Coming Up on Cool, Pleasant Weekend

 On this final day of October, 2025, I find the outside to be cooler and windier...and much sunnier.  I am continuing to recover from my brain surgery of exactly a week ago, with further potential treatment options forthcoming.  Predictably, tomorrow morning will be yet another Saturday, planted in local tradition with the weekly Parkruns I've grown habituated to attending (I've completed 90 events since 2019).  The distance involved is 5K (3.1 miles), and I feel I can easily cover all of the required four laps through the park walking.  Yet Melissa has her doubts based on how she sees my current state of being, and I'm inclined to go along with her final recommendation on the subject...at least for this upcoming weekend..although I am on an overall higher level of physical fitness.  My outlandish-looking head-top surgery staples should be removed from my sorry old scalp sometime late next week, and until then I'm consigned to dealing with the headaches arising from that earlier procedure.  My endurance and sense of balance are fine, and I think I'd enjoy a nice, noncompetitive Parkrun walk with the temperatures in the forties.  But this involves getting up early in the morning and being "on time" for the 7:30 start while making sure I'm wearing their barcoded wristband.  I think Depot Park is a nice location, and we can always get some coffee afterwards. In any event, I want to be positive and proactive with my recovery. I want my future to contain some realistic promise for it and see this weekend as an opportunity to better my condition.  I do so much need some respite from this dreary diagnosis.  As for posting links of my blog articles to my page on Facebook, I've abandoned that notion after this site (that is so lax with security protections) blocked me yesterday. Facebook isn't working for me, and I won't work for it, ever again.  And if anyone trolls me for a comment I post on it, they're getting it right back in their face...

Dunkin' Treats and Song of the Month

 It's a pretty, clear, cool and windy day outside this afternoon on Halloween Eve, and I am now sitting in the dining room at my Chromebook writing this.  Melissa just drove me over to our nearby Dunkin' for some of their fancy coffee and a half dozen doughnuts, all set up while Jewel's big hit Standing Still was being piped through the store's sound system.  Afterwards, I finished my daily foreign language copying sentence-by-sentence...it's fun to see how much I can put together and derive meaning from.  So today I'll be mentioning my "song of the month"for October 2025: Garbage's There's No Future in Optimism.  It's the fourth straight month I've picked this British alternative rock group, fronted by Shirley Manson, for the honor.  Starting with the repeated phrase "If you're ready for love", Shirley then goes off on a message of standing firm in creative love in the face of social disruption and societal breakdown: the ultimate "drop out" song.  The most profound lines in it are, "There is no future that can't be designed

With some imagination and a beautiful mind"  The idea Is that none of us have to ride the momentum thatcan build up hatred, protest and adversityif we allow for that to happen...we can simply stop on a dime and turn around.  Since I don't see anything of value being released during the next two months in 2025, I'm guessing that There's No Future in Optimism will be my Song of the Year for 2025.  It's a song that I think the Beatles could have made into a hit back in 1969 had they not broken up and if George Harrison...whose voice resembled that of Manson's...had written it and promoted its recording.  After all, that was the time right after John Lennon proposed to Paul McCartney that the band members each contribute four tracks to their next album...and Paul was too exhausted from his daughter's recent birth to seriously consider it. I could have done well with the Fab Four remaining a unit and coming out with a few relatively mediocre albums over the next two or three years...oh, well.  As for Yours Truly, I am bent on recovery from my October 24th surgery, and am subsequently being stubborn in pushing for a better, longer, and higher-quality existence during the time left for me here on Earth.  God bless all of you...

October Dinginess at Starbucks

Please read this as a "mood" piece...

