3643

Magical movement class today! They are always such but today's left some sparkles and blings. What am I saying? I don't know! It's sultry and warm, muggy and hot! Ending of the May and beginnings of the June! I smell the solstice and it smells like summer.

Dreamed last night that I was visiting a city that I had been to before. I was riding a tram or bus and we were coming up to scenic overview where as we topped a hill we could see the city spread out before us. Everyone on the vehicle felt their stomach pulse up into their throat as we topped rise. The city was picture perfect and we snapped photographs as we started to race down the hill. There was something about being at a business conference but the ride through the city was the more important activity.

PD resistance training tomorrow and then the week end. It's time once again for (you guessed it!) laundry. Ah, the cycle of things! Always the next step falling into place.

Watched a movie this afternoon that I had viewed about a year ago--In the Valley of Elah. Here's what I said back then--

Watched a movie tonight--In the Valley of Elah. It's a film about soldiers who return from war and end up doing inexplicable things--in this case killing one of their own. It was a tight film that was done with a lot of in your face action. It was a mystery story that kept unraveling surprises right up until the end. Alas, it's a story about a war that's already been forgotten except for those that were there (Iraq). The core set of actors were very good. It was an arresting piece of cinema.

Last year's comments say it all. The way my brain seems to be working I didn't fully recall the ending elements. I guess that means I'll always get surprised if I replay a film. Mystery madness!

3644

New gait and balance instructor put us through our paces today. She kept us moving for nearly all of the 90 minutes of class. I came away a bit zonked but feeling good overall. Took H for a bunch of errands after reading some more of Human Smoke to him. We made runs to the vet, the light bulb place, bagel shop, and library. I was hungry after we finished the errands and I stopped and grabbed a burrito.

Went by the pharmacy to pick up refills. I have hit the donut hole! $250 was my part of the bill for two refills. Oh, happy days!

Watched a gritty film this afternoon--Frozen River. It was about a woman who was having to fend  for herself to take care of two kids and a stack of bills. She gets involved with an Native American girl who introduces her to smuggling people across the border. They do so in a section of the border that falls within a Mohawk reservation. The United States is on one side, Canada is on the other, split by a river that freezes up in the winter months. It's a good film--tight and tense. The lead actor is Melissa Leo, who does a great job as the mother, provider and apprentice smuggler. She's done quite a bit of work in films, but isn't that well known, I guess. She's been busy and has several projects underway.

Movement class in the morrow!

3645

PD dance and resistance training sessions today. Felt good to be moving and lifting like we did. Gait/balance class tomorrow. Ready to go! Feels so good to exercise and stretch. Hit the donut hole on medications today. Made it through about one-half of a year but finally fell off the medication cliff. Insurance still pays for half of the costs until I hit the maximum. Then, catastrophic coverage takes over.

Had a really elaborate dream last night. I was with the people I used to do management consulting for. There was a project that they were bidding on that involved dredging an area, cutting channels along a waterfront. The consulting group knew that there were valuable mineral deposits in the debris that would be excavated from the channels. They were sponsoring an elaborate announcement event that would let it be known that they had gotten the project. The head people in the group knew about the mineral deposits but didn't want to leak any information about that fact.

I was aware of the deposits but wasn't an employee of the group. I was an independent contractor that had been hired to analyze the project and help formulate the bid. I realized that I was being shut out from their decision-making process when they discovered that I knew about the deposits. There was a whole set of scenes where I was trying to get into the announcement event but was being prevented from entering. There was all manner of back and forth, but it was clear that I was being kept away from the event and the media. I had cleverly discovered an alternate entrance and used it to get into the event. During a Q&A session, I managed to call out a question regarding the deposits. This caused an uproar but the media flocked around me asking for details. The head people in the consulting group were not pleased. But, I had done the right thing!

Watched a De Palma film--Dressed to Kill. It was a typical De Palma blood bath movie with lots of gore, twisted people, and scary segments. I don't think I'd care to see it again. Let there be sleep!

3646

Slow day! Watch the hours float away! Dreams were meant for yesterday! All the children out to play!

Read some of Nicolas Baker's Human Smoke to GH today. Really interesting book about the build up to the second world war. The text is small clips of documents and events from that time period. There is no comment or analysis--just documented puzzle pieces that the reader must assemble. We have just started going through the work--it promises to be enlightening!

