A little something different today; a quick blog post from work. Don't worry, it's before start time, so I'm on my own time :)
An update regarding my 'experiment' with Cialis. As my testosterone levels are approaching zero, my hot flashes (and cold flashes) are becoming more extreme and more frequent. To make matters worse, I've broken out in a horrific rash from the Cialis. I called my doctor, and I'm now off the medication. My sex drive, sadly, matches my low testosterone levels, but I've got a fabulous, supportive partner who worries not about the small stuff (perhaps I shouldn't use terms like 'small stuff' when I'm talking about the penis?).
So, I'm taking lots of Benedryl and itching like a banshee, especially when I'm wearing clothes (which is, sadly, most of the time...). The combination of hot flashes, itching, and drowsiness from the allergy meds have created quite the exacerbating combination. No matter. There are a lot of people out there far worse off than I am. My heart goes out to each of them...
As for me? Well, the Benedryl is helping the itching, I'm wearing a polo shirt today in lieu of a shirt and tie, so the extra air flow really helps. Now, it's time to get ready for my students, so I will have to bid you farewell.
I hope each of you has the best day possible.
I'll close with some words from one of my college students. At the conclusion of each course, students fill out a formal survey on their experience. Here is what one of my students said:
"Mr. P made learning about statistics easier than expected by adding humor, real life examples, and teaching it at a level even first graders would understand. He took the time to explain, answer all questions, and provide us with tools and great feedback."
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Hi, everybody. I haven't abandoned you, I've just underestimated the effects of my hormone therapy - notably that zero testosterone also feels like zero energy. You add that to a someone who is accustomed to keeping an 'up-tempo' pace, and you've got a recipe for disappointment.
Sooo... after flying high for a week or so, riding the bike with Charlie, visiting April, Stella, and the newly-employed Grant, then driving 230 miles to teach a night class (Oooh, sorry. I may have neglected to tell you I'm teaching my last UOP class for the foreseeable future. I promise. For real. I have to pay off my IRS bill and I'll be good to go...), I pretty much hit the wall yesterday. In the depths of my pity-party, I even started thinking of all the reasons I couldn't be in a relationship with Charlie. Thankfully, she's smarter than me, and she set me straight on my fallacious logic.
Thank you, Charlie.
Back to the depleted testosterone... There are two very unfortunate side effects associated with Androgen Depletion Therapy: One is a lack of sexual vigor, which can (and is, in my case) treated to a certain extent with Cialis or other ED treatments. The other may be far worse... The hot/cold mood swings produced within my internal thermostat are making me a sweater-peeling, sleeve-rolling, tie-loosening, face-fanning sideshow at work. Yesterday, my co-workers were guessing the over/under on the number of times that I took my sweater off... Yes, I love my co-workers.
So, I'm off to bed with a more hopeful outlook and a firmer resolve to get back on track for surgery prep. I've got to get some more exercise and JUICE MORE.
In the meantime, sleep helps all.
Good night from me. Now, from Gustavo... Gustavo was possessed of perhaps the best head of hair I have ever seen...
"Mr. P!! :)
You are the definitely the best teacher I've EVER HAD!! You're so cool and I love how you truly be yourself to everyone you know. Because of you, I be my true self even more. I know you have been through some difficult times... The best advice I can give you that has helped my life is three words, NEVER GIVE IN. Never give in to the bullshit and criticism of society, always be yourself. Mr. P, thank you for making me feel welcomed and wanted in your class the whole school year... Mr. P, I will truly miss having your class. Have the best life you can have, and be the happiest you can possibly be!!"
Why is it that every time I need a quote to lift me up, I find just the right one when I'm researching my blog affirmations...
Karma is cool.
Sooo... after flying high for a week or so, riding the bike with Charlie, visiting April, Stella, and the newly-employed Grant, then driving 230 miles to teach a night class (Oooh, sorry. I may have neglected to tell you I'm teaching my last UOP class for the foreseeable future. I promise. For real. I have to pay off my IRS bill and I'll be good to go...), I pretty much hit the wall yesterday. In the depths of my pity-party, I even started thinking of all the reasons I couldn't be in a relationship with Charlie. Thankfully, she's smarter than me, and she set me straight on my fallacious logic.
Thank you, Charlie.
Back to the depleted testosterone... There are two very unfortunate side effects associated with Androgen Depletion Therapy: One is a lack of sexual vigor, which can (and is, in my case) treated to a certain extent with Cialis or other ED treatments. The other may be far worse... The hot/cold mood swings produced within my internal thermostat are making me a sweater-peeling, sleeve-rolling, tie-loosening, face-fanning sideshow at work. Yesterday, my co-workers were guessing the over/under on the number of times that I took my sweater off... Yes, I love my co-workers.
So, I'm off to bed with a more hopeful outlook and a firmer resolve to get back on track for surgery prep. I've got to get some more exercise and JUICE MORE.
In the meantime, sleep helps all.
