THAT CAN'T BE GOOD
That Can't BE Good
Don’t be impressed by the accomplishments of others; the only accomplishments that matter are your own.
As we meander through our lives searching for peace, love, and fulfillment most of us must overcome roadblocks on the way. Doug Bell certainly had his share. His book relates how he jumped on life’s carousel with all its ups and downs while making every effort to grab that ring without never, ever giving up. Doug’s book describes this journey in amazing detail and how perseverance, faith, and luck, the ring grabs him.
In reading this book one will identify with many stops on his journey but will marvel at how this one life left a positive influence on all around him to NEVER EVER GIVE UP!”
- Carl Cucchiara
My Story is Your Story
This isn’t about gender bias.
I don’t remember writing my book, and sometimes I even say I didn’t. I never wrote an essay or a book report—in fact, I never even brought a book home from school.
Three neurologists suggested I write my life story, especially after years of unsuccessful treatment led to hallucinations.
This book won’t overwhelm you; it’s an easy read. I don’t have the right to use fancy words when my ability is less than perfect.
Count how many times I should have perished, and how, just seconds before, I shouted "Oh God!" and somehow everything worked out—though now, I’m living with the consequences.
Many women have told me that after reading my book, they felt like they walked in my shoes, experiencing every emotion, often deeply and intensely.
And guess what? I managed to outsmart the literary geniuses.
Disclaimer (Bottom of Page Three):
The content of this book is presented as-is. This may include errors in grammar and punctuation.
"This book is full of flaws, but I must admit, I am sort of the irrelevant nerdy English professor type. As a conventional reader, you might experience some rough patches, but this is a book written by and about a person who grew up with undiagnosed learning disabilities and endured a malfunctioning though much- loved family.
Doug writes: “As I’m writing this, my brain is swollen and I’m eighty percent blind. I have a purple stripe down the center of my nose. I think you can understand how difficult it is to relive the worst day and the best of my life.
I consider it a minor miracle that a writer who endured so many life challenges has succeeded in delivering such a powerful, often tragic, yet joyful memoir. Doug’s story is rife with all sorts of emotions, agonies of the mind, body, and spirit, horror, frequent brushes with death, perseverance, joy, despair, love, and ascension.” While reading, I experience moments when I bolted out of my chair and said, “ No efffing way.” I found myself having to pace around the room wringing my hands for a while before I was able to get back to the words. Then at one point where Doug was in the hospital after an unfortunate car accident, what the father of the victim had to say to him totally blew my mind.
I once said to Doug, “I am sorry you were handed such a raw deal.” He replied, perhaps in more colorful language, something to the effect of “What are you talking about?” Yes, I was wrong. What a wonderful life Doug has lived, piloted by by a code of honor derived from who knows where? My imagination concludes that he had developed this code through numerous intimate conversations with God himself while he was just a young kid struggling to survive and working his skinny butt off hauling endless heavy buckets and bussing tables.
Please persevere through any rough patches because this story is an experience you will never forget. THAT CANT BE GOOD is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit over whopping disadvantages, and a testament to the boundless grace of almighty God. Doug story illuminates the intricate pathways of a mind that, although damaged by nature and trauma, somehow discovered ways to make new connections and reconfigure itself to muster hidden strengths that most of us ordinary folks never get the chance to discover. Yes, you will encounter intimations of preternatural powers here. And you might learn a few things during the journey."
- Chris K.
Mental Illness is terrorism inside our borders.
Doug's Words of Wisdom
Don’t tell Doug something that could land him in trouble!
Never fall asleep when someone else is steering your future. Wealth Managers have a fiduciary responsibility to put your interests first. One broker once suggested I buy Boston Chicken on the very day they filed for bankruptcy. Who ended up paying for their shore houses or boats? You did!
No answer is still an answer.
If there’s no photo of Doug, he didn’t do it!
Miranda Rights (Warnings) were written by our government to protect us. When the police tell you to keep your mouth shut, take their advice. Unfortunately, calling an attorney isn’t always a bargain, but it’s worth making that call!
Marriage is a celebration of unity… that can lead to lunacy.
When asked a question, take a moment, gather your thoughts. If you don’t know the answer, borrow mine: “I DON’T KNOW!”
If you succeed, congratulations. Just don’t be stubborn enough to think you’ll succeed at everything.
Poor language skills lead to a lack of credibility.
Don’t judge someone wearing ripped pants, a tattered flannel shirt, and muddy shoes. They might just be your lucky break.
My Wish!
My mind is not capable, never has been, never will!
Be able to retain the knowledge required by institutions of higher education with a degree.
A ring not to impress! But to assist my ego when days of confusion lost in a world understood by none was not long ago. I want to gaze down when my soul needs a lift.
I would stare at an oblong piece of pot metal, sleeping in the center a stone, the University embossed straddles my broken finger some not complete.
The greatest gift created by God was our mind, regardless of the shape or size and foreign bodies growing slowly depleting our brain.
If I could accomplish one miracle, only one! I hope my illogical way of learning will help those like me graduate at the same level, sitting side by side equal to those called Valedictorians.
That lone soul wear my ring.
That is my wish!
Footnote:
My wish comes from a deep desire to level the playing field for those who, like me, have struggled with traditional learning methods. The ring symbolizes more than just an achievement; it represents a beacon of hope and a reminder that every mind, regardless of its challenges, has immense value. My hope is that this wish will inspire others to see the potential within themselves and to strive for their own unique form of success.