HERE COMES OCTOBER… 

This year the month of October is especially busy for me. Not only am I promoting two new books, but it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I’m scheduled to speak to several groups. Some are interested in learning more about this cancer in general. Others are specifically interested in the genetic connection and how this disease is passed down from generation to generation in some families. We’ve spoken here about my own experience with breast cancer.

Today, however, I thought it would be fun to let you know what went on behind the scenes before I made my first presentation this past Sunday.  You might say it was a last minute frenzy…at least for me. After thanking the audience–about sixty people–for having me as their guest, I shared with them the same story I’m sharing with you now:

I had written and revised  my talk over several weeks and thought I was ready for prime time. But on the day before the presentation, a friend approached me and said, “Tell me your joke.”

“Excuse me?  What are you talking about?”

“If you’re making a speech,” he said, “you need to start with a joke. That’s the rule.”

I stared at him hard. “Do I look like Tina Fey? I don’t write jokes, just books.”

“Oh-h-h,” he said. “Then I wish you very good luck. You’ll need it.”  And he walked away.

Did I want to hear this?  But when I got home, I made a bee-line for my writing cave. This is the place where brilliant thoughts are supposed to rain down like manna from heaven. I sat at the computer, fingers on the keyboard and waited for brilliance. And I waited. And waited until I was so frustrated, I was ready to tear my hair out.

Tear my hair out?

“Idiot!” I said to myself. “You’ve already done that twice. And you didn’t like it. The third time is not going to be a charm.”

My hands were back on the keyboard. And my brain was flickering. I decided that breast cancer is like politics. A very lopsided subject. First it’s left. Then it’s right. God  knows, there’s no middle.  And like politicians, the ta-tas can’t be trusted. Now you see them. Then you don’t. They take off to fight some battles, and when they return, you notice that their territory might be a bit different, but still recognizable.

Next I decided not to worry about making any jokes. I knew that if I just put my breast foot forward, I’d be all right.

And that was exactly what I told that first audience before thanking them for letting me get this off my chest…such as it is.

My original talk followed this introduction, and for me, was a huge relief.

What I learned from this is that comedy is harder than tragedy, and that Tina Fey can sleep easy. She has nothing to worry about from me!

Happily, I was also able to distribute pamphlets on inherited breast cancer which were provided by FORCE – Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered. This is the only non-profit foundation in the country whose mission is solely to educate and raise fund for the research of inherited breast and ovarian cancer.

FORCE LOGO

As always, thank so much for stopping by. I hope to see you for the next edition of Starting Over–which is this Thursday. REALEASE DAY for Hopefully Every After. A new contest will begin on Thursday, so please be sure to visit 🙂

Look for Hopefully Ever After on October 3rd!

Available October 3rd

BLING’S THE THING…and don’t forget the hats….  

It’s all about the hats!

Girlfriends, girlfriends, girlfriends….Life in this busy retirement community would fall flat without girlfriends. Come to think of it, life anywhere would fall flat without our women friends. When you need a trusted listener, who do you call? When you want cohorts for a shopping trip, who do you call?  Even when you simply want to share time over a cup of coffee, who do you call?  You call your girlfriends. Of course. The more the merrier.

Earlier this week, the Girlfriends group where I live reached the magic number of 200 members. A party was in order!  A party to bling up our name badges–including mine–which had just arrived in the mail. To add to the fun, we were supposed to wear vintage hats.  Prizes in different categories would be awarded. Add a few bottles of wine, a little nosh, and away we go. It’s party time.

As you might guess, I have been so nose-deep with the publishing of Hopefully Ever After, writing this blog and writing new stories, that I’m barely able to keep track of all the goings-on in my community. However, my girlfriends didn’t let me forget about the bling party. But as for hats? Fugeddaboutit!  At least for me. But some of the ladies really looked wonderful. In fact, we could have opened a vintage haberdashery 🙂

Robyn and Marsha in their beautiful chapeaux

And there were stories–touching stories–behind the beauty of the hats. Several belonged to moms who had passed away. I found it so lovely that daughters held onto a particular hat of their mother’s. What significance did they hold? Mostly the attachment elicited general memories of mom wearing and loving a specific hat. On the right, above, the smaller hat is from the ’50 with a net that goes down over the forehead like a close fitting veil. My friend, Marsha, lamented that she grew up too late for her mom’s hat to be in fashion. So she wears it now.

A particular hat caught my eye because it came with a “snood” attached in the back which is used to hold long hair in a bun-type arrangement on the neck. Carolyn, a new friend of mine, is the gal wearing the gorgeous black chapeau and certainly did it more justice than my photos did:

The head gear certainly garnered attention, but I can’t forget about the blinging of the name tags. My friend, Chris, who’s also in our book club, took pity on my inability to use a glue gun and decorated my name tag for me. I stood over her shoulder, watching. She’s good, but I heard her say “ouch” a time or two. So, thank you very much, Chris.

My nametag is now officially blinged.

You might have read another blog I’d written about the girlfriend’s group. We had fun that night, too, seeing how we could follow a leader and learn how to drum, not with sticks, but with our hands on drums we held between our knees. Who knew I’d discover rhythm?  So although I’d never before belonged to any group without a “noble” purpose like raising money for a worthy cause, I must admit that once in awhile it’s good to just have fun. I think I’ll stick around and enjoy girl-time with my friends.

I bet we all have friends going back decades who are very dear to us. I know I do. But they’re not next door anymore. Not even in the next state! I’m lucky to have found women who are openhearted and fun. Most important, they want to make new friends in their new home. If you’ve got a group of girlfriends–large group or tiny, from years past or present–please share your stories right here. Girlfriends rock!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by. I hope to see you for the next edition of Starting Over.

P.S.  I hope you’ll be on the look-out for HOPEFULLY EVER AFTER.  It will be available for ebooks on Thursday, October 3rd and in print at about the same time, maybe a bit later.

Available October 3rd