How do you know someone is truly old?

...well, I know the answer because I have older relatives like my sister. The answer is that the most important things they talk about are their ailments and the weather!

That reminds me: Sometime you should ask me about my theories on bowel movements versus sex and what happens as one ages!

About the pics here. They may be the last ones you have to suffer through of skiing--well, this year anyhow. Unless I can go again! The important one shows my friend Chris ready to ski the Black Diamond slopes! ...and his motto has always been, "I wish I could spend more time in the office."

Well, it has been six months since my learning about the lung cancer and it has been quite a ride. Such a diagnosis can give one fear, happiness, introspection, and just plain confusion. A few weeks ago I went to see an excellent speaker named Cornell West (I hope I got that right) and he quoted Socrates, "The unexamined life is not worth living." And then he quoted another who said, "The examined life is painful." In fact, it can be quite painful.

But I would like to close this little blog with something that happened to me yesterday. I got a call from a nurse connected to the insurance company. It was good, she was checking up on my care, medicine, and condition. She asked me a bunch of questions. I answered honestly, you know: I ski a lot, have some pain, don't lay around much, and do have lots of fun. At the end she said that I didn't sound like someone with stage 4 cancer as her other patients spend lots of time in bed, watching TV, etc.

Well, I take that as a real compliment and I hope to continue in the current manner! Off to Washington DC tomorrow for the long weekend. Remember to shut off the TV and get out to have some fun.