I was driving home from the airport yesterday, listening to Schooner Fare. For those of you who don’t know, Schooner Fare is a semi-Irish folk group that has been a family tradition since probably before I was born. Listening to them really makes me feel at home, no matter where I am.

One of their songs came on, and I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the song and today’s events. The song is called “We the People”, and I’ll post the lyrics here (hopefully I’ll be able to put it up on youtube soon so you can hear it too.)

WE THE PEOPLE
Words and Music by Steve Romanoff

We won’t accept excuses,
And we won’t accept the lies,
Of those who’d lead our nations into hell,
It’s time to call their bluff,
To say to them, enough’s enough,
It’s time we all could hear the tolling of the bell,
It’s time to feed the hungry,
And it’s time to heal the pain,
And it’s time to beat our weapons into plows,
It’s time to hear the voices that have risen once again,
It’s the wisdom of the people clear and loud,
Singing proud…

Our government is broken. There’s no denying it. It’s time for all of us to pull our heads out of the sand, because there’s only one way this is going to change. We live in an era where the media gives the microphone to those who scream the loudest, not those who speak with the most sense. It’s time to raise our voices as one, calling for common sense to be the basis of any legitimate campaign and the core value of every politician. We should be willing to accept that no human is perfect, and therefore no government will ever be perfect – and by extension no solution is going to be perfect simply because it comes from human minds. But we can find a good solution if we work together. Everyone asks “What did the Framers intend”? I think that no matter what their specific views would have been on any given topic, we can all agree that they intended us to work together. They believed in compromise, not pig-headed stubbornness.

I want to start a movement, but I don’t know where to begin. Call it the “We the People” movement, or maybe “The Common Sense Movement, but something needs to be done. We may not have another chance like this to change the system and save the future of our nation.

When we’re faced with candidates who don’t believe in changing things and would rather tear the whole structure down, good and bad, we need to do something.

When we’re faced with Congressmen and women who make promises before they’re even elected, regardless of the fact that they might need to break that promise in order to save the nation from disaster, we need to do something.

When our leaders refuse to pay for the things they want, we need to do something.

When our leaders believe that we shouldn’t have to pay for what we’ve already used, we need to do something.

When our leaders refuse to take responsibility for their actions, we need to do something.

When our leaders care more about what they’re seen doing than what they actually do, we need to do something.

When government becomes bed of hypocrisy, we need to do something.

When those in Congress lie when they say that “The American People got what they wanted”, we need to do something.

The time has come to take our heads out of the sand and say “Enough’s enough”. Let’s do something. Call your congressman or woman, ask them to start exercising common sense and decency, hold them accountable for their actions, voice your opinions, tell them we got ourselves into this mess and it is our responsibility to get ourselves out of it. We have to pay for our mistakes, even if that means raising revenues for the time being. It’s time to do the right thing. And time to make sure those we elected to do the right thing remember why they were elected.

Our insurance system is broken.   People like myself, who have pre-existing conditions, will be unable to find insurance (except at the expense of bankruptcy) as soon as we leave our parents’ coverage.   Does anyone care what happens to us?   I think that deep down, every single American cares in some way.   No one thinks that people should die when someone else can save them.

And yet the United States House of Representatives just voted to repeal the health care bill.   I know that the repeal vote won’t pass the Senate, so I’m not really worried about losing my coverage.   What I am worried about is those who put principle above logic, and stand behind stupid campaign promises even when there is an obviously better solution (or even make those promises in the first place).

Let’s look at the auto industry.   Every so often, companies introduce new models, or redesign their existing models.   How many smart buyers go out and buy that first year product?   Not many.   And for good reason – it hasn’t been tested in the real world, and it’s bound to have flaws.   So what do they do instead?   They wait a year or two until the flaws have been ironed out, as updated models are released.

Case in point – most people who have owned or considered buying a Subaru from the late 90s, and even into the early-mid 2000s know of the innate flaws in the design of the head gasket, which cause it to leak around 100,000 miles.   So do people buy those?   Not if they can afford one of the newer models (2005 on), which have solved the head gasket problem.

So why are we going back to the drawing board again?   Why not pick and choose the good things in this bill, while replacing or removing the bad?   This would cause far less drama, and I don’t think anyone would argue that it would create a worse situation than we’re in now.

Because, like I said, no one believes that a person who needs treatment to survive should ever be left to die.

And that’s what should matter to us, not sticking to our word even though we know it’s wrong.

