Life and Random Thinking

For A better life, take time to Play

Posted on July 16, 2012 by dfolstad58

I like to read and so life is balance of updating this blog, reading library books, spending time with family, playing games and always there are the chores of regular life, and maintaining a home.

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I suspect that some people think that time spent relaxing, reading a book, playing tennis etc is a waste of time. I think not. I think that if all I did was relax, and play then I would be living an unbalanced life. I try to keep a balance of work and play.

Besides working, we need to do those things that give us enjoyment, including spending time playing games, cherishing and supporting those family closest to us and also maintaining those important friendships with friends.

It is not an easy balancing act and that is why people lose contact and friendships diminish, and health sours.

This is why I miss updating this blog for days and occasionally even weeks. It is balancing my life that takes me away. Always I find myself wanting to spend my free time being useful and beneficial and that includes time spent winding down, and occasionally just picking up the phone and calling someone I care about who I haven’t seen for years.

I am sure that you lead a life of balancing also ~ but don’t belittle those who seem to accomplish less. For example those parents who spend time playing video games are not wasting time at all. Studies have shown those parents who play video games with their kids have a stronger relationship with their children, and that is a big plus.

I consider my wife, daughter and son my greatest treasures so it is natural that they were my priority and continue to be so as I count my blessings. It has never been a waste of time playing crib, monopoly, or watching a movie with them. In fact I have gone back to work after Christmas break thinking the best part of my Christmas was the gift of playing monopoly, and crokinole with my family. I will forget the gift of things, but never the gift of time spent with my family playing games.

When game designer Jane McGonigal found herself bedridden and suicidal following a severe concussion, she had a fascinating idea for how to get better. She dove into the scientific research and created the healing game, SuperBetter. In this moving talk, McGonigal explains how a game can boost resilience — and promises to add 7.5 minutes to your life.

Renowned Game Designer Jane McGonigal to Speak at BlackBerry DEVCON Americas 2011 (devblog.blackberry.com)

Posted in reading / books, Thinking Out loud | Tagged Christmas, family, Game design, Games, Holidays, Home, inspiration, Jane McGonigal, Leisure, McGonigal, Reading (process), SuperBetter, Time, Video game | Leave a comment

Stormy sunset.

Posted on July 14, 2012 by dfolstad58

The clouds in these shots are in Malaysia but they remind me of the clouds we had here in the valley the other night. I know you will enjoy.

A Word in Your Ear

Monsoon Season can make for stunning sunsets – a storm blew in from the mainland as we settled down to watch the sun sink

Kapas Island, Malaysia

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Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Amazing Photography – Tofino, BC.

Posted on July 14, 2012 by dfolstad58

Do you like to take pictures? I do enjoy taking pictures also but none of them turn out like those at Tofino Photography. I follow his blog regularly, and the picture below is from there.

I just enjoy so terribly the glorious pictures of kayakers gliding over the water, the diving eagles with talons spread, the cute black bears, the citrus sunsets, all vividly shared in the photos at this WordPress blog.

I do not know how he does capture such fantastic shots, but I hope one day I have the opportunity to follow around this dedicated blogger and photographer.

I hope you pop over to his blog and admire his pictures, or even visit Tofino, B.C. yourself and buy him a muffin and coffee and say thanks for all of us admirers.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged photography, Tofino, Tofino British Columbia, Tofino Photography, Wordpress | 1 Comment

July 7, 1987 – A New Life, a new freedom

Posted on July 7, 2012 by dfolstad58

Today is July 7, 2012. Today I celebrate 25 years since my successful kidney transplant at Vancouver General Hospital.

I had always enjoyed good health growing up, so it was shock to me at 18 years old to have

Peritoneal dialysis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

myself rushed into the hospital with blood pressure of something like 210 over 90. After ten days of tests I booked myself out and then they put me back in for more tests including a biopsy.

In 1978 I learned then I had a hereditary condition called Alport Syndrome. They told me if I was lucky I would stay healthy for ten or twelve years before needing dialysis; but they were wrong.

In 1982 I was already feeling weak, tired and worse. In 1983 while my wife was pregnant with our daughter Mandy I was in the hospital having surgery to begin peritoneal dialysis. It was stressful on all of us, and if not for the support and love of my family I probably would have overreacted somehow. That support and love carries a person through the dark times.

Hemodialysis in progress (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 1985 I had suffered through some painful peritonitis episodes and it was time to try hemodialysis. I was placed on the transplant list then as well and started to dream.

