A magical video collection

Most of you have probably seen some of these videos, but I'll take causing even just one of you to think, be inspired, amused, or laugh.

A useless machine - advanced edition

Pretty useless as well, but impressive indeed.

What would you like to do if money was no object?

How Bad Do You Want It? (Success)

Penn Jillette: Don't Leave Atheists Out on Christmas

A very nice version of Silent Night.

It's ok to be confused.

These were video from others. Here are a few videos from me (mostly from traveling): from elephant parade in Loas, to Muay Thai fighting in Thailand, and more. Check out my channel to see all the videos.

I'm still working on the design. Feel free to share your thoughts, and ideas.

A magical photo album

I was thinking of redesigning my blog, and I wanted to start by finding a nice background - some scenery from one of the places I've traveled to. I'm looking through a bunch of pictures I have on my computer. Suddenly I'm remembered of so many fun days. It made me think that we all should once in a while, especially if we’re having a bad day, go through our photo albums. These albums usually contain pictures portraying fun times with family and friends filled with lots of positive energy.

I might play with the design of my blog for the next few days. Just letting you know.

Here are just a few of the pictures I've found:

One crab for me please. Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco.

OMG we're going so fast. ATVs trip.

They only had one size, and NF usually means you get big heads.

Hampi, India.

Now that's artistic. I'm the 2nd from the left. Goa, India.

I am no one

One of the reasons I'm able to so freely open up and share my thoughts, feelings, and other things from my life that for some might seem very private is because I am no one.

I don't think there is anyone out there that is following everything I say, gathers all of that information I give away, and saves it on their computer so that one day they can make some clip or write an essay about me in order to humiliate and embarrass me. Again, I am no one.

I'm not Michael Jordan, I'm not President Obama, I'm not Meryl Streep, and I'm not Barbra Streisand. I'm not some famous politician, athlete, singer, or actor who needs to watch out for what they say (to not piss off a group of people which in turn could hurt their income). I am just Ilan, and I am no one.

Putting it very roughly, 1% of the people in this world love me, 1% hate me, and 98% don't even know who the hell I am and probably will never know.

And if (and that is a big if for me and most of us) one day I will become someone, then I could simply say that the guy back then who said and did all these things isn't who I am today (the future's today...). I'm not saying that what I'm sharing here on this blog is stupid. I'm speaking in general; about all of us. If one of us does actually became some important figure one day, we could simply and easily argue that like many, if not all of us, we've had our share of bad decisions, mistakes, partying days, and being a dumb 20 something year old. I'm not just speaking about when we were younger. Even later in life we will keep making mistakes, and we will never know everything about everything.

So what's this fear of sharing that is striking so many of us?! What is this phobia about privacy?!

What is this obsession so many of us have about pretending like we're someone else the minute we step out of our home (or in these social media days, how we choose to portray ourselves online)?!

I bet many of us, while sitting in a classroom, had a question, but were afraid to ask because we didn't want to sound stupid. So we didn't ask, and instead hoped that someone else will ask.

Do you really think someone out there is out to get you?! I don't think there is anyone out there that is out to get me, and you know why? Because I am no one!

Do you really think someone out there is so pathetic, has no life, and want to humiliate someone like me or you that no one really knows about?!

Even if there is such a person, when they finally finish their project, their silly master piece, the "humiliation of Johnny," I'm confident when I say that no one is going to care. And you know why? Well, because Johnny, like you and I, is no one.

So speak up, share your thoughts with people, and don't be afraid to say something stupid because we all have done that at one point or another.

"Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement"

- Henry Ford

In my last post I pleaded for people to share my blog. I want to thank all of you who did. I hope those who still have some difficulty doing so will be able to over come it. I have seen a great amount of traffic. Over 500 visits in the 24 hours following the publication of that post. I'd like to send a shout-out to some of my awesome supporters around the world in: Netherlands, Ukraine, China, Russia, Korea, and more. THANK YOU!!

I've seen my doctor yesterday and things are stable. This new chemo pills I'm on appear to be doing the trick for now. Unfortunately I'm still losing weight (I'm about 59kg or 130lb), so my doctor prescribed some appetite stimulant. I think it is doing the trick already since I've been hungry all day now, and have eaten more than usual. Also it looks like I'm moving back to Israel where I will be surrounded by more and very much needed family and friends.

Thank you again everyone for sharing, reading, and supporting. Happy holidays.

A small act of kindness

A small act of kindness can save a life. A small act of kindness can have a huge positive impact. A small act in the form of sharing. Not the sharing of your feelings and thoughts for everyone to see, but the sharing of the feelings and thoughts of someone who has already made up their mind to open up their world for everyone and anyone to see. Please share my blog.

I’ll be honest, I’m very disappointed to see the difficulty so many of my family members, friends, and other supporters have with sharing my blog. I’m having a hard time putting myself in these people’s shoes in order to understand their difficulty (feel free to message me and explain your difficulty).

It seems that most people aren’t able to, so freely, open themselves up like I do, and share their feelings and thoughts with the world. I don’t expect people to share like I do. I understand it is hard, yet I’m struggling to understand why it is hard to share a link to my blog, especially when I’ve said what a huge energy boost I get when people share my blog.

I cannot see who reads my blog, but I do see the number of visits, the number of people who stop by my blog to read what I say, and it’s a wonderful feeling to know that people are reading. It might not mean much to other people, but to me it means a lot. Every single visit cheers me up. Every single visit adds gas to my tank, and helps me keep on going. It helps me keep fighting my battle against cancer. It is another way for me to see that people care, that people are in the stands cheering for me to win.

I can only assume some of the thoughts people are having, thoughts that are preventing them from sharing. Maybe they are thinking something like “I rarely go on Facebook,” “I never respond to anything,” or “it’s not just you, I never share anything anyone posts.”

Ok, but here I am being open and honest with you. Telling you what this simple act of sharing can do. What a huge impact it can have on my life. Every time you share you are filling up my gas tank, my energy (which is running very low) to continue fighting. It is a simple act of kindness with powerful consequences.

I’m not asking you to share your thoughts. I know it hard for many people if not most people. You don’t have to say anything. Just share a link. Don’t over think it. It’s not stupid or plain if you share a link without saying anything. I cannot think of anything negative that could come out of you sharing my blog. No one is going to laugh. No one will negatively judge you for sharing my blog. Just like you are uncomfortable saying anything, others probably won’t say anything as well.

They might read, maybe get inspired. Maybe they will even share my blog with their friends. Or maybe they will simply ignore, scroll down, not even see what you shared. Maybe because you did share, someone saw it, then they read my blog and got inspired. Maybe they had a bad day, and saw someone who had a worse day, so suddenly they’re not feeling so bad. Maybe someone who is reading my blog because of your simple act of kindness will have something to say. Something that will inspire me. How great will that be huh?! You didn’t have to say anything, but you were the connection. You brought me and this new reader together. And because of you we are all moving forward, towards something better, greater, happier. Think of you sharing as you voting for me to win the election (and by the way in this election you can vote many times). With your vote I will win. I will win, I will move forward, on to saving the world from evil, and it will be all thanks to you, thanks to your simple act of kindness. Please share my blog.

I’m home most of the day. It is what it is. I’m in a battle with cancer right now. There aren’t too many activities I can do or feel like doing outside these days. My body is very weak, it’s simply a part of the battle, a part of cancer.

Through this blog I’m in my way stepping out of the house, and when you share my blog, it’s like a person that I see outside too. Like another person in the movies to laugh with, or another person in the bar to high-five with when the 49ers score.

I know many people are afraid of this thing – cancer. I know many don’t know what to say or do. But I feel that sharing is easy. When you let your mind take you to thoughts like “what will my Facebook friends think about this post” you are missing the point. You are thinking about yourself, and forgetting your friend that is battling cancer.

I really can’t think of anything negative that can come out of it for you. Only positive. It’s you helping out another person who is battling cancer. You cannot take the meds and chemo for me (unless you want to lose hair and weight). But you can help me in my fight by sharing my blog. Who will make fun of you for sharing, for doing something so good, so positive?! Who will negatively judge you? No one! Don’t be afraid, don’t over think it, just share. Even if you don’t have time to read a post, you can still share it.

You can share a link and say absolutely nothing. Or if you want you can copy this: “this is my friend’s blog, he has cancer, and he is sharing his story with the world.” Or say something else. Maybe also ask your friends to share my blog with their friends. Maybe one of them will have something to say that will inspire me and all of us.

Please share my blog, thank you!

What else? Well not much has changed. My appetite has improved a bit, but not enough. I’m still losing weight, and I’m at a critical point where I cannot lose any more weight. My body is starting to go after my muscles. I’m still feeling weak. Still dealing with chronic pain. I have a CT this week after which I will know if the chemo pills that I've been taking for the past month are working.