A friend and PR colleague of mine asked me today if I would help out with an organization called Network of Strength, a non-profit created to raise funds for breast cancer. I’m not sure what the organization does yet, but I signed up. I need to raise $1000, and once I figure out all of the details, I’ll do it, and I'll blog about it.
Later today, I received a card from my friend T – the woman I mentioned in my April blog. I haven’t seen her since she had her mastectomy, but I’ve been keeping up on the reports from mutual friends. In her card, she told me she’s been reading my blog. (Yay! Someone reads my blog!!) Seriously, her note made me cry. It amazes me how many women I know who have gone into chemo or other treatment for cancer with incredible grace, and who come out with even more grace.
I have been thinking a lot about these incredible women, wondering how I can reach out to more of them, how I can make sure more of us are doing our part to let them know they’re not alone, how to let them know that those of us who are healthy will continue to care for ourselves, so that we can provide greater support for them.
My new look for The Haute Flash Site will be ready soon. A key vision for my site continues to be an outlet for people like T, and those of us who can offer only love and support. I am still looking for clothing, linens, and other products that will keep women feeling beautiful, regardless of whether they’re dealing with aging, female-related cancer, menopause, PMS, or simply a rotten mood. Now I hope to add Network of Strength as a way to do something more. Stay tuned for information, as I learn about it. And thanks, T, for your lovely card. It meant more than you can imagine!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Window Fan
Today, my husband is 60. He’s in Los Angeles for work, and I’m in Denver, wondering what to do to celebrate his birthday. Yes, I threw him a party, and it was a success, but it was a surprise party. Those are always so weird. Personally, I don’t like being the person for whom (at whom?) a surprise party is thrown, but that’s another story for some future blog – or not.
I want to do something low-key, but special for him. He’s not a big celebration guy, but I can’t just give him a card and call it good. He’s not terribly sentimental. In fact, he’s not at all sentimental. He’s a minimalist, who doesn’t like spending a lot of money. He likes it even less when someone spends a lot of money on him. My step-adults agree that it is difficult to figure out what gifts to give their dad/my husband. The thing is, he’s a wonderful man, and his family likes to recognize his birthday, even if he doesn’t
Sadly, I think I’m going to end up giving him a practical gift. With the record heat we’ve had in Colorado, he says at least once a day, “We really need a window fan.” It doesn’t matter if our house has A/C. We rarely use it. It’s a waste of energy and money. So I guess I’ll buy him a fan, make him a nice dinner, and give him a card. And because he never reads my blog, the fan will be one more thrilling surprise I’ll give him in honor of his 60th birthday. Wow that’s practical, and totally unromantic! I think he’s beginning to rub off on me.
I want to do something low-key, but special for him. He’s not a big celebration guy, but I can’t just give him a card and call it good. He’s not terribly sentimental. In fact, he’s not at all sentimental. He’s a minimalist, who doesn’t like spending a lot of money. He likes it even less when someone spends a lot of money on him. My step-adults agree that it is difficult to figure out what gifts to give their dad/my husband. The thing is, he’s a wonderful man, and his family likes to recognize his birthday, even if he doesn’t
Sadly, I think I’m going to end up giving him a practical gift. With the record heat we’ve had in Colorado, he says at least once a day, “We really need a window fan.” It doesn’t matter if our house has A/C. We rarely use it. It’s a waste of energy and money. So I guess I’ll buy him a fan, make him a nice dinner, and give him a card. And because he never reads my blog, the fan will be one more thrilling surprise I’ll give him in honor of his 60th birthday. Wow that’s practical, and totally unromantic! I think he’s beginning to rub off on me.
Friday, August 1, 2008
On occasional blogging and my husband turning 60
Crap! I’m not following the great suggestions of social media gurus regarding blogging. Every day, I have some idea about which I might blog, but then, like so many of the trains in my brain, either the idea lacks an engine and never leaves the building, or it evaporates and is long forgotten by the time I sit down to write.
Today it’s already the first of August. I spent most of July worried about bringing on new business, migrating my website, and throwing a surprise party for my husband’s 60th. The surprise party was the most stressful. My dad died at age 59, and my oldest brother won’t be 59 until January, so I had never celebrated a man’s 60th before.
I wasn’t sure how best to celebrate my husband’s b-day, until he started saying, “When I turn 60, I’m going to celebrate the 60’s”. Because my husband was a jock in high-school and college and then joined the Navy, he didn’t experience the 1960’s the same way a lot of others did. For starters, he had short hair, didn’t smoke pot, and wasn’t a rebel.
I decided to throw him a surprise party with a 1960’s theme. It was a small affair, but I think he enjoyed it. Given that we held it a week before his actual birthday, he was indeed surprised. I’m sure he had a hunch I was up to something, but with the help of my step-son, step-daughter, daughter, mother-in-law and sister-in-law, we were able to pull it off before he figured out our plan.
So now it’s August, and my goal for the month is to turn over a new leaf when it comes to blogging. I don’t know what that will look like. Given that it’s been a challenge to blog once a month, I dare not commit to weekly, but those darn blog gurus have said I should be blogging at least daily. I’ll think about it.
Today it’s already the first of August. I spent most of July worried about bringing on new business, migrating my website, and throwing a surprise party for my husband’s 60th. The surprise party was the most stressful. My dad died at age 59, and my oldest brother won’t be 59 until January, so I had never celebrated a man’s 60th before.
I wasn’t sure how best to celebrate my husband’s b-day, until he started saying, “When I turn 60, I’m going to celebrate the 60’s”. Because my husband was a jock in high-school and college and then joined the Navy, he didn’t experience the 1960’s the same way a lot of others did. For starters, he had short hair, didn’t smoke pot, and wasn’t a rebel.
I decided to throw him a surprise party with a 1960’s theme. It was a small affair, but I think he enjoyed it. Given that we held it a week before his actual birthday, he was indeed surprised. I’m sure he had a hunch I was up to something, but with the help of my step-son, step-daughter, daughter, mother-in-law and sister-in-law, we were able to pull it off before he figured out our plan.
So now it’s August, and my goal for the month is to turn over a new leaf when it comes to blogging. I don’t know what that will look like. Given that it’s been a challenge to blog once a month, I dare not commit to weekly, but those darn blog gurus have said I should be blogging at least daily. I’ll think about it.
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About Me
- Haute Flash Blog
- I am a public relations and marketing communications consultant with more than 20 years of experience. I love working with clients who are passionate about the services or products they provide their customers. I take my work seriously, but my sense of humor keeps me from letting life get in the way of my perspective and ability to create. My latest mantra: I'm a work in progress.