I've been absent around these parts lately ... not because anything is wrong but because I've been busy. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have been pursuing my passion for photography during the last year. Lots of fun, lots of new learning. I joined a photo community called Blipfoto where I post my favorite picture each day. My personal goal is to post a picture for 365 consecutive days - I'm halfways there now. The photo's to the right of this blog are the 3 most recent pictures. If you click on the filmstrip, you'll be taken to my blipfoto journal where you can read a bit, see some pictures, whatever. Lots of very talented photographers over there, so enjoy yourself! I am coming up on my 4 year brain-tumor anniversary - holy cow! Hard to believe it has been nearly 4 years. I sure never expected some of the long term effects of this whole adventure. However, it's not all bad, and I've made some great friends along the way ...

Birds and Brain Tumors

I used to love watching birds. In fact, I had bird-feeder central when I lived in St. Louis years ago. Then, I moved a few times, got busy, moved to a part of the country with seed-eating bears and ... well, then there was that pesky brain tumor thing.

Anyway, about a year after I had surgery, I decided that I wanted to take up another hobby - photography. I bought a kick-ass digital slr and started relearning everything I ever thought I knew about photography. Then, this year, in my quest for more things to photograph, I suddenly thought ... BIRDS! And, we live right on the edge of the forest, so it is bird-bonanza. Willie accuses me of never doing anything at less than 1,000 miles an hour. And, because I never want to disappoint that man, I went out and accumulated about 3,000 bird feeders and a couple of tons of seeds. Yep, bring those birds on! (slight exaggeration, but I believe in literary license.)

You'll remember part of my brain tumor legacy is that I am deaf on the right side. Good news is that my left ear hears things really well. Bad news is that mono-hearing means no directionality. Good news - I can hear those birds singing and chirping the minute I walk out the door. Bad news - I have no freaking idea where they are. Life's funny isn't it?

Chirp.

Jackie Diels and My Smile

Instead of a New Year's resolution, I am making a fall resolution - to blog more often! I've been horribly remiss this summer, not because there wasn't a lot going on, but maybe because there was TOO much going on.

Anyway, I started my day off today with a video chat with Jackie Diels, who is (in my opinion) the BEST facial re-trainer on the planet! You may recall that I went to visit Jackie 18 months ago pictures here. I was so blown away with what she was able to teach me that I went to her six months later for a follow up visit. By the way, she is in Wisconsin and I live in NJ - so that tells you how great I think she is! The improvement I've seen in my face, and especially my smile, is amazing. My smile won't ever look quite like it did pre-brain tumor, but I am pretty darned happy with my "new" smile. And, for that, I have to say "Thank you, Jackie Diels!"

If anyone reading this wants more info, please shoot me an email or message me from here.

I'll be back soon with another update!

Photography and Acoustic Neuromas

 

Is it really already the middle of August? I saw a few yellow leaves drifting slowly to the ground yesterday which can only mean one thing ... fall is just around the corner. Yikes.

You may remember that one of my post-brain tumor gifts was rediscovering my love of photography. I bought a good digital SLR and started learning the world of digital photography. What fun it has been! This summer, in particular, I've been really pushing myself to learn new techniques and to find interesting things to photograph. Lots of fun.

The only minor aggravation is that, as those of you with balance impairment know, if I don't look at the ground where I am walking, I tend to tip over. Well, now, think about that for a minute... if I am looking all over for the next great Kodak Moment, I can't very well be watching my feet, can I? And, keep in mind that I don't really see anything other than a big, fuzzy blurr from my right eye in the best of conditions. Now, I've had over 3 years to get used to this whole balance/vision thing so you would really think I'd be better at it. Based on the flailing and careening I've been doing lately, I'm going to have to say that the balance still needs some work. Ah, the sacrifices we make for our art...

By the way, the humidity is wreaking havoc with my hair, too. See how frizzy it is?

Why Shampooing Can Be Dangerous...

We have cats. And, being cats, they like to toss out the occasional hairball, usually in a place that has the highest visibility or is the most heavily trafficked by human feet. So, one of our angels barfed up a hairball on the stairs (carpeted in off white, need I say more?) I carefully teetered on the stairs and used a little carpet shampoo-er to clean up the spot. Returned the Little Green Machine to it's home in the upstairs closet and then proceeded back down to go about my day. One minute I'm on the steps heading down and the next minute I'm on my back heading down. You see the problem, right?

So here is a note to my self... NEVER wear rubber soled flip flops on wet stairs. N E V E R. No bones broken, but my dignity took quite a beating, and look like I've gone a couple of rounds in a boxing ring.

How's your day?

Genetic Stapling

I am going to start by apologizing to my hubby - sorry, babe, I couldn't resist.

We've recently moved my in-laws to a new home in a new state, which involved packing up their worldly possessions. What we came to realize is that my mother-in-law really likes staples. I mean she REALLY likes staples. So sorting through her paperwork has involved pulling a lot of staples out of clumps of papers. We've kidded her about it and accused her of never meeting two pieces of paper that didn't deserve to be stapled together.

So, we all had some laughs and life goes on. Right? Well, maybe not... Last week I was overcome with an urge to clean up some of our old files. I decided to start with bank statements from 10 years ago. What I quickly remembered is that my hubs (love you tons, honey) likes to save ALL the old ATM receipts. And, let's face it, there is NO reason on earth to save ATM receipts for years. And, not just save them, but staple them to each other and to the bank statements - with HUNDREDS of staples. I sprained all of my fingers and broke three staple removers ... and that only got me as far as 2007.

Yes, folks, apparently stapling is hereditary, some sort of strange gene mutation. I only hope it's not contagious.

What Happened to Me?

I used to be cool. Before my hubs swept me off my feet and moved to the Jersey "burbs," I lived in Mid-town. (Manhattan, of course, because it's the epicenter of cool.) I still retained my essence of coolness out here in the wilds of Jersey. I dressed in "cool" country-chic. Well, okay, I dressed in Levi's, but still...

Then along came this annoying brain tumor and I ended up with a funky eye that doesn't make any tears. Hence the globs of goo in my eye at all times. All the goo creates a hell of a glare, so bright light really hurts the peeper. Sun glasses are a must. So, I quickly purchased prescription sunglasses, but it got incredibly annoying constantly switching between regular and sun glasses. Then, one day, in a fit of utter madness, I went online (because it'd be too embarrassing in person) and ordered ... Fitovers. Yes, you know what I'm talking about. This is what the seniors in Florida wear.

I've tried my best to make these cool, but no matter how I cut it, I look like a bug with giant shiny eyes. I'm terrifying. I am wondering if I should dye my hair blue. What the Hell happened to me, and has anyone seen my "cool?"