I initially thought I read that a blind 48-year old runner named Thomas Panek finished the New York Marathon in 2 hours 20 minutes 51 seconds. Turns out that this was "only" the NYC Half Marathon. However, every day I almost fall with full sight. Panek was helped by a relay of three Labrador retrievers, trained for helping blind runners. One was Gus, a yellow Lab, his personal guide dog and running partner. He has also participated in the New York and Boston Marathons, but with human guides. He lost his sight when he was in his twenties from retinitis pigmentosa.
Another name not in the news:
Tanitoluwa Adewumi, age 8, skidded around the empty apartment, laughing excitedly, then leapt onto his dad’s back. “I have a home!” he said in wonderment. “I have a home!”
"I want my mom’s cooking again!” Tani mused as he explored the apartment. It was bare, but another donor had offered furniture, sheets and towels. Someone else was sending 100 chess books.
Becoming famous provided donations of a furnished home, a new car for his father, job for his mother and a GoFundMe account of more than $200,00. Three film companies are negotiating a movie.
Tweeted Bill Clinton: Refugees enrich our nation and talent is universal, even if opportunity is not.
This story made me smile. Tanitoluwa, you exemplify a winning spirit – in chess and in life. And kudos to your hardworking parents. You all should stop by my office in Harlem; I'd love to meet you.
This story made me smile. Tanitoluwa, you exemplify a winning spirit – in chess and in life. And kudos to your hardworking parents. You all should stop by my office in Harlem; I'd love to meet you.
While not quite as monumental as Tom and Tani, my one recent accomplishment had to do with the gallon-water prep for my colonoscopy. The very first step was to take two Bisacodyl laxatives. This pill is brownish and tiny. My klutziness started it all, as I somehow dropped one of them on the table and it skittered away. Ten minutes later, I was in panic, for it was too late to buy another batch, and the ignominy of having to postpone my colonoscopy because I lost one laxative pill was too embarrassing to imagine. However, I made one final search, and seven feet away from the glass table was this slight discoloring on the rug, which turned out to be my pill. I count this as a crucial accomplishment.
The procedure went as well as can be expected. My gastroenterologist, Kristi Lopez, came by to see me after it was over, and mentioned the excision of few polyps, but sounded comforting about the routine nature of the process. She gave me a five page summary with a lot of photos and considerable medical text. What an accomplishment for her to prepare this less than an hour after the examination. I guess this next can also be termed an accomplishment, while not amazing, still, as the report indicated that it might take two days or more before bowel movement would return...this morning, like normal.
However, my medical ordeal is not over, for the polyps still need to be checked for malignancy. Plus, I've had two skin tags for decades. The problem is that my golf cart seat aggravates them when I sit. Apparently, 46% of the U.S. population has some kind of skin polyp, but the good news is that they are rarely dangerously cancerous. Yet, I visit my dermatologist next week to begin the process of removing them.
A couple more amazing accomplishments, also of a personal nature. First, I finally, after five years, at least, retired my Schick razor.
After taking a tetanus booster shot, I decided that it looked too dangerous to continue using, even though it still shaved well. I replaced it with one of those free razors you get from hotels, and I expect this one to last for years.
The second amazing accomplishment in my 15C apartment, fragrant honohono orchids still blooming. Growers have found a way to delay the flowering of these orchids. At one time they were all gone in the March. Here, almost June and:
I don't know how they do this, but I suspect they lowered the root temperature, where the sensors controlling the plant cycle are located. For years we experimented at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, and found that we could change the fruiting ability of plants like grapes. Here, very cold (mid-40's F) deep ocean water is flowed through thin underground pipes. Two benefits: water condenses around the pipe and irrigates the plant, but also, Chardonnay grapes can be produced twice annually by controlling the flow rate, and, thus, temperature.
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