Columns

Birthdays aren’t just another day for me — they’re a reminder that I’m still alive. Last month, I turned 36. I’ve lived my entire life thinking I would die young. Growing older with cystic fibrosis (CF), living with minimal inhibition, and dreaming about the future all feel like…

One of Disney’s latest creations is “Disenchanted,” the sequel to the 2007 musical film “Enchanted.” Without revealing any spoilers, one of the characters makes a wish to return their living conditions to a place of familiarity and comfort. One song, “Fairytale Life (The Wish),” reminded me of the…

For years, bound by an undying loyalty to New Jersey, I never watched the TV show “Breaking Bad” because nothing would ever top “The Sopranos.” If you’re a TV connoisseur like me, you’ll know that many believe the top four television shows ever made are the two aforementioned ones,…

Here’s a new fact for you to know about me: New Year’s is my favorite holiday season. To me, it starts on Boxing Day, which is officially recognized on the day after Christmas, and ends when work begins again in the new year. In my memory, all New Year’s Eve…

Last in a series. Read parts one and two.  In my first column of this series, I described my relationship with antibiotics. In the second, I broke down the characters in the musical “Titanic” and mentioned those I thought were most likely to be affected by a crisis…

For two decades, plummeting pulmonary function percentages terrorized me, weight flew from my body, and my diagnoses list stretched longer than a CVS receipt. Trips to the clinic featured grim reports detailing my body’s ruin: estimated organ expiration dates, fistfuls of prescription slips to counteract the destructive side…

In elementary school, the holiday season was always a time of illness. With cold and flu season being driven, in large part, by Thanksgiving travels and family gatherings, it was inevitable that kids would return to school with whatever respiratory bug some uncle flew into Alabama from North Carolina,…

I remember the first time I was funny — the year was 2010 and I was 17. I know what you’re thinking: “Will, how come it took you 17 years to be funny? How does that even make sense?” For many years of my life, I was way too serious…

I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to books. I get so excited when new books are delivered to my home. Yes, I still read physical books. Am I alone in that? I’m not afraid to admit I’m old-fashioned about the healing power of physical books. They’ve changed…

Over 20 years ago, John Mayer sang, “Your body is a wonderland.” While that song isn’t about me, I do agree that my body is a wonderland. And by wonderland, I mean that it’s a wonder I’ve made it to 30. The human body is absolutely fascinating in…