Good night from me. Now, from Gustavo... Gustavo was possessed of perhaps the best head of hair I have ever seen...
"Mr. P!! :)
You are the definitely the best teacher I've EVER HAD!! You're so cool and I love how you truly be yourself to everyone you know. Because of you, I be my true self even more. I know you have been through some difficult times... The best advice I can give you that has helped my life is three words, NEVER GIVE IN. Never give in to the bullshit and criticism of society, always be yourself. Mr. P, thank you for making me feel welcomed and wanted in your class the whole school year... Mr. P, I will truly miss having your class. Have the best life you can have, and be the happiest you can possibly be!!"
Why is it that every time I need a quote to lift me up, I find just the right one when I'm researching my blog affirmations...
Karma is cool.
Monday, April 14, 2014
PS - (I've only got a few minutes before the battery dies)
Okay, down to business. Here's the Post-Script:
I am glad that my freedom includes freedom from obsessing over page views... Also, I'm not sure how frequently I will be blogging, but I will make sure to check in with the biggies (doctors appointments, treatments, epic Harley rides, or just silly observations.)
Thank you for checking in and for all the love...
Be well.
Okay, down to business. Here's the Post-Script:
I am glad that my freedom includes freedom from obsessing over page views... Also, I'm not sure how frequently I will be blogging, but I will make sure to check in with the biggies (doctors appointments, treatments, epic Harley rides, or just silly observations.)
Thank you for checking in and for all the love...
Be well.
Thursday, March 20
A good day, indeed. After some healthy eating and equally restorative conversation with Tina, I slept well and woke up early. In retrospect, I farted around too long at Tina's that AM, putting me in the teeth of rush hour traffic. Ouch. Rookie mistake, one that I made again only hours later. Hmmm. This sounds intriguing.
Sorry, I was playing the movie back in my head...
I got to Santa Monica High School just after the first period bell. The security guards think I still work there. The ladies in the office thought I was there to sub. It is always a pleasure to visit :) I got a hug from the world's greatest hugger, visited with a retired and rehired legend, saw the institution himself, found out that 40% of my successor's students passed the AP exam (vs. 50% for my class), visited with the campus conscience, the dancing queen (I mean that in the most affectionate way possible), the coach, the librarian, the boss, my mentor, and many others... So uplifting to see such good people.
Next stop - Coffee, Bean, and Teal Leaf at the corner of Michigan and Lincoln. Anyone familiar with Samohi knows that the road to Samo leads through CBTL. I, for one, visited with Leily and her band of merrymen and merrywomen practically daily during my two years at Samo. I got to know many of the baristas and was happy to see Oscar there when I poked my head inside. I did not, however, get to see Leily. She had followed her lifelong dream and moved to Paris. The one in France. Wow. Way to go, girl! And a special thank you to Oscar for hooking me up with your e-mail.
A quick trip down the 405 to Redondo Beach and the next thing you know I'm sitting in the kitchen of the man himself - Mr. Jerry Heidler. (Sorry, Terry, I had to...) After some excellent refreshments, I'm northbound on Sepulveda to Venice Beach, specifically the bread pudding shop near Muscle Beach. Damn, that was some good bread pudding, but the company was even better. It was very relaxing hanging out with Julian and Isa, but the drive back to Culver City during rush hour was less than swift.
Thankfully, Tina and I were able to relax and unwind in her Jacuzzi and all was right with the world...
Friday, March 21.
I'm homeward bound, and as much as I like to go, do, eat, drink, visit, hug, laugh, remember, see, be... I love going home even more...
First, a visit with the super smart and awesome Emily B., in town for a quick respite from UCSB. Then, a quick re-visit to Oakley (looooong story), and a hasty exit to nirvana. It was a good 4 day trip. I got to visit several friends (I'm going to attempt a count, hold on a minute - I counted 35. Seriously; 35.) Good for me. I am a lucky man.
The next week, I visited Santa Barbara, where I got to visit with some of the world's best people. Gioia and Mark, your hospitality is worthy of a royal visit, I always feel like family when I'm with you. Lisa, you are one of the strongest, sweetest, level-headed, hard-working, positive people that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Thank you for being my friend. Fight on, kid!
The rest of the week is a blur, so I don't know what else to tell you.
Fast-forward to the present (I think I write more lucidly when I focus on what's in front of me presently. Well, not right this instant, mind you. What's that? Oh, you insist? I see. Okay. But you asked for it...
I'm sitting on my one remaining decent camp chair, the previous most comfy one splitting the last time I tried to sit on it. Of course, when Charlie visits, she gets the good chair. [Note to self: Get new chair.] The night air is crisp - the coolest it's been in a while. I can hear the dogs barking from the neighbor's house, some quarter mile away, and from the east, coyotes. My small fire is begging for more wood (pardon me, while I indulge it). The wine is red, the smoke is Dominican, and moon is almost full (waxing gibbous, if memory serves...) The music is provided by Buffalo Springfield, and my the laptop sitting on - well, my lap - is a Toshiba. And me? Well, that's a long answer, let's move on to another paragraph, shall we?
