I have Moved

Please come to www.JulioMedina.com and bookmark me there.

I`m Baaaaaaaacccck

I will be online this weekend and update this blog etc...Thanks for all the letters and everything. I will get more detailed later I just wanted to let everyone know I am alive and well and ready to be back in the blog world

Some pictures!

Here are some pictures we got from Julio!

Julio had the chance to be with his family yesterday. Today, he gets to be free and off-base for several hours with his family. Tomorrow, he will be at the San Antonio Spurs game. His sister said they are making signs so they will get on TV.

As soon as we get a new address for him, we will post it. Thank you for praying for my friend.

-JC

Above is the first letter that I received from Julio address to "Blog." He wanted me to post it as a picture on here. We'll see how legible it is. I may have to translate it. Just so you know, since this letter was written, he has received more mail. He got two of my letters. Continue to pray for him. He is looking to be out by January 11th!

-JC

PS- If you click on the photo, it will enlarge.

UPDATED ADDRESS

Julio has only received one letter! That's bad! I have sent him two....I know Al and Cuppa have sent letters. He had given us a wrong letter in his address. Here is the new one.

AB Medina, Julio, C

331 TRS/FLT 107 Dorm A-1\

1320 TRUEMPER ST Unit 369555

Lackland AFB, TX 78236-5570

Please send him letters! He needs the support.

We believe that he passed the exam (inspection) that he was taking. That is a good thing. Anyway, keep him in your prayers this Christmas season. Only about another month, and he'll be done with basic!

-JC

UPDATE FROM JULIO!!

Julio got a chance to call his mother earlier this week. He wanted to let everyone know that he has an important evaluation scheduled for tomorrow, December 13th. He would like for everyone to pray for him. He will be graduating from basic anywhere between January 10 - 13. Your prayers are definitely wanted and needed.

The only other thing that he said was that he really wanted to get a lot of Christmas cards! My wife and I already sent one to him yesterday. That would be a great thing for everyone to do. Little things like that could be used to keep his spirits up.

Julio's address is in the post below. Please send cards, but most of all, please pray. Christmas away from friends and family will be difficult.

-JC

Julio's Address

We finally made contact with Julio. He asks that everyone write him. Make sure you send him stamps so he can write back. Any letters that I receive will be posted (with pictures) as soon as they are received. There are only two things that we can do for Julio while he is gone. One is to pray for him. Second is to write to him.

AB Medina, Julio, C
331 TRS/SLT 107 Dorm A-1
1320 TRUEMPER ST Unit 369555
Lackland AFB, TX 78236-5570


-JC

May I have your attention please....

Family,Friends,Readers and Random people that happen to run across this post,


I did not get to say bye to everybody and spend as much time as I would have like to with everyone and the last couple weeks went by so quick that I am still wondering where all the time went LOL! I just wanted to take this time and let you know that I will not have Internet for 8 weeks and no phone either. I will be having my address posted on my blog as soon as I can so keep checking back and write to me. I`ll admit I hate writing letters and I am sure you do too. Especially Bloggers. Who uses the regular mail anymore!?! But mail will be very encouraging so I am not asking for a life update (unless you want too) Even a postcard would be cool. I will be in basic for Christmas and New Years so....Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I am excited for 2008. I look forward to hearing from all of you.


-Julio

P.S. If we are friends on myspace and facebook....Do not remove me from your 'top friends' just cause I can`t come on for 8 weeks!! LOL.

The transition from friend to family...

This was the best Birthday Card that I have ever received PERIOD. And it could not have come at a better time than my 25th Birthday and the next chapter of my life as I prepare for military life.


Beau Bloem, My Friend and My Brother. We met @ Registration line for College...Both had issues with our files and neither of us really wanted to be there. (LOL) Well, we became friends,Saw each other around and hung out a couple times here and there.I`ll cut some of the boring stuff out. I stayed in the area in Indiana one year and when the fall came back around, I knew I did not want to go back to college and I had talked to Beau, We were both going through some crazy times and got an apartment in Scary Hammond, IN. Hahaha...We would have never known that moving into that place would come as far as it has to this day. Beau being from PA and my Mom was living in Brewster, NY at the time so we lived like 3 hours from each other, We would take trips back to the east coast on weekends for no reason, Just cause we felt like it. We would leave Chicago on a Friday night and drive all night long get there and spend Saturday and part of Sunday and leave late on Sunday to be back in time for work on Monday. Sounds crazy huh? It is looking back it now that I am a little older but I would trade an of those trips for the world.

Beau was in the car accident with me when I got hit by a semi and broke my arm. He has been there through some of my worst times in life and he has been there through some of what I consider to be the highlights of my life. You know, when you live with somebody it would probably be easy to say you would fight and find things you disagree on and do things differently, I have never one time in 7 years fought with Beau, We became close enough to know where the limits were and how to give each other the space that we needed through stressful times or just life in general. Did we ever get on each others nerves? Yeah maybe at some point but never anything crazy or anything to really stand out. Put it this way...The relationship that I have with Beau Bloem is coveted by many. Understandable? Maybe a little but guess what?? You can`t replace something like that no matter how hard you try and me leaving is not the answer. ;)


I got really close with Beau over the years to where the friendship pretty much turned into a brotherhood really. I got to meet all of his family and got pretty close with all of them as well to where I will call and ask his dad for his opinion and advise and his mom is one of the sweetest most genuine women in the world and you can feel it in any conversation you have with her. As many know I even dated his little sister for a while. That alone is another testament to the strength of our relationship. But to give us both credit we really kept the 2 relationships separate so it was no big deal when things did`nt work out between us and not even awkwardness with the family. (W e are still friends.) Alot of people made several assumptions as to why I was going into the military etc..Beau knows me better than anyone and you know what I learned? Many people in this life can and will "Believe in you" and some may even make it a fact. But you know when you really know if someone Believes in you or not? When they accept you for who you really are and don`t care about anything else. Guess what people...We all have flaws and things that we should change about ourselves ( I believe that strongly that nobody knows us better than we know ourselves.) But rarely if ever do you find someone that you can really be yourself around and know that everything is ok. It`s really an Unconditional love for another. I know what it`s like to feel that way.

