From the category archives:

Rock N' Roll

My 3 Year Bloggerversary

by Lisa on August 20, 2008

If I don’t write to empty my mind, I go mad. ~Lord Byron

Although the posts no longer remain at this domain, it was three years ago today that I officially started keeping an online journal…you know…the thing we call blogging. When I started out three years ago, it was with the intent to keep an online journal, it just happen to be called “blogging”. Three years ago the word “blogging” seemed to me some trendy word of the moment. What did I know?

All I knew was that I had these issues brewing inside that I had to write about. For years I had kept written journals which had always helped to get out what was going on inside my mind. However, with a husband and kids I didn’t feel safe keeping a book full of my thoughts laying around the house. I learned that lesson the hard way after my second husband found my written journal and read it cover to cover one night. That confrontation was fun, let me tell you. It’s why we are divorced today.

I didn’t feel safe keeping a typed journal on my computer because it would have been too easy for Dude to find it so it. It just seemed safer on the home front to keep it off of my hard drive and write it online. It felt even safer using a fake name and keeping my identity hidden because if by chance anyone found it then no one would know who I was talking about.

Eventually, it seemed silly not to use my real name and not be true to who I really am. Now that I’m so sick I’ve given my family and friends my blog URL so that they have this piece of me. Of course I make them read my disclaimer in the About Me section first.

When I started keeping my “online journal” three years ago I used Blogger and the black template of death. Is there anyone who didn’t use Blogger when they started blogging? Not that there is anything wrong with Blogger. Now that I’ve been using WordPress and had my blog on my own domain since October of 2005 I just can’t imagine doing it any other way.

Although life seemed so full of depression and confusion three years ago there are days when I long for that time of my life back. I was trying to sort out the changes I was going through physically and emotionally because I was going through sudden menopause as a result of having a hysterectomy. Ten months prior to starting my blog I had Ovarian Cancer at age 37…something that completely changed my life.

Heh, I just had no idea how much it was going to change my life back then.

Life just seemed so much simpler back then. I was a lot bitchier though. I’m amazed that none of my family or friends didn’t kill me through that time period. My hormones were completely out of control. It made for some great blog fodder for sure.

I haven’t been great about my daily commitment to posting lately. I made that commitment to myself when I started blogging so that even when I was depressed I would keep writing. I’ve found that the days I feel down and not “on” I don’t post. I need to keep that commitment to myself.

I’m always interested why other people started blogging. Did you start a blog to become the next big blog star? As a way to keep in touch with family and friends? Because it’s cheaper than therapy? Tell me what compelled you to start a blog and share your life online.

Tagged as: Blogging

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While On Vacation

by Lisa on August 9, 2008

in Rock N' Roll

While I’m on a “Blog Vacation” I’ve been busy watching Bravo, the Olympics and catching up on all of your blogs. Hey, I’ll admit it, it’s pretty boring laying in bed feeling lousy.

I’m also obsessing about my two favorite food groups, pizza and hamburgers, because I’m totally over the liquid diet but I realize that it’s a necessity if I’d like to live. However, it’s making me cranky. Ensure and Boost aren’t exciting. Please send your smoothie recipes to me to make my life exciting.

What’s life come to when I can’t wait for Dude to go to the supermarket to buy me skim milk, yogurt, bananas and peanut butter so that I can make a yummy, delicious, peanut butter – banana smoothie?

Anyway, while I’m still on this “Blog Vacation” I found an interesting quiz over at Jester’s blog and found my results pretty spot on. All I want in my life and for those around me is peace. Peace and serenity are amazing. It took me 41 years and a third round with cancer to finally find it by thank God I have.

Go take the test and tell me how close your results reflected you!

I took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!

“Desires a tranquil, peaceful state of harmony offe…”

Click here to read the rest of the results.

Now, back to my “vacation”.

Tagged as: Blog Vacation, Cancer Sucks, Liquid Diet

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Pinks and Purples

by Lisa on July 15, 2008

in Rock N' Roll

Edit: All of these pieces have sold. As of 7/19/2008 there are no bracelets or earrings for sale, however check back in a few days. I’m busy creating new things! Thanks.