On this dingy, climatically unpleasant day in late October, I am sitting here at my nearest Starbucks, driven here by Melissa after the health care authorities at the hospital enjunctioned me against driving for a while. The business is slack and the workers are right now inactive, standing around talking.  I don't like the corporate music being piped through above me, but the cinnamon dolce latte Melissa ordered for me is very good.  I remember years ago when I could walk into this place and sit at a high black-top rectangular study table that resembled high school chemisty lab, quickly lighting into my reading and writing.  Coffee shops used to be good places to go to just sit and think, but in the most recent years I've usually felt the urge to get up and leave after only a few minutes there.  There's this creepy sense of being under someone else's negative scrutiny, and I'd rather be in a place that accommodates my desired privacy without any feeling of an impending deadline for the stay.  So sitting comfortably at home, my head leaning back on a soft pillow, seems more attractive: maybe I can slip into a nice nap!  On the other hand, why not just pass up on Starbucks and sit at the dining room table from here on? With my medical issues I don't see circumstances improving in the near future.  With me and my afflictions, at least for these recent times, my negative reactions have arisen from their treatment and not directly from the afflictions themselves.  So here I am at Starbucks, a recently-turned 69 year old man with a horribly hideous surgical scar streaking across the top of my head, just barely under the cover of hair.  Welcome, Halloween! I am grateful to be able to be at home, finally released from hospital confinement.  I can still exercise, which I do through no-impact movements that raise my heart rate to zone-like levels: that's good.  Well, I am committed to a light shower later on today, and then it's the couch for me.  I really deeply love and appreciate my dear Melissa, as well as our sweet, silly uptight mixed-breed rescue dog Daisy, who I call "Little Pee Wee"...

Recovering from Grave Brain Surgery: Life is Fragile

 No expectations.

I am retired, with a memory of colleagues who passed on soon after they finished their careers...one died while still employed and looking ahead to retirement.  Physically, I am in very good condition and have a lot of cardiovascular endurance.  Unfortunately, I have cancer.  Brain cancer.  And it seems to be terminal.  It wasn't diagnosed until exactly a week ago when Melissa drove me to the UF Health emergency room, where they did the ct-scan on my head that showed the golfball-size tumor.  Without ever going home, I was medically transported to the Shands Neurosurgery building off SW Archer Road.  The brain surgery was performed early Friday afternoon there by Dr. Koch and his able team.  The tumor's analysis confirmed its malignancy and aggressive nature. After experiencing an absolutely unncessary psychologically traumatic night in their intensive care unit under the control of bullying RN Antonio, I was deemed recovered enough to (gratefully) transfer to a "normal" med-surgical floor, where I stayed another night before being discharged yesterday.  I'm at home, now, very well-cared for by my sweet Melissa, and am sitting in the dining room typing on this Google Chromebook.  My plan is to take each day as it comes, speak frankly with love, and enjoy the life I have left coming to me.  It's fragile, way too fragile for my tastes!  So, I'm happy that the Dolphins, Dodgers, Buccaneers and Mississippi Rebels all won...but it would have been okay had they lost.  In my present life, my priority is to maintain myself in a positive mental attitude and to encourage recovery while minimizing my head pain without seeking any chemical dependence.  Peace is a wonderful thing, and I'm grateful that Melissa is here with me providing it..

Fatigue and Headaches Dampening Activity for Today

Yesterday, Sunday, was marked by raininess in my area.  I had entertained the notion of taking a brisk walk through the neighborhood, but felt sleepy early on and had a headache...probably stemming from the hormone injection I took a few weeks ago.  After finally awakening and walking about, I found the television choices to be too limited for my tastes: the channel selector blocked my ability to pick good, old Harry Potter features.  And the NFL football wasn't very attractive, either, with only the Dallas/Washington game offering any real enjoyment.  In the evening, that Toronto/Seattle playoff game wasn't very interesting, and it looked as if the Blue Jays were going to extend their series to a seventh and final game.  I'm sitting here a little past five in the morning with my K-cup of coffee and another headache after some fitful attempts at sleep last night...hope today brings more activity and better feelings.  The oncologist said that my hormone and radiation treatments could very well cause fatigue, but that I should intentionally be active in the face of the urge to avoid any physical exertion.  Looks as if I'll be doing some uncomfortable exercises (glad I mowed the yard Saturday)...

Sleepiness and Headaches, Probably Medically Induced, Cloud My Day

After attending church with Melissa this morning, we went to a nearby, very noisy Newberry restaurant for breakfast.  The French toast meal was delicious, but with my headaches and drowsiness I found myself in a state of wanting to curl up into a ball and sleep off the next few hours.  The church service itself, although conducted in good taste, was itself an ordeal to get through...I just wanted to sit back in my cushioned chair and close my eyes.  I think tomorrow, along with willing myself into doing some exercise, I'll make a visit to a local coffee shop for some study and, perhaps, writing.  And I'll make a point of studiously avoiding the propaganda TV channels designed to manipulate my feelings according to their biases.  Just keep brewing some coffee and sit at the table...and try to ignore the rain pouring down outside...