So Beau...My Friend and Brother, I wanted to take this chance to thank you for everything that you have done for me publicly and tell you that even though we may not be room mates anymore and for a while there will be no more being Crazy Kids breaking Stink Bombs in the back of a 7-11, Or crawling through the tall weeds and brush in Harrison Park ( hahaha (; ) , Making hanous shopping lists and getting pissed off when they get questioned (hahahaha Brian this one was for you,Squirms) or Talking crazy to the people @ the drive thru`s of fast food chains and all the hilarious things that we did, It means nothing for the things that we will carry in our hearts. With all the crazy things we went through it`s safe to say in some respects that we really did grow up together. I love you man...Keep strong.

-Julio

Thanks for the bad things.

I got this from my Friend Jen and I thought it was awesome. It really is easy to think of "good" things to be thankful for but how about all the hard stuff that you go through on an everyday basis living life? Looking back they make you who you are...

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.


Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

MOM

Thank You,Mom

I'm sitting here, I'm thinking back to a time when I was young,
My memory is clear as day, I'm listening to the dishes clink,
You were downstairs, you would sing songs of praise,
And all the times we laughed with you,
And all the times that you stayed true to us,
Now we say, I said, I thank you,
I'll always thank you, More than you could know,
Than I could ever show, And I love you, I'll always love you,There's nothing I won't do to say these words to you,That you're beautiful forever, you were my mom, you were my dad,The only thing I ever had was you, It's true,And even when the times got hard you were there,To let us know that we'd get through, you showed me how to be a man,You taught me how to understand the things people do,You showed me how to love my God, You taught me that not everyone knows the truth,And I thank you, I'll always thank you,More than you could know, Than I could ever show,And I love you, I'll always love you,There's nothing I won't do to say these words to you,That you will live forever, always.

This video was the best on I could find with the song. The lyrics are above the video.



My mom has been a source of strength, She has been the motivation to be who I am today. Everyone has times where they get discouraged and depressed, My mom has taught me some things that I practice on a daily level they are:

1. Think before you speak.
2. Relax.
3. Everything is going to be ok.
4. Everything happens for a reason.

Kanye West - Hey Mama

[Chorus]
(Hey Mama), I wanna scream so loud for you, cuz I’m so proud of you
Let me tell you what I’m about to do, (Hey Mama)
I know I act a fool but, I promise you I’m goin back to school
I appreciate what you allowed for me
I just want you to be proud of me (Hey Mama)

[Verse 1]
I wanna tell the whole world about a friend of mine
This little light of mine and I’m finna let it shine
I’m finna take yall back to them better times
I’m finna talk about my mama if yall don’t mind
I was three years old, when you and I moved to the Chi
Late December, harsh winter gave me a cold
You fixed me up something that was good for my soul
Famous homemade chicken soup, can I have another bowl?
You work late nights just to keep on the lights
Mommy got me training wheels so I could keep on my bike
And you would give anything in this world
Michael Jackson leather and a glove, but didn’t give me a curl
And you never put no man over me
And I love you for that mommy cant you see?
Seven years old, caught you with tears in your eyes
Cuz a nigga cheatin, telling you lies, then I started to cry
As we knelt on the kitchen floor
I said mommy Imma love you till you don’t hurt no more
And when I’m older, you aint gotta work no more
And Imma get you that mansion that we couldn’t afford
See you’re, unbreakable, unmistakable
Highly capable, lady that’s makin loot
A livin legend too, just look at what heaven do
Send us an angel, and I thank you (Hey Mama)

[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
Forrest Gump mama said, life is like a box of chocolates
My mama told me go to school, get your doctorate
Somethin to fall back on, you could profit with
But still supported me when I did the opposite
Now I feel like it’s things I gotta get
Things I gotta do, just to prove to you
You was getting through, can the choir please
Give me a verse of “You, Are So Beautiful To Me”
Can’t you see, you’re like a book of poetry
Maya Angelou, Nicky Giovanni, turn one page and there’s my mommy
Come on mommy just dance wit me, let the whole world see your dancing feet
Now when I say Hey, yall say Mama, now everybody answer me (Hey Mama)

[Chorus]
[Bridge]
I guess it also depends tho, if my ends low
Second they get up you gon get that Benzo
Tint the windows, ride around the city and let ya friends know (Hey Mama)

[Verse 3]
Tell your job you gotta fake em out
Since you brought me in this world, let me take you out
To a restaurant, upper echelon
Imma get you a jag, whatever else you want
Just tell me what kind of S-Type Donda West like?
Tell me the perfect color so I make it just right
It don’t gotta be Mother’s Day, or your birthday
For me to just call and say (Hey Mama)

Mom,

I want you to know that I love you more than life. I do not believe in having heroes but you are a hero. You have never let me down, You strenght has carried me through some of the toughest times. All the mistakes I have made and all my flaws have never made you stop believing in me. I am proud to say that over the years you were my Mom (sweet and loving) you did what you had to do and even at times you knew how to be rough on me like a Father but most of all now you are my friend. I only want to make you proud :) Thanks for everything but most importantly thank you for being you and never changing. You are my inspiration. Every Success is a tribute to you.

Friends,Fun and Future

From Left to right: Juan Carrillo,Michael Eck and Julio Medina.
This has been a very eventful summer. Meeting people is an everyday event or at least it can be if you make it. Meeting people and making friends are totally different though. (Do you agree?) This summer I made some new friends. You can see a few of them in the pictures included in this post.








Micheal Eck. A DJ (DJ AKA) and a promoter for Global Adrenaline came into Maxum one weekend ( I hung out there all the time and they make a killer steak wrap for lunch a dinner. If I had it my way I could one of those everyday! :)
Anyhow, I met mike there because he was going to DJ there on Wednesday nights for a little while and I would go and hang out and I also got to meet alot of his friends that he would bring along with him too. For instance all these pictures were taken by....

Jacob Clary who takes pictures for Mingle Now and many other places for different events. He is even listed on Model Mayhem if you ever need a photo shoot I am

sure he can probably take care of you for a really good price too.

I also Met Juan Carrillo a guy who`s passion is running. He is currently in training and has a goal to qualify for the next Olympics. This picture here was taken at a "School Teacher" event so we all dressed up as nerds....Hahahaha Just one of the many memorable times that I have gad this summer downtown Chicago.
oh god,oh god.






Adrian Myers is a another person I met this summer and became friends with as well as had him help me get a good workout plan so that I can try out for special forces and actually have a shot (I`ll let you all know how it goes) Haha also because of Adrian I now call McDonalds McDoogals hahahaha. All these little bits of info are just things that I wanted to quickly mention But summer 2007 will probably go down as one of my lifes best.



