StandUp2Cancer.org

A previous post noted some cancer statistics that were mentioned on a cancer research news segment that aired all week on the news. Network evening news anchors Charles Gibson, Katie Couric and Brian Williams made quite an announcement during live appearances today on ABC's "Good Morning America," CBS's "The Early Show," and NBC's "TODAY show."

Stand Up To Cancer, a new initiative to raise philanthropic dollars for accelerating ground-breaking research, launches today through an unprecedented collaboration uniting the major television networks, entertainment industry executives, celebrities and prominent leaders in cancer research and patient advocacy. ABC, CBS and NBC will donate one hour of simultaneous commercial-free primetime for a nationally televised fundraising event to air on September 5, 2008 (8 pm EDT and PDT), aimed at rallying the public around the goal of ending cancer's reign as a leading cause of death.

I Got A Job!

I wanted to give a great big thanks to those that have been supporting me the past few months, actually six months. The time during which you are officially known as "unemployed." Last November, I was forced into the trenches of a deep job search. I knew I had to make some serious choices about my next step, but I definitely knew that my next job was going to be something that made me feel like a winner. My patience grew very thin during these past months. I turned down some offers and I'm not going to lie, got really disappointed by losing out to some other candidates on some things too. I couldn't help but feel like somewhat of a loser collecting my unemployment each week. Today, things took a turn. I've wanted to write about it all week, but somehow I felt like I would jinx it if I talked about it. I've been interviewing with a company called Birdsong Creative in Downtown Franklin, and today they gave me an offer to be their project coordinator. It all moved pretty quickly, but its all felt very natural during the process. For once, nerves never got the best of me. This is how I know this is right. It goes back to my love of graphic design and away from the music industry. Hooray. So, thanks to all of you that have been praying and encouraging me along the way.

Along the same lines, if you have been reading this blog or know me, you probably know about all the stupid health insurance issues my husband and I have been worrying about. We applied to quite a few companies and either got denied or got riders put on the very health issues we were concerned about. Skye finally put an end to that problem when he took a job with Apple last week. Yes, a job with full benefits! Worrying over! At first I was concerned about him being tied down to a schedule and an actual routine (he's always been self-employed), but he has come home every night so enthusiastic about his day and looks forward to going back. I'm very proud of him and it's great to know that I won't always being tied down to providing the health insurance for us. Anyways, his business card actually read his actual job title "Genius." Gotta love that, right?

This makes me mad!

Did you know that government funding is drying up for cancer research?

1 in 10 Cancer research proposals gets funded.

50% of men will get cancer and 33% of women will get the disease in this lifetime, but as of right now 10 Million Americans are already living with Cancer right now.

Pharmaceutical companies are investing in clinical trials, rather than simple research.

Researchers are moving careers, such as to Wall Street because they can't get the funding or to go overseas to do research instead.

The New Bachelorette

I have to be in the right mood to get into the TV series The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. So, I've missed a season here or there and I think the last one that I caught was the one with Travis, hometown boy from Nashville. Last night I set the DVR to record the season opener of The Bachelorette. I didn't watch the season where she became got scorned, but I was able to get the just of it. Anyways, let me tell you, I wasn't too impressed with the pickings she had. Out of all the men in America, we found these 25 to represent? (Guys who go by the names Donato and Spero). The most concerning was Greg , the personal trainer from NYC. During the final moments, after he was not given a rose, I might add, he ripped off his shirt and went crazy. I can definitely see why he didn't make it into even the second episode.

GMA week in Nashville

So, there are only a couple reasons why I am reminded that it's Gospel Music Week in Nashville. The best reason is that good friends are back in town, and we have it on the books to catch up. The next being that all my old colleagues have updated their myspace/facebook page status with something like "ready for GMA to be over" or "consumed with GMA meetings." I admit that I almost started getting a little bit envious. I kind of enjoyed GMA week over the past seven years because about 90% of my job was always on the computer. It always gave me a break from the norm and meet new people and see artists. But then on this beautiful, BEAUTIFUL Sunday afternoon, I am grateful I am not working. I woke up and spent some time watching TV and playing with the new puppy, then got to be in the kitchen with my husband, which is a rare time together. I made these gourmet hamburgers and he made a great moroccan sauce from scratch. We also made homemade lemon-aid, fresh corn on the cob and vegetable chips. Yum! We had my dad over for a cookout after church and it was a fabulous time. We ended the afternoon by playing a few rounds of badminton and then went and got ice cream for dinner. I would take all this time outside today over being trapped inside the Nashville Convention Center any day. For once, in this whole unemployment phase, I am glad I don't have a job (enter sigh of relief here).

It's just a flip flop

Skye and I have a new 9 week old puppy. We named him Henri (with an "i"), but his name was actually inspired by King Henry. I've actually been reading a lot about English History, so the name just came to me instantly. The spelling we chose just seemed more "puppy-like." We thought we had been doing really well crate training him. He's been a good dog, more than a bad dog, doing his business, but today we had to get a little strict. We had to put him in time-out twice in the bathroom. Once for doing #2 in the corner of the living room and then also for destroying my most favorite flip flop. I know, I know, puppies tear up things and we all know that dogs love to bite on shoes. It's my fault for leaving them out, but it was out of shear laziness because I need quick shoes to let him out all the time. But these flip flops are special. I got those flip flops on one of the last shopping trips my mom and I ever took together. I remember her every time I slip them on because she wanted to buy the matching purse, but thought it was crazy because she knew she had medical bills. I tried urging her to buy it because if it made her feel good...why not? If you have to put yourself through chemotherapy, you deserve a break. Note to self...they are only flip flops, but it just made me miss her today. I admit I shed a small tear, and then went and hugged my puppy. Henri is still a cool pup.

Rising Food Costs

Can you believe this? The Today Show was talking about economic woes this morning and did some comparisons of rising costs of a few items, over just the past few months. It's not just gas costs we should be worried about...it's also those simple grocery items we all need.

Tomatoes are up 19%
Milk is up 26%
Eggs are up 41%

They pointed out that this is outrageous if you ask yourself, "Well, has your salary increased over the past few months?" Over the past year we are seeing a 25% of retail store closures and more and more stores are taking out bankrupt insurance, such as The Sharper Image.