Category: Family and Friends
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Positivity, Praise, Practice and Perseverance
I was recently given an unsolicited opportunity to practice what I've preached here on my blog, about being positive (or filling buckets, as I'd put it) in the context of my family. My son came home with a mid-term report card that wasn't all As, and I immediately focused on finding the causes for the…
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16 month update on my elbow Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment
In November, I visited Dr. Allan Mishra's office for a belated followup on the platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatment for elbow tendonitis he'd administered in July 2007. As was the case before my six month followup visit, I was feeling a bit disheartened at the condition of my right elbow. And fortunately, as was the…
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4 months, 4321 miles and 92 gallons with my 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid
I wrote about buying a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid – my first new car in 21 years – a little over 4 months ago. My appreciation for the car has been growing over time, and I wanted to share some of the insights and experiences that have unfolded during this extended "break-in" period. First of…
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Three Years of Cancer-free Living
Amy had her 3-year checkup this week with Dr. Lonergan at the Cascade Cancer Center. We were delighted to learn that her CT scan showed no sign of the anal cancer she was diagnosed with and treated for in 2005! The overall outcome of the examination was as good as could possibly be expected, and…
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Doing Our 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid Duty
We have just taken delivery of the first new car we've bought in 8 years (and the first new car we've bought for me in 21 years): a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid. Ever since watching The End of Suburbia and An Inconvenient Truth, we've been increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of our decisions and…
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James Taylor and Other People’s Music: A Concert Review
James Taylor and his Band of Legends gave a great performance at Chateau Ste. Michelle Monday night. I was particularly impressed with the harmonies provided by his backup vocalists and the rhythm laid down by his bassist, drummer and percussionist, but the entire band was strong … one might even say "legendary". The legendary JT…
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The Indigo Girls’ Zoo Tunes Concert
The Indigo Girls gave a concert Sunday night at Woodland Park Zoo's Zoo Tunes 2008 Concert Series that was, note for note, the finest music I've ever seen and heard live. I've attended – and reviewed – a fair number of other great concerts, but all of them have had at least one relative "low…
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Hanging Loose in Maui: a Whale of a Family Vacation
We spent a relaxing mid-winter break in Hawaii last week, staying at the Polo Beach Club in (or near) Wailea on Maui, the same spot where Amy and I honeymooned nearly 20 years ago. This stay was a little different than the last time – I don't want to say the honeymoon is over, but…
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Locked-in Syndrome: Diving Bells, Butterflies, Freedoms and Families
Amy and I recently saw The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (or, more properly, Le Scaphandre et le Papillon), during an unexpected extended layover in San Francisco. The movie is about the late Jean-Dominique Bauby, former editor of the fashion magazine Elle, who at age 43 suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed except for…
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Six month update on my elbow Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment
Amid the broad range of emotions and activities in which I’m engaging this week – a sad last week at Nokia before an exciting new start at MyStrands – I was able to schedule an appointment for my 6-month followup visit with Dr. Mishra regarding progress on the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment for my right…