So to everyone that I met and made friends with...Thank you. =)

Julio,Shawn,Brad and Larry- Enclave Thursdays

This whole blog though is really dedicated to one Person though and that would be Micheal Eck, Thanks again for all the fun times and introducing me to your friends. I have said it before but I think you very well could be one of those most driven people I know. Keep it going it is motivating. The fun times of this summer are things that I will carry with me through the homesick times in military life or even while deployed. Good stuff,Good Stuff.


I did not make it to my own going away party due to a 102 fever and congestion that made me feel like my head was going to explode and losing my voice....But I will do it up big for when I come home. See you all soon...

Kanye West

*This article was a copy and paste from yahoo.com - I am not the owner of this content and it is posted on my blog for education purposes and to express my own opinion on the article and content.

Nov. 12-19: How The West Was Lost

Posted Thu. Nov 15, 6:45 PM ET by Lyndsey Parker in That's Really Week

We here at That's Really Week usually keep on the lighter side of the news. But this week is heavy, man. There's no way we can crack any jokes about this week's top story. So we're not going to even try.

We're sure by now you've read the news that Kanye West's beloved mother--inspiration for his song "Hey Mama," author of Raising Kanye: Life Lessons From The Mother Of A Hip-Hop Star, and major influence on Kanye's music--passed away last Saturday. Until now, 2007 had been a year of amazing highs for Kanye (winning that 50 Cent sales war, releasing one of the most successful albums of the year, triumphing at the BET and Mobo Awards, upstaging almost everyone at the Concert For Diana, planning his wedding with fiance Alexis, etc.). But now the year is ending with the lowest of lows, as Kanye has lost one of his biggest supporters, Dr. Donda West.

What compounds this tragedy is how Donda passed away. The woman was only 58 years old, and she died before her time due to complications from cosmetic surgery. One look at any photo of the good Doctor shows she looked pretty damn great for 58 (and we're sure Kanye thought she was beautiful just the way she was), but even a wise professor like Donda was susceptible to societal pressure on women to stay 25 forever. And so she went under the knife for a breast reduction and tummy tuck, and sadly never recovered. Any woman of a certain age who's been seduced by promises of firmer flesh, as peddled by surgery shows like Extreme Makeover and The Swan (which conveniently condense the often harrowing post-op recovery period into about three minutes of airtime), should think long and hard about what happened to Donda before making their own appointment with Dr. 90210.

Speaking of surgery shows, the Discovery Health Network has announced that for the time being it will stop airing Plastic Surgery: Before & After, which was hosted for five years by Donda West's surgeon, Jan Adams. And speaking of good doctors...well, it's looking like Dr. Adams might not be one. All sorts of unflattering allegations have surfaced against him since Donda's death: That he agreed to perform Donda's operation even though at least one other surgeon had refused to do so because of her pre-existing condition. That malpractice lawsuits had been filed against him in the past. That he'd had two drunk driving arrests (see mugshot at right). That the state medical board had recommended his license be revoked. That his ex-wife once took out a restraining order against him. The list goes on and on and on--and it's not pretty.

In fact, only six days after Donda's death, a $30,000 warrant was issued for Dr. Adams's arrest, because he failed to appear at a hearing (for a case stemming from a malpractice lawsuit by a patient who claims he left a sponge inside her). However, eventually Adams did turn up (he said he was stuck in traffic). We're guessing Kanye will soon want his day in court with Dr. Adams, too--and we hope the doctor doesn't show up late for that case, because we know the famously hot-tempered Kanye wouldn't tolerate any tardiness.

The usually outspoken Kanye has actually laid very low this week. He understandably pulled out of his scheduled performance at this week's Victoria's Secret fashion show, and the only statement he's made regarding this tragedy is an obviously publicist-crafted press release asking that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his mama's name to the Kanye West Foundation/Loop Dreams Teacher Training Institute (kanyewestfoundation.org).

Meanwhile, Dr. Adams has issued the following statement: "I first want to express my deepest condolences to the West family at a very difficult time. Out of respect for the West family and in the absence of other verifiable information, any comment from me without first discussing that information with the family would be unprofessional."

Looks like this is going to be a much more serious feud than that whole Kanye-vs.-Fiddy media stunt.

We could write about other stuff this week...but frankly, poking fun of the latest Britney debacle, Boy George arrest, Wacko Jacko rumor, or band reunion in light of this tragedy seems in bad taste. Yes, believe it or not, even That's Really Week has a good/bad taste line (albeit a thin, fuzzy one) that we refuse to cross. So we'll sign off for now with a shout-out of sympathy to Kanye. Remember, Mr. West: That that don't kill you, can only make you stronger.

This was the best written article on the situation.I am a huge fan of Kanye West. He is know as an arrogant person but I have alot of respect for him and even if he is cocky I believe that many people can mistake self confidence for being cocky. (Maybe not so much with Kanye but on a personal level for me anyway,or so it seems.) Confidence is intimidating. another line from one his songs says. "We are all self conscience, I`m just the first to admit it. " Very true statement. Everybody has things about themselves that they are self conscience of. Good stuff....

This is a live version:

"Hey Mama" is an awesome tribute that he wrote to is mother who just past away. I liked the song so much that since it came out it has always been the ring tone on my cell every time my mom calls me.
This is the CD/Radio Version: ( My Favorite)

Lyrics:

[Chorus]
(Hey Mama), I wanna scream so loud for you, cuz I'm so proud of you
Let me tell you what I'm about to do, (Hey Mama)
I know I act a fool but, I promise you I'm goin back to school
I appreciate what you allowed for me
I just want you to be proud of me (Hey Mama)

[Verse 1]
I wanna tell the whole world about a friend of mine
This little light of mine and I'm finna let it shine
I'm finna take yall back to them better times
I'm finna talk about my mama if yall don't mind
I was three years old, when you and I moved to the Chi
Late December, harsh winter gave me a cold
You fixed me up something that was good for my soul
Famous homemade chicken soup, can I have another bowl?
You work late nights just to keep on the lights
Mommy got me training wheels so I could keep on my bike
And you would give anything in this world
Michael Jackson leather and a glove, but didn't give me a curl
And you never put no man over me
And I love you for that mommy cant you see?
Seven years old, caught you with tears in your eyes
Cuz a nigga cheatin, telling you lies, then I started to cry
As we knelt on the kitchen floor
I said mommy Imma love you till you don't hurt no more
And when I'm older, you aint gotta work no more
And Imma get you that mansion that we couldn't afford
See you're, unbreakable, unmistakable
Highly capable, lady that's makin loot
A livin legend too, just look at what heaven do
Send us an angel, and I thank you (Hey Mama)

