WOW What a trip

What a great night Thursday night was, I met some great women, and great bloggers. We drank, we talked, we laughed, we pointed (oh my gosh that's so and so and I read her blog).

I accosted quite a few ladies with, "Oh my GOD I read your blog!!!!" Sorry about that, I just get all excited to finally meet some of my favorite bloggers. So far everyone has been really nice and didn't roll their eyes at me too much.

As the night started to end at the W some of us decided to head out for breakfast at the Tempo Cafe, it was a yummy breakfast and definitely needed, to help us sober up.

Friday morning I woke up and so did not feel well I figured it was the booze from the night before and once I eat (again) I would feel better. We head over to the Navy Pier and the Grand Ballroom, get our badges and our SWAG and sit down for breakfast. I ate a breakfast sandwich and started to feel better, but then all of a sudden I started to feel WORSE really worse, by 1:30 2pm I was just to nauseous I couldn't stay any longer at the conference. I headed back to my room, and went right to sleep. I awoke a few hours later when my roomies came back. Unfortunately I wasn't feeling any better, I had to skip the cocktail party, Melissa and Megan skipped it as well, but party girl Amber went.

On Saturday I woke up and thought maybe I would feel better, but NOPE!!! Amber joked that maybe I was pregnant, to which I replied NO WAY can't be that. I relaxed on Saturday tried venture out for a bit but pretty much stayed at the hotel. At least the room was a nice one with really comfy beds. So if you are going to get sick and stay in bed, the W is a good place to do it.

I got to say bye to some of the ladies I met and I wish I could've hung out more, but I promise to check out every single blog I was told about or given a business card. Sunday Megan and Amber left in the morning for their flights and Melissa and I went to the Un-Confernece which I have to say was quite fun, and I met even more cool ladies. I also learned a great deal about how to make my blog better and what it is like for other bloggers to write about personal relationships and personal stories, whether they censor themselves or just let it all hang out. Overall it wasn't a bad trip, just a few bumps in the road but I will definitely be back next year.

I will also write about and post all the cool pictures I have from the cocktail party and from the W. Thanks to everyone who made me feel so welcomed for a new blogger and a first time blogher attendee. I hope that we get to talk more and keep in touch, and if you are ever in this neck of the woods please look me up.

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That's Enough!

We are here let the festivities begin

Wow I can't believe how many amazing women I have already met and the conference hasn't even started. I got to meet one of my blogging idols Othejoys and let me tell you J in person is even cuter then she is on her blog.

Melissa, Megan and myself got in on Wednesday to get settled in and check out the city a bit before everyone arrived. Our room mate Crazy Bloggin Canuck got in late Thursday come to find out a lot of flights were either delayed or flat out cancled, poor CBC she got stuck in St. Louis and was 5 hours late. But she finally got here and we are so happy to finally meet her.

Thursday started with a meet at PJ Clarkes where we had finger foods and drinks. Hosted by Babycenter.com. We met Slaker Mom, Midwestern Mommy, The Plain Jane Mom Blog and so many more. After PJ's we went back to the W (which btw is amazing the room we have is so beautiful and I love the decor) and headed up to the 33rd floor to the Whiskey Sky bar where we had more drinks hosted by Parents Magazine and Othejoys and Izzy Mom. We took so many pictures and I met a kindred spirit in Corinna This Lush Life who also is a Greek Woman, what was really exciting is she knew who I was. Me little ol' me, I tell you I felt like a Rock Star. I can't even believe how much we still have to see and do. I will keep you updated throughout the day. And if I didn't mention you in this, trust me I haven't forgotten you, I'm just tired, some of us didn't get in until after 1am and I'm still half asleep.

Promise to post all the pictures I have really soon.

I Want More...

That's Enough!

8 Years

On Sunday July 22nd it was my anniversary for 8 years of remission from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I was diagnosed in the early part of February 1999. I had just turned 24 less then a month before and I had now clue. Today 8 1/2 years later from diagnosis I am living proof that even in the worst case scenarios there is still hope.