Watched a mayhem movie this afternoon--Faster. It's about a man who sets out to avenge the death of his step brother by killing off a gang of criminals who had murdered his step brother and caused him to go to prison. The tale was complicated in that a hired killer was sent after the avenger, who had to deal with someone trying to kill him as he found and killed his quarry. Nothing particularly redemptive in the film although there is a blatant attempt to make one such thing happen.

Looking forward to dance class tomorrow and weight lifting session. Been taking one tablet of iron each day without any problems. Took my second mega dose of Vitamin D today. Six more weeks to go on that!

3647

Happy 75th birthday to the Golden Gate Bridge! Three years older than me! I awoke about 3am last night and had to read myself back to sleep. Then, I slept in this morning and slept through until about 2pm is the afternoon. I must have needed the rest. I really conked out!

Dreamed sometime during all of this sleeping about a handheld electronic toy. I had helped develop the device and was demonstrating how it worked to people from the media. The device was a custom designed mobile unit that you could carry with you. When you got near a person who also had one of the units, you could interact via the devices. There were several games mounted on the units and you could initiate one of the games or the other person could start a game. Once the game was selected, the two you played the game and scored points based on the game that was selected. In the dream, the devices had certain powers that would let you assume certain attributes that affected the way you played the game. There were many strategies that the players could use so each encounter was unique and different.

Watched a film this afternoon--Elegy. It was a film based on a Phillip Roth novella about an older man and a younger woman--their encounter, affair, separation, and ultimate reunion. It had an all star cast (Kingsley, Cruz, Hopper, and others). It was a somewhat slick film, very modern and sophisticated, but with lots of emotion and pathos. Cruz was undressed a lot in the film. Aside from her bold nude scenes, she did a good job of playing her part in the film. Maybe one of her best performances--on a par with her work in Volvier.

Memorial day tomorrow! Not sure what I'm supposed to remember!

3648

Long day! Awoke early and didn't get back in bed. Went out for a late breakfast. Wanted a big plate full of something. Ended up at CG and got a banana/french toast with a side order of chicken/apple sausage. Lots of food, lots of carbohydrates, and lots of sugar. But, that served things well--my hunger thoughts were moderated.

It was a windy day and a bit cool. After eating and going by the library to drop off and pick up some DVDs, I stopped for a green tea latte and a bran muffin. Came home and nodded off for a short spell. Then watched a French horror film--Them. Based on a true story, it replayed the final hours of a couple who were terrorized and murdered by a group of teen aged thrill seekers. They carried out their twisted actions for the thrill of it all--for no good reason. It was a physically dark film with many of the scenes barely illuminated and black. It was more like a radio show than a movie with the narrative in a foreign language. Thank goodness most of the dialog was grunts and screams. I at least could tell that something was happening even if I couldn't see anything on the screen.

Dreamed last night that I had moved into one of my old business partner's (CW) house. I was taken in as a guest. His wife and daughters gave me a warm welcome and helped me settle in with them. At one point, they introduced me to another family that lived in a second part of the house. The man was a graphic artist that used to work for me (SS).  It was like a village of past business acquaintances. It was an enjoyable dream!

3649

Weight training today! Felt good! The 10-lb weights are starting to feel light. I started taking iron tablets this week without any obviously strange results. Seem to be feeling somewhat better with iron and Vitamin D supplements but difficult to say so soon.

Still thinking about the video of the man who is now running after being told he would never walk again without crutches or such. I had to sprint across the street today at a busy traffic point--it felt good to sprint like I did. I'm looking at my various regimens and have begun thinking about how I can increase what I am doing to help build more endurance and such. Onward and upward!

Watched an Indian film tonight that I had seen before--The Terrorist. A story about a suicide bomber who was chosen by the rebels to do an assassination. It's a rich film but I'm not sure I'd watch it a third time. I definitely knew that I had seen the film before so there wasn't much tension in how the story built up to its predictable conclusion(s).

I'm still wrestling with the questions of what new technologies I'm going to need. So much confusion between all of the factors (computer vs iPad, WiFi vs phone connection, mobile vs no phone, and so on). Too much technology! Too many choices!

Supposed to rain tonight, with thunder storms and lightning, plus a drop in temperature! So much for summertime!

3650

Ten years of keeping a daily journal! Today is the 10-year anniversary of me keeping an e-journal--mostly in this blog on Blogger. So the post entry is set to 3650 (half of 7300) and begins the countdown of the next 10 years. When the post number is zero (0) another ten years will have passed (or I will have perhaps before then). What happens when the count reaches zero (0)? I'll restart the count from that zed when I get there!

