{"id":3843,"date":"2023-09-24T13:00:57","date_gmt":"2023-09-24T17:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/?p=3843"},"modified":"2023-09-24T14:23:38","modified_gmt":"2023-09-24T18:23:38","slug":"edition-30-as-music-slowly-comes-back-whispering-to-me-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/edition-30-as-music-slowly-comes-back-whispering-to-me-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Edition #30 <br> As Music Slowly Comes Back Whispering to Me (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3843\" class=\"elementor elementor-3843\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-17c5799d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"17c5799d\" 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-7d994118\" data-id=\"7d994118\" 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-771d286b elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"771d286b\" 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=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/ahf_journal_edition030_defaultphoto-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3910\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/ahf_journal_edition030_defaultphoto-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/ahf_journal_edition030_defaultphoto-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/ahf_journal_edition030_defaultphoto.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\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-6d752050 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"6d752050\" 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-38de4e86 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"38de4e86\" 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 #30 <br> As Music Slowly Comes Back Whispering to Me (Part 1)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3bf349f elementor-align-center elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"3bf349f\" 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>24\/09\/2023<\/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-2adaef69 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2adaef69\" 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 dear brothers, sisters, friends, and loved ones,<\/p><p>I hope you are all doing great, and that you are able to enjoy the last flashes of bright light that summer has to offer before the vivid autumnal atmosphere slowly takes over.<\/p><p>I can\u2019t believe we are already in September. It particularly struck me when I was walking with MacKaye and Leonard early this morning; the wind had more layering contrasts in its temperature, multicolored leaves now covered the endless ground, which was still a luminous green yesterday, and even the birds weren\u2019t singing quite exactly the same somehow. It feels like I haven\u2019t noticed much of the major transformations every single one of the luxuriant mountains surrounding me has been going through lately, which offers a clear reflection of just how difficult it has been for me to keep track of time ever since I had my heart surgery and how laborious of a challenge it is for me to find back some kind of rhythm through the ongoing routine I usually flow in so naturally. I found it quite disturbing and disorienting to lose my referrals like I feel I have, as if my inner clock was completely unhinged and my perceptions of reality upside down. If it\u2019s incredibly strange for me to be in such a puzzling situation, I know it\u2019s an absolute good thing to lose control and to let go in my case. I just wish I had found the first step defining that new necessary pulsation of mine already, but I haven\u2019t yet. At least, I don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m in any sort of continuous motion so far, or maybe my life doesn\u2019t move as fast as I would like to, even though so many magnificent and singular events happened since I left intensive care back in February.<\/p><p>Therefore, I thought that, for what I consider the very first edition of \u201cFrom a Stranger to Another\u201d post-surgery, it would be a wonderful opportunity to not only revisit some of the most significant elements that took place in this disruptive year, but also to give you some heads up on what is coming up for me, both personally and creatively.<\/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-4173e79 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4173e79\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.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\">\u201cSo, Doctor, When Can I Go Back To Living My Life?\u201d &nbsp;\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a8b192 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5a8b192\" 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>That question has been a recurrent theme starting the second I left the intensive care unit after being plugged into more machines than I thought a human body could possibly be connected to for 7 long days \u2014 of which I recall about 3 or 4. Not bad, considering I\u2019ve been at the hospital for almost 2 weeks before being sent back to the band\u2019s HQ, following my gentle and polite but highly insistent desire to permanently leave the premises of the medical center. My haste to leave the facility wasn\u2019t about the personnel, who was absolutely fantastic, nor was it based on how I was being looked after; on the contrary, I just can\u2019t believe how much dignity and kindness I was treated with, and that in the public health care system. I don\u2019t have enough praise for those fabulous people working in terrible conditions in most cases. I had to leave because it was too emotional for me to stay there; too many haunting memories resurfacing in my heart and soul, from spending most of my childhood in hospitals, to the successive death of my grandfather Henry and my grandmother Manse, friends I lost to drugs and suicide as a teenager, up to my father\u2026 It was too much to take all at once, I suppose.<\/p><p>My recovery didn\u2019t go as smoothly as I would have liked; it\u2019s been frustrating and challenging every step of the way. I thought it would take 4 to 6 weeks, then it became 2 to 4 months, and now the time table is more in the likes of 12 to 18 months. The path back into the lights is way more hazardous than anticipated, mainly because my condition was way more urgent and critical than initially diagnosed. The double-graft surgery was scheduled to be 4 to 5 hours but turned to be close to 10 hours, my body was in shock, I suffered massive blood loss and had several \u201cthis is the end\u201d close calls, but thanks to the surgeon\u2019s outstanding abilities and his team\u2019s tremendous awareness, here I am. Still pretty damaged, but considerably less broken\u2026 I\u2019ll take it, right?!