What a wonderful day!  I got the chance to drive down and play golf with Dad and our friend, John Gould.  I say our friend since John was complaining about only having one friend (Dad) and I graciously volunteered to be friend #2.  By the end of the outing, Sally had agreed to be friend #3, but David declined to be friend #4.

One of the things I love about playing with these two fine gentlemen is the camraderie and laughs.  No one gets a free pass from the teasing and yet everyone cheers everyone else's successes.  The highlights of this round were John's birdie, Dad's and my (and John's) multiple pars, and a rather amusing slip of the tongue by yours truly.

I was yanking all of my iron tee shots to the left.  As John and I left the tee box, I allowed as to how I used to always slice the ball.  "But now," I said, "I'm more of a hooker."

Then I put my finger on my lips and said, "Hmmm...I don't think that came out quite right!"  I'm sure I'll hear about that one on future outings for years to come.  The only downer of the day was that we were supposed to be joined by my sister-in-law, Donna...and she couldn't make it at the last minute.  (We missed you, Donna!)

Given that I drove for 3 hours today, I also got the chance to catch up on my podcasts.  On one recent "This Week with George Stephanopolous," Senator Lindsay Graham was on.  George (just easier to type than Stephanopolous...it's not that I know him on a first name basis) asked Senator Graham about his opinions on the healthcare reform bills currently being marked up in the Senate and the house. 

Not once, but twice, Graham responded with the Republican talking points that a public health plan was "socialized medicine" and would lead to a "bureaucrat standing between a patient and healthcare."  Two comments.

1.  I fail to see how a public health plan that allows choice between current health plans and the public plan is "socialized medicine."  Nice buzzword designed to drum up fear of a European style of medical care (a type of care that few Americans bother to research enough to know that even if Graham's falsehood were true, it wouldn't be as bad as the hype).  But it's not true...socialized medicine implies a single payer system where the payer is the government.  And that's not going to happen.

2.  I don't know about you, but I currently deal with a pretty good health plan.  And even so, there's a bureaucrat standing between me and proper healthcare on occasion.  It's an insurance bureaucrat, but it's a bureaucrat all the way.  Again, another bogeyman designed to instill fear rather than a legitimate argument against a choice of the government plan.

As an adjunct, I should mention that I was intrigued by one idea being floated by Senator Max Baucus of Montana--co-op healthcare instead of a government run program.  I'll have to read more, but it seems like it may be a reasonable compromisel 

(See, I'm a Democrat and I'm not for socialized medical care...how can that be?)

Enough.  Off to the couch to rest up after my glorious day of golf.

I finally broke 100 on the golf course for the first time after my colon cancer surgery.  Yaay, me!  I credit Dan for giving me the great advice on Saturday that I really needed to keep focused on balance as I was addressing and hitting the ball.  We got out for an early round today and I put his advice to work.  Very, very cool.  I even got a birdie on the 7th hole.

As for the second barrier, I read a very interesting opinion piece by Jacob Weisberg in last week's Newsweek.  Admittedly, Weisberg's history is left of center, at least judging by the publications for which he's written.  The article addresses the issue of what the Republicans need to do to get back in the game on a nation-wide level.  Given that Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh are the two most vocal (and most heeded?) voices of the GOP now, Weisberg argues for...well, balance.

I love it when themes dovetail.

He suggests that "It's past time for the GOP to abandon Gingrich-era, pseudo-libertarian antigovernment rhetoric and to accept the social consensus behind progressive taxation, retirement security, action to slow climate change and a government role in health care. It also might want to quit defending torture. It needs to move to a neutral or big-tent approach on most social issues, the way Democrats did with gun control and the death penalty."

I agree that such a strategy would serve the Republican party well, not just in garnering them new members and more votes, but also in terms of, as Weisberg says, aligning them with the social consensus of the majority of Americans.

Then, imagine if Democrats in Congess did the same thing; if they joined together on a middle path, less idealogical and more pragmatic.  Good golly, we might just find ourselves fixing the country's problems insteac of busily assigning blame to those other guys (whomever they might be from your perspective.

Now there's a barrier breaking approach.

Hello Peeps!

As the topper to my whirlwind non-chemo week, Dan and I played golf with Renee' and Tom today.  It was not my most stellar round...and I got a LOT peeved for about 2 1/2 holes...but managed to pull up before a full-fledged blow out.

And even with the anger management issue, it was an enjoyable morning.  (I'm allowed to get mad these days.  Such a nice change of pace and bit of grace to give myself.)

  The weather was cloudy and cool until the last two holes.  We ate a great lunch at the club, parted ways and then Dan and I came home to find Bob here.  We chatted till Erik got back and pretty much chatting sums up the rest of the afternoon.

We're going to build a meal communally in a few moments (pasta with pesto chicken for me and marinara chicken for the rest) along with sweet potatoes, broccoli and whatever other veggies we can scrounge up. 

