Focusing on the exciting wasn't always easy for her, but she did it for so long that it became almost second nature, something that left many of us around the station in awe.

While other people might have spent their time learning to dance, or working out, or on various crafts, it seemed she spent her time trying to find excitement in every situation she happened to be in. We would come in on a gray Monday morning, sit around the conference room, dreading the coming week, and she would arrive pointing out something interesting we all missed. Sometimes it was something outside the window, sometimes it was something someone was wearing, sometimes it was actually related to the agenda we were discussing.

It was easy to roll your eyes at her attitude, but if we attempted to take a few seconds to see things from her perspective, it was just as easy to be convinced that things really weren't as boring and tedious as we previously thought. And she was convincing too. All that time…

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US, around 24% of deaths every year. Strokes are fifth most common cause of death at 5%, dementia sixth most common at 3.6%, data here from 2014. Accidents have beaten strokes out for fourth place because of "unintentional overdose" deaths.

I did a physical on a man recently, who said what was the best thing he could do for his health?

"Reduce or better…

(the poem that used to have this title is now a distant reflection. this note will self-destruct on or after 2018-05-29.)

perhaps it is my fate
to stand atop the mountain
calling my truths to the soundless snow—
keeping firewatch in the summer
tapping out coordinates
to the air

for i have been down among the people
with their eyes shut, none listening
past the voice inside their head&m…