<\/p><p>The good news, and there are many, is that my voice is slowly coming back. The meds that were turning me into a quiet zombie have been considerably decreased and I am aiming to stop them all by the end of the year (even if it is unlikely). My energy level is getting a little higher, I can stay up after 7pm now! I\u2019m able to focus a bit longer (what are all those contracts you made me sign, Jeff?), and I\u2019m getting more cohesive, mentally and physically, on a consistent basis, which is a good thing, at least I suppose. In other words, I feel more like my true self by the day, which is a massive victory for me, especially after months fighting with my brain, my body and my moods.<\/p><p>That being said, the next couple of months won\u2019t be short in intensity, as after many false starts and failed attempts, I have to reembark in what is considered intensive physical therapy to get me back on track after half a year of being unable to move much. I will spare you the usual before and after photos.<\/p><p>As for the answer to \u201cSo, doctor, when can I go back to fully living my life?\u201d, it is never. I\u2019m aiming at something in the realm of \u201cHey, doctor, I\u2019m deeply grateful for embracing the freedom of truly living my life to the fullest now!\u201d. It\u2019s a slight change in the rhetoric, but trust me, it\u2019s a life-changing transformation for me to even contemplate the patentability of being genuinely happy. Yes, it\u2019s already a major victory.\u00a0<\/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-22f25ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"22f25ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.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\">New Management - New Beginning - New Family\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62899b8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"62899b8\" 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>One of the most significant elements that took place in the last few months is the blessing I had to find my people when I joined the In De Goot family, following my decision to have management after more than a decade acting as a self-represented artist. While it had become obvious, or should I say necessary, for me to have a team in order to focus on my art and creation, I knew it would have to be a perfect scenario in which I would be able to meet very unique individuals who would not only care for my music and share my values, but with whom I would be able to grow, both as an artist and as a person. And for that, the people had to be driven by the heart, so I would be able to trust and confide in them, not only for myself, but for all my friends who have been sharing that beautiful and crazy journey with me as well. That\u2019s the reason why I was mainly looking for soulful reciprocity rather than a more classic type of management, and that\u2019s exactly what I felt when I first met Bill and Jennie McGathy, as well as the rest of the team shortly after. I had a profound conviction that they were who I belonged with. The fact that they are one of the most high profiles and amongst the few marquee management companies in America wasn\u2019t a factor for me. Even if it\u2019s a real privilege for me to be associated with such a successful enterprise, I\u2019m even more honored to be part of a family primarily founded on a unique set of human values as their core. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll be able to know more about it through an upcoming The Club exclusive \u201cConversation\u201d with Jeff and by reading my column to be published in the Canadian Musician Magazine real soon. You can join The Club here.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-8fda4d0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8fda4d0\" 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-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-a663574\" data-id=\"a663574\" 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-faf3c73 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"faf3c73\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"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 decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_4865-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3852\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_4865-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_4865-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_4865-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_4865.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\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-cffc820\" data-id=\"cffc820\" 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-a110174 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a110174\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"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 decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_6897-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3856\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_6897-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_6897-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_6897.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\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\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1566832 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1566832\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.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\">MacKaye\u2019s Cancer<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47a1befd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"47a1befd\" 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\tThe most devastating news of the year came right after my vacation\/planning time in Mexico with Jeff. After coming back home in Virginia, I immediately noticed that MacKaye, my pup, wasn\u2019t acting as his usual intense and upbeat self. Numerous tests of all sorts wouldn\u2019t reveal anything, but still I knew something was wrong with him, but the ultrasound results came as a massive blow in the stomach. \u201cIncurable Lymphoma\u201d, and between 2 to 3 months left to live. I didn\u2019t listen to much of what followed. There was something deeper than silence, like falling in an endless abyss of pain, anger and powerlessness. The fact that I couldn\u2019t scream because of my vocal cords was even more agonizing. I broke down in tears, until MacKaye, like he so tenderly does, came to me and lightly put his head on my lap while looking at me with his kind eyes, as if he was trying to say \u201cIt will be alright, daddy. We\u2019ll pull through. We\u2019ve dealt with worst, come on.