A story dedicated to my childhood idol. Bill Walton. A great basketball player and a better man. Rest in peace my brother 🌱❤️🏀🌺Yes, in 1977, I was a world champion. I showed up for every game. I yelled and screamed and booed at the referee. I did everything in my power to win. I was locked in, completely focused.I was there for all the pre-game preparations.  I read all the news and gossip, and memorized the box scores. I scouted the other teams and players. The thought of how we were going t

In memory of the brave men and women who served our country..The soldiers patiently waited to board the plane, perhaps their last mission. Their military haircuts were as sharp as their pant creases. Their eyes exhumed not only calmness, but the wisdom of a life lived to its fullest.  Their calloused hands and crinkled smiles showed a hard life, but a life worth living and perhaps dying for. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to welcome on board thirty-three World War II Veterans. At Alaska Ai

Oakland, CA March 26, 2024 At the beginning of his speech, his raspy voice was challenging to listen to, but then this message became loud and clear.  Freedom of speech, combat chronic disease, end the endless wars, a sensible border policy, and solutions to the housing crisis. These words hit home for me as an independent voter, exhausted by the inflammatory politics coming from the two major political parties.  Finally, a candidate talking about the issues that affect all Americans. A stark co

The cold crisp air brushes my face as I walk to the end of the driveway to fetch the daily mail, my lifeline to the outside world. Turning east towards the one-story ranch house on the edge of the Columbia River Gorge, I can’t help but notice the vibrant fall colors; the once brilliant green leaves that provided much-needed shade during the hot summer, are now replaced with orange, red, and yellow. Colors reminiscent of a Van Gogh painting. The Gorge winds pick up again, and I immediately notice

On September 9, 2008, in Sacramento, California, my life took a devastating turn. As I made eye contact with a driver and accelerated, believing I had the right of way, my front wheel lodged beneath a car, catapulting me from my motorcycle. “Oh, this isn’t going to be good,” I thought as I flew through the air.I collided with the wires atop a brown power pole and plummeted two stories into a planter box below. The sheer force of the impact knocked me out. I died on impact.Miraculously, life was