The me that sits here with this wine, smoke, fire, music, laptop, etc. is not the same me that sat out here one year ago. What a journey it has been. I want to thank (oh, shit, this already sounds like an academy award speech, but I do want to be direct about this entry...) In fact, let me start over...
I really want to thank my family, especially my kids, Grant, and Stella. Your unconditional love is much appreciated - especially on those days I may have left you shaking your head...
To my friends, especially Tina, Mandy, Dawn, Gioia, Lisa, Victoria, Terry, Joel, Casey, and John. (Damn, I already know I am going to miss someone really important...) Thank you so much for inspiring me, moving me, challenging me, entertaining me, and mostly for being patient with me. Thank you.
My classmates from Stillwater and St. Paul's: It has been so much fun connecting with all of you. Whether it's my all-time 'besties' Billy, Harpo, or Joe or some my newly rediscovered (thanks to Facebook) friends from Sister Francine's class at St. Paul's-Assumption, 1972. I can't wait to see you all at our next reunion. The love and support from all of my friends have lifted me on so many occasions, I dare not count... Thank you.
To Kellan: Thank you for pushing me and challenging me. For asking me to ask the difficult questions. For being patient and really LISTENING. For inspiring. For motivating. For accepting. For the understanding. For the freedom; the freedom to be me. Thank you.
To Charlie: Thank you for the unrelenting positivity, the hope, the kisses, the smiles, the laughs, the bounce in my step, and the glow in my heart. You presence in my life is like the biggest cherry on top of the best sundae that one could ever ask for... And we haven't even gotten to all the nuts! THANK YOU to all those iconoclasts, anti-establishmentarians, anarchists, dreamers, poets, loners, lovers, and deep thinkers. Thank you for paving the path to individualism. I humbly walk in your footsteps. (There, now, we've addressed the nuts...)
So, Charlie, I know that you read and comment on this blog regularly. Just know that you are always in my thoughts. Thank you for all that is to come.
Good night, all. I am going to live in the moment and enjoy the fire, the wine, the smoke, and the lunar eclipse. I did mention that I was a very lucky guy, I hope.
Good night. I publish this post without editing. (Something I rarely do, but the fire is more important than and dangling participles...)
Carpe Diem. CARPE. DIEM.
A good day, indeed. After some healthy eating and equally restorative conversation with Tina, I slept well and woke up early. In retrospect, I farted around too long at Tina's that AM, putting me in the teeth of rush hour traffic. Ouch. Rookie mistake, one that I made again only hours later. Hmmm. This sounds intriguing.
Sorry, I was playing the movie back in my head...
I got to Santa Monica High School just after the first period bell. The security guards think I still work there. The ladies in the office thought I was there to sub. It is always a pleasure to visit :) I got a hug from the world's greatest hugger, visited with a retired and rehired legend, saw the institution himself, found out that 40% of my successor's students passed the AP exam (vs. 50% for my class), visited with the campus conscience, the dancing queen (I mean that in the most affectionate way possible), the coach, the librarian, the boss, my mentor, and many others... So uplifting to see such good people.
Next stop - Coffee, Bean, and Teal Leaf at the corner of Michigan and Lincoln. Anyone familiar with Samohi knows that the road to Samo leads through CBTL. I, for one, visited with Leily and her band of merrymen and merrywomen practically daily during my two years at Samo. I got to know many of the baristas and was happy to see Oscar there when I poked my head inside. I did not, however, get to see Leily. She had followed her lifelong dream and moved to Paris. The one in France. Wow. Way to go, girl! And a special thank you to Oscar for hooking me up with your e-mail.
A quick trip down the 405 to Redondo Beach and the next thing you know I'm sitting in the kitchen of the man himself - Mr. Jerry Heidler. (Sorry, Terry, I had to...) After some excellent refreshments, I'm northbound on Sepulveda to Venice Beach, specifically the bread pudding shop near Muscle Beach. Damn, that was some good bread pudding, but the company was even better. It was very relaxing hanging out with Julian and Isa, but the drive back to Culver City during rush hour was less than swift.
Thankfully, Tina and I were able to relax and unwind in her Jacuzzi and all was right with the world...
Friday, March 21.
I'm homeward bound, and as much as I like to go, do, eat, drink, visit, hug, laugh, remember, see, be... I love going home even more...
First, a visit with the super smart and awesome Emily B., in town for a quick respite from UCSB. Then, a quick re-visit to Oakley (looooong story), and a hasty exit to nirvana. It was a good 4 day trip. I got to visit several friends (I'm going to attempt a count, hold on a minute - I counted 35. Seriously; 35.) Good for me. I am a lucky man.