When I was first diagnosed I was in stage 4 cancer with a tumor the size in my chest the size of a basketball. It was attached to my lung and possibly my heart. I remember the weeks leading up to it very well. I don't remember the 3 weeks after I was diagnosed. I remember Melissa moving here (finally) right before my birthday. I remember not feeling right for a very long time. I was working for my father and I was working in an environment that was not the best. I was working at his and my step mother's flower stand in South Station, right in front of the doors. The problem with this was that you'd be warm for 5 minutes and then the doors would open and it would be cold, how does your body acclimate to those conditions. I was setting up the stand and breaking it down 6 days a week. I was always on time and I always worked hard, of course if you ask my father I never worked enough. I worked 10-12 hour days and I was strong, and skinny. But then I started to get tired a lot, and I started to have problems with getting there on time and just not feeling good. This started a few months before in the end of fall beginning of winter. I remember calling my mom and saying, I just don't have energy anymore, I just feel blah all the time, you know me I am never late and now I can't seem to just get up.

Don't get me wrong I was 23 and I was going out, but you know around October of 1998 I stopped going out as much as I used to, I just didn't feel that great. Sure I still went out, but people would say, "want to go hang out tonight?" and I'd reply, "nah I'm not feeling well." But there wasn't anything specific wrong with me.

Now I realize the tumor was starting to form and it grew so fast. By January of 1999 I was having problems breathing and I was getting skinnier and skinnier, I remember at one point I could actually see my heart beating through my chest, the skin was beating, that was because the tumor had pushed up my heart. Now you would think at this point I would've thought this isn't right, but NO! not me, I said to Melissa, "look at this, isn't that cool?" I know I know WARNING WARNING that is not normal, but what 23 year old thinks something is wrong. But then I started to cough, and I started having trouble breathing. I remember saying to people "I can't breathe out of my left lung and I feel something in my chest, like if I could reach down and grab it and pull it out." I would try to cough it up thinking it was flem. One day it was cold out and I had gone to the store and when I climbed the steps up to my apartment I just about collapsed, I couldn't breathe and the lack of oxygen with the cold outside pretty much almost made me black out.

I remember going to the doctors, a couple of times when the cough started. She thought I had bronchitis which made sense I usually got bronchitis around the winter time, so my doctor gave me a prescription and told me to rest.

Oh I forgot that right around the new year my father and I had another blow out and he fired me, because I was lazy and I didn't want to work. So, now I'm out of a job and I'm not feeling right. The antibiotics are doing nothing and the cough is getting worse and I'm still not breathing well. I go back to the doctor and she says I sound like I have asthmatic bronchitis, she gives me cough syrup with codeine but still it doesn't help.

This part I only recently remembered, like a passing thought, I took a taxi somewhere because it was cold and I think snowing, I was having a hard time breathing and the cough was just horrible by this point. I'm sitting in the back hacking up a lung and the cabbie asks me if I'm okay. I said to him, "Yes I just have asthmatic bronchitis thank you."

He says, "be careful I had bronchitis and it turned into pneumonia, you should get an x-ray because it may be that."

I told the cabbie, "you know I didn't think of that, thanks, if it doesn't get better in the next day or two I will go."

I think that was a Monday or Tuesday, on Wednesday night I coughed all night and actually kept poor Melissa up as well, then I made a decision on Thursday morning to go to the hospital that night after my bar tending class. (I was going to school to get certified). I asked Melissa if she would go with me and she said, of course, I called my friend Wayne to see if he would pick us up from St. Elizabeth's that night. He said he would.

I go to class and meet Melissa at the T and we head over to St. Elizabeth's Hospital, I check in (thank god I still had COBRA from my old job at the law firm it was a stipulation I had when I agreed to work for my father). I tell the triage nurse what is going on and that I had been to the doctor but just wanted to get a chest x-ray to make sure everything was okay.

We wait and I finally go in for the X-ray, I go back to the waiting room and we wait and wait, Wayne finally comes and we tell him that I still have not seen the doctor so him being the great guy that he was, he runs out and gets us some Burger King. Finally the doctors are ready to talk to me. I go in the back and they say to me, "we see a mass on your chest, it is probably something that you have had your whole life but we want to admit you so we can run further tests and take a CT scan."

