Perhaps it was about two years ago when I first was introduced to the term Gross National Happiness. However, I hadn't heard anything more about this refreshing concept or the ways in which it has been adopted until I found this video this week. In this TED talk, Chip Conley inspires us to rethink what is the true wealth of a nation and its people.
posted by Duane @ 5:31 PM
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I have spent most of the day working on grad school applications. During the past two weeks, I've made a lot of progress in this department about which I'm quite pleased. Nevertheless, before I dive into my French homework due Tuesday and start to grade papers, I thought I'd share some photographs.
The rising tensions between North and South Korea have been a major story in the news this week. While in South Korea this summer, I went on a USO tour of the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which separates the two Koreas. It's a pretty surreal place. I snapped these while there.
posted by Duane @ 3:54 PM
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It has been quite awhile since I've gotten up so early to go on an pre-dawn shoot. I woke up at about 4:15 this morning in the hope of capturing the nearby Madison Avenue Bridge against a stunning colored-filled sky. The amazing hues of pink, yellow, and orange that often accompany the sunrise were a bit late in forming due to heavy patches of clouds. And without a neutral density filter, I was be unable to capture the tranquil water without overexposing the brightening sky. So, my experience reminded me to always keep the ND filter on my lens when doing landscapes.
It wasn't a total waste, however. I continue to get more familiar with my new camera. There are a lot of features that I still haven't explored or understand.
The rest of the day so far has been spent writing my statement of purpose for graduate school. I'm looking at enrolling part-time in a Teaching Social Studies for Initial Certification program next fall. It has been a struggle focusing on my statement of purpose, so although I'm tired from waking so early this morning, I feel quite happy about the progress I've made this weekend. My draft is 4 pages long, which is much longer than the 1-2 page limit but I think it's pretty good. Nevertheless, I'll need to cut it down quite a bit. I'm going to ask my mother and sister to review it as well as some colleagues at work before submitting it.
posted by Duane @ 12:54 PM
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The nbmtLINK has a Youtube channel, which has some helpful videos about survivorship after a stem cell transplant.
posted by Duane @ 12:40 PM
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Immediately after work today, I headed uptown for this shot of the 207th Street Bridge. It's my first "real" shot using my new D700.
I'm hoping to photograph some more this weekend.
Enjoy!
posted by Duane @ 9:57 PM
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I'm not a regular on Facebook. I log in from time to time. Well, early last week was one of the those moments when I signed in to check on a couple of friends with whom I hadn't spoken for some time. To my great surprise, I learned that a fellow prizefighter and friend, Bobby, had passed away. In fact, he has passed away back in early July. I had no clue until this week.
We had met at Sloan in the doctor's waiting room some time after my transplant. Dr. CM was our doctor. He was married with two daughters. Like me, he loved photography. I remember how excited he was when he was finally able to purchase the jaw-dropping Nikon D3X, a beast of a camera. I introduced him to Flickr where he posted some lovely portraits of friends and family.
We checked up on each other about every 2-3 months. I told him about the annual Patient Art Exhibition at Sloan encouraging him to submit his beautiful work. This coming spring, he had hoped to participate in the show.
On a few occasions, he invited me to visit him and his family at their home where they had a large outdoor pool. I never made it, however.
His post-transplant recovery was really tough. He had it hard. Bobby was readmitted to the hospital several times for infections. I remember visiting him on the transplant ward at Sloan during one of these stays.
His immune system never made the progress that mine did. Bobby didn't spend much time in public and on those occasions when he did, he always wore a mask. Due to his compromised immune system, he was unable to begin the reimmunization process.
His shocking death reminded me of just how fortunate I really have been.
posted by Duane @ 6:42 PM
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Saturday morning, our local NBC news affiliate presented a piece on 10 year old Lloyd Jones Daniels (known affectionately as LJ), who is in a desperate search for a donor. His doctors have concluded that a stem cell transplant is the only hope to cure him of this very rare kind of blood cancer. According to his mother, LJ is the only child diagnosed with this rare disease in the US.
If you are or know of individuals of African, Latino, or Native American descent, please encourage them to join the National Marrow Donor Registry.
You may be the person who saves LJ's life.
posted by Duane @ 6:10 PM
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Between November 11-14, get up to 30% off purchases at the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Banana Republic Factory Store, and Gap Outlet in-store with this coupon and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will receive 5% of what you spend.
Spread the goodness!
posted by Duane @ 6:49 PM
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Since starting this blog in 2005, my life has been enriched by the dozens of amazing people that I've befriended. Many of these inspiring individuals have been fellow cancer bloggers and without a doubt my friend, Benjamin Rubenstein, is amongst them.
For years, Ben has shared his remarkable story of overcoming two cancers - Ewing's Sarcoma and leukemia - through his deftly-named blog, I've Still Got Both My Nuts. Honest, wicked funny, and full of social commentary, it has been one of my favorite surviorship blogs. Ben's journey with cancer is a testament to the human spirit, which is why I'm hopeful that his first-ever published book, Twice: How I Became a Cancer Slaying Superman Before I Turned 21, will find a welcome audience amongst fellow survivors and their families for years to come.
As one can imagine, amongst the dozens and dozens of survivor-genre books that are published each year it can be difficult for a first-time author to have his voice heard clearly. Consequently, that's why I'm making this post in the hope that you can help spread the word about Ben's new book.
Thank you!
posted by Duane @ 6:59 PM
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This morning, as I have done for the past three years, I had planned to photograph the marathoners making their brief tour of the Bronx at mile 20. However, I was going to capture the runners on the newly installed Willis Avenue Bridge (which I have yet to see in person) rather than on the nearby Madison Avenue Bridge, where I usually stand. But I never made it to the bridge. I stayed home watching the runners cross the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx on television.
This Sunday began as a lazy morning. I never quite mustered the energy to walk all the way to the Willis Avenue Bridge to take pictures. Until next year. . . .
Speaking of my passion for snapping shots of the Harlem River and its bridges, since returning home I have yet to go on a shoot. A weekend with no work to do has been rare and those days when I probably could have gone out, I lacked the energy or will to do so preferring to remain home. My project is still alive. This hasn't changed. I still feel very passionate about the work that I've done and have yet to do.
In fact, my work should become even better! As my first DSLR, my Nikon D80 has served me extremely well over the past year and a half, but over the past several months it became increasingly apparent that I needed a better camera. I began to feel that for my type of work and skills a camera with better capabilities would be necessary. So, after a lot of research and saving pennies, I purchased a new Nikon D700 one week ago. This superior DSLR camera and its accompanying lenses should improve the quality of my work dramatically. So, please look out for more of my photography. I hope to post new images soon.
posted by Duane @ 6:13 PM
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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Facts 2010-2011 publication is available in pdf now.
Fact is an annual compilation of the most recent prevalence, incidence, mortality and survival data available on leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes.
posted by Duane @ 6:02 PM
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I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in late 2003, but it wasn't until after learning about my first relapse in the summer of 2005 at which time I discovered the dozens of inspirational stories of other survivors on the Internet that I decided to make this blog a reality. Since 2007, I've been cancer-free. I hope that cancer survivors and their families will be able to take something from this that will help them in their own journey.
