Jayne's Breast Cancer Blog

Jayne's Bones: An Update

2008-09-26T17:24:00.007-04:00

Since my last post about my bones here is what I have done:

Had my blood drawn to check Vitamin D levels. The link between Vitamin D and osteoporosis has been getting lots of attention recently.
Decided to see a specialist.
Thought about bisphosphonates. While this drug treatment may be inevitable, I will avoid it as long as possible. The possible side effects are unappealing.
Thought about weight-bearing exercise. I walk and I use dumbbells. Could I do more? Well, sure. I could do machine weights for arms and legs.
Tried to invoke the way that I felt during active treatment - meaning that I focused on the present instead of the future.
The hubby and I celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary in Paris.

Here is what I haven't done:

Received the results from my Vitamin D lab test.
Made an appointment with a specialist.
Done any in-depth research about biphosonates.
Machine weights for arms and legs.
Managed to stay focused on the present. Lately, I worry about the future waaayy too much. What do I worry about? Oh, just the usual stuff. Health. Money. Kids.

Like every good bookworm, I have some exercise books. I actually bought these toward the end of treatment, thinking that I would devote myself to getting into tip-top shape. Alas, this has not happened. So...now what? Can I do it? Will I do it? Stay tuned...

Yes, we really did go to Paris earlier this month for our twentieth wedding anniversary...which at least partially explains why I haven't posted much this month.

Jayne the Jellyfish?

2008-08-29T17:21:00.004-04:00

Alas, my bone mineral density (BMD) continues to deteriorate. I had my baseline scan in the spring of 2006: post-diagnosis, pre-chemo, pre-oophorectomy. At that time my bones were in rip-roaring good shape. They were downright awesome. So... if breast cancer hadn't entered my life, I don't think that osteoporosis would have been my destiny, either.

In 2007 I had my BMD measured again. And I had dropped a whopping 7 %. I cried. I got very angry. I got the news on my birthday and I let it ruin my birthday. I hoped that this year I might only show a 1 or 2 % drop. Maybe even stabilize. I had hoped that maybe the chemo and the ooph had whomped me good. However, I had enough sense to wait until after my birthday to go in for the scan.

The result? Another 7% drop. Now look, I was an engineering major in college so it isn't hard for me to do the math here. Seven percent a year for several years...equates to Jayne the Jellyfish.

Well, folks. It seems to me that I have landed myself a new research project. What are my options? Will I have to stop skiing? I am currently taking Arimidex - is that a factor? Do I have to wait until I actually have osteoporosis to get treatment? Believe it or not, my BMD is still within the normal range even after these two disastrous readings.

Be Well, Christina Applegate

2008-08-21T11:30:00.007-04:00

This post is my electronic bouquet of well-wishes for Christina Applegate. Did you see her interview on Good Morning America with Robin Roberts ? I thought that it was nothing short of spellbinding. Christina Applegate came across as smart, genuine, and compassionate.

She opted to have a bilateral mastectomy with the hope that she will never have to face the beast again. Considering that I made a similar decision, I totally get that.

P.S. A nod to Karen Lynch at the Pink Ribbon Review for making me aware of the video clip. If you haven't visited her breast cancer blog before, hop over for a visit.

P.P.S. I first posted these pics as an electronic well-wish to Elizabeth Edwards March '07 when she announced her recurrence. The beautiful pink flowers were given to me by Komen when I was the BMW Ultimate Drive Local Hero.

Review: RiverStone Journals' Survivor's Guide

2008-08-06T10:17:00.006-04:00

RiverStone Journals "creates beautifully crafted planners designed to help those facing health crises navigate the demands of chronic illness," and the company recently released its first planner. Ooh La La. Called "A Survivor's Guide for the Breast Cancer Journey" this product is seriously pretty.

RiverStone Journals partnered with Day-Timers, Inc. to create the journal, and the production quality is superb. The front cover feels like suede and is embossed with an elegant "Courage and Strength" logo that is echoed throughout the binder. The paper, the fonts, the color scheme...yumm.

