Sometimes (many times) I get stupid...

Unreal!

My first "Top Five Favorite Drummers" post left out one of my all-time drum-loves:

Bernard Purdie.

Yes, I know, "how can you seriously forget Bernard Purdie?" I don't know what sort of mind-flexing, dimentia-laden things were taking place that day, but I must have been caught up somewhere in Jimmy Chamberlin's snare sound from "Siamese Dream".

So, here's the updated "Top Five Favorite Drummers In No Particular Order of Greatness" list:

1. Jeff Porcaro

2. Bill Bruford

3. Bernard Purdie

4. Buddy Rich

5. Stewart Copeland

(Jimmy Chamberlin still in Top 10)

My God, how much different this list looked in 1995! Well, wait a minute; three of the five were there in '95 - can you guess who they were?

No Aston Villa this weekend due to international break - and of course, we COULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ONCE, but no. Once again we're let down by AV's poor, poor timing in away goal totals.

Later!

What most would call "Good News"

Hello to myself!

Well, I received the results of my cardiac tests from last week. Had a Nuclear Stress Test (on that damned treadmill), full blood-work, and a carotid echo (ultrasound?) done.

Of course, given my history of heart issues (more on that later) and panic disorder I've been expecting the worst of all results.

Hmm. According to my stress test, my heart is "normal" with an "ejection fraction" percentage of 62% (over 50% is normal). "No major blockages detected with this test" (notice the "with this test" caveat - although they do take two sets of 3d pictures, I'll translate this as "this test doesn't tell the whole story, so you'd better start freaking out"), and finally "your heart is working well and receiving adequate blood flow". Whatever the hell that means.

My carotid scans were negative for any issues.

My blood-work was better than I thought it would be: cholesterol is 161 (150 is normal). But, the HDL "good" cholesterol is ONLY 31, 45 is normal...got to get that up. And, of course, that makes my LDL "bad" cholesterol at 105, of which 80 is normal. Gotta get that down. Triglycerides are at 156, normal is less than 150, so not so bad.

The diet changes I've made over the last 4 months have definitely helped. But, more is needed.

Now, the "normal" person will take 99% of this as good news, smile contentedly, and file it in the back of their mind and go on with their daily life. Me, of course not. Like I mentioned above, the "no major blockages were found with this test" means I need a more detailed test - if there is one. I mean, TWO sets of pictures and a treadmill test just aren't enough evidence, right? Such is the thinking of the panic-addled. I even thought (for a moment) that my test results may have been mixed up with another patient, and my actual numbers are scaring the life out of some 30 year old.

Well, more later.

By the way, Aston Villa over Fulham 2-0, with ANOTHER own goal score by The Cottagers. That's two so far this season (Liverpool being first). I hate own goal scores - they're totally tainted. At least AV scored extras in each match, so they were "fair" wins. Still, why can't AV ever win when they really need it - like Rapid Vienna? I mean, they "won" the game, but lost Europe on aggregate away. Makes the stomach hurt. Anyway, GO VILLA!

Later!