Category: Uncategorized

    It sure seems like the world is going to hell: climate change, job insecurity, authoritarianism, racial strife, fake news, terrorism, and so much more. However, despite these issues, the human condition has never been better than it is now. Because of my poor health, I’m not optimistic about my own situation. As I… Continue reading Optimism

Looking Back I’ve written here countless times about my stairclimbing, four-wheel-drive, balancing-on-two-wheels wheelchair, the iBOT. Here are a couple of excerpts about the iBOT from my upcoming book “ENJOYING THE RIDE: Two Generations of Tragedy and Triumph.” There is no relationship between human and machine more intimate than that between a wheelchair and its user.… Continue reading The iBOT Lives (Again)

I don’t want to die, but neither do I fear death. The reason I don’t want to die is that I hate the thought of not knowing what happens next. I want to see how this whole MS thing works out. What was the cause, and what year did they find a cure? How much… Continue reading The Wrong Side of History

    I scour the earth for blog post ideas, and today I stumbled upon a good one. I like it when a person writes a letter to their younger self, and they impart wisdom learned through the travails of life. That gave me an idea for a blog post: A Letter to My Healthier… Continue reading A Letter to My Healthier Self

Today I spent seven and a half hours at the cancer infusion center. That’s how long the entire Ocrevus infusion took, including an hour for pre-meds and an hour afterward for observation. If I were to apply Lean Manufacturing Principles (an engineering thing) to this process, I think we could have done it in about… Continue reading My Second Round of Ocrevus

    I can no longer type, and I can’t hold a book. I am unable to raise my arm high enough to wave at a friend. I am incapable of getting into bed by myself. I can’t eat, dress, or bathe without assistance. I need help to blow my nose. There are far too… Continue reading Thoughts on Coping

On this 8-night cruise, we made only three ports of call, given that we spent two and a half days traveling from New Jersey to warm weather and back. Port Canaveral We left Bayonne, New Jersey on a cool Saturday afternoon. By Sunday, it was warm enough to walk on the deck but not to… Continue reading 2018 Cruise Post #4 — Ports of Call

This freaking cruise ship, Anthem of the Seas, is a floating city. Not Boston or San Francisco or Seattle, but more like Las Vegas, New Orleans, or Key West. Other than eating and drinking, here are a few other things we enjoyed. Kim did a little rock climbing.  Kim also tried out the skydiving simulator.… Continue reading 2018 Cruise Post #3 — Adventures on the Ship

Average cruisers gain about one pound per day. I’m an average cruiser. Kim isn’t. She takes the stairs whenever possible and chases me around in my wheelchair all week such that she hardly gains any weight. Not fair. The food is so good on a cruise. Meals at the main dining room are included in… Continue reading 2018 Cruise Post #2 — Dining and Drinking

Logistics — the planning and execution of complex operations. Yes, that’s it. I remember the first time I heard of someone being called a “Manager of Logistics.” I laughed out loud. I considered it a made-up name, along the lines of “Special Projects.” No more. For both professional and personal reasons, I have a profound… Continue reading 2018 Cruise Post #1 — What’s the Word for “Planning and Execution?”