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
Forrest Gump mama said, life is like a box of chocolates
My mama told me go to school, get your doctorate
Somethin to fall back on, you could profit with
But still supported me when I did the opposite
Now I feel like it's things I gotta get
Things I gotta do, just to prove to you
You was getting through, can the choir please
Give me a verse of "You, Are So Beautiful To Me"
Can't you see, you're like a book of poetry
Maya Angelou, Nicky Giovanni, turn one page and there's my mommy
Come on mommy just dance wit me, let the whole world see your dancing feet
Now when I say Hey, yall say Mama, now everybody answer me (Hey Mama)

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
I guess it also depends tho, if my ends low
Second they get up you gon get that Benzo
Tint the windows, ride around the city and let ya friends know (Hey Mama)

[Verse 3]
Tell your job you gotta fake em out
Since you brought me in this world, let me take you out
To a restaurant, upper echelon
Imma get you a jag, whatever else you want
Just tell me what kind of S-Type Donda West like?
Tell me the perfect color so I make it just right
It don't gotta be Mother's Day, or your birthday
For me to just call and say (Hey Mama)

[Chorus (with variations)]

I lost my voice.....

Ok, If you know me I can tend to be a quiet person at times but for the most part I love to laugh talk and have fun unless I am in "Serious Mode" I have a pet peeve though...Hearing someone that has lost their voice try and talk just irks me. Well when its me that it happens to its even worse...I get cranky and I cant stand when people talk to me. I know I know...I am being honest though....Cause then I answer them and they say ...What? I could`nt hear you.....ahhhhhh LOL!! Just a little venting. How about this for a good laugh though

Hold On...

Suicide is real. It`s sad it`s not fair and even selfish but it still happens. The lyrics to this are not only applicable to people that are suicidal but to anyone that feel like giving up on anything in life. You can have anything you want in this life if you let nothing stop you. Hope is power. Positive energy can make you unstoppable. So whatever you are going through....Hold On.
If you don`t like the song watch the beginning and the Fast forward to 2:01 and watch from there...



Lyrics:

This world
This world is cold
But you don't
You don't have to go
You're feeling sad, you're feeling lonely, and no one seems to care
Your mother's gone and your father hits you
This pain you cannot bear

But we all bleed the same way as you do
And we all have the same things to go through

Hold on if you feel like letting go
Hold on it gets better than you know

Your days
You say they're way too long
And your nights
You can't sleep at all
Hold on
And you're not sure what you're waiting for, but you don't want to know more
And you're not sure what you're looking for, but you don't want to know more

But we all bleed the same way as you do
And we all have the same things to go through

Hold on if you feel like letting go
Hold on it gets better than you know
Don't stop looking, you're one step closer
Don't stop searching, it's not over
Hold on

What are you looking for?
What are you waiting for?
Do you know what you're doing to me?
Go ahead...What are you waiting for?

Hold on if you feel like letting go
Hold on it gets better than you know
Don't stop looking, you're one step closer
Don't stop searching, it's not over
Hold on if you feel like letting go
Hold on it gets better than you know
Hold on

The Acoustic Version ( I love anything Acoustic)

I am Hispanic So this is ok....

HaHaHa....I had to post this after I read it because most of them really made me laugh. I am not a racist so just a disclaimer if you get offended. Get over it. I`m colorblind and I judge people by their actions not intentions or color of skin. Have a laugh. ( I know I did)

10 Truths Black and Hispanic people know but White people won't admit

1. Elvis is dead.
2. Jesus was not white.
3. Rap music is here to stay.
4. Kissing your pet is not cute or clean.
5. Skinny does not equal sexy.
6. Thomas Jefferson had black children.
7. A 5 year old is too big for a stroller.
8. N'SYNC will never hold a candle to the Jackson 5.
9. An occasional BUTT whooping helps a child stay in line.
10. Having your children curse you out in public is not normal.


10 Truths White and Black People know but
Hispanic people wont admit

1. Hickeys are not attractive.
2. Chicken is food not a pet or a roommate.
3. Jesus is not a name for your son.
4. Your country flag is not a car decoration.
5. Maria is a name but not for every daughter.
6. 10 people to a car is considered too many.
7. "Jump out and run" is not in any insurance policies.
8. Buttoning just the top button of your shirt is a bad fashion statement.
9. Mami & Papi can't possibly be the nickname of every person in your family.
10. Letting your children run wildly through the store is not normal.


10 Truths white and Hispanic people know but Black people wont admit

1. O.J. did it.
2. Tupac is dead.
3. Teeth shouldn't be decorated.
4. Weddings should start on time.
5. Your pastor doesn't know everything.
6. Jesse Jackson will never be President.
7. Red is not a Kool Aid flavor, its a color.
8. Church does not require expensive clothes.
9. Crown Royal bags are meant to be thrown away.
10. Your rims and sound system should not be worth more than your car.

Time

Time is counting down so much quicker that I feel like I have no time for anything even though I have had a month off to prepare! Crazy Huh? Time is never really on our side. Just a quick thought....

P.S. If I do not have your mailing address yet....I need because I will only be able to write for 8 weeks no other form of communication. - Email it - Julio.Medina@yahoo.com or ignyte00@yahoo.com - They both go to the same mailbox.

Finally Found The Love of a Lifetime......

New Yorkers rally to help online romeo

By Belinda GoldsmithFri Nov 9, 8:21 AM ET

A tale of online love inspired usually cynical New Yorkers this week to help a young man find the girl of his dreams after he spotted her on a crowded subway train.

For Web designer Patrick Moberg, 21, from Brooklyn, it was love at first sight when he locked eyes with a rosy-cheeked woman while riding in Manhattan on Sunday night. She was writing in her journal.

The train was so full that he lost her in the crowd when they both got off, so he set up a Web site dedicated to finding the mystery woman -- www.nygirlofmydreams.com.

He drew a picture of the girl, who was wearing blue shorts, blue tights, and a red flower in her hair, and posted his cell phone number, e-mail address and an appeal for help finding her.

It worked.

Within hours Moberg's inbox was overflowing with e-mails and his phone ringing non-stop. He told the New York Post that he even received e-mails offering him love. "Some people said I'm not the girl but you're so adorable, pick me instead."

Tuesday night a friend of the woman contacted him and sent him a picture so he could confirm her identity. "Found Her! Seriously!" a notice on his Web site said.