Got a link to an amazing video about a man who restored his health and body through a lot of work and his iron-like intention. Moving and inspiring! Here's the link to the video--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qX9FSZJu448

Watched a classic film tonight--Sling Blade. It is a tense film that pulsates with imminent violence that you hope will never happen but that keeps you riveted knowing that it is going to. Billy Bob Thornton (writer, director, lead actor) is creepy but sympathetic. I know I had seen the film a long time ago (probably when it was released), but it was like a totally new film to me. I recalled little if any of the story--each scene was like a first viewing for me. Strange! How could such a memorable movie be so unremembered by me? It was first screened about 16 years ago! I've forgotten a lot during those passing days.

Got a call from the PD institute--they've got a substitute instructor for the gait and balance classes! Don't have to find an alternate venue from Wednesdays. Thank goodness! I felt good and energetic in movement class today. Weight training tomorrow? And then the holiday weekend!

3651

Good news! The gait and balance class is going to be covered by a substitute for the next few months. So I won't have to find a fill in activity. Bad news! I was trying to update my browser so that it had a workable version of the Flash plug-in. I managed to disable the plug-in and now cannot view videos. My browser is already out of date (not being supported any more) and I can't update it. It's like being in an ever-narrowing tunnel--the farther I go the more I'm squeezed. Have to focus and decide on what new technology I need that replaces what I have now. Sometimes all this technology sucks!

Have a movement class tomorrow. Looking forward to it! Labor day weekend approaches. Won't impact anything that I'll be doing--just another day on the way; what the hay! Had a hefty meal this evening. Felt good to chow down! Tomorrow marks the 10-year point of me keeping a daily journal. A lot of electrons pushed onto the screen and onto the disks! So be it!

3652

And the living is easy--cha, cha, cha! Made it to the neurologist today. He didn't have a lot to say--I seem to be fairly stable since my visit with him a year ago. He did write me a prescription for a speech therapy program. Will see how that goes--the gait and balance class is about to go quiet for the next two months and I'll need to fill that slot with something. BIG and LOUD may be just the ticket!

Started both the Vitamin D and iron regimens. Going slow on the iron to make sure how it affects my system. Only one pill per day for a couple of weeks--then shift to two per day. Vitamin D is a single dose each week for eight weeks--then shift to a daily maintenance dose.

Watched a Martin Scorsese film this afternoon--The Departed. A police story about a cop who is a mole inside the police department and another cop who is a mole inside a criminal gang. It's a tense, dirty tale with lots of executions, double-double crosses, and a cast of mega stars. It won four Oscars, had a budget of $90MM, and got about $300MM at the box office. It was a hyper-film with lots of cuts back and forth from the various actors' POVs. It was a bit long but held my attention except for the "romance" scenes between a police therapist who was involved with both moles. It just didn't make sense that the cop who was a mole with the crooks would have therapy sessions with the woman therapist. But, that was a minor lurch in the flow of the film.


Last gate and balance class tomorrow for a couple of months! Will miss having those regular sessions. Looking for some substitutes (BIG/LOUD or CW dance class--or both)!

3653

Met with PCP today. Confirmed that I have iron deficit along with low Vitamin D. Started an 8-week regimen (one pill per week) with 50,000(!!) units of the D supplement. Will also be taking an iron supplement (one a day at first then two a day) each day for about 10 weeks--then will get retested to see if it has helped restore my iron levels. If so, I will then drop back on dosage levels and maintain. Here's to more energy!

Watched a Sofia Coppola film tonight--Somewhere. An excellent movie. First 15 minutes has no dialog! Only action and slow action at that! The story is simple and nothing is done to make more so. She just followed the flow and let things unfold simply and clearly. The actor who plays the 11-year old daughter is luminous (Elle Fanning). The story sticks with me even though the DVD is back in its case.

I see the neurologist tomorrow. And will make it to the weight training class for sure (may make it late to PD dance). I'm reading a set of stories by Joyce Carol Oates--Corn Maiden. Oates is one heck of a writer! Weird but excitingly weird!

3654

Partial eclipse today in this area! Had some dark glasses and could view it for short periods of time. No ring of fire but lots of bright light!

