Paul Holstein's Blog

I love to travel and visit new places.  I think it's great to see the world and learn about different cultures.  To be honest with you, I'm mildly intrigued about Cuba.  It's about 94 miles from Key West to Cuba.  So you would think I could simply hop a ferry and go there tomorrow.  But there is a problem.  You see, I am an American and not a Cuban American.  I don't have the same rights as Cuban Americans have.  Cuban Americans can visit Europe, home of my ancestors, but I can't visit Cuba, home of their ancestors.  All this because I am not a Cuban American.  Please tell me since when was being a natural citizen a disadvantage?  C'mon Congress, let's pass a law giving all Americans the same rights as our Cuban American brothers and sisters.

As you may have heard recently, Feb 12th was Charles Darwin's birthday.  Naturally, there has been a lot of press about this and a lot of discussions.  But I think a lot of people don't understand what Darwin actually discovered.

People always knew that evolution existed.  Farmers of the day were quite adept at developing plants for different characteristics.  They knew how to evolve both plants and animals to take on certain traits.  Simply breed the organisms with the most desirable traits and some of their offspring will share the same traits.  It was common knowledge.  Unfortunately, people believed that only an intelligent being such as man or God could influence nature in this way.

When a child would ask his parents why a peacock has such intricate feathers, the natural response was simply, "because God made him that way."  What people didn't understand was that evolution could occur outside of intelligent design.  Through many observations and experiments, Charles Darwin was able to demonstrate that evolution could occur through natural selection (i.e. snowbound vs. desert), sexual selection (for example, some women may prefer taller mates) or even group selection (i.e. people who worship the sun God are removed from the group and don't have children).

He demonstrated how the same animals separated by a mountain range or body of water would develop different characteristics depending on their environment.  This is called the survival of the fittest.  He even showed how the sexual preferences of some animals would lead to different characteristics.  The peacocks feathers certainly don't give him a natural advantage.  In fact, the extra weight and bulk of those feathers make him easier to catch for his predators.  But if the females prefer an ornate display, then he will father more children.

So now, when kids ask their parents why a peacock has such intricate feathers, the parents respond, "well, er, um... because God made him that way."  We've come a long way in 200 years.

This is a great video.  The next time you've got 16 minutes free, be sure to check it out.

This is the time of year where temptation looms everywhere.  I'm talking mostly about the abundance of fatty foods that aren't very healthy, however, temptations could be lots of things.  Some folks struggle with drugs, alcohol, harmful relationships and even greed.  So is it better to avoid temptation or resist it?  (or maybe even give in)

My personal opinion is that it is far easier to avoid temptation than it is to resist it.  A friend of mine told me an old AA story about a man who walked home using the same path every day for 15 years.

One day, the man was walking home and was unaware that there was construction on the path to his house and they had dug a very big hole right on his path.  Since he didn't see it coming and had no idea he was in danger, he walked too close to the hole and fell in.  (We'll use the hole as an analogy to temptation)

The next day, he knew the hole was there but figured he would be very careful.  This time, he walked carefully around the edge of the hole, but he slipped and fell in anyway.

So the third day, the man decided to find another way home.

The moral of the story is clear.  It is far easier to avoid temptations than it is to resist them.  Now this particular story is told to alcoholics who go to the bar every day and end up getting drunk.  Then they become aware of the problem and try to avoid getting drunk but they don't change their habits and end up at the bar drinking when they meant to avoid the drinks.  So the advice to the alchoholic is to avoid the bar altogether.

I think this kind of advice is good for other temptations as well.  Obviously, you can't totally avoid food like you can alcohol.  You have to eat something.  However, there is no reason you can't plan your meals in advance and portion them correctly while you are in control of your emotions and willpower.  That way, all you have to eat is what you have prepared in advance.

Now, this time of year presents another problem -- what do you do about the huge quantities of food at work, school, home and everywhere you turn?  My advice is to try to ignore it as best you can.  If you have to cave in, grab only a small bite and head back to your desk.  I'd also advise you to not be so hard on yourself early in the day.  Discipline has a limited supply.  That means that if you use up all your discipline in the morning, you won't have much left by the end of the day.

So be careful.  Try to avoid temptation and if you're going to give in, do it in the morning.

After years of being a chicken, I finally decided to fix my eyes permanently.  This morning, I got my eyes corrected using LASIK surgery.  Here's are the details for those you who are interested.

The day started around 9:30 at Millenium Eye Center.  I had to arrive early to get my eyes retested after my last visit 17 days ago.  They do this because after prolonged contact lens use, your eyes change shape.  If you have tork lenses for astigmatism, the problem is even worse.  They recommend you wear glasses for two weeks so that your eyes have time to adjust.