I remember asking them all kinds of questions, but I don't remember them saying much to me, I know they never used the word cancer. I go back out to Melissa and Wayne and tell them what they said, I say to Melissa I should probably call my father, and let him know, but we weren't talking so I called my step mother Jayne. I told her where I was and why and what the doctors said. At this point it is like 9pm I have to wait for a bed. I call my mom collect (oh this is all before I had a cellphone good ol' pay phones) but she wasn't home so I try her friend Penny. I tell Penny what is going on and she says she will let my mom know. At this point I am still very calm we are laughing and not thinking CANCER, at least none of us wanted to say it. About an hour later in walks my father, we were sitting playing cards or something and he says, "hi" I said, hi back now we hadn't spoken in about a month. He asks what is going on and I tell him. He has this look on his face, neither one of us says much. They find a bed for me and I get myself all set up, Melissa offered to stay with me but I tell her its okay just go home and get me some stuff for the next day.

Friday I don't remember anything, from what people tell me, early Friday morning they take me down for a CT scan and immediately after the scan they rush me into the OR because my left lung was collapsed and filling with fluid and my heart was so engorged from fluids that if they didn't drain it my heart would have probably imploded or my lung would've drown me. At that point they take a biopsy and I find out I have stage 4 Non-Hodgkins lymphoma with about a 15% chance of survival.

Come to find out if I hadn't gone to the hospital when I did I probably wouldn't have made the weekend, because like I said my heart would have imploded or my lung would have caused me to drown, you know I think back and realize that cab driver saved my life, tell me that wasn't my guardian angel, and my human angel was Melissa, she came to live here about 3 weeks before I was diagnosed I truely believe that someone above sent her to me when I needed her the most, because she was there through it all she took such good care of me. I will write about all that soon enough I promise. Thanks again Melissa

My mom flies out from Phoenix and decisions need to be made. I was in the ICU for a short while after surgery and I guess the doctors told my family that even if they tried chemotherapy it might not work because if the tumor is attached to my heart, the chemo could shrink the tumor but that might make the tumor tear my heart. Not a good thing to tell my mom at that moment. What to do, luckily my primary doctor came and found the best doctor EVER. We decided to transfer to Brigham Women's & The Dana Farber Cancer Institute, I meet with my new doctor David C. Fisher, and what a difference he was. I remember him saying, "this is going to be hard and if you are willing to fight I think we will be able to help you." I went from doctors telling me that I probably wouldn't make it, to a doctor telling me he has hope.

My prognosis was still not good but he gave us hope, I still had only a small chance of survival but we were going to do everything there was to do. My treatment was layed out for me, 6 sessions of CHOP chemotherapy if that didn't work then we'd try a Autologous Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Transplant (AutoSCT) (please do not make nasty comments about stem cell transplants here, my own stem cells and bone marrow were used not an embryonic stem cell transplant this is not the place you can leave an opinion I don't mind). Then we would do a months worth of radiation. And that's exactly what I did, it was probably the hardest time in my life and hardest situation I have ever been in, but you know what I am a fighter and I truly believe that 80% is mental and 20% is medicine... well to a point, if you do not fight and want to live then the medicine cannot do their jobs. I also have to say that I am a very lucky person, my friends and family rallied around me and were there. I met some great people out of this and am thankful everyday.

This past Sunday we celebrated 8 years of remission, my mom and Melissa threw me a luau and it was so much fun. I will post about that next (this is long enough). Here is a picture of me right before I went in for my stem cell/bone marrow transplant. This is a picture of me and Steve at the hospital.

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That's Enough!

Sand Castles & BBQ

On Sunday my mom and I went to Revere Beach to look at the annual Sand Castle competition they have, we tried to get there as early as possible and it was a good thing, because the beach was already packed.

The detail that go into the sand castles just astonishes me, it is true art and quite beautiful.

Here are few pictures but if you want to see all of them go here.



