The big chop... maybe

Tomorrow morning, Saturday 10/1, I have an appointment with my hair guy, Eric.  If he thinks my grow-out is long enough, I am chopping my hair off.  Yes, all of it.  Longish pixie.  While I'm finally hat free, I am quickly growing tired of the mandatory ponytail or bun (with tweakers in the back and sides that I'm constantly tucking back in) and really look forward to just wearing my hair down.  Granted, with it short, I won't really have any other options, but I think you catch my drift.

I am in my BFF Carl's wedding next weekend, and I had originally thought that I would HAVE to chop my hair before it, as I didn't think I would have any non-hat options.  Luckily, Dr. S did a sweet job shaving my head and left enough hair behind strategically that I am able to cover the growth.  Since an old-fashioned updo is now an option for the wedding, if Eric says my hair isn't ready, it'll be fine.  I'll just have to hope that the person doing my hair for the wedding has some tricks and some patience.  :)

I know self pics are cheesy, but I wanted to put this out there.  My hair is almost to my elbows.  The 'do below has not been seen in public in over 4 months because from the back, it just doesn't work.  And now I'm starting to cry as I'm typing this...  I really miss being able to wear my hair down, and I know cutting it will be a HUGE adjustment, but I think it'll be a good change (and really, it's what I have to do).

With my sweet new nerdtastic computer glasses from Paris

Nobody gets to see my hair long and down anymore, and it makes me sad.  I REALLY hope I can pull off the short cut...  

Wish me luck... and I'll let you all know how it goes!

This is what (touristy) Paris looks like

Okay friends, I finally uploaded some of my French pics to my laptop, so that I can share the beauty (no sarcasm intended) of Paris with you.  There are a few more pics I like on my iPhone, but I can't get those to upload to my work laptop, so I may need to wait on those till I get home.  In 5 days!!!!!  But until then, here's a little bit of what I've been enjoying, from my camera.  Voila!

Arc de Triomphe, less than 5 minutes from my hotel

Eiffel Tower

Detail of the Eiffel Tower, it really is quite beautiful up close

View from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

Inside the Arc de Triomphe...  "Girl, he did whaaaat?!  Oh no, he di'int!"

Sainte Chapelle, one of my favorite places I've seen

Even the floor at Sainte Chapelle is detailed and beautiful

Sainte Chapelle stained glass, you can't capture it all in 1 photo.  It completely surrounds you and is close to 4 stories high.  Amazing.

I heart gargoyles!  I'd never seen them that stick out like this until Paris.

Yikes!  Gargoyles do NOT like me.

Notre Dame (noh-treh dahm)

Just chilling by the Seine, Notre Dame in the background

These dudes were jamming in the street on a bridge, and they were good!!

Notre Dame

Notre Dame

Magical Eiffel Tower, from our river boat cruise

Sacre-Coeur, in Montmartre

Sacre-Coeur

Sacre-Coeur

The back of Venus de Milo, at the Louvre

The Louvre

Mustachioed escorts only, please

One of my favorite pictures: unidentified fountain near the Louvre

Castle in Caen, built by William the Conqueror

Caen, France

The abbey at Le Mont-Saint-Michel, France

Le Mont-Saint-Michel

From the abbey at Le Mont-Saint-Michel, trying to be Parisian with my scarf

The stones at Le Mont-Saint-Michel were marked with unique symbols, indicating which stoneworker made them (so bosses could do quality control)

Every girl needs a sucre daddy, per the left side of the sugar packet

Le Mont-Saint-Michel

View from the top of the Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower!

How could I NOT enjoy some champagne at the top?!

From the 2nd level, which we took the stairs down from

Hitting a bump during our pedicab ride home from the Eiffel Tower (AKA my sweet new digital hat)

Today I slept in, did some shopping (I heart Naf Naf!), got a pedicure, did some wandering of Champs Elysees, then had high tea at the Four Seasons.  No big deal, just filled by day with some of my very favorite things, Paris style.  Tomorrow I have a bicycle tour booked (I'm SO excited! I've been wanting to get on a bicycle since I got here) and maybe some more shopping if I can find stores that are open.  Overall, I'm enjoying having a lazy Parisian weekend.  :)

All the cool kids

Did you know that all the cool kids are getting brain tumors and having surgeries, not just yours truly and my tumor-dominating lady friends?  We all know about our favorite Alpha Chi Omega/Wazzu alum Kathi Goertzen from KOMO, and America's sweetheart Mary Tyler Moore had surgery right around the time I did.  But did you also know about former Wazzu star and San Diego Charger nightmare Ryan Leaf?  He had surgery right around the time I did.  There's a short article and video on him today, interviewed by Kathi, with an update.  I like it.  As much flack as he's gotten since he left WSU, I have to say, I am on Team Ryan Leaf.  Maybe I'll invite him to join my team in the Brain Tumor Walk next year?!

