Greetings Dearest Family, Friends and Those Who May Care:

Wassup from the heartland of America!  Am in Kansas City Missouri in the middle of a record heat wave! 

For the attention span challenged, let me share the keys stats up front.  As of Monday 5/14, six weeks into this dream experience, I have lost 60 pounds.  Comes in handy for squeezing my ample buttocks into baseball seats designed for anorexics.  Soon I will not have to obsess about having end seats so I can spill into the aisle. Still have a loooong way to go but the progress is of course a source of practical encouragement. Have driven over 7,000 miles in 8 states.  Have seen 16 of the major league teams play 33 games in 9 ballparks with a total of 333 runs scored thus far.  This Saturday after seeing pedro martinez come to kc with the red sox my dad and I will take a break from the road and spend some time with my Gramps and family in Virginia for a week before heading up to Boston memorial day weekend for my brother Paul's wedding.  Am looking forward to some time in the midst of loved ones relaxing in a familiar environment.  The timing and layout of this trip has been very appropriate thanks to the help of Dr. Don Miller who helped me to map it all out.  Have done a couple 14 hour driving days but hey!! need a bit of a challenge besides food avoidance every once and a while.

I am awed by the vast and very diverse features of our country both culturally and geographically.   Have been so overwhelmed with scenery and spending time at some of the key spots of our country's history.  From spending an afternoon at Kennedy's assassination spot visiting with "conspiracy theory" enthusiasts in Dallas, weeping at the overwhelming memorial at the bombing site in Oklahoma City (a must see), and gasping for oxygen at the heights of Pikes Peak in CO the site that inspired the words of 'America the Beautiful', I have been simply amazed with our Great Land. God has been very very generous with this country.  I have also been blessed by the hospitality of some dear friends and even strangers who are now new friends who have opened their homes to us over the recent weeks.  All of these realities continue to challenge and encourage me in the midst of the discipline needed with this very aggressive diet.  Have read several books some of you have given or recommended to me along the way some of which have been very thought provoking in preparation to the transition back to food sometime in the late fall. I am deeply grateful.

Pleased to report that contrary to the diagnosis of a workaholic that many of you had of me I don't miss work at all.  Part of that I am sure is the able hands of my bro Phil and Jim Schultz into whose hands I left my work life.  I now feel like I have no idea when I use to have time to work.  My return to forced employment will be somewhat based on the Market's performance over the next 6 months. GO NASDAQ!!

Well enough rambling for now. Attached is a pic of me hypoxic at Pikes Peak in CO and as Mr. Baseball Head at Coors with my good buddy Mark Searle who was in town for business (see Photo Album).

Your continued prayers and supportive e-mail are like filet mignon for the soul so please keep them going!

Resting in God's Promises,

dr. Nick