"We've been put in touch with one another and we'll see what happens."

The mysterious subway brunette was named Thursday as Camille Hayton, an intern at magazine BlackBook from Melbourne, Australia, who also lives in Brooklyn.

"This is crazy. I can't believe it's happening," Hayton, 22, told the New York Post.

But Moberg said he is now pulling the shutters on his love life, scribbling out the cell phone number on his Web site and leaving a message on his phone saying he will do no more interviews.

"In our best interest, there will be no more updates to this website," he wrote.

"Unlike all the romantic comedies and bad pop songs, you'll have to make up your own ending for this."

Some New Yorkers may already, wondering if Moberg had made it sound too easy to find a needle in a haystack in this city of eight million people.

Haha...I saw this last week and I saved it. I wanted to post it on my blog because i think the concept is awesome. Obviously he got lucky by finding her but then again if it`s meant to be it`s meant to be. What great lengths would you go through to able to find that ONE? I have done some pretty crazy stuff for ex- girlfriends. - They are EX-Girlfriends now though so maybe it was`nt too crazy LOL!!! I am actually very pleased to be single, With the new path I have chosen in the military it is not really possible to hold a relationship together (long distance does not work) so it works to my advantage in a way....

A Look Back So Far and A little bit ahead too...

2007

NOVEMBER
1. Whose house do you go to for Thanksgiving?
Mom`s Place :) Can`t wait....
2. What are you thankful for?
Life,Friends,Music and Fun
3. Do you love stuffing?
Yes, I am a fan...

DECEMBER
1. Do you celebrate Christmas?
Normally Yes, This year I will in Basic Training For the Air Force- Send me Christmas Cards and write to me people!!
2. Have you ever been kissed under the mistletoe?
I am not sure actually, I`ll say no since I can`t remember. ;)
3. Get anything special last year?
Everything I get is special, Last year I got a digital voice memo recorder that I carry with me everywhere....I can`t live without it now.
4. What do you want this year?
I am not able to get anything while I am at Basic, So I want alot of Christmas cards,letters,money and stamps.
5. Do you like cold weather?
Love seasons, Yeah winter is cool when there is snow....

JANUARY
1. Who kissed you on new years?
A random girl came out of no where....- Not impressed sorry lady lol
2. Did you have a new year's resolution this year?
I had 3 and I Accomplished one and the others didnt last long LOL ( Stats say the average resolution lasts 22 days)
3. Does it snow where you live?
It`s Chicago people....What do you think?
4. Do you like hot chocolate?
Yes with marshmallows....

FEBRUARY
1. Who was your Valentine?
Did`nt have one....I think it`s over-rated (not cause I didnt have one either) If you have a special girl in your life treat her right and everyday will be like valentines day.
2. When you were little did you buy Valentine's for the whole class?
Only my friends....and girls I did know...I brought some blank ones to class....ahahahaha
3. Do you care if the groundhog sees its shadow or not?
No, I love the movie thought.....

MARCH
1. Are you Irish?
My Name is Julio Medina LOL!
2. Do you like corned beef and cabbage?
Not at all....I think it smells like wet dog food.
3. What did you do for St. Patty's Day in 2007?
I can`t remember...Probably pretended I was Irish somewhere. hahaha
4. Are you happy when winter is pretty much over?
Yes usually by the time winter is over, I am ready to get spring underway....(Like i have a choice)

APRIL
1. Do you like the rain?
Warm summer rain is nice...
2. Did you play an April fool's joke on anyone this year?
Probably something really dumb lol.
3. Do you get tons of candy on Easter?
No, I do like Easter candy though....
4. Do you celebrate 4/20?
Say no to drugs kids....
5. Do you love the month of April?
It`s alright....
MAY
1. What is your favorite flower?
A girl gave me a rose once....Roses? lol
2. Finish the phrase "April showers...."
Bring May Flowers
4. Is May anything special to you?
Not that I can think of...Should it be?

JUNE
1. Did you do anything fun during this month?
Every Weekend in June I went Downtown. YEAH!!!
3. Have a favorite baseball team?
NY YANKS

JULY
1. What did you do on the 4th of July?
White Sox Game with Kevin and Roger...
2. Is this your favorite month?
It`s a fun summer month,No not fav. though.
3. Do you blast the A/C all day?
I love to be cold at night. Yes.

AUGUST
1. Did you do anything special for the end of the summer?
Probably lol.
2. What was your favorite summer memory of '07?
All My Summer Nights and Weekends. I have memories out of almost all of them and pictures lol.
3. Did you have a sunburn?
I am Spanish and European - I have a Natural Tan...But Yes My shoulder and back have been burned before....Oooooouuuuuccccchhh! Never in August though....This belongs in July lol.
4. Did you go to the pool a lot?
Not once! No time...

SEPTEMBER
1. Are you attending college/school?
Been There. No not currently.
2. Do you like fall better than summer?
My favorite time of year. Summer is a time to stay busy and have as much fun as possible, The fall is a good time to reflect on all of that :) I.M.H.O

OCTOBER
1. What was your last Halloween costume?
I ended up doing nothing for a costume...I know, I know...Boring. So what!?! I still had a blast.
2. What is your favorite candy?
Swedish Fish or Jelly Belly Beans
3. What is your favorite thing about this month?
Warm enough for shorts,Cold enough for a Hoodie :)

Say what you want.

I have a good thought for the day....How about you say what you say without apology? I believe in tact and I believe in decency but there are often times that I find a topic that I might want to 'blog' about or a thought about something that I want to rant or rave on but I shy away from it for really no good reason...So this is my thought for the day a standard to this blog, I say what I say because I can, I share what I want because I feel like it. My blog, My Domain,My Opinions...If you don't like it don't come back...The web has billions of other pages for you to waste your time on. I say what I say and express myself how I choose simply without apology, My posts may have mistakes,They may not make sense (to you) But again....It is without apology to anyone...So if I offend you with my interests....Just don`t come back. Or start your own blog about it ;) That's all folks.

;

I have climbed highest mountain
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you

I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you

But I still havent found what Im looking for
But I still havent found what Im looking for

I laughed so I shared...

Begining to say Goodbye....

