Its been two seeks since I have been in Kushi Institute in Massachusetts.   Its been a terrific experience and I have felt more energy and overall better than I have for many, many months.    Its been a very interesting experience because I have a chance to better learn how things impact my physical, emotional and energy states.

There is quite a rigid program of eating, 3 times a day at regular intervals.  The food is vegetarian, with little salt and minimal oil.   Many people come here to cure cancer with great success.    So, the great thing for me, is that by having a very stable diet, has allowed me to see how different things play with me.

For example, after a few days of eating at Kushi, I come to realize that sugar has been a bad part of my life style.   I never noticed it before while in Beijing, but all off a sudden, when I had something sweet, an hour later I would feel slugish and slow.    In Beijing, I would never be able to pick this up, because I would pick up the slugishness with a coffee, etc. and push through it.

So, that is just one example, how having a good baseline has been helpful to become much more in touch with the various affects of things we put into our bodies.

And so, how does this relate to $125MM.  Well, I think its quite critical.   In a way, when gearing up for a significant undertaking, takes a lot of energy over a long period of time.   You need to be sharp, focused and in the zone.    And you need to maintain it for a long time.    With PearlsOnly I managed to do it through shear will power (and coffee – lots of coffee) but the long term effects where not very good for me. 

So, to improve and to make this sustainable, just like re-organizing a company, I’m re-organizing myself.

So, few other observations – I make a horrible sheep.   Scheduled classes, and even food hours I have a hard time to adhere too.  I’m so used to doing it ‘my way’ – that playing by someone else rules is definitely a challenge.

I also don’t like cooking.   I have taken classes here on how to cook the healthy macrobiotic way – its not complicated BUT I just don’t enjoy it.   Fortunately I’m in a place where I don’t have to.  While here, I looked for a macrobiotic cook to fly out to Beijing to train my cook on cooking in this way.   I learned enough of the basics (its not rocket science) that I could do the training myself – but its just a lot easier to have a pro come out and do it.

But – the last two weeks have not all been just relaxation.    I connect with Bank of America and opened up banking facilities for RedStores Americas – and and working further with them to see what they have in terms of global banking.

I have managed to catch up on a large number of emails, and have enough energy now to start writing the ecommerce book that I have been delaying.    It has been such a positive chance on me that I have extended my stay to end of June.   I plan to get the book framework done, and get the RedStores pitch completed and sent out to a few people.

Overall – the combination of food, great air, peaceful surroundings has been much much overdue.   Looking back, although at the time it didn’t seem like it, I have been under a great deal of pressure on many fronts.    So much, that I didn’t even realized how much until the pressure eased off.

Interesting I met a lady that knows Jeff Imelt – turns out before he stepped up to take over GE, he too went to a retreat to drop pounds and get himself in shape.   Makes sense.