Understanding Nonsense - a Column by Willian Ryan

That which is visible can more easily be defined than that which is not. Of course, while the contents of a book can be different from its cover, readers can usually gain a sense of what the book might be about just by looking it. The same cannot be said…

Every morning, my grandfather used to run for the train he’d take to work. His job was in the boiler room of the American Museum of Natural History and adjacent Hayden Planetarium, making sure temperatures within the exhibits were perfect. Not bad for a guy with…

Fear often triggers one’s fight-or flight instincts. Depending on the circumstances, when it happens to me, I’ll either persevere through an unwanted situation or become paralyzed by fear. When I become frozen, I don’t want to do anything, and I let the fear caused by the situation just flush…

To become a National Baseball Hall of Fame member, you only have to be successful roughly 25–30% of the time you’re in the batter’s box. Using the word “only” may seem like I’m slagging on people like Willie Mays, who had a batting average of .301;…

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,…

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…

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…

There is power in finding a community where you belong. For example, many people love Marvel and bond with one another over their shared love of the iconic movies and comic books. I’ve always loved Batman because he’s an outsider who’s spent his life trying to fight corruption. He just…

When I did standup comedy back in the day, I had a bit I worked on for a while, but could never quite get right. The routine assumed that if I, a person with cystic fibrosis, ever decided to run for political office, I’d be forced to make myself…

Those of us who have cystic fibrosis (CF) each has a story about the first time we felt different from the other kids. That moment tends to have a huge impact on the rest of our lives and how we interpret every interaction with strangers and loved ones alike.