In April 1986 I had my first transplant or graft on my left hip. That night of the surgery we were so happy. Four days later I woke up in terrible pain, blood clots were clogging tubes and I got them to remove the tube and then I could sleep again. The transplant was working, but it was not to last. After five months of trying and enduring all types of treatments, and being the only one of four in my room to survive the summer – it was time to give up. I went back on hemodialysis in September and went finally home to enjoy my family.

July 1987 I got the call for another transplant. This time we were still battle-scarred from the previous year. As we drove to the hospital we realized I could not endure another five months in the hospital and related treatments. We planned my will as we drove, and hoped for the best. This time it didn’t start working. After 4 days the surgeons said we will remove it in the morning. That night it began to work and so began my journey leading to today.

I left out a lot of detail of those years 1982 to 1987 because it’s past and done. What is really nice is appreciating all the years since then when I have not needed to do any type of dialysis whether four times a day on peritoneal or 3 times a week on hemodialysis. On top of the time saved I have also been much healthier and free to travel and be with the friends and family that make life so special.

I have much to be grateful for in life, thankful to the family that gave permission for the organ transplant. My wish for anyone who reads this post that they also count their blessings and that is always a worthwhile exercise.

Alport Syndrome and Receiving Social Security Disability Benefits (socialsecurityhome.com)

Posted in Thinking Out loud, Uncategorized | Tagged Alport Syndrome, Dialysis, health, Kidney, Kidney transplantation, Organ transplantation, Peritoneal dialysis, Vancouver General Hospital | 4 Comments

Fun Music is always great to watch and listen to

Posted on July 5, 2012 by dfolstad58

Music is so powerful to all of us. When I was young I was at concerts seeing names like Three Dog Night and Alice Cooper. There are lots of groups like Pink Floyd that I think I will never get tired of. Paul McCartney and the Wings are classic as are California by Eagles, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits and the list goes on and I will still miss most of my favorites.

Band on the Run (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Music is wonderful but lyrics seems to be missed by the music today. I believe that lyrics are important and music should be fun and uplifting; at least most of the time. Some songs I suppose could be enjoyed if you feeling a bit melancholy.

I like Vince Gill because he is seems fun and he is pretty good musician also.

Posted in music related | Tagged AliceCooper, California, Dire Straits, Eagles, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Three Dog Night, Vince Gill | 1 Comment

Take your eyes off the goal, enjoy the trip – the detour is worth it!

Posted on July 4, 2012 by dfolstad58

Each day is an unwritten page. When I woke up this morning, when you woke up this morning, what happened was at least partially unknown. You may have had the route of your day planned out, but life is going to throw something else into the mix, a detour. Lucky you!

Today I knew I had some things that I wanted to do, and I knew I wouldn’t get them all done. I didn’t know that I was going to have a really fun lunch with a friend.

Some people are destination drivers. They are in such a focus to go from A to B that they miss the fun they could have had on the journey. Sure in the seriousness of life we do need to get things done but are those the events that really count sometimes?

Today the discussion and time I had with a friend reminded me again that it is the small moments that sometimes last,….that are not forgotten.

For example, I did a bike trip with my buddy Ian nearly 20 years ago. We rode our mountain bikes from Chute Lake on the Kettle Valley Railway to Hydraulic Lake. We rode in September and the day was warm. We stopped along the way to just lay in an open area of grass to solar charge ourselves and I fell asleep in the sun for a half an hour. It was an awesome feeling to just be that relaxed. I never have forgotten that siesta and it was a small part of that whole trip.

That whole trip was moments of visiting, riding, talking and freezing at night that count as a very special memory. Nearly 20 years ago and I have done countless bike rides since but that one stands out for both of us as a special time I’m sure. It wasn’t just the destination of all the trestles, it was the detours that made it special. Just like today, my day had a detour in the middle to be with a friend. and it made the day!

Enjoy your detours in life!

Enjoy your unexpected changes in the day. Take the time to spot a hummingbird, take a picture of flowers, or in my case, sleep in the sun, even feed the squirrels, and the always important, eat some jujube candy.

Sorry this video is way off topic but I must add this Randy Travis video ~ it’s been running around in my mind for days. Sometimes I get a tune stuck in my head and yet can’t remember the artist. This way when it pops into my head again I will be able to find it quickly here on my blog. (grin)