Friday, May 21, 2004

Casey Kane

As many of you are aware, my best friend, Casey Kane, died of pneumonia related to her cancer, late Wednesday. In the company of those who loved her most with her beloved Red Sox on TV, she died peacefully.

I miss her.

I've set up a site so people can share their memories of her at:

caseymemories.blogspot.com

I invite you to share or lurk. I'll be posting some of my own memories there shortly.

To all my friends, who've called and e-mailed me in the past day, I want you to know I am extremely grateful.

Saturday, May 08, 2004

Dad or son?

Over a 13-year period, University of Massachusetts men's lacrosse coach Dick Garber coached against his son Ted's New Hampshire teams on quite a few occasions. Mrs. Garber, Dick's wife and Ted's mom, was asked once by a newspaper reporter who she rooted for.
"Ted," she answered quickly.
"Really? Why?" responded the reporter, who likely expected her to say something noncommital.
"Because Ted is my son, my blood," she said. "Dick is just some guy I sleep with."

Friday, May 07, 2004

Plaschke is excellent

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke7may07,1,4691001.column?coll=la-headlines-sports

Tuesday, May 04, 2004

Sleeeeeeepy.....

All right it's 2:18 in the morning and I'm still at the paper because our A.P. Server is down. Any of you who has says I have a cool job never thinks of times like these.

Monday, May 03, 2004

Today's pick me up

Emma Konieczny may only be 10 years old, but right now, she’s my hero.

On Thursday afternoon, the Hadley Elementary school fourth-grader walked into school with a new haircut.

Even though it looks pretty good, Emma didn’t give up her once mid-back length hair for style or for a more comfortable summer do.

She did it in her words “for the kids with cancer.”

Emma donated her hair to “Locks of Love” a charity that provides wigs made of real hair to children, who have lost theirs due a long-term illness — mostly cancer and alopecia areata — and can’t afford to buy a wigs themself.

Wigs, especially those made with real hair aren’t cheap. They start around $72 accord-ing to wigs.com and for a family that has likely spent a fortune on medicine and other health care expenses, hair may be an unaffordable luxury many people can’t afford.

Since 1997, Locks of Love has been collecting ponytails of hair (at least 10 inches) and turning them into wigs, helping kids that are already selfconscious because they’re sick, feel a little more normal.

My own head-shaving stems from an attempt to find solidarity with a friend battling though chemotherapy. I’ve kept the look, cause I like it. But on tough days it still reminds me that nothing in my life is as difficult as what cancer patients are fighting.

People worry about today’s kids saying: They play too many video games, they watch too many violent TV shows and movies. They’re too mean to one another.

Not in Hadley. Some kid, who will likely never meet Emma Konieczny is feeling a little better because of her selflessness.

I'm feeling better just witnessing it.

(If you have some spare hair and want to donate it -- www.locksoflove.com)