Appalachian Lite?

So remember this post and this post a while back on some of the cultural differences I’ve encountered down here? 

I no longer find them so different or strange.  In fact…

I say “Appa-latch-ian” instead of “appa-lay-shun”.  I have caught myself saying the phrases “I don’t care to…” and “I appreciate ya!” more times than I care to admit.  I have even said something like “I’m going to THE Wal-Mart.”  And many, many times I have use the word “y’all.”  I’ve blessed people’s hearts and I’ve tried fried green tomatoes and soup beans.  I’ve even gone to music on the square and listened to some bluegrass.  And more times than I can count I have been accused of having a southern accent by my Yankee friends and family. {I still think I don’t have one}

Things I haven’t done… yet…

• said “the Interstate” or “the four lane” – it’s still the highway to me!

• attempted to make good ole southern biscuits, white gravy or fried chicken in my home

• eaten anything pickled {ex: pickled pigs feet}

After just 6 short months of living here I realize that I am somewhat adapting.

But..

I still miss Meijer!

Words That Heal

If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster.
~Isaac Asimov

I was reading this article today about how writing through a serious illness can be cathartic.  I wholeheartedly agree.

I may have started this blog under the guise of keeping friends and family informed about my progress through surgery and treatment but it evolved into so much more. 

I started with just a few posts that were more factual than feeling.  Soon enough I was talking about the confusion, pain, fear, loneliness, anxiety… all the things that I couldn’t say out loud when asked “how are you doing?”  Those who asked such a question received an ever cheery smile and the upbeat “I’m doing good…”, “Feeling much better thanks…”, or “Everything is going really well…”

Truth is sometimes it wasn’t all hunky-dory.  Truth is having cancer is never ok.

I feel like my writing through my cancer journey was honest even if it wasn’t always light hearted.  I also think that writing about it was the cheapest form of therapy I could have found {with the exception of Gilda’s Club of course!}.  It helped me organize my thoughts and feelings and really reflect… and now that I’m on the other side it helps me to remember things completely lost to cancer brain.

I’ve realized that even though I started this blog for my friends and family, it isn’t about who reads it, its about the life I’m able to live because I wrote it.

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.
~William Wordsworth

Live your life from your heart. Share from your heart. And your story will touch and heal people's souls. 
~Melody Beattie

Pepsi or Coke?

At work we have two soda machines that distribute various Pepsi products.  The price for a 20 oz bottle has always been $1.25 until the most recent fill up. 

Since then…

The price for a 20oz bottle = $99.95

I’ve always been a Pepsi girl but with these prices I may have to switch to Coke!

So what do you say?

Coke or Pepsi?

Well It’s Official…

I have resigned from my management position here effective July 22nd.

There are many reasons behind this decision some of which I am not prepared to discuss just yet.  Some of which I might never discuss on le bloggy blog.

I am not certain where I am going or what I am going to do just yet.  That is such an odd feeling.  I’ve always known where I was going before I went.

Don’t get me wrong, I have ideas floating around… this girl has no shortage of those puppies… but so many of them are in the long range category. I just have to start doing the little things to get the momentum going.  And above all I need to follow my heart and live my dreams.  Life is too short not to.

Stay tuned dear readers… its about to get interesting around here!

Believe with all of your heart that you will do what you were made to do.
-Orison Swett Marden

Saturday Seven

Trying something new today… the Saturday Seven. Just seven random things I’ve been thinking about this week most of which would not make up an entire blog post by themselves but are worth sharing or at least I think they are!  Link up if you want to play along!

One. In honor of ones, I realized its been a while since I’ve done an update to my 101 in 1001 list.  So here are a few items I’ve crossed off and some I’m still working on… 

• lose 25 lbs – sorry to say I’m still in the working on it phase
• Pay off car & credit cards – working on it! Only 4 more car payments!
• Go to a live musical – tickets bought for Beauty & The Beast at the Barter next week!
• Local restaurants – new one to add: Cranberry Thistle, Jonesborough, TN
• Create a calendar to track birthdays – downloaded a template to help me do this… just haven’t filled it out yet!
• Grow my hair 5in below my shoulders – currently at 4 inches
• Get a massage & get a pedicure – done on Feb 19th in Gatlinburg!
• Send mail to someone once a month – April, May, June: check!
• Read a book starting with every letter of the alphabet – new letters claimed: Bountiful Container, Outlive Your Life.
• Read a book in one day: The Final Summit
• Read 101 books – new to add: Wasted, The Secret, Grits Guide To Life, 33 Ways to Tell Your Fortune (that makes 17)
• Watch 26 movies {alphabet} & 10 classic movies I’ve never seen– working on this with help from Netflix

Two. I slept in until 8am for the first time in months. Yes, I said months. And yet I’m still exhausted… maybe it takes more than one night to get rid of sleep deprivation?
Three.  My horoscope for today reads: “Your house of career is undergoing a slow and profound change as you shift from one way of working to another.  You’ll have great potential and options as Uranus in your house of self combines with Jupiter in your house of money to bring a delicious set of planetary helpers.  Venus and the Sun in your house of words could help you write your future.”  This is more scary true than you know… more to come.
Four.  Remember the apartment debacle?  I still haven’t heard boo from the management company after they swore they would “get on it” to “rectify the situation.”  This weekend will be devoted to formulating the next line of attack.  I gave them ample time to fix things. They chose not to. Now it’s on.
Five.  Stress has been crazy lately… combined with the sleep deprivation and you get my body attacking itself… again. You can read more about that here, here, and here. Last night I noticed my parotid was pulling one of these again.  And the other symptoms of Sjogren’s are back as well… dry eyes, dry mouth, aching joints, brain fog, dry skin, fatigue.  Must manage stress to prevent flares.
Six.  My plan for this weekend is to nap and to heal… and to clean my house and do laundry. Sigh…  where did the maid go? 
Seven.  I made good on my promise.  I have tests and an endo appointment scheduled for early July.  Praying that the fears are all in my head and I get only good news.