Seasonal Paradise

Heroes: The Iron Nun

When you exercise, time stands still.  

Sister Madonna Buder started running at 47 and did her first Iron Man at age 55.  Now she's done 45 Iron Mans. She's 86 and going strong, and says she "trains religiously." She's the perfect reminder to get out and enjoy your body. 

And if the Iron Nun isn't enough of a kick in the pants for you, there's always 97 year old Charles Eugster, who holds the 200m and 400m sprint world records (for age 95+).  

He can do 50 push ups, and took up bodybuilding at 87 so he could impress the girls, according to this BBC video about Charles.  What a character! "Aging for me has become an enormous pleasure, a delight, a joy!"

LSE's Professor Dolan, On Happiness

Professor Paul Dolan is one of my Professors on the MSc Behavioral Science course and was featured in this ABC Australia article on happiness. He used to be skinny and had a bad stutter, but he managed to turn his attention away from his stutter, and changed his behavior. He lost the stutter and turned into the bodybuilding professor.

Heroes: Groucho Marx

I love Groucho Marx. He's one of my heroes. He was mentioned in the Independent on Sunday. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is famously tough to get in to, and it has finally just opened its membership to women, finally...after 260 years!

Of course, Groucho Marx famously declared that he would not to be a member of any club that would have accept him as a member. A wry wit indeed.

But he made an exception when it made to golf. He liked to play golf. At the pinnacle of his career the R&A St Andrews Golf Club made an exception and invite him, a Jew, to join. (They excluded Jews from their membership). The only condition to his joining was... he must promise not to use the pool! The comedian responded to this invitation and favor with a further inquiry: "My daughter is only half Jewish - can she wade in up to her knees?"

Love it. :-)

He didn't join the club.

What terrible and ignorant times.

Hero: Lord Hanson

Hanson plc bought companies, culled them, and brought them back to life.  Lord Hanson was the head of the company, and a controversial character, along with Gordon White, an even more controversial figure.  They had a nose for value and waste, and were good at creating good viable companies from under-performing industrial companies. 

Key to the Hanson philosophy, and the reason they walked away from an opportunity to acquire Avis, the car rental company, was that they believed "never risk more than you can afford to lose."

Two Versions Of 'The Story Of Stuff'

The Story Of Stuff a la Annie Leonard

and 

The Story Of Stuff a la George Carlin

Heroes: Jack LaLanne

In 1936 Jack opened a gym, and grew his company to 200+ gyms which became Bally's.  Here's Jack in his show from the 50's.  

and here he is at 95.

and here's a great article on him in Washington Post.

He's an inspiration.  I love his energy and passion for helping people find health and fitness.  He's one of my heroes. 

Newly Weds Markus and Annie

 Markus and Annie built Plentyoffish.com. They're our friends, and our heroes.   

The Burj Birdmen

The best way to get perspective of how tall the incredible Burj Khalifa is, to jump off it. Fast forward to 4:15 for the jump.

My father lived in Abu Dhabi for 25+ years.  We considered moving to Dubai, but decided against it when we learned that many internet dating sites are blocked there.  That's not cool.  Its certainly not good for business.  We'll take a vacation there some time, and visit the Burj.  Our favorite tall building is still the Jinmao Tower. Our stay on the 76th floor in 2007 was just breathtaking.

Jackie Chan

Chinese acrobatics schools are VERY tough.  But Jackie Chan has pushed himself to ridiculous limits,  beyond anything even they could inflict upon him.

A Brighter Day Will Come

What a calamity the last couple of years has been for the USA?  I'm hoping that hope is at hand. Obama has my vote of confidence.

Heroes: Randy Pausch

Here's a message from my hero.  Randy Pausch, on life.  He was a Carnegie Mellon professor and imagineer who had pancreatic cancer and passed away July 25th.  The same nasty and underfunded disease Patrick Swayze was just diagnosed with.  He gave his final lecture on Achieving Your Childhood Dreams and it took off on YouTube (5.85m views to date) making him somewhat of a celebrity.  He was on  Oprah, Good Morning America and TIME.   Randy says, let yours kids paint their bedrooms, and asks, are you a tigger or an eeyore?  Do you ask people, 'how can I make it right,' after apologising?  The main message overall, 'if you lead your life the right way, the dreams will come to you.'

I also feel so lucky to have met someone whose happiness is more important to me than mine.  She's keeping Alexandra company, tucked up at Motol hospital.  This is an important day today, because Alexandra learned to eat, Irena started to lactate...so we're happy.  Alexandra had her first 'meal' since Saturday midday this evening and will start putting weight on now.