Welcome 2009 (a month late)

As you may know it has been a while since I have posted anything on my website.
A lot has been going on behind the scenes here: new girlfriend (Bahar), online consulting, videos, pictures, marketing, social networks and more. Here is the longest blog post ever on Schmult.com. It’s a brief summary of all the things that are going on with my life.

J.O.B.- those of you that know the movie “Friday” will understand.

I have been doing a lot of online consulting for the University of Illinois, Worldmedassist.com and others. I’m looking to gain more clients i.e. more jobs.

However it is very very very (said like the captain from the Police Academy movies) important that I try to find a job. I haven’t been focused because I was enjoying the holidays, friends and family. Now is the time to step up.

I want to get involved with a job that doesn’t keep me in an office all day. I would like to have the freedom to be on the run, out and about or work from home. My ideal position is one where I can have fun and do more of what I love to do, like social media, new gadgets, video and music editing, producing, and giving my opinion to anyone that will listen. I have the techie experience and creative mind for that niche.

Although times are tough with the unemployment rate, I know that that job is out there. That may mean relocating but I’m open to options.

Videos & Pictures

I have been taking a lot of pictures with my Oktomat Holga and regular Holga camera. It takes a lot of time to figure out a way to get 120mm film developed, plus trying to find ways to convert my Holga into 35mm and not expose the film to any light before developing.  I will be posting the pictures on my Flickr, Facebook, Tumblr, & Schmult.com.

Music

You may or may not know that I produced 2 tracks for Saint Louis University (SLU). I did a track for the men & women’s basketball team. At the beginning of each game they have an intro video on the jumbotron that includes my audio track.  Another track that I produced is being used throughout the games to pump the crowd up.

My plan is to go down to Saint Louis to see a basketball game, hear the songs in the flesh, record a video of it and put it online.

It has been a long time since I have made some music. I have been receiving tons of good music CD’s from friends (John, April, Carrie, Sara, & more-Thanks). Plus I received Rockband for Christmas from Bahar. The new music has inspired me to start playing more guitar, bass, producing.. And maybe record some tracks with some vocals. Which is scary. Who knows? I just purchased the new iLife 09 that has a new upgrade for Garageband. It’s pretty cool so far but I haven’t had a chance to play with it enough. This is a good time to start.

I would maybe even like to record with some of my old friends. Maybe send you some tracks/audio and you record some audio from your location and we can collaborate. Anyone interested?

Schmult.tumblr.com

My goal is to try to continue updating my www.schmult.tumblr.com on many things that I find over the internet on a daily basis that consist of social media, tech news, fashion, consulting, music, marketing/advertising, gadgets, video blogging, pictures, creativity, positivity, entrepreneurship, movies, and more.

I have had a hard time trying to figure out if I should continue two separate websites (tumblr and schmult.com). All of it is a part of me but I would like to have more people involved on both sites. I just don’t know which direction I should go. What do you think?

Schmult.com

I have been recording lots of videos. But, in my mind, they don’t have the quality content that I like to produce, hence I haven’t edited them. I am looking for a new camera for video and pictures. This has been tough because it is hard to find a good camera that can record HD video in a video format that’s easy to edit in Final Cut Pro that also has a good megapixel camera at the same time. Maybe it isn’t out there. I’m not sure. Maybe I should have one video camera & one picture camera? Suggestions?

I have tons of ideas for videos, but the ideas involve more than one person. Things just pop in my head.  I don’t have a team like Collegehumor.com does, nor do I have great sponsors and a show coming up on MTV. Although, if you know of anyone that would like to sponsor. Let me know!!

It’s hard to be the one man in a one-man act/video, cameraman, and audio guy and record a good quality video.  I can’t just go to a populated location, sit my camera down and push record. My camera maybe stolen and I already look like a weirdo for filming myself anyway. LOL.

But, I gonna do it. I decided that if you enjoy the videos and they entertain you and you tell other people about them, then I have done my job.

Soooooooo, I’m going to post at least one video a week. So spread the word to other people and tell me what you think about the videos. I WANT to hear what you think. So comment, email me. Please?

Travel

Portland, OR
I have wanted to go to Portland next week to see my childhood friends, Carrie & Sara for their birthdays. However, planning hasn’t worked out and I’m not sure if that is going to happen.

I have the tendency to plan last minute and pay for it, literally. But that is how the cookie crumbles with all medical appointments I have and mostly my poor planning.

Florida- Mid February
I haven’t been on vacation in a long long long time. I haven’t been to a beach in a long time either, so I am tagging along with my girlfriend on one of her business trips down to southern Florida.

Costa Rica- Late March
I just got my passport and I have never been to a foreign country. Bahar’s best friend (Jodi) is pregnant and married to a guy I went to highschool with (Thad) so she is going down there when the baby is born. So why not? I want to pet monkeys!

San Francisco- Mid March
Again, I have never been to San Francisco. Bahar has another meeting in San Francisco so… why not ride the coat tails once again. I have a lot of techie connections out in San Fran too. Especially, from the old Jobulee.com/Project Elliott.com start up company that I worked on. At one point there was idea for me to be a guest speaker for a college Marketing course out there.  I have some clients out there too, so it maybe a good idea to finally meet them face to face.

Cayman Islands- June
A while ago, Kerch had been talking about doing an ocean mile swim in June. I’m not sure if he is still going to do it. Either way, I am getting back in the water to train. My goal is to be able to do something like that too.

Denver
Going in June. Piet is getting married!! Plus I’m talking at the wedding!!!! But that means I can’t go to the Cayman Islands. Thank a lot Piet for your “ceremony.” Jerk.