Ended up watching two movies this afternoon--Sleuth ('72 version) and Stranger Than Fiction. The '72 Sleuth was in some ways a much better film than the more recent remake. Caine's makeup for the police inspector was outstanding. It was so much better than Law's garb in the more recent version. Also, Caine's voice, accent, and mannerisms were impeccable. Law's were "peccable"! There was a lot that the remake took from the '72 version, but it still didn't play as well as the original.

The Stranger Than Fiction was a light comedy with several well-known actors. Audiences gave the film high marks. The film was done cleanly and walked a thin line because of the premise of the action--that a writer, writing a novel, has her narrative voice broadcast into the thoughts of a real-life person. Once you buy the premise, the rest flows smoothly, naturally, and with humor. The film just about broke even at the box office, but it's a fun break from Dirty Harry episodes.

See the PCP in the morning. Neurologist on Tuesday! Life churns forward--spins like comet!

3655

Five more days until my 10th year anniversary of me keeping daily notes. Lots of days in lots of ways!

Warm and breezy today. Noticed that there will be a new Starbucks just up the street from where I go now. Can almost see one spot from the other. How many SBs can be put in an area? As many as can fit seems to be the answer. Incredible!

I had some dreams over the past few nights where I was in a foreign country. Everyone was speaking in the local language and I was able to understand what they were saying. I wasn't as fluent in the language but could understand what was being said. Very interesting!

Watched a movie tonight--Sleuth. It is a remake of an earlier version of the film where everything is brought up to date and modernized (see iPod remote controller and surveillance cameras). The current version is tense and uncomfortable to watch. It has a cast of two--Jude Law and Michael Caine. Both are intense and malevolent in their respective roles. I'm going to pick up the 1972 original film tomorrow and see how it was altered. Kenneth Branagh directed the more recent version--too much so perhaps.

Coasting while I'm roasting! Have to keep on toasting! Maybe even boasting! Time sure goes away!

3656

Discovered that my ATT account went up $3 for Internet charges. No notice; no warning! Just add $3 to the existing fee! Sneaky, slimy suckers! I tried to use the ATT site to get some hint of how this might happen, but the site is so convoluted and idiosyncratic that I only found myself wasting time. I have to bite the bullet and figure out my options regarding my phones, Internet connection, computer and possible iPad. Glad I had a weight training session today--it helped soothe the frustration of having to deal with these techno-issues.

Watched another Eastwood (Dirty Harry) film tonight--Sudden Impact. This was the best of the DH films I've seen so far. Eastwood is a great film maker. I ended up doing some research on his films and how they have been received. He's generally made films that have made money. He's got a box office gross of over $1 billion! Not too bad for someone who never formally trained to be a a director.

His range of stories in his films are not all formulaic like the DH series. He's explored and experimented all over the place--usually with success.

Discovered several Internet sites that contain film budgets, box office results, and other compiled data. Interesting stuff! Laundry day already, again! Rub-a-dub-dub, three socks in the tub! Where in the hell is the other sock?

3657

Movement class today! Felt good. I realized that I should be doing some movement exercises every day. My muscles and joints could use the daily relaxation. Started looking for some activity to fill in for the gait/movement class that will stop in June/July. I'm sure I can find something. Let my fingers do the walking!

Looking forward to sessions with doctors next week. Hopefully, the session with the PCP regarding my blood work will lead to something positive with my energy levels and cog/fog symptoms.

Watched a Dirty Harry movie tonight--The Dead Pool. It was not as interesting as I thought it would be. The basic idea was a good one but the final script didn't quite provide anything of great surprise. There  were the requisite car crashes, shootouts, and mayhem but nothing really startling. Oh, well! Even Dirty Harry can be a disappointment.

Resistance training tomorrow! Lift those weights! Breakthrough time! Ready for some newness!

3658

Gait and balance class today--and notice that after next week's class there will be a two month's (at least) break! Turns out that at the end of June there will also be a week's break in the resistance training classes. I'm looking around for replacement activities for the break periods that are being proposed. Have to find other activities--cannot just stop moving.

Picked up new set of reading glasses today. They are great! Now have new computer glasses and new reading glasses. I can see the world again!

Got a confirmation of an appointment to see my PCP for next Monday. Will see the neurologist on Tuesday. Glad I set up these check-ins.

My PD symptoms are still moderate and haven't gotten more pronounced over the past year. People keep coming up to me in the PD classes asking about my regimens and such. They all remark about how I don't seem to show symptoms like others are showing.

