A Thankful Day...

Sunday was a pretty intense day; my friends Stacey and Lisa had invited me to go down to the San Diego 3-Day Breast Cancer walk. As a breast cancer participant, I’ve done a few walks with my friend, Wacko Jude, in Rochester, NY, but never the "3 Day". If you are not familiar with the "3-Day," Susan B Komen sponsors a walk.... not a stroll, but a 60-mile, 3-day walk. Its not a walk in the park; its a huge commitment, and I believe each walker has to raise a minimum of $2000.00 to be able to walk and participate.

After our arrival, we set up “shop” and waited for the walkers. We had left Oceanside at 7:30, so we were a bit ahead of the pack.

While waiting, I noticed a young bald woman standing with her husband and two small adorable boys. I’d like to say that she did not stand out, but she did. She was young, beautiful and bald - she was me 6 years ago. I walked over to her and told her that I had the same “haircut” 6 years ago and not to worry, as it grows back. I gave her a high five and congratulated her on her future success, and then I proceeded back to our “group.” When I got back to our girls, my friend Stacey said “Kandee, you made her cry.” I said, "Stacey, I did not make her cry; cancer did." Cancer sucks, anyway you stack it, slice it, or present it……...it sucks.

For 95% of the time we were there, cheering on walkers, I was so happy; the experience made me smile and feel so grateful that I was alive. I thanked the walkers, and they thanked us for supporting them.

There were numerous signs, slogans and t-shirts that were so uplifting. Some of my favorites were:

“Fight like a girl”
Surf City Titties”
"Barb’s Bonkers have gone bye – bye”
“Save 2nd Base”
"Teachers for Ta – Ta’s"
"I hope you dance…."
One College Boy had a sign stating – "Show me your boobies – we are all here for one thing!" (a hopeful lad, I thought.)
Stacey’s young daughter had a sign stating “Find a cure before I grow boobies”.
One of my favorites was a shirt stating, “Of course they are fake! My real one’s tried to kill me.”
There were many “in honor” shirts, but sadly, there were also many “in memory shirts.”

I’ve never walked the 3-day, but the ladies who were with me had previously done so. They pointed out the “official badges” and the official signs. Some walkers were able to carry signs stating:

"Hope "
"Faith "
"Love "
"Power "
"For my Mother"
"For my Father"
"For my Daughters"

"For Me"

One sign in particular, “For my Sister,” factored into my 95% happy time. When I saw that sign, I lost my composure and tears started to flow. Stacey asked if I wanted to get my picture taken with the flag bearer. I declined, because even though it was over 10 years ago that I lost my sister Kelley to Breast Cancer; it suddenly felt like it was yesterday.

Before we had left to go root on the walkers, I dragged an old shirt that I had from one of the walks I had done in Rochester, NY. On the back of the shirt, it says, “Survivor” in big, bold letters. Walking through the crowd, Stacey felt compelled to point me out and yell – “Survivor here – She’s a Survivor!” I actually was a bit embarrassed, as I felt “unworthy” of the term, Survivor. I feel that I did whatever I could do to get through, and luckily, I was able to squeak by. There are many more woman who deserve the title more than I; I consider myself lucky.

I am the luckiest person in the world!

Take cover... Its an EARTHQUAKE!!!

Before we moved to Cali, I was discussing the possibility of a move with a friend of mine who lives here in Oceanside. I think I was expressing my fear of an earthquake and that that alone may hold me back in my desire to move.

My girlfriend said to me "You New Yorkers are an odd sort, you worry about getting a snow or ice storm. You scurry all around gathering supplies to hunker down for a week or so. Run to the store, get 12 gallons of milk, 8 loaves of bread, enough batteries to power a space shuttle and then after all that, there are times that little or no snow emerges". She proceeded to say that "We Californians just scream EARTHQUAKE and by the time we begin to breath again, the quake is over and then we go about our day".

The "friend" and I are no longer close but I must say the bitch was right. This summer I experienced a very small earthquake. I actually thought it was a big truck going down the road rattling the windows. By the time I yelled "Earthquake", the earthquake had passed.

I've just learned that tomorrow at 10:00AM California time, San Diego County is to take place in a mock earthquake drill. See, I knew those rice cakes would come in handy.

LOS ANGELES – California will star in a mock earthquake disaster drill Thursday – considered the largest in U.S. history – with some 5 million people pledging to do everything from ducking for cover to rescuing faux victims.