The next week, I visited Santa Barbara, where I got to visit with some of the world's best people. Gioia and Mark, your hospitality is worthy of a royal visit, I always feel like family when I'm with you. Lisa, you are one of the strongest, sweetest, level-headed, hard-working, positive people that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Thank you for being my friend. Fight on, kid!
The rest of the week is a blur, so I don't know what else to tell you.
Fast-forward to the present (I think I write more lucidly when I focus on what's in front of me presently. Well, not right this instant, mind you. What's that? Oh, you insist? I see. Okay. But you asked for it...
I'm sitting on my one remaining decent camp chair, the previous most comfy one splitting the last time I tried to sit on it. Of course, when Charlie visits, she gets the good chair. [Note to self: Get new chair.] The night air is crisp - the coolest it's been in a while. I can hear the dogs barking from the neighbor's house, some quarter mile away, and from the east, coyotes. My small fire is begging for more wood (pardon me, while I indulge it). The wine is red, the smoke is Dominican, and moon is almost full (waxing gibbous, if memory serves...) The music is provided by Buffalo Springfield, and my the laptop sitting on - well, my lap - is a Toshiba. And me? Well, that's a long answer, let's move on to another paragraph, shall we?
The me that sits here with this wine, smoke, fire, music, laptop, etc. is not the same me that sat out here one year ago. What a journey it has been. I want to thank (oh, shit, this already sounds like an academy award speech, but I do want to be direct about this entry...) In fact, let me start over...
I really want to thank my family, especially my kids, Grant, and Stella. Your unconditional love is much appreciated - especially on those days I may have left you shaking your head...
To my friends, especially Tina, Mandy, Dawn, Gioia, Lisa, Victoria, Terry, Joel, Casey, and John. (Damn, I already know I am going to miss someone really important...) Thank you so much for inspiring me, moving me, challenging me, entertaining me, and mostly for being patient with me. Thank you.
My classmates from Stillwater and St. Paul's: It has been so much fun connecting with all of you. Whether it's my all-time 'besties' Billy, Harpo, or Joe or some my newly rediscovered (thanks to Facebook) friends from Sister Francine's class at St. Paul's-Assumption, 1972. I can't wait to see you all at our next reunion. The love and support from all of my friends have lifted me on so many occasions, I dare not count... Thank you.
To Kellan: Thank you for pushing me and challenging me. For asking me to ask the difficult questions. For being patient and really LISTENING. For inspiring. For motivating. For accepting. For the understanding. For the freedom; the freedom to be me. Thank you.
To Charlie: Thank you for the unrelenting positivity, the hope, the kisses, the smiles, the laughs, the bounce in my step, and the glow in my heart. You presence in my life is like the biggest cherry on top of the best sundae that one could ever ask for... And we haven't even gotten to all the nuts! THANK YOU to all those iconoclasts, anti-establishmentarians, anarchists, dreamers, poets, loners, lovers, and deep thinkers. Thank you for paving the path to individualism. I humbly walk in your footsteps. (There, now, we've addressed the nuts...)
So, Charlie, I know that you read and comment on this blog regularly. Just know that you are always in my thoughts. Thank you for all that is to come.
Good night, all. I am going to live in the moment and enjoy the fire, the wine, the smoke, and the lunar eclipse. I did mention that I was a very lucky guy, I hope.
Good night. I publish this post without editing. (Something I rarely do, but the fire is more important than and dangling participles...)
Carpe Diem. CARPE. DIEM.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
I'm going to take some advice from my good friend, Kellan, tonight. I have been trying to find a 3 hour time slot in which to write about everything that has been jamming up in my head since I've taken a 'writing holiday' as they might say in Europe... Instead, I just set my timer for 50 minutes. So, you have my attention for the next 50 minutes (give or take...)
I've been so wanting to write and tell you just how fortunate and blessed I really am. Forget cancer. I want to talk about my friends.
Were I to write this in chronological order, I'd be starting with my friend, Billy, who helped me out with some lodging assistance on the first day of my spring break, and conclude with dinner here at the Inn at 29 Palms last night with one of my closest friends.
IF I WERE, however, to write this particular entry in chronological order - and, since I'm writing on the clock - I might have missed out on sharing the most important development in my life of late.
That 'development' would be my girlfriend, Charlie. We met back in December very shortly after my biopsy, and worked at building a friendship and exploring chemistry. I'm happy to say that that friendship and chemistry are strong, as are mutual respect, admiration, and communication. I couldn't tell you the last time I had a girlfriend. It feels good and I'm happy that I don't have to expend time, energy, and money dating any longer. That's not to say that I'm not lavishing Charlie richly - I am. It's just with fun times, Harley rides, home-cooked meals, laughs, sing-a-longs, and sunsets - not fine dining, ostentatious floral displays, or material gifts. Time. Time is the gift. And Charlie gets it. Better yet, she gets me. And it seems I get her...
I am excited.
Thank you for that, Charlie.
Sweet! I've still got 29 minutes left. Go Kellan!!