I know that some people out there may argue that the reason Republicans are voting for this bill is to save face, because they know it won’t pass.   But I’d argue this – why waste precious legislative time?   Why not just spend that time working on refining the bill?   Better yet, why not admit that while the bill has some positives – like protecting those with pre-existing conditions, it does need to be refined?   Publicly come together and admit that!   That way you look like humans with hearts, instead of robots with botox – showing no emotion, save anger.

No sane artist scraps an entire masterpiece because there are things that he/she wants to repaint.   Instead, they simply apply a second coat.   And that’s exactly what we should do here.

So Republicans and Democrats alike – get out your paintbrushes, not your torches and pitchforks.

Republicans in the Senate have agreed that they will block passage of every bill until the the tax cuts have been extended for EVERYONE. Not just those who make less than $250k, or even $1 million.   Everyone.   Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader said that all Republicans and even some Democrats agree that taxes shouldn’t be raised on anyone.    This is in contrast with a CBS survey in which only 26% of Americans say the same thing.   And 53% say that taxes should only be extended for those  making less than $250k.

It’s one thing to go against the wishes of the American people, for the sole purpose of making a political point.   It’s another to agree to veto ALL BILLS, including some extremely important bills, for this same reason.

For example – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has publicly said that unless the new START (STrategic Arms Reduction Treaty) bill is passed, Russia will be forced to build up their nuclear arsenal again.   Aren’t the Republicans all about national security?   This seems like a national security no-brainer to me – work towards eliminating nuclear weapons.

And what about the unemployed?   What about the very people who need the economy to turn around, need jobs, and need help until those jobs appear?   Another item that needs IMMEDIATE attention is unemployment benefits, which have just expired.   Sure, maybe tax cuts for all will make the economy rebound faster, but maybe they won’t.   And in the meantime, what are the families of all those unemployed Americans supposed to do?   Spend their time trying to find work, or spend their time trying to find homeless shelters?

And the Democrats are not willing to call the Republicans’ bluff.   They are not yelling very loudly, protesting this obvious stupidity and injustice.   Did we elect a bunch of men willing to do what is right?   Or a bunch of cats who run the other way when something scares them?

This honestly seems like something a 5-year old could figure out – help people until they can stand on their own two feet, and name as idiots those who are being dumb..   But then again, the way Congress seems to be acting makes me think that they have the maturity of a bunch of three year olds.   So maybe there’s our answer – the people we elected just aren’t mature enough to handle the responsibility of managing our nation, because they’re too busy making sure no one pops the pretty balloon that is their over sized ego.

And yet we keep electing these idiots.   When is this going to change?   When are we going to take responsibility for the power given to us – the right to vote?   When are we going to research the candidates, and hold them truly accountable for their actions?   When are we going to stop watching the news in disgust, and start calling our elected officials to ask what the hell is wrong with them? And what will happen if we don’t?

I’ve fought a tough battle to get to where I am today, and anyone who knows my story would say that every day I get to spend on this Earth is a blessing.   And they will acknowledge the fact that I’ve now survived for almost two years since I was diagnosed, thanks to a matched unrelated donor stem cell transplant.   The same type of transplant that the Arizona state legislature was told were “totally ineffective” (source).   And because of that blatant misinformation, and facing a $1.5 billion dollar deficit, the legislature decided that part of a possible solution would be to cut funding to some state-funded lung, heart, liver, and stem cell transplants.

Really?   We’re now sentencing people to death because the state can’t balance its budget?   Now who’s fault is that, and let’s be honest here.   It may not rest on the freshman legislators, but one can bet that at least a majority of those who serve now also served when the state went into the red.   And more importantly, the blame certainly, absolutely, undoubtedly does NOT fall on those waiting for transplants.

Let’s take a look at the breakdown of votes.   Here is a press release from the AZ Democrats (1. it’s posted on the azleg.gov website, and 2. the part I’m concerned with is the vote tally links at the bottom.   So don’t accuse me of using biased sources, please).   In both the AZ House and Senate, all Democrats voted against this budget.   And in both the AZ House and Senate, all but one Republican voted for it.

Is this the same party that was crying wolf over mythical “death panels” that would be supposedly created by Obamacare?   The same party that supports Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich, and (at least) sometimes listens to Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, all of whom have spoken against these “death panels”? Yes, yes it is.

As my girlfriend aptly puts it – “I hate this country sometimes.”

