Adam Yauch and How Much Cancer Sucks

News just went out that Adam Yauch, aka MCA from the Beasties Boys, died of cancer at the age of 47.

47.

That is so fucking young.

I went through a huge Beastie Boys phase back in the late 90s/early 00s. In fact, on my first date with my husband, he asked me what bands I was into. I told him I really liked the Beastie Boys. Years later he told me that he almost wasn't going to call me again after hearing that. Not that he's anti-Beastie Boys...just that it's a weird band for a 20 year old girl to claim is her favorite (as they were at that moment).

Beastie Boys were always there when I was growing up. They were all over the MTV. A pop cultural stamp on my life. When those people die (and when they die so young), it really makes you take a look at your own life and start counting the years. I am way closer to 47 than I am comfortable with. It's strange how quickly life goes by.

My mom died of breast cancer at 48. I was 6 years old. I remember her looking so old. And now when I look at people I know in their mid to late 40s and think about how young they appear - it's just crazy what cancer can do to a person.

Cancer terrifies me. It's one of those things I try really hard to ignore and keep out of my mind because, really, I'm in my 30s and it is a very realistic possibility it could enter my life at anytime. And that is frightening.

I think about the shortness of life all too often. How quickly it can just go away. I think that has a lot to do with how I just don't want to wade around in all the muck of unnecessary unhappiness and stress anymore. I just want to live and experience and fulfill all of my whims.

And we all should.

Because life is short, folks. And life is great. And most of the other shit doesn't matter. Nobody ever says they wish they spent more time in the office when they die.

Because you can't, you won't, and you don't stop.