There are eight tabbed dividers. Some of the sections represent a phase of the journey; for example, "Understanding Your Diagnosis." Within that section you will find:

A small pocket to hold slips of paper
Informational text designed to help you understand your pathology report coupled with spaces for notes
Questions to ask
Tips from Survivors
Journaling pages with a few prompts
A list of resources

No planner / organizer is perfect for everyone. Some folks are just as happy with a few file folders and a spiral notebook. But if you are the type that (a) drools over beautiful journals or (b) doesn't get the appeal of digital scrapbooking because you don't get to fondle paper or (c) is well aware that Kate Spade sells stationery - then this planner has you written all over it!

Priced at $39.95, this organizer is not cheap -- but every order generates a $5.00 donation to the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation. And I think it would be an awesome gift to a newly diagnosed woman.

Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act 2007

2008-07-10T19:57:00.008-04:00

The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act has been kicking around on Capitol Hill for some time now. Reintroduced in 2007, the intent of this piece of federal legislation is to "require that health plans provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay for mastectomies, lumpectomies, and lymph node dissection for the treatment of breast cancer and coverage for secondary consultations."
Last week, one of our local news stations did a story about this bill and I was one of the people who were interviewed.

Not too many people have both a lumpectomy and a mastectomy. Lucky me. My lumpectomy was outpatient and that was fine for me. I don't remember how long I was in the hospital for my mastectomy, but I can assure you that I considered it major surgery!
Here is the link to the story:

Legislation Targets Drive-Thru Mastectomies

To learn more:

Press Release from Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro's Office

Legislation Tracker

National Race for the Cure 2008

2008-07-03T08:48:00.009-04:00

In June I had the opportunity to participate in the National Race for the Cure in Washington DC. My friend Beth met me there and did the race with me. The National Race does its Survivor Program before the race begins, so we had to get there at 6:45 AM. We decided to leave the hotel at 6 AM and the hotel didn't have a coffee pot in the room or coffee in the lobby,but I told Beth that we didn't have to worry - that there was a Starbucks across the street that opens at 5:30.

So we got ourselves up and out the door only to find ourselves peering into the windows of a dark Starbucks that doesn't open until 6:30 on Saturdays. Ugh. I have had a cup of coffee every morning of my life since I was like twelve unless I had to fast for a surgery or something equally exceptional.

Doing a 5K without coffee first? You've got to be kidding. Surely we'll find someplace to stop for coffee on the walk there. Nope. But, ahhh...there was strong, hot coffee in the Survivor Tent. OK so Survivorship has its perks at these races.

Once we got our caffeine situation under control, the rest of the day was great. It was hot but not miserably so. There were around 50,000 people.

(Ok now -- if necessary -- please try to shelve your politics and TV preferences for this next part.)

There were some famous speakers: Condoleezza Rice and Cynthia Nixon (from Sex in the City) were among them. Condoleezza Rice spoke about her mother's death from breast cancer. Her mother was diagnosed when Dr. Rice was a teenager, but didn't die from the disease until her daughter was 31.

That week, I had the opportunity to listen to both Dr. Rice and Ricardo Antonio Chivara (from Desperate Housewives; scroll down to the Lobby Day post below) talk about the experience of losing a mother to breast cancer. It was oddly comforting to listen to them tell their story. After all, I mostly view this entire experience through the filter of motherhood. What if I am not here to raise my children? What will that do to them? Every time one of my kids has a milestone (big or small) I find myself whispering to God, "Thanks for letting me be here." This trip was a good opportunity to listen to stories from the perspective of the adult child: the trauma, the passion for the cause, the hope for a cure. I think that their mothers would have been very proud of them for making those speeches.

Loved these "In Honor of" boards

With Beth, one of my very very very best friends.

A Stop on the Garden Tour

2008-06-15T07:55:00.008-04:00

Fellow lobular breast cancer Survivor and blogger Deena has set up an online garden tour, "Nestle in the Garden" on her blog, Can I Be Pretty in Pink?.

