Friday, June 29, 2012

Ummm...Yeah...Like, What's Up?

Welcome to my new, old home place. I did a little remodeling around here. I've been having way too many issues getting my new WordPress site up and running. Actually, there are only a few issues. The problem is, I haven't taken the time to research a solution. My time spent Googling (did "Google" just become a verb???) for a resolution has left me scratching my head and throwing my hands up in the air. Rather than waste any more time running in circles, I decided to purge the prattle in my head here at my old residence and I eased the itch for something new with a quick design redo.

Truth be told, Friday afternoons are THE worst for me at work. By 3:00 pm, my head has already left for the weekend. I usually leave mundane chores like sorting and filing for the final 2 hours of my work week.

This week?

I decided playing around on Blogger would be way more fun.

Hope you all like the new look. Couldn't help but include a sunrise in my header. Nothing better to symbolize the awesome potential a new day brings...

Wishing you a most wonderful weekend!!!

Be back soon! - Lisa

Monday, June 25, 2012

She's A Star

Last summer Keri found herself knee deep in Math courses at UGA. Super high level Math courses.

Math courses that would give me nightmares.

And I'm pretty good at numbers.

But that is beside the point. The summer session was overwhelming to the point of becoming life consuming. Keri is an excellent, focused student so she weathered it well but it still left a mark. One she will always carry with her.

During the first days of classes, one professor issued instructions for a project. He emphasized his high expectations, even apologizing to those who had to present their projects first as they wouldn't have the benefit of extra time to prepare. Wouldn't you know, Keri not only had to present her's on the first day of presentations, she was chosen as the first presenter.

The pressure was on.

With only a few days to prepare, she put her creative thinking cap on and came up with this video. She wanted to find a way to share her knowledge of a famous Greek philosopher, Pythagoras. The end result was this amazing video. It made me laugh yet made me proud. I've wanted to share since last year. As a way of celebrating her graduation, I thought it high time I let you in on my girl's off-the-wall approach to learning.







Here is the link should the embedded video not work.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZHYE8lOIe4)


If ever there was a question as to whether or not we are related, this video proves the mother/daughter connection. We both like to be unique. We both take chances....even if it means we don't always seem "normal".

By the way, her video was a memorable mega-hit! Not only did she receive a perfect score and high praise, her professor used it at a conference as an example of creative teaching methods. Pretty cool...don't ya think?

Monday, June 18, 2012

I Fry... Then I Freeze

What's up with the temperatures lately?

And I don't mean temperatures relating to weather or the thermostat.

I'm talking about my internal temperature.

Holy Hotness...then Coldness... Batman!

I knew my cancer post treatment drug would cause side effects. I was forewarned of a few. One side effect doctors consistently mentioned was hot flashes. Of course I had thought I was several years away from this dreaded female milestone. But when weighing menopause against cancer recurrence, the scales tipped heavily in favor of  a swan dive into hormone hell. To be perfectly honest, my self-confidence was riding high on how well I had weathered the previous year. Cancer treatment was a witch with a capital "B" yet I got through it. There was no way the maintenance phase could be any worse. Each and every time hot flashes were mentioned to me, I thought "No big deal. What's a hot flash or two?"

Any menopausal women out there laughing your ass off right about now? I know! I know! How stupid was I? They are pure torture! And what's up with the "moment" after? I'm not sure all hot flashes end this way but I rapidly descend from an internal temperature of 178 degrees to one more closely associated to arctic weather.

I sweat.


Then my teeth chatter.


It's funny.

Then again, it's not.

Most menopausal women can attest to the fact there is nothing like a hot flash. It begins at the very core of your being as an intense spark that ignites an aggressive inferno. One that shoots flames throughout your body. No part of your physical landscape is spared. The time it takes to internally engulf a human in flames is all of a fraction of a second. It comes without warning. And it is gnarly!

Other than literally being set on fire, a hot flash must be the closest experience one can have to truly knowing what it means to "burn in hell". After a few of these experiences, you can bet I am now working extra hard to avoid any and all activities that would sentence me to an eternity lived "down below".

Fortunately, my moments of frying-from-the-inside-out have been reasonably tolerable. I don't have them often and they tend to subside rather quickly. Most often I find myself bundled up and shivering before I have time to deal with the burn. Still, I cannot express how unpleasant these high heat moments can be.

You want no one near you... nothing touching you.

Clothes are burdensome. Even tiny little things like a purse strap or sunglasses are a source of agony.

You need your skin to "breathe". You need to escape. You frantically try to run from the flames.

It is seriously so bad I've come close to disrobing...

in public!

Isn't that a scary thought?

Getting arrested for indecent exposure is not on my list of must-do's. Heck, it doesn't even make my wanna-do list. I wonder if ever a woman has been arrested for such a thing only to plead insanity due to menopause? A jury of similar aged women would acquit in 3 seconds flat!

Back to my point...as if there really is one. Basically, I'm rambling. I suppose my point is to merely say I get it. Hot flashes are a total pain in the ass... as well as all other body parts!

So...

From henceforth I do solemnly swear:

Should I see a woman with that all telling look...a woman who has a mustache of sweat breaking out across her upper lip... a woman fanning herself with anything she can get her hands on while grabbing at her attire as if trying to break free...

trust I will eye her with empathy and sympathy.

I will say a little prayer she survives without combusting.

And I will walk on by with a sense of dread knowing it will be only a matter of time before I am her all over again.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Head Over Heels


I'm in love.

Lust really.

It happened this weekend.

A weak moment + a chance encounter = a moment to remember.

What (cause you know it "ain't" a who) is the object of my affection?

Feast your eyes on this.





Random image from Google


Almonds.

 Chocolate.

 Dark chocolate to be exact.

 Total bliss.

The most beautiful part?

I can indulge without guilt.

Now show me a woman who can have her chocolate guilt-free and I'll show you one happy-ass woman! 

Guess that means my ass is happy.

 Yes...oh,  yes it is...