Let's talk about my Spring Break... I have to say, it certainly crystallized some of my feelings regarding my friends - my life, really. Let me share the travelogue, and we can go from there...
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, March 15, 16, 17:
Charlie came up and we celebrated her 52nd birthday (before all you politically correct types jump my sh** for disclosing a lady's age - fret not, Charlie is happy to share her true age... Besides, I am a gentleman, remember?)
We had a smashing weekend, including two motorcycle rides, the second of which was to Big Bear Mountain and Big Bear City. The bike was flawless, the scenery spectacular, the weather crisp and clear... It was, in short, a fantastic weekend (complete with not one, not two, but three full moons!!!!). You can ask my friend, Big Jim, about that oddity... Big Jim joined us from Orange County for the Saturday evening barbecue. He was my neighbor back in Tustin 10 years ago. I hadn't seen him in 7 years. I'm glad I tracked him down. We had a blast.
The barbecue Saturday night produced many laughs. Sunday morning was to be breakfast and the aforementioned Big Bear ride. But, Charlie and I took a one hour detour to help a stranded motorist. (I apologized to Charlie for cutting into her Harley time, and her reply was spot on: "Honey, you've got to help, you don't have a choice." She was right, of course...)
Monday, March 17 (First day of my spring break)
Off I went to teach a final statistics class at UOP. I stayed the night in San Bernardino thanks to Billy and his reward points. That saved me about 3 hours in round trip travel!
Tuesday, March 18
Here's a fun day for you (and illustrative of my typical days 'off')...
I woke at 5:10AM, and headed out the door ten minutes later on my way to meeting the one and only David Lagerson for a round of golf. Describing David would be too hard - think a cross between Shrek, Frankenstein, Robert Redford, and Arthur Miller... See what I mean? That makes no sense! So, I took 3 bucks from Little Davy and headed off to lunch... For the record, I shot 94 and he had a 93...
Lunch was a splendiferous affair (yes, I made that word up) with my dear friend and former Hertz co-worker (along with the likes of the Mu, Jimmy Flo, Big Earl, and Steve-O). I met Shelly King in her office in Riverside and off we went. We were just like peas and carrots! Shelly is a smiling, positive, funny, fun person. I hadn't seen her in 7 or 8 years. I'm so glad I tracked her down. We had a blast.
After lunch, I motored toward Placentia, where my dear friend, Dawn, was waiting for me to jump in her stylist's chair for a much-needed spruce-up. But first, a side trip to Lake Forest and the Oakley mothership to purchase my new sunglasses. And on the way from there to my haircut I stopped off to see my dear friends, the Hemingways. I caught up with Tom and Dee, then had a professional haircut. Finally, Dawn and I settled down at her place in Tustin with a vegetarian pizza and some red wine. After a couple hours of conversation and some 'tutoring' (Dawn added to my knowledge of country music and I helped her with her online dating profile), it was off to bed.
Wednesday, March 19
I left Dawn's at 7AM to head to Hillview High School and a visit with some of the best people in the world. (And, yes, I did make up the guest bed before I left!) Dawn and her son, Matthew, were still sleeping when I tiptoed out...
The first person I saw at Hillview, of course, was the man himself. Tim O'Donoghue is a teacher's dream. He is unquestionably, hands down, not even close, winner-by-a-country-mile THE BEST BOSS I HAVE EVER HAD! I love this man, and I am not the only one...
I also got to see Eric Eidenmueller (Mr. E), Judy Watts, Ms. Barcelo, Bob Buckles, and Sue Warmack. Of course, my friend and mentor, Mr. Barry Turner, is missed whenever I set foot on campus. A couple of years ago, Barry was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS). He is one of my role models and a constant inspiration. Thank you for all you have done for me, Barry Turner. I love you.
After seeing my friends at Hillview, I headed to a mathematics book adoption conference in Costa Mesa. No, it's not as exciting as it sounds - there are no sad and homeless textbooks forlornly seeking shelter. No, it's just a bunch of textbook manufacturers trying to convince rooms full of math folk that our students will learn common core math concepts most readily with this book! Or... with this learning system! Or... with this completely scale-able, customizable, state of the art pedagogy! Whatever. I dutifully attended all the sessions on my day off and moved on to my next couple of appointments. One of my student's parents was in town and offered to buy me a late lunch at her favorite Chinese restaurant in Lakewood. We met for a few minutes, and I was off to Gardena to meet with a college student of mine. (You will note that I rarely use the term 'former student' - I just think of them all as my students - and friends...). We enjoyed an hour of wonderful conversation and caught up on many topics. I am so glad we got together...
Next stop, off to spend a couple of nights with my dear friend, Tina...
We shall have to pick up the tread here tomorrow... My 50 minute alarm went off some time ago, and, after a 10 minute facebook break, I set it for another 40... That 40 is winding down, and so am I.
"Mister Pea...