I absolutely love my yard. I can (and do) spend many hours tending to its needs. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from my garden, in no particular order. I hope that you enjoy this stop on the Garden Tour.

Komen Lobby Day 2008

2008-06-11T20:57:00.006-04:00

On Thursday June 5 nearly 300 breast cancer Survivors and activists from all over the country represented Susan G. Komen for the Cure on Capitol Hill. I was part of the delegation from my local affiliate, the North Carolina Triad Affiliate. We were there to meet with our representatives so that we could explain the need for increased cancer research funding and improved access to screening and treatment.

It is expected that a piece of comprehensive cancer legislation, intended to "reignite the war against cancer," will be introduced this summer. Developed by Senators Kennedy ( D-MA) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), the bill is known as as the Kennedy-Hutchison Cancer Legislation.

According to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance, here is what you can expect to find in this legislation:

(1) A greater investment in cancer research, particularly translational research.

(2) An emphasis on early detection.

(3) Improved access to cancer care for underserved populations. How? Among other things, by expanding access to clinical trials.

Go here to listen to an NPR interview with Senator Hutchison about this legislation. Keep in mind that this legislation is not exclusive to breast cancer; it is applicable to all cancers. Did you know that approximately 1500 Americans die from cancer every day? That 40 percent of all Americans will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lifetime? (*)

Ricardo Antonio Chivara (Carlos on "Desperate Housewives") spoke at a press conference on the steps of Capitol Hill. His mother died of breast cancer when he was a teenager.
Photo credit: Carolyn Breese

Representatives from four North Carolina Komen Affiliates met with Senator Elizabeth Dole.
Photo Credit: Carolyn Breese

Thank goodness one of the women in my group had some pictures to share. My camera battery died and I discovered that my cell phone takes really lousy pictures. However, I am not nearly as short as I appear in that photo with Sen. Elizabeth Dole!! I was scrunched down so that we could fit everyone in. Between camera problems and driving into DC through a line of tornadoes, I can't say that the trip was exactly smooth. But all's well that ends well...On Saturday June 7 I did the National Race for the Cure with one of my best friends and 50,000 other folks. What an amazing experience: post coming soon.

(*) Stats from Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

My Survivor Profile on "Pink Ribbon Review"

2008-05-22T09:37:00.003-04:00

I've been reading Karen Lynch's breast cancer blogs for quite some time. She recently started blogging about breast cancer for b5media at the Pink Ribbon Review. When Karen offered me the opportunity to tell my Survivor story on her blog I said, "Sure!" Want to read what I had to say? Click here.

Then click here to read part two of the interview.

The Pink Artist Doll: Update

2008-05-15T18:33:00.007-04:00

Do you remember the Pink Artist Doll project? Monica Magness completed her and has named her "Love Squared." Her skirt was crafted from two inch fabric squares. A total of 182 artists participated in this project - how cool is that? "Love Squared" has been sent to Art Doll Quarterly & she is due to appear in the autumn issue. A drawing for this gorgeous doll will occur on October 15. To enter the drawing,view Monica's blog post for all of the details.

Did you find my square?

(Doll photos courtesy of Jeff Magness and used here with permission)

NC Triad Race for the Cure 2008

2008-05-11T20:04:00.012-04:00

Race Day was a resounding success. I don't have the final total yet, but I think that our team raised over $3000. It was a little bit chaotic in the beginning, trying to corral 34 people. We had decided to meet at the Team Photo Spot half an hour prior to race time, but parking ended up taking lots of folks (self included) longer than expected, so then we couldn't really linger at the Team Photo Spot too long...we needed to head over to the starting line...but not everyone was there yet...How did we ever manage before cell phones?! I took 13 incoming calls between 7:55 AM and 8:30 AM.

The weather cooperated and so did Andrea's baby...she is due in just a few weeks. A round of applause to her for walking a 5K so close to her due date. But it worked out well; she and my Mom walked together. Heck, at one point, they were even ahead of me.

