My bugs are back!  Hmmm…that doesn’t sound good.  It sounds like I have bugs on my person or something.  What I mean to say is that the katydids are here!  To me, they are the sound of summer.  Sure, during the day, there are crickets and other various arthropods, but the true symphony begins after the sun goes down.  Here’s what I’m talking about:  http://free-loops.com/download-free-loop-6225.html.  Mix a little rain in there and you have the perfect summer sleeping soundtrack.  Don’t tell my parents, but I’ve been opening my window a bit at night (even though the A/C is on) just to listen to the bugs!  Whoops…I think I just told on myself considering Bob and Carol are avid blog readers. 

Speaking of sleep, I don’t feel as though I’ve done much of that recently.  Yes, nightmares are to blame in some part, but I also went out on the town last Thursday and to another wedding this weekend.  Thursday, I went with Laura and friends to Lisa’s bachelorette party which was wonderful!!  We rented a limo and enjoyed dinner at “Lebanese Taverna” and salsa dancing at “Havana Village”.  Somehow along the way, we drank eight bottles of champagne in the limo (I believe there were twelve of us!).  I was DD so I didn’t partake of too much, but Laura’s Spumante was quite delicious.  I don’t fancy myself a champagne drinker, but that went down easily.  :)  As far as dancing, well, I’m pretty sure I smiled from the moment I walked into the club.  By the time we left, sweat was dripping down my face (I know, totally gross) and my hair was stuck to my forehead.  No, not attractive, but so fun!!!  It was great to celebrate with Lisa and all the gals before the wedding.  Laura has an entertaining and delightful group of friends, and I was happy to be part of all the fun.

Saturday morning, before the wedding, I woke up at 5:30 AM to go down to Fletcher’s Boathouse near Georgetown in order to do a water stop for Team in Training.  Guinny accompanied me, and it was a lovely morning.  We were on one of my favorite trails, the Capital Crescent (http://www.cctrail.org/).  I talked with many of my walk team teammates and cheered them on when they approached the water stop.  I felt a little jealous of the fact that they were able to be out there and participate, but I also felt excited just thinking about being a part of the action next year.  Other runners and walkers on the trail saw that we were there for Team in Training, and would occasionally shout “Go Team!” (our signature cheer ).  The best was when a young man ran by and yelled “You guys are awesome!!  I’m a survivor!”.  Some approached to ask more about TNT, others to beg for a bit of our water or Powerade.  Yes, we shared!  Coach Jacque said never to turn someone down in this heat.  I did think one guy went over the line when he asked for a power bar, but I let him take it.  Don’t you think that’s kind of rude?  Other women who took some water came back and gave us a donation!

I had a wonderful time, as did Guinness.  Everyone loved him.  You can see in the pictures below that he made himself quite comfortable, lying down in the middle of everything, making himself available for pats and attention.  I rewarded him with a nice swim in the Potomac and some fun in the mud.  The mud part could not be avoided because the “beach” or bank or what have you was sticky, deep mud, and Guinness was in his glory.  As soon as we got in the car, he zonked out, and he stayed like that for the rest of the day. I miss being part of the “Washington underground” as I refer to it; you know, the athletes and regular peops who wake up early and run/walk/bike/rollerblade to start the day.  When you sleep as late as I do, you don’t experience that very often. 

Amazingly, I didn’t even require a nap on Saturday!  We headed to Old Town for Lisa and Idan’s wedding, and more partying ensued.  Lisa looked beautiful and Idan handsome, and the dance floor was filled the whole night, spilling out onto the carpet just beyond.  I’ve never been to a Jewish wedding, and I can’t wait to go again!!  The rhythm of the music makes it impossible not to dance!  I still have “Hava Nagila” playing in my mind…in fact, I think it’d be a great song to hula hoop to!

In job news, well, there isn’t any news.  I did, however, speak with a career coach last week.  Simply talking to her raised my confidence level a couple notches, and made me more excited to start looking for something.  I think it will be helpful to have someone to whom I’m reporting my progress, because otherwise it would be too tempting to procrastinate.  I will keep you updated on what I learn through the experience because I know her guidance will be invaluable.

I was in line at Staples yesterday, listening to the mother-daugher pair in front of me converse with the sales associate.  The daughter was getting ready to head to NYU for college, and the associate was preparing to study law at Mason.  Their excitement for school was contagious and had me reminiscing about UVA and AU and the joy and possibilities that learning offered.  I thought about my new endeavor…finding a career, and I chastised myself for not exploring possibilities earlier, for not taking advantage of everything college presented.  I reminded myself again that the experiences that I did have shaped me into the person I am now, and the feeling of guilt subsided.  I’m not able to experience the anxious excitement of returning to school to explore possibilites, but I am now in the unique position to discover what career will work best for me, for now anyway.  I think one’s ideal career may shift and change in a lifetime, and that’s part of what makes life so interesting.  College is over, but the learning continues.

Today was a good resume-boosting day.  I heard back from Hogar Hispano of Catholic Charities, and I will go in September to a training class to help Spanish-speakers apply for citizenship.  Not that I’m doing it to build my resume…I think it’s an opportunity to use my language skills to help others, and to meet new people in the process.  A friend of mine who works for the American Cancer Society (ACS) also called me today to ask if I would speak at the upcoming “Bark for Life” walk sponsored by ACS (for more info, see http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=12677).  Ideas for a speech are slowly emerging, and I’m really looking forward to putting it down in writing.  This is my chance to thank Jameson and Guinness for all they’ve done for me as caregivers…yup, they refer to dogs as “canine caregivers”.  Sure, maybe Jamie and Guinness won’t understand all that I’m saying , but they’ll be by my side while I speak, my guardian angels, as always.

It’s interesting…after TNT this weekend, thinking about Hogar Hispano and also Bark for Life, the word “community” feels more powerful than it previously has.  Cancer taught me the importance of community, and it opened up doors that allowed me to be directly involved with mine.  Remember my moments of fame on the radio?  And then there’s the speech to the blood donors.  Of course we can’t forget TNT, ACS and fundraising.  These occasions gave me confidence to be more outgoing, to really reach out to others.  Now I have another opportunity to speak to the community with Bark for Life, and I will be able to reach out to the Hispanic community through volunteering.  Giving back is a high I know I won’t be able to give up.  I enjoy it, and I thrive on it now.  Sounds pretty selfish, I know, but isn’t that what they always say about reaching out to others?  One of the greatest benefits is how it makes you feel.  Thank you, cancer, for giving me the strength and the confidence to discover the ultimate meaning of “community”.

If anyone out there wants to come out to Bark for Life (and bring your dog!), it would be fun!  There will be a walk and some other activities, including an agility course.  It’s time to honor those quiet caregivers and companions whose mere presence is comforting.  For me, one of the tenderest (is that a word?!) moments will always be when Jameson approached me one night when I was giving myself chemo at home.  I lay on the couch, my eyes glued to “The Golden Girls”, trying to stay awake to take care of my pump once the chemo was all infused.  He walked beside the couch, leaned his head over and rested it very gently on my neck for a few seconds.  He then made himself comfy on the floor beside me, but his touch seemed to say “Don’t worry…I’m here.  It’ll all be OK”.

Another long post…I know.  But before I go, I wanted to share a few quotes with you that seem appropriate as I face this transition in my life, quotes that might inspire you someday. 

“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re probably right.”

- Henry Ford

“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.”  (not that I have a poor hand now, but I did have a couple sucky hands there for a while )

- Robert Louis Stevenson

“I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

- Louisa May Alcott

“Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.”

- John Wooden

“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lots of love to all of you!
Julie