Something Amanda said about the writing process really rang true for me – check out this 45-second clip:
Write a little bit every day.
Read good books and poems to inspire you.
Be open to the muse.
Look for the magic in the mundane.
Stay your spontaneous “silly self.”
Our ability to write, to paint, to sculpt, to act, to dance, to create in all its forms, has been with us since we were kids. As we grow up, most of us bury it, or ignore it, or let it die of neglect. Because we’re scared of what others might think of it… of being judged.
But deep down, you know — and I know — that your “silly self” doesn’t give a damn about what others think. It’s just having fun.
The Las Vegas Raiders lost a road game yesterday, falling to the NY Giants, 23-16.
A 23-year-old woman lost her life this past Tuesday in Las Vegas. All because Henry Ruggs III, a 22-year-old man who used to play for the Las Vegas Raiders, rear-ended her car on a suburban street.
Ruggs was driving at 156 mph with a blood-alcohol content twice Nevada’s legal limit before his sports car slammed into the rear of a vehicle that burned, killing Las Vegas resident Tina O. Tintor, 23, and her dog, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Speed is what got Henry Ruggs III to the NFL. He was drafted in the first round in 2020 after running a 4.27-second 40-yard dash in that year’s combine. But now speed (and a woeful lack of judgement) will take him to jail.
“Life is about choices. Mr. Ruggs made a choice,” district attorney Steve Wolfson told reporters after the court appearance. “And the difficulty I have is there’s so many alternatives. There’s ride-sharing. There’s a designated driver. There’s a taxi. There’s so many alternatives. But Mr. Ruggs made a choice. And he’s going to have to live with the consequences.”
Henry Ruggs made a horrible decision when he got behind the wheel after drinking. It cost a young woman her life. Tina Tintor was only 23. After Henry Ruggs spends years in jail, living with consequence of his actions, here’s hoping and praying that he somehow finds a way to make the next chapter of his life less tragic…
Actually that’s Doctor Kevin Carrico to you and me.
I work with Kevin’s older brother, Michael (a.k.a. “Rico”… but he’s not suave) and Kevin’s sister-in-law Ashley. And although I’ve never met Dr. Kevin, I know he’s a good dude. How so? Well, when Kevin was a teenager, he overcame Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and was so inspired by the healthcare professionals who helped him beat cancer that he made it his life’s goal to help other kids who had cancer. He went to med school at the University of Louisville, with the goal of becoming a pediatric oncologist. His peers celebrated his persistent positive attitude by choosing him to receive an award which recognizes a senior student who reflects the characteristics of a good physician: competence, ethical behavior, leadership, compassion, and humor. Kevin was awarded his M.D. in 2020. How friggin’ kind, caring and cool is that?
The real ending isn’t quite that neat and tidy. You see, while he was in med school, Kevin was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma. Yep, more cancer, but this time a more aggressive and fatal form. Life gave Kevin lemons when he was a teenager, and he made lemonade. But then life gave Kevin a truckload of rotten lemons. It’s both cruel and unusual… and no one was less deserving of such punishment.
Kevin fought bravely, but eventually succumbed and passed away in June of 2019. He was awarded his M.D. posthumously, leaving behind a grieving family and fiancée.
I know I promised you a heartwarming story, and this one is heartbreaking instead. Worst bait-and-switch ever!
Well, the story’s not over yet. Kevin’s family has somehow been able to look beyond their own inconceivable grief at Kevin’s incomprehensible fate, and they’ve started a memorial scholarship fund in Kevin’s name through the National Collegiate Cancer Foundation (NCCF).
NCCF is committed to providing need-based financial support to young adult survivors who are pursuing higher education throughout their treatment and beyond. Furthermore, the Foundation promotes awareness and prevention of cancer within the young adult community.
Basically the NCCF supports hundreds of other young adults just like Kevin. Fighters. Brave souls. Kids with courageous hearts. And maybe one of them will become a pediatric oncologist, and will help your kid or grandkid beat cancer. That’d be pretty heartwarming, wouldn’t it?
YOU can help write a happy ending. And all you have to do is donate right here.
I’ve been working from home (mostly) for the past 18 months. When we first were sent packing by the pandemic, back in March of 2020, I couldn’t wait to get back to the normalcy of an office, and the collegiality of a shared space.
Now I’m a bit more ambivalent. It’s kinda nice to be able to walk 10 steps and take 30 seconds to start another load of laundry. It’s great to be able to start dinner a bit sooner, instead of feeling like I’m participating in a “Chopped” TV show “quick fire” challenge. The hour-plus I used to spend on the bus is an hour I can spend in the comfort of my own home. And now I can listen to music all day without having to wear headphones.
Yes, I miss my work pals. And Zoom is a poor substitute for face-to-face. But the work-from-home genie is out of the bottle, and companies need to realize that, instead of clinging to the old ways.
Last week I dropped my only daughter off at college… in Scotland!
She’s studying psychology at the University of Glasgow. One of the “four ancients” in Scotland.
Parts of campus feel like Hogwarts.
Leah’s staying in a flat (don’t call it a dorm!) about 10 minutes from campus, with 11 other kids.
In hers, the WCs and showers are at either end, not in the middle.
Her building has 9 flats, and the student “village” has nearly a dozen buildings. So there are probably 1,000 kids (all students at the University of Glasgow) in her area. They hail from all over the globe, which can be a bit daunting, but also is pretty darn cool. It’s like a mini-United Nations.
Leah took no time at all to get into college mode. It was “freshers” week so there were a lot of planned activities for the incoming students.
She’d much rather hang out with her new friends than with her old man, and that’s as it should be for an 18-year-old. But it didn’t make any easier on her dear old “da” (as they say in Scotland). I wasn’t expecting the shift to be so swift. In theory, I’m all for the wee lassie leaving the nest… but in reality, it was really tough to let go.
I can vaguely remember my college days (too many years + too many beers) but I know the friends I met there are my besties for life. I really hope Leah has the same sort of experience.
In my heart, I know this is where she’s meant to be. But there’s also a big hole in my heart now. How many days until Christmas break?
The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County have partnered with Dean Regas, an astronomer with the Cincinnati Observatory, to offer telescopes for free to library patrons.
The library has five Orion StarBlast 4.5-inch astronomical telescopes available for checkout at branches around the city. Each telescope can be reserved for 21 days, and comes with two eye pieces, an Orion EZ Finder II Reflex Sight, a star chart and two of Regas’ books—”100 Things to See in the Night Sky” and “Facts from Space!”— to guide viewers through their star-viewing experience.
I think it’s really cool that the library is doing this. Most kids — and adults — spend way too much time with their heads down, staring at their phones. Looking up can reveal whole new worlds – literally and figuratively.
Speaking of telescopes, one plays a prominent role in an excellent short story by John Young, who lives in Cincinnati.
From John Young’s “A Membrook Man”
The story appears in his book Fire in the Field and Other Stories, which is a collection of 16 of his short stories, all of which are thoroughly engaging. Highly recommended – check it out… and maybe check out a telescope while you’re at it.
Kevin Sullivan on Life advice from a man who lived it: “A good one Damian. Bring our lens into focus after the long weekend or our long life journey.” Jul 7, 09:38
You done said…