After checking out all the amazing sand castles we head home and I relax for a bit and then go to my father's house for a BBQ to celebrate Katerina's birthday. My dad had a seafood medley of tuna steak, crab legs, scallops wrapped in bacon, sushi, roasted veggies, there was so much food and lots of people. It was a great time. I got to see a few people I haven't seen in YEARS!! Like John Manjoe, what a great guy he is. My family has known him for at least 20 years, and I probably haven't seen him in at least 10. He is a flower designer that has worked for and with my father (and ex stepmother Jayne) on and off for the last 2 decades. Well he is back helping out my father a couple of days a week, and he is really trying to help to expand my fathers shop. There has been talk about renting the space next door and making that part into a gift shop, that sells high end gifts, from cigars, wine and if I can my friend Jennifer's baby cakes.

Jennifer has this great little business she is starting called Hit of the Party Gifts and she makes these amazing baby cakes and wreathes and other products so you are the hit of the party. Most of her products are catered to babies, pregnant women and new moms. But she can also make any gift basket that you want. Here is her website and here are some pictures of her products. I will be writing a full post about her and profiling her business, but I figured I'd slip this in so you can check her out.

Back to John and the BBQ, so John and his partner Joseph (whom I had never met before but absolutely adore now) came to the BBQ and we just talked and talked, it was so nice to see him and to catch up on all that is going on. They live in Hull and invited me to come down one weekend, and you know I think I will take them up on that when I get back from Chicago.

It was a great day, with great food and great company, I'm so glad that my father and I are really getting along and that so far everything has been going well (Knock on Wood!!!). He and I are trying to communicate better, I'm trying not to be so sensitive and he's trying not to be insensitive. It's a good combination.

I Want More...

That's Enough!

What a weekend

So much is going on right now and I'm really excited about it all. Let's see where should we start, hmmmm???? I guess I'll start with the weekend, on Friday I met up with Aislynn and we went and played mini golf which I haven't played in years. This course that we did was a small course but still a lot of fun. There were hills and crazy curves, and there were water falls around the course that were nice. I remember playing mini golf in Arizona at a place called Castles-n-Coasters with friends and having a great time. I don't think I've played mini golf since I lived in AZ, wow it has been a long time.

Of course Aislynn beat my ass but only by 3 points, so a re-match is set. Then we went and got something to eat, at this little diner up the street and I ordered a chicken burrito and OMG it was the BIGGEST burrito I've ever seen. The waitstaff all laughed when I said, "holy crap that's huge". They call it a 3-mealer cuz you get 3 meals out of it, and they were right. They also said they have an award or something if you finish the whole thing, it reminded me of the huge steak that John Candy had to eat in the movie The Great Outdoors. After my huge meal (no I did not eat it all) we went for a walk to walk off the meal and since Aislynn is a big basketball fan and player (she teaches at a basketball camp during the summers) she said she would give me a lesson on spinning a basketball on my finger. So a little background on me, I am so NOT NOT NOT sporty in any shape or form. I do not watch sports and I do not play sports but I really wanted to learn to do this. Well it's not easy but it's not as hard as I thought either. I got a few rotations on my finger by the end of the night and she gave me a bball to practice on. Watch out Harlem Globetrotters here comes MELINA!!! No it was funny, the ball was going everywhere but I am determined to get it down, for the sheer fact to say ha check this out. Pretend I'm all sporty without actually having to play any sports.

Then on Saturday I took my two brothers, Yianni & Vasilis to Six Flags (yup I went again and I'll be going at least 2-3 more times before the season ends). I got up early and picked them up and we got there by 10:30am we brought our bathing suits so we could also do the water park. We get there and luckily for me it only cost me $14.95 for each of them because I had a season pass and discount passes they give you for being a season pass holder, but that was about the only thing that was cheap, my god you forget how much it is for everything else.

We finally get into the park after waiting forever to just go through the metal detectors (I remember when it wasn't necessary to go through metal detectors to go to an amusement park such a sad thing really). So we get in and the first roller coaster that Yianni wants to do is Superman, (BEST RIDE EVER) but my brother Vasilis said he didn't want to go on that ride and that he was afraid of heights and didn't really like roller coasters. I'm all, "wait why didn't you tell me before we could've gone to a different place for us to spend time together. I feel really bad."