So hopefully I can get my energy levels back up so I can do more physical activity and stave off symptoms even more. That's a possible plan at least! Bring on the iron, Vitamin D, and such! Let there be energy in abundance!

3659

Had PD dance class today and a weight training session. Felt good! Always feels better after doing classes versus just sitting around. Got a note from my PCP that she's reviewed the lab tests (blood work). Her preliminary notes come to what seem to be my same conclusions. Primarily, that I've got an Fe deficiency happening, along with some other, possibly related, phenomena. I've requested an appointment with her to go over the results and the options. Lots of medical stuff in the coming weeks!

Watched Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. It felt somewhat slow with pedantic dialog and a number of intentionally contrived counterpoints (like the modern music for example). The H's said that they really liked the film. It was worth watching but I don't feel that it is all that extraordinary. There was just a flatness about the whole thing that never really got me going.

Gait and balance class tomorrow! Will be great to do a class--it's been a few weeks without. New reading glasses are ready to be picked up. Weather is staying moderate! Nice!

3660

Monday, Monday! And it's so fine! The flow of things is happening but I don't seem to have way to measure what is going on. There are so many variables and so few equations. I am drifting and tumbling, spinning out of control. No respite for the always moving elements. There was a guy wearing a tee shirt today that had the elements BA, CO, and N printed on the front panel. Barium, cobalt and nitrogen together form the word BACON. Geek shirt for sure! Geek joke as well? Probably, so!

Watched a Finnish movie tonight: Man Without a Past. It's a wry saga of a man who gets mugged and wakes up not knowing who he is. It's a film by Kaurismaki and has his signature (comedy, irony, music, and social comment) throughout. I had seen the film before but enjoyed seeing it again, especially for the humor and fun. Life goes on!

Expect to hear from the PCP soon about the blood work and if my diagnosis (that I have iron deficiency anemia) is correct--and what to do about it. Dislike having to take more pills but energy situation needs something. I came home this afternoon and fell asleep sitting up--out like a light!

3661

Mother of a Mother's Day! I spent the day not doing much of anything. Watched two movies (told you I wasn't doing much)--Asylum and The Enforcer. Asylum was a British film about a strange group of people who administered the running of an asylum. One of the doctor's wives became obsessed with a patient who had killed his wife in jealous rage. One of the reviews characterized the film as a Hitchcockian psychological thriller. I'm not so sure it was a thriller. It was more of a plodding tale, told by the idiots, and in the end signifying not much of anything. The Enforcer is one of Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry tales. In this episode, Harry takes on a woman as a partner and blows up the terrorists in a terrorist plot, along with his clipped comments and observations.

I dreamed last night that I was sitting in a cafe waiting for someone. I was getting anxious when the person wasn't showing up. I felt that the cafe owners were getting angry with me just taking up a table but not ordering anything. I finally got up and left the place. I walked through a dark and rough part of town. I ended up at a terminal where some trains and buses initiated their respective routes. It was a section of town that was less threatening, busy with people moving about, shopping and grabbing transportation.

Beginning another week--another weak--another peak!

3662

Getting cooler! Was comfortable today both inside and out. Went to the H's for a fundraiser for one of her causes. Good group of people attending. Knew quite a few of them and saw people I hadn't seen in quite some time. It was an inspiring presentation. GH performed and was wonderful!

Watched a movie I had seen before--Fracture. It is a very cleverly plotted mystery/thriller with Anthony Hopkins playing the role of the genius killer. The entire story builds and builds with the reveal coming only at the end. I enjoyed the film this second time and could watch it again. It is really well done.

Dreamed last night that I was with a childhood friend, BB. He had acquired a fancy car and we were driving around the area. He was speeding and doing all kinds of crazy stunts. I was fearful that we were going to be stopped by the police. At one point, we were riding along the edge of the water. The car kept going into deep sand pits some of which were filled with water. It kept feeling like we were going to go into one of the pits and get stuck. But BB kept pulling us out of each pit even those where water came up to our windows.

Late tonight (actually already early morning)! Happy Mother's Day all you mothers!

3663

Weight training class was almost full today. Lots of people starting to filter in as they hear about the activity. It was fairly warm outside again today--more heat promised for tomorrow.

