My dad got me one of those too. I did a fair bit with it, but I had to rewrite the programs every time I ran them, because I didn't have a tape recorder.
My heart goes out to you. Cancer does suck. At least you had the opportunity for closure.
After getting in at 2am from the wedding, I got up at 7 and drove 8 hrs home to make my daughter's soccer game.
Left work at 3 to get a jump on traffic. Got 20 miles, realized I'd left my suit at the cleaners and had to turn around. Added a total of 3.5 hours to my drive to turn around and get it. Stupid dc rush hour.
learned how incredibly easy it is to turn garbage (waste ethernet cables from work) into money. I rented a uhaul and took 6 pallets of old ethernet cables to a wire scrap yard, and split the returns 3 ways with the 2 cable puller guys I was working with. Next time, I won't need to bring them...
I don't get to many games either (none this year, even). That's what makes the bet fun. If you lose, you have to go to a game, but you do it in a jersey the winner bought for you...so no matter what, everyone wins (and loses).
But if you just want to make it a boring beer bet, that's fine too.
Took kids to a birthday party
Bought a car (2012 Mini Countryman Cooper S - Green w/ carbon black interior, 6 speed, rear bench)
Traded a Nintendo DSi for a Yamaha trumpet