Archive for January 2014

What Buffy the Vampire Slayer taught me

What Buffy the Vampire Slayer taught me
The first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired on March 10, 1997. I didn’t see any part of the show until sometime in 2009. There are good reasons I missed it when it aired, but I won’t bore you with them. Instead, I want to tell you why it’s now the scaffold for all... Read more »
By Kerri K. Morris,
January 29, 2014 at 10:00 pm • 

8 things you should have in sub-zero weather: tips from Alaska

This, my friends, is a down skirt, one of the hottest tickets in Anchorage. It is called a "Skhoop." Yes, it comes in a mini. Why one would wear a mini down skirt, I have no idea. This keeps you warm in the same way a mitten keeps your hand warm. You can get it here. <a href="url">http://www.rei.com/product/857165/skhoop-alaska-long-down-skirt Skhoop Alaska</a>
It hit 51 degrees in Anchorage Sunday, according to a friend’s status update. It wasn’t even expected to get below freezing Sunday night in Alaska’s largest city. It’s obvious to say that the weather we are experiencing in Chicago right now is much more familiar to Alaskans. So, I’ve assembled my best advice from 14... Read more »
By Kerri K. Morris,
January 26, 2014 at 9:22 pm • 

Living with grief: dreams of my mother

Living with grief: dreams of my mother
My mom died on October 14, 1992, five months after my husband and I got married. She has missed two thirds of my adulthood, including the birth of my daughter, our lives in Alaska, and my cancer diagnosis. Some people are so important in your life that it’s hard to create memories without writing them... Read more »
By Kerri K. Morris,
January 24, 2014 at 10:11 am • 
Advertisement:

Life is too short for these 10 things

Life is too short for these 10 things
One frequent theme within the cancer community to which I belong is the “life is too short” theme. Cancer changes your priorities. This is my top ten (in no particular order) of things life is too short for. 1. Life is too short stay in a job you hate. I had just moved to the area... Read more »
By Kerri K. Morris,
January 18, 2014 at 8:41 pm • 

Bill and Emma Keller can go straight to hell: Lisa Adams' cancer is not fodder for your editorializing

I am writing in the middle of rage, probably not the best time to write. I am shaking and my heart is pounding out of my chest. An article today in Salon recounts the shameful writing of Bill and Emma Keller, both of whom have critiqued Lisa Adams’ blogging and tweeting about her cancer. In... Read more »
By Kerri K. Morris,
January 13, 2014 at 10:57 am • 

Living with cancer: making peace with the past

Living with cancer: making peace with the past
Since being officially given “remission” status by my doctor, I’ve been working very hard to make peace with the past and to let it go. As I create an inventory of events and people that I’m still thinking about or struggling with, my mind naturally wanders to past relationships. It’s easy for me to focus... Read more »
By Kerri K. Morris,
January 12, 2014 at 9:53 pm • 
Advertisement:

Chicago's polar vortex: a little bit of Alaska in the midwest

Chicago's polar vortex: a little bit of Alaska in the midwest
It’s possible that I’m the only person in the area who was pretty excited about the weather forecast. I’ve been waiting for Chicago’s polar vortex like a kid for Christmas morning. Today’s it’s -14 at my house, and I can see about a foot of snow on the outdoor chaise lounge. Makes a girl want... Read more »
By Kerri K. Morris,
January 6, 2014 at 8:33 am • 

Planning for death: a gift for your family

Planning for death: a gift for your family
I ran across a blog post the other day called “Life and Death Planning,” which is an incredible resource. It provides a checklist for the essential paperwork that you need to get in order, if not for yourself then for your loved ones, and it explains why all of us should be planning for death.... Read more »
By Kerri K. Morris,
January 5, 2014 at 5:28 pm • 

Living with cancer: four words for the new year

Living with cancer: four words for the new year
I don’t mind the tradition of making resolutions. When I was 15 or 16 I resolved to not eat chocolate for a year. It was a specific, concrete resolution, and it offered me self awareness and a sense of empowerment. I was successful. Of course, there have been lots of failed resolutions, just like everyone... Read more »
By Kerri K. Morris,
January 1, 2014 at 3:03 pm • 
Advertisement: