Yes, I mean a real one... not a trip for a work conference disguised as fun, or a trip to a wedding, or forced family fun event. I mean a real live break from work!!! Just in time for my bday.
Of course I thought the blog community should know, just in case you are wondering where I am next week, and missing my pointless rambles. My last few blogs have been not so normal, so now back to normal and my favorite types of pointless rambles.
On the news front, I am now attempting to "play" tennis. As many loyal readers know I am pretty ADD, so sports that require concentration are kind of my kryptonite. Tennis is no exception. Last year we made some friends at church who are also from Texas, we all went to play tennis and I proceeded to simply swing my racket in the general direction of the ball without making contact but once or twice. They never called us back to play again, which made me feel as though learning to play tennis is a real life skill that I need to acquire. How else will I get regular contact from Texans in the north (yes my Virginia readers, I do realize that Richmond is considered the "south," but when you are from Houston, everything is north).
So I have tried and tried to learn to hit that yellow ball. My best strategy is a mind over matter technique where I chant "ball ball balll ball ball" as the ball comes my way, and hope I don't get visually distracted by something shiny in the way. I can say that is effective now about 55% of the time!
I have of course acquired tennis clothing so I look like I know what I am doing out there as Robert runs all over the court pretending he can hit my crazy serves....
I am now proud to say that I feel I am at the point that I will be able to use Robert's B-day gift to me which is tennis lessons with a professional. God bless the coach who will have to work with me!
Well that is all for now... just a few more days of pretending to run a company before we are off to Myrtle Beach!!!
RED
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Reminders
I have recently been spending some time with a fellow cancer survivor. What a deep bond you can form with someone who has been where you have. We have talked a lot about the sneaky ways you can still be reminded of the mark cancer made on your life even long after it's gone. Being a glass half full kind of gal, I tend to cling to the blessings I have from being a cancer survivor. I feel I gained a love for life and adventure that I may not have developed had I not had cancer. That being said there still are reminders that from time to time almost reopen the wound, and leave me back in the grief process.
As an "I've been there" to anyone else who is a cancer survivor struggling with reminders. Here are some of my most recent reminders:
1. My14 inches... that's how long the keloid scar deformity of a reminder on my stomach is... I used to have various feelings on the grief cycle continuum every time I touched or looked at my stomach, now it is just when I wear a fitted shirt, or bathing suit that I am reminded. I also feel a painful reminder each time I try to do anything that would involve the use of my core muscles. I try to remember what it was like to be able to feel my stomach, and what it was like to be able to control those muscles. I went to a personal trainer recently, and felt so exposed as I struggled on the floor unable to do exercises I've seen PT's do with stroke patients at the hospital.
2. Hearing someone else has cancer: every time I hear of someone who has been diagnosed I am reminded. It opens feelings of guilt that I made it through, and that person may not, and feelings of fear of what cancer may do in the future.
3. The "past medical history" box on any paperwork: that pretty much means I will be telling someone else the who story, and get to hear "Oh, you're to young for that." which of course reminds me of the way I went from a 19 year old feeling "invincible" in the way that most teens do, to a 20 year old adult with cancer in one day, and the way Robert too had to step up to the plate when the rest of his friends were consumed with the joys of senior year of college.
4. My annual scans: for obvious reasons this continues to be a reminder
Of course in the midst of it all I am blessed, and love every minute of the life I have. The hope in all of this is that the reminders become less frequent, and less harmful with time. The way I react to them is all in my control, which is something Cancer could never take.
Ok, so that's all from serious blog land, back to the humor filled rambles you have come to know and love soon.