I've mentioned before how professional Millenium Eye is.  Today was no exception.  They took good care of me and explained the procedures every step of the way.  After my three eye tests were completed, I asked to try out the monovision glasses again.  This is where they undercorrect one eye so you can read close up during your senior years.  I was concerned that having two different strength eyes would be disconcerting for me.  So today I tried the special glasses and settled on a -.5 adjustment to my right eye rather than a -.75 or -1.00.

From there, I joined 3 other patients waiting for their surgeries.  We all sat in a row of 8 chairs with our designated drivers.  A nurse came by and gave us all hair nets and then washed and sterilized our eyelids with iodine.  They then called us in to another examination room where Dr. Cory Lessner took a good look at our eyes using a microscope and went over any final questions we may have before the surgery.  He then left the room and went to the operating room.  A few moments later, the first patient went in for part 1 of the surgery.  When she came out, another went in, and then it was my turn.

I entered the operating room and sat down on a reclining chair which is nearly identical to any reclining chair you might find at the dentist's office.  They taped up my left eye and positioned the laser over my right eye.  The nurse applied a few drops of numbing drops into my eye.

Within moments, the eye was completely numb.  They inserted a specula over my eye to keep my eyelids open.  Then they asked me to stare at the center of the light above me while they applied a suction ring to my eye.  Doctor Lessner told me that everyting would black out when he applied pressure.  Oddly enough, it took a long time for it to get dark and, frankly, I never blacked out completely.  I always saw a little light coming through the suction ring.

Next, he counted down while they turned on the intralase laser and cut a flap in my eye.  This took only 20 seconds per eye.  Afterwards, I could still see as I did before, only a little foggier.  The nurse helped me back to my chair with the other patients.

Next came phase 2 of the surgery.  I walked into the second operating room where they again positioned me under another laser.  Dr. Lessner first asked me what kind of music I wanted to hear and I chose opera.  To be fair, he didn't have Cake, "Go the Distance" on his player so I settled for Josh Grodan, or something like that.  The other patients who heard my selection, thought it was funny.

Anyway, they taped my eyelids open and applied some more numbing drops to the eye.  It's important to note at this point that the numbing drops are extremely effective.  You don't feel any pain whatsoever once they apply these drops.  After taping my eyelids and applying the drops, the doctor marked my cornea with a marker (presumably, a special medical pen rather than your typical magic marker).  This was done so that he could precisely reposition it after the surgury.

Next, he pulled back the flap that was created during phase one.  I'm sure you are thinking that that is an increadibly gross thing to do, however, I can assure you that it wasn't bad at all.  Remember how I told you that the numbing drops are very effective.  Well, there really is no difference between the doctor doing something 2 inches in front of your eye and him touching your eye.  You simply can't tell the difference.  Honestly, it was like watching the procedure on television.  It just doesn't feel as if the doctor is touching your eye at all.

Once the flap was pulled back, he positioned the laser and began the countdown as the laser went to work.  I could smell the tissue burning, but it wasn't unpleasant at all.  It was similar to a woman blow drying her hair.  Once the laser completed, Dr. Lessner repositioned the flap and went on to the second eye.

After he finished the second eye, I was done.  Although my eyes were a bit foggy, it was clear to me that the surgery was effective.  I saw the clock on the wall and could recognize much more than when I walked in.  Next, I took a picture with Dr. Lessner and waited outside for the examination.

A few minutes after the surgery they tested my vision and it came in at 20/50+.  The nurse assured me that this was a great result.  Then the doctor came in and examined the eyes again under a microscope.  He used a small brush to smooth out the flap and make sure it was perfectly positioned before releasing me.

He declared everything fine and sent me off to the receptionist to get my drops.  That was it.  No more glasses or contacts for me.  Now it's time for post op care. 

OK, it's not entirely junk, but it is misleading.  Here's the headline: "A glass of wine a day protects middle-aged teetotallers from heart disease"  Great news for all you drinkers out there, right?

Stop and think about this for a moment.  Why are we spending millions of dollars trying to prove that alchohol is a good thing?  You guessed it, profit.  The alchohol industry is huge and they have a vested interest in getting you to believe wine and spirits are good and you should drink more.  So if you only listened to them, you may not get the complete picture.

First of all, is wine the only good thing for your health?  Of course not.  Let's talk about fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods.  Increase your consumption of those foods and you'll get much better results than wine.  But you don't see the media going wild with this news do you? 

Secondly, too much wine is a bad thing.  It can be addictive, elevate triglycerides, contribute to abnormal heart rhythms and raise breast cancer in women.  Also, the study was done with only moderate amounts of wine.  Most drinkers drink far more than moderately.

I've said this before and I'll say it again.  Eat properly, don't eat too much, exercise regularly, avoid stress and get plenty of sleep.  That's what it comes down to.

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If you've followed my blog for a while, you know that I predicted that Dayjet would have a difficult time making money.  See my post about Dayjet. 

Sure enough, they went bust.  Here's an excerpt from the email I got from them today.

