My name is Dave and I wore a different t-shirt each day of 2010 and blogged about them here. They are all on sale now and all the profits will benefit Skating for Hope! Please contact me to see if I still have the t-shirt!
This shirt was donated from one of the awesome Holy Cross volunteers that visits Hope Lodge every week during the school year.Although no one told me pink was my color, I thought this would be a good shirt to wear today for two reasons: One, October is national breast cancer awareness month (http://www.nbcam.org).And two, tonight is the first night for this school year that the Holy Cross students are coming over.If you want one, they can be bought for $12 here: http://goholycross.com/store/sntshirtpink.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancers. The chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in a woman's life is a little less than 1 in 8 (12%).
The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States are for 2010:
•About 207,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.
•About 54,010 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
•About 39,840 women will die from breast cancer
After increasing for more than 2 decades, female breast cancer incidence rates decreased by about 2% per year from 1998 to 2007. This decrease was seen only in women aged 50 or older, and may be due at least in part to the decline in use of hormone therapy after menopause that occurred after the results of the Women's Health Initiative were published in 2002. This study linked the use of hormone therapy to an increased risk of breast cancer and heart diseases.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. The chance that breast cancer will be responsible for a woman's death is about 1 in 35 (about 3%). Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1990, with larger decreases in women younger than 50. These decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, as well as improved treatment.
At this time there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States
The only robot-related story I could think of happened one Christmas morning in the McGrath house.Santa had left me a robot equipped with a spinning drill on the front and swinging arms on the side.My older sister got a new dollhouse that came with furniture and walls between the upstairs rooms.It seemed like a perfect match for me, and I let the robot loose in the upstairs of the dollhouse.It knocked down everything in its path, busting down the wall and wreaking havoc in all the rooms.Of course I felt bad after, but I would be lying if I said there wasn’t a smile on my face for the “during” part.
The other thing this shirt reminds me of is the “Humping Robot” from Robot Chicken.If you have no idea what I’m talking about, here you go, and Happy Hump Day!
This shirt was donated from my awesome mom, who is celebrating her birthday today…Happy Birthday, Mom!
It’s pretty fitting that my mom gave me a hockey shirt because she is my #1 resource for anything hockey related…
When I lived in Waltham, I got home one night and my roommate told me she had called.He went on to add, “Yeah, we talked about the Bruins for like a half hour!”It didn’t surprise me at all.
A few years ago, my parents went to a Bruins game and the puck ricocheted off the floor towards them.My father said, “I have the puck” at the same time my mom said, “I’m bleeding.”She was hit in the chin and was bleeding badly. After a stop and bandaging at the first aid area of the Fleet Center, they told my parents an ambulance was going to take them to the ER so my mom could get stitches.Not wanting to miss any more of the game, my mother refused and instead watched the rest of the game holding ice on her chin.After talking to the players she knew after the game, she finally went to the ER with my dad and got the stitches she needed.
Last year after a game I was waiting with my parents to see if we could talk to Adam McQuaid, a Bruins player from Prince Edward Island.After seeing a bunch of the other players walking out, my mom’s cell phone buzzed with a text message.It was Adam telling her where he was.Pretty damn cool and I’ve yet to receive a text message from any professional athlete.
When I was in high school, my mom would let me have a bunch of friends over to watch the Bruins playoff games.We usually packed the family room in, and my friends learned lessons about watching games at my parents’ house.First, if the Bruins scored, you stayed in the seat you were in for the rest of the game (unless of course, the “bad guys” started scoring more).Second, you could expect to be eating “lucky popcorn” during the second intermission. And finally, the most important one of all, it was okay to swear during Bruins playoff games (at the ref, at the other team, whenever appropriate).You can feel free to apply this last one to wherever you are watching important Bruins games.
Another time in the 90s, my mother was grocery shopping and overheard two guys talking about the Bruins game the night before.They were wondering what the commentators were talking about when they kept mentioning the “five hole” over and over again.Their eyes were filled with disbelief when my mom told them that she knew exactly what it was and explained the five different ways you can shoot a puck past the goalie.
I am glad to report that with the help of my wonderful siblings, we made sure for her birthday that my mom would be at the Bruins home opener in a couple of weeks.We all love you mom, and I am glad to have inherited your passion for hockey…Happy Birthday and GO B’S!
My name is Dave and I think cancer sucks. I’ve yet to meet someone who didn’t agree with me, and I think it’s because cancer has one unifying characteristic: It doesn’t discriminate.Cancer doesn’t care if you are male, female, rich, poor, straight, gay, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, American, Canadian, Iraqi, Irish, young, old, white, black, brown, purple, maroon and gold, Republican, Democrat, Socialist, hockey-loving, or Star Wars-hating.
