all things Gene

mood: ecstatic

As most of you know my health has been marginal for quite some time. Well I went into the heart doctor after having one of the most stressful weeks in my life. My blood pressure was sky high for me. The doctor was beginning to think my heart wasn't healing. When I was in the hospital my left ventricle was ejecting 30% (whatever that means) and that's bad. Well after some tests and an echo cardiogram, we found that my heart was now ejecting 51% which is good (55% being great.) He was pleased and reduce my LASIX (furosemide - water reduction pill). When my primary doctor saw the results she was very excited.

Furthermore, I have weaned myself off of caffeine. I felt I was drinking too much of it. What else I have been eating better. I have been targeting foods that are high in vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, etc. I have felt good but there is something more. I don't know if something is working better than it has before. By this time in winter I would have been sick with a cold or the flu at least twice. I haven't had so much as a sniffle.

I don't want to tempt the Fates but I am feeling great.

mood: excited

 Last Saturday was an example of the kind of day for which I hope.

I have developed a personal philosophy based on my age and intellect. I don't know how many days I have left on Earth but I am tired of wasting them on stupid people and mediocre moments. I want to live the rest of my life with smart, funny, talented people who love living life, doing interesting, fun, important things.

An example would be last Saturday, Lyneya sponsored a A&S day painting Viking banners for Ymir. It was held at Pippa’s place of work. We had fun , we laughed, we giggled and they painted (I was a service guy who went and got things and fed them.) We had Thai food (one of my favorites) and painted and laugh some more. There were several people who I don’t know nearly well enough and wanted to get to know better. So there I was in building full of beautiful women, ok Talento and Kyle were there too. So what with all of the aforementioned beautiful women I was in my element.

My wife, the lovely and charming Elspeth was there sewing with Pippa in the other room. She would run into the room, measure some part of Kyle body and then run out muttering to herself. Luckily Catarina was there to do some complicated math for a Viking dress for Kyle. Beth was a professional seamstress in a past life and I have never seen her stumped by a garment before. Usually she can totally visualize it inside and out before she even touches the cloth.

Lyneya was fairly dancing at the end because all of the banners were painted and Beth had almost gotten the sail done. Oh yeah, Beth is making a full size Viking sail for decoration in the hall.

So we went out for din-din. The Olive Garden was packed so we went to Jason’s Grill and I got a salad. Then we laughed for 3 hours while simultaneously solving all of the problems of the world. I can’t tell you what was said that night because according to Magy, ”what happens at Jason’s, stay at Jason’s” Bwwaaaahhahaha!!

location: my home

mood: quixotic

Lucia posted a thought provoking question she found somewhere. If you could have the library of your dreams, no matter the cost or difficult to obtain what would you have?? This is one of my fondest dreams.

My definition of rich is to be able to go through a large or a rare book store with a shopping cart. I’d like to be able to check out ANYthing from the Vatican Library, Cambridge and Oxford’s libraries or any number of European libraries. As far as books I would own, the names would be endless and very old. Yes, I would like them to be hand bound. Originals if they can be had. Of course I would like to have several versions of the bible. An original Gutenberg. The version of the King James Bible that was misprinted saying thou shalt … instead of thou shalt not … I’d want original scrolls and codexes of the Mayans, Inca, Babylonians, Jews, Egyptians, Greeks, Roman and many other cultures.

The Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Mystics of the early Jews, the original works of Plato and early philosophers, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and I couldn’t begin the name the books and documents from the Brits.

As far as the building to hold all of this something castle-like. I liked Lucia’s idea of a turret with floor to ceiling shelves and the wheelie ladder to reach everything. Plenty of light, warmth, and safety for the books.

Lastly enough time to read them all.