RED
As an "I've been there" to anyone else who is a cancer survivor struggling with reminders. Here are some of my most recent reminders:
1. My14 inches... that's how long the keloid scar deformity of a reminder on my stomach is... I used to have various feelings on the grief cycle continuum every time I touched or looked at my stomach, now it is just when I wear a fitted shirt, or bathing suit that I am reminded. I also feel a painful reminder each time I try to do anything that would involve the use of my core muscles. I try to remember what it was like to be able to feel my stomach, and what it was like to be able to control those muscles. I went to a personal trainer recently, and felt so exposed as I struggled on the floor unable to do exercises I've seen PT's do with stroke patients at the hospital.
2. Hearing someone else has cancer: every time I hear of someone who has been diagnosed I am reminded. It opens feelings of guilt that I made it through, and that person may not, and feelings of fear of what cancer may do in the future.
3. The "past medical history" box on any paperwork: that pretty much means I will be telling someone else the who story, and get to hear "Oh, you're to young for that." which of course reminds me of the way I went from a 19 year old feeling "invincible" in the way that most teens do, to a 20 year old adult with cancer in one day, and the way Robert too had to step up to the plate when the rest of his friends were consumed with the joys of senior year of college.
4. My annual scans: for obvious reasons this continues to be a reminder
Of course in the midst of it all I am blessed, and love every minute of the life I have. The hope in all of this is that the reminders become less frequent, and less harmful with time. The way I react to them is all in my control, which is something Cancer could never take.
Ok, so that's all from serious blog land, back to the humor filled rambles you have come to know and love soon.
RED
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Mother's Day Thoughts...yes, I don't want kids, and yes, I am serious
There are 2 things in life I am not interested in that always make people a little bent out of shape. One is my lack of interest in roller coasters and theme parks (hot, sticky, noisy, yucky), and the other is my lack of interest or desire to be a mother. Many of my loyal friends and readers are quite aware of this, and seem to understand. It's "people" who seem to not get it.
In a time when I can not even seem to keep up with the images of beautiful babies on every one's facebook, and since I hit that been married for 2 years marker, the questions of "when will we have kids?" continue to pour in..... and of course it is never "do you want to have kids?..." it is always assumed that there is this rule that I have to want kids because I am a woman and I am married.
Why is it like that? ....
Here are some facts (or a rant because that is what you can do when you blog)-
I don't want kids... I have never wanted kids, and no, I won't change my mind. It is the same way I have no desire to live in the north, be an accountant, learn to paint, grow a garden, etc. Those are all great things, and I am sure they make lots of people happy, I just don't want to do them. Robert doesn't want kids either. We have prayerfully considered this, and I feel blessed to have found a husband who is in agreement. We probably have put more thought into NOT having kids than some people do in deciding TO have kids. Just because I don't want kids doesn't mean I don't like them, or that I think people who have kids are inferior in any way. I am not judging you because you decided to have kids. I view this as a choice.... I don't want to live in NY, but lots of people do, and I think they are great, just like I think all those parents out there are. I am aware that I am good with kids, and that I love working with kids. I don't think that means I should have kids. The love for children, the skill for interacting with children, and the desire to be a parent are all, I believe, mutually exclusive. I am pretty good at cleaning toilets, but don't want to do that every day for the rest of my life. I am aware some people can't understand why I would never want to be a Mom, and that there is a misconception that having children is the only way to make sure someone will take care of you when you are old. I will have long term care insurance from another entity outside of my offspring. It's my choice, the same way you may choose to be a parent, I have chosen to be childless. No, even though I have had some crazy cancer, etc., I am not infertile, and I really could have a kid if I wanted one. I just don't want one. Yes I know there are tax benefits to having kids. I will continue to pay taxes to pay for other people's use when they have kids. Kids cost way more than the tax credit. On that note, I did not decide to be childfree because I think they cost a lot of money. I did not make this choice because I am married to my job, or because I am too selfish to share my money. I knew I didn't want to be a mom long before I knew I wanted to be an SLP or a small business owner. I am not some crazy feminist or nutty person concerned with overpopulation, I am just a normal person who happens to want to have a family of 2 and not 3.
OK thanks for listening to my rant!