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/130406623.html

Don't worry, you can still be a cool kid, even if you're brain tumor free.  ;)

And GO COUGS!

Parisian observations, continued (some more, continued)

Paris gives me much to observe.  Thanks, French people!

• Razor scooters are still a thing here.  Not huge, but bigger than in the US.  And I'm talking grown adults, zipping by in business suits, on their way to work.  Jealous...
• People are pushy.  Sometimes lines matter, sometimes they don't.  We were waiting to get on the public bus in Pontorson, in a nice little line, and this couple just budges right in front of us (and the rest of the line) to let themselves on the bus.  Like it was their job to do so.  There's also a bit of shoving when it comes to getting on and off the Metro.  Not as bad as in Korea, but still.  Americans win in this one.  We know how to do lines and take turns!
• Motorcycles and little electric scooters are everywhere.  I will NOT miss the high-pitched buzzy squeal of a scooter zipping by.  But Parisians do look glamorous, climbing off in their chic suits and dresses and removing their helmets seductively; amIright?!
• The Italian food here is awesome!!!  The French food I've had is fine.  But it's no Italian!
• Longchamp bags seem to be standard issue here.  If you're not using one, your friend next to you must have one or else the balance in Paris will shift and all the croissants will go crusty.  So make sure you help meet the Longchamp quota!
• They have a mystery melon here in Paris, and it is AMAZING.  It has a dark green skin like watermelon, but the flesh is white and oh so sweet.  I've never seen or had it before but I want more.  When I asked what kind of fruit it was, the waiter said, "Melon."  I asked what kind of melon, and he went back to ask in the kitchen.  No one knows.  Just "melon."  I call it mmmmelon.
• The stereotype is true: you can be sitting at a cafe table on a sidewalk, and an accordion or violin player will just mosey up and start playing.  Very romantic.  Except if you're with your coworker.
• Iced mochas seem to be confusing to Starbucks baristas.  I keep getting asked, "You want ice?!"  Then they drop a few cubes in there.  Gee, thanks......
• Restaurants always give you bread, but never bread plates.  This equation results in a nice display of crumbs on the table and sometimes a special piece of crust, left as a gift from me for my waiter.
• I saw a guy last week reading a book on the Metro that I thought was called 1000 Years of the Annoying French.  I thought that was a bold choice to read amongst French people.  Turns out I was a little off.  1000 Years of Annoying the French is the actual book he was reading, about facts related to French history.  I'm a little disappointed to see the correct title now, actually...
• Have I mentioned the BO?  Oh, I have?!  There's no reason it should be smelled on an 8am Metro ride.  NO REASON.
• Remember the band Simple Plan?  Or tried to forget them, like me?  They are still around!  And they're singing TERRIBLE songs in half English, half French that get play in France!  The video for the awful song "Jet Lag" plays on the morning music videos here, plus we've heard it on the radio a handful of times.  Check no.
• In the latest UK issue of InStyle (I love foreign English language versions of my favorite magazines!), they were saying that varsity/letterman's jackets are a next big thing.  I've totally noticed them being worn here, but mostly on men.  Just in case you were wondering.
• Speaking of, I needed some more light reading for a train ride last weekend, and grabbed the US issue of People that they were selling.  I hadn't read it yet, so I bought it.  Turns out, it was the August 22nd issue.  That I purchased on September 18th.  The lesson learned: don't try and keep up on American pop culture through magazines here.  Use the internet, my friends.
• The restaurant across from my favorite Italian place is called Beautiful Sandwich.  I haven't eaten there but have high expectations, obviously.
• For Sydnie: They sell little travel packs of Nutella that come with attached dipping breadsticks.  Tasty!!  Not as good as Nutella you sneak from your hotel breakfast and put in your pocket to eat later on Oktoberfest pretzels, but pretty good.
• I think I've finally been in Paris too long.  I'm recognizing people on my commute, like young guy in a suit with sideburns (AKA chops) that are an inch too long.  Recognized him today.  I think that means it's just about time to head home...