Thank you for always being so patient with us. ... you are a fantastic teacher. Thank you for letting us into your life and coming to us when you needed help. You made us feel so much your equal. I hope you get whatever you need, because you deserve it. Love you, P! I'm going to be cliche now, and say Carpe Diem!"
Carpe Diem and buenos noches...
I've been so wanting to write and tell you just how fortunate and blessed I really am. Forget cancer. I want to talk about my friends.
Were I to write this in chronological order, I'd be starting with my friend, Billy, who helped me out with some lodging assistance on the first day of my spring break, and conclude with dinner here at the Inn at 29 Palms last night with one of my closest friends.
IF I WERE, however, to write this particular entry in chronological order - and, since I'm writing on the clock - I might have missed out on sharing the most important development in my life of late.
That 'development' would be my girlfriend, Charlie. We met back in December very shortly after my biopsy, and worked at building a friendship and exploring chemistry. I'm happy to say that that friendship and chemistry are strong, as are mutual respect, admiration, and communication. I couldn't tell you the last time I had a girlfriend. It feels good and I'm happy that I don't have to expend time, energy, and money dating any longer. That's not to say that I'm not lavishing Charlie richly - I am. It's just with fun times, Harley rides, home-cooked meals, laughs, sing-a-longs, and sunsets - not fine dining, ostentatious floral displays, or material gifts. Time. Time is the gift. And Charlie gets it. Better yet, she gets me. And it seems I get her...
I am excited.
Thank you for that, Charlie.
Sweet! I've still got 29 minutes left. Go Kellan!!
Let's talk about my Spring Break... I have to say, it certainly crystallized some of my feelings regarding my friends - my life, really. Let me share the travelogue, and we can go from there...
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, March 15, 16, 17:
Charlie came up and we celebrated her 52nd birthday (before all you politically correct types jump my sh** for disclosing a lady's age - fret not, Charlie is happy to share her true age... Besides, I am a gentleman, remember?)
We had a smashing weekend, including two motorcycle rides, the second of which was to Big Bear Mountain and Big Bear City. The bike was flawless, the scenery spectacular, the weather crisp and clear... It was, in short, a fantastic weekend (complete with not one, not two, but three full moons!!!!). You can ask my friend, Big Jim, about that oddity... Big Jim joined us from Orange County for the Saturday evening barbecue. He was my neighbor back in Tustin 10 years ago. I hadn't seen him in 7 years. I'm glad I tracked him down. We had a blast.
The barbecue Saturday night produced many laughs. Sunday morning was to be breakfast and the aforementioned Big Bear ride. But, Charlie and I took a one hour detour to help a stranded motorist. (I apologized to Charlie for cutting into her Harley time, and her reply was spot on: "Honey, you've got to help, you don't have a choice." She was right, of course...)
Monday, March 17 (First day of my spring break)
Off I went to teach a final statistics class at UOP. I stayed the night in San Bernardino thanks to Billy and his reward points. That saved me about 3 hours in round trip travel!
Tuesday, March 18
Here's a fun day for you (and illustrative of my typical days 'off')...
I woke at 5:10AM, and headed out the door ten minutes later on my way to meeting the one and only David Lagerson for a round of golf. Describing David would be too hard - think a cross between Shrek, Frankenstein, Robert Redford, and Arthur Miller... See what I mean? That makes no sense! So, I took 3 bucks from Little Davy and headed off to lunch... For the record, I shot 94 and he had a 93...
Lunch was a splendiferous affair (yes, I made that word up) with my dear friend and former Hertz co-worker (along with the likes of the Mu, Jimmy Flo, Big Earl, and Steve-O). I met Shelly King in her office in Riverside and off we went. We were just like peas and carrots! Shelly is a smiling, positive, funny, fun person. I hadn't seen her in 7 or 8 years. I'm so glad I tracked her down. We had a blast.
After lunch, I motored toward Placentia, where my dear friend, Dawn, was waiting for me to jump in her stylist's chair for a much-needed spruce-up. But first, a side trip to Lake Forest and the Oakley mothership to purchase my new sunglasses. And on the way from there to my haircut I stopped off to see my dear friends, the Hemingways. I caught up with Tom and Dee, then had a professional haircut. Finally, Dawn and I settled down at her place in Tustin with a vegetarian pizza and some red wine. After a couple hours of conversation and some 'tutoring' (Dawn added to my knowledge of country music and I helped her with her online dating profile), it was off to bed.
Wednesday, March 19
I left Dawn's at 7AM to head to Hillview High School and a visit with some of the best people in the world. (And, yes, I did make up the guest bed before I left!) Dawn and her son, Matthew, were still sleeping when I tiptoed out...
The first person I saw at Hillview, of course, was the man himself. Tim O'Donoghue is a teacher's dream. He is unquestionably, hands down, not even close, winner-by-a-country-mile THE BEST BOSS I HAVE EVER HAD! I love this man, and I am not the only one...
