No Wonder They’re so Confident, I thought — French women. The phrase connotes images of sophistication, savoir faire and understated beauty. They don’t wear tons of makeup or baubles. They smoke and eat fatty cheese. They talk in husky voices like Edith Piaf. Whatever they do, they are sexy. Those are all stereotypes, of course. I’ve been to…

Debating what is selfish in my situation — About three weeks ago I collapsed; turns out I had a brain tumor. They did surgery, removed the tumor and now I’m recovering. The tumor was a stage IV brain cancer. It has metastasized. Since mobility is an issue, a friend is looking after my German Shepherd Snowy. I miss…

To research investment strategies — Currently, thanks to fighting cancer and being divorced, I make very little money. Whatever I do have goes towards my treatment. Yet I sometimes write about financial issues, investments, and so on. How does this make sense? For the same reason I enjoy learning about historical figures and the arts…

I really have no choice given my cancer — When I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer 20 years ago, I lost the energy to hold a full time job. I have taken on part time work when I’ve been able to, but it’s been tough. The real issue was that I could not be consistent — I had…

Because they are human beings like the rest of us — I am against discriminating against anyone, regardless of race, gender, religious affiliation (or lack thereof), ethnicity, and, yes, sexual or gender identity. If someone comes out as trans — that is none of my business… UNLESS that person tries to infringe on my personal space. This is where I think…

It’s a form of monetary insurance — If you want to invest your money, don’t buy gold. Park your money in a good index fund. Add to the fund a set amount each month. This is dollar cost averaging. Once a year re-evaluate. If you prefer to manage your money more directly — you can buy individual…

It is also part of a healthy lifestyle for many atheists — Since I was diagnosed with metastatic brain cancer about 2 years ago, I have adopted intermittent fasting. I have also researched fasting, and the health benefits, particularly where this relates to cancer. In recent weeks, my fasting protocol has coincided with Lent in the Christian calendar. Many Christian groups encourage…

Astonishingly, they are now divorced — When two people are married, it’s important they are on the same page on major issues and that they can communicate and compromise. One major issue that can result in the breakup of a marriage is disagreement on finances. This was one reason a friend of mine didn’t marry his…

Two essentials for good gut health — Have you ever had to take antibiotics? If you live in most Western countries, you’ve probably taken them at least once. The United States ranks 4th among in antibiotic usage when grouped with 27 European countries. In 2015 there were 838 prescriptions for every 1000 people. Unfortunately, antibiotics can’t differentiate…