{"id":3463,"date":"2022-11-09T11:16:47","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T16:16:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/?p=3463"},"modified":"2022-11-09T11:19:15","modified_gmt":"2022-11-09T16:19:15","slug":"edition-25-my-heart-surgery-our-meet-and-greet-see-you-very-soon-on-the-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/edition-25-my-heart-surgery-our-meet-and-greet-see-you-very-soon-on-the-road\/","title":{"rendered":"Edition #25<br>My Heart Surgery &#038; Our Meet and Greet \u2014 See You (Very Soon) on the Road"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3463\" class=\"elementor elementor-3463\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6c897fe0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6c897fe0\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6e113805\" data-id=\"6e113805\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7e1182aa elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7e1182aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A0929-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3445\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A0929-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A0929-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A0929-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A0929.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51141b40 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"51141b40\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5792a7ac elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5792a7ac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Edition #25<br>My Heart Surgery &#038; Our Meet and Greet \u2014 See You (Very Soon) on the Road<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-114c559f elementor-align-center elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"114c559f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-8d55559 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>09\/11\/2022<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ea34d88 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1ea34d88\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>My dears brothers, sisters, friends and loved ones,<\/p>\n<p>I hope you are all doing great, that you are able to appreciate, if only a little, the wonderful colors autumn has been gracefully offering us all since summer has been slowly fading away as of late. Being back home in the middle of the highlands mountains has been rejuvenating for me in so many different ways, especially considering just how emotionally and physically challenging of a year 2022 turned out to be\u2026 Life being life, and my mental health being nothing but a daily routine to keep on check, I\u2019ve learned to count my blessings \u2014 and they are numerous \u2014 when I\u2019m not particularly disposed nor inclined to see the brighter side of reality, may it be unconsciously distorted or deliberately darkened. Therefore it becomes an every day decision to look for (and find) tiny pieces of wonders amongst the commonality of my daily life. From an inspiring word, a design idea, a melody or a walk with MacKaye and Leonard, there\u2019s always something fabulous to be discovered or rediscovered. That\u2019s what I call a zen mantra remedy for my usual self who knows not how to slow down and always presses on. Life has a way to remind you how fragile and delicate you are \u2014 or at least I am.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, even though I will not go into the details, a very serious health issue started to surface a few weeks before I embarked on my latest tour, which made the 3 months it lasted quite preoccupying at some point, enough for me to see specialists right after the tour ended. I was relieved that it wasn\u2019t cancer, as I had polyps removed from my sinus 10 years ago and had the great idea to tour for almost a month in China, a country that is not recognized for its clean air. The diagnostic this time is that I need a heart surgery as fast as the health system can be. Like many of you already know, if you\u2019ve been subscribed to my journal \u201cFrom A Stranger To Another\u201d and read some of my earlier entries, I was what they refer to as a hospital child and spent a lot of my childhood living in a hospital room, so I am accustomed to the process, and quite frankly, I haven\u2019t able to stop making connections with my project \u201cThe Power of the Heart\u201d and the recent news about Bono having a heart surgery in the amazing memoir he recently published\u2026 Again, life being life.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-943c182 elementor-blockquote--skin-quotation elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"943c182\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\tFacts, more than the elusive fabric of the truth, can be as brutal as they can be a blessing in disguise, more so if you are willing or cooperative to accept the nature of your condition.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e8c52f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1e8c52f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>My specialists insisted I would get proper rest before the surgery, which is like me asking MacKaye to stop chasing deers on the mountain or Leonard to control his need to dominate any type of moving vehicles. Impossible. Well, almost impossible. My specialist said: \u201cYou coming that early after your tour might have saved your life\u201d, to what I responded: \u201cGreat, because I\u2019m super busy with my upcoming projects and I don\u2019t have the time to die at this point.\u201d You can laugh, we both did. But the specialist had sound arguments: \u201cI know just how busy you are, Alex, but trust me, you don\u2019t want to collapse on stage or in a street of Tangier. Your fans like you alive but they will have to be patient, just as you are.\u201d Even if I kinda survived almost-3-hour sets night after night during the European heat waves, maybe it wasn\u2019t my time, so I shouldn\u2019t take that state of survival instinct too much into account after all. I\u2019m a recklessly passionate type of person, but I\u2019m not crazy either. Well, not THAT crazy, should I say. So resting it is. If you have any pointers on how it works, feel free to write me back, I have absolutely no resting knowledge nor any conceptual reference for a thing such as resting. Even reading books comes with a strategy to manage my time in order to read as much as possible while doing more of everything else. Not truly aligned with the notion of rest, right!?