dog daze

It's been a long and, with regards to this blog, silent summer for me. I ruptured my achilles tendon on my right foot/leg in late May, had surgery in early June and have been scrambling ever since. Recovery has been arduous and has certainly tested my patience, but unfortunately, after completing my masters degree in May, it's been my job search that has provided an almost unbearable level of frustration for me this summer. There's a pervading culture of nepotism in Boston and New England that is sadly souring my feelings about this city, which I do truthfully appreciate and enjoy. Resultingly, I haven't been in a good mood for writing much of the summer - at least not a good mood for writing anything that I'd want others to read.

But that doesn't mean I haven't had a lot to say. So, in no particular order, here's my efforts to catch up on the summer of 2010...

Cardiomyopathy

The stress and frustration of my job search and, to a lesser degree, my recovery have at times severely aggravated my heart condition. At times I've felt more pain and discomfort than I can recall experiencing in the prior two years. Thankfully, I've been reassured by my cardiologist that I am still doing well, and that any problems I'm experiencing are related to stress and/or physical overexertion - like trying to do enough pull-ups each day to make up for not being able to run. So, as long as I can find a job and a way to pay next month's rent, I'll be fine (crossing my fingers!).

And speaking of being fine, I must state that I would not be able to keep my head above water without the amazing women in my life. My roommate, my sister and especially my girlfriend have been and continue to be an immense source of support for me this summer. If any of the exciting career opportunities that now finally seem imminent before me pan out, it will be largely because they were able to keep me focused and, for the most part, thinking positively and feeling confidently.

World Cup

The one good part of recovering from surgery this summer was being able to watch essentially all of the World Cup. World-class, international soccer is such a beautiful sport and I relished the opportunity to watch it. I wish the US had performed better, but our style of play is still very amateurish compared to the best nations around the globe. I've never really followed the English Premier League or La Liga, but I do hope to be able to this year - and hopefully investing in FIFA '11 for my PS3 will motivate me towards that end.

The Decision

So much has been written and said and tweeted about LeBron James' decision to sign with the Miami Heat, and I don't want to be redundant. I do like the recent plot twist in which James is trying to portray the events of the summer as a means to manufacture motivation for himself, but clearly and evident from his performance in the Eastern Conference Semifinals this year and the Eastern Conference Finals last year, James does not have that kind of "killer instinct." I do expect he'll do very well on a team that he does not have to lead. Dwayne Wade is "the man" on the Heat, and Pat Riley has done a better job than expected surrounding his three stars with quality players. However, chemistry is a question mark and they are still very thin in the middle, and I don't think they'll be as good as prognosticators expect.

Inception

Inception has been the most lauded film to be released this summer, and with good reason. It's an intense, action-packed, psychological thriller. I very much enjoyed seeing it at the cinema, though my immediate reaction was that the action got in the way of the story just a bit. My critical opinion of the film seems to diminish the more I think about it - at this point I think it was well worth seeing but ultimately not that good - so I try not to think about it too much. But for the record, I think the top stopped spinning, and it was still a dream.

The Remains

Now that I'm mobile again I've begun generating increasing anxiety about the future. It's really just my own patience running short, but I'm left to ponder several questions: Where am I going to be working (and more importantly perhaps, am I going to be working?)? When will I be able to run and exercise again? Will I make a full recovery? When will I be able to drive again? I know the answer to some of these questions is "soon" and that the rest will be answered soon. In the meantime, it's good to be writing again.