My thanks to those of you who persisted in checking for new posts from me. I apologize for the fact that I've not written since January. Mea culpa.

In early February in a comprehensive medical physical in Manila, I discovered what I suspected...a heart problem. To make a long story short, after several trips there from distant Mindanao, I wound up with an angioplasty in one artery. There was talk of a pacemaker, since I have a low heart rate that is also sometimes irregular. (I have always had a low heart rate...and thought it was a good sign.) Resorting to a pacemaker has been postponed, thankfully, and I am making good progress in recovery, continuing to lose weight.

Most of the progress is due to weight loss by strict diet, and some exercise. As some of you know, I was a fitness freak until mid-2007, and then started studying stock option trading, and things went seriously downhill until the end of 2008 when blood was running in the streets. I have recently started lifting weights again, carefully of course, and discovered how much I miss the physical exercise that weight lifting gives.

So that's my excuse for not writing.