Tomorrow, Chemo on Tuesday.  Which will have joys of its own...seriously.  I'll get to see the folks at the office (they're amazing, cheerful, funny folk) and I'll get some reading and maybe even a snooze in.

And I'll remember this past week's awesome memories.  Too cool.  Hope all of you are having an equally stellar day.

Dan and I were up with the birds this morning, on our way to play golf with Tom and Renee' Dobyns.  While neither of us burned up the course, Renee' had her best round to date and it was great fun to see her chip in on the 9th hole (if memory serves).

I had some great drives worth remembering, but my short game (other than the sand, where for some peculiar reason I did very well, very often) was off.  No worries.  I only got grumpy on the 17th hole where I put 3 balls in the water for my maximum 9x.  Grrr.  And I knew better, but chose the route to the green based on my imaginary game rather than the game I brought.

Dan and I had lunch at the club and then decided to sneak off and watch the new Star Trek movie.  Overall, (and forgive my fan-boy slavering) I loved it.  They did a great job with updating the franchise for a new generation while also giving us longtime Trekkies the nods we wanted (and deserve!).  The guys behind me said it was the best one yet.  Dan and I still vote for The Wrath of Khan as number 1.

It was more of an action film than a sci-fi film...and I did note, with a bit of sadness, that the original series' idealism and vision of the future as an adventure in discovery and peace (rather than mostly a battle) was missing from this more rough and tumble Star Trek world.  But Roddenberry was speaking to another generation at another time, with a medium that was high tech for the time but seems dated to this younger band of merry travellers.  I found the film riveting.  I will buy the DVD.  I'm glad I lived to see it, even, in a way that feels frankly spiritual to me.

And I am also nostalgic for the Original Trek sense of the world.  I know there are idealists out there in this new generation.  I'm related to quite a few of them.  I hope the future looks more like we projected in the 60's than the one we saw today...but that's going to be up to these new idealists.

OTOH, I love Aliens and Terminator...so I'm all for a good, well-developed action flick that respects the lore of the world it wants to inhabit.  Go see it if you like sci-fi, Trek in any form, or even if you just like Spock/Syler (from Heroes)/Zachary Quinto.

I only logged 9 holes this morning...which is a good thing for two reasons.  1.  It's already about 90 degrees outside and it was over 80 degrees when I left the course.

2.  I'm headed to the Getty Villa this afternoon (Yaaay!).  I haven't been there in over 20 years and I'm headed there with Steve and Kevin, which should make for a delightful experience.  (Along with dinner later in Santa Monica with Dan joining us.

I am pleased to report that I tied my best score ever on the front 9.  Shot a 46, having been 7 over par through 8 holes.  Unfortunately on the 9th, I ended up in the fescue, then in the sand (plugged just beneath the ginormous lip of the trap) then onto the green in 7 with a 2 putt for a 9.  So 46.  Very fun round with Renee'.

I AM actually doing research on the props for May 15th's election.  So far, I'm leaning "No" on all but the last one,but I need to read the actual propositions now that I've gotten everyone's opinions on them straight.

Sounds like good chemo activity to me!  Let's hear it for Golf on Monday!

Played 18 holes of golf at our club this morning with two girlfriends--one of them, Tina, and I have played often together.  April and I played once before, I think.

At any rate, I was telling them at one point about my progress with chemo treatments, the importance of attitude and the critical importance of the cancer patient understanding that she (or he) is the centerpost of her (or his) care.  They were both quite encouraging on the concept of my speaking to various cancer support groups and/or writing a book about this experience.  I've made a small start on the book...and am noodling the ideas surrounding an effective group working session.

The title of the book/workshop/idea is, as you may have guessed, Golf on Monday, Chemo on Tuesday.  It conveys the idea that life doesn't stop with a cancer diagnosis (no matter how severe and scary).  In fact, sometimes a better, more conscious, way of life starts with a cancer diagnosis.

Today on the course, we saw a number of birds...including a momma duck with about 12 little ducklings swimming in tight formation behind her. I posted an 8 on that hole (two water balls) but didn't care a whit.  Those ducklings made that hole for me.

(Note to self and fellow golfers though:  Just because you know how Tiger Woods would do it, doesn't mean you can execute the shot.)

Another thing making my day?  My old college friend, Bob Higgins, is part of a band called Reckless Red.  They do some fun alt-country, alt-rock songs and you can listen and download them for free here.  Check it out.

I infuse tomorrow and then have fanny-pack chemo on board until Thursday.  I'm itching to get going this week.  Feel like the cancer cells have been resting up and I want to hit 'em hard.  Prayers and good wishes appreciated.  See you on the flip side, if not sooner.

Stray Bears:  I'm most disturbed with FTD.com.  I ordered a bear with balloons for my father-in-law, Dick.  He broke his tibia last week and I thought a bear was a good way to say "I love you and wish I was there."

Since it never showed up in his room, I have no way to test that theory.  I am doing battle with FTD.com now for a refund.  But really, the bear would have been nicer.