Shortly!  Will be on my way in a week, on next Thursday.  Until then, thanks for the great feedback, friends!  I'll keep my eyes peeled for more observations, if I can find them.  :)

The bun is BACK

Enough about those Parisians, you say (you don't really say that, luckily, because more observations are coming); what is going on with you, Sara?!  Why thank you for asking, and do allow me to fill you in, Sara in the 3rd person...

I am hat free in Paris!!!  I wore a ponytail for the trip here (as I've learned, hats in the airport draw suspicion (since hats are so dangerous, duh) and can require the full invasive patdown, which is not so fun) and had my hair in a pone for the next couple of days.  I somewhat accidentally discovered that I could once again do my beloved wet bun without too many tweakers sticking out... and I haven't worn a hat since!!  I've been here for 2 weeks now and literally haven't put a hat on.  It's been GREAT.  I hope Paris isn't tired of my wet bun look, as it's not going anywhere quickly.  I do have some tweakers at the top and on each side, but they're nothing a little gel and a lot of careful tucking can't fix.  I can feel my tweakers flapping in the wind sometimes, but honestly, I don't care.  Not being looked at for wearing a hat is refreshing.

Being hat free has made me a little sad for the good ol' days (nearly 4 months ago) when I could wear my hair down and long and lovely though.  I miss it.  Yes, I still have a lot of long hair, but I can't let it just go naturally.  I have to wear a ponytail, wear a bun, or wear a hat.  It actually makes me really sad...  It's like it's just hit me or something.  I'm still looking forward to chopping my hair, but man, I miss my long, pretty hair.  It really was something.  :(

On a positive hair note, you may or may not remember that I've had an adorable (sike...) bald spot, about the size of a silver dollar, on my head where my incision didn't heal so well.  I've been afraid that it was a permanent inhabitant, as no hair was growing in.  However, I am happy to say that it is finally fuzzy!!  I can't tell how thick the hair will be there but it is a HUGE relief to know it's starting to come in.  WHEW!

I've actually been navigating Paris okay for the most part.  I have the route to work memorized:

Out the door of the hotel, walk a block, pass Us Golf, follow Rue de Bassano to Louis Vuitton, enter the George V Metro stop, line 1 to La Defense, exit to the left for "Autres Sorties", up the escalators all the way out, head towards the ugly sculpture, and the black Franklin building is on the right.  Elevator to 22, through the door, 1st hallway on left, Roissy conference room.  Cha-ching.

The route home is memorized too:

Out of the building, to the La Defense Metro entrance, down the escalators, immediate sharp left for line 1 away from La Defense, exit at George V, take Rue de Bassano past Louis Vuitton until Us Golf, cross street, 1 block to hotel.  Booya.  Although I do walk past the hotel door about half the time but catch myself shortly thereafter.

My sense of direction is definitely not all peachy though.  You might not have noticed, but there aren't many "take a left, take a right" directions in my descriptions above.  That's because, although I recognize the route when I see the landmarks I've memorized, I can't tell you at this moment as I type this for sure which direction I turn when I walk out of the hotel door, or which way to go when I see Us Golf, etc.  I remember KEY directions (like the correct way to turn when exiting the Metro in the morning) because I've written them down and going the wrong way takes me way off track.  Plus when you're in a Metro tunnel, you don't have landmarks to use. 

I've had a few of my little directional blackouts, like yesterday when I came out of Starbucks (that I've gone to every single morning before work), could NOT remember which way to walk to work, then turned the wrong direction.  It takes about 10 seconds to realize I am walking the complete wrong way.  And tonight I went to mine and Jeff's favorite Italian restaurant (it was my 3rd time having their lasagna.... bless you, Maitre Pierre) all by myself, a whole 4 blocks away or so.  I made it there fine, but when I came out, I went the completely wrong way.  I ended up slightly lost, only by a few blocks, but it took me twice as long to get home as it did to get there.  Not so fun in a crazy city like Paris, by myself, as it's getting dark, without a legit map since I have no cell reception and didn't bring a real map.  And I HATE being lost.  It was actually really frustrating.  It just makes me feel like a total idiot.  This sense of direction crap is easily the most challenging part of my recovery.  I hate it.  Makes me feel like crying when it happens.

