Hockey tournament time

It is the end of September and that means Las Vegas hockey tournament time!  For about 8 years now, a bunch of friends and I have made a yearly trip to Las Vegas, often to get our butts kicked in an adult hockey tournament but we have won it once.  I even got the all tournament goalie for our division and I display the trophy proudly in my cube at work.

The team has many of the usual suspects that many of you already know.  Brian Einsweiler, Robert Robinson, Erin Genz, Rob DeLine, and Rich Vitamvas.  There are a few people joining us for the first time this year and we hope that our team is able to get a win with them here.

Part of having cancer is learning to live and appreciate life with and in spite of the disease.  There are some out there that feel that cancer patients need to look sickly, need to sit at home, or need to quietly accept their fate.  I have to admit that I get a bit of satisfaction when some people are shocked to find out that I have cancer since I don't fit the mold that many have of those with these diseases (37 ski days in the 2010-2011 season).

In fact, I am having surgery on Monday 10/3 to fix the arthritis and bursitis in my shoulder (go ahead, make the old guy jokes if you want).  Some would say that I should not bother with repairing my body since the cancer could take me or that it is a waste of good money/resources.  I have to admit that I, too, get caught up in those thoughts as well at times.

10 years ago, we built the house that we currently live in and I had the thoughts in the back of my mind about whether I was going to be here long enough to pay off the loan.  8 years ago, we bought me a new car and I questioned how long of loan I should get 'just in case'.

I try my best not to live that way.  I try to live my life, assuming the best possible outcome.  This means that I continue to floss my teeth because I will be needing those teeth when I really get old.  I continue to put money in a 401k because I am going to need that money when I finally get to retire.  Cancer does not mean lay down and die.  If anything, it means you need to wake up and really start appreciating the life that you have, treasuring every moment, planning for the win.