Holga Window
Tag Archives: California
Face of a Flower
Through the Glass: Random Thoughts
Lots of Random Thoughts to catch up on. Hope I’m not repeating myself…….As you can see above I am starting to work on learning to smell and taste again. Right now I can smell nothing. And without a sense of smell all you can taste is: sweet, sour, salty and spicy (hot). So that’s all I can taste right now. This exercise begins with Roses, Lemon, Eucalyptus and Clove. My ENT surgeon said to try two rounds, but the second time add scents from aromatherapy that are important to me. And Just keep adding scents that are important to my sense of taste, or that I enjoy.
I am not allowed to BLT (bend, lift, twist). I have been cleared to swim, but I’ll start with aqua-size when I get home. And Dr Bendok (my neuro-surgeon) prescribed ballroom dancing to work on my balance. He said that he’s found patients fail at normal PT because it’s boring and they don’t stick with it. He’d had a patient who’s balance portion of the brain had a tumor, But the patient never had a problem with balance because he was a ballroom dancing instructor.
I haven’t said much about Bernard Bendok. He proves that you can be the BEST at what you do, without being a jerk! He has a warm, engaging personality that puts you at ease. When I needed the second surgery, he thought I need convincing (which I didn’t), but he said if his sister had the same problems, this is what he’d want her to do. And All of the Resident’s that I’ve dealt with here have been great too. Also I’ve been signed on to all of the medical studies for Proton Beam Radiation, and I will be a case study for the Mayo Clinic Medical School (for the surgical procedure).
Also, did you know that there were so many types of MRI’s? I have had 4 pairs of MRI’s (one before and after each procedure). I’m so used to it now that I go into a deep meditative state and almost fall asleep. But I have a series of Angio-MRI, FIESTA MRI and Stealth MRI with and without contrast. Also throw in a few CT Scans……I’ve had MRI Part 5 (first half) leading into my Radiation prep. I’m sure there will be a second one after Radiation for the Brain Tumor Board to reviewBy the way, my Radiation Treatments start on Wed March 13th. Twice a day (early morning and late afternoon). Hopefully I’ll be able to have the technicians take some picture and I’ll have those next time. Read more here if you are interested in the technique: https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/proton-beam-therapy-program/sections/overview/ovc-20185491
I’ve had a Ghost Hunting Tour planned with a friend to the Queen Mary. for months now. So that’s where I spent this past weekend with the encouragement of my Drs who thought it would be a good idea to take a break as I transition to Radiation. WOW really proved to myself how much I can do physically. I walked all over that ship (certainly more than the mile a day I was prescribed), including a 3 hour paranormal tour of the engine room. My friend was recently laid-off, so I was happy that I could go and spend some time with her….cheered her up a bit and took me outside of my self for a while. Did I see any ghosts? No. Did I have some interesting and thought provoking experiences? YES! didn’t see anything because the Queen Mary Spirits are primarily audio (They speak but don’t make apparitions). I had wanted to connect with the :Singing Lady’. Next time I will try singing to her. Getting back to my vocal exercises this week.
And Finally, time to start making appointments with my Boulder Drs for follow-up in May. I’ll also be back at the Mayo end of July. First thing I’ll need new glasses before I can even think of going back to work. And then not before June and only part-time to start. You may have heard that my employer DigitalGlobe) had massive layoffs because of the loss of a satellite between Christmas and New Years. I still have a job waiting for me (and they want me back soon). No one from research, where I work, was laid off. But they expect loses because of low morale. I’ll deal with that when I get back…….If you’ve seen those satellite images of North Korea….They were our images.
That’s it for now……..
IR Experiments at Mission Santa Ynez
IR at Mission Santa Barbara
Digital IR @ Mission Santa Barbara. I saw these four blooming Century Plants and though they would make a nice IR Study. Now that they have bloomed, they will die. But look at the image on the left (below), they already have some baby plants started. I’d estimate about 10 years old from the size. So it will be a while before they bloom. We won’t be here to see it.
Below: The same perspective in natural color.
Light, Space and Time
My 4th of July
With all the turmoil on the Border. I’m not feeling much like waving a big flag, my usual post for American Holidays on my Photo Diary. So I’m going Dark over there and posting a reminder about Internment Here:
Revisit an History of American Internment at Amache, Heart Mountain and Manzanar.
Sometimes the Mind is imprisoned, even though we the Body is Free….. Is Your mind Open and Free? Or imprisoned somewhere?
Reflected UV Experiments: Orchids
You can fine a lot online regarding Reflected UV and flowers. So on a visit to a Friend (who conveniently owns an orchid nursery) I took the time do do a few Experiments:
I’m still working on achieving those ‘spectacular examples….But I’m also getting the impression that most flowers DON’T display the spectacular UV Affects.
And the ‘natural’ light images for comparison. See all the results HERE.
Still Trying…….
Despite the obvious up hill battle to get into a show, I’m still working on it. Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained!
This month’s submissions to C4FAP.org:
Some you’ve seen before and some you haven’t………We’ll see what happens.
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