Back to normal now!
RED
In a time when I can not even seem to keep up with the images of beautiful babies on every one's facebook, and since I hit that been married for 2 years marker, the questions of "when will we have kids?" continue to pour in..... and of course it is never "do you want to have kids?..." it is always assumed that there is this rule that I have to want kids because I am a woman and I am married.
Why is it like that? ....
Here are some facts (or a rant because that is what you can do when you blog)-
I don't want kids... I have never wanted kids, and no, I won't change my mind. It is the same way I have no desire to live in the north, be an accountant, learn to paint, grow a garden, etc. Those are all great things, and I am sure they make lots of people happy, I just don't want to do them. Robert doesn't want kids either. We have prayerfully considered this, and I feel blessed to have found a husband who is in agreement. We probably have put more thought into NOT having kids than some people do in deciding TO have kids. Just because I don't want kids doesn't mean I don't like them, or that I think people who have kids are inferior in any way. I am not judging you because you decided to have kids. I view this as a choice.... I don't want to live in NY, but lots of people do, and I think they are great, just like I think all those parents out there are. I am aware that I am good with kids, and that I love working with kids. I don't think that means I should have kids. The love for children, the skill for interacting with children, and the desire to be a parent are all, I believe, mutually exclusive. I am pretty good at cleaning toilets, but don't want to do that every day for the rest of my life. I am aware some people can't understand why I would never want to be a Mom, and that there is a misconception that having children is the only way to make sure someone will take care of you when you are old. I will have long term care insurance from another entity outside of my offspring. It's my choice, the same way you may choose to be a parent, I have chosen to be childless. No, even though I have had some crazy cancer, etc., I am not infertile, and I really could have a kid if I wanted one. I just don't want one. Yes I know there are tax benefits to having kids. I will continue to pay taxes to pay for other people's use when they have kids. Kids cost way more than the tax credit. On that note, I did not decide to be childfree because I think they cost a lot of money. I did not make this choice because I am married to my job, or because I am too selfish to share my money. I knew I didn't want to be a mom long before I knew I wanted to be an SLP or a small business owner. I am not some crazy feminist or nutty person concerned with overpopulation, I am just a normal person who happens to want to have a family of 2 and not 3.
OK thanks for listening to my rant!
Back to normal now!
RED
Monday, April 26, 2010
April Report
Yay! It's only been a month or so since the last blog... Bet you thought I ran out of stuff to blab about! No worries, I am pretty sure I will continue to pretend there are things in my life worth sharing on multiple sources of media. It is of course almost the blog-iversary of this site, so I will be sure to fill the next month with extra rambles in celebration.
Can't say there is too much new in the way of family/work updates. I am happy to report we will have 3 full rockin' summer camps at the Hearing House Clinic, and can't wait to cook with the kids at the second annual "Camp Listen in the Kitchen!" I continue to love the sweet voices of the kids at work, and pretend it makes me qualified to run a business. We will also be taking grad students soon...... that way when I go places people can ask my students if I am old enough to be out of school.
Now comes the part where I share some cool new things I am into and then try to get you to think it is cool too so I can feel extra cool on the basis of numbers.
- Anyone taken Zumba? I love it, and wish I had time to teach it (or any other form of aerobics for that matter)! Take a Zumba class, I know you will love the booty shaking! Shout out to Leslie, loyal blog reader, for taking Zumba with me when she came to visit!
-I have started to read the book the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. I recommend to all who think they are too small to make a big change. If you like the book let me know.
- I am now writing goals so that I can be a winner. I recently found out that 3% of Harvard Business grads make 10 times more than the other 97% combined. That's no chump change if you consider the average Harvard grad makes 115K starting with a 20k bonus! Not sure where us TCU grads stand on that one, but either way I won't stand a chance at being a winner if I don't get some goals down asap! When using a tool from my mentor on how to start goal writing I quickly realized it is pretty tough to answer questions like "what kind of legacy do you want to leave?" I turned to Robert and said "Man this worksheet is hard!" He then responded "Well, would you rather have superficial goals?" in his very "Robert" voice...