\u201d I must have stayed there for hours, holding him quietly. I\u2019m not someone to blame the unfairness of the universe when I have to deal with personal problems, but this time, I was overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions from which I usually try and stay as far as I can, for lack of control over their profound vibrations within me\u2026\n<br><br>\nThe weeks that followed were entirely dedicated to finding a proper hospital for MacKaye\u2019s treatments. His health was deteriorating hastily and I didn\u2019t have much time to waste. I saw him become incontinent, lose his ability to walk and move, becoming blind from blood accumulating in both eyes, but I kept on searching for the animal hospital that would be able to treat his particular case. MacKaye\u2019s lymphoma is a very rare type which has rarely been treated, and only a handful of hospitals have the resources and the knowledge to do so. If the words \u201cincurable cancer\u201d weren\u2019t destructive enough, now we also had to manage the rarity of his condition. But it didn\u2019t stop me. I was determined, while being conscious that it was about his quality of life, not about my desire to prolong what was starting to look like agony\u2026\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-c2f7e19 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c2f7e19\" 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-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-e65d3a5\" data-id=\"e65d3a5\" 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-dd28ef5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"dd28ef5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"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 loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_8523-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3848\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_8523-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_8523-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/IMG_8523.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\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\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3555541 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3555541\" 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 hope came from the Roanoke Animal Cancer Care and Research Center, that not only has a cancer department completely dedicated to animals, but that is also a research center and therefore equipped to deal with MacKaye\u2019s singular condition. I drove over the minute I knew they were habilitated to treat MacKaye and they were kind enough to welcome him almost immediately, which came as a blessing because his condition was just enough to start chemotherapy that same day. It was an intense day, followed by several other ones, a major fight for him and the enemy known as being implacable. I lost track of time. For me, life was about holding him in my arms everywhere we had to go daily; the vet hospital, his general daily appointment at the clinic close to him, his several blood tests every week, his ultrasounds, and on, and on. It was an uphill battle for him, but his spirit was great. That was the ultimate condition in my heart; the second I would notice that he was too tired to fight, that it was becoming too much for him to handle, it would have been the end of all those treatments and we would have peacefully stayed home until the end\u2026 While I was pretty beaten up inside, I was ok with that highly possible outcome\u2026<\/p><p>Thankfully, I gradually saw him becoming better and better, up to the point where he was regaining his ability to see, to walk slowly, to ask for the door, to eat by himself, to climb the stairs to our room. The first floor camping trip was over for him and for me. In the meantime, his determination gave me a whole lot of courage to keep on fighting for my own recovery, which gave me quite a boost since I was facing setbacks after setbacks. I was clearly starting to lose the ongoing momentum I had created at that point in time. So even if it was a terrible thing to deal with, entirely dedicating my focus to MacKaye\u2019s health shifted my unstable emotional rhythm to a completely positive one, reminding me of all the time Mac came to rest on my lap in the past. Going forward, getting back on my feet, taking punches and keeping on striving, that\u2019s how I\u2019ve been raised. The other side of that is that I\u2019m incredibly sensitive and rarely allow myself to be touched, and that impossible situation was profoundly distressing for me.\u00a0<\/p><p>We have now finished 2 cycles of treatments with MacKaye. He will start another stretch of chemo next week, a more complex and experimental treatment, which will be a major step, as it will either lead to his remission or leave him on his actual plateau\u2026 I will let you know the progress.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>Again, I\u2019m grateful for the privilege I have to share that little overview of how the most personal aspects of my life are going on. The second part of the journal, to be published next week, will be about the projects I\u2019m devoting my time to, while the third and last part will be dedicated to answering some of your questions. Don\u2019t miss those 2 upcoming \u201cFrom a Stranger to Another\u201d entries\u2026 I think you\u2019ll be pretty happy about what you\u2019ll learn! \ud83d\ude09<\/p><p>Much love always,<br \/>AHF<\/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-5c25ae55 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5c25ae55\" 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-23d2f5bb\" data-id=\"23d2f5bb\" 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-4fd5699c elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"4fd5699c\" 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-5d1c8ba2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5d1c8ba2\" 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-57778db7\" data-id=\"57778db7\" 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-7ae8918e elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-153 elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"7ae8918e\" 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 dear brothers, sisters, friends, and loved ones, I hope you are all doing great, and that you are able &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Edition #30  As Music Slowly Comes Back Whispering to Me (Part 1)\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/edition-30-as-music-slowly-comes-back-whispering-to-me-part-1\/#more-3843\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Edition #30 <br \/> As Music Slowly Comes Back Whispering to Me (Part 1)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3910,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3843","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\/3843","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=3843"}],"version-history":[{"count":68,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3843\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3984,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3843\/revisions\/3984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}