When you hear the term “Jihad” what do you think? Most of the time it conjures up negative thoughts, such as about terrorism. Most people only heard this term after 9-11. But the original meaning within Islam is very different, and far more broad than the misuse in the case of terrorism. The same concept,…

Yesterday was an exciting day. I finished the rough draft of my new novel Retribution. For writers, this is really just the beginning. Ahead are weeks of the nitty-gritty work of editing, rewrites, and etc. The granular stuff. I’ve said before, if I have a gift in writing it is my imagination. For the past…

I have shared my opinions a few times when it comes to alternative and complimentary health care (CAM). My major gripe with them is calling something a treatment or cure with no supporting evidence (or worse, lying about the evidence). But, CAM has done a much better job in creating a empathic relationship with the…

My long, long list of 1 year post transplant tests are complete. I (Denise can’t come this time) will be going to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance on September 28-29 for a comprehensive exam and review of the tests to establish the course going forward. I hope I can become one of their long term patient…

I have never been in a cult, but I have been in groups that have some cult characteristics. I am thinking about this because I just finished a novel, The Innocent. I would give it a 3-4 stars, not one of my stellar reads. It is a story about a group of Christian cult survivors…

As part of my desire to be a better writer, I am consuming books at a rapid rate. I’m doing it mostly by listening. I have a window of about 2-3 hours per day that I can use my eyes or reading/writing due to a post-stem cell transplant worsening of dry eyes. I use that…

With so much written about 9-11 in the past and on this memorial, I wanted to add to the conversation. But I wanted to add something concise, meaningful, . . . and different. There were 19 men assigned to carry out this attack plus Osama bin Laden and his associates who planned it. This was…

No, it is not what you think. I’m not talking about the mysterious realm beyond the grave. I am talking about that interesting process where you were “all but dead” and then get a chance at life again. Think of Wesley in the Princess Bride, who was mostly dead. I bet many here have been…

I know this saga has now entered its 20th month, so I don’t blame those who have lost interest. The other, good reason, that my updates are not as important, is that I’ve been stable. . . and remain so. I just finished my testing for the month and the values are in. Basically, my…

I am continuing to listen to the Book of Joy by Desmond Tutu and Dalai Lama XIV. I like how the two men express ideas from a Christian and a Buddhist perspectives. Sometimes they are in total agreement, sometimes not. They also bring in brain research and it was nice to see both men believed…