I received the rest of my blood test results. There were eight categories of tests that were done. Bottom line--it looks like (in my reading of the results) that I have iron deficiency anemia. Unless this condition is masking some other disorder, I will probably be directed to take supplements by my PCP. I should hear from her once she has had a chance to review the results. If it is iron deficiency anemia that would be the reason I feel chronically tired and experience mental fogginess. Looking forward to hearing what my PCP has to say.

Watched a movie that I've seen before but have no record of doing so. The movie was a strange film called Brick. It was centered around some teenagers who are into a variety of marginal activities. One of the guy's ex-girlfriends gets murdered. He vows to find her killer and so the story goes--along with lots of physical fights, some shootings, and miscellaneous mischief. The dialog was really strange--an attempt to have the teenagers speak their own vernacular. The result was nearly gibberish and occasionally like an Elizabethan dialect but not poetic. The world of strange movies! So many oddball thoughts out there in movie land!

3664

Movement class today was a lot of fun. Not a very big class, but a steady one.

I think I dreamed that I was having to justify some work that I had done to my boss. He was not happy with what I had produced. I tried explaining to him that what I had done was correct--that it just wasn't what he wanted to hear.

Watched an Italian movie tonight--Respiro. It was a somewhat jumbled story about a woman who had some kind of disorder that caused her to have episodes and seizures. Her family and the village put up with her craziness, but it finally gets out of hand. The tone of the film was strident and harsh. I never warmed up to the characters (many who were young children who were cruel and out of control). The film rolls along and comes to a not so good of an ending. The island where the film was made is a beautiful Il Postino setting with gorgeous beaches.

Warm and cool today. Resistance training tomorrow. Got some of my blood work test data, but not everything. What I have received looks good. Nothing that is worrisome. Yeah! Oh, yeah!

3665

Cooler again today! Still warm and muggy but more of a breeze as well. No classes today so it was a long day. Ordered a pair of reading glasses. Expensive since insurance doesn't cover them and the other pair I ordered. But have to be able to read and this second pair will be just for that activity.

Watched a German film tonight--North Face. It is a fictionalized version of some real climbing events that took place around the late 30s. The story followed two men who made an attempt to climb the north face of the Eiger, a sheer rock and ice face of a Swiss peak. I discovered, somewhat to my chagrin, that most of the film was done with CGI. They did a good job of it, but it made the realism of the film less powerful once I as shown the tricks that were used. Tense film though (very much like the one done in South America--Touching the Void) with lots of cliff-hanging (pun intended) action.

Movement class tomorrow--a welcome treat!

3666

Had an acupressure session (last one until late June) and went to weight training class. Hot day! Afternoon temperatures were hot, hot, hot! Wasps are hatching out and buzzing the windows. No gait and balance class tomorrow. May go to the optometrist and get a set of reading glasses. My new bifocals work well on the computer but not as well on books.

Watched a airplane thriller/mystery film tonight--Flightplan. Nearly all of the action takes place on the plane, in flight. A seemingly distraught and wacky passenger who is transporting her husbands body loses her young daughter. The girl disappears, or does she? Maybe the woman never had a daughter. The woman, played by Jodie Foster, is an airline engineer who knows the internals of this jumbo plane inside and out. The story has an obvious ending but takes many side paths to get to that point.

The movie cost quite a lot to make but it did alright at the box office. Getting sleepy! Wish it were cooler!

3667

Got my blood drawn this morning for the tests that are being done. The technician who was drawing the blood came up with a miss when she tried my right arm. She had to switch to my left arm to get a good vein with adequate blood flow. Such is life! A vampire would perish if it tried to suck my blood.

Warm today! Warm and muggy! It's finally cooling down a bit tonight. Acupressure session tomorrow late morning (no PD dance class). Still showing some redness and tightness where I got a shingles vaccination on Friday. Will see it it disappears with resistance training session tomorrow afternoon. I fell asleep some this afternoon despite the green tea latte that I drank.

Watched an Italian film about the criminal clans in Italy--Gomorrah. It was a somewhat fictionalized documentary-like exploration of the lives and activities of rival clans. Set in a small village and tenement housing clusters it followed a young boy as he witnessed and was part of the activities of the criminals. He, eventually, gets drawn into some of the criminal exploits.

Time to read some until it cools down even more. Away I go!

3668

Warmed up today. Got really warm in the afternoon. I awoke early but after eating breakfast and puttering about, I went back to sleep for a while. Got out and about in the afternoon. Then, slept some more for a short spell. Listened to "Says you" on NPR.