My Blog will actually probably have a few posts with similar titles in the upcoming 3 weeks. As time fades and it gets closer to the day that I take off, I am not scared or regretful, Nervous, Nostalgic and Anxious are more the words that describe my emotions. This Saturday afternoon a bunch of friends and had a little going away party. (Thank you to everyone that came!) and Thank you Big Al for the effort,planning and everything that went into it. I had a blast and it was so good to see everybody. The picture above is a cake they had for me too,Awesome huh? Friends and relationships are something that are so easily taken advantage of sometimes without even realizing it, you just go about your daily life and everything and everyone that are just a part of the 'norm' kinda go unnoticed until something changes. I am really coming down to the wire now and the Goodbye times are starting to roll in. I am not get make this an emotional post...I just wanted to publicly thank Big AL and all my friends that came and everyone that was invited that could not make it. Happy Monday. ( I am going to play poker online now since I know I can win with the play money they give me) hahahahahaha ;)

Seinfeld Rips Larry King

Remember the Paris Hilton Letterman interview? That was funny...This is actually almost just as funny....LOL

Dream Big.

mI was talking about this song last night and I had not heard it in a while so I decided that I would post it on here....The lyrics can teach you something if you let them. I`ll post them under the video...Have a good weekend everybody!

When you cry be sure to dry your eyes,
cause better days are sure to come.
And when you smile be sure to smile wide,
and don't let them know that they have one.
And when you walk, walk with pride,
and don't show the hurt inside,
because the pain sill soon be gone.

Chorus:
And when you dream, dream big, as big as the ocean blue. Cause when you dream it might come true.
When you dream, dream big.

And when you laugh be sure to laugh out loud,
cause it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty
all around and in yourself, and it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength
to help to carry on when the troubles come your way.

Chorus

When you cry be sure to dry your eyes,
cause better days are sure to come.
And when you smile be sure to smile wide, and
don't let them know that they have one.
And when you laugh be sure to laugh out loud,
it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty all
around and in yourself, and it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength to
help to carry on when the troubles come your way.

More Atenttion than he Deserves....

BARRY BONDS

This guy gets way to much press! All he does is want attention and so you know what I am going to give him some on my blog. I do not think that it is a threat to anyone in The MLB league or baseball fan for him to threaten that he will not be a part of The hall of fame induction....He DOES NOT DESERVE IT. I hope he does not go it will just show people what kind of team player he really was. Just one more time to spit in your fan bases face. Way to go Barry. Old and Tainted....You are going out it style. I give credit to his 756 record breaker because that is an accomplishment..Steroids or not....But his attitude discredits any accomplishment. Bring on your comments :) (Positive or Negative) LOL

NEW YORK (AP) -- Barry Bonds would boycott Cooperstown if the Hall of Fame displays his record-breaking home run ball with an asterisk.

That includes skipping his potential induction ceremony.

"I won't go. I won't be part of it," Bonds said in an interview with MSNBC that aired Thursday night. "You can call me, but I won't be there."

The ball Bonds hit for home run No. 756 this season will be branded with an asterisk and sent to the Hall. Fashion designer Marc Ecko bought the ball in an online auction and set up a Web site for fans to vote on its fate. In late September, he announced fans voted to send the ball to Cooperstown with an asterisk.

Of course, the asterisk suggests Bonds' record is tainted by alleged steroid use. The slugger has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. Fans brought signs with asterisks to ballparks this season as he neared Hank Aaron's career home run mark.

Bonds has called Ecko "an idiot."

"I don't think you can put an asterisk in the game of baseball, and I don't think that the Hall of Fame can accept an asterisk," Bonds said. "You cannot give people the freedom, the right to alter history. You can't do it. There's no such thing as an asterisk in baseball."

Hall of Fame vice president Jeff Idelson declined to comment Thursday night.

Hall president Dale Petroskey has said accepting the ball doesn't mean the museum endorses the viewpoint that Bonds used illegal substances. He said the museum would be "delighted" to have the ball.

"It's a historic piece of baseball history," Petroskey said in September.

So, if the Hall goes through with the asterisk display?

"I will never be in the Hall of Fame. Never," Bonds said. "Barry Bonds will not be there.

"That's my emotions now. That's how I feel now. When I decide to retire five years from now, we'll see where they are at that moment," he added. "We'll see where they are at that time, and maybe I'll reconsider. But it's their position and where their position will be will be the determination of what my decision will be at that time."

Giants general manager Brian Sabean reiterated Thursday that the team won't bring back Bonds next season. The seven-time NL MVP, who has spent 15 of his 22 major league seasons in San Francisco, was asked whether he will retire as a Giant.

"Yeah, it's my house. No matter what that's my house, no one's going to take that away, no one ever," Bonds answered. "No one's going to take the love of that city of me away, ever."

Bonds, who has 762 homers, broke Aaron's record with a shot into the right-center seats off Washington Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsik at San Francisco on Aug. 7.

Matt Murphy, a 21-year-old student and construction supervisor from New York, emerged from a scuffle holding the ball. He said he decided to sell it because he couldn't afford to pay the taxes required to keep it.

Bonds told MSNBC he hoped to reach 764 homers because he was born in July 1964. He said he's been working out and still is considering whether to play next season.

"I may hit two home runs so I can go home. I just think that I have a lot of game left. I think that I can help a team with a championship," Bonds said. "I'm a hell of a part-time player, too."

Bonds said he won't talk to George Mitchell's staff looking into steroids use in baseball while he is under investigation in the BALCO case. A grand jury has been investigating whether Bonds committed perjury when he testified he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs.

"I know it ends in January, so a couple more months. But I haven't been keeping up with it. Not at all," Bonds said. "I have nothing to hide. I have said that before and I will say it now and I will look you in the face. I have nothing to hide, nothing. So look all you want to."

Come to my 999th Birthday Bash.

He looks strange but he is obviously very smart, If he is right... Please consider this an invitation to my 999th Birthday bash where we will "Party like it`s 1999!" - All over again LOL. ;) HGH anyone? Barry Bonds might have been on to something. (That was for you Danny C. - It`s probably the only positive thing I will ever say about him too! haha - this is no about him though) =)



The Invincible Man
Aubrey de Grey, 44 Going on 1,000, Wants Out of Old Age

By Joel Garreau
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 31, 2007; C01

Aubrey de Grey may be wrong but, evidence suggests, he's not nuts. This is a no small assertion. De Grey argues that some people alive today will live in a robust and youthful fashion for 1,000 years.

In 2005, an authoritative publication offered $20,000 to any molecular biologist who could demonstrate that de Grey's plan for treating aging as a disease -- and curing it -- was "so wrong that it was unworthy of learned debate."