I’ve been working very hard for the past three days making new jewelry, taking pictures and getting it posted for everyone to see it! Now there is a dedicated section on my blog just for the pieces I make. You’ll find it on the left side bar under “Pages”, labeled: “Jewelry“.

This time I’ve made some pink bracelets and some purple bracelets. Some of the pink bracelets are for Breast Cancer Awareness. Some of the purple bracelets are for Cancer Survivor Awareness and Pancreatic Cancer Awareness. I know some people who participate in Relay For Life like the purple bracelets as well.

I’ve also made some earrings too!

Here is a preview of what you will find on the Jewelry pages:

You can find all of these pieces and more over at the Jewelry page. Shipping and Handling is included with every piece. They are all one of a kind so if you like something don’t wait to long to buy it!

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Party Like a Rock Star

by Lisa on July 2, 2008

in Cancer Sucks, Dude, Rock N' Roll

After all, what is your host’s purpose in having a party? Surely not for you to enjoy yourself; if that were their sole purpose, they’d have simply sent champagne and women over to your place by taxi. ~P.J. O’Rourke

I party like a rock star. There should be laws in place on exactly how hard I am allowed to party…and with which rock stars I associate with. In fact, when you find out how hard I plan to party today, you are going to wish that you could party like a rock star too. Not just any rock star either, a heavy metal rock star.

Get the lead out and start bangin’ your head because here’s how the day in the life of this rock star begins tomorrow…

Since the limo is out for repairs I’ll have to drive myself into the crappy, crime-ridden, Spanish speaking city so that I can visit the Social Security office. I can’t tell you how excited I am. This is a visit I should have made 12 years ago. Like when I got MARRIED to DUDE.

I kind of forgot to change my name on my Social Security card when I got married…12 years ago.

I took Dude’s last name when we got married then half way through our marriage I got pissed one day. That’s all it took…ONE DAY. I got pissed and decided that I was changing my last name by adding my maiden name to my married name. It was my way of declaring INDEPENDENCE of some sort and vengeance. For what? I have no idea but that’s how I used to roll.

What is did was start a huge clusterfook of confusion concerning my last name. All of a sudden this rock star had three different last names and it took all kinds of rocket science to figure out that I was the same person. Dear God.

Dude refused to change the medical insurance to MY hyphenated name so in the medical world I’m one person. To the legal world I’m another person. To the IRS and Social Security I’m still the same 15 year old I was when I applied for the damn S.S. number.

Now I’m ready to rock n’ roll…on the disability application. The show can’t go on though until I get the mess with my last name fixed which is why I get to travel into the horrible, crummy city tomorrow with all my documentation.

The only Spanish I know is “Elisa es no en casa,” which would be true because I won’t be at home, I’ll be at the S.S. office. Spoken like a true rock star!

So after we get that situation straightened out this rock star needs to have lunch, preferably OUT of the city, preferably somewhere where I can get a big salad and a big ice tea. However I must have this lunch consumed by 11:00 AM because no food or drinks four hours before the next gig.

Anyone for an ultra early lunch? I’ll provide rock star limo service…call me! This applies to my LOCAL friends of course. (Sorry Karl, as much as I love you I can’t come to Florida to pick you up for lunch.)

My next gig happens at 2:45 PM at the hospital where all the famous rock legends hang out. Really, I’ve seen them. O.K. I wish that they were there because I’m there so often. Can’t someone send a rock star? Dave Grohl would be great, thanksomuch. (OMG, I LOVE Dave Grohl…LOVE HIM.)

Oh, the hospital. This is where you come in. No, no, not into the hospital however I love it when I have company. Going solo at the hospital is like total suckage. What I need is good vibes, good karma and prayers. Not that you haven’t been doing that all ready.

I guess I have a lot of nerve asking for more vibes, karma and prayers but this is for something we really NEED, something IMPERATIVE. I’m having a CT scan done tomorrow at 3:00 PM. The CT scan is being done to see if the tumors of the rare, rock n’ roll cancer are shrinking.

If the tumors are shrinking then that means the chemotherapy is working. If it’s working that would be fantastic!!! I mean, it doesn’t take a rock star or rocket science to figure that out, does it?

You so want to be a rock star like me right? Party on!

Tagged as: Cancer Sucks, Clusterfook, ct scan, Dave Grohl, Dude, social security

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