Table of Contents

1. Life Update

2. Tools and Tips

3. Readers’ Favorite

4. Stuff

Life Update

This week, a manuscript of mine got published.

In short— it's about using small pieces of tumor (that was just resected) to predict a response to treatment.

Long version— my goal is to develop treatments for Head and Neck Cancer that utilize our immune system to beat cancer. And since every cancer (and each person) is different, the treatment needs to be personalized.

What I really like about this manuscript is that it represents key stops throughout my journey - Portland, Boston, and my home. It includes a wonderful international collaboration between friends and colleagues.

Just the way science should be.

You can read the manuscript here.

This week, I'm celebrating issue number 150 of this newsletter.

Three years of writing it every week.

Happy Friday's Digest birthday!

Tools and Tips

Writing this newsletter is a significant part of my schedule.

Not because it takes me so long to write it (it's about 2 hours from the blank screen until it's completely formatted and uploaded to my website and to my newsletter server).

It's a significant part of my schedule because it's something that is NEVER pushed away by another task.

Naturally, it brings up 2 topics I want to discuss today.

First, I’ll address the most frequently asked questions I receive from my audience.

Then, I’ll share my thoughts on whether I should continue writing it.

🔵 Most Common Questions I Get

Q: What do you gain from writing a newsletter?

A: It's a combination of things. Mainly, it helps people.

It helps people with major life decisions, and it helps people with the little things. EVERY DAY I get comments and questions about the things I write.

Secondly, it helps me to clear my mind. A form of meditation.

Q: How do you fit it into your schedule?

A: Simple— I write it on weekends. Usually, it's Friday night or Saturday morning.

And because I've written it for so long, skipping a week is out of the question.

It would feel like a major defeat.

A lack of character.

Losing part of who I am.

So I will either continue writing it EVERY SINGLE WEEK, or stop altogether.

Q: What made you decide to continue writing it after coming back from the US?

That's a great question.

I started writing this newsletter shortly after starting my fellowship in Boston.

Many of the things I wrote about were reflections on my journey.

But the journey hasn't ended!

In a way, it has become more challenging.

Nowadays, many of the things I do are in uncharted territory.
I want to do things that very few (or no one) has tried to do before.

And in the not-so-distant future, I will be able to share it in this newsletter.

🔵 Should I Continue Writing This Newsletter?

I won't lie.

I think about this question EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

Right now, I'm sitting on my porch.

Drinking coffee, enjoying the breeze.

My brand new (birthday present) headphones are playing focus music.

And I write the lines you're reading right now.

What would I do now if I didn't have this newsletter?

Probably something not-so-important.

Perhaps take a nap? Listen to a podcast? Clean the porch?

Well, I'm not sure I would fall asleep right now. Podcasts nowadays are REALLY boring. And I will wash the porch after planting new flowers next week.

So why do I think about not writing it anymore?

Because it's old-school writing.

And old-school writing is the HARDEST form of writing.

Writing a newsletter is like writing a book. Like writing an article in a printed newspaper.

You send it, and you have no idea what happens to it afterward.

In other words, there's no immediate feedback.

It's very different from our very-online-lifestyle.

We're used to getting emojis (like 👍 ❤️ 👑).

We're used to getting comments and reposts on social media.

We're used to getting replies to our text messages and emails.

And we become used to it.

We let go of anything that doesn't give us this immediate feedback.

The number of people who write a weekly newsletter is rapidly declining for these reasons.

Will I join this statistic soon?

Time will tell.

Happy 150th birthday!! 🍰

Readers’ Favorite

A perfect time to reminisce about how it all began— newsletter number 1.

Stuff

🥃 Whiskey I like - Talisker Dark Storm

In general, I like smoky whiskies the best.

And this one is particularly smoky.

But beware, it's a strong one 😃.

Epilogue

That’s it for this issue.

If you received this newsletter from a friend and would like to join Friday's Digest, visit https://newsletter.shaysharon.com

See you next week!

Shay