How much longer can we afford to stand by and let hypocritical, corrupt people ruin what was once a shining pillar of hope and freedom?   I don’t know, and I certainly don’t want to find out.

(For the record, I think that Democrats can be just as corrupt as Republicans.   No matter what your party loyalty, do what you do for the right reasons, not to smear the opposition.   Represent the people who elected you, don’t spit on them, step on them, and certainly don’t kill them.   You should not run over the same promises you run on, or the people you run for.   Both parties are guilty.   Get rid of the two party system, and maybe we’ll get somewhere.   But either way, it’s broken.  And politics is broken, and going to tear this country apart some day.   Make sure you take the antidote – practice common sense, use your head and not your heart.   Do what you know to be right, not just what someone says is right.)

From the beginning, and especially more recently while breaking the recent news to friends, I’ve heard the same question repeated over and over.   At first I didn’t really know how to answer, but then I thought harder about what I can make out of this situation.

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

At first, I simply said thanks, but I can’t think of anything.   But then I came up with a different, slightly longer answer.

Remember that life is fleeting, and there are more important things than grudges or ill wishes.   Underneath our different skin colors, yarmulkes, head scarves, or crucifix necklaces, we’re still the same people.   We still want the same thing – for people to be nice to us.   All I ask of those who want to help me is this – treat your strangers as you would your best friends.   For all those who persecute others in the name of Jesus – remember what Jesus himself did.   He went out of his way to help those society refused to accept.   And remember – let he who is without sin cast the first stone.   For all those who instill terror in others in the name of Allah – I find it hard to believe that your path to paradise is paved with the bones of innocent non-believers.   If yours is truly the right path, let the rest of us rot in hell for eternity.   But in the meantime, let us improve the lives of others here on this Earth, because if we don’t then what kind of world are we leaving behind for those you hope to convert?   Do you really want to convert those who believe only in violence instead of helping the poor and needy of the world?

We are all forced to share the same planet it, like it or not.   And we are ALL responsible for that planet, for the sake of ourselves and our children.   Here we sit bickering about things like illegal aliens flowing into our country (and let’s face it – how many of us really want to do all those minimum-wage jobs that they fill?), while we have to spend more and more money cleaning up all these environmental disasters.   Some, like the BP spill, are caused by our infatuation with money (I hesitate to call it love, because that implies a healthy relationship, which this clearly is not).   Others, like Katrina, flooding across the US, more severe weather, and heat waves that drive up electrical bills, are most likely the result of our failure to pay any attention to “climate change”.  [I hesitate to call it global warming, because while overall the planet may be warming, its effects are less than warm in some places like DC, which received over 5 feet of snow in one month].

And then there’s the war(s).   We have pumped over 1 TRILLION dollars into fighting a war in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past 10 years, and to what end?   Democracy is a noble cause, but in reality I believe it’s more about egos.   We were insulted and must fight back.   And now that we’re in a war, we can’t back out until we win.   But we can’t always be the world police, and we must remember that.   The world civilization survived for thousands of years without the United States acting as the highest authority, and I’m pretty sure that it can continue to do so.   If we’re asked for help, sure we can respond.   But we don’t need to save every country that is oppressing its people.   And if we took that $1,000,000,000,000 (1 trillion) and pumped it back into the economy (or maybe something like MEDICAL RESEARCH), we might actually get some return on it (instead of access to oil that we need to be weaned off of anyway).

So if you want to do something for me, here’s what you can do.   Be nice to those you encounter, don’t hold grudges, and please – hold your government accountable.   Get involved, make your voice heard.   Don’t just let these egotistical people trample on your wants, needs, and beliefs simply because they want to remain in office (but before you voice your beliefs, be sure about why you believe them – don’t just believe something because you’re told to, research it yourself and come to your own conclusions.   Independent thought is the backbone of an intelligent society, and is what separates us from the mob mentality).

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” – Thomas Jefferson

That being said, there’s nothing wrong with celebrating the years we spend contributing to this wonderful place called Earth.   One year ago, I was exploring the Hematology/Oncology ward at University of Wisconsin, and preparing for whatever life was about to throw at me.   One year ago to the day (and I can still picture this moment in my head) I asked a nurse what was on the agenda for tomorrow.   Her nonchalant response – “Oh, you’re starting chemo tomorrow!” – will always be in my head, and the feeling of fear, excitement and uncertainty will always be in my heart.

