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the broken ankle… CAT imaging with OsiriX

administrator — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 01:01:23 +0000

A CAT scan image showing Todd's foot

Well, if you’re going to break your foot you may as well get the disk with the imaging so you can look at it while you can’t do anything else, right?!

OsiriX is open source CAT scan imaging software! It’s pretty incredible. I (using crutches) walked from the CAT scan area to the File Room where they provided me a CD with the CAT scan imaging. The result is shown below. Actually, OsiriX lets me move around in 3-D etc. This is just a movie output to make it simple to visualize for delivery.

There are three breaks. Two of them are quite extreme, the third is…. well, less noticeable. I can’t say I can feel all three but collectively they hurt.

Surgery is scheduled for this Wednesday, January 5th. Comments are welcomed.

So… here are a bit more details as far as “clues” for the damage sustained….

the clues just keep coming! p-a-i-n-f-u-l!

purple dendro example

administrator — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:07:28 +0000

This is an experiment in using the gallery.

Areedang Blue (ADB) dendrobium

todd — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:31:29 +0000

This is a lovely two-tone dendrobium with delicate purple (or some may say lavender) coloration on the top two outer petals, and very, very delicate purple color on the outer edges of the other petals. The center throat is a very deep purple. Our photos show all aspects very nicely.

zen mind, beginner’s mind

todd — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:09:14 +0000

At times I have told people that the philosophy I most closely connect with is Zen Buddhism.

At other times I feel I have such little knowledge on the topic it feels almost like fluffery for me to even say that is what I connect with.

At still other times, I realize that I am able to contribute thoughts from my experience with Martial Arts (Karate-do) and was able to reflect upon these key principles this morning:

In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.

– Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki‘s book: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, which reflecting upon a saying of his regarding the way to approach Zen practice

• Mushin: Practicing “No-Mindedness”. I really enjoyed getting a reminder of mushin from the wikipedia article this morning: my best excerpt for this morning: (there is so much good here, it is hard for me not to take the whole thing.. but I will quote one paragraph…)

Mushin is achieved when a person’s mind is free from thoughts of anger, fear, or ego during combat or everyday life. There is an absence of discursive thought and judgment, so the person is totally free to act and react towards an opponent without hesitation and without disturbance from such thoughts. At this point, a person relies not on what they think should be the next move, but what is their trained natural reaction or what is felt intuitively. It is not a state of relaxed, near-sleepfulness, however. The mind could be said to be working at a very high speed, but with no intentions, plans or direction. In analogy a clear mind is compared to a still pond, which is able to clearly reflect the moon and trees. But just as waves in the pond will distort the picture of reality, so will the thoughts we hold onto disrupt the true perception of reality.

• Zanshin (Japanese: 残心)… (from wikipedia)

In several martial arts, zanshin refers more narrowly to the body’s posture after a technique is executed…”, “In karate, zanshin is the state of total awareness. It means being aware of one’s surroundings and enemies, while being prepared to react.

• Shoshin: (again, credit goes to wikipedia)

Shoshin (初心) is a concept in Zen Buddhism meaning Beginner’s Mind. It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject…

I realize today, I am able to reflect upon the several years I practiced Karate in Boston and realize that the no-mindedness I practiced during kata was very helpful in developing a peacefulness of mind.

Even during chaos, I can strive to appreciate everything that is going on and do the best possible next right action. Very difficult at times, but something to strive for.

Perhaps tomorrow I shall reflect upon Satori.

Zen Mind at 350 KM above earth

Have a wonderful day! It’s just an interesting coincidence (and perhaps we put our own thoughts upon those that we see?) but this astro pic of the day (“wonderful day” link, image at left) makes me think of reflection, no-mindedness and thoughts of openness.

I also get a great deal of peacefulness listening to these tibetan chants.

november 11, 2010 :: word for the day

todd — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 03:33:31 +0000

Trifecta. Gotta love that word!

There are several things going on all at once that make the word especially apropos today. Another great word. Apropos.

I’m hungry. All words are sounding good right now. Delicious.Delectable. Elegant. Tasty. Mmmmm Ice cream.

I’ll stop now.

services offered

todd — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:59:53 +0000

webhosting / budgeting to fit your needs…
analytics
e-commerce : jumpstarting / modernizing
database manipulation / filemaker & mysql
conceptualization : user interaction / user experience
design : mobile / desktop

a blank stare…

todd — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 10:10:38 +0000

Content without meaning

“They” say English language does not have tones. If you speak other languages, meaning can change based on tone. Rising, Falling, Steady, etc. So, they say English doesn’t do this.

But I find it fascinating how you can have a simple sentence like “Content without meaning” and if you say “con•TENT without meaning” (adjective, second syllable ‘rising’), one could interpret that you are happy to be without knowledge. Whereas, if you just say “CON•TENT without meaning” (noun, entire word ‘steady’), you are speaking about the material or the essence at hand.

So, the purpose of this little foray is to simply create a new entry on my new site.

Welcome to TekPal.com. Computer services. FileMaker, Interface Design, Conceptual Dialogue among other skills.

More shall be revealed soon.