Speed-Walked 3/4 of Today's Depot Parkrun 5K

Early this morning just before sunrise, the temperature was a cool 55 degrees with a high 94% humidity.  Such were the conditions for today's Depot Parkrun 5K, held there just south of downtown Gainesville.  My focused intention for today's event was clear: walk briskly for the distance, no matter what my finishing time is.  I got down there, and for the first two laps I gave it an honest, good effort...but my "halfway" time was only 22:17 and I was starting to feel a little tired.  Still, I stuck it out walking the whole third lap. It was that final .7 mile for the last lap when I broke into a moderate run, picking up the pace as I approached the race's end.  I finished with a time of 43:09...you can view today's results by clicking HERE. Later on this morning, starting at ten, some local political malcontents are going to stage another anti-Trump protest rally, which I've heard erroneously equated with "democracy in action": the fools! I'm not going there, choosing instead to take a little break at my nearby Dunkin' store before heading back home to rest a little bit.  And then begins the rest of the day. As for today's Depot Parkrun, there were a lot of participants, and it all went pretty smooth.  The main thing is that I showed up and gave it a strong effort.  I wonder how many people attended today's West End Community Park Run: it's usually a lot fewer (and was, at 60)..

Another Anti-Trump Protest Rally Tomorrow Morning

 It looks as if, tomorrow morning around ten, Gainesville will once again be participating in the nationwide "no Kings" network of protest rallies.  The one here will take place at Cora Roberson Park on SW 6th Street near Depot Park.  I haven't yet decided whether to attend it.  Instead of carrying signs and making speeches, I think the wiser strategy depends on me conscientiously attending and voting in every available election, picking the candidate (or policy) that resonates the most with my felt political leanings (Democratic or Republican). I've resolved to stick with the Democratic candidates available on the ballot, and although I deplore the general apathy and lack of participation on the part of the electorate, the results speak for themselves.  If the Democrats do surprise everyone by taking back the House of Representatives and the US Senate in the 2026 November elections, I fully expect them to fail to take advantage of their victories when in power.  No, most likely they will start hearings critical of the Republicans' actions during the first two years of Trump's second term as president and to initiate legislation packed into stimulus mega-bills costing untold billions of dollars.  I don't watch FoxNews and don't plan to do so anytime soon.  My political ways are set, and although I'll continue to assess and vote, I won't let myself get bent out of shape over election results...   

While I Follow the Major League Baseball Playoffs on TV

 During the last few days I've been following the Major League Baseball postseason playoffs. Teams will win and teams will lose...my main focus is how each game unwinds, from an inning-to-inning perspective as the pitchers try to throw pitches that the hitting side cannot swing around. Right now it looks like the Los Angeles Dodgers, with their cast of ace starting pitchers headlined by lefty Blake Snell, are on the doorsteps of the World Series as they are only a victory away from sweeping into elimination the Milwaukee Brewers.  Whenever a Dodger hitter manages to get a double and he's standing happy on second base, he'll go into a celebratory routine of waving his arms and hands over his head while lightly swaying his hips from side to side. The whole act seems kind of dorky to me, but it also looks cute and helps me to want to root for this team to succeed. invariably, during a game I'll find myself pulling for one side to prevail.  It's when they're in the field that I sometimes find myself frustrated if "my' pitcher finds himself incapable of keeping his pitches within the strike zone. It's that lack of pitching placement control that makes me want to change the channel.  My team will either win or lose...I have no stake in the outcome, material or not.  But I have little patience for a player who seems bent on forfeiting his chances that he obviously had trained long and hard to optimize. And batters at this elevated level seem to be more savvy about avoiding swinging at pitches that tend to curve out of the strike zone.  An effective pitcher will test the limits to which he can place his pitches without being called for a ball, and challenging the batter to hit a pitch within the strike zone is definitely on the table as a viable strategy. You don't just stand there on the mound and load up the bases...    

Preparing for Upcoming Radiation Treatment

I went to my oncologist radiation office this morning to get sized up for the upcoming rounds of radiation treatment aimed at reducing, if not eliminating, the presence of residual microscopic cancer in the area of my body where my prostate used to be.  For me, the actual radiation sessions will take a back seat to the process of getting down there daily (and back) for seven weeks.  I've already been experiencing poor sleep and headaches from the hormone injection that is supposed to set up this radiation treatment. May it all come out well...

