A Decade Since.....

This upcoming October will be my ten year anniversary since I was originally diagnosed with cancer. The ride that my life has been since that day has been better than any roller coaster you can ride at Six Flags, Knott's Berry Farm, and even Cedar Point. (Apparently ever world record involving roller coasters is there)

My hair, color of my skin, weight, eye brows, appetite, social life, brain, family, urine, vision, friends, dating life, endurance, and everything in my life has been directly or indirectly effected by cancer since that day.

However, this is not a time to be sad, but rejoice in the great things that life has to offer. One of my blog readers and friend, the wonderful Joy Jenkins, has decided to raise money( in my honor) to benefit the American Cancer Society. It is because of this society and their desire to rid the human race of cancer that I am still alive today and able to write these words.

My wonderful sister Emily made me an awesome tribute video to celebrate my 10 years of victory against cancer.

Please go watch it on YouTube at the link below.

Please Click Me

I would ask you to help me celebrate my 10 years of victoriously fighting cancer by clicking on the link below and donating to the American Cancer Society. I have never asked you, my faithful blog readers to donate money, and it is not in my personality to do so. But, this is to good of a chance to help a friend of mine raise money to fight the ugly desease that is cancer.

Click Here to Donate

Donate to celebrate my 10 years of victory, donate to prolong my fight, donate to help the millions of people out in the world that face cancer everyday. We (cancer patients) want nothing more than to be cancer free. It is a single small wish. We are tired of being sick. Help against the fight.

Here is a poem I often reflect on during my "down" moments.

"What cancer cannot do"
it cannot steal eternal life
conquer the spirit
suppress memories
Kill friendship
cripple love
corrode faith
shatter hope
destroy peace
silence courage
and invade the soul


and I add...It cannot and will not kill me. 


One dollar goes a LONG way. Please donate and spread the word!

How do you do it?

I am often asked the question, How do you do it?

This question is in reference to keeping up with the stresses and high demand of graduate school while fighting cancer.

My initial response is that I know no difference. Since I was 16 I have been fighting cancer and trying to live as 'normal' a life as I can.

During deeper contemplation on this question I asked myself, WHY DO I DO IT? I could easily coast through life with small aspiration and as long as I fought cancer no one could blame no for no having high asprations or expectation of myself. It was during this thinking that I was listening to one of my favorite artist Ian Axel. The song entitled 'Gone' started playing and I feel it best describes the WHY behind why I fight  so hard against cancer to extend my life and do not use cancer as a crutch to coast through life.

Here is the video of the song with the lyrics:

PLEASE TAKE THE 4 MINUTES TO LISTEN TO THIS SONG AND LISTEN TO THE LYRICS.....IT IS THE BEST WAY TO CONVEY THE "WHY" AND "HOW" OF MY FIGHT AGAINST CANCER!

I fight because I want to make a lasting impression on the world no matter how small it is, who doesn't. The harder you fight the stronger impact that you make. That is Why and How I do it?

Help A Cancer Charity get Money...

The Basketball coach Dave Rose's Charity Children with Cancer Christmas Fund is in the finals...please take 5 seconds to vote.

He is competing for 100,000 dollars for the foundation

Click the following link to vote:

Please Vote

I got Chemo Brain...What's your excuse?

A fellow cancer friend of mine name Caroline keeps a daily blog about her fight with cancer. Her latest post is about CHEMO BRAIN.  HER BLOG

I found it an interesting read and I now have an excuse when I have a lapse in memory. It is comforting to know that I know have a medical excuse if I forget some important i.e. people's names, tasks I am asked to do, and now I just need to convince my professors that this is a legitimate excuse for extra time on homework.

Here is some reading on Chemo brain to better understand my "craziness" --

Article One

Article Two

I also went to my Utah doctor yesterday and I everything is on course for chemo to continue!

Cooking Weekend

This past weekend was my return to the kitchen weekend..This renewed desire to cook was motivated by Lent. I gave up eating at restaurants. I know that I am the guy who travels for food, I love trying new restaurants, but I decided to give up restaurants and soda for Lent.

Anywho, here is what I cooked this past weekend.

These are chicken enchiladas with homemade tomatillo and serrano pepper sauce and layered with chicken and queso fresco. They were topped with avocado, tomatoes, and sour cream. 

 This is Sweet and Sour Tofu over rice. Yes, I did make the sweet and sour sauce from scratch.

I made these for my vegetarian friend Jen.

These are mexican truck taco...Everything is homemade the salsa, sauce, even the corn tortillas.

Here is the process of making the tacos

HOMEMADE TACOS FROM START TO FINISH

Duke's in Malibu

President's Day Weekend has a great weekend for consuming awesome Seafood.

I am one of those weird people who the majority of the time prefers my seafood raw over cooked. I just enjoy sushi some much more than cooked salmon, shrimp, or lobster. But since neither of my parents enjoy sushi...We never go to sushi when vacationing together. (Which is fine...I love all food)

Last Saturday we went here

It is located on a cliff on the coast in Malibu

Here is the menu items I ate...

ROCKET SALAD

Arugula, Maui onion, bacon, roasted beets, goat cheese, white balsamic vinaigrette

PARMESAN AND HERB CRUSTED

The house favorite, sautéed with panko, macadamia nuts, lemon and capers...the fish I chose was Australian Barramundi...

Barramundi was very very delicious...However it did not have the texture of normal fish....It resembled the consistency of chicken more than fish.  I did not mind because it was delicious. So put Barramundi on the list of fish that I like cooked. I have never had it raw so that will be another time.

All-in-all it was a great weekend food wise, family wise, and anti-school and utah wise.

Here is a link to the menu if you wish to salavate more....MENU

President's Day Weekend in Malibu

For this past weekend I accompanied my family to a weekend getaway to Malibu, CA. It was a great getaway from Utah, School, and great to see the beach, my family, and eat some amazing FOOD.


This Weekend I had amazing fish and chips at a little shack that looked out the Malibu Coast. It was called Neptune Nets.

Across the street from it was an amazing view of the ocean

Here is a picture of the fish, shrimp, and chips. 

It is some of the best fish and chips I have had in a LONG time.

Especially because there is none in the state of Utah.

It gets 4.5 Bald Heads

Here is a Picture of me sitting on the Forrest Gump bench doing my best impression. 

This is at the Santa Monica Pier.

While at the Pier my mother insisted that we play some carnival style games. And of course I won...I won a stuffed Yo Gabba Gabba doll!

I won a stuffed version of this character....The tall red one-eyed one...NOT Jack Black.