Now mere mortals -- who may wish to be significantly less mortal -- can judge whether de Grey's proposals are "science or fantasy," as the magazine put it. De Grey's much-awaited "Ending Aging: The Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime" has just been published.

The judges were formidable for that MIT Technology Review challenge prize. They included Rodney Brooks, then director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory; Nathan Myhrvold, former chief technology officer of Microsoft; and J. Craig Venter, who shares credit for first sequencing the human genome.

In the end, they decided no scientist had succeeded in blowing de Grey out of the water. "At issue is the conflict between the scientific process and the ambiguous status of ideas that have not yet been subjected to that process," Myhrvold wrote for the judges.

Well yes, that. Plus the question that has tantalized humans forever. What if the only certainty is taxes?

* * *

Dodging death has long been a dream.

Our earliest recorded legend is that of Gilgamesh, who finds and loses the secret of immortality.

The Greek goddess Eos prevails on Zeus to allow her human lover Tithonus to live eternally, forgetting, unfortunately, to ask that he also not become aged and frail. He winds up such a dried husk she turns him into a grasshopper.

In "It Ain't Necessarily So," Ira Gershwin writes:

Methus'lah lived nine hundred years

Methus'lah lived nine hundred years

But who calls dat livin' when no gal'll give in

To no man what's nine hundred years.

Aubrey David Nicholas Jasper de Grey, 44, recently of Britain's Cambridge University, advocates not myth but "strategies for engineering negligible senescence," or SENS. It means curing aging.

With adequate funding, de Grey thinks scientists may, within a decade, triple the remaining life span of late-middle-age mice. The day this announcement is made, he believes, the news will hit people like a brick as they realize that their cells could be next. He speculates people will start abandoning risky jobs, such as being police officers, or soldiers.

De Grey's looks are almost as striking as his ambitions.

His slightly graying chestnut hair is swept back into a ponytail. His russet beard falls to his belly. His mustache -- as long as a hand -- would have been the envy of Salvador Dali. When he talks about people soon putting a higher premium on health than wealth, he twirls the ends of his mustache back behind his ears, murmuring, "So many women, so much time."

A little over six feet tall and lean -- he weighs 147 pounds, the same as in his teenage years -- de Grey shows up in a denim work shirt open to the sternum, ripped jeans and scuffed sneakers, looking for all the world like a denizen of Silicon Valley.

Not far from the mark. De Grey's original academic field is computer science and artificial intelligence. He has become the darling of some Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who think changing the world is all in a day's work. Peter Thiel, the co-founder and former CEO of PayPal -- who sold it in 2002 for $1.5 billion, pocketing $55 million himself -- has dropped $3.5 million on de Grey's Methuselah Foundation.

"I thought he had this rare combination -- a serious thinker who had enough courage to break with the crowd," Thiel says. "A lot of people who are not conventional are not serious. But the real breakthroughs in science are made by serious thinkers who are willing to work on research areas that people think are too controversial or too implausible."

At midday in George Washington University's Kogan Plaza off H Street NW, you are surrounded by firm, young flesh. Muscular young men saunter by in sandals, T-shirts and cargo shorts. Young blond women sport clingy, sleeveless tops, oversize sunglasses and the astounding array of subtle variations available in flip-flops and painted toenails.

Is this the future? you ask de Grey.

"Yes, it is precisely the future," he says. "Except without people who look as old as you and me."

"Of course the world will be completely different in all manner of ways," de Grey says of the next few decades. His speech is thick, fast and mellifluous, with a quality British accent.

"If we want to hit the high points, number one is, there will not be any frail elderly people. Which means we won't be spending all this unbelievable amount of money keeping all those frail elderly people alive for like one extra year the way we do at the moment. That money will be available to spend on important things like, well, obviously, providing the health care to keep us that way, but that won't be anything like so expensive. Secondly, just doing the things we can't afford now, giving people proper education and not just when they're kids, but also proper adult education and retraining and so on.

"Another thing that's going to have to change completely is retirement. For the moment, when you retire, you retire forever. We're sorry for old people because they're going downhill. There will be no real moral or sociological requirement to do that. Sure, there is going to be a need for Social Security as a safety net just as there is now. But retirement will be a periodic thing. You'll be a journalist for 40 years or whatever and then you'll be sick of it and you'll retire on your savings or on a state pension, depending on what the system is. So after 20 years, golf will have lost its novelty value, and you'll want to do something else with your life. You'll get more retraining and education, and go and be a rock star for 40 years, and then retire again and so on."

The mind reels. Will we want to be married to the same person for a thousand years? Will we need religion anymore? Will the planet fill to overflowing?

But first -- why are these questions coming up now? And why are we listening to answers from Aubrey de Grey?

Appalled at the Carnage

De Grey became the archenemy of aging in two steps.

"The first stage happened when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. My mother wanted me to practice the piano, and I would resist it.

"She'd already somehow brought me up to be very analytical and introspective. So I realized it was very straightforward. The best possible outcome of my putting in this enormous time at the piano is that I would become a good pianist. That wasn't good enough. I would make a minimal difference in the world, because there were plenty of other very good pianists already. Well, that won't do. What I actually wanted to do with my life is make a difference to the world. That led me into science very quickly."

In his teens he heard the siren song of the the first British microcomputers, the Sinclairs and Acorns, and never looked back. Computer science filled his undergraduate years at Cambridge and became the field in which he spent more than a decade.

The second stage started when he was 26. De Grey fell in love with and married a geneticist, Adelaide Carpenter, who is 19 years his senior.

He learned a lot of biology over the dinner table, he says, and gradually became driven by the notion that "aging is responsible for two-thirds of all death -- now that means worldwide 100,000 people every single day -- and in the industrialized world, it is something like 90 percent."

The further he got into Carpenter's world and that of her senior colleagues, the more incensed he became that biologists and gerontologists just accept this carnage.

"I was appalled. Utterly appalled. I began to realize the profound difference of motivation and mind-set between scientists on the one hand and technologists and engineers on the other hand."

In his world of information technology, the norm is making the world new. Try something and if it doesn't work, try something else. Science doesn't pave the way for engineering, it's the other way around. Intel figures out a way to make wires only a few molecules thick. Why the circuits function is at best of passing interest -- as long as they do. Science can take years if not decades to catch up with an adequate explanation of the device's quantum mechanics. It is the final triumph of Edison over Einstein.

