One More Sunset

We walked up the beach at Crystal Cove and snapped this photo.

We are back home briefly, where we are getting ready for the family visiting tomorrow for the traditional Christmas meal of latkes (potato pancakes).

One small CLL Christmas present. Something special got a new official moniker. Her new name is Idelalisib but she called herself GS-1101 but everyone knew her as CAL-101. Reminds me of the Beatles' song Rocky Raccoon.

You heard it here first, though I am loathe to try to actually pronounce it or sing it.

I will have some interviews up my the end of the week and plan to review the good news from ASH on ABT-199 next.

To all those celebrating,

Merry Christmas 

Sunset at Crystal Cove

This is the view of last night's sunset from our tiny but cozy cottage studio right on the sand at Crystal Cove. It is only 15 minutes from our home, but it is a world apart.

No internet (without tethering), no chores, no room to do much other than read and walk and look and listen to the sea.

There is so much more to life than CLL. It is moments such as these that paradoxically make me forget all my struggles and also remind me of why I went through them.

More from ASH coming, but right now, I am loving hearing the waves.

Simple and Silly Pleasures

GOAT HILL JUNCTION

I have been busy trying to plan a trip to Israel on a limited budget and a tight schedule framed by life sustaining IVIG infusions. It has kept me glued to a small laptop, my generation's answer to the idiot box as the great time waster.

Our trip will be pretty standard fare, but I must visit Safed where I can walk in the footstep of Isaac Luria, and if I am lucky and don't try too hard, maybe just maybe I will see a vision of a healed world. First I got to find a way to get to the middle east and travel while I'm there, keep a clean roof over our head, eat my veggies and still get home while my platelets are still copious and my credit card isn't feeling tipsy from the heights it's climbed.

I feel a bit like Cinderella.

Last night, I broke from the ionic grip of the CPU to picked up my Canadian cousin at LAX during his 7 hour lay over to take him for a vegan meal and catch the sights of Santa Monica, home of the homeless. It was a eye and mouthful for him. "I didn't know vegetables could taste this good." We ate at Real Food Daily, not raw, but at least vegan and organic. I figured that was enough of a culinary stretch. We then walked the nearby third street promenade. I ask you: Where else can you see skateboarding dogs and hear electric violins?

Being an only child, it was a unique kind of joy to share a meal and some conversation with my cousin.

Today, my wife and I went for a brain re-orienting miniature train ride in Goat Hill Junction, Costa Mesa, and still had time to catch another amazing, only in California, sunset.

It is good to be a kid again, if only for a few hours.