The runners have one real advantage. They get to the finish line and can enjoy the festivities long before the rest of us. By the time I got to the finish line, I had to whisk myself over to the Survivor Tent to get organized for the Survivor Procession. Oh, but I loved the walk and don't regret doing it at a leisurely pace. Chatting, laughing, just feeling fantastic every step of the way... For several of my friends, participating in a charity race was a new experience, and it was really fun to enjoy the energy of event from their perspective. OK enough gushing and rambling...enjoy the pictures.

At the Starting Line

Getting Ready for the Survivor Procession

Along the Course

Photo Credit: Andrea

After the Race:

Photo Credit: Andrea

"Blogging Breast Cancer" in MAMM magazine

2008-04-26T21:48:00.005-04:00

Blogging Breast Cancer by Sherry Baker is an article in this month's issue of MAMM magazine.

A portion of my Public Face versus Private Face blog post is quoted in the article. The article excerpts from this this passage:

I do struggle with the question "How are you?" I haven't found a consistent answer yet:

"So far so good."

"I feel fine."

"Prognosis is excellent but there is no cure, you know."

"I appear to be cancer free."

To me, it is quite the paradox that I've let my fears and emotional ups and downs show more here - on this very public place!- than in daily conversation. But at this point if I'm out socializing or at a meeting, my cancer is old news (please God let it stay that way).

If you are thinking about starting a breast cancer blog, the article contains some solid tips. It also explores the sociological aspects of blogging, which continue to fascinate me. Definitely worth a look.

I started blogging on such a whim. It was the night after my first chemo treatment & I couldn't sleep. I was wired (from the steroids that I had to take with the chemo), but was physically exhausted. It was the perfect project for the moment. For a while, I wasn't sure if I liked blogging. It took some time for me to figure out my own style and comfort zone. I was tempted to hit "delete this blog" a number of times. I'm pretty much over that now :)

Race for the Cure

2008-04-14T08:53:00.013-04:00

Our local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is only a couple of weeks away. I am so excited. This is the third year that I've participated, and the second time that I've been a Team Captain.

The 2006 race was a watershed event in my cancer journey. I was only two months out from my diagnosis. I had endured one chemo treatment. Because I was unsure how much energy I would have, I only signed up to do the one mile walk. Here is an excerpt from my May 5 2006 post:

Last Friday night, I had my head shaved. Saturday was one of the best days of my life. WHAT? How could this be, you might ask.

Well, on Saturday morning we went to the Susan Komen Race for the Cure. The weather was perfect, and we were quite a large party: my family of six, three survivors from my support groups and their families, and one additional dear friend who came out to support her breast cancer buds.

It was my "coming out" party for being bald. What better venue? I was in lots of good company! And, as a survivor, you receive the royal treatment. You have a bright pink race shirt and hat to differentiate you from the crowd (and quite a crowd it was -9000 participants).

The highlight was a Survivor Procession: you line up behind a sign that groups the women by # of survival years. So my group was "-1" but the groupings went all the way up to "25+" and we all did a little parade / rally to Melissa Etheridge's "Run for Life" song.

Then one of the girls from my support group invited us back to her house for a party. All in all, it was a very empowering, FUN day.

My Mom and me in 2006.

By 2007 I was feeling pretty good about my life again. All of my treatments were behind me, and all that I had left to do was schedule a final reconstruction surgery (expanders out, implants in). I did that the Monday following the race, so that I wouldn't be sore for Race Day.

I signed up as a Team Captain. It was a cool, rainy day and my emotions got the better of me at the end:

So here we are in 2008. I have a bigger team and more donations this year. I'm super-excited for the race. And I'm hoping that it will work its magic on me again this year. Cancer continues to wreak havoc upon my loved ones; people that I care about are coping with Stage IV. Fear resides in my heart more often than I like to admit.

Breast cancer is a sneaky, crappy disease. It is biopsies, scans, chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and a lot of wondering whether or not the treatments are working.

But Race Day is empowering. It offers hope, enthusiasm, and support. It is a day when breast cancer can comfortably commingle with cheering, singing, and celebrating. Bring it on...

