Dr. Jenner’s Experiment

-
Image
  “March 28th, 1797, I inoculated this girl and carefully rubbed the variolous matter into two slight incisions made upon the left arm. A little inflammation appeared in the usual manner around the parts where the matter was inserted, but so early as the fifth day it vanished entirely without producing any effect on the system.” —Edward Jenner (1749–1823). “The Three Original Publications on Vaccination Against Smallpox.” Portrait of Edward Jenner, painted by James Northcote in either 1803 or 1823

Done

-
Was looking forward to a run outside today in the fresh air. Saw it was overcast, but was not going to let that stop me. As I stepped out to run an errand with my darling bride, it started drizzling.

Ok.

Though not wild about going to the gym, I silently prepared myself for an inside workout when I returned from our errand.

We were on the way home (about mid afternoon) when we saw him.

The sky: still overcast, grey. If it was a few degrees colder, it would be snowing.

But there he was, trudging along the road.

If I had to guess I'd say he's in his mid 70's. Tall. Slow. Many could walk faster than he runs, but there he was. Step. Step. Step. Step. Step. Running. In the drizzle. In the cold.

If he could do it, I can do it.

So I did.

I got home, changed clothes, bundled up, cranked up the MP3 player, started my stopwatch and put one foot in front of the other. 50 minutes and 4.53 miles later, I lay down gasping in the backyard on the cold, wet grass. Done.

Popular posts from this blog

Rock Me, Epictetus!

-
Image
“Keep constant guard over your perceptions, for it is no small thing you are protecting, but your respect, trustworthiness and steadiness, peace of mind, freedom from pain and fear, in a word your freedom. For what would you sell these things?” EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.3.6 b –8 
Read more

The Smooth-flowing Life

-
Image
Legend has it that the astronomer Ptolemy (1st century A.D.) suggested that falling stars were caused by the gods moving in the heavens, thus knocking stars out of their places. Somehow people reasoned that that if the gods were moving, they must be getting close to earth so they would lift their "prayers" or "wishes" (literally, "desires") whenever they saw the stars falling in hopes the gods would notice and grant a favorable answer. But how does one wish on falling star? Once you see it, it's gone before the wish or prayer can be made! The answer is simple: meteor shower. That's how to get your wish. Mrs. Ann Hodges had a wish fall right into her lap. Sort of. In 1954 Mrs. Hodges was sleeping on the couch when a 8 1/2 pound meteorite fell through her house and into her living room where it bounced off the radio and struck her left hip leaving her with a bruise. Not sure what she was wishing, but that's not how to do it. Epictetus hel...
Read more