He said it was okay that he'd try a smaller one first and see how we felt, plus he wanted to go to the water park and would do the water slides. So we decided to go on the smaller wooden roller coaster first. Here are two photos of them waiting in line, Vasilis is on the left and Yianni on the right.



Vasilis did really well actually but we knew he wasn't going to make it on Superman, so Yianni and I say we'll go on it now because the lines were not that bad yet and I gave Vasilis money to play in the arcade and we'd meet him in about an hour. Well my brother has this bright idea that he's going to film the ride (while riding it) with his camera phone and I said to him I did not think it was a good idea. He said, "no no it'll be fine, I'll hold onto it really tight."

"Yianni, we are going 77mph if you drop it you could really hurt someone not to mention you'll break your new phone."

You know I should've just put my foot down but I didn't and we get on the ride and he's trying to hide the phone so the operators don't see it. We start to rise up the coaster towards the first dip and SCREEECH, they stop the coaster that we were in about quarter of the way up the tracks. I just about died, completely convinced it was because of the stupid phone. We wait, and wait, and people are starting to wonder what's going on, I look behind and see this girl putting on an orange hazard vest and harnessing herself onto the railing, OMG she's coming up the steps, now we are about 75 feet up in the air, (between the ground and where we were) on my side is straight down, on Yianni's side are steps (for emergencies) and I'm thinking OH CRAP!!! "Yianni put that damn phone away, put it in your back pocket and if she asks say you were moving it from the front pocket to the back because it was crushing you and the ride started."

She walks up the stairs and stops right at our seats and says, in a tone like I can't believe I have to do this, "Can I please have the phone?" I just about pee'd my pants I'm completely mortified. I say, "I'm sorry he was moving it from the front pocket to the back, it was crushing him when the bars came down." She just rolls her eyes, Yianni hands her the phone and she walks back down. They start up the ride we finish it, and it was still an awesome ride but now I have the feeling of dread. We exit the ride and there is this security guard standing there with Yianni's phone. He is a typical security guard at an amusement park or at the mall, skinny, short, goofy, but he had a job to do and I respected that. I tell Yianni before we get up there to keep his mouth shut!!!

The SG asks, "so what happened?"

I explain, "When the bars came down the phone was crushing into his hip you know the front of his waist and he was trying to put it in the back pocket when the ride started. We apologize we weren't thinking we should've said wait, please take this."

He looks at us and says, "The policy is to escort you out of the park and trespass you for a year."

I say, "I understand you have to do what you have to do, we will take responsibility and take whatever consequences there are, but please know that we were not trying to hurt anyone or be malicious in anyway." while I'm thinking God I hate being the adult, and do I really have to suck up to this guy and I'm going to kill Yianni.

So he says he just needs to call his supervisor to see what he should do, he calls and says that we can stay in the park and lectures us about safety (which I totally understand and I do feel bad because if Yianni had dropped it or it flung from his hand he could've really hurt someone I understand that, and did take full responsibility like I said I should've put my foot down in the beginning and say NO put the phone away, and I am sorry for that.) So we say thank you to the SG and I slap Yianni in the arm and say, "I TOLD YOU THAT WASN"T A GOOD IDEA" we meet up with Vasilis and tell him what happened (cuz it was longer then an hour now), and he just says, "Smart one Yianni" while laughing at his brother.

The rest of the day went without a hitch, we went to the water park after that, and had a blast on the water slides and cooled off cuz it was a hot and humid day. We left around 6pm and drove home the boys fell asleep in the car and it made me feel good that they had a great time, even with the drama in the beginning.

I'll write about Sunday later, in another post and the other things that are coming up, but right now I have to get some stuff done. Writers block I think has finally passed. WOO HOO!!!

I Want More...

That's Enough!

Giving Back

Last Wednesday I had the opportunity to give back to those less fortunate then myself and I have to say the experience was amazing. I met this girl Aislynn a while back who is just someone that is very inspirational. She gives so much of herself and to others, that you can't help but feel all the good energy coming from her.

