This is my first novel.  Diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), aka Lou Gehrig's Disease in June of 2001, my career as a Land Surveyor began to enter the final chapter.  Living the Dream is the culmination of people, personalities and experiences that I have had the pleasure to meet and to live through in my 44 years.  Please enjoy my unique view on the world through my writing.   Although unintentional, my writing hobby has given me my “fifteen minutes of fame”. I say unintentional because I started writing only to occupy my mind and my time left open by the inability to enjoy normal physical activities. With the encouragement and accolades of those that read my inscription, I turned my sights toward something much larger, in every way imaginable, than a 200-500 word article.  It's kind of weird inspiring people without intention. I have been given a "gift" that no one would wish on their worst enemy. Viewing ALS that way opens the doors to possibilities previously unconsidered. We all have hidden talents, something you haven’t even thought of. Try new things. Things that might embarrass you or you avoid them out of fear, not physically dangerous or financially risky, but out of your comfort zone. Don’t make excuses like, “I’m too old to learn anything new”, or “I don’t have time”. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it, just realize you may be saying no to the best thing that could ever happen to you.   Whatever your circumstance may be, look at it as a gift and watch the world around you open up and smile back at you.  Life is good, enjoy it!  

I am a guest columnist for my hometown newspaper and the St. Louis, MO regional newsletter "Muscle Dispatch" published by the Muscular Dystrophy Association, (MDA).