Exercise

My oncologist in Indy told me that one of the most important things I can do while battling cancer and survive is to be active.
Because of the Yondelis clinical trial I am on and my lack of exercise since my surgery in May 2008, I have gained a lot of weight. Packing around 200-210lbs.

I have been observing a few people for motivation: Kerch, Lance Armstrong, Chev, EIU swim team, friends, and more. Bahar is really active too and it is just good health to exercise. I’m going to teach her how to swim and kick her butt!

My surgeon after the surgery was impressed on my short recovery. He mentioned that my past history of exercise might have helped.

That reminds me. If I have learned anything from all the doctors I have seen, I’ve learned that you have to treat yourself right with diet & exercise.

Recently, I consulted with the Dr. who installed the Meta Port in my chest. I wanted to see what kind of exercises I could or could not do. He basically told me no more swimming and no big arm motions. No motion above my head or anything like a chest press/push up.

I was really discouraged for a while, but when I went to Indy and talked to my oncologist and surgeon they both laughed out loud and said I could do anything I want. Swimming and lifting is fine!! WOO HOOO!!

So the next day I went to Bloomington, IL to swim with Kerch and his masters swim team.  I have been working out as much as I can in Champaign & Chicago. Since the lack of exercise and the chemo, my cardio stamina has lowered. So slowly, I am building myself back up and remembering to not get discouraged because I am not at my peak performance like I was in college. My shin splints hurt when I run so I have been riding the bike, walking, and using the elliptical machines instead.

The next phase is establishing a regimen for swimming in Champaign & Chicago. Chicago is basically taken care of (thanks Bahar!) but in Champaign there are a few challenges I will get through. The University of Illinois has a master’s swim team that I used to swim with but I am not a student or faculty at U of I so I need a sponsor that is for membership. Anyone?

I have started to develop a regular schedule of weight lifting. I never really lifted while I was training in college because back then, I was more focused on the yardage for all my distance events. Now, I just want to be huge.

EXERCISE KILLS TUMORS!! SO SIGN ME UP!!

Bahar took this literally and I am doing the Hustle up the Hancock with her on February 22nd.

Nutrition

One of the things that the doctors haven’t told me much about is nutrition. I think legally they can’t tell you want to eat or tell you about different vitamins and herbs. They did tell me to watch out for what supplements I do take because they may have interfere or have bad effects when mixed in with my chemo.

Bahar picked up a book called “Beating Cancer with Nutrition”. In a short summary, everything I have liked before is BAD. Except, fruit!!!! YES!!

So we are both trying to find new recipes to incorporate into our diet.

I’m taking everything step by step to kill the tumors even more including eating a better diet. WHICH I’M GOING TO DO.

My old high school coach’s son, Trigger Jr. (little trig) is a nutritionist. He has told me about a few products, like Resveratrol & Genesis.  Both products have been proven to reverse and/or kill tumors.

SO SIGN ME UP!! I have started to take Reseveratol on a daily basis plus some other vitamins/herbs that my doctor said were ok.

Cancer Update

I’m still doing the Yondelis clinical trial in Louisville every 3 weeks. Just last week I had new CT & PET scan and sent the CD images to Indiana University for review.

I scheduled the scans after seeing my oncologist & surgeon at Indiana University in Indianapolis. I went into the appointment thinking I would possibly be ready for surgery since all my tumors have shrunk and continue to shrink during the clinical trial.

I’m also thinking about going to the #1 cancer center in the US, which is MD Anderson in Houston, TX. I’m thinking about going down there just to get another opinion and for some reassurance that I’m doing the right thing. MD Anderson also has a Dr that specializes in my rare type of cancer. Once all that is scheduled and finalized I will let you know!

Dr. Rushing (my oncologist) is happy with my results because it is slowly working and that I look healthy. But he thinks we may have to go with a new trial, an insulin growth factor chemo clinical trial. Remember the plan I had to go to Ann Arbor, MI? Yep, that is it. But I did ask Dr. Rushing if he could find a way for me to get that clinical trial closer to me. So he thinks that I can have the trial in Park Ridge, IL.  I’m waiting to hear back from Indy to find out all the details to start that trial (so more chemo ahead).

As you just read from the previous paragraph, I’m still not ready for surgery. I saw Dr. Toloukin and he agrees with Dr. Rushing to not do surgery. It could make my life a lot worse and I’m already a healthy person with a full life. So, I’m not looking towards making my life any worse.  Although, he did tell me that most people at this point with this type of cancer are dead. I knew the personality of Dr. Toloukin from my surgery and expected something like that, but I really wasn’t ready to hear that.

I also wasn’t ready to hear from my Dad that in May when I was in the operating room, he was told from a Dr. that I had a 10 in 100 chance to make it to the end of 2008.

I spent my new years at Chemo in Louisville with Bahar. She decorated the room with Christmas lights we got dressed up and toasted 2009 with sparkling water…
But hearing that messed with my head and still kind of does, but is it slowly going away and it will go away.. I’ve beaten all the odds and now no one has any idea how this will play out but me and my odds of making it to 2010 are just as good as any of yours!

But you know what? I’m healthy just with a bunch of tumors in me that aren’t affecting any of my organs. At least no one said they are affecting me in a bad way. FYI THEY WILL NEVER WILL!! HA HA HA HA DEVIL!!! How do you feel about that!!

Guess what? I’m not going to be leaving you guys either! I’m going to be an old man with children and grandchildren. Maybe even great grandchildren!!

If you don’t believe in: Miracles through Jesus & God. Then you got a problem. It’s just shocking if you don’t have that faith. It’s really really really simple.

I’m living proof and I will continue to be living proof!! SO WATCH OUT!! DEAD MAN WALKING!!!

BRING IT!!!