Talking Current Local Weather and Sports

 Here in northern Florida following our return from the recent cruise, the weather has mellowed a bit, with temperatures colder and the air dryer and more comfortable.  No recent rain either, and none is forecast for the near future.  My main issue has been avoiding intense sun glare.  Doesn't look like we'll be seeing any clouds providing the desired shade.  My recent overnight headaches have subsided considerably, temporarily or not.  I am seeking to return to a regular pattern of exercise while being more careful about what I eat.  Maybe a little later on I'll take a neighborhood walk, and then I'll see what's on TV regarding the baseball playoffs.  I have my preferences as to who wins them, but it's also all right, win or lose, if the games are played well.  I'll be happy whether Seattle, Toronto, Milwaukee or the Los Angeles Dodgers end up advancing to the World Series...they all had great 2025 seasons.  As for "my" local Florida Gators football team, struggling with a 2-4 record so far, they play their homecoming contest this Saturday against Mississippi State, a team they should be able to defeat with a strong performance.  Maybe the Gators will end up the regular season bowl-eligible.  In any event, it looks like head coach Billy Napier's final season at the helm.  Good...I don't expect UF to win the national title every year, but I do expect a higher level of play from them than I usually see.  Maybe next year we'll get a better coach...  

Back in Town from Cruise

Back in town from our week-long Caribbean cruise, I am adjusting to "regular" life here in Gainesville.  First things first: my Toyota car battery is dead, so I'll have to work on getting the vehicle running again.  Also, the final few mornings on the cruise had me waking up with headaches, some of them slow in going away as the day progressed.  This morning my headaches were difficult and I'm still experiencing them to an extent...they've been interfering with my sleep quality.  I think the reason for the pain is most likely due to side effects from my recent (oncologist-prescribed) hormone shot.  The cruise itself was a mix of fun and annoyance.  For one thing, each day I had to work on "getting through the day" by being at certain places by certain times.  Whenever the ship docked into port somewhere, the question was whether Melissa and I would go ashore and possibly even take up on one of their excursions.  In CuraÇao we paid for a trolley tour of the capital city of Williamstad.  It was miserably hot and muggy, not a breeze anywhere among the searing sun.  We did step out the next day in Aruba, walking a bit down the streets and doing a little shopping.  For the final stops at Cabo Rojo in the Dominican Republic and at CocoCay in the Bahamas, we remained on our boat.  The Dominican excursion turned out to be nothing more than a slipshod, cruddy reduced theme park and CocoCay happened in the middle of a prolonged rainstorm.  I thought the people working the cruise were helpful and friendly.  We liked the food and I enjoyed the Starbucks on board for their caramel macchiatos and chai tea lattes. I did use the ship's fitness center treadmill for some speed-walking training.  But I never tried its rock climbing feature, nor did we ever venture into one of the usually-packed swimming pools.  I'm happy to be back home again...

Excursion About to Start

And now has come the time for Melissa and I to embark on our planned Caribbean excursion.  First we stay overnight at a hotel near the dock (after driving down there) and then, on the 3rd, we board our ship and "set sail".  Looks like we dodged a tropical storm by a week, although there is another system hanging around off the Florida east coast while the boat is still in port.  I'm looking forward to reaching both hotel and ship, and taking time at each stop to take a good rest...

October Now...for Better or Worse

So it's October...let's see what I can make of this month, when I turn 69, the same age David Bowie reached when he died of liver cancer two days after his January 2016 birthday.  I don't know what all is in store for me, but I have already defined my enemy: those who deliberately set themselves as obstacles to my daily existence.  In other words, drama-queen prima-donnas. I'm already NOT looking forward to this contrived Grief Share "support" group that meets Wednesday evenings at a nearby church.  It's one of the sad life lessons I've learned that folks, when they get old, tend not to become wiser but rather entrench themselves even more in trying to set themselves apart and higher than others around them, acutely conscious of their "pecking order" status.  So I guess I'll go there and humor these deluded fools.  I think, though, that I'd rather just stay at home and spend the time preparing for our upcoming cruise.  I'm seriously considering writing separate daily articles through October 10th and then, after returning, "back-posting" them on this blog.  Or maybe not. I'm wondering, since I'll generally be avoiding the news shows on TV, whether I'll be spared some of this accursed fascist president's antics as he continually seeks to be the center of attention and controversy. And I suppose that there is another enemy out there: the completely effed-up, morally bankrupt weapons nut who feels justified at settling scores by going after random people in public. Has my country lost its collective mind?  Doesn't look so good, let's see how the high seas do for a few days...