Blog
The Chemo Check-In I Didn’t Ask For
January 18, 2026
How do you feel? How was the last chemo? I appreciate the care and concern, but answering those questions over and over is becoming overwhelming. It pulls energy away from healing. In general, chemo sucks. There’s always some level of inflammation or pain somewhere in my body. Here’s the routine: <b>Tuesday (Day 0)</b> Five-plus hours at the hospital. I’m sent home with a portable pump that delivers poison into my body for the next 48 hours. <b>Wednesday (Day 1)</b> The worst day. Heavy head.…
Baby Shark
January 16, 2026
My dad watched my progress with quiet pride. The guys came over to drink beer and play pool. Many nights, I was the opening act — five years old, standing on a chair, dropping balls and jaws at the same time.
The Art of Shit Talking
January 15, 2026
That’s when he taught me the art of shit-talking. Not as a lecture — more like a lion keeping a cub in check. He’d talk just enough to raise the stakes. Call the next crazy shot. Back it up. Or slip in a hustler’s nudge: “There’s a lot of pressure on this one.” “Too bad you missed that easy shot for the win.” Sometimes he said it before even walking up to the eight ball. Naturally, I fired back. That rhythm lasted our entire lives. We only see each other once a year now, but the same pool table…