Daniel, one of eight children, has asserted that treatment would violate his religious beliefs. The teenager filed an affidavit saying that he is a medicine man and church elder in the Nemenhah, an American Indian religious organization that his parents joined 18 years ago (though they don’t claim to be Indians).

“I am opposed to chemotherapy because it is self-destructive and poisonous,” he told the court. “I want to live a virtuous life, in the eyes of my creator, not just a long life.” He also filed a “spiritual path declaration” that said: “I am a medicine man. Some times we teach, and some times we perform. Now, I am doing both. I will lead by example.”

Right. May I remind you that he’s thirteen? This is the point in life when kids tell you they want to grow up to be professional wrestlers, when their best friends are determined by age and physical proximity instead of any real affinity, when they may or may not be old enough to be left alone for long stretches without a babysitter. We don’t let thirteen-year-olds drink, vote or drive. We don’t even let them set their own bedtime on school nights.

Why is anyone asking this child his opinion of decisions that will affect his health, much less his life expectancy?

I have a post up at Quiche Moraine discussing why a local thirteen-year-old boy is not competent to decide whether to substitute “alternative healing practices” for his chemotherapy and radiation. There’s already some substantive disagreement in the comments. Feel free to weigh in.

For someone with a finely nuanced understanding of science journalism and writing, Bora Z of A Blog Around the Clock demonstrates a remarkably narrow view of what an editor does. True, it may not all be his fault. The notion that editors are little more than gatekeepers with red and blue pencils is widespread.

Of course, this point of view is most prevalent among people who have never worked with an editor. To find it in someone who has worked with academic editors and editors of the anthology he stewards is a bit surprising. I don’t know whether he’s never worked with a good editor (doubtful but sadly possible), hasn’t paid enough attention to the details of that interaction, or is glossing over the knowledge to make a point. Or, knowing Bora, maybe he’s just being provocative and waiting for someone to call him on it.

I’m calling him on it now, not just because I am an editor, but because I’ve had the privilege to work with some good ones.

As Quiche Moraine‘s editor, I’ve got a fairly long piece up over there today defending the vocation. There’s a bit of discussion going already, starting with a comment from Bora. Go check it out.

My blogroll is thoroughly in need of an update. One of my favorites is no more, another promising blog dropped off the face of the Earth after the election, and I have tons of stuff I’m following in my reader that isn’t on there.

However, rather than wait for me to have the time that will take, I’ll point you to DuWayne’s new blog now. If you’re not reading Traumatized By Truth already, you really should be. Even if you only read it occasionally, you know that he’s interested in the treatment of addiction (and in everything else). Recently, however, the topic got even more personal.

I really need to quit smoking. It’s not a “I want to quit,” because I honestly don’t. It’s not a “I should quit,” because that’s obvious, but has done nothing to make it happen before. I need to quit. I need to quit because my kids need me to quit – I really wish that I could say that this is the one that has pushed me over the edge, but to my shame, I would be lying. If that were all it took, I would have quit nearly eight years ago. My continued/improved health and well being requires that I quit – again, if that were enough, I would have quit years ago. What it boils down to now is simple economics. Because as important as the other reasons that I need to quit are, not having the funds to smoke is a pretty solid barrier to my continuing to smoke.

Being a blogger, and the kind of guy who wants to help others, he’s started a new blog, Quitters Blog. Being smart about quitting, he doesn’t want to do it alone.

Would there be any interest from my ex-smoking readers, as well as those who are trying to or who are planning on quitting, in a blog project for you (and me) to post about our experience? I would love to throw up another blog around here and allow you all to post – with team posting privileges for those who want them.

[…]

And actually, I should also note that though I’ve gotten out of the habit since I resurrected this blog, I am all about having guest posters. I will be somewhat selective about what I post and will admit that my reasons may be pretty arbitrary, but I am all about hearing from you, if you want to post. I do recommend that you ask me before you write the post, so you don’t end up writing something that I don’t really want – but I really do like the idea of getting some other voices up around here and outside of comments. Finally, please don’t assume that because you disagree with me on something, that I won’t be willing to post your views – there are some things that I just won’t, but that is not a common restriction for me.

So if you’ve got anything to add on the topic, head on over and tell him so.

The other adults in your life aren’t blameless either. We’ve all let you down, including me. Sometimes we’ve let our own lives distract us. Sometimes we’ve let ourselves get worn down by the battles necessary to get permission to participate in your life as much as we want to. Sometimes we’ve let you make us angry despite knowing that was what you were trying to do, or held your behavior to standards we haven’t taught you to meet. Sometimes we’ve just forgotten that your life has taught you to hide your feelings, and we haven’t worked hard enough to find out what you were keeping hidden.

I’m sorry for all of that. I would change it if I could. I can’t. All I can do is tell you this: I’ve been there (which we’ll talk about when you can ask all the nosy questions you want), and it only gets better.

It’s Friday, which means I’ve got a new post up at Quiche Moraine. This one’s a little different. Somebody very dear to me is in trouble, and there are things she needs to hear, or at least things I need to say. I’m saying them publicly because there are almost certainly others out there who need to hear at least some of the same things.

Quiche Moraine, that is.

If you’re not, or if you only head that direction when I point you at something I’ve written, you’re missing out. You’re missing Ana collecting insights on the economy and things like Pokemon fetish wear. You’re missing Mike telling tales on himself and interviewing Minnesota politicians. You’re missing Greg telling stories about why he’s just not that into music and why a restaurant meal is never just a dinner out.

Then there are our guest writers. They’re telling more stories, about losing innocence and friends. Sometimes about Minnesota’s historical figures. They’re talking about living their art and their ideals. They’re asking and answering questions about the whys of the world. They’re the reason for Quiche Moraine, and they never disappoint.

We’re two months old this week and doing well for a young blog. To celebrate, we’re hosting our first roaming carnival today. Go check out the Four Stone Hearth. 4sh is always a cool carnival, and I never fail to learn something reading the entries that I would never have even thought to think of.

Having been mostly away from the internet for the last couple of weeks, I’m late to the party as usual, but I still think there’s something that needs to be said about the reception that Sheril of The Intersection received at Discover Blogs. Well, not so much about the reception itself. Sheril said just about everything that needed to be said about that. Scicurious’s take on the incident is well worth reading, as well, as is DrugMonkey’s commentary on why this should and does matter to men too.

So after all that, and everything else that’s been said, what’s left to talk about? Maybe the fact that every single time a discussion like this occurs, someone wants to know when compliments are appropriate. Sure, the temptation is there to dismiss the questions as distractions from the discussion at hand, but it is a real question for many people. Some of those comments are honest cris de coeur. And the conflicting responses, plus the occasional “never outside a relationship” aren’t helpful.

The real answer is both blindingly simple and incredibly difficult in practice: it’s negotiable.

Head on over to Quiche Moraine to see me opine on the subject and to find out when and why I repeatedly told a coworker that he was hot.