"...effective September 19, 2008, DayJet has ceased its jet services and cancelled all future flights, pending further notice. The shutdown is a consequence of the company’s inability to arrange essential financing in the midst of the current global financial crisis."

"Regrettably, we are unable to honor any customer reservations or issue refunds. Please contact your credit card company and request a credit pursuant to the Fair Credit Billing Act."

I was one of the few people in the world who had the priveledge of flying Dayjet before they went out of business.  It's a real shame.

Every morning, I take both my daughters to school.  First up is Emma, whom I walk to school before 8:00.  Her school is only about 200 yards from our home but we have to walk around the front to get in so it takes a bit longer.  Along the way, I pass between five and ten other parents walking their children.  As I pass them, I always try to make eye contact with them and say hello.  I was always tought that this is good manners.  To be sure, about 75% respond favorably.  However, many make an effort to avoid eye contact or to ignore me altogether.  Why?  Do I look funny?  Are they afraid of me?  Are they so overwhelmed with their own problems that they can not perceive what's going on around them?  Are they socially inept?

The problem is even worse at my toddler's school.  I get her there by 9:00 in the morning and since the children are even younger, it is predominantely the mothers who take their children to school.  At least half the parents there make no effort to interact whatsoever.  They look stressed and unapproachable.  Even many of the smiling moms will look the other way as I approach to avoid any interaction at all.  I simply don't understand it.  What happened to community?  If you are one of the parents dropping off your kids, please make an effort one day to notice the other parents around you.  Who knows, maybe one day you may wish to say hello.

In just 10 more days, I'll be getting my vision correction surgury at Millennium Laser Eye Centers in Fort Lauderdale.  Since I'm 43 years old, they presented me with an option that younger folks don't get.  They asked me if I wanted mono-vision. 

So what is Monovision?  That's where they correct your dominant eye for distance and they make the other eye nearsighted.  Therefore, your two eyes do not match.  One is used for distance and the other for close up vision such as reading.  Now, you might think this would lead to headaches and difficulties adjusting.  However, I was assured that my brain would adjust easily to the disparity.

To help me make my decision, they fitted me with a set of glasses to simulate the mono vision.  Frankly, it looked a bit weird to me so they modified it to be less severe.  They called that mini monovision.  So if mono-vision fixes the non-dominant eye to 20-40, this mini mono-vision corrects the eye to 20-30 instead. 

I liked the mini mono-vision much better.  It felt better to me and I was easily able to read both far and near. 

So why do this at all?  Well, as we age, we tend to get presbyopia which is a fancy term for "needs reading glasses."  By making one eye nearsighted, it compensates a bit for the persbyopia, thereby delaying the need for reading glasses in the future.

So I'm going to try it.  If I end up hating it, they can always adjust it later with more surgery.  I'll let you know how it goes.

My friend Cory is a surgeon.  He performs Laser Eye Surgury.  After wearing contact lenses now for about 25 years, I've finally decided to have my eyes corrected once and for all.

I went to visit his office a couple of days ago for an evaluation and to learn about the process.  I have to say that it was extremely professional.  The staff at Millenium Laser Eye Centers were very thorough, knowledgeable and courteous.  They walked me from test to test and explained every test and the results. 

The day before my visit, they sent me forms to complete in advance and instructions for the day.  This reminded me of a simpler time in my life when I was in grade school.  The teachers would always prepare us for any upcoming event by giving complete instructions and guidelines.  Even today, when I visit my daughter's school, I'm amazed at how organized everything is.  I remember graduating and getting my first job.  I was expecting everything to be organized with my bosses telling me exactly what they wanted me to do.  Boy, was I shocked.

Nonetheless, Millenium Eye Center was very detailed.  At the end of my visit, I felt totally confident to trust my eyes to their capable hands.  They have the latest technology and are very experienced in how to use it.  So I signed up.

My first assignment is to stop wearing contact lenses for two weeks.  This means I had to dust off my old auxilliary backup glasses and wear them full time.

Now I remember why I hated glasses and switched to contacts in the first place.  These glasses are horrible.  Everything appears warped and distorted to me. Because I have an astigmatism, I basically have to look at objects straight on to see them clearly.  So now, I have to move my entire head to look at anything.

To make matters worse, I like to exercise.  Yesterday when I did my run, I had to attach a strap to the back of the glasses to keep them on.  Running (or even walking for that matter) is very difficult when you have as much correction as I have.  Nothing appears to be in the right place.  In fact, as I was coming down the steps of my daughter's school, I nearly fell down the steps because my foot was further off the edge than I was expecting.

So this is downright dangerous.  I'm pretty sure I'm OK for driving but I'm being cautious nevertheless and taking few chances on the road.

Another problem with glasses is showering.  Since I can't see anymore in the shower, I'm not exactly sure what it is that I'm washing.  It's extremely frustrating.

So wish me luck.  I'm hoping to get through the next two weeks safely and I can't wait to see clearly again.

I'll let you all know how it goes.