Useful Links:

Susan G. Komen NC Triad Race for the Cure

Find a Race for the Cure Near You

Passing It On

2008-03-13T12:35:00.006-04:00

Recently, Deena was kind enough to bestow this blog award on me. After thinking about it a bit, I've decided to pass it on to two of my friends whose blogs are outside of the breast cancer arena:

Andrea

Shelly (Cameron's Mom)

If I could have a big wish, I'd wish for a cure for breast cancer. Heck, I'd wish for a way to prevent it. But if I could have a little wish, I'd wish that more of my IRL friends would blog. Especially those of you who live so faaaaaarrrrr away...The award goes out to you, too.

Komen in the Triad

2008-03-11T12:07:00.007-04:00

For those of you in the Triad, our local Komen affiliate has launched a new blog.

Race day is coming!! I can't wait.

Edited to add that the race will be on Saturday May 3, 2008 in Winston-Salem, NC. Go to Komen's Triad Affiliate Web Site for details. I will be doing a more detailed post about the race later.

Art Doll Squares

2008-03-07T12:21:00.005-05:00

I sent Monica two squares for the art doll. She has graciously pledged to use at least one square from each submitting artist.

Here are mine:

In the first square, I wanted to represent female beauty post-surgery. I had a bilateral mastectomy and my ovaries removed, so that is what I cross-stitched into the design.

I even put in my still-annoying port-a-cath scar :)

I'm not sure what is floating through the woman's body in the second design: healthy cells? bubbles? dreams of breasts that are now gone?

A bit about the technique: I used grey wool felt. You don't have to sew the edges of felt, and I love its texture. I chose grey because the breast cancer journey is filled with decisions that are made in shades of grey.

I used fabric paints and markers for the design. The only sewing that was involved was the cross-stitch.

Monica continues to post updates on her lovely Girl Gone Thread Wild blog. It is so exciting to watch this project develop.

The Pink Artist: A Community Art Doll Project

2008-02-20T16:33:00.007-05:00

Monica Magness, owner of the Girl Gone Thread Wild blog has initiated a Community Art Doll Project.

Each artist will contribute a 2" fabric square. The squares will be put together as one art doll. Go check out Monica's blog to participate or to find out all of the exciting plans that she has for this art doll (including donating the proceeds to Susan G. Komen for the Cure). But you'll have to hurry. Squares must be mailed to Monica by March 1.

Check out the parade of squares to see some that have already been sent in. I just signed up today to do a square. Mine will be humble in comparison to the ones that she has featured on her blog, but (shrug) I have thought up a design that means a lot to me so I'm in!

Once I get it done, I'll post a picture.

Thank you, Deena, for making me aware of this project.

All Is Well

2008-02-18T12:46:00.004-05:00

My breast surgeon guarantees me that the little bump near my port-a-cath scar is not a tumor. That it is likely to be an undissolved stitch although scar tissue would also be a possibility.

Why would I suddenly feel it now? Perhaps because the rest of the area has softened and resolved enough to allow me to feel it. I did figure out, through endlessly prodding said lump over the weekend, that it can be flattened out. And that was a bit reassuring.

"But can't we just take it out? Biopsy it?" My pleas were ineffective.

No.

And he really did use the word guarantee. In addition, he assured me that he doesn't use that word lightly.

I have had complete confidence in him so far and his reputation is stellar. So I will go with the guarantee in spite of the fact that, I do NOT (and will not) watch-and-see. Ever.

I don't like the downward spiral that I went on over this. I'm not sure if I think that I acted like a baby, or if it was a reasonable fear. People live with recurrence, and I all but crumbled with the fear of recurrence. I think that I was done in by having two "what-ifs" in one month.

Conclusion: I still have lessons to learn.

Breathing Again

2008-02-16T10:57:00.004-05:00

Not that anything of substance has changed since last night. But this morning I feel like I can breathe again. And that "it" is probably not cancer. And if "it" is cancer, then I will not allow it to spoil even one more day than is necessary.

I'm tempted to make myself a rule: no posting in the evening. St. John of the Cross's book is called Dark Night of the Soul for good reason, eh?