In some ways, things have completely changed since that day.   But in some ways, nothing has.   But really, things then were no different than for anyone else – the difference is that I’m now intensely aware of the fact that nothing is certain in life.   But that’s ok, because that fact is actually the only absolute certainty – one that should drive us to experience every moment to the fullest, never be afraid to take a risk instead of always wishing we had done so, and be thankful for every breath we take.

One year after those first few life-changing days, I’m back to where I wanted to be so long ago.   I’m a student at Cornell, and I have direction (specifically, a degree in chemistry followed by a secondary education teacher’s certification).   My first big exam of the semester was last night (Organic Chem II).   In celebration, I’m not doing homework tonight, a task that’s actually harder than it sounds when I’m the only one in my apartment.   After defaulting to Facebook as a means of wasting time, I came across something unusual.   While bouncing around from page to page, I ended up on my grandfather’s Facebook page (what a wonderful thing for an octogenarian).   I left a quick note, then scrolled down to see if anything interesting had been posted on his wall.   Lo and behold, a few posts down was something I had written on June 8th.

June was a rough month for me, with the transplant and all.   However, I was (un)fortunate enough to be on a medication that gave me permanent amnesia – the first week in the hospital is apparently a week I will never remember.   I say fortunate and unfortunate, because (obviously) it’s nice to not remember the side effects of the chemo, but at the same time I have no memory of posting this statement on my grandfather’s wall.

No matter how much intelligence you have, a battle can not be waged, a war won without persistence and hope.

Somewhere in the haze of chemotherapy and amnesia-inducing drugs, I came out with that coherent (and somewhat profound) statement.   This past year has been defined by many things, but one moment stands out – a doctor telling me that I had a 50% chance of being alive in 5 years.   Flip a coin – heads I live, tails I meet my maker.   But that’s talking statistics, a science that cannot be applied to survivors.   I am a survivor to the core, and always will be.   Whatever wars I wage, be they of my own making or not, I will be armed.   Hope in one hand, and persistence in the other.

So far, I’m winning.   Even on my down days, I will never give up.   There are so many things in my life worth fighting for – things worth putting up with anything for.   First and foremost on this list is my family.

My family, both directly and indirectly, has made me who I am.   I owe so much to them.   Cancer was never a scary word for me, because I’d seen my mom beat it.   Twice.   And through it all, I always knew they were there, cheering me on.   They taught me never to give up on something I wanted – which, in this case, was my life.   I have never given up that battle, and I know I never will.   My hope and my persistence come from them.

Second – I have to thank my friends.   I never knew how many I had until they were all there, wishing me well.   If hope is a gun, they were my powder-monkeys, providing me with endless ammunition.   I have many stories, but one that sticks out is my fraternity brothers.   What some may see as a house of stereotypical college alcoholics turned out to be so much more.   Those who I have the privilege of calling my brothers did something amazing – they shaved their heads for me.   And in the process, they raised over $1200 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.   And here’s the kicker – I didn’t know half the guys who shaved their heads.   Which brings me to the next thing I’m thankful for – strangers.

At least 15 of the new members – guys I had never met – shaved their heads for me.   It may have been a simple action, but it still makes me tear up sometimes.   And that’s just one example of the kindness of complete strangers.   All over New England (or so I’ve been told) complete strangers were praying for my well-being and swift recovery.   I have no doubt that this simple action helped me to where I am now.   To every single one of you, those that I have never met, thank you.

Friends, family, and strangers – thank you.   I can never say it enough.   Material things are nothing next to those who give us the hope and the strength to go on.   You are the ones who affirm my belief that humanity has the capacity for extraordinary acts of kindness.   Don’t ever stop being amazing.

One year has passed.   I’m sure it won’t be the only year, and I have a sneaking suspicion it’s one of many still to come.

I’d like to keep writing in here, but I’m not making any promises.   Time and inspiration permitting, I’ll be back – hopefully with new subjects as well.   Cancer gets boring after a while.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

My dad gave me a collection of Robert Frost poems for my birthday this year.    I’ve read through maybe half of them so far, but Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Eve seems too good an inspiration to pass by without comment.   This comes as no surprise, seeing as I’ve grown up with this poem in many ways (my teddy bear is named Miles because of this poem, and both my mother and I share a love of the sights and sounds of the year’s first true snowfall).

Today marks the eleven week anniversary of my transplant, and 190 days since I was diagnosed back in February.   All indications are that I’m well along the path back to normal life.   And I know I must keep climbing that path, because I have too many promises to keep – both to myself and to others.   And Lord knows the road will rise up to meet me for many miles yet.

