In Seattle Baby!

Brain cancer is...

https://animoto.com/play/Yc4WuEyn0TEvTGjHG0MwmQ

In Seattle, Baby!

Back on the Train!

Brain cancer is...

...back on  the train!

Nachos before 8:15 a.m.

Brain cancer is...

...starting the day off right.

Brought to you by Guest Blogger, Alex Guillaume

 

Today, my dad greeted me with a huge smile on his face. I wished him a good morning and asked him if he was excited for his big trip tomorrow. 

 "Tomorrow?" he asked. "I'm excited for today! It's going to be a great day." With that, he disappeared into the kitchen. About five minutes later, he returned with an even bigger grin. He plopped down next to me at the table with a fresh plate of homemade nachos and a diet Mountain Dew. We both cracked up, then I snapped a picture of this champion with his breakfast. 

While crunching happily on nachos using one hand, he slid the plate toward me with the other. I hesitated for a moment, glancing at the clock. Nachos before 8:15 AM? I looked back to my pops, a man in pure nacho bliss. Shrugging, I dug in too. Delicious. No wonder my dad knew today was going to be a great day. 

Here's to a man whose contagious positivity creates happiness everywhere he goes.  

PS...What big trip? (Addendum by Andi)

You'll find out more about said trip tomorrow.  Here are two clues:

1.  A recently renewed passport.
 

10 years older, still a suspicious looking character

2.  One of our traveling buddies, Curt, named the adventure "Operation North by Northwest."


Stay tuned, Team D! (Please?)

   

That '70's Posting

Brain cancer is...

Darrell and Andi at the cabin with the Guillaumes and cool cars, circa 1979

...enjoying a great decade gone by.

Today's post is what Facebook users call a TBT: Throw Back Thursday.  Darrell's treatment has evidently reactivated the '70s lobe in his brain.

Lately he's been serenading me with great hits from that culture-rich decade's radio and TV wonders. Here are some examples:

• The Banana Splits song
• The theme song from Soap
• You're So Vain
• Tie a Yellow Ribbon

These songs make us laugh even when the original artists sing them. Darrell's impromptu lyrics twists up our laugh count considerably.

Here's hoping your laugh counts are climbing ever upward, whichever decade you're enjoying.

Simple and Complete Pleasure

Brain cancer is...

 

...appreciating the simple and complete pleasure of being together.*

This evening's walk had long shadows, cool breezes, and an opportunity to hold hands.  What could be better?

*Thanks, Team D Member Ginger, for the conversation today, wherein I had the opportunity to reflect on our daily appreciations.

Email Inbox Deletion Project

It was fun to hear from some Team D members who have joined the Email Inbox Deletion Project, inspired by Darrell.  Here's how much progress I made today:

Andi's inbox:  Down to 139 unread messages.

Curt--Thanks for the progress report.  I just tried to match your deletions.  Woo Woo!

Here are a couple tips for those Team D members who might be contemplating the Email Inbox Deletion Project:

• Sort by "from" rather than by "date."  All those messages from Macy's?  Out!  Pinterest?  Be gone!
• If you follow this blog (and we thank you!), delete all previous notifications.  That's easy once you've sorted by "from." There is no reason to crowd your own inbox when the entire blog remains alive on Google's server, right?  You can always access past posts at the blog's URL:  http://braincanceris.blogspot.com/ 

No doubt you have your own tips to contribute to Darrell's Email Inbox Deletion Project.  We wonder how many emails we could delete as the Mighty Team D.  (Yes, cancer news continues to be graciously slow.)


Happy Hump Day, Friends!

An Empty Inbox

Brain cancer is...

 

...giving Darrell time to brutalize his email inbox.

In the pic above, the words on the screen say--regarding his inbox: "We didn't find anything to show you here."  We aren't sure how things are at your house, but that has never happened in our house. Zero messages?? To give you a sense of the scope of this accomplishment, please see how many items Darrell deleted this month:  31,689.  Be proud, Darrell, be proud.

We are in that sweet spot of the month where cancer news is (thank goodness!) at a lull. And so we can share some cancer research videos. 

The first video I include only for sake of contrast. It is bad.   (Follow the link and click on the video.  It's half way down.)  Try this challenge:  Hold up one finger every time you hear a word you don't know.  Stop the video when you get to five.  It's like they are speaking a different language!

Next we found this video.  It's a TEDMed talk by one of the executives at Novocure.  It's clear, informative, and uplifting.  It explains the cell disruption process caused by Optune, and it puts the research into context.  It reaffirms our hopefulness.

Check it out if you have 15 minutes to spare after deleting some emails.  (Ha!)

Fine, Some More

Brain cancer is...

...fine, some more.

We are having another purple day.  We enjoyed breakfast with Gordon, then lunch, then Zach and Summer got back home, then we took this pic. 

You've heard us mention David and Mitra.  They are Alex and Tiana's good friends.  David and Alex were besties in high school, David and Mitra were in Alex and Tiana's wedding, and now Alex and Tiana will be in their wedding. David and Mitra are great Team D members, checking in regularly.

Also, they don't complain about looking right.

Gotta love 'em.

Gotta love you!  Happy Labor Day!