Live Long and Prostate

06/01/2026

I love how Facebook buries this post. Suckerberg at his most fawning.

04/27/2025

Corruption. Trump’s specialty. Corruption like no one has ever seen. Better corruption than probably ever. I say “corruption” I say humongous corruption. Some people may even say MEGA corruption. So big MAGA supporters can’t even see it.

Donald Trump has set a new standard for egregious and potentially illegal behavior.

04/18/2025

A Good Friday missive. It's a few years old, but if there was ever a time to resurrect it, this is it. Here's the link:

In second grade during our usual morning service before classes, Father Moore announced, “Today is Good Friday! Let us pray!” He was wearing the fancy set of robes and with arms widespread, he ver…

04/14/2025

In the anatomical equivalent of a simultaneous novocaine-less root canal and propofol-less colonoscopy, NC republican Judge Jefferson Griffin is playing the GOP card of - if you can't win the election, steal it.

Post-election, Griffin demanded recounts, each of which confirmed that the Democratic incumbent, Allison Riggs, won the election by 734 votes.

Failing the recount, Griffin motioned to remove 61,000 votes from the count. After that scheme failed, Griffin is now targeting about 5,500 overseas and military absentee voters from four Democratic-leaning counties.

Naturally, NC Senators Tillis and Budd remain silent, probably too busy purchasing extra padding for their kneepads in anticipation of their next visit to Mar A Lago.

The GOP is using this case as a litmus test to see just how much they can get away with. If you live in NC (and even if you don't) MAKE SOME NOISE.

NC justices uphold appellate decision questioning military ballots, overturn on 61,000 others. Appeal goes to federal court.

03/31/2025

A call to Ben Stiller, Al Roker, or Robert De Niro.

"WHAT!!? Say it ain't so." That was my reaction after a publisher pointed out two riveting observations as they related to my bio.

First, it turns out I am not a medical doctor. Well, that explains my lack of income from WakeMed here in NC. I would also point out that a lack of medical experience hasn't stopped RFK Jr from getting places.

Second, I'm told I have fewer followers on social media than Taylor Swift. Okay, maybe. Probably. Fine. She has more. But, I would point out that neither of us has a prostate, and my jazz quartet has performed to dozens over the last 18 years. So, are we really that different?

While I won't be pursuing a medical career, I am trying to connect with fellow prostate cancer survivors who might either write a forward or otherwise review my memoir. That could make up the difference between me and Taylor.

As one of my editors wrote, "Anyone who has a prostate or loves someone who has one should read this. Also, I have to say, I felt bad about laughing so hard at someone's misfortune, which was your point - Humor can get in under the door while seriousness is still fumbling at the handle."

Does anyone have a lead on Mr Stiller, De Niro, or Roker?

03/22/2025

CNN was kind enough to publish some of my thoughts on prostate cancer. Here's an excerpt. A link to the full article is in the comments.

"Treatments are often downplayed as “minimally invasive,” as if they were no more consequential than a teeth cleaning. As a prostate cancer survivor, I can report from painful experience that those misguided assessments are to men’s health and longevity what ice was to the Titanic."

03/22/2025

In 2020, while most of the world was dealing with Covid, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It turns out that what I didn't know about my prostate almost killed me.

Worldwide, close to 1.5 million men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020. Despite numbers like that, I couldn’t find a user-friendly, first-person, conspiracy-free blueprint to guide me through whatever lay ahead. I wanted and needed the literary equivalent of a prostate whisperer, a compassionate roadmap to walk me through the frightening emotional minefield of prods, pokes, tests, scans, MRIs, clinical trials, timelines, hospital stays, pain points, waypoints, and side effects real or imagined.

I wrote a memoir to fill that gap. I share my story, (finding humor in my own mishegoss) to illuminate many of the myths surrounding the disease and to help guide patients and their families through the harrowing ride from diagnosis and treatment to the unpredictable squalls of recovery.

The memoir is in the hands of the Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency, coming to a publisher near you soon.