to help supplement my income. I play college football as well- ACC, Big East, Big Ten- but NFL games account for half of my football season plays (I also wager on college hoops in the winter.) Both sides- management and players- have legitimate cases to make. But there is soooooo much money sitting on the table that finding that magic number should not be this difficult. Get it done, will ya... I desperately need to get my hair done soon. I just haven't had/made the time, but yikes, it needs it baaaaaad... I didn't know Kasey Chambers was playing in town earlier this week; I've enjoyed her music for several years now... Back to the grind tomorrow (actually looking forward to it! :)

News To Use, or Lose...
Love Tops Most People’s Lists of Regrets Many of the regrets cited were about missed opportunities and failing to take risks, both in relationships and around work and career. I can relate to those...
Take My Mistress In defense of the other woman. For what it's worth...
FDA’s New Sneak Attack on Supplements More Nanny Stating... Adults in a free society ought to be able to ingest whatever substances- from hormones to heroin- they choose to (and of course, to accept responsibility for any adverse outcomes from those choices- it's called freedom.)
The sheer nerve of Princess Kate Will Kate Middleton make it OK to wear stockings again? I still have the remnants of a nasty scar on my left shin from a running accident last winter; hose make it somewhat less noticeable (even if they aren't the most comfortable item for summer wear.)
Miss America Hopeful Drops 110 Lbs After weighing in at 230, 22-year-old Bree Boyce has shed half her weight and is in the running to become Miss America. Beyond beauty, health- good for her!
The biology behind alcohol-induced blackouts Exposure to large amounts of alcohol does not necessarily kill brain cells as once was thought. Rather, alcohol interferes with key receptors in the brain, which in turn manufacture steroids that inhibit long-term potentiation (LTP), a process that strengthens the connections between neurons and is crucial to learning and memory Whew! (Not that I've experienced one of those in years... :)

"Gotta let your soul shine/Shine 'til the break of day..."

I don't often share many of my more personal problems or difficulties here; by nature I'm generally optimistic and upbeat. Also, I know I seldom like to read a litany of someone else's gloom-and-doom and (beyond a few friends) I have no reason to believe anyone is especially interested in reading mine. Having said that, these last two or so weeks have truly been epic, or tragic, or something, and for anyone interested...

The Monday before I was scheduled to have some fairly significant surgery my mom was rushed from her work to a hospital in Boston. Turned out she had/has a blood clot in her leg, part of which broke off and went to her lungs. Suffice to say I had to deal with everything surrounding that (visiting, working w/ her docs, etc...) for most of the week leading up to my surgery (which was scheduled for that Friday- I had planned on working most of that week) including working with the property management at her complex to see if there was a 1st floor unit available to move her to because a 3rd floor walk-up (where she had lived) no longer seemed/seems feasible given her somewhat diminished pulmonary capacity (which they did) as well as arranging to get her stuff moved (my sister, who was away at the time, helped out with much of the moving details.) She was in a short-term rehab facility for a week after being released- I took her home yesterday- and the long-term outlook should (she types with fingers crossed!) be good; she'll need a bit of downtime but they do anticipate her being able to return to work full-time. But she didn't need to have that happen; as anyone who has read my thoughts here knows, I have always had a great relationship with my mom, I care for and about her very, very much, and I hate to see her suffer in any way. Nor did I need to have to deal with that leading up to my own surgery. I'm currently at her place for now, keeping an eye on her; I had planned some down time/recovery time post-op for me anyway. But I thought it would be at my own place, not here while also trying to make sure everything is set at her new place (power, cable/'Net service, phone, change of address, insurance, etc...) My own surgery went fine; I was in for about 4 days, I have a follow-up with my surgeon (as well as other doc) 7/15, at which I time I hope they clear me to start running and doing cardio again, and hopefully start lifting again toward the end of the month. And then I get to start treatment for my recently-discovered (May) ailment beginning sometime in August.

Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?! And yes, I have a lot of calls, email, messages, etc... to catch up. Please be patient with me.

"Hell's built on regret..."