If you haven’t had a loved one affected by this disease, count your blessings and consider yourself a lucky minority.Also try to remember this fact anytime you are having a “bad day” – I assure you that chemo is worse.
I went to King Richard’s Faire (http://kingrichardsfaire.net) in Carver, MA today and thought this would be the perfect shirt to wear to it.
The Faire was a great time (even though admission was a little pricey and my Honey Dew Donut coupon was no good), and I’m sure everyone there thought I was quite the “lord” as I walked around with four ladies.
We saw the Washing Well Wenches, the Mud Show, the Big Cat Show, and the Torture Show.The wenches were funny and entertaining (even though I couldn’t be talked into participating), the mud guys were gross (putting their face in mud, spraying muddy water out of their mouth), the big cats were the biggest hit (I heard a couple ladies say “I want one!”), and the torture dude was funny and fearless.
In between shows, we walked around to the different faire shops (I mean shoppes) that had various renaissance clothes, weapons (seriously, you could buy swords, axes, and maces at this thing!), and jewelry. The glass and candle shops had people crafting right there, which was pretty amazing to watch.And in between shopping, there was a lot of people watching to be had – a dude dressed as a samurai, many wenches and knights, a lot of little kids with swords, and many others who made me feel normal in my “Fuck Ye!” shirt.
It was a very fun day with some very fun ladies! I must say, my favorite part came as we watched a parade walk by.I could hear bagpipe music, and it was a tune that I noticed.Not a traditional tune, not an Irish tune, but I tune I know and love well…
It was November 27, 1993.I was a sophomore living in Roncalli Hall at BC, and BC was playing the #1 ranked Irish in Notre Dame.We had lost my freshman year 54-7, so I was just hoping for a good game.As I watched with my roommate Patrick (I was actually running between two rooms, well aware that where I watched had an impact on the game), I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.BC was ahead 38-17 in the fourth quarter but, with my Cheering-for-Boston-Teams upbringing, I knew there was plenty of time for ND to comeback…
And comeback, they did.With just over a minute left, Notre Dame scored a touchdown that gave them a 39-38 lead.I almost laughed to myself, knowing that Patrick was getting his first taste of what rooting for a Boston team felt like.Quarterback Glenn Foley made it worse by completing four passes and making it look like the Eagles actually had a shot.In came David Gordon to attempt a 41-yard field goal that would give BC the win and destroy any hopes the #1 Irish had of a national championship run…
My prayer was simple: “Please, God, just for once, let one of the teams I root for win an important game, please, just once…”
Gordon’s kick knuckled its way through the uprights and the hearts of Notre Dame fans everywhere.I was jumping up so high, my knee almost took out Patrick’s face.The BC campus instantly exploded, and Patrick and I had no idea what to do.When we heard and saw everyone running down to lower campus, we quickly followed the screams.
Lower campus looked liked Woodstock, with a huge sea of people gathered in the parking lot outside of the stadium.Even though the team was still in Indiana, the plan was set: Stay there and party until the team got back.Patrick and I ran into some of our friends and we all questioned if it had really happened.We talked to one of the 14 Mikes who had lived in our freshman dorm who said he was having a party that night and told us to stop by.Because I was in the middle of my struggles with alcohol, I assured him we would be there with our drink on.Finally, the team showed up and the crowed was brought into frenzy as they all got off the bus.As Patrick and I walked towards our friend Mike’s dorm, I saw Terence Wiggins, a safety I had a freshman English class with.I said, “Hey Terence, great game!”, and he gave me a combination of a big smile and a “how does he freakin’ know my name?” look.
The rest of the night, I am a little fuzzy on.Patrick and I went to the party, and I drank.Then I drank some more.And I kept drinking.It was times like this that it was easier for me to rationalize my over consumption because I was surrounded by people doing the same.For some reason, I thought in my condition I would be great at playing Street Fighter on Mike’s Super Nintendo.I could hardly see the screen, but kept begging for rematch after rematch (much to the enjoyment of onlookers).This is where the fuzziness part starts...
Apparently in the middle of one of my virtual fights, the alcohol and my stomach were having a nasty fight of their own.I puked right on the floor, and Patrick “escorted me” out of the party.Much like my first time drinking, I apologized to my friend Mike all the way out the door.He was very understanding, and glad I had a bodyguard to see me back to upper campus.