She and her mother, (Linda) run a soup kitchen every Wednesday for anyone and everyone that needs a little help, a person to talk to and a warm meal given with love, and compassion!!! Aislynn invited me to come and help out, to volunteer my time and I have to say that I am so very thankful for her letting me come and help.

I arrive at the kitchen around 5pm and find Aislynn, she introduces me to some of the other volunteers and gives me a great t-shirt that says Abundant Table on the front and this great saying on the back:

Meal: 100 dollars
Supplies: 75 dollars
Clean Up: 50 dollars
Dinner with friends: PRICELESS!!

It is so true, the people that came to the dinner, were all so very sweet, most have developmental challenges and live in an apartment complex together. The rest were low income or homeless folks that just needed a good meal and a warm smile.

After I was introduced to the other volunteers I jumped right in and asked "What can I do to help?"

Someone said, "The gravy needs to be made"

"You got it."

Now the kitchen and dinning room is in a hall at a church and for some reason that I'm not sure about, someone had taken the key to unlock the a/c controls so needless to say it was HOT and HUMID in there, but you know it didn't bother me much. I gladly stirred and mixed the gravy trying not to make too much of a mess, one thing about me I love to cook but make a mess usually when doing so.

The menu for the night consisted of chicken patties, brocolli or corn, rice and gravy, with pumpkin pie and strawberry surprise for desserts. After making the gravy and the people started to come in, I went around with other volunteered and made sure that everyone had something to drink and to see if they needed anything else. I met some really wonderful people and listened to their stories. Dinner was passed around and everyone enjoyed the meal, seconds and thirds were asked and we more then happily served more. Dessert came around and I was quite surprised to see that just about everyone wanted the Strawberry Surprise (I named it that, because we were't exactly sure what it was, it was the color of Pepto Bismol Pink and had some strawberry flavored custard or cream on top of sponge cake, it was VERY VERY SWEET). But everyone seemed to favor that.

There was this one woman who brought her dog with her, who was unfortunately without a home right now. She and her dog were living in her truck, now this woman was very worried about leaving her dog outside, so Aislynn sat with the dog for most of the dinner, and then these two young girls that were there with their mother's sat with the dog. Come to find out this woman was having some financial troubles and was trying to get back on her feet but due to circumstances was not able to find a place to live, so what did Linda and Aislynn do, they invited this woman to come and stay with them in their home. See I told you they were amazing.

What is even more incredible is this isn't the first time they have invited someone to stay with them, until they can get back on their feet, and you know what I'm sure it will not be the last.

Here is a picture of Aislynn and her Mom Linda, thank you for letting me be a part of the great work that you do, and I will definitely be back to volunteer some more.

I Want More...

That's Enough!

Check out my cute new sandals

Yesterday I had mentioned that I bought 2 pairs of sandals from Payless and so I thought I'd share the pair that I am wearing today. So comfortable and so high too, I haven't worn shoes with heal or platform in so long I feel so tall. Makes me feel thinner too I have no reason why I feel like that but who cares right? I swear I forget sometimes that I'm as big as I now. Most people think they are bigger then they are and then there is me who thinks I'm thinner until I look in the mirror or worse PICTURES UGH. But I do not dress like I am thinner, I don't understand women that wear a size 8 when they are a size 18. Okay maybe not such a drastic size difference but you get what I am saying. Sure you can flaunt some stuff but damn we do not need to see the whole package thank you very much.

I Want More...

That's Enough!

Writers Block and so much more

I can't believe it is 2 1/2 weeks until Blogher and I'm frigging' having writers block, what's up with that. I tell you this last week or so, I just can't think of anything to write, nothing good at least. I have started posts and then deleted, I've started typing and then erased. Seriously what the hell. This should be the time for me to explode as we get closer and closer to Chicago (wow that sounded a bit dirty) "explode as we get closer" hmmmm maybe that's my problem I need to hee hee "explode"
No seriously there have been some fun things that have happened, some new adventures, some I can talk about and unfortunately two I can't at least not right now. One I really really want to share but this isn't the right place for it, and the other is new and exciting but again can't share it yet. It's frustrating to me because I want to let the whole world know but then sometimes you realize it's best to keep your mouth shut and let me tell you that is not easy for me. I love to share, hell I talk way to much and sometimes (most of the time) just don't know when to just STOP!!!

