REDEF loves you
REDEF loves you
MEDIAREDEF PICKS
My Heart, Kill or Save Books, Mommy Bloggers, The Problem We All Live With, SF Rent
Jason Hirschhorn, curator August 17, 2015
QUOTABLES!
quote of the day
It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
Mahatma Gandhi
media
rant n' rave
rantnrave://

Dear REDEF Family, Media and Tech will not publish daily picks all week after today. The live feeds on each mix at REDEF.com and iOS beta will be updated throughout each day. Sports, Fashion and Music will operate normally. I’ll hopefully resume daily picks next week. But no promises. Why? A vacation? Prison? Ashram? Nope. For the past year I haven't felt 100% (or 50%). I think you've seen my complaints about sleep and exhaustion. A few weeks ago I had some tests that revealed I had coronary disease. I'm on my way just this minute to CEDARS SINAI in LOS ANGELES where I will have heart surgery this afternoon. I got out to LA about two weeks ago to jump start a healthier lifestyle. It's easier out here. It was a stop on my way to ASPEN for a friend's wedding, some rest and a hike with my friend KARYN. After taking the "nuclear stress test" the doctors immediately stopped me from traveling. That altitude and exercise likely would have killed me. My doctor saved my life. I messed up big time. I haven't really managed my TYPE 2 DIABETES for some time (and heart disease runs in my family) and since my mother passed away in 2014 I've not lived well. Long work hours, not eating well (apparently, if you read the directions on the box you're not supposed to eat the whole pizza, go figure), not sleeping much, minimal exercise. Whatever it was to not deal with that trauma and pain. You name it. Living like I didn't want to live, which of course is not the case. I got lucky where others have not. Another chance. My surgeon, ALFREDO TRENTO is one of the best in the country and he's taken the time to explain the procedure so I'm less anxious and scared. By all accounts he's a "rock star" and I'll use that expression if it helps me here. I've asked only two things of him. First, that he not watch Sunday TV and go to bed early. HBO and SHOWTIME are great, but I'd prefer he watch that on VOD after I'm out of the ICU. Second, in a career of stellar work and healing my wish is that this be his best surgery. Just a thought. It's been heartwarming to see friends reach out and help. Many tried and true and as many unexpected. It's never been easy for me to ask for help for myself. I take pride in being a good friend and I like helping people. But if I look back now I helped everyone I could but myself. FREUD would have a field day analyzing that. Maybe it's about having an excuse not to face taking care of myself. All I know is that after this, that's the focus. My #1 focus. REDEF is a lifelong dream to me and a tribute to my late mother who started me on the path of curiosity. Learning, sharing and celebrating knowledge. Being healthy first means a better product. If I'm being honest, I do REDEF for myself. It's a passion and a labor of love. I get pleasure in sharing it with you. But even though it's my name up there that's a false representation. REDEF is an ethic and a team. Marcus, Matty, Adam, Sharon, Ben, Carl and others make it happen every day and without them there is no REDEF. I'm scared. But starting tomorrow and for a few weeks, I'm no longer the driver, just a passenger. This isn't a natural thing. I'm having visions of JOHN HURT in ALIEN. But medical technology is amazing. The road ahead is long but worth it. HIPPOCRATES once said: "Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity." I want to live. I want to travel. See more TV and movies. Listen to more music (U2 in Europe). Love my nieces, nephew and godchildren. Have my own family. Laugh with my friends. Play sports. Sit on a beach. Help people. If I can do all that, I'll be happy and healthy and as a result REDEF will be even more awesome. Celebrating ideas, dissent, debate, diversity, innovation, creativity and fun. Thank you for coming on the journey with us. I've got a lot more to do. It's not over. Just a little catnap. See you on the other side of this. Love...

Jason Hirschhorn, curator

August 17, 2015