Do you have an issue? An issue that would make you drop everything you are doing right now to focus on that issue? Quit a job to work for a charity? Quit a job to start a charity to help find a cure for a disease?
I don't think I've ever had an issue that strong and maybe that was what was sometimes missing from my life. Maybe it is what is missing from my life now. John Crowley's issue was pompe disease. Learn about the disease here:
http://www.pompe.com/en/healthcare-professionals.aspx
The movie Extraordinary Measures is directed by Tom Vaughn (What Happens In Vegas) and stars Harrison Ford as eccentric Doctor Robert Stonehill, Brendan Frazier as John Crowley, Keri Russell as John Crowley's wife. Scene stealing supportive performances by the relatively new Meredith Droeger as the young Meghan Crowley suffering from the pompe disease and Jared Harris (Mad Men as Lane Pryce) as the sometimes heartless Dr. Webster. The movie is expertly filmed in Portland, Oregon. The Seattle Labs in the movie are really the Nike Campus in the suburb of Portland, Beaverton. The movie is probably a little to short with a run time of one hundred and six minutes. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. There is absolutely no chemistry between Ford and Frazier and Ford's performance is half-hearted at best. Frazier does give a good performance as does Keri Russell. Although this wouldn't be my highest rated movie and is probably more along the lines of a TV movie instead of a big screen flick I liked the movie because of what I learned from it. I didn't have a clue about what Pompe disease before the movie. Nor had I ever heard of Dr. Stonehill or John Crowley and his family and how the two of them worked so hard to make make strides in finding a cure for the disease. I did know from my once position as an executive for a dental manufacturing company how damn hard it is to get a drug from the lab to the drug stores. I did also suspect that the want to make a profit often stymies human efforts. While I will only give the movie three footballs (one for Meredith Droeger, one for Frazier, one for Jared Harris, one for Russell, one for showing Portland in a good light but then I would take away two footballs for the lackluster performance by Harrison Ford) I will recommend it for what you can learn from it. My take away from it was not only knowledge about pompe disease but wakeup call that I need an issue.
Now on to Update Day. I pretty much have kept you up to date on things going on the last week on a daily basis. Yesterday Mom and I had a great lunch with our cousins, Don & Belva, from Albany. Great conversation, great food. On the agenda for next week is on Monday another freaking birthday lunch for Mom, Tuesday my annual eye appointment, Wednesday is the pre-tax season meeting at the firm I am going to work for, and Thursday is the regular appointment for Clara, my car. Today I am going over to watch the Saints-Vikings game with my brother-in-law.
The blog is now yours. What are the issues that would make you focus your whole life that issue and let everything else in your life stop? Do you have one? Do you even want one? Ever had one? Also let me know what was on your plate last week and what is on your plate next week? As always since it is your day on the blog you can post anything you damn well please or ask any question that wish to ask!
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12 comments:
I don't have an issue. Unless you count my mother, but that's something I didn't take on from any kind of calling, it just happened and I was the only one who could take it on.
I can't say I want to find another issue, but a child with a rare disease would become an issue for just about any parent, I would guess. It certainly would for me.
I have nothing planned for the coming week except the usual routine things. Lots of things need attending to, including several routine doc and dentist appointments that I've been putting off. We're getting more rain, they say, so outdoor activities may have to be put on hold. On the surface, it looks like a boring week, but those are often the best kind.
Hi Pat
Same with my mom and dad, it wasn't a calling, I just ended up with it.
I forgot how the rain stops LA. How serious of rains are the expecting? You really have had more than your share of rain and floods.
And I agree sometimes boring weeks are the best.
Bill
I don't have an issue. While it's a matter of semantics, I often think, as you do, what I need in my life is a purpose. Mom was a purpose, in many respects. Helping cancer caregivers was a purpose, but is no longer. I'd like to have a purpose, but not one so all-consuming it would take over and eliminate everything else in my life. Those two statements may be mutually exclusive.
A pretty ho-hum week, actually. We had two pretty days, the rest has been wind, rain and cold. Unpleasant. Did the standard pool and line dance and added the dermatologist visit. Himself's computer finally reached the terminal crash point. Sigh. He now has a clone of the one we got me in December, which we were fortunate enough to find at Costco. That's two new computers and two major car repair bills in about thirty days. I'm paddling as fast as I can, but I hope we're out of the rapids!
Lots of editorial hours. I seriously underestimated a project for a client who's on a very tight budget, so I'm going to eat part of the hours. Honestly can't remember the last time I was so far off. Normally, I'm within about 5% of what I estimate and I've no idea why I didn't see this coming. I'll end up billing her total hours, then giving her a professional discount, to bring it down to close to what I originally guesstimated.
