Category Archives: Life

I should be napping!

Posted in Life by

Right. I should be napping so that I can fight against the to-be-expected snooze of late-night staying upping. But I have one more thing to say.

Sometimes it’s worthwhile to say when you’re unhappy. Now this is something I’ve had to adjust in my mentality, because in the past I’d never complain. But then, one day, I simply became fed up with being really, really nice (gag!) and decided to tone it down at least one level of really.

(Perhaps I’m overemphasizing my kindness. It’s not like I rescue kittens or give to every charity. In fact, I’m only moderately sweet and equally, if not more, also selfish. But certainly I am polite. And have also been known to be meek. I guess it’s the meekness that’s really being conquered when it comes to complaining. Because we can complain in a kind way too, no? But being meek means keeping silent.)

So I had a haircut. As you might remember, my stylist in Southampton was FANTASTIC. Yes, she deserves capital letters. It took trial and error to find her, but I did – and actually, I found her by going back for a re-cut (Cause the previous girl made me look five years old. Not cool.).  Anyhow, coming over to Canada I’m debating who will now be my designated hair designer. *hair designer, don’t you love how language changes? What happened to the hair dresser? Or the barber?!

Anyhow – so like, three days before my talk I call my mom’s hair place in desperation. Except that the lady I wanted to see (she’s really very talented and confident with those scissors) wasn’t available. Well, okay, I booked with another person. And came out with a bowl-shaped hairstyle. Ugh, just terrible. So square, so awkward, so ugly.

And I didn’t want to complain, didn’t want the stylist to get in trouble, but ultimately decided that I looked like an idiot, and went in for a re-cut.

That was today. This morning. And the results are 100% better.

But you know what else? They didn’t even have a problem with my asking for better results. And lately I’ve found that most people don’t. Just so long as we’re polite and patient, people are often happy to get it right – make it right for you.

I guess they’re the ones who are really, really nice.  🙂

Okay, not everyone will be accommodating – but if someone is a jerk when you’re complaint is valid, then whatever they were/are offering is just not worth your time. Either keep on pressing your point if necessary (which I’ve also had to do before when the shipping company didn’t want to send out a van to collect our stuff and we were leaving the next morning) or, if you have this luxury, forget about that company/individual/product and never look back.

Anyhow, life lesson: It’s okay to ask for better. About time I wrapped my head around that one.

The conference went well

Posted in After treatment, Bumpboobs, Fun, Travel by

Okay I’m heading for the bed because tonight I need to stay up late (like past ten) so that I can review the Ukrainia concert that is going to be happening. Honestly, the review will probably go like this: they were awesome! And we danced.  Because I’m no music critique.

But I wanted to first stop in here and tell you about the conference. It went great. Great! The entire audience was composed (with a few exceptions) of nurses. Wonderful, beautiful, ever-learning nurses.  I know that as a patient, I might over-idolize the people who helped me (and demonize, since my mood can change depending on the drugs getting pumped) but when it comes to nurses, well, can they get enough praise? Like I said in my earlier post, during treatment there was no way I could handle saying what I really felt – but last Wednesday in the Midland country golf course, Catherine told it like it was.

And how they had helped.

What was inspiring.

How the journey became easier.

Which was all down to simple humanity. People being kind.

Anyhoo – they seemed to enjoy the speech, enjoy my way of presenting (Dad was all, “don’t stand behind the podium, get a clip-on mic and no power point. So I followed his urgings to, I believe, my benefit. It was a great talk), and most importantly they enjoyed my content. Hugs followed. Many, many hugs.

So it was a day to smile. Zsolt and I had a small vacation from Ottawa, and the conference was really enjoyable. Two thumbs up for a positive experience. May there be many more in the future.

Greasing up for breast cancer

Posted in After treatment, Bumpboobs, Fun by

Well it’s ten p.m and I should be going to bed and not blogging, but Zsolt and Daniel are behind me watching “Maximum Overdrive” so what the heck.

Guess where I was tonight? The Mayfair. They were hosting a fundraising event for the Canadian Cancer Society, specifically raising money for breast cancer. Katie from The Bald and the Beautiful brought me into the know of tonight’s event, and I have to say it was a fun evening.

Firstly – I met Katie. She’s way too young to have gotten breast cancer, but nevertheless counters the crap  with ample amounts of determination and involvement, helping spread awareness to other young people about the dangers of BC. We both write blogs for Facingcancer.ca, and this afternoon was our first ‘in person’ meeting.

So there we were in Starbucks drinking our green tea, having our first ever chat, and I swear, it must have been a conversation to catch the ears. Literally thirty cementers from us was this long haired woman trying to focus on her papers, but yeah right. I don’t mean to be self-absorbed, but we had a good conversation rolling, and it was all about breast cancer – how does that not attract attention?  (It’s like eavesdropping on a couple who are having their first date. I don’t want to listen in, but I can’t help it; they are so fascinating. So very hilarious and fascinating.)

Maximum Overdrive Update: Okay. Emilio Estevez is now feeding gas to the angry eighteen wheelers, who moments ago just shot dead the waitress when she ran out of the restaurant and screamed, “we made you. We made you!”  ACDC is now ringing out with ‘Hells Bells’. Rock and roll.

Anyhow, so after our Starbucks meet and greet, we headed over to the Mayfair to enjoy the pre-show fun. That included buying popcorn with really terrible butter, and getting a quick manicure and face treatment. Lovely. They woman who was doing the spa session had me put a mud mask on my lips. But I have to say, it worked really well. These pink puckers are smooth.

And that’s when the real fun began.

Grease Lightening, baby.

Wow! That movie is all camp and cheese. It’s been so, so long since I’ve watched it in full, I didn’t remember how charmingly cheesy this film gets – and Danny Zuko was brilliant – he was so incredibly cheesy, it was an absolute hoot. The women behind us were singing, hooting, clapping, and shouting.

But wowzers, it’s totally crass too. Funny crass – but some of the lyrics! Some of the lines! Beneath all that grease and hair spray and push up bras and ice cream colouring is a truly racy movie. Oh, the language. It was hilarious.

And then Danny and Sandy flew up into the sky in their pimped up hot rod, and the credits rolled.

Overall I think it was a good night. Great to meet a fellow blogger, and really fun to go to this film. The showing was a bit sparse – certainly someone needs to be paid to do some marketing for that group. But otherwise, really fun.

Anyhow – Estevez is now formulating a plan to escape the angry trucks and machines. I think this Stephen King movie (also incredibly cheesy) is nearly over.  Oops, there goes a tracker driving over a few cars.  Oh crap, and here’s a killer ice cream truck. Well anyhow, the film is climaxing, so it’s time to stop writing.

Have a great night, and a lovely tomorrow.

Bye-o!