i haven't written much this *past* year because.....

i've been stricken with some really nasty cluster migraines that have been out of control since january, hopefully as part of the new year i will start to get some real treatment, after waiting 6 months for an appointment at the headache clinic at johns hopkins in maryland i am scheduled to go up this coming friday. hopefully it will be a start to a road to recovery and i can put these weeks and months of unbearable pain, loss of work, missed events, days in bed behind me. i've been reading pema chödrön's "the places that scare you" when i am able, it and my practice have helped me to find some solace in facing them. as pema says it's hard to know whether to laugh or cry at the human predicament.

i hope for all of you things are so much better and soon i'll be back to my old self. standing here at the precipice of the decade there is so much to look forward too.

couldn't resist this guy, the 45 king dj is one bad ass!

www.youtube.com/watch

Just what I have always wanted a Diverticulitis Birthday.............

i'll be spending my birthday in bed taking a nice combination of cipro and flagyl, the only thing that will kick this pain in my gut that feels like someone just kicked me as hard as they could in my left side and the frequent trips. i hate that they always say it's caused by a bad diet because i eat a very high fiber diet, what they don't tell you is you need to be careful when it comes to seeds, nuts as well. this is the third bout in a year. i had gone out for Tepenyaki on Saturday with my family to celebrate and forgot they put sesame seed in their fried rice, and yippy, fun, fun fun. Hey, it's just the birthday wish I always wanted to have. the day off and my own thrown!

From the Heater to Freezer------> Embassy Style!

Well within a week with the new job I took in September, I've been in Orlando, Florida for Navy meetings and balmy 85 degree weather (last week) to Washington DC this past Wednesday/Thursday for a reception at the Thai Embassy celebrating the Kings 80th birthday. The Embassy is in Georgetown and we drove into about 4.5 inches of snow coming down on us upon arrival and 26 degree weather brrrrrrrrrr.

Hey and just to make things cooler they had a Patagonia store just down from the Embassy! BAM! The reception was pretty fantastic, hobnobbing it with folks from the State Department and diplomats from countries from around the world.

Btw the way, give the poor guy at the gas station at the corner of Rock Creek Pkwy. and Virginia Ave NW a break if you need directions.....he just arrived from Ethiopia and has only been here 2 months, he doesn't know how to get anywhere and he is working on his english, but he has got capitalism down pat. He managed to get my partner to buy a $10 map, even after I told him I had an iPhone and had already rechecked the directions on google maps and we were .6 miles away! Way to go gas station man!

btw check out how big that suit is on me..it's like one of those old zuit suits! i think it's time for a new one!