But I can tell you about this past weekend, Melissa and I had a slumber party like when we were teens, it was a lot of fun, we watched movies, we talked, we giggled and we ate. Oh did we eat!! It was great fun, we meant to get up the next morning and go car hunting for Melissa but we were both being lazy bums, so we relaxed for a bit and finally got up and went to the mall. Now if you know me at all, I hate the mall, but I figured why not I need some new shoes. One thing I don't mind doing is buying shoes, hate to shop but shoe shop oh the love I have for shoes, someday I will get my Manolo Blahnik yes I will. So we head over to the mall, but before we get there, we realize we are hungry and stop at this BBQ place for lunch. OMG the food was soooo good, we had St. Louis style ribs and I had the combo with pulled pork. Yummy!! We finally get to the mall and we decide to get mani's and pedi's I tell you these little Asian women sure know how to UP SELL, we ended up getting the deluxe package which included a foot scrub and foot mask sort of thing that made my feet tingle. It was great, so needed too, my toes were looking pretty bad, and if I'm going to be wearing some cute sandals don't need my toes looking all jacked up. GROSS!!!

Pedicure is finished and she brings me over for my manicure, she tries to sell me tips but I don't like fake nails I used to wear them when I was younger but I can't type with them, and I have a hard time doing stuff, I love how they look just can't deal with them on me. (Though on a side note, how do some women who have those REALLY long acrylics do anything, I barely can pick up anything with short ones let alone 3 inch long nails). So the manicurist asks me "would you like fan?"

"Fan?" I ask,

"Yes, fan make your nails look longer and natural." she replies

"How much more is it?"

"Only $5.00 dollar more, you look good with fan."

"Okay sure, why not." I say having absolutely no idea what she is talking about.

She starts the manicure and I love that feeling, my nails were looking pretty ragged, I so need to do this more often. Well she then starts to paint my nails in a french manicure style and I say to myself OH french not fan. (laughing inside at myself not her).

I swear if she had at least said, flanch or flinch I would've gotten it, but no clue with fan. I have to say they came out really pretty, and my toes too. I haven't bitten my nails since either, if I have nail polish on and get a manicure I usually don't bite them, but when they are all ragged and I'm stressed yup I bite.

Oh I also got my eyebrows waxed, I've been pretty lucky in that aspect of my life, I don't have the "GREEK" hair, I got the Finnish hair, blond and thin body hair so I don't have to shave my legs every day (I know you all hate me now) and I don't get the uni brow. But they did need some shaping and it will probably last me a good 2 months. So needless to say what first started out as a $34.00 mani & pedi turned into a $61.00 beauty overhaul (not including the tip). Up sell Up sell I tell ya.

So after we get our fingers and toes remade to look all presentable again, we head over to Payless Shoes, they had the buy one get one half off sale on everything in the store. Woo hoo. I saw the cutest pair of sandals for only $12.00 and then I saw another pair for $9.00 which means I only paid $4.50 for the second, and as I was about to check out I see they had some really cute belts $7.99 each, so the second was only $3.99 that means for $28.00 I got 2 belts and 2 pairs of sandals can't beat that I tell ya. Melissa got 4 pairs of sandals (one pair like mine too cute to pass up) and she also bought some t-shirts and shorts over at Lane Bryant. I wanted to get some new clothes but right now money is tight (plus my mom keeps buying me these cute little outfits she keeps finding on sale so thanks MOM you know my style). I know "yo mama buys your clothes does she dress you too?" Hey hey now she knows what I like and she finds the cutest clothes so you know what I'm happy to have her buy me clothes, I hate to shop and I hate to look for the bargains I get bored. So thanks Mom you the best!

