Nothing to Say, Really!?

Work is keeping me from blogging. There. I have something to blame for my lack of writing. That, coupled with the fact that there is really nothing exciting to write about.
Quick update: Princess Laura is out of the hospital and in a rehab center working hard on her recovery. She is a strong woman and I know she will get through this in no time.
You can tell summer has arrived in Florida: everyday at 4:00 pm the sky gets black as night. By 5:30 (the time I leave for home from work) the thunderstorm has settled in. It's gone by 7:00. One can practically set their watch by the weather here.
I watched a show Friday night about Farrah Fawcett and her struggle with cancer. Then I got a feeling I haven't felt in a very long time: survivor's guilt. Why is the disease and treatment killing her, yet I get to live? She's been to Germany 4 times for treatments with specialists in that field of cancer. I had it rough: 8 rounds of chemo (as opposed to the standard 4) every 2 weeks and 72 rounds of radiation (as opposed to the standard 25); I had radiation twice a day...8:00 am and then back to the hospital at 4:30 pm (You have to allow at least 6 hours between treatments). And here I am; healthy, post-menapausal, but healthy. And I think I take it for granted alot of the time. How is it that cancer kills some but not others?
TMI for a blog, maybe.
Ok, enough of the downer stuff...have a good week. And make sure to tell the one's you love how you feel about them.

Have A Glass With Me!!

I used my new blender today. I made myself a "fruity drink" like they have on the cruises. The drink was awesome. So awesome, I had another one. I drank both of them out of my favorite cruise line's glass (Not the glass in this picture). All that was missing was the orange wedge and the umbrella. Of course it would have been nice to have been sipping these drinks while aboard a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean, but hey, I did what I could.
It's been a long week. I wish I could tell you that Laura is doing well, but I can't do that yet. I can tell you that she is hanging tough and I know she will pull through all this, it will just take a lot of time and patience. So I raise my "special" glass in honor of Laura, who will one day read this, laugh hysterically, and then chew me out for having wasted so much space and words on her.
Many of you have asked about my job. I really would rather not talk about it. I'm making money and that's a good thing. And so, I raise my glass again.
Next weekend, mom and I will be going to Cocoa Beach to visit friends and then to Orlando to meet up with my brother who is flying in for a long weekend from Cali. (I raise my glass in honor of Marc flying here safely). Then we will go to Lakeland and visit with Stephen, Casey, Brett and Gavin. (I raise my glass in honor of my grandson) I am really looking forward to next weekend.
The weather here has been quite lovely lately. Highs in the upper 80's with a nice breeze. (I raise my glass in honor of the fact I live in Florida) I'm hoping to sit out and get some sun tomorrow.
And now my glass is empty. (Now I know how Lori feels when we all say EVIL). And because I know Laura will be alright, my brother will get here safely, I am spending next weekend with my family, I am making money, and the weather is nice...I must go and get a re-fill.
Join me, won't you? We'll raise a glass to anything you want!

Princess Laura

Remember a few posts ago I said I like to use this blog as a catharsis? Well I need a catharsis today. I just found out 1 of my best friends, Princess Laura was in a terrible car accident. She has a broken hip and a broken vertebrae in her neck.
My first impulse was to book the first flight out of Gainesville and get to her in New Jersey. Scratch that, no money and no time off from my new job. Send flowers? That just doesn't seem to be enough for me. Laura has become such big part of my life...I feel I need to do more!!
She is so funny. She has an unusual attraction to piano bar boys and dancing poles. She loves to cruise as much as I do, if not more. She says I am half of her brain, as we both think alike in so many ways. We talk on the phone (which we both hate) about the silliness of boys, how to survive the world of IT (she does better than I; she's a Unix freak), and most of the time my neurosis of everything that matters. Oh, did I mention she's a HUGE Donald Duck fan?
I guess in the end, all I can do is call her often and let her know I am here. And pray. She would love that.

postscript: It has been 3 hours since I wrote this post. Being the Jewish woman that I am, I did the only thing I could do as I wait to hear word of my friend: I cleaned. I washed the car, gave Max a bath, mopped the entire house and vacuumed all the rugs. Laura....get well soon!! I'm running out of things to clean! :)

Yom Hashoah

And so tonight, the people of the Jewish faith light a candle to remember the 6 million that died. And we shall never forget. For if we forget, it can happen again.

I Really Should Blog More

I know I should. I really should. Blogging is a catharsis of some sorts. But I find myself so very tired at the end of the day, it's all I can do to fix a sandwich and stay awake to watch my shows. Damn chemotherapy aged me at least 10 years. But hey, I'm alive!
I will try to write more often, even if it's only on the weekends.
Job is good (as jobs go). I've decided that working is highly overrated and therefore I need to win the lottery soon. Stephen and Brett celebrated their birthday's last week. Stephen, Casey and Gavin are moving to a new home in Lakeland next weekend. I am excited for them. Mom is doing well, a little bored in the afternoons, but otherwise all is good. My brother Marc has finally worked enough days (675) to be accepted into the Directors Guild of America. I am SO proud of him!!! Now he can work as a 2nd AD and make more money, as well as use his creative talents. He is living his dream!
Possibility exists that I may be going on a cruise in November. Not ready to share the details yet, but surely hope it comes to fruition.
That's all from here. Oh, wait...only 5 more months until GATOR football starts!! Gotta love it!!

Random Thoughts

I had a really nice weekend. Casey, Stephen, Brett and Gavin came to visit. Saturday was such a gorgeous Spring day we went to the park. We had a good time, especially Gavin who loves to swing and go down the slide. He is growing up so fast. I miss them alot.
Without going into too much detail, even though the weekend was great, I'm still a bit down. I'm getting ready to do something I really don't want to do, but I'm doing it for very good reasons. Still, that doesn't make it any easier. This too shall pass, I keep telling myself.
I'm just ready for good things to happen. Or are good things happening and I'm just taking them for granted? I guess I need to enjoy the good times a bit more and stop looking at the big picture. Cause the big picture just stinks. Blah, blah, blah...she's bitching again.
And what is up with this weather? Lows in the 30's in April???? I do believe the world is spinning off it's axis and I would like to get off the ride, thank you very much.
I have lots of friends. Just none that live within a 100 mile radius of me. Do you know how hard it is to call someone on a Friday night and say "Let's go out for a few drinks. I'll be there in 2 hours."? Neither do I.
Pity party over.

The End of An Era...Finally

Tonight is the season finale of "ER". This was a show I once loved, I mean it was MUST see TV on Thursday nights. Everyone was swooning over George Clooney; not me. I have always been a huge Noah Wyle fan. Can never get enough of him.
Though the series is ending tonight, the show died for me years ago. I think the last episode I ever watched in it's entirety was the one where Romano was killed by a falling helicopter. After that, it was just too ridiculous. Here are some of my most favorite moments:

* Carole Hathaway leaves Chicago to join Dr. Doug Ross in Seattle (didn't see that one coming at all!)
* Dr. John Carter's first day at County.
* Dr. Mark Green working feverishly to save the life of a pregnant woman, although he fails.
* Dr. Peter Benton flies with Carter to Atlanta to kick his drug habit.
* Dr. Ross saving a small child from a sewer drain.
* Dr. Carter and his intern Lucy Knight are stabbed by a crazed patient (Subsequently, Lucy died and I remember Stephen running around the house screaming, "They killed Lucy!!" "They killed Lucy!!" HE never watched the show after that.)
* Dr. Romano trying feverishly to save Lucy's life.
* Dr. Green's cancer story.

Those are just a few episodes that stick out in my mind. What were yours?