-Speaking of Robert... we both LOVE Texas and think it is the best state of the 50, and I have realized I am married to "Mr. Way too Proud of Texas Guy"
If you don't believe me check out the post below~
Talk to you soon!
RED
Can't say there is too much new in the way of family/work updates. I am happy to report we will have 3 full rockin' summer camps at the Hearing House Clinic, and can't wait to cook with the kids at the second annual "Camp Listen in the Kitchen!" I continue to love the sweet voices of the kids at work, and pretend it makes me qualified to run a business. We will also be taking grad students soon...... that way when I go places people can ask my students if I am old enough to be out of school.
Now comes the part where I share some cool new things I am into and then try to get you to think it is cool too so I can feel extra cool on the basis of numbers.
- Anyone taken Zumba? I love it, and wish I had time to teach it (or any other form of aerobics for that matter)! Take a Zumba class, I know you will love the booty shaking! Shout out to Leslie, loyal blog reader, for taking Zumba with me when she came to visit!
-I have started to read the book the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. I recommend to all who think they are too small to make a big change. If you like the book let me know.
- I am now writing goals so that I can be a winner. I recently found out that 3% of Harvard Business grads make 10 times more than the other 97% combined. That's no chump change if you consider the average Harvard grad makes 115K starting with a 20k bonus! Not sure where us TCU grads stand on that one, but either way I won't stand a chance at being a winner if I don't get some goals down asap! When using a tool from my mentor on how to start goal writing I quickly realized it is pretty tough to answer questions like "what kind of legacy do you want to leave?" I turned to Robert and said "Man this worksheet is hard!" He then responded "Well, would you rather have superficial goals?" in his very "Robert" voice...
-Speaking of Robert... we both LOVE Texas and think it is the best state of the 50, and I have realized I am married to "Mr. Way too Proud of Texas Guy"
If you don't believe me check out the post below~
Talk to you soon!
RED
Monday, March 15, 2010
Airplane rambles
So those who I may talk to outside of my blog page may know that I have had some pretty fun airplane adventures lately. In fact, I thought I would write a list of all of the reasons I have been delayed on an airplane. You know, instead of facing the reality that my computer crashed last week, and I am still recovering files.
The list is categorized by trip so that things will look more dramatic.
Last weekend on my way back from Texas we got out to the runway, and were then directed to go back to the gate and let someone off because we were too heavy... so some dude got off with his bag, and 30 minutes later we were off.
On a trip to and from New Mexico in Jan :
This trip itinerary should have read "1:30 PM flight from RIC to DFW with a 1 hour layover then off to Albq, and return."
Instead it was as follows:
1:30 flight from RIC to DFW boarded and then canceled because defrosters were broken. Board a second flight around 6 which is delayed for weather.
11:00 PM flight from DFW to Albq delayed with a gate change because "plane out of service" Finally land in Albq at 1 am.
Our return flight Albq to DFW was delayed because it was thinking about raining in Dallas, then we missed our plane in Dallas resulting in an overnight stay.
Next day we are on the first flight out, we board, and the plane has another broken defroster, so we deplane and change gates... and then on the next flight we get out to the runway go to take off, and then the captain says "Ladies and gents, we are having some issues with the autopilot, I am checking the manual right now to see if we can fly without it." I reply..."UMMM... How about, NOOOO!!!?? " I was of course correct, we had to take a u-turn back to the gate, and the flight attendant comes over the loud speaker to say " Please stay in your seats with your seat belts fastened because we have no idea what we are doing." It was in that sweet flight attendant prosody which allows you to say words such as "lavatory," and "deplane" without anyone looking at you funny. So there we sat as we watched some repair guy drive up with a new part, then proceed to unscrew every part of the cockpit for as we waited with seat belts fastened for instructions.... we took off, and made it home just in time for 2.5 ft of snow.
