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Observation
The first of August. Now, I am not superstitious, except for triskaidekaphobia, but my track record when it comes to August is not good. I was run over by a driverless car in August of 1974, I tested positive for HIV on August 1st, 1997, in August of 2006 I suddenly began limping in what…
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Chesterton’s Fence
Few things are easier to ridicule than a regulation. Republicans have made a meal out of this since Ronald Reagan mockingly said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’” Nobody wakes up in the morning excited about fire codes. No one tells friends…
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You’re a cool guy
Sometimes support and kindness comes when you aren’t expecting it and from the least likely of places. For me, it was yesterday in the ER. It all started last Sunday. The dining room here was serving vichyssoise, a chilled soup made from cooked and puréed leeks, potatoes, onions, and cream. I’d been making hay all…
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Emotional Incontinence
When Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom died in 2022, it was more than a notable death, like that of a celebrity, politician, someone associated with a bestselling book, a certain business or product, or some other position of prominence within society. She was a head of state, yes, but her reign of 70…
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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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In Defense, and Praise, of Bread
Few things in life are more satisfying than bread. And when it comes to bread, there really is only one choice: the baguette. The baguette is one of the simplest breads in the world, yet it is also one of the most beloved. Made from only a few basic ingredients — flour, water, yeast, and…
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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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Smoking
I recently rediscovered Barry Manilow. I bought a “greatest hits” compilation of his on iTunes called Ultimate Manilow, and found I knew the words to every song! The arrangements, the melodies, the build to the moment of maximum drama: these were really good songs. I mean really, really good. The sentiment in the lyrics was…
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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…
Your mileage may vary.