Next week is up in the air, other than standard routine. Finish the above ms. Dinner with friends one evening. If the ms that should have been mailed last weekend doesn't arrive, I'll check with the guy and take a few days to unfry my brain and go back to the kitchen clean/sort/pitch and organize project. If the 2/1 project doesn't arrive, I have two other ms here, waiting their turn. Like Pat, pretty ho-hum weeks, but those are often a blessing.
Hi DR
Interesting take on purpose vs. issues. I think an issues is a higher level than a purpose. Taking care of mom gives me purpose, adopting an issuing like finding the cure for cancer would give my life meaning.
We are getting the cold and wet today but overall been a very good winter weather wise.
Two new computers and major car repair bills is to much for anyone!!
I also show the gross billing amount and then the professional discount if I underestimate a project.
Bill
I pretty much agree with all so far on the issue question. I don't think I have had an issue other than my mother. It did pretty much make me stop all aspects of what my life was. But like most here it was something that I ended up with.
For the moment I don't think besides that and taking care of the Shankster's mother too, that I have had any issues to take on that would involve me stopping everything else.
Gee, makes you stop and think a bit doesn't it?
As for the past week, I think the Shankster and I mostly tried to get past the loneliness and complete quietness of life here without any pets. We had some of the usual chores to complete and decided to dive into a project on the house here to keep us occupied. (I will keep you posted)
We had an emergency baby sit for the grandchild as the mother of daughter in law fell and broke her hip. Surgery went well and so far all is good there for now.
As far as plans for the upcoming week?...... I think now I have to figure out what my purpose in life is and why I haven't had any issues during my lifetime. Like what the heck have I been doing all this time?
Good going Bill! ;)
The rain doesn't really stop LA. The media make a Huge Big Deal out of it, but mostly we just go about our business, less a few planned outdoor activities. I don't personally know anyone who's been bothered much by the rain, but those who live in the hills, especially where they're denuded from fires, are still at risk for mudslides. They didn't have any to speak of during last week's continuous rain, but they say those hills have been weakened and even a little rain might still bring them down. They evacuated some people last week just as a precaution, and now they seem to just be telling them to keep a watchful eye out.
Bill, you're probably right on issue versus purpose. I think what I want is a purpose, for reasons cited.
Glad to know I'm not the only one who has to eat hours on rare occasions and who discounts the bills. I do get to take that off taxes, right? Professional discounts?
Dona, are you two going to consider another dog, maybe through Humane Society or Animal Rescue? I can imagine the emptiness, having been there & done that. When we lost both of ours to the poisonous plant in FL, I remember hearing the vet tell Himelf, "You've got to get her another dog and not wait too long, for her own good." He was right. No one could replace Gypsy for me, but Skeeter was just what I/we needed to recover from the loss. A house without a critter was too quiet and lonely for us, although I know each of us reacts differently and in different situations and circumstances. I'm not sure what I may do when Skeeter's time comes. Much may depend on Spook's reaction, although at this point she's very much Himself's dog. (Hugs to you both).
Pat, I'll hope the incoming fronts are mild and don't cause problems for you or the folks in the potential slide areas.
Hi Dona
Your messages often make me smile.
The movie did make me stop and think because that is what the guy in the movie did, quit a high tech, high paying job, and spent his life looking for a cure for a disease that his children had. I never have had a mission like that.
When I lost Katie cat the lonliness kind of hangs on for a while, it gets a little better each day but never quite goes away. I hope it gets better for you.
Do keep us posted on the house project.
I hope the mother of your daughter recovers fast. A broken hip is so damn painfaul.
Your purpose in life is to come here and let us know what is going on with you!!
Bill
Hi Pat
I had a friend that canceled a business appointment because of the rain/traffic. I am glad to hear that is the exception not the rule. The mudslides would scare me.
I do hope the rain stops for you!
Bill
Hi DR
I think I want both a purpose and a meaning.
You are a cash basis taxpayer, most likely, which means you only report the cash that you receive, since you don't collect the discount you just don't report it:
Bill 1,000
discounted 400
Client owes 600
You report the 600 on your return.
Bill
you only report the cash that you receive, since you don't collect the discount you just don't report it:
Well, that's a bummer.
Yes, I want a purpose with meaning.
Hi DR
You can report the gross amount as income if you want and then deduct the discount but you will end up in the same place.
Under IRS rules you can never deduct your own time. If you were able to deduct your own time nobody would pay any taxes.
Bill
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