It's a little late for a New Year's post, but I've been extra special busy this year.
Expect blog posts to be infrequent from now on. You know why? I don't have cancer anymore. It seems weird to continue to keep writing about it.
So, a few weeks back I noticed a lot of red around me. I have a beautiful set of mittens and a scarf in matching red that Jocelyn knit me. I also recently knit my first project - a red hat with red beads. My sister-in-law gave me a red handbag for Christmas that I absolutely love and use every day. And then there was the new Ani DiFranco CD I recently bought, Red Letter Year. I've decided that this will be my Red Letter Year.
Red is the new Pink. Pink is so last year. Red is an amped-up version of Pink. Pink is for breast cancer and Red is for not breast cancer. Pink will always be special to me, but I'm happy with Red.
When I was celebrating the New Year in Chicago this year, I also felt like I was celebrating my new year. It's my year. It's my year to be able to take control of my life and move past cancer. I no longer feel like a cancer patient. I just feel normal. Sure, I wish my hair was longer. I wish I had real boobs. I wish I could do a Chattarunga in yoga class (I can't because I should never lift my body weight with my arms... ever again). But these things will get easier over time, and there are so many other things I can do, that it really doesn't make sense to waste time thinking about what I can't.
So, what have I decided to do for my Red Letter Year? In no particular order, these are the things I want to accomplish:
- Get "real boobs". Well, real fake ones, at least.
- Use my passport for the first time. Rusty and I are planning to go to Jamaica in December.
- Lose my financial advisor poundage (and more), and wear a bikini for the first time in my life (in Jamaica). I'm half way there. I can see cheekbones for the first time in a looong time :-)
- Run the Chicago Marathon on October 11, 2009. Rusty and I are currently training for this.
These things are not New Years resolutions. You know... the things you say you're going to do in the first week of January but forget about by Groundhog Day. Aside from the boobs, these are things I always wanted to do. But I've come to realize that goals don't happen to you (cancer, on the other hand, happens to you). Goals never really meant much to me until recently, but now I get it. Goals are things that you have to really really believe in - something you are compelled to do. They have to be your own, or you won't be willing to put in the hard work and effort it takes to meet them.
Anyway, what are your goals? Is this your Red Letter Year?
Showing posts with label Red Sox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Red Sox. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Cliff's Version
This post is for Greg. Greg is our financial advisor, and he's also a good friend. We had a meeting with him tonight and he said that he read my blog and he liked it but that he wanted a "Cliff's Notes" version of it. He thinks I write too many words (Greg likes pictures - he's used to reading things like "One Fish, Two Fish..."). So, in honor of Greg, I decided to make this post short on words and long on pictures.
On Monday, we went to Fenway to watch the Red Sox on Patriot's Day. Here is a picture of us in the bleachers. From left to right is Bret (friend from college), Rusty (best husband in the world), Sarah (best friend in the world), and Me. The picture isn't that great, but it's from my cell phone. If you saw how drunk the photographer was, you'll understand why I'm glad it's not a picture of the cement ground.
After a great win by the Sox, we headed to "Boston Billiards" (or, as Rusty likes to call it, the "Hot Chick" bar). Here is a picture of my sister, drinking a beer. We like beer. Ryan is in the corner, probably trying to pretend he doesn't like to be in photos.
And this picture is for my Dad. Boston Billiards has really taken it a bit far with the Miller Lite decor.
The funny story of the day was in the wee hours of the morning (around 6:30), when we were preparing to leave, and I was telling the story of how on Saturday I started out with zero Red Sox bandannas and in the space of 5 minutes I had two. Ryan, my sister's friend, came up with a great idea. Instead of expressing frustration in a blog, and getting duplicates (horribly inefficient), someone should come up with a cancer registry. You know... I can go to the store with that little lazer gun and pick out towels, and glasses, and bandannas, and maybe flower arrangements so that people know what to give me. Just kidding. Seriously, I'm just kidding ;-) That was supposed to be a joke. I really don't want 4 replies showing me where I can register for stuff because I have cancer.
Anyway, I hope this was short enough for you, Greg, and I better be able to retire when I'm 35 like we talked about. We <3 Greg.
On Monday, we went to Fenway to watch the Red Sox on Patriot's Day. Here is a picture of us in the bleachers. From left to right is Bret (friend from college), Rusty (best husband in the world), Sarah (best friend in the world), and Me. The picture isn't that great, but it's from my cell phone. If you saw how drunk the photographer was, you'll understand why I'm glad it's not a picture of the cement ground.
After a great win by the Sox, we headed to "Boston Billiards" (or, as Rusty likes to call it, the "Hot Chick" bar). Here is a picture of my sister, drinking a beer. We like beer. Ryan is in the corner, probably trying to pretend he doesn't like to be in photos.
And this picture is for my Dad. Boston Billiards has really taken it a bit far with the Miller Lite decor.
The funny story of the day was in the wee hours of the morning (around 6:30), when we were preparing to leave, and I was telling the story of how on Saturday I started out with zero Red Sox bandannas and in the space of 5 minutes I had two. Ryan, my sister's friend, came up with a great idea. Instead of expressing frustration in a blog, and getting duplicates (horribly inefficient), someone should come up with a cancer registry. You know... I can go to the store with that little lazer gun and pick out towels, and glasses, and bandannas, and maybe flower arrangements so that people know what to give me. Just kidding. Seriously, I'm just kidding ;-) That was supposed to be a joke. I really don't want 4 replies showing me where I can register for stuff because I have cancer.Anyway, I hope this was short enough for you, Greg, and I better be able to retire when I'm 35 like we talked about. We <3 Greg.
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