But enough about me.  I've added some links to some lady friends' blogs, which you may see to the right.  As I've gone through this adventure, I've been amazed to learn about how many young people really are affected by brain tumors.  Way too many of us!!  Anyway, I've been expanding my tumor dominating network (power in numbers, of course) and have learned about some strong and incredible ladies.  Stalk them with me, won't you?!  ;)  Krystal is a friend from college who was in my sorority.  She found out about her tumor and had surgery just a couple months before I did.  I saw her story play out as I was trying to get to the bottom of mine; this was both comforting and scary.  I stumbled upon the blog of Jessica randomly, as we have a mutual friend that I went to HS with in Chelan.  Jessica lives near where I grew up (and is moving to Seattle soon!).  Krystal, Jessica, and I all share 1 thing in common: Dr. S was our rockstar neurosurgeon.  He sure gets around, doesn't he?!  I learned about Sara at the recent Portland Brain Tumor Walk, as her dad sought me out since she and I have so much in common (and she had wedding festivities to attend to and couldn't be at the walk).  We're both Sara L's, we're both super tall, we both have stinking brain tumors that we stumbled upon randomly, we both love live music, etc.  She lives in Portland but I'm hoping to meet up when we're in the same city sometime.

I feel like I've just spewed a giant update on here, but Jeff flew out of Paris this morning (sad....) so I've got a little extra time on my hands now.  Great reason to catch on the ol' blog, wouldn't you say?!  Posts on more Parisian observations and my French adventure are coming soon (with pics).  Until next time, goodnight friends!

Parisian observations, continued (some more)

I am SO observant!

• The French like almond flavor.  ME TOO!  I love finding almond croissants, almond yogurt, and other tasty treats that you rarely see in the US.  Trust me, I look.  Yes please.
• You will see nobody walking to work in the morning with coffee, except us crazy Americans.  Apparently they all just get it at work.  (The office does have a sweet little machine.)  I feel a little weird carrying my iced mocha but I let it bother me for about half a second.  Because then it's so chocolatey and good that it doesn't matter.
• Some French are rude.  Like the girl who, when I said that I didn't buy ingredients at Paris grocery stores and make my own food in my tiny hotel room with no kitchen, called me lazy.  The same girl who, when I said that no, I don't take a dictionary to the grocery store with me to find out what things are, called me lazy again.  To my face.  Excusez-moi?!  We will not be friends.
• I have seen more ladies carrying Louis Vuittons here than anywhere else.  That includes girls that are clearly only in high school.  When I was in HS, my purse was a nylon Esprit number with an external (yes, external) pocket for my sweet Nokia cell phone that I bought on clearance at Maurice's (the purse, not the celly).  But perhaps I'm old fashioned...?!
• Everyone here (I may generalize a little, but really) drinks booze at lunch.  I've been eating alone (as my colleague is in England this week), so I've been doing a lot of people watching.  Nearly every other table has beer, wine, and delicious looking cocktails with strawberries on the rim.  I enjoy my Fanta or Orangina instead.
• There are cigarette butts on the ground everywhere.  I did see someone sweeping them up for first time today though, so that's good.
• Scarves!  Casual scarves!  Women, men, kids, scarves!  Scarf party!  I hope to bring some new ones home with me.  :)
• Don't eat at a restaurant if its name is Hippopotamus.  Even if the place is packed and there's a line to be seated.  Trust me, it's terrible.
• The French play Words With Friends, too!
• I've seen more than a handful of grown men walking around smoking pipes.  Like old man wooden pipes.  Perhaps they were on their way to or from a library with many leather-bound books...?
• While 99% of Parisians I've seen wear only neutral colors, the remaining 1% are men wearing pink pants and shorts.  I keep trying to get Jeff to join in on that, so he'll look Euro-sophisticated, but for some reason he's not buying it.  Don't worry, I'm not giving up that easily...

That's all for now.  I'll post an update about me (not getting too lost! being hat free!) when I get a chance.  Until then, bonsoir and au revoir, friends!

