Before I started writing this, I sat here staring at a blank screen for at least fifteen minutes. “It’s almost Christmas,” I thought. “I need to write something for Christmas.” I flipped through my mental Rolodex of “Best Christmas Memories”, which, of course, all came from my childhood (isn’t that true for everyone?). Then I tried to narrow it down to one or two of the best memories, but there were just too many to choose from. Right as I felt anxiety begin to creep in, a question popped into my mind:  Why am I letting the date on a calendar make me feel like I have to do something?…

If you’ve ever been to any seated event at a large venue, you know how confusing the seating can be. You arrive at the event, wander helplessly through crowds, trying to locate your destination, and by the time you find your seats, the show is almost halfway over. Then, less than five minutes after you’re settled in and enjoying the performance, two wandering stragglers appear and announce, “Hey, you’re in our seats.” You fumble through your pockets, locate your ticket, and hold it up to the stragglers, waiting for the inevitable, “My bad,” from them before they reembark on the quest to find their real seats.  They squint at your…

  When I write, I often draw on examples and memories from my formative years, the 1970s. For me, nostalgia resides in a brick rancher, nestled up on a hill in a small neighborhood where everyone knew everyone’s business, wore bell bottoms and corduroys, either loved or hated disco music, and religiously listened to Casey Kasem’s Weekly Top 40. If you’re like me, you remember the most random things from the era in which you grew up—television commercials, popular candies, toys, and things like how, at school, dodgeball was commonly—and, for us unathletic types, accurately—referred to as Murderball. Not only are my memories completely random, but they also pop into…

Have you ever wondered why, as you age, you don’t feel older in your mind, heart, or soul? It’s as if your body becomes older, but nothing else follows suit. I suppose that’s where the saying “young at heart” comes from, but it wasn’t until recently that I thought about it or understood it. Even though I don’t feel like an old person, there’s no denying that I am. I am someone who used to love lounging around at the beach, but now I have no interest in a suntan, and I check the SPF ratings on sunscreen with the same intensity a stockbroker watches the Dow. In fact, instead…

It’s probably safe to say that the word any patient fears hearing the most is cancer. It’s wild that one little word can instantly change your whole world, isn’t it? And when you get a call from someone you love, and they say, “I have cancer,” it’s a gut punch unlike any other. That’s what I felt last Wednesday when my sister called me on her way home from the ER. “What?” was the only thing I could say. I sat there for a moment in stunned silence. She went on to explain that the ER doctor had just informed her that what she thought was a bladder infection—or maybe…

We see it on television, in movies, and in real life. Someone moves to a new town for a fresh start. A guy who is unhappy at work quits and lands his dream job. A brokenhearted girl looks to her left and finds true love with the wedding singer who had been there all along. While all these things can happen in real life—and sometimes do—we tend to believe that external change is the path to a happier life. If I get a new job, I’ll be happier in my career. If I move to a new zip code, I’ll have a fresh start. If I start over with someone…

Recently, I was talking with someone who had just finished chemotherapy treatment. He explained why patients usually feel so crappy after a round of chemo, telling me, “Well, you know, it kills the cancer cells, but it also kills good cells.” I knew that chemo killed good cells, too, but I had never really put two and two together. I thought about how that same concept is true for so many things, and then I remembered a conversation from years ago that reminded me that one of those things is emotions. I once had a friend who was on an antidepressant medication; he had been taking it for a few months, and…

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the book, was published in 1957, and the animated television special’s original air date was December 18, 1966. Since then, the Grinch is—at least during December—an integral part of American life and is beloved by young and old alike. And it’s not just the book or the TV special we love; we also adore the Grinch because we can identify with him, and everyone loves a good redemption story. I’m not saying we can identify with him because we are Grinches (although some of us are), but I think we all know at least one year-round Grinch—someone miserable who attempts to make everyone around them…

Tuesday, October 29th, is National Cat Day. According to the calendar, every day of the year is a day to be celebrated and is therefore dubbed National Something Day. Many days have several “somethings” to be celebrated, which works well for those who like to have options. My favorite so far (aside from Festivus, of course) is January 16th: National Nothing Day, a day dedicated to doing nothing. (Side note: If you plan to observe National Nothing Day, taking a leave day from work is probably a good idea.) If you’re interested in finding out what you should be celebrating each day, here’s a helpful link: https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com With National Cat Day approaching, I decided it would be…

When I get to know someone and tell them what I’ve seen or about the things that have happened in my life, I sometimes wonder if they think I exaggerate or make up stories. Often, I will throw a “This is true, I swear” statement somewhere in the story as I tell it, especially if I notice a look of disbelief on someone’s face. When telling the story of finding out that my dad wasn’t my biological father and that it turns out it was his friend (also our neighbor) who was half responsible for my existence, I make sure to include how I spent my whole childhood and much…