These past 6 months have been, in some ways, like the darkest evening of the year.   But even in the heart of winter, through the cold and wind, there is still beauty to be found.   If one can get past the bone-chilling cold of chemotherapy and occasional biting wind of neutropenia, then the beauty of falling snow begins to shine through.

Sure, I’m halfway through college.   Not exactly anywhere near any of the usual farmhouses that mark the usual turning points in our lives – points at which we can take a quick break from life without missing a beat – but if I stop at a farmhouse, I gain the warmth of a fire at the expense of experiencing the magical snowfall.

For me, these past months have brought the cold and the wind, but also the peaceful sound of easy wind and downy flake.   That sound – in the form of love from all sides – has made this unexpected stop more enriching than any of the farmhouses I’ve stopped at so far.

As I resume my journey, counting the miles behind me, I hope to find the beauty in any situation.   I believe it can be found, as long as the cold can be ignored.   Though I pray my life is free from metaphorical stops like this, I look forward to enjoying as many (literal) peaceful snowfalls as I can before my journey’s end.

On a side note – I’m doing better now (at least in terms of the leg and the headaches) than I have been in past days.   I’m not sure if this is due to me actually getting better, or if I discovered a magical cure last night in the form of 16oz cans of AMP (Mountain Dew’s energy drink).   I’ll try the AMP again today, but this time I’ll have it around 4pm, rather than 9.   Sleepless nights aren’t much fun, even when you’re not woken up by your brother’s alarm at 5:45am.   Really, Keerti?   School doesn’t start til 7:45.   What would possess you to get up that early?

I discovered the medical name for a pinched sciatic nerve a few days ago.   And it’s actually quite amusing, since it’s probably more likely to pass as a science fiction movie title than a medical condition.

Sciatica.   Really.   I wonder if Arthur C. Clarke had anything to do with thinking up that name.

But what I’m doing right now is beyond learning new things.   I’m currently in the process of creating an edit page for the drumline’s website (percussion.bigredbands.org).   In the three days I’ve been working on it, I’ve gotten maybe half of what I want done.   I’ve learned parts of two new programming languages, and new applications for a third I already knew.   I think that’s the equivalent of at least four weeks of web design class.

So far, the only way to do what I want is to use all of the different languages at the same time.   This leads to (for those who understand) using PHP to access a MySQL database, take that data, and build a custom Javascript to modify an existing HTML page.   For those who are lost, that’s like me trying to translate something into spanish, then spanish to german, then finally another translation back to english – oh, and I have to make sure that the same thing I intend to say is what comes out at the end.   Not the general idea, but the exact idea.

Frustrating, but for me (a nerd of sorts) it’s been quite a fun experience.

In other news – the doctors continue to say how well I’m doing, despite a few minor setbacks, and I’m heading home to DeKalb for the day tomorrow.   If all continues to go well, I may actually be able to go home at the end of August, rather than September 20th (which is the standard 100 days, and conveniently enough – the same day our lease expires on this wonderful apartment).

It’s been a while since I put an update on here, but there’s not much else to report.   I’ve had some visitors, and enjoyed the apartment immensely.   For all those involved in the Netflix gift – thank you!   I’ve upgraded to 3 at a time, which means I’ll always have one here and one in the mail each way (since it’s one day shipping).   One movie a night seems like the perfect amount when you’re essentially on vacation.

I’ve finished an application for visiting student status at NIU for the fall, and should hear back within a week or so about that.   I’m hoping to take two classes, so I’m not overexerting myself and I also have plenty of time to spend with my family (I’m sure Mom wouldn’t mind a break, but Dad and the kids only see me once every week or two).

As I approach my 21st birthday, and tiptoe nearer to the final line that separates me from adulthood, there’s much to think about.   These past 21 years (or what I remember of them) have been all I have to draw on, and I think some reflecting is in order.

Later.

Right now I’d be too distracted by the website.   I’ll finish that first.   Enjoy the fine summer weather, wherever you are!

And that industry would be the film industry.

I saw “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” today, and must say I was not impressed in the slightest.   Indeed, it was so bad that I had to redeem my afternoon by watching the original Harold and Kumar.

Some movies are so bad that they’re good, in the sense that they’re amusing in their failure.    Then there are movies that are so bad they’re terrible.   The only laughs you get out of them are the awkward laughs at the cheesy lines, or the laughter as you ask yourself – “Am I really watching this?”.   Unfortunately, “Mall Cop” falls into the latter category.