Chemo Week Mondays:  My new working theory about chemo week
Mondays is as follows:

1.  It's my best day from a stamina, tastebud and physical coordination standpoint.  So it is most logical for me to play golf on this day (18 holes today for a 110 score...the front 9 was very impressive...the back 9, not so much.  But Renee' and I did have the unusual experience of pressing the foursome in front of us.  It was kind of pleasant to be playing faster than the boys for a change...granted there were only two of us but still...we were faster and seemed, from observation, to have a much more enjoyable round than they did.)

2.  It is also most logical for me to eat a yummy meal before chemo knocks out the taste buds for several days.  So Shari Riter and I enjoyed a lovely, garlicky dinner at Spasso's this evening.  Now if I can just stay awake long enough to pick Dan up at the airport I can give him a very fragrant welcome home kiss!

3.  It's also most logical for me to take this day and make it a play day (golf mostly but other things too...hikes or trips to museums or other such fun stuff).  So that's my current plan.  Sort of eat, play and be merry for tomorrow we infuse.

Hello, Is This Thing On?  Seriously, not one person commented on the distinction of compassion?

I thought it was a great discussion starter, myself.

Humph.

Dan and I had just a fabulous day yesterday.  After running errands in the morning (which is one of my favorite things to do with Dan, believe it or not), we played a round of golf (18 holes!) in the afternoon.

It was supposed to rain on Friday afternoon according to the forecasters, but as you'll see from Jon Stewart in a moment, predictions of weather, the stock market (and even how "healthy" one is), can be WAY off beacon.

As a result, we had a sunny if windy day...a few clouds here and there...and a golf course that felt like we were the only two on it.  We started the round with a single ahead of us and no one behind us that we ever saw.  We had a relaxed (if somewhat less than stellar from a score perspective) round.  I shot a 105, which is about average for me...7 strokes over my index.

There were lots of wonderful things to see on the golf course.  Wish I'd taken my camera!  There was a gorgeous tree in full pink bloom, set off amongst palm trees and just to the side of one of the lakes (the one I didn't go in).  There were coots, ducks and geese aplenty.  Flowers are starting to bloom and the course is in excellent shape after recent rains and the diligent efforts of staff.

I find golf even more enjoyable than I did before because I take it a lot less seriously (and maybe take myself as a golfer less seriously).  As I told Dan's brother, Bill, cancer sort of puts golf in perspective.

(He laughed uproariously, fellow golfer that he is, and I was quite pleased.)

And speaking of perspective, my friend, Erik, forwarded a link to me of Jon Stewart talking about CNBC's financial "advice" over the past year or so.  It's worth a look so I embedded it below.

Hope your day is sunny and your endeavors all pay dividends today, gentle readers.

Golf:  I'll start with a great big THANK YOU to everyone who blew in a northerly direction (and to the Creator who listened), because Renee' and I were able to play golf with hardly any rain at all.  We just got a sprinkle on the 4th hole to remind us to be grateful for the sun.

I shot a 52 (17 over par)...which is just under double bogey golf.  A bit more than when I left off a few months back.  However, there's nothing like a dread disease to put perspective in your golf game.  I had some great shots (Renee' had some AWESOME shots)...and some trouble with sand shots.  And an absolutely enjoyable, relaxing experience with a dear friend.

We even had some iced tea afterwards, hanging in the clubhouse.  I listened to my body and called it a day at 9 holes...but I think I'm only a month or so away from 18 holes.

Academy Awards:  Was it just me, or were the Academy Awards particularly good last night?  I guess I'll have to see Slumdog Millionaire and Milk...and I'd also like to see The Reader (as, apparently, would Hugh Jackman).  This year I've been a bit behind in my movie going.  First year in a long time that I hadn't seen 80% of the nominations.  So I think it's even more remarkable that the awards were so enjoyable.

I liked the new format of having past awardees praise the current nominees.  I thought the dance numbers were entertaining.  The "The Musical is Back" seemed to be a non-sequiter, but I still liked it.  And I loved the young screenwriter for Milk.  What a great speech and he seemed very moved by the whole experience.  Can't wait to see what he does next.

Memes:  What's a Meme you ask?  On Facebook, it's a sort of creative exercise where folks ask you questions, or give you tasks.  Today's meme from Todd Truffin turned out to be a bit more complicated than I thought. 

Here are the instructions:
Here are the rules for the album meme:

1. Go to Wikipedia. Hit "random" or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article that comes up is the name of your band.

2. Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations" or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very LAST quote on the page make up the title of your first album.

3. Go to Flickr and click "explore the last seven days" or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
The third picture in the top row, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Use Photoshop or whatever to put it all together.

5. Post it to Facebook with this text in the "caption" or "comment" and TAG the friends you want to join in.

I got it all done except for #5.  For whatever reason, Facebook would not accept my Powerpoint jpeg file.  So I'm going to post it here.

There it is...my fantasy album.  I quite like it!