Russell Thomas Home Page

I never hire anyone for anything I can do myself… pending I have the time and energy to actually do it.

We recently attended a wedding and a roaming photographer took this great shot. We look so happy and vibrant that It’s like we’re on a homepage for Viagra showing another satisfied customer!

The photography company posted the wedding pics online for all invited to see. When I found this I clicked on the button to “purchase now” and was taken to another 3rd party where I had to dive through another 100+ images only to find pictures of the bride and groom. So, since I tried to buy it and couldn’t I had no choice but to screen shot it. So, I’ll never have it full size, but I do have it.

It goes to show you that professionals are only considered as such when it relates to their primary focus. The ability to ensure their website works to increase revenues from attendees and prospective customers is obviously not priority.

As my step-father once told me “Do one thing… and do it well”. He was a doctor so he only had time to do one thing anyway. As much as I would like to live by that motto my inherent curiosity will always ensure that I am a jack of all and master of none. That’s OK. There’s some interesting benefits and synergies to being a programmer and a mechanic.

I’m backdating this blog entry to July 8th, 2007 because that marks 6 months since I quit smoking and the longest I’ve ever gone without nicotine. I can honestly say that I’m done forever this time. And no, I won’t be picking up Swisher cigars once a week, then daily, and then to a 10 cigar-a-day habit that forces you back to “healthier” cigarettes like the last times. No excuses… ever.

It’s great being a non-smoker now:

• No more smell
• No yellow teeth
• No burnt car seats
• No expenses
• No social stigma

And, now I can sing, hold my breath, run a 10k (not that I have), and feel positive about my health and image which enhances self-esteem.

I also no longer worry about losing my job either. Seriously. Fitting into the corporate culture is imperative to being accepted and maintaining lengthy employment (once again, it’s not what you know…) and smokers are now the outcasts that every company wants to see eliminated.

Nobody can deny that smoking is bad for you, but damn it’s so enjoyable. I will always miss the taste, smell, and the numerous “ten minute” smoke breaks where you meet so many interesting people.

When my daughter grows up and the topic comes up of “when Daddy used to smoke”, it will be nice to hear her say “You did!?, I don’t remember that.”… good.

They call them “smart drugs” or “barbie drugs” because they are meant to be the cure all for improving memory functions or appearance in a single pill. I have a small fascination with them and want to be the first one on board to try them, but not because I’m a masochist. It’s kind of like Gattica, the movie; if you were not one of the genetically altered kids of the future your were placed lower on the societal scale and denied certain rights and benefits in society. So, if I can join the club sooner I have a better chance of surviving the future… in theory.

What I’ve been experimenting with and find interesting lately is Modafinil (wiki). What’s most interesting is that it has replaced standard uppers used in the U.S. military to keep soldiers awake and alert for more hours than usual. Why did they choose this new drug? Heck, not one scientist can understand why it works, it just does. That’s pretty scary, but it’s also FDA approved (thanks to a little push from our military, I’m sure). They selected this drug because it creates a long lasting sense of alertness, not a jumpy caffeine induced fit that causes you to vacuum your house for two hours and then pass out. It is sold as a medication for persons with narcolepsy (i.e. randomly falling asleep disorder) primarily, but has also be sold for those with ADD (Attention Deficit Dis… where’s my coffee?).

For me, I’m so busy these days with work, kid, wife, college, and multiple businesses to manage that I hardly have time for sleep anymore. I drive an hour each way to work and often find myself falling asleep at the wheel. I also fall asleep in the middle of meetings, over my lunch break, watching TV, and if I allowed myself I could fall asleep standing up and having a conversation. It’s a nice ability to have when you want to sleep through a long flight, but not when you want to be a productive member of society. Do I have Narcolepsy? I doubt that, I’m just an overachiever that sacrifices a good night’s sleep for some extra work or play time and I pay the price for it… that is, until now.

I originally purchased a box of 100mg pills from an online retailer because I can’t afford the time to make an appointment with my doctor, take a day off work, pay an outrageous co-payment, beg for the meds, fill the scrip for a million dollars, then have to do it all again in 3-6 months. No thanks.

So, the pills arrived but they are straight from India, not made by Cephalon but rather the Indian equivalent. That’s OK because I recently read a story of the owner in India who is producing generic equivalents of nearly every drug regardless of U.S. patents and the other drug companies are pissed. That’s OK by me, U.S. drug companies have enough money and the world needs cheaper meds. Anyway, for me, 100mg proved enough on day one, but thereafter the dosage had to keep increasing to notice a benefit. They state that person with severe Narcolepsy may take up to 600mg a day. That appears to be my dosage now; 400mg in the morning maybe another 200mg on the drive home if I’m on the verge passing out.

So, what’s my conclusion? It works… very well actually, and with no side effects (so far). Check out my liver’s blog for more information ;-). You are simply very, very alert, but not obviously so. I can still go to sleep if I want to or need to, but I can control it now and I’m far more productive on average. I can assume that the U.S. prescribed equivalent is probably much stronger (cleaner) since I’m already up to the daily maximum, but then again, maybe I really have a form of Narcolepsy…. whatever! It works and it’s probably the only thing that will get me through this stage of my life so I’ve purchased a crap load of the 200mg versions.

Next to try… Melanotan. Invented by accident at the University of Phoenix and gives Irish white boys like myself the ability to get tan without sun! And, the best side effect of it is increased sexual arousal (not that I need any more). The problems are cost, no FDA approval yet, and the fact that you have to inject it with a syringe. I may wait on a patch or something before I try this. For now I’ve been keeping up on the blogs of those who are more willing to be initial test monkeys than I am.