<\/p><p>Furthermore, when I told some of my most intimate friends about that whole situation, the resting part of my health condition wasn\u2019t really what freaked them out, but once the reality of the shocking news settled down, I could share about my future perspectives and how I feel about it, what were my dearest upcoming projects, what was my priority list, and all, and all. Facts, more than the elusive fabric of the truth, can be as brutal as they can be a blessing in disguise, more so if you are willing or cooperative to accept the nature of your condition. It has the ability to be quite eye opening if you can stand the sole idea of being thunderstruck by whatever you might see and the subsequent consequences those facts will put into light afterward. And as blind as we like to remain sometimes, life is and will keep on being life, no matter what you want to make out of your situation and the level of acceptance you are inclined to have. As fatalist, or cynical, as I could presently sound, the train is coming even when we want to deny its closing view, its raging noises and the ground trembling under your feet\u2026 So let\u2019s find out where this train is headed instead. That\u2019s not only more realistic, but it\u2019s also quite optimistic and hopeful than to try and manage what you can\u2019t control and can\u2019t clearly define. Welcome aboard!!! <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-57965bc1 elementor-blockquote--skin-quotation elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"57965bc1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\tNo more regrets involved. Milan will be followed by a few days in Paris and then Tokyo, which I\u2019ve deeply missed ever since the pandemic began.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-275ef50b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"275ef50b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Back to my closest friends and our suddenly very serious and grim conversations\u2026 I ended up coming to the understanding that what makes me happy and would ultimately (and considerably) help me rest was the prospect of seeing people and to not isolate myself like I normally tend to do when I have to address personal issues. Knowing that Jeff was already scheduled for about a month of business meetings to set up our music releases and touring schedule for 2023, I came up with this resting master plan: going to the business meetings, which will allow me to spend some quality time with Jeff, complete the last tour book I am presently working on, and have the joyful opportunities to meet up with friends as well. My first stop will be Italy, a destination I\u2019ve been longing to visit for quite a while now due in part to the fact that my mother\u2019s side of the family are from Italy, and because Jeff and I have been invited at a music conference in Milan as speakers a few months back, something I initially had to regretfully decline in order to work on my numerous upcoming projects. No more regrets involved. Milan will be followed by a few days in Paris and then Tokyo, which I\u2019ve deeply missed ever since the pandemic began. This sounds like a fashion industry type of road trip, come to think of it\u2026! That will lead me right to Christmas, where I will welcome friends home for a week or so before having my heart surgery at the beginning of 2023 and getting right back to the studio the second I\u2019m able to scream \u201cI am here\u201d once more!<\/p><p>I know that health issues, especially those related to the heart, are frightening and preoccupying, but I don\u2019t want you to worry. While it might look like I\u2019m not too concerned about it, I take it as seriously as the situation requires me to be. And as I told you, I may be damaged but I\u2019m not broken, so there\u2019s no reason to apprehend anything bad\u2026 I have the firm intention to be with you for as long as I can possibly be and to keep on communing emotions through all sorts of strange but honest words, sounds and images, starting with meet and greets as I decided to organize some simple get togethers for whoever may be available to spend some time with Jeff and I during our upcoming business trips\u2026 except for Milan, as Jeff and I don\u2019t know the measure of flexibility we will have through our obligations as speakers, the details for Paris and Tokyo are already set\u2026 and will post my availabilities when I\u2019ll be in Milano.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f316cd4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1f316cd4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Here are the details:<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Paris<\/strong><br \/><strong>Tuesday, November 29, from 5pm to 8pm<\/strong><br \/><strong>Grand Caf\u00e9 Bataclan (50 Boulevard Voltaire, 75011 Paris)<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Tokyo #1<\/strong><br \/><strong>Friday December 2<\/strong><br \/><strong>\u6210\u7530\u7a7a\u6e2fStarbucks\u7b2c1\u30bf\u30fc\u30df\u30ca\u30ebB1F<\/strong><br \/><strong>Our plane lands at 5pm, so you can expect us around 6:30pm.<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Tokyo #2<\/strong><br \/><strong>Sunday December 4, from 1pm to 3pm<\/strong><br \/><strong>\u6771\u6025\u30d7\u30e9\u30b6\u8868\u53c2\u9053\u539f\u5bbf 6F \u304a\u3082\u306f\u3089\u306e\u68ee<\/strong><br \/><strong>\u3012150-0001 \u6771\u4eac\u90fd\u6e0b\u8c37\u533a\u795e\u5bae\u524d4\u4e01\u76ee30\u22123<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5dde92f5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5dde92f5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I really can\u2019t wait to see you all, as you always been so inspiring to me.<\/p><p>Much love<\/p><p>Alex<\/p><p>PS: Speaking of looking and finding for tiny pieces of wonders amongst the commonality of my daily life, I can\u2019t wait to share with you the fall collection I crafted for \u201cWinter Is Coming In\u201d, inspired by the majestic beauties nature offers me as I am surrounded by its majestic presence\u2026 life!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-71d9ac2c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"71d9ac2c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a6e3f8f\" data-id=\"a6e3f8f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72c055dd elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"72c055dd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6a61e60d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6a61e60d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3b1dd96f\" data-id=\"3b1dd96f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-250e3e3e elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-153 elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"250e3e3e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-xl\" href=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/ask-a-question\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Ask a Question<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My dears brothers, sisters, friends and loved ones, I hope you are all doing great, that you are able to &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Edition #25My Heart Surgery &#038; Our Meet and Greet \u2014 See You (Very Soon) on the Road\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/edition-25-my-heart-surgery-our-meet-and-greet-see-you-very-soon-on-the-road\/#more-3463\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Edition #25<br \/>My Heart Surgery &#038; Our Meet and Greet \u2014 See You (Very Soon) on the Road<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3445,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-a-stranger-to-another","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3463"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3475,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3463\/revisions\/3475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}