I also got to see Eric Eidenmueller (Mr. E), Judy Watts, Ms. Barcelo, Bob Buckles, and Sue Warmack. Of course, my friend and mentor, Mr. Barry Turner, is missed whenever I set foot on campus. A couple of years ago, Barry was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS). He is one of my role models and a constant inspiration. Thank you for all you have done for me, Barry Turner. I love you.
After seeing my friends at Hillview, I headed to a mathematics book adoption conference in Costa Mesa. No, it's not as exciting as it sounds - there are no sad and homeless textbooks forlornly seeking shelter. No, it's just a bunch of textbook manufacturers trying to convince rooms full of math folk that our students will learn common core math concepts most readily with this book! Or... with this learning system! Or... with this completely scale-able, customizable, state of the art pedagogy! Whatever. I dutifully attended all the sessions on my day off and moved on to my next couple of appointments. One of my student's parents was in town and offered to buy me a late lunch at her favorite Chinese restaurant in Lakewood. We met for a few minutes, and I was off to Gardena to meet with a college student of mine. (You will note that I rarely use the term 'former student' - I just think of them all as my students - and friends...). We enjoyed an hour of wonderful conversation and caught up on many topics. I am so glad we got together...
Next stop, off to spend a couple of nights with my dear friend, Tina...
We shall have to pick up the tread here tomorrow... My 50 minute alarm went off some time ago, and, after a 10 minute facebook break, I set it for another 40... That 40 is winding down, and so am I.
"Mister Pea...
Thank you for always being so patient with us. ... you are a fantastic teacher. Thank you for letting us into your life and coming to us when you needed help. You made us feel so much your equal. I hope you get whatever you need, because you deserve it. Love you, P! I'm going to be cliche now, and say Carpe Diem!"
Carpe Diem and buenos noches...
Sunday, April 6, 2014
It was a rough week. The doctors appointments went well, but the energy expended just getting myself there and back caught up with me a bit this week. This week should represent a new beginning for me... No plans for the evenings this week, except for tomorrow night when Charlie may or may not come up to watch the NCAA final. Hopefully, she can come up. The point being that I hope I can start to settle into (and appreciate) my new 'normal' schedule.
It's - unfortunately - already after 9 and I really want to finish the book I'm reading and get some good sleep. So I'm going to stick to that game plan. Tomorrow is a new day and I need to be rested to meet its challenges. Good night everyone.
It's - unfortunately - already after 9 and I really want to finish the book I'm reading and get some good sleep. So I'm going to stick to that game plan. Tomorrow is a new day and I need to be rested to meet its challenges. Good night everyone.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
So, some good news tonight - oh, speaking of good news, my cardiologist today said, "You're in great shape." That's what I like to hear :)
So - back to the good news: driving the 130 miles back and forth from my doctor's appointment gave me some time to think. I realized that my writing issue of late is not related to lack of things to write about. That's the good news. In fact, I have a backlog of blog topics that could choke a horse. I don't want to think about that; that sounds painful.
No, the upshot is that I haven't written much because I've been down. Really fighting through some things, but Charlie really helped me put everything into perspective last night. That slightly different outlook helped me make it through a pretty challenging day. What was her advice? Stop. Think. Get perspective. React accordingly. Most of all, breathe...
Perspective. It's definitely influencing this blog post. I just typed a paragraph about all of the trials and tribulations that put me in the mood which was the catalyst for Charlie's advice. Aaaaand... I just erased it, because not one word of it means a damn thing. The message is important, yes, but the 'problems' don't bear mentioning in the great big scheme of things. Shit happens; deal with it.
Back to the clinical side of things...
If you've never had a cardiac stress-echo, you're missing out on a treat :)
The objective is to monitor your heart's reaction to stress. The stress - in this instance - was provided by walking on a treadmill until the heart rate becomes sufficiently elevated. I've done tests before on a bicycle, and I think there is a way of producing similar heart stress via chemical solution. As soon as the heart rate reached the target zone (2X the normal rate??), they took off the treadmill into place next to the ultrasound machine. The tech scans the heart with the 'wand' so that the doctor can observe the heart under stress. Pretty cool, actually. The only part that sucks, to be honest, is the prep work for placing the heart monitor leads. They first swab you with alcohol, then abrade your skin to remove any oils and reduce impedance in the lead/skin connection. Well, lets just say that the combination of rubbing alcohol and abraded skin doesn't even sound good; let alone feel good...
Anyway, that's all small potatoes. They told me to go home and put on Neosporin, and so I did...
Good night, all. I'm off to see the wonderful Stella for a couple of days. I'll tell all on Sunday.
Peace.
"Mr. P <3
Out of all my classes this year, I can honestly say that I always looked forward to your class the most. You are an unbelievable teacher and what makes you different from other teachers is that you develop a relationship w/every one of your students which I think is the best quality a teacher could have. You're the best!"
Thanks, Forrest. Those words really resonate with me. I hope you are well...