After shopping we decide to go see a movie we head over to the theatre and decide to see Transformers, I know so many people think "CHEESY" but let me tell you best freakin' movie EVER!!! Okay maybe not ever but it was awesome, Melissa and I remember watching and playing with Transformers, she had a little crush on Optimus Prime I always liked Bumble Bee. The movie itself was fantastic, it had action, comedy, thrills and chills. The whole audience was laughing and you could hear the excitement in the air. Overall a definite movie to bring your sons to, they will love it. I love action movies especially when they throw in comedy, the special effects were amazing, most of the time you couldn't tell it was computer generated, like some movies it is so obvious but not with Transformers.

I guess I've finally beaten my writers block (at least for right now). I'm already stressing about what to write next and oh crap I need a good topic for Thursday Thirteen any suggestions? What to do, I know I'm not a great writer but I hope I keep you entertained even if it to laugh at me and not with me as I've said before as long as you are laughing it is all good.

I Want More...

That's Enough!

Friends, Family, and Fireworks

I don't know why but the last few days I just haven't felt like writing, I haven't felt inspired for some reason, and I don't feel like I have anything very amusing to talk about. So I took a break for a few days. Hope no one missed me. LOL.

But I'm back now, at least somewhat, unfortunately I just couldn't get a Thursday 13 done in time to post today, I promise to get a good one for next week, (any ideas, topics anyone anyone).

So today I think I'll write about my 4th of July it couldn't have been better. Melissa and I got to spend it together and I can't remember when the last time we spent it together, me being gone for the last 6 4th of July's and right before I left she was newely married so they spent the time together and the year before I was in the hospital. We had a great time, we met at her house after Ali and Maman left for Montreal we made some brownies to bring to my dad's house for the BBQ. We lounged around a bit and watched Eddie Izzard on BBC America while the brownies were baking. We decided that Friday I would come over we'd watch a whole bunch of movies and I'd spend the night, since Ali and Maman will be gone. Slumber party like when we were teenagers, though Margaritas will be involved this time.

Brownies are done, we stop by my house to get my mom's FAMOUS potato salad, it really is the best potato salad I have ever tasted. We head over to my dad's and we pull up and can already smell all the wonderful food. One thing is for sure about a BBQ at my dad's there is always good food, good drink and lots of Greek music. We eat, we drink, we laugh, we chat, we take a nap. My father had gone up to NH and bought a crap load of fireworks for the 4th and Oh my GAWD did he have a ton, I kept saying oh we are so going to have the cops here. Melissa the pyrotechnic tied all these firecrackers together and set them off, it was awesome. I'm sure the neighbors loved us yesterday. My father and uncle acted like they were 14 year old boys, hell my 14 year old brother was more calm then they were. It was great, he had all sorts of fireworks, big, small, loud, bright you name it he had them. I said to Melissa we are so going to be a darwin award.

My siblings were there, a few of my brothers friends were there. My brother Yianni left for a BBQ at his friends house so Melissa and I were in his room (he had more fireworks up there) and he had this horrible music playing on his computer so Melissa gets on to turn it off and starts going through his history on the computer, you know seeing what websites he was on. Well needless to say they were mostly typical 16 year old boy websites, if you get what I mean. It was funny, my other brother Vasilis was telling us that it was not right that we were "snooping" our reply, "hey if he doesn't want us to see he should delete his history."

My friend Gosia came by around 7 or so, to meet us so the 3 of us could go into town to see the city fireworks. We left my father's house and as we were driving away we saw the big fireworks that my father bought going off above in the sky. It was a perfect way to end our time there. We head into the city and meet Melissa's co-worker Tara who runs a building not far from where the festivities were being held and since none of us like crowds Melissa came up with the idea that the best place to watch the fireworks was on the roof of this building and she was correct. We had the best view (though I'm sure any view was spectacular) of the fireworks. It was an amazing show of lights and designs and color. Melissa and I were saying how far they have come since we were kids. I don't remember such a beautiful display of fireworks ever.

Well that's about it, not the best writing I've done but you get the idea, we had a great 4th and I hope everyone also had a safe, fun and relaxing time like we did.

I Want More...

That's Enough!