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Optimism
I have had a resounding bit of good news with which to begin June and my summer. The burden that has weighed heavily on me these last few months (and even years) has been lifted. It is not hyperbole to say it feels like rebirth. “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and…
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A Cancer Update
Like most things in life, cancer is not black and white. When last we spoke of it, I introduced you to the phenomenon of “scanxiety,” the emotional roller coaster of regularly scheduled CT scans to monitor cancer for spread or a tumor for growth, and I shared that during one such scan, the tumor on…
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Scanxiety
And the word of the day is scanxiety. It’s a neologism, but what it describes is all too familiar. Back in the 90s, before I tested positive for HIV, I had something similar, though it didn’t have a name. My gay thoughtful readers will know what I’m talking about. Every six months, you’d go to…
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One Thousand Words
It is said that when you have hit what’s called a writer’s block you should simply start writing something. Anything. This is not a topical blog, so there’s not a “thing” I can turn to, like cheese, or philately – it means stamp collecting, but it sounds like a sex act, yes? – or current…
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Mountains, Richard Nixon, and Cats
When you’ve been to the top of the mountain, you realize how deep the valley is, how treacherous the ravines, how jagged the rocks. And you long for the mountaintop’s view, for the air up there, which just seems fresher, and for that sense of achievement that comes from finishing your climb. I grew up…
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The In-between
When I was 15, a teacher whose name I’m struggling to remember gave us an essay assignment: in 500 words, describe your life at 35. I had a very clear idea of where I would be and what I would be doing. I had gotten my Master’s degree in English from UCLA, had returned to…
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My love letter to writing
Writing is one of humanity’s oldest and most transformative inventions. Long before the printing press, long before the Internet, and even long before bound books, people felt the urge to mark symbols onto stone, clay, and parchment. Those early scratches were more than just records of grain or trade; they were the first attempts to…
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A Day in my Life
While you were basking in the glory of the Seahawks’ Superbowl win, or wallowing in the misery of the Patriots’ defeat, I quietly snuck off to have surgery. I’ve already discussed the why and the what, so I won’t rehash that here. And I’m doing fine… a little tired, a little sore, but at this…
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If it’s not one thing, it’s another
Last summer, when I was diagnosed with lung cancer, I promised to keep you, thoughtful reader, updated on my journey. In that regard, it’s all good. The tumor on the upper part of my right lung was 10 mm in size when first detected, grew to 14 mm before treatment began, and has now shrunk…
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Labor of Love
I have a saying: “there’s lots of people I don’t want to be.” That’s particularly true when I look around at some of my fellow retirees, who seem to have “stopped.” Stopped caring – yes, but also stopped growing and stopped changing. Change is life and life is change. You know what doesn’t change? Something…
Your mileage may vary.