Parisian observations, continued

Some more observations that I failed to mention previously:

• The French do wear red berets.  I saw 2 separate women sporting them.  And they looked GOOD.
• I get whiffs of B.O. more often than I would like.
• Back to Starbucks...  They seem to run out of things here which are of no concern.  Last week, when we stopped by before work, they had run out of drip coffee.  They weren't making more.  This morning, they were out of ice.  Would I like my iced mocha with just milk?  Yes, yes I would.  Have you EVER been to a Starbucks in the US that has run out of something, and it's not being replaced at hyper speed?
• Monday through Friday, nobody wears sunglasses.  NOBODY.  But me.  I feel like a celebrity.  Come Saturday and Sunday though, everyone is sporting them.
• Tourists here (excluding yours truly, of course!) are just as obnoxious as they are elsewhere.  Especially groups that hop off of chartered buses.  (I'm talking to YOU, huge group that pushed and shove like they were giving away free Louis Vuittons on my boat tour last night...)
• Man bags are everywhere.  European man satchels galore!
• Many elevators are lined with mirrors here.  Most French women (and some men) come into the elevator and blatantly check themselves out, including examining their faces up close and checking out their rears, with no shame.  You'd never see that in the US when there are other people in the elevator; here it seems to happen every time.  I guess that's how they stay looking so chic?

We had a fun weekend, full of sight seeing and 2 dinners at an Italian restaurant with the best lasagna OF MY LIFE.  Will provide details soon....

Back to the audit grind!

Parisian observations

Have you never been to Paris and wonder what it's like and if what they say about Paris is true?  Allow me to clear some things up, based on my highly scientific, vast observations over the last 3 days that I've been here.

• Parisians are VERY chic.  They wear clean lines, look well-tailored and timeless, and seem to exhibit recent trends while still looking classic.  I like.  I saw one person with a gross Ed Hardy bag, but she must have been from New Jersey.  Clearly not Parisian.
• Parisians ONLY wear neutral colors: black, gray, navy, white, brown, and khaki.  Literally.  I dare you to find someone wearing purple or fuschia or Seahawks green.  Not gonna happen.  Makes people-watching slightly less entertaining.  I also see lots of stripes!  Classic French.
• Tons of Parisians smoke, 100 times more than you see in Seattle.  They take smoke breaks on the sidewalk, smoke while eating, smoke while exiting the Metro station on the escalator, smoke while walking to and from work, smoke smoke smoke.  Luckily you cannot smoke at restaurants here, and my hotel is smoke-free, but I still feel pretty bombarded by it a lot of the time that I'm outside.  Disgusting.
• Paris really is as beautiful as people say.  The buildings are intricate and well-maintained, and the famous sites are lovely as well.  The Eiffel Tower at night, especially when the sparkly lights come on (for 5 minutes every hour after dark), really is quite magical.

Le Eiffel Tower, taken by yours truly last night with my handy Hipstamatic app

• The French are quite friendly!  They make efforts to figure out what you're saying (if they don't speak English).  They say "bonjour" or "bonsoir" whenever they see you in an elevator, hold a door, enter a room, etc.  I also like.
• Paris is expensive, especially if tricked into a touristy restaurant.  My colleague and I (on our first day, so we had no idea) had lunch at a touristy little spot.  We had 2 sodas, pasta (for him), and salad and sandwich (for me).  It came to $99USD.  It tasted about $25USD.  The other meals I've had though have been a bit more reasonable and more delicious (but still spendy).  The French onion soup is sooo tasty!
• I think that Paris is a little more dangerous and more of a terrorism target than I'd like to think.  They have had some assorted attacks in the past, but I was not expecting to exit the Metro at La Defense (the high-rise skyscraper neighborhood where most business is done) and see French soldiers with huge machine guns patrolling.  I've also seen them near well-known historic sites (Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower).  I swear I've never noticed American soldiers or police patrolling with automatic weapons in NYC or San Fran or Boston (or Seattle, for that matter) but maybe they're there?  Hmm.
• Starbucks is here.  Amen.  We stop at one in La Defense each morning on our way to work.  If only they could make a decent mocha though...  On Wednesday, I'm certain they forgot the espresso.  Yesterday, they forgot most of the milk.  Today was the best I've had so far, but it's still only okay.  It's also quite expensive here; my tall mocha is around 4.40Euros which is $6.17USD with today's exchange rate.  On the bright side, the office here has a pretty darn fantastic little machine that makes the most delicious petit chocolat drink EVER.  It's a tiny little rich hot chocolate hug that makes my afternoon.

