wednesday, february 21

tuesday, february 20

A Path To Healing (Part 2)

"I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling."
---The Bhagavad-Gita

had received some shocking news in my mail this afternoon.

Finally receiving my results from my blood tests last week, I found out that my cholesterol level had skyrocketed in a year's time! I'm sort of sitting here in disbelief, thinking that I thought I'd been eating fairly healthy, but I guess apparently not.

There was a note from my doctor, handwritten on the test results, saying that she was trying to reach me by phone but apparently she had the wrong number. And this sort of painted a slightly scary scenario for me. She also recommended I take some medication to bring my cholesterol down to safe levels. So now I once again have to make an appointment with my doctor.

sensory  mood: oddly sedate  music: more new age  cuisine: baked salmon,   green salad and apples

It's all pretty depressing for me... and it's like I've been dealt a serious blow. For once, I'm truly feeling my own mortality. And I can either sit and doing nothing about it, or get up and take control of my own destiny! I'm definitely not 20 years old any more back when people feel they can pretty much eat all the junk food they can and get away with it, although it's ironic that when I was 20 I was a devout vegetarian and practiced Yoga regularly. My cholesterol level back then was extremely low, around 150, and that was because I was a vegetarian. My doctor back then was very impressed. Now here I am, not a vegetarian and my cholesterol level is 240, just within the high risk area. How depressing...

But on a positive and prophetic note for me. It just so happened that I had a great session of Yoga this morning, probably around 2 hours and I felt so rejuvenated! And I officially made the conscious decision to become more vegetarian, which for me would be no meat, poultry, or chicken. I'd definitely allow fish, but maybe very (and I mean very) limited amounts of eggs and milk.

Actually for several years I'd been a vegan (no milk, eggs or meat of any kind) and had been fine and healthy. For some reason I began eating meat, poultry, and fish again after Barry Sears' book, The Zone, convinced me that it was necessary to eat animal flesh. Sorry Barry, but I'm living proof that doesn't work!

Well, please don't feel sorry for me as far as me going back to vegetarianism... I've been a vegetarian for so many years prior that it's just a matter of making a simple commitment to myself and I'm "there"! Good-bye green eggs and ham, so long thanksgiving turkey! This boy's going back to being a vegetarian again, and most definitely feeling good about it... let the healing begin!

monday, february 19

A Path To Healing

"Life is a continuity. All things are related. All beings are interdependent. They can not exist without each other. They do not exist without each other."
---Das Energi

he family and I went to North County Fair today to do some shopping. In case you don't know, North County Fair is one of the largest indoor malls in San Diego County, about 20 minutes drive north from where we live.

We seldom go to the malls, so this was an exception, and we bought a bunch of new clothes and shoes and stuff. We also spent a considerable amount of time at the KPBS Store of Knowledge, which was a treat for our two sons.

sensory  mood: peaceful  music: new age  cuisine: vegetarian

Earlier, we spent some time in the backyard, just reading and relaxing. It was a gorgeous day today, if not a bit on the chilly side at times. We were almost thinking of going to the snow again, but thought Saturday's trip to the snow was enough to satisfy our longing for snow.

I've had a little more time to focus on practicing Yoga lately, which is always healthy, and I've been practicing on the drums a lot in the past week and a half. I'm not really setting any specific goals about my drumming, other than the fact that I need to maintain my current state and try to make it to the next level.

I've been spending less time on the computer, so if you haven't heard from me via email, then my apologies... I still owe a bunch of folks some email, and I'm slowly getting to it.

On the same token, I also haven't heard from some of you either, but that's okay. I figure we're all busy in Real Life... lots of things to do.

But I am in serious need to take more digital pix, and I vow to charge up the batteries and get out there in the San Diego sun and click away.

sunday, february 18

The Art Of Bossa Nova

"Our lives are but moments in the flow of eternity... and let us also remember that eternity is but a flow of lives like ours."
---Das Energi

riday night at Valentino's was successful, but Saturday was even more fun because we had a couple of female vocalists who wanted to sit in with the band.

Both attractive, one female singer was an immigrant from Russia who came to the United States only two years ago. She sang the Sade classic, "Smooth Operator", and did a fine job judging by the applause she received.

sensory  mood: beatlmania!  music: what else?  cuisine: chinese

We had a great talk during the break about how wonderful jazz music is, and how popular it's become in Russia and other parts of the world like in Japan or in Europe.

Well, the other female singer who sat in was Brazilian, and she did a beautiful rendition of "Covcovado" (Quiet Nights) sung in Portguese! Now THAT was a special treat. We'd been playing these Bossa Novas all along, but to have a Brazilian sing a Bossa Nova in her native language... WOW... what a special treat!

Anyway, I'm pretty tired as I write this... After performing Friday night, then waking up bright and early Saturday morning to take my family and my sister-in-laws' families up to the Laguna Mountains to play in the snow, then performing again on Saturday night... then doing errands on Sunday morning, and then attending a birthday party at noon, well, I'm feeling the need to rest right now.