So - back to the good news: driving the 130 miles back and forth from my doctor's appointment gave me some time to think. I realized that my writing issue of late is not related to lack of things to write about. That's the good news. In fact, I have a backlog of blog topics that could choke a horse. I don't want to think about that; that sounds painful.
No, the upshot is that I haven't written much because I've been down. Really fighting through some things, but Charlie really helped me put everything into perspective last night. That slightly different outlook helped me make it through a pretty challenging day. What was her advice? Stop. Think. Get perspective. React accordingly. Most of all, breathe...
Perspective. It's definitely influencing this blog post. I just typed a paragraph about all of the trials and tribulations that put me in the mood which was the catalyst for Charlie's advice. Aaaaand... I just erased it, because not one word of it means a damn thing. The message is important, yes, but the 'problems' don't bear mentioning in the great big scheme of things. Shit happens; deal with it.
Back to the clinical side of things...
If you've never had a cardiac stress-echo, you're missing out on a treat :)
The objective is to monitor your heart's reaction to stress. The stress - in this instance - was provided by walking on a treadmill until the heart rate becomes sufficiently elevated. I've done tests before on a bicycle, and I think there is a way of producing similar heart stress via chemical solution. As soon as the heart rate reached the target zone (2X the normal rate??), they took off the treadmill into place next to the ultrasound machine. The tech scans the heart with the 'wand' so that the doctor can observe the heart under stress. Pretty cool, actually. The only part that sucks, to be honest, is the prep work for placing the heart monitor leads. They first swab you with alcohol, then abrade your skin to remove any oils and reduce impedance in the lead/skin connection. Well, lets just say that the combination of rubbing alcohol and abraded skin doesn't even sound good; let alone feel good...
Anyway, that's all small potatoes. They told me to go home and put on Neosporin, and so I did...
Good night, all. I'm off to see the wonderful Stella for a couple of days. I'll tell all on Sunday.
Peace.
"Mr. P <3
Out of all my classes this year, I can honestly say that I always looked forward to your class the most. You are an unbelievable teacher and what makes you different from other teachers is that you develop a relationship w/every one of your students which I think is the best quality a teacher could have. You're the best!"
Thanks, Forrest. Those words really resonate with me. I hope you are well...
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
So... I'm still not writing. Why? I don't know. Have I lost my passion? I don't know. Have I run out of important things to share? I don't know. Do I still care about the blog? Yes. Do I still have things to share? Yes. So, what is slowing me down? I don't know.
Let's start with the present. Today happens to be my birthday. I'm 56 years young today. So, that's a good day, right? Well... I suppose. Unfortunately, it didn't go as hoped. The day started off with two blood tests and ended with me crashed in bed for hours, fighting off chills and body aches.
I suppose it's time for me to get a handle on this roller coaster ride... I'm ping-ponging from the dichotomous extremes of wanting to take on the world to struggling just to get out of bed. Can I possibly find a happy medium somewhere?
I know that I usually wait until the end of the post to provide an affirmation, but I think I need the boost now. Here is a note I received just tonight from a student at school (not even my student, by the way...). Perhaps I need to listen to these voices, not the ones in my frenetic brain...
"Happy birthday... I hope you have a great one... I am glad I met you. You have made a huge difference in my life and you deserve the best; have a good day."
Katie, I wish it was a good day. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.
Thursday I go to the Cardiologist and Friday the Urologist. The best news, however, is that Friday night and Saturday I get to see Stella <3
Life is not so bad after all.
Good night, all.
Be well.
PS - One important note I wanted to share with my friends back east: I will not be able to come home and visit this summer. I've decided to lay low here in California to recover from my surgery the end of May. I hope to see you all in the fall!
Let's start with the present. Today happens to be my birthday. I'm 56 years young today. So, that's a good day, right? Well... I suppose. Unfortunately, it didn't go as hoped. The day started off with two blood tests and ended with me crashed in bed for hours, fighting off chills and body aches.
I suppose it's time for me to get a handle on this roller coaster ride... I'm ping-ponging from the dichotomous extremes of wanting to take on the world to struggling just to get out of bed. Can I possibly find a happy medium somewhere?
I know that I usually wait until the end of the post to provide an affirmation, but I think I need the boost now. Here is a note I received just tonight from a student at school (not even my student, by the way...). Perhaps I need to listen to these voices, not the ones in my frenetic brain...
"Happy birthday... I hope you have a great one... I am glad I met you. You have made a huge difference in my life and you deserve the best; have a good day."
Katie, I wish it was a good day. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.
Thursday I go to the Cardiologist and Friday the Urologist. The best news, however, is that Friday night and Saturday I get to see Stella <3
Life is not so bad after all.
Good night, all.
Be well.
PS - One important note I wanted to share with my friends back east: I will not be able to come home and visit this summer. I've decided to lay low here in California to recover from my surgery the end of May. I hope to see you all in the fall!
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