Oh yeah, that almost tops the time we were on the way back from ASHA last year I was delayed because our flight attendant was "missing." Guess they found us another one because that was only a 30 min delay.
Ok that's all for now. Can't wait for the next trip!
The list is categorized by trip so that things will look more dramatic.
Last weekend on my way back from Texas we got out to the runway, and were then directed to go back to the gate and let someone off because we were too heavy... so some dude got off with his bag, and 30 minutes later we were off.
On a trip to and from New Mexico in Jan :
This trip itinerary should have read "1:30 PM flight from RIC to DFW with a 1 hour layover then off to Albq, and return."
Instead it was as follows:
1:30 flight from RIC to DFW boarded and then canceled because defrosters were broken. Board a second flight around 6 which is delayed for weather.
11:00 PM flight from DFW to Albq delayed with a gate change because "plane out of service" Finally land in Albq at 1 am.
Our return flight Albq to DFW was delayed because it was thinking about raining in Dallas, then we missed our plane in Dallas resulting in an overnight stay.
Next day we are on the first flight out, we board, and the plane has another broken defroster, so we deplane and change gates... and then on the next flight we get out to the runway go to take off, and then the captain says "Ladies and gents, we are having some issues with the autopilot, I am checking the manual right now to see if we can fly without it." I reply..."UMMM... How about, NOOOO!!!?? " I was of course correct, we had to take a u-turn back to the gate, and the flight attendant comes over the loud speaker to say " Please stay in your seats with your seat belts fastened because we have no idea what we are doing." It was in that sweet flight attendant prosody which allows you to say words such as "lavatory," and "deplane" without anyone looking at you funny. So there we sat as we watched some repair guy drive up with a new part, then proceed to unscrew every part of the cockpit for as we waited with seat belts fastened for instructions.... we took off, and made it home just in time for 2.5 ft of snow.
Oh yeah, that almost tops the time we were on the way back from ASHA last year I was delayed because our flight attendant was "missing." Guess they found us another one because that was only a 30 min delay.
Ok that's all for now. Can't wait for the next trip!
Monday, March 8, 2010
First blog of 2010
Goodness, Internet!!! I really have not been an active blogger... or maybe the truth is that I don't really have too interesting of a life, and can only find things to blog about quarterly. Apologies for those readers (mom) who I may have left hanging in cyberspace for months!
Now comes the part where I update y'all on the not so exciting parts of my life. Of course in the spirit if winter we got more snow this winter than I care to discuss in a blog, or can really bring up without using language that would make this blog not so G rated.... I will briefly report that we now own "snow equipment" which is really an example of personal growth in the Evans family...we are now out of denial and moving through the grief cycle. Of course still mourning our loss of sunshine for 5 months a year.
On to more positive things.... we got to start the year with a super audiology extravaganza/nerd-fest in Chicago at the Worthington wedding. Seriously AWESOME event. I was honored to read the Irish blessing, and shake it on the dance floor with a room full of people with ear protection in their purses and pockets...
February was a month full of blessings including celebrating 2 years of marriage, and 7 years of cancer survivorship! What a blessing that my liver is still holding strong, and that Robert still puts up with all of my crazy!
I of course still pretend like I can run a business in 2 locations and keep my head on straight. What a learning curve and blessing it is to learn on the job, and google things like "how to hire someone......" (yes I actually did this, then asked "real" experts to confirm my google research findings). The good thing is that I have a crackberry now so I look professional when I google "how to run a business," or "how did I go to college for more than 7 years, accumulate a butt load of student loans, and not take one class on how to run a company"
Finally I will use the last part of this blog to congratulate the many friends who had babies/will be having a baby soon. Congrats to all the new editions, and sorry for my delay in internet love.
more bloggin to come!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)