400,000 in S.D. County to take part in quake drill

The exercise centers on a hypothetical magnitude-7.8 earthquake that unzips the southern San Andreas Fault – an event that scientists call the feared “Big One.” Such a quake would cause 1,800 deaths and $200 billion in damage, researchers estimate.
Previous simulated quake catastrophes put on by the state were smaller in scale with the leading actors mainly first responders and cities testing their emergency preparedness. Thursday's drill is more of an ensemble cast with governments, schools, hospitals, churches, businesses and residents promising to do their part.

25

I'm a lousy blogger, maybe I'm a lazy blogger. Anyway you add or multiply, its only 25. Over the course of almost a year, an entire year - 25 - 25 no good posts.
I'm just not a giver, I try to fit it all in, you know - work, 3 kids, facebook, myspace, grocery shopping cleaning toilets etc. but my blogging seems to be the one that suffers. I even bought the blue cleaner for my toilets thinking that would allow me more time, more time to do the fun stuff. Stupid cleaner, wears off sooner than I would hope and not it just looks like rancid urine in the shade of green. So what do I give up?
My first choice is work.... I've actually mentioned that I find it to be overrated anyways. Kids, well in as much as I threaten, I can't give them up and maintain a life outside of the legal system. Grocery shopping? Well I actually enjoy that, I'm a coupon freak and its more the thrill of the hunt. Take today for example; Ralphs had the Quaker Rice Cakes on sale for $.50 each. Yeah, thats right $.50 cents! So, over the last week, I have bought almost 30 bags... why? Why knows, but if we have an earthquake, I can choke down those damn ricecakes for a few days until Barack gets us back on track. It gives me great pleasure to have the cashier at Ralphs inform me that I have saved $75.23 today leaving with a debit amount of $18.27.
Still I ponder what to give up so I can contribute more than 25 posts per year.. Exercise? Well that would work IF I did EXERCISE. Cigarettes? - yeah I don’t smoke…… Crack? - have to actually do crack before I give it up.
Maybe if I manage my time better I won't have to give up anything, maybe if my ADD doesn't kick in so often I can do it all.
Yeah right, who am I kidding. Maybe I can pay someone???? HINT… Hint.

Cake Walk, Cat Walk

Monday morning, I went to work, and my boss called me in. I figured I f&cked up, was going to get my butt spanked for something, but that was not the case. She handed me an envelope containing a salon gift card and said "This is for you." Carefully, I opened the envelope, just in case it was loaded with arsenic and looked at her, quite puzzled. She had given me a $200.00 gift certificate to get my hair done.

See, I'm the cheapest person around. I mean, I will spend a million dollars on other people, but with myself, I'm cheap - I almost feel "unworthy."

On Tuesday, I entered the local TV station's contest to win a $50.00 gas card. Thursday, I get a call on my cell from an unknown person, who proceeds to tell me I won the contest, and my gas card would be arriving in the mail.

Yesterday, I went to help my friend, Debi, out. She had volunteered to run the Harvest Carnival at her daughter's elementary school. Even though Carly was way too, very, very busy on VMK, she and I decided we would go just to show our support, even though it was a rival elementary school. When we arrived, it was clear that Debi needed no help, as there were over 250 people there! I thought this would be a good time for Carly and I to "bond." Carly's plan was to - quick ditch Mom and go hang out with her friends.

There I stood, knowing pretty much no one, so I prepared to take one for the friendship team.
I stood around a bit, looked at crafts, and bought some tickets for a root beer float (yum). Then, even though I wanted to slit my wrists, because for the 5th time, I heard "Monster Mash," I decided it was up to me; I could sit there watching everyone in the world pass me by, or I could amuse myself. Looking around, I planned my strategy. One game unknown to me was the "Cake Walk." Interesting, I thought, but what’s the deal?

In NY, we have different ideas of amusement but one I had never participated in was a "Cake Walk." I'm not sure if its a "West Coast" thing or what, but never have I walked the cake walk, cat walk, or even the Boardwalk. I quickly found out the rules are simple; pay 2 tickets $.50/each and walk inside a circle with 20 chairs with other willing participants. When the music stops, sit down and then they call your chair number out of a bucket. This is my kind of game; I suck at jeopardy, my ADD kicks in for Monopoly. I could handle walking in a circle. Music starts, walk ----- Music stops, sit. Easy enough. Needless to say, I won... I was granted a "golden" ticket and I was able to pick out any cake I wanted to from the gallery.. Sweet (no pun intended). Of course, I picked the biggest cake available; it was a pumpkin/cream cheese coffee cake, at least 8" tall!

My next thought was.. that was to easy... I have to try again..
Back to the Cake Walk and yup, I won again.
Figuring that my hips did not need two cakes strapped to my ass, I gave one away.. It's all about the thrill of the hunt.

Not a bad week, not a bad week.