Patrick watched me all the way, making sure I got back all right.This included the 200-something “Higgins staircase” that connected lower and middle campus.Patrick reports I took a few spills and “breaks” on the way up, but I was able to make it to the top.After making sure I was back in our room safely, he went back down to lower campus to continue the celebrating.I woke up in the middle of the night, not knowing what floor I was lying down on.I looked up to the wall and out of the corner of my eye, I saw my Extreme “Tragic Comic” poster.I thought, “Okay, I’m back”, and passed out again on the floor.
When I got up the next morning, Patrick filled me in on the details of the night as I got the room back in order (for some reason, I had made it look like “Hurricane Dave” had hit it – my dresser drawers were out and all of my clothes were everywhere).Even though then I didn’t realize it, I was very lucky to have Patrick watching over me during those days.I was out of control, he seemed to take everything in stride, and like my parents he never lectured me or yelled at me because of my drinking.He just wanted to make sure I was okay, and was willing to be there whenever “Dave was being Dave”.
Even though drinking took away from a wonderful night, I am glad to say I was sober throughout the whole game.I do regret missing out on some of the celebration, but that is part of the huge lesson I learned from my drinking days.It has been 15 ½ years since I drank, and 15 ½ years since I have blacked out any nights like the one when BC beat #1ND on the last play of the game.Although I have always held memory as a precious commodity, it’s nights like that of November 27, 1993 that make sure alcohol will never again play a role in what I remember.
Off to Chestnut Hill to hopefully watch BC win another one over Notre Dame, and make it an even 10-10 all-time record against them.GO EAGLES!Oh, here’s the clip from that game (that I will never get tired of watching) and for more info on the BC-ND “Holy War”, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_War_(Boston_College_vs._Notre_Dame)
This was the first YANKEES SUCK shirt I ever bought.While heading back from breakfast in Southie with my roommates Patrick and Amy, we were driving on the Mass Pike.I had always wanted a YANKEES SUCK shirt, and Amy was explaining to me where she has seen someone selling them.As we passed Fenway, she pointed up to the overpass near the Cask n’ Flagon, and exclaimed, “There he is!”I immediately exited The Pike at my first chance, and we backtracked our way to Fenway.I was so excited; the vendor could have told me they were $50 each.I think it was $15, which I gladly handed over so I could hold my newest favorite shirt.As you can see from the fading on the back, I’ve worn it a few times since (Oh yeah, I think the 21 is a reference to Clemens, who had recently gone to the Evil Empire).
I wore it today because the Sox play the Yankees tonight in the last regular season series.Even though the games mean nothing to the home team, it will play a role in determining if the Yanks are the division winners or the wild card team.
And, like I’ve said before, it doesn’t matter what place they are in or how many championships they have won: The YANKEES SUCK.
But, I will not spread hate today. There are a few Yankees players that get a pass from me (Paul O’Neill and A-Rod are NOT among them)
The Babe – can you name another player to hold both hitting and pitching records?
Lou Gehrig – I actually did reports on both Ruth and Gehrig in elementary school (what can I say, there was no Ted Williams book in our school library!)
Bernie Williams – Even though he always seemed to kill the Sox, he was just a great player and didn’t have the usual “I’m a Yankee A-hole” air about him
This one is tough, but Derek Jeter – I yell at him and can’t stand whenever he jackknifes away from a pitch anywhere near inside, but the man is a great baseball player and gives it his all every game.Don’t get me wrong, I hate him, but it’s more because of the uniform that he’s wearing than the way he plays (see O’Neill, A-Rod).Jeter is to the Yankees as Ray Bourque was to the Bruins.The only difference is the Yankees owners gave Jeter teams that were good enough to win championships.Without a doubt, he would have been a fan favorite at Fenway had he ended up in Boston instead of New York.
Either way, the Yankees still suck, and I hope they lose in the playoffs!
I am a Crohn's Disease sufferer, brain cancer survivor, founder of Skating for Hope, speaker for 15-40.org, former problem-drinker, graduate of Boston College (Psychology, Sociology) and Wheelock College (Master's in Education), former special education teacher, fan of The Bruins, Red Sox, BC, and Patriots, middle child, uncle, movie quoter, finder of rock star parking spots, Star Wars dork, hockey player, jeans and t-shirt wearer, lover, and dreamer. In addition to writing this blog, I write poems, songs, screenplays, TV scripts, books, articles, and essays. Feel free to email me at TragicComic@aol.com
"Finding Dave's blog was like stumbling upon the smell of budding cherry blossoms in the Spring, a true delight. Dave deserves props not only for creating an original platform to share interesting tidbits about his life, but also, inventing a clever excuse to hangout in slacker wear."
-Reckons of Crass Construction (http://crassconstruction.blogspot.com/2010/06/todays-linky-tribute-to-actor-dennis.html)