That is all for now, friends.  Paris has been great so far, and this weekend's plans include exploring the city with Jeff and seeing some authentic Parisian cabaret/burlesque tomorrow night at the Crazy Horse.  It has the most mixed reviews I've EVER seen on TripAdvisor, so I have no idea if we'll love it or hate it.  Should be memorable, at the very least.  :)

Au revoir, Seattle; bonjour, Paris!

With last week's good news, I am totally packed, have a (nearly) carefree attitude, and I'm ready for a French adventure.  I take off tomorrow (Monday = Labor Day) for Paris for almost 4 weeks!  I'll be there for work (merci, Expedia!), with time at night and on the weekends to explore.  Jeff is flying out to join me for part of my French adventure, and we've got some Parisian exploring and a weekend in Normandy on the list.

Ooh la la!

I plan on blogging from France, you know, when I'm not out eating baguettes and cheese, drinking wine, riding bicycles, laying on blankets in the park, and wearing stripes and berets.  Will keep you posted on the adventure!  And if you have any tips or must-sees, please let me know.  I will leave you with my #1 source on Parisian information: Flight of the Conchords.  See you back in Seattle on the 29th!

Gaining my confidence

After yesterday's wonderful news, I'm still feeling the adrenaline of relief combined with the exhaustion of an emotional roller coaster ride.  I still want to drape myself on things.  Still haven't in public.  ;)  I still tear up for good reasons (and can cry on command... maybe I should be an actress?!).  But I think the best new feeling I'm experiencing is confidence.  I finally am starting to feel a little smidge of confidence about my health.  I can't put this tumor completely out of my mind and realistically never will, but I feel like the sun is shining a bit more brightly from behind the clouds of this year I've had so far.  Maybe things really will be okay...?

I took this picture in the Caribbean in 2007 (hey Lynn! woo!); it's kind of how I'm feeling

I'm not trying to jinx myself or get totally casual about my tumor (knowing it could blindside me at any time), but perhaps it doesn't have to rule my life or determine my path.  Each clean MRI will get me a little more confident.  And I can't wait.

One down, all the rest to go!

GOOD NEWS: My MRI was good!  No growth!  I am soooo relieved!!!!

I had my MRI at 8am, and they called me in early to prep (sweet hospital gown outfit, IV for the MRI contrast fluid) and then did the scans.  When I came out, a woman was on a hospital bed, looking super nervous with her husband holding her hand.  She had all of the little foam stickers stuck to her head like I had the day of my surgery, so I asked her if she was having brain surgery.  She nodded and I said that I'd had surgery in May.  I asked her if her neurosurgeon was Dr. S, and she said yes.  I told her that he was mine too, and that he's a total surgical rockstar and that she's in the best of hands.  Her husband thanked me and they seemed *hopefully* a little relieved at my words.  I hope it helped, and I'm sure hers will go just as well as mine.  :)

Then we (my seester Amy and cousin Steph and I) waited for my 10am appointment with Dr. M, my neurooncologist who will be in charge of all of my follow-up and additional treatment (if needed).  I really like him, and as soon as he walked in the room he said, "Your MRI looks good!"  I immediately started bawling.  Couldn't help it...  We talked about my recovery since surgery and lingering symptoms (sense of direction issues mostly), he did a quick neurological exam, and I got my next MRI and follow-up scheduled (Thursday, December 8th).

I really do feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted from my shoulders, at least for the time being.  I literally feel like I just want to melt into a puddle.  I want my body to just be the opposite of tense and I want to drape myself across things.  I won't.  People would think I'm nuts.  ;)  I can't remember the last time I've felt this relieved.  Maybe never?  Thank you all for your texts and FB "likes" (ha!) and comments (and flowers, Jefe).  It means a ton to me to know that I have supportive friends and family.  Your positive thoughts, vibes, and prayers helped to bring me the best possible results today!!  Finally, good news from a doctor.

And I've decided how I'm celebrating: I'm buying myself GPS for my car.  In fact, it comes doctor recommended (after I told Dr. M about my direction issues).  That probably doesn't sound like much of a party to some of you, but believe me, it's MUCH needed and deserved, in my little ol' opinion.  :)

SOOOOO RELIEVED!!!!!!!!!!!