But such is this journey. Up and down. I can't always be the breezy Jayne who is thrilled with life, who has been taught well by the cancer experience, and so on. Sorry. (And just who am I apologizing to? I don't know. My husband, my mom and my closest IRL friends I guess. They bear the burden of when-I-am-not-so-fine.)

I am off to have a normal day, folks.

OK, So Now What?

2008-02-15T20:00:00.005-05:00

Thoughts on Blogging

About a month ago, Lorelle on Wordpress did a post on Cancer Blogs and Blogging.

I discovered this post because my blog was listed, so that was kind of cool. Considering that Lorelle is not a "cancer blogger" she sure did manage to hit on one of the fundamental aspects of blogging about cancer. She writes: "If the disease ends, should the blogger keep blogging about being a 'victim' or 'patient'? Shouldn’t their blogging move on as their life has? What happens to the blog?"

It's a conundrum that so many of us face as we move further out from active treatment. Some of my favorite bloggers have all but stopped updating their blogs. I guess that's good - they're off living their post-cancer lives, right? But without any updates, I'm left to wonder how they are doing.

I know other cancer bloggers who have kept up their cancer blog but started another blog, too. I've thought about doing this (and I still might). But am I up for maintaining two blogs?

So I find myself at a bit of a blogging crossroads. I do still have plenty to say about breast cancer on this blog. Creative breast cancer projects come to my attention all the time, and I want to blog about them. Cancer continues to influence my own creative efforts, and I want to blog about that too.

Bad News

I am so so so so sorry to report that I have something sinister weighing on my mind again. On Wednesday, I found a little, hard lump right near my port-a-cath scar. It's tiny. Like smaller than a B-B. It could be scar tissue, but that scar is almost two years old. How likely is it that this would occur now? It hurts. If I push on it in a certain way, the pain is sharp. Almost like this little bump has a shard on it. I think that it would be unusual for a tumor to present pain in this manner.

It's not even on my cancer side. But... certainly there are lymph nodes in the area. It's just an inch or so below the collarbone. Maybe, despite a bilateral mastectomy, it is a new primary tumor. They can't get all of that breast tissue out, you know.

I had something happen to me a couple of weeks ago. It was related to the bleeding colon polyp that I dealt with last year. I had a few dark days. I had to go in for a test. The test came out fine. I didn't even write about it. I hardly even told any of my IRL (in real life) friends. Just didn't feel like dealing with it.

I had a pretty good run of it this past year. I've been able to play, work, travel. I've had days when cancer didn't even cross my mind.

Now?

Can't concentrate. Can't cope. Can't breathe. Appointment with breast surgeon on Monday.

Review: "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan

2008-01-20T14:08:00.000-05:00

I read this book last weekend. It was quite good; good enough that I stayed up late twice and took it to my son's basketball game -- to read only during the breaks in the action, of course.

It is a memoir by a young mom (late thirties) with breast cancer. The Middle Place is "that sliver of time when parenthood and childhood overlap." As much as anything, this is a memoir about growing up as Kelly Corrigan and her current relationships with her parents, especially her father.

I think this is actually the better developed theme, although I might be biased. I'm a different kind of daughter than Kelly Corrigan, and my father died long before I had cancer, but I have still viewed much of my life through the lens of being my father's daughter. So... I get it.

When I read a breast cancer story, I'm looking for those moments when I read something that's really unique and intriguing. I had one of those moments in Chapter 5 when Corrigan writes that a "sick part of me actually wants the bad diagnosis" just to prove that she is not a hypochondriac, to show that sometimes fears are justified, to "know how I would perform." These thoughts are of course just a "flashes of curiosity" that she then secretly takes back. It takes a lot of courage and self-examination to be that forthright. Add in the fact that there's an Edgar Allen Poe reference in the passage, and you've definitely pulled me in :)

Speaking of Poe, the other reason that I was eager to read the book was that I thought that Corrigan was from Baltimore (like me). I was wrong. Her dad is from Baltimore and my city really doesn't figure into the book. Oh well.

