Posts in the “personal” category

CubsInsider.com has a great article on how Cubs’ pitcher Kyle Hendricks pitches, specifically where he tends to throw the ball.

This is the letter that George Bush (Sr.) left for Bill Clinton when Clinton took office in 1993.

In a way I feel fortunate to have passed out quite a few times now. It’s like it’s my body’s way of saying, “Look at you, taking life for granted again — here comes the OFF switch!”

(Fortunately it has just been a Pause switch so far.)

This article, A concise, practical guide to diagnostic assessment for mast cell activation disease (MCAD), pretty much describes what I have been going through for the last several years.

In Game 1 of the NLCS, Javier Baez “steals” home against the Dodgers (after being caught too far off of third base). Jon Lester and the home plate umpire both call him safe.

A human-size squirrel? No, apparently it’s a wombat. (Image from this Twitter page.)

Presumably because my immune system is weakened, my tongue turned green this week. Here’s a self-portrait.

The Chicago Cubs beats the San Francisco Giants in the 2016 NLDS last night by scoring four runs in the top of the ninth inning. Some Cubs fans at the game in S.F. flew the Cubs victory flag immediately after the win. One of my neighbors was flying the same flag off their balcony this morning, which was pretty neat to see.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings on strategy (from venturebeat.com):

“The thing that most people don’t understand about strategy is that strategy is pain,” said Hastings. “And if your strategy is not profoundly painful to you and uncomfortable, you’re not very strategic. … Really, strategy is a list of all the things you’re not doing.”

I was just reading about Spirulina, and came across articles like this which share research about the effects of Spirulina on mast cells (and therefore mast cell diseases):

“Spirulina or Arthrospira is a blue-green alga that became famous after it was successfully used by NASA as a dietary supplement for astronauts on space missions. It has the ability to modulate immune functions and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the release of histamine by mast cells. Multiple studies investigating the efficacy and the potential clinical applications of Spirulina in treating several diseases have been performed and a few randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews suggest that this alga may improve several symptoms and may even have an anticancer, antiviral and antiallergic effects.”

patient.info has some good information on triggers for mast cell diseases, including mastocytosis and mast cell activation syndrome (and histamine intolerance).

Before I went to the grocery store Friday morning (July 22, 2016) I thought, “There’s one thing you can’t forget to get while you’re there,” so I scribbled it on a nearby sticky note, folded the note in half, and stuck it in my pocket.

When I got to the grocery store and pulled the note out of my pocket, this is what it said.

I’m pretty sure I’m going to need a proofreader for my next book.

Pro tip: “Foolish mortals” is a gender-neutral form of address.

(from this twitter page)

Joyful Discipline: Making what appear to be difficult lifestyle choices based on larger goals or intentions.

(“Discipline” doesn’t have to be a negative word.)

Matt Cassel, talking about New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick in this espn.com article:

My rookie year, I got crushed in the back by a corner blitz against the Giants. We’re playing them the next year in the last preseason game. He asks me, “OK, Cassel, what front do they like to bring the corner blitz from?” I had looked it up the night before, anticipating it. I said, “Coach, it’s an over.” And he goes, “Brady?” Well, you know immediately when he goes to the next guy: “Oh, no. Oh, no.” And Brady says, “An under.”

Then Bill goes, “Brady’s right. I don’t want to have to send your mother another note that says, ‘Dear Mrs. Cassel, we regret to inform you that your son got killed being a dumbass.’”

This song is called Production to Perfection, also by Chance’s End.

“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.”

~ Vincent van Gogh

Wow, the first available appointment for the leading doctor on this disease is in February ... 2018.

NURSE (on the phone): Is Wednesday the 14th good for you?

ME: Well, that’s Valentine’s Day, I like to keep that open. Do you have something available on the 15th?

NURSE: I completely understand. Let’s find something on the 15th...

“Though it does taste like pond scum, Spirulina has some great health-boosting qualities.”

(a quote from wellnessmama.com)

“Tell them I was a writer.” ~ Pieter Hintjens