Spring Break 03.24.11 thru 04.04.11

We will be on the Florida Panhandle on "Spring Break". Here is the Link to the house Luna Del Mar

March Madness

Last week, the media and politicos made a big stink about President Obama “wasting time” on his NCAA bracket selections. Not to take a play from Mike Huckabee, but I think if we take a closer look at where President Obama came from we can how his background, heritage and upbringing effected his decision making.

The media always dwells on the fact that his father was from Kenya, but unless he is “The Brother from another Planet”   

we need to look at his mother, her parents and how they have influenced President Obama.

We know that they have roots back in KANSAS.  So I am sure that his mother and grandparents told young Barak many tales about “Bleeding Kansas”, the border-wars (between the free-state supporters of Kansas versus the pro-slavery proponents of Missouri) and the roll of jayhawkers in this struggle. Wikipedia on Jaywamks

So you see, President Obama probably didn’t need to spend a whole lot of time analyzing player stats and all that. Since Hawaii didn’t make it to the NCAA tournament, he had two choices, Kansas or their archrival, Kansas State. (In fairness I must mention that I went to Kansas State, which is also involved in this post-season competition.)

So his selection of the University of Kansas  (aka the Jayhawks) shouldn't be a surprise  to anyone.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk

Willie the Wildcat

As I mentioned, I went to Kansas State, so these teams could very well end up meeting in a Final Four matchup. If that does happen I will be deeply torn. I want the President to succeed, and like Newt Gingrich, I have a deep and passionate love for my country, but unlike Newt, I will not be able turn my back on my Wildcat brethren and forsake my Wildcat ties.

The Power of One Letter

I heard a phrase the other day which started me thinking about the power of words. It doesn’t matter if the words are in the form of a novel or a speech, an ancient quotation or a country-western song, they can be used to make us laugh or cry, think of the future or escape into the past and condemn or praise another person. A message can be delivered in a lengthy soliloquy or a brief barb. It doesn’t matter; a few well chosen words can be enough.

What I heard the other day that stopped me in my tracks. A total of six letters forming three short words, but the implication of what it meant absolutely floored me. 

Word Puzzler Will Shortz

As I was pondering these words I must have also been channeling Will Shortz because another three word phrase came to my mind. Mine has one additional letter. The phrases have two words in common. Three words in each sentence, they have two of the words in common, one has six letters the other seven. The consequences of that one letter are so dramatic.  As a result, the two shared words become diametrically opposed. 

The one I heard is:______________________________ Mine is:

Fatalistic. Cruel. Uncaring. Bleak.                                          Hopeful. Compassionate.  

Narrow minded. Limiting.                                                      Forward Looking

Listen here to the two phrases and I think you will be able to guess which is which,

Click Here for Phrase #1___                                     Click Here for Phrase #2 

MS, the rent is too damn high & 127 Hours

I would like to visit a couple of topics today. 

#1) My latest visit with my neurologist:(Who looks just like Woody Allen) 


I promised myself that I wouldn't blog about my MS too often because I really try not to dwell on it and let MS become the focal point of my life. The only good piece of advice my very first neurologist gave me was to avoid large meetings with other MSers because they often morphed into group pity parties, with everyone telling their "woe is me" stories. His other advise was for me to eliminate all the "stress" from my life. I'm thinking to myself: "My commute to New York City is 2 hours each way, I'm a Wall Street commodity broker, I'm married, I own a home, I have three children. Which one of these stresses can I erase?" 

The Rent Is...

I couldn't move closer to the city, because as Jimmy Mcmillan sez (Click to hear) and I didn't think that quitting my job and walking out on my wife and kids was a good idea.










So fast forward 13 years to my latest semi annual visit. I was a little apprehensive because there had been talk at my last appointment about changing my treatment to a different type of drug. It is typical for MS to change form over time and some treatments become less effective. The two drugs that we talked about are both given intravenously every 3 months, so no more weekly  self-administered intramuscular injections, but one is brand new and the other can only be administered for 2 years. With one there is a risk of incurable brain infection and the other can cause damage to the heart. 

Not My Brain

But since no new activity was found after reviewing my MRI scans I will stay on my same medications and suffer through those damn shots. (More of that later in this blog.)*











So now on to the topic #2). 
It is our custom on Friday night  to have homemade pizza and watch a movie. Well the pizza was more awesome than usual and we watched one of the most INTENSE movies I have ever seen. We watched "127 Hours." (Click for trailer) If you have seen it, you'll know what I mean when I say that was a good thing we ate the pizza early in the movie before THAT scene. And you know the scene I'm talking about.
*Oh yes, my comment about those MS shots, well I will never ever ever think of them as painful again. If some body could do that to themselves .........