The idea of bringing pragmatism to biology made de Grey think "I might be able to make a contribution. I became very aware by this time that biology was critically short of synthesizers -- people who brought ideas together from disparate fields who came up with new ideas for experimentalists to do." So he got his PhD in biology from Cambridge and started scattering ideas like viruses.

Aging consists of seven critical kinds of damage, according to de Grey. For example, unwholesome goo accumulates in our cells. Our bodies have not evolved means quickly to clean up "intracellular aggregates such as lipofuscin." However, outside our bodies, microorganisms have eagerly and rapidly evolved to turn this toxic waste into compost. (De Grey made this connection because he knew two things: Lipofuscin is fluorescent and graveyards don't glow in the dark.)

By taking soil samples from an ancient mass grave, de Grey's colleagues in short order found the bacteria that digest lipofuscin as easily as enzymes in our stomachs digest a steak. The trick now is getting those lipofuscin-digesting enzymes into our bodies. That has not yet been done. But, de Grey says, comparable fundamental biotechnology is already in clinical use fighting diseases such as Tay-Sachs. So he sees it as merely an engineering problem.

Examples like this make up the 262 pages at the center of "Ending Aging."

"It's a repair and maintenance approach to extending the functional life span of a human body," de Grey says. "It's just like maintaining the functional life span of a classic car, or a house. We know -- because people do it -- that there is no limit to how long you can do that. Once you have a sufficiently comprehensive panel of interventions to get rid of damage and maintain these things, then, they can last indefinitely. The only reason we don't see that in the human body now is that the panel of interventions we have available to us today is not sufficiently comprehensive."

By 2005, his ideas had attracted enough attention as to no longer be merely controversial. De Grey was being pilloried as a full-blown heretic.

"The idea that a research programme organized around the SENS agenda will not only retard ageing, but also reverse it -- creating young people from old ones and do so within our lifetime, is so far from plausible that it commands no respect at all within the informed scientific community," wrote 28 biogerontologists in the journal of the European Molecular Biology Organization. Their recommendation: more of the patient, basic scientific research that is their stock in trade.

"Each idea that we decide to pursue will cost years of work and a great deal of money, so we spend a lot of time -- at meetings, seminars and in the library -- trying to search for and weigh alternatives, and looking for loopholes in our chain of arguments before they are pointed out to us either by peer reviewers or experimental results.

"Presented by an articulate, witty and colourful proponent, a flashy research agenda might catch the eye of a journalist or meeting organizer who is hunting for attention, publicity and an audience; however, the SENS agenda is easily recognized as a pretence by those with scientific experience.

"Why not simply debate with de Grey and let the most convincing arguments win? It is . . . our opinion that pretending that such a collection of ill-founded speculations is a useful topic for debate, let alone a serious guide to research planning, does more harm than good both for science and for society."

The resulting uproar was followed by the put-up-or-shut-up smack-down in MIT Technology Review. The upshot was intriguing.

"In our judgment none of the 'refutations' succeeded," Myhrvold, one of the judges, writes in an e-mail.

"It was a bit ironic because they were mostly the work of established scientists in mainstream gerontology who sought to brand de Grey as 'unscientific' -- yet the supposed refutations were themselves quite unscientific.

"The 'refutations' were either ad hominem attacks on de Grey, or arguments that his ideas would never work (which might be right, but that is what experiments are for), or arguments that portions of de Grey's work rested on other people's ideas. None of these refute the possibility that he is at least partially correct.

"This is not to say that the MIT group endorsed de Grey," Myhrvold emphasizes, "or thinks he has proven his case. He hasn't, but admits that upfront. All of science rests on ideas that were either unproven hypotheses or crazy speculations at one point. . . . The sad reality is that most crazy speculations fail. . . . We do not know today how to be forever young for 1,000 years, and I am deeply skeptical that we will figure it out in time for me!"

No Point in Being Miserable

Off the J Street food court at GWU, there is a cafe so metabolically correct that it features not only a vegan service bar, but, separately, a vegetarian service bar, which is not to be confused with the salad bar.

Seems like a good place for lunch with a man intent on immortality.

Not so much.

"I'm getting damn thirsty," de Grey announces.

What appeals to him is the Froggy Bottom Pub on Pennsylvania Avenue. "I like good beer, but I'm not really a snob about beer. I'm perfectly happy to drink Sam Adams, if that's what they have."

Aubrey de Grey is not interested in spending his next centuries miserable. He cheerfully chows down on french fries, heavily crusted deep-fried chicken and two dark beers.

So beyond the question of whether immortality is feasible, is it a good idea? For every Woody Allen who says, "I don't want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve it through not dying," isn't there a Ralph Waldo Emerson who asks, "What would be the use of immortality to a person who cannot use well a half an hour?"

Why is it, when you bring up the idea of living forever -- even if robust and healthy, not drooling on your shoes -- some people just recoil viscerally?

"It's probably the majority that recoils viscerally," de Grey says. "It's what I call the pro-aging trance.

"Since the beginning of civilization, we have been aware that aging is ghastly and that aging is utterly inevitable. . . . So we have two choices. Either we spend our lives being preoccupied by this ghastly future or we find some way to get on with our miserably short lives and make the best of it.

"If we do that second thing, which is obviously the right thing to do, then it doesn't matter how irrational that rationalization might be. . . . It could be, well, we're all going to go to heaven. Or it could be, we're going to have overpopulation. Or it could be, it will be boring. Or, dictators will live forever.

"It doesn't matter what the answers are. It's so important for them to maintain their belief that aging is actually not such a bad thing, that they completely suspend any normal rational sense of proportion."

But if people don't die, won't we indeed fill the planet shoulder to shoulder?

"The birthrate is going to have to go down by an order of magnitude," de Grey acknowledges. "But even if that is going to be a severe problem, the question is not, do problems exist? The question is, are they serious enough to outweigh the benefits of saving 100,000 lives a day? That's the fundamental question. If you haven't got an argument that says that it's that serious that we shouldn't save 30 [bleeping] World Trade Centers every [bleeping] day, don't waste my time. It's a sense of proportion thing."

So de Grey soldiers on, not that it is anywhere written that anything he advocates will work. His approach, however, does have echoes in history.

On Oct. 9, 1903, the New York Times wrote:

"The flying machine which will really fly might be evolved by the combined and continuous efforts of mathematicians and mechanicians in from one million to ten million years."

On the same day, on Kill Devil Hill, N.C., in his diary, a bicycle mechanic named Orville Wright wrote:

"We unpacked rest of goods for new machine."