Of Dragons and Dystrophin – a Column by Andy Rusch

I stood behind my father in uncomfortable silence. The summer had come to a close, and another school year was preparing for takeoff. I didn’t want to make eye contact, because it was easier for me to let my dad handle the situation, and all would be well. However, I…

Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Start. Cheat codes were a vital part of unlocking certain hidden aspects of old-school video games. Entering these sequences in a specific order on the game controller would unlock otherwise unattainable features. I would use the controller button…

The glint of armor demands attention.  The jousting lance was slung to the side of a great black horse. The rider, shield in hand, mounted the stallion and paraded about a wooden bleacher. The horse coolly pulled one leg up, then the other, muscles rolling with each movement.

It’s been a sedentary, stale winter in the northern U.S. Spring is afoot, and I am abuzz. This time of year, I start to feel the pull to become more active again. This season is prime time for people to get outdoors, and I am no different. In my…

When I was a kid, music from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, and Jim Croce swirled around the house. The three were staples in my dad’s vast collection of vinyl records. Being from Wisconsin, he stored them in steel-wire milk crates that would leave a metallic odor on…

“A white wolf in a white wood, silent as a shadow.” – “A Dance with Dragons,” George R. R. Martin I wanted to write something that encompasses the upcoming Rare Disease Day on Feb. 28, and what it means to me. I searched my thoughts to figure out how…

His palms firmly pressed against the pommel, he holds the sword close to his chest. He can feel the heat from the fire on the other side of the stone wall. Fear has no home in this dangerous place, and yet, there it is. It sits on his heart like…