Dreamed some vivid dreams last night (while the Super Moon was blazing across the sky). I dreamed that there were people in my apartment, on the balcony, and around the building. These people were like beams of light. They kept moving in and out of the apartment. I could see them even with my eyes closed. I was afraid to open my eyes so I just hunched down in the covers until I fell back asleep.

At one point, there was a woman next to me. She was cuddled close and was sleeping through the light display from the people in the dream.

I felt like I was hallucinating when I was seeing the light people. I was awake and not awake--sort of in a limbo state.

3669

Super Moon tonight! Big, bright moon floating over the bay. It was also laundry day. Came back from doing laundry and running some errands and fell asleep for a goodly time. Don't know what made me so sleepy, but I really conked out.

Dreamed last night that I was navigating myself and a woman to some location. I had been on this route before in some previous dreams. For some reason, I kept making the wrong turn and getting myself confused. I had a map and by looking at it I could see where I was supposed to go. The way I had driven took us to a dead end where we had to turn around and retrace where we had been.

Watched a film, Green Zone, tonight. I'd seen it before but didn't recall that I had done so when I picked up the DVD. The movie is a thriller that deals with geopolitical aspects of the beginning of the Iraq invasion in 2003. The film is a tense reenactment of battles and events in that war. The main character is played by Matt Damon.

3670

Saw the doctor today! It was a wellness check in and I felt well. She ordered some standard blood tests but noted that I was in good health. She noted all of the exercise/movement stuff that I'm doing and said to keep it up. After eating a big lunch, I went to the resistance training class and it went well, as well. Scheduled an appointment to see the neurologist later this month--after I get the blood test results.

Laundry day tomorrow and a giant full moon in the early evening.

Watched a edge-of-your-seat film tonight--Munich. It was about the assassination team that was put together to hunt down the terrorists that carried out the Munich massacre at the 1972 Olympics. The film is a bit long (almost three hours) but moves along quickly and held my attention. The film cost $75 MM but only recovered about half that from the box office. Not clear why it cost that much although it had a few well known actors. Most of the special effects involved things being blown up. It's a sobering look at the war within the wars that go on behind the veneer of diplomacy. Not a happy peek into the abyss.

3671

Went to movement class and then had an acupressure session. All is right with the world! No nap today but did sleep in some before getting out and about. Had a huge spaghetti dinner after the acupressure session. I'd skipped lunch so I was hungry.

Medical check in tomorrow followed by a weight training session. About to hit the bed somewhat soon. Feeling pretty good about things. Still need to jump on my to-do list. I'm getting there! Time for a spring cleaning--inside, outside and everywhere.

3672

No classes today. Slept in some this morning but got out and about in the afternoon. Took GH to SV so he could pick up his glasses. We had a long set of dialogues with me reading aloud to him from the Museum of Lost Wonders and the trek to SV. At one point I realized I could see his face very clearly--thanks to my new glasses. I obviously should have had them replaced long ago. I've been flying in a blurry fog for quite some time.

Watched a French movie tonight--The Lovers on the Bridge. An odd tale of two street people who encounter each other as they use an abandoned bridge as a place to crash. The woman is an artist who is going blind. The man is a somewhat gymnast and hustler. The story wanders in and out of their darknesses that have brought them to where they are in life. The film stars Juliette Binoche who looks about as dowdy as it is possible to make her look given her incredible beauty. Despite an eye patch, bruises and cuts, and other camouflage she still shines through most of the scenes. I think the film was more allegorical than realistic--dealing with darkness, aloneness, being a misfit, being an artist who is losing her primary mode of communication, and other archetypes--taking everyone on a journey of the psyche and lots of shadow play. I did enjoy the film even if it did leave me a bit puzzled about the reality of the characters.

Movement class tomorrow and an acupressure session. Looking forward to these two activities.

3673

PD dance and resistance training sessions today. Felt good! No gait and balance class tomorrow and next week. No PD dance next week. Lots of open slots suddenly. Have to figure out how to keep the momentum going. If I stop, I sleep. Too much sleep makes Jack a drowsy boy. Have to keep moving.

Watched an old western movie tonight--Yellow Sky. Film was in b/w despite the title. Gregory Peck, Richard Widmark and Ann Baxter were the key actors. The film was a typical "Spaghetti Western" but was filmed in Death Valley. There were some interesting camera shots and angles. It was an OK film but nothing really outstanding.

Ready for the beddy! Happy May Day to all and to all a good night!