Few things make me sadder than when my alarm goes off before 7am. Few things make me more uncomfortable than awkward small talk. This morning, I got both. __________ I know waking up before 7am is normal life for 75% of you, and quite frankly that’s depressing. How easily you let your “jobs” or your “kids” keep you away from what really matters in life- sleep. But there I was this morning at 6:55- DING DING DING! I hit snooze a couple of times. Not to sleep, simply to wish it

I teach a class at Furman University. On Saturday they had a football game against Mercer. I get free tickets so my dad and I decided to go. We sat in a student section, and in order to get everyone going one girl started shouting, “FU 1 time! FU 2 Times! FU 3 Times!!!” I sat there thinking, “She said FU… that’s hilarious…” _______ One morning last month, I believe it was the second day of class, I woke up feeling blah. It was right in the middle of scan uncertainty so my tho

I didn’t write a blog yesterday. I tried to, but I was a week late in doing my Safety Training Videos for school so I sat up until 11:30pm watching wonderful vignettes on Blood Born Pathogens and Sexual Harassment. Nothing like having Stage 4 Cancer and watching School Shooter Videos! I reminded myself that the purpose of beating cancer is to be able to participate in life. Sometimes life is fun and exciting! And sometimes it’s learning about OSHA safety standards. _________-

Man’s Search for Meaning, Part 2 ___________ Richard Rohr says that we have to get the shape of God right. Everything else can come after that. Along those same lines, perhaps I’ve been a little too dismissive of the fighting metaphor when it comes to dealing with this little thing I have. _________ As I wrote yesterday, my therapist suggested I read Man’s Search for Meaning. For those who haven’t read it, I would describe it as a book about the psychological challenges of th

Man’s Search for Meaning. Part 1 ____________ Yesterday, my therapist and I had a breakthrough. Yesterday, he suggested a book! This might not seem like that big of a deal, but when I first starting seeing him I asked if there was anything he thought I ought to read. Not that I had any intention of reading a bunch of self help tomes, but I did want him to know I was taking the process seriously enough to go to the library and check out a bunch of books that would spend the ne

Last night I turned off the Cubs game in the top of the ninth inning. They were up 8-2, and I figured that if they blew this game, I didn’t want to be around to watch it. I brushed my teeth and got into bed, and then like a nine year old boy who on the night before Christmas had to take one last look under the tree, I checked the score one final time, only to discover that the Cincinnati Reds had loaded the bases and were threatening this once safe lead. Not wanting to tell J

What happens to a dream fulfilled? Last night I almost found out. It was a fairly minor dream, but a dream nonetheless. For the past month, I have been what is known in the business as a “Theatre Widow.” Jaimie has been Assistant Directing The Crucible at the Warehouse Theatre, and they have rehearsal from 6:30-10:30 during the week, and 1-10 on the weekends. Basically we got engaged a month ago and I haven’t seen her since. So I’ve been filling my evenings with various thing

According to Joseph Cambell, the final stage of the Monomyth is called the Freedom to Live. Here the hero gains a Freedom from the Fear of Death. This allows him or her to, “fully live in the moment, neither anticipating the future or regretting the past.” Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? ___________ “Well isn’t that kismet.” That was my thought as I saw the topic of this week’s Daily Meditation Series by Richard Rohr. For those who don’t know, Richard Rohr is a Franciscan Friar I

I saw a great Meme today. It said: Have you ever drank an iced coffee so strong for a brief moment you actually had hope. I sent it to my sisters, who are all coffee addicts, and we laughed. _______ There was such a truth to that statement. There is something about a full cup of coffee that gives me hope. The way the steam rises from the cup. The way the caffeine keeps the headache at bay. The way it inspires me to be a better person. I’m pretty sure everyone in my family fee

I was watching the Cubs play the other day. I don’t know why I watch the Cubs as much as I do. I wouldn’t say I enjoy the experience. I love them far too much for the games to be fun. I spend most of the nine innings throwing my hands up at the television and texting my buddy Mat about how depressed the team is making me. Yet there I am, almost every day, following the game. Hanging breathlessly on every pitch. And then afterwards I’m lying in bed on Twitter reading all the p