But I did live in Central California for a long time. Corrigan, a Bay Area resident, mentions that a woman at the hospital "looks like she's come into the big city from her farm in Central California -they don't sell shoes like hers in the city."

Hmmm. OK, to be sure the Central Valley isn't anything like San Francisco, and Bay Area residents often take little swipes at Central California...but for the record I really loved living in Fresno. It has charms all its own. One thing that I've been blessed with is a bloom-where-you're-planted mentality that sure came in quite handy during the years that we spent moving all around the country.

But I digress... I really enjoyed The Middle Place as a fast-paced read that is tailor-made for those of us who had to tell both our children and our parents that "I have breast cancer."

Edited to add content Jan 21, 2008.

My Poor Little Tree!

2008-01-18T07:42:00.001-05:00

From this:

To this:

in five days

GTD and Me

2008-01-12T14:15:00.000-05:00

Has cancer taught you to slow down, to savor the moment, to spend more time "being" and less time "doing"?

If so, then I'd like to be more like you. But I'm just not wired that way.

I do worry far less about the future than I used to, but I live with a heightened sense of urgency. I have big plans, and I'm afraid that I'm going to run out of time.

As a result, I love January and the promise of a new year. I can't relate to people who resist resolutions. So what if I make the same (or similar) resolutions year after year? I don't care. I like to have goals. I like to make lists. I like to dream big.

For several years, I have been loosely operating with David Allen's Getting Things Done method of productivity. While I have a shelf full of time-management books, this one really changed the way that I do things.

You can find GTD all over the web. There's the David Allen Company's official site, and a concise description at The Executive Assistant's Toolbox with lots of links to GTD-stuff in the blogosphere. But if GTD intrigues you, I highly recommend reading the book to capture a complete understanding of the methods and benefits.

I draw from some other organizing methods, but this is the one that I rely on the most. The reasons that I like it so much? Here you go:

I keep a list of projects, but it is imperative that I break those projects into action steps. This way, I am forced to identify exactly what it is that I need to do next. Do I need to make a phone call? Send an email? Do an errand? If I've blocked out time to work on a project then I don't want to spend that time dawdling around. I want to jump right into the zone.
Instead of a to-do list, I have groups of next actions. I have a list of calls that I need to make, emails that I need to send, errands that I need to run, etc.
These are some of the structural aspects, but the other aspect that really makes an impact is that just getting ALL OF THE NOISE out of my head allows me to actually get things done. Do you ever think about how much less stress you'd have if you weren't trying to keep everything together in your head? When I can relax and know that I'm not letting things fall through the cracks -- that's when I feel the most productive.

However, while I am completely sold on the GTD method, sometimes I drift terribly far away from it. It's only when I get back on it that I feel like I've corralled my interior life. A fundamental concept of the GTD method is the weekly review. which I almost never do. This is bad. It's like dieting without exercise. It doesn't quite get you there.

So goal #1 for 2008: Use GTD faithfully. I have a lot to do!

Vintage Christmas II

2007-12-26T09:31:00.001-05:00

No matter where you are in your cancer journey, I hope that there is some peace and some joy in your life this holiday season.

I took some of my vintage cuties outside yesterday.

This little elf is new to me this year. I just love his sweet little face.

The rest of these have been with me since childhood. These little elves aren't even two inches tall. We used to have snowmen and angels, too - where are they now?

Santa pulling sleeping reindeer? Weird but charming. The reindeer lift off. I guess it's a candy dish or something like that.

And, if you are interested, here is last year's It's beginning to look a lot like (a vintage) Christmas post.

Cheers.

"She Is So Brave" by Allison Strine

2007-12-15T19:04:00.001-05:00

Have you discovered Etsy yet? I have, and I could spend all day there! It's a place to buy and sell handmade items. Browsing around, I discovered this two-sided pendant by Allison Strine:

This photo shows you the size:

WOW. I find a lot of breast cancer jewelry to just be ho-hum, but this piece is gorgeous.

Here is the Etsy link to the pendant:

She Is So Brave by Allison Strine

(Photos courtesy of Allison Strine and posted here with permission.)