The story follows an overweight, hypoglycemic single father named Paul Blart.   Paul works as a security guard at the local mall, since he has repeatedly failed his attempts to be admitted into the New Jersey State Police training course.   His mother and daughter are in the process of attempting to find him a girlfriend, a path that (daydream as he might) he doesn’t really seem anxious to follow.

Of course, as with all movies, there’s a love story.   Paul does find an interest in Amy, a pretty “strawberry-blonde” kiosk attendant.   And of course, he is thwarted most of the time by another man who seems to be eying Amy as well.   All the makings of a typical movie.

The first half of the movie is almost painfully slow, and when not slow – the awkwardness fills up the rest of the pain quota.   And then, halfway through, the plot thickens.   Without giving away too much (since the trailers reveal this much), the mall is taken over by bank robbers on the eve of Black Friday.   Bank robbers whose primary mode of transportation throughout the mall is one of the following: skateboard, BMX bike, or ninja-style flips off of every ledge imaginable.

Really, let’s pile on the cheese.

I see a decent amount of potential in this idea, potential that is unfortunately spoiled by overzealous attempts to make the audience laugh – perhaps because the vast majority of these attempts are simple slapstick humor or making fun of Paul’s weight.  Many of those attempts seem to make me more uncomfortable than amused.

I can see that this movie is probably targeted towards a much younger audience than myself, but really – are we intentionally exposing our children to this nonsense?   We’re made to laugh at other’s shortcomings, both of weight and social grace.   And then we’re supposed to believe that (SPOILER ALERT, as if you didn’t see if coming) Paul Blart gets the girl after knowing her for all of 3 days?   I’m pretty sure any of my pre-teen cousins could smell the massive amounts of cheese (and improbability) present in that plot point.

So what message are we trying to send the younger kids anyway?

If it’s this – that it’s ok to waste 2 hours of your time watching a ridiculously cheesy and awkward film – count me out.   The only laughs I have, when looking back, are the embarrassed kind that friends share after doing something incredibly stupid and not getting hurt in the process.

Of course, like I said, I redeemed myself by watching Harold and Kumar.   That is quite obviously targeted for my specific demographic – and my parents (or at least my mother) would probably view it the same way I view “Mall Cop”.

Live and learn, I guess.

One – I haven’t had much to report on.   Or at least, I didn’t until about a week ago.   I’d been in here about 15 days, and nothing out of the ordinary had happened (if you don’t count the transplant, which was strangely anticlimactic but still satisfying).   Days consisted of spending time with people, playing cards, watching movies, reading, and other relatively begign activities.

Two – About two days after the transplant, I got sucked into Harry Potter.    This is a huge undertaking for anyone, and I have a tendency to lose myself in book series as soon as I start one.   This time was no different, despite the fact that I’ve read the series numerous times already.    I went through seven books – and around 4500 pages – in about 9 days.   One way to truly escape any worries you might have is to lose yourself in a fantasy world.   The only problem is when you come back out.   Especially when you come out of one that involves magic.   The urge to use magic seems to pop into your head as if it were completely normal (and no, I’m not going insane – try it sometime).

(I’d gotten this far, and then stopped using my computer because I wasn’t feeling too well.   Now I’m out of the hospital completely, and have plenty of time and a little bit of energy).

The apartment is amazing.   The space is truly a blessing that can only be appreciated after 27 days (yes, that was the final count) of confinement in a 12×18 foot room.   And the view is absolutely breathtaking.   I spent a good 10 minutes last night sitting at my desk in the corner bedroom and watched night fall over Lake Michigan (which is, in fact, 100 or so yards from the highrise I’m in now).

However – I don’t think I could ever live in the city.   I woke up at 5:30, thanks to the sun, but put on a sleeping mask and went back to sleep.   Around 8:30 I was awakened by the sounds of traffic on Lake Shore Drive.

I spent 18 years living in a house on a quiet street in a quait neighborhood.   It was as silent at 11am as it was at 7am, so there was never any impediment to my somewhat odd sleeping patterns.   Not here.   I guess between the sun rising directly into my room and the traffic every morning, I’m just going to have to adjust.

But I’m completely willing to do so, since this place is so wonderful.   Once I get more energy, I’m going to have to start running along the lake shore.   Baby steps, but I’m getting there.