Jamie Wakefield

Don’t look to get a book published on cancer. There you go, I just saved you a year or more of work. See, you and everyone you know has or will in the future be affected by cancer, or know someone affected by cancer. It will be a deeply moving and emotional experience. It will not be unique. How many times have you heard this statement in your life : “I’d like to write a book someday.” Or “I think I could be a writer.” Maybe you’ve even said it yourself. There are just over three hundred million people in the United States alone. Of those, just under three hundred million of them think they can write a book someday. When they are moved by a tragedy like cancer, I am betting they will try. And when they try to sell that book, they will find out that the market is already clogged with books about 1. Surviving the experience. 2. A retelling of their loved one (parent, sibling, spouse) dying. 3. A guide to what you should know and what the author wishes they knew before the disease hit. 4....

Our plane arrives an hour late, putting us in the middle of rush hour traffic out of Boston in our rented car. Four hours later we arrive home. We have had major renovations to the house done and they are awe-inspiring. Our contractor “The Kid” has done an amazing job. Like Wendy, he is into the little details and through e-mail and e-photos they have made a shabby little house into a dream home. Photos we have seen do not do it justice and we are blown away. Wendy falls asleep soon as it is five a.m. Madrid time. I am not ready for sleep and go talk with my parents for ninety minutes. When I come home, Doug has also fallen asleep and I wander around our home. Home is both places. When I drive back to Boston I will say “I can’t wait to be home” meaning Madrid. The next morning we are awake by five and working on the eves (again) by six a.m. The stuff in there breeds. We cleaned out the eves the last time we were home. Never mind, I’ll write that post later. Comments should be answered....

Been looking for a new title for the book. I wonder what happens when you type "Cancer Sucks" into Google? A lot of hits. Charities. T-Shirts. Bumper stickers. Ads. Interesting. Wonder if anyone has written a book with that title. Amazon.com > Cancer sucks > search > books. Wow are there a lot of books on Cancer. I mean, wow. Holy...Wow. "Cancer Sucks" by ... "Breast Cancer Husband." "Chicken soup for the Soul: Cancer." "I didn't order this pink ribbon." "Help me survive:" and on and on and on. Which, should come as no surprise, but it does. I'm dumb that way. I guess that explains why a hundred query letters to agents resulted in so many rejections. Not that original a topic I guess. Oh well, work continues. I know my writing will set my book apart. The current plan is to finish up Lena's suggestions, have Wendy read it and offer final suggestions, self publish it, have a proof sent to the house in Middle...

So, we’ve been watching “Battlestar Galactica” and I gotta tell ya, we just don’t get it. We enjoy it in the sense of “Oh my God is it hot, let’s hide inside with a fan blowing on us and watch TV, what do we have?” “Battlestar Galactica.” “Sigh. Fine.” Which isn’t the reaction you should have to something that was named 2005 series of the year and someone on the iFanboy podcast said that they liked BSG better than “Firefly.” (p.s. Dear sir, get off the crack.) If you’re unfamiliar with the premise, think Terminator. A slave race of robots rose up against humanity and killed all but 47,857 of them who are now looking for a new home since Cylons now control the twelve planets they know of. These 47,857 humans are all aboard spaceships. There are just so many logic inconsistencies. In the first season, it was clear that this was mankind’s last gasp. They had no place to refuel, no place to get more food, whisky, cigars, toilet paper or supplies of any kind. That was an interesting thought...

Above is the tribute card that Wizards of the Coast made for Marilyn. (I bought the original artwork, I hope Dan Dossantos doesn't mind me directly copying it from his site.) A wonderful gesture that touched me to my core. Such an amazing honor for an amazing woman. You can read the write-up I did explaining the card here. Marilyn didn't want me to be sad when she passed on. "What good would it do for me to look down from heaven and see you crying? And know I couldn't do anything to help?" I know she feels that way for everyone. So, today, do something you love in tribute to her. Read the things she loved in the text below and honor her by doing one of them. Play a MMORPG, work in your garden, watch the birds, watch some UFC or one of her favorite movies. Marilyn's Obituary. Marilyn Jane Wakefield passed away from ovarian Cancer on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. She passed away at home, in a bed looking out French doors at her birds, and dogs playing in t...

Yes, yes, I know its been a while. I have no one to blame but Wendy. Seriously, we have just been so out straight with commitments that I can't explain right now, that we have had no time on the computer. We went to a party Friday that lasted until three a.m. and had another commitment, an hour away, at noon the next day. That lasted until four then we met up with more long lost friends and danced and talked until eleven-thirty and then had a half an hour ride home. We slept until nine then had a day trip with a couple that lasted until six. It has been three days since I have even had this computer on. Cry me a river Wakefield. Just trying to explain that it's not that I don't love and respect you, but for once it's not because I am lazy or because I had one of my horrible mental breakdowns or have just plain been ignoring everyone, but because honestly, it has not been possible. Below is an update I wrote a while ago but wasn't happy with so have not posted it. I...

My friend Doug came down with Cancer a few months back. Luckily, he had a good job with full health insurance. He’s been on leave while he battles Cancer and the treatment is going well. What follows is why I feel we need National Public Health Care. Colin the business manager, called me on Monday and we set up an appointment for Wednesday morning so "we could talk business." I suspected it was about the upcoming end of my short-term disability (STD--not to be confused with STD=Sexually Transmitted Disease!). Long story short: Colin basically said, "Your STD runs out on July 23rd (ironically, this is the date of my last treatment) and you must then go onto long-term disability. At this point, your employment is terminated and, should you wish to return to work here, you must reapply and your job IS NOT guaranteed." Needless to say, I was pissed. First of all, Frank told me my job was secure and I had nothing to worry about. I was led to believe that Frank was t...

Here’s some scary statistics for you. “Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of the gynecological cancers with 22,000 new cases and 15,000 deaths in the US expected this year. About 80 per cent of ovarian cancer cases are not detected early, resulting in a poor survival chance.” This comes from an article published today. “The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC), the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, and the American Cancer Society have announced the first national agreement on ovarian cancer symptoms.” Bloating.Pelvic or abdominal pain.Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly.Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency). Read the full article here and get yourself to a doctor immediatly if you experience these symptoms. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=74133

Rodney Sheldon wrote this - Hil and Michele held a release tournament for Planar Chaos in February. It was dedicated to Mare’s memory, due to the fact her card, the Timbermare, is part of the set. There were 52 people that played in the tournament… this is quite a large number for the small state of Vermont. People came from all over the state and even other states and a few from Canada. There were another 30 plus that filter in during the day. All of the procceeds are going to the American Cancer society. People that did not even know her and were there to pick up comics or a game… just donated to American Cancer Society.This is not a tournament report… because I did not play… Mick and I helped Hil and Michele out running the tournament, the raffle, the bake sale, the drafts and anything else that need doing during the day. It was great fun!! I don’t even know who won the tournament… and in the end it really did not matter as that is not what the day was really about. Just a few thoug...