My World and Welcome to It

It's weird how things turn out.

When I was a child I was interested in medicine. My mother suggested I become a doctor but I was terrified I'd lose my first patient. Of course I know now that it doesn't work that way but I never did become a doctor.

Instead I took first aid courses, joined Search and Rescue, got up to Advanced Wilderness First Aid, became and actor and now teach at the medical school. But I'm still not a doctor.

I also wanted to become a maths professor. Too bad I didn't have… Continue

I just read an article in the medical journal to which I subscribe that I thought would be of interest. Below are the main points:

- Attention is mediated by the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine.
- In patients with ADD these chemicals are present in reduced amounts.
- Exercise increases the amount of norepinephrine and dopamine as well as other neurochemicals.
- Muscles aren't the only things that grow with exercise. Over time, exercise improves the system that provides these neuro… Continue

Even thought I'm certain that I was 18 just last week, I've also noticed increased fatigue in recent months.

My doctor did some blood tests and couldn't find anything wrong so we assume that it's old age creeping up on me. On the other hand, I have a strange and whimsical biochemistry so I thought maybe there's something else going on.

I heard about ribose (AKA d-ribose) on a body building site and, as usual, the online reviews varied between "hoax", "inconclusive" and "works great."

Nothing… Continue

In my last posting I had just done an American accent workshop.

At the workshop one of my acting coaches asked if I belong to ACTRA yet. No, not enough film credits to join the union. Hmm, he said, we'll have to get you some speaking roles.

The next morning I got an e-mail from him for a casting call for an independent film called "Fart School." If you're like me your first thought was that this probably has all the intellectual content of Porky's, despite knowing that the local art college st… Continue

Last weekend I got to exercise my brain. Oi vey.

First, my voice coach was coming to town to do a workshop. I registered and sent off my cheque. After several E-mails to her Right Hand Man, Friday night rolled around and I still didn't know where the workshop was. So I called her. She panicked because the workshop had been cancelled and her assistant was supposed to contact everyone. Oh bother.

Now, my lovely wife and I were supposed to go camping with friends that weekend but since my coach i… Continue