Feeling Good

I love this time of the year. Sure it can be a pain in the ass with all the people that forget the "spitit" of things, the people that get offended at the sight of a Christmas tree, or want to cut you off in the parking lot so they might park their fat ass 20 feet closer to the door of the mall, but if you don't get caught up in the Black Friday rush or or buy into the hype that Walmart pushes to get your Christmas stuff up now!, it really is a nice time. Especially if we keep in mind what the various days actually represent regardless of your belief structure.


Where I live, we get beautiful fall colors and as we move towrds winter, the colors fade to the various shades of gray with bright blue skies coming into play. It is fabulous! It is almost impossible to look around and not be thankful. For me, having made it through my second brain surgery (with no residual side effects! woot!!) I can't help but be thankful almost everyday despite the crap that happens to all of us. Life is good.


Below, I have posted two artist doing te same song. I really like this song and it translates to how I feel. I like both versions and must admit, love playing them too. Enjoy!

I'm back

Well, I just got bcak from OHSU last night and I wanted to thank you guys for the good thoughts, prayers and well wishes. They seemed to have paid off. I made it through the surgery (with a real bad hair cut) and I am having minimum to zero side effects from them fella's messin' with my brain with an ice cream scoop and a set of ginsu knives.I guess they got (they hope) the bulk of the tumor, but with these kinds of things, you just never know, but hey - it is all part of the gig and sometimes you have to roll with the punches; know what I mean? I figure there are people out there with it way worse than me, so I just try to keep them in my prayers to keep things in perspective.

I have much to blog about, rant about and laugh about, so hopefully, I will be on more often.

Thanks again guys - love you all more than you know.

For those of you that want to see, here are some pics the day after the surgery. Also there is a pic of one of the slices of the pre-op MRI scan.

Juicy!

Tylenol?

Cool haircut huh?

Life Stuff

Sorry I haven't been around as of late; I have been going through some stuff that has taken much of my time and energy. For some that have read some of my past posts may know, I have a brain tumor. No big; almost two years ago they peeled my scalp, took out the Makita hole saw, drilled a big ass hole in my skull and scooped most of the bad stuff out. The screwed and superglued me back together and for the last two years I have been doing very well. You can't even really see the scar. Physically, I am great. I swim 1000 to 1500 meters almost every morning and run 3 or 4 miles a day as well. It took me a while to get back to that after the surgery, but I did because I never gave up.

A week ago or so, I went in to get my quarterly check up and MRI. Up to that point the week was going great - I actually got hit on by two very hot guys and that really made me feel good. But, when I got the results from my MRI I found that I had a new "spot" that is showing bad signs. Bad enough that come Monday I will be back in the Hospital and on Wednesday I will be getting my head popped open again. I guess it is all part of the gig - what are you going to do? Give up? I can't do that, but I can be frustrated. But you know I have to be thankful that my Docs are doing all those extra tests on me - the ones that the government say are not needed and causing the cost of healthcare to go up. Yeah, those. Because of those test, they caught this early and they may be able to nip it in the bud and quite litterally save my life.

In the mean time, you may not hear from me for a bit and I will ask forgiveness in advance if any of my posts in the near future come off negative or in rants - the drugs they put you on for this sort of thing do funny things to you for a while. But again, it is all part of the gig.

I hope to "see" you all again real soon and whatever you do or are going through, keep your chin up and don't give up. It could always be worse.

Hugs

Last night I went to bed regretting some of the relationships I have been in. I was thinking what a freaking' waste of time. I mean, what was the worth of it all? I guess I was feeling sorry for myself and a bit lonely - who knows?

When I woke up this morning and was getting ready for my run, I decided to put in some Janis Joplin. Some of you may not know who she is, its cool, she was even before my time. But as a musician, I learned about her and really dig her.

Like many of us, she had a lot of shit going on in her life and just didn't know how to deal with it. She was in a lot of pain and expressed it through her music. She showed us that we are never alone in our pains.

Here is one of my favorite songs by her. I hope you enjoy it.




In this world, if you read the papers, lord,
You know everybody's fighting on with each other.
You got no one you can count on, baby,
Not even your own brother.
So if someone comes along,
He's gonna give you some love and affection
I'd say get it while you can, yeah!
Honey, get it while you can,
Hey, hey, get it while you can,
Don't you turn your back on love, no, no!

Don't you know when you're loving anybody, baby,
You're taking a gamble on a little sorrow,
But then who cares, baby,
'cause we may not be here tomorrow, no.
And if anybody should come along,
He gonna give you any love and affection,
I'd say get it while you can, yeah!
Hey, hey, get it while you can,
Hey, hey, get it while you can.
Don't you turn your back on love,
No no no, no no no no no.

Oh, get it while you can,
Honey get it when you're gonna wanna need it dear, yeah yeah,
Hey hey, get it while you can,
Don't you turn your back on love,
No no no, no no no no, get it while you can,
I said hold on to somebody when you get a little lonely, dear,
Hey hey, hold on to that man's heart,
Yeah, get it, want it, hold it, need it,
Get it, want it, need it, hold it,
Get it while you can, yeah,
Honey get it while you can, baby, yeah,
Hey hey, get it while you can!

Wonder how this would go over today!!

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. I have been kind of lurking and doing a lot of reading of other's blogs and getting to know many of you that way. So far I have been very impressed with what many of you have to say.

Anyway, a friend sent me this video and I laughed my ass off. I thought I would share it and I was wondering how this would go over in a modern flick!

I was reading through some e-mail the other day this is one I received from a friend. To me, as a vet, this really made me sad. It is sad that we as a country forget those that sacraficed so much and we idolize pop stars that other than a few good songs, didn't do squat:



One of the "Band of Brothers" soldiers died on June 17, 2009.

We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.

I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle", the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.

Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made.Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 . . . " at which point my heart skipped. At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . .. do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped.

I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what D-Day was. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland, into Arnhem." I was standing with a genuine war hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day. I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes. And it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.

I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach.He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.

Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer.

There was no parade.

No big event in Staples Center.

No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage.

No weeping fans on television.

And that's not right.

Rest in peace, Shifty.

Weekend Get-a-way

Well Guys; I'm splitting for the Redwoods and the Coast this weekend before it gets cold. I wont be home to see if my Raiders will beat KC and I will miss my boy race in the chase - oh well. The Beach and Friends isn't a bad trade at all.

Y'all have agreat weekend!