Finale of New Mexico
During my monthly oncology appointment, she told me that my type of brain cancer would return within five years. My best option would be a stem cell transplant. Three medical centers offered the procedure at that time.
I chose Tufts Medical Center in Boston. There would be many follow-ups, so I should rent a place for at least a year. I wasn’t strong enough to move across the country, so I decided to see as much of New Mexico as I could first.
Reminder: I was focused on recovering things that would help me in everyday life. Photography had to be put on the back burner. These are the best photos I could produce with my iPhone.
I will forever miss the chili in every dish, the starkness of Nature, ancient ruins and sacred places, the seasons, and definitely the skies.
So many people have suggested I write a book about my journey with brain cancer. I didn’t think I could go back to those very dark places. Instead, I started this photo journal on January 1st, 2026. I’ve faithfully posted every Sunday morning. I’m actually finding it very therapeutic.
While living in Los Angeles and attending UCLA’s writing program, I wrote three screenplays; all three were optioned but never produced. Frustrated, I moved to Santa Fe to become a photographer.
With screenplays, you condense your words; while writing a novel, you expand. Screenwriters can tell a story in six words. Novelists need 60,000 words.
In life, I've always been a minimalist. For instance, there is no junk drawer in my condo. I believe that may be the hardest part of writing this novel. So I’ve been attending “Shut Up & Write” sessions. No one else is laboring over a memoir, but other writers do offer general suggestions.
Memoir vs. Autobiography: What’s the Difference?
So I’m starting my memoir writing journey too…