I have cancer. I own it, so there. Now, bug off! See what just happened? For cancer survivors, like me, “cranky” might be a gross understatement. You, as a caregiver, may want to be part of my cancer journey, but don’t want to step on any landmines along the way. Who can blame you? But … Continue reading
Old lives matter if we cherish and protect them. But do we really cherish and protect them when there is a shortage of personal protective equipment and tests at nursing homes? Many have already died, but must even more die? Do old lives truly matter if our community doesn’t have a mask mandate or enforce … Continue reading
Got my Pfizer booster shot There were no marching bands No one shaking my hand Or patting me on the back. Nor should there be I did it for me and my immunity I did it for us, for the community We’re all in this life-and-death fight And each of us must make it right … Continue reading
By Ron Cooper In 1999, I wrote a poem, “See This Child,” about the heartrending news of Columbine. In 2019, I was still writing poems on school shootings with “Gone Are These,” about the young lives tragically cut short at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. See This Child See this child His … Continue reading
The contentious presidential election. The rushed Supreme Court nomination hearings. A severely damaged economy with millions out of work and facing eviction. These are all good reasons why we don’t pause for just a moment to memorialize those who have been taken from us too soon in our fight against the pandemic. Life is exhausting … Continue reading
Once I called cancer “chocolate,” but he laughed in my face. Later, I got sweet revenge. Here’s my story: I was diagnosed with Stage III prostate cancer in December 2014. I didn’t feel much differently and my health was consistently good. My PSA numbers were excellent. I felt a little cocky and double-dared cancer to … Continue reading
How do you write more clearly? One great way is to study others’ writing—especially those who goof up. Want to laugh it up and learn? Keep reading! Ever had an auto accident? You file a claim to pay for repair costs, sending it to an insurance adjustor. These guys have seen it all. One claim … Continue reading
Nutty as it sounds, the sheriff in Ocala, Florida, has banned facemasks for his deputies in some on-duty circumstances. This comes at a time when his county had by the end of August 2020 recorded more than 8,400 confirmed cases and 170-plus deaths due to the coronavirus. Moreover, approximately 40 of the sheriff’s employees, including … Continue reading
I’ve been on lockdown for over five months, so I’m entitled to a little paranoia. In fact, paranoia has become the norm. Stay home, public health officials say. Your age and underlying health conditions put you at high risk of contracting the deadly virus. If you do go out, they say, avoid closed-in spaces with … Continue reading
The pandemic raging out of control, with 5 million-plus infections and more than 160,000 deaths. Unrest in major cities still reeling from the death of George Floyd. And millions of Americans worried about the looming loss of unemployment benefits and the prospect of not paying their rent or mortgage or putting bread on the table. … Continue reading
Ron Cooper 