QVC for Breast Cancer Research and Education

I haven't mentioned this here on my blog, but this past summer I had a breast cancer scare.  It started when I found a lump through a self exam and the follow-up mammogram and ultrasound showed some abnormalities (the most significant being microcalcifications which are harbingers of inflammation).  In April, I had three cysts aspirated, and the test results came back as negative for cancer.  Then, in a six-month follow up mammogram and ultrasound, we found more clustering of the microcalcifications, which raised red flags for the radiologist (my classification was raised from 3 to 4B, which meant that originally they classified my results as suspicious and then upgraded it to moderate risk of breast cancer).  I ended up having a biopsy, and after a harrowing couple of days, my pathogen report came back as negative.  Praise the Lord!

Lots of women go through this stuff, but my doctor took it very seriously since both my mother and grandmother had breast cancer.  I'm to continue with my self exams and I head back in a year for a follow-up mammogram, which I will most likely have yearly for the rest of my life.  Fun, right?  But with breast cancer being the 2nd leading cause of death for women in the United States, we have to remain vigilant.

All of the above is a prelude to this (which I am so proud to be a part of!):

Tonight, from 5pm-8pm EST, I will be on QVC for the 19th Annual QVC Presents FFANY Shoes on Sale.  QVC and the Fashion Footware Association of NY have partnered together to raise money and support for breast cancer research and education.  There will be over 90,000 shoes on sale for half of the manufacturer's suggested retail value, and net proceeds will be donated for research.  Yay!

So, tune in tonight, buy shoes, and most importantly, visit your doctor to find out what you need to do to stay healthy!

Concert Tomorrow

The Newark Symphony Orchestra, whom I play with (violin), is having their first concert of the 2012-2013 season tomorrow.  Yay!  I've mentioned it before, but I am so blessed to be able to play with this group of fine musicians.  I will be eternally grateful that my mom signed me up for violin lessons when I asked her for them at the age of seven years old (although I really wanted cello lessons, but oh well-- I guess it wasn't meant to be).  Incredulously, I stuck with it, playing in my middle school, high school, and college orchestras.  After college, I played in New York with the New School Orchestra (where Aaron Copland once taught, I believe) and then, after a hiatus, I picked my violin back up and begin playing with the Newark Symphony in January 2011.  The music continues to stir my soul, and tomorrow's concert will be no different.  The Dvorak Cello Concerto is particularly breathtaking.  I wish you all could join us tomorrow.

On another note, I also dusted off my graphic design skills (do I have any?) to design the above flier for our concert.  I used Adobe Illustrator to create the cello (I haven't used that program in ten years, but was able to knock the vector image out in 25 minutes!).  I added the text in Photoshop Elements, which is a software program that I love.

Hope you're all having a beautiful weekend and doing things that stir your souls, too.

Missing Friends

I am the ultimate procrastinator.  I should be working on my taxes-- they were due in April, but I filed an extension and now they are due on Monday, October 15th-- six days hence.  I meet with my accountant in two days' time and I am in no way ready for that meeting, although I feel sure I'll get it all done in time (just 'cause I always do, or rather because I will get it done, or I won't, but it'll all work out in the end as it always does).

ANYWAY, the purpose of this post is to, um, post this picture:



That's Kelli and Alex, two women whom I absolutely admire and adore.  The picture is from this past summer when I went to NYC to help Kelli celebrate her impending marriage.  I probably have multiple pictures like this from our years of friendship-- these girls have been important to me for a long time.

I suppose that this post might seem silly, as you in the blogosphere can't possibly care about the ho-hum details of my life, but I have long maintained that the primary purpose of my blog is that it should be a repository of me.  It's here to help me remember, to document.  And with that in mind, on this day, I spent the day in New York with the man that I love.  Following that, I met these girls for dinner at an amazing restaurant and afterwards we made our way to some exclusive hotel which we weren't sure would let us in the door.  We did get in, and sat on the roof as the girls (there were more of us) smoked cigars, and we drank beer.  I felt honored to be included in Kelli's inner circle since I've had what only can be described as a girl crush on her since the moment that we met back in 2003.  These two girls represent so much to me-- they inspire me with their creativity and brillance, they're both incredibly hospitable and loving, and they're sisters of the blood- united by one spirit, that is, my sisters in Christ.  I am blessed to call them sisters and to call them friends.  I love them and miss them immensely.