And the Battle Rode On

My armor fit tightly around chest restricting the fluidity of my movements.  The enemy, off in the distance, at times sliced through the air and created audible explosions off in the distance.  The potent smell around me was telling of where I was.

Previous attempts at victory had yielded success when I used the proper fighting technique.  Of course correct form is easy when the attacker isn’t beating down upon you.  I grabbed my weapon with both hands and tucked it closely under my arm.  One step into the battleground and instantly a shock of realism bolted up my spine.   I had recollections of fighting months ago and the memories were still vivid.  Nearing the enemies lines, I approached cautiously.  Calculated steps ensured that the moving mines wouldn’t pierce my legs; an incident that had placed my friends on crutches.  One wrong foot placement and my legs could be in dire peril.  Closer, Closer.

CRRASH, the sound of violent clatter was almost upon me, sharpening my perceptions of the situation.  I sensed another attack coming, and this time I jumped onto my stomach and forcefully punched through the first wave of enemies.  I knew I had time before the next group of attackers would emerge.  Straining everything inside of me, I lugged my weapon and armor forward. The blinding sun beamed luminously and heated my armor.

KA BOOM...An explosion ripped through the air mercilessly.  This charge was far more vicious and powerful than the last.  I attempted to avoid it, but there was little I could do.  It knocked me helplessly backward.  I cleared my vision with a newfound desire to conquer my competitor.

I slashed forward directly at my opponent in the distance, turned around and waited to pounce on him.  He came quickly, looking to disarm me.  But I pushed forward just ahead of him and began to stand over him. He started to cave in on himself, attempting to drag me with him. I remained firm with my feet solidly placed on top of my board coasting the wave all the way to shore.  

** This blog post was inspired by my time surfing over the weekend which felt like entering a battlefield. Wearing a wetsuit, avoiding stingrays, plowing through waves and finally standing several times were all parts of the experience.

Here's a poem I wrote for Valentine's Day (no particular person, sorry). Enjoy the clever nerdyness!

With All of my Cardiac Myocytes

You send me an SMS and my SNS starts to fly

When you are around me, you deflate my alveoli

Beauty is in your genes, constitutively expressed

Even in your scrubs and mask, I’m totally impressed

You give me tachyarrythmias when you try to call

It’s not safe to think of you without taking propranolol

As you are you don’t need botox, silicon or surgery

You are perfect to every integrin and cyclic A M P

Your smile is by far my favorite phenotypic trait

But also your ASIS and immaculate gait

If you were a cardiac interval, you would be a QT

You’re more valuable than a surgeon’s salary

When you feel depressed and want to sit and cry

I’ll lift you up inside like the levator ani

I’ll treat you out to dinner and treat you when you have the flu

I’m a practicing specialist and it’s in is pleasing you

I wish we were paired chromosomes, with ties no one could sever

Then we could be in metaphase, from now until forever.

I have a U-linked mutation and it’s in my DNA

Could we link like tight junctions just for Valentines Day?