HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME...

It is not actually my brithday, but today is the 1st anniversary of my first of 2 back surgeries...tomorrow is the 1st anniversary of my 2nd back surgery. And this is a picture of Colleen visiting me in the hospital on day 6 of my stay: I smelled bad, but she got close anyway (she loves me).

It was the Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving last year, and it was the scariest thing I'd ever done, but also my only choice...I could not live my life like that. And I had 100% confidence in my surgeon, Dr. Thomas Hopkins in Encino (yes, this is my plug for him).

Since those days 1 year ago I:

• went on a family cruise (this was a hoot)
• received final divorce papers (OMG...how fabulous)
• started walking
• was diagnosed with melanoma
• had surgery and got all of the cancer removed
• visit the dermatologist and oncologist every 3 months
• walked a marathon (26.2 miles)
• raised $4100.00 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• lost 33 lbs
• am mentoring new Team in Training participants, and am preparing for many half and full marathon events
• have a boss who rocks/ have a sis-in-law who is really a sis
• have a family others would LOVE to have (and they share well)

My life is so blessed. I hope you and your family have the blessing of time together this holiday season... and if it isn't the family you're born into, I hope it's the family you've created.

Love, hugs and Happy Thanksgiving to all,

S

PATHETIC!

It has been one month since my last post, but really a lifetime!

After much cursing and anger (me), and many phone calls back and forth (again, me)... I made it to San Francisco... finally got into a hotel room, and finally got registered for the Marathon. The weekend was perfect, except for one thing: the pink Nike wall. Every participant was listed on that wall...I will be next year! Everyone should have the opportunity to feel, at least once in their life, the way I felt at the end of the Marathon; not the overwhelming exhaustion, but the overwhelming sense of accomplishment. One year ago this month, I could not have accomplished this awesome task, and feel quite humbled by the experience.

The following weekend was the Ontario Expo, and hanging out with the "G" chicas. The posse that is so cool, I'm not sure how I got lucky enough to be included. OMG: what a FABulous group of women! You all surely lighten my heart when ever we're together! And the weekend after this was a "G" crop...oh, 2 weekends in a row: SCORE! xo

Good thing I thought to vote by mail because on 11/3, when they sucked out 1 ovarian cyst, 1 ovary and one fallopian tube I was going nowhere for a few days. It's amazing: first that they can suck all that shit out of 2 tiny holes, and then that that ittie-bittie surgery knocked me on my ass for days! Apparently the doctor inserted a bag into my abdomen and bagged the cyst before popping it, so that any cancer wouldn't spread...but it was benign, so all is GREAT!

I completely missed election day, and only vaguely remember David telling me that Obama is our new President, before I rolled over and continued my very long sleep. I am fascinated by the process, and hope that you all made the choice to vote...I told Ian that unless you vote, you have no right to voice your opinion. For my darling friends: 8 sucks, and we will continue to fight to overturn it... I truly believe it was a twist on words, or is that me being naive?

I saw the doctor yesterday for a follow-up. He proclaimed himself a brilliant surgeon. My grandmother would have told him to be careful not to break his arm, patting himself on the back so much. Grammy was surely a tough cookie, but fiercely protective and quick witted...she was truly a Frankel woman, and I'm proud to follow in those footsteps. Then I headed to Topanga for some retail therapy: I LOVE H&M (even if I do size up on their silly European-sized pants)!

Today was my first full day back at work, and my butt is kicked. I'm still working on putting the house together. Perhaps by New Year?

I'm back with Team in Training for the Spring season...we're training for a variety of events, including the Carlsbad Half, the Surf City Marathon, etc. L.A. was just switched to summer, since as of yesterday they moved it to Memorial weekend: I won't do it, as 4 weeks later I'll be in Seattle for the inaugural Rock & Roll Marathon (SO me-ish)! When did I stop being a sidelines girl and start being an ATHLETE?

Join us! Call me and join the team! OR don't join the team, and come do events with me: City of Angels, Carlsbad, Surf City...I know there are more, but I can't keep track!

We are 16 days from Thanksgiving. Today I am thankful for being cancer-free and pain-free. I am blessed.

NEED...IRISH...CAR...BOMB...NOW!

Phone call at 4pm today: "We don't have your registration; you don't have a space in the Marathon and there is not a single space available, and no plane and no hotel...".

Most of you know my mouth! To say I held my tongue would be putting it mildly... except that the person who received my venom doesn't know that that was me being restrained. He's new to our team and just took over a few weeks ago and suffered my wrath, even at a minimal level. I know I can be very...vocal/ honest/ brutal/ unfiltered (perhaps my next tatt)! I actually felt badly that I slightly unleashed on him (he's awfully cute and seems like a great guy), and actually apologized (ok, pick up your chins off the floor), and so I stopped myself before I went full tilt!

Leaving work in about 15 minutes to have my first car bomb in about 10 months. I KNOW: I won't drive for a while. Who needs retail therapy when liquid therapy will work and is infinitely cheaper! Lucky I can't drink much!

Great weekend all! xo

TODAY: YEAH!!! Yesterday: TGI over!

It's Thursday, and today started great... I got Metallica tix for the Forum on December 17th. I get to go with Ian and one of his buddies, and we're on the floor... can you say "Mosh Pit". Most of you know how I LOVE live music!

Yesterday I melted down! Thank you to C and to my mommy for listening to me fall apart... everything was too much and I wasn't handling it well.

Even though this is a short week work-wise, it sure is crawling. And it doesn't help that my entire house is upside down and I have so much stuff in the garage there is room for only one car. What was I thinking, tiling the ENTIRE house all at once? Every room is torn up, and no one room is complete...this is the true definition of purgatory!

To everyone with school kids, happy back-to-school! I hate the end of summer, but I adore Fall! Can't wait for cool days and wind!

xo to all

enough hours in any day...

I feel like I'm not catching up. And out of the other side of my mouth I say: life is so peaceful! I say this as I prepare to head off to the Bowl for a lovely evening with Jamie Cullum, and David. We haven't been this summer, and we LOVE Jamie Cullum and the Bowl, so this is a necessary break. Oh, and we bought the tickets forever ago, so it's one of those things that sneaks up on you! I love the picnic thing...and the wine thing...and the under the stars thing! What could be bad?

The tile guy starts next week, but might be here this weekend to demo, and I'm still packing to get everything off the floor...it took me 2 days to pack Ian's room, and don't even ASK about the crap I found in that black hole! Ian and his best bud know they are due here Saturday to move furniture... I can move a lamp, and not much else!

My room, not a problem; the kitchen not a problem, the dining room... the living room... not a problem! The office/workroom: EEEEEEEEEEEKKKK! This room that has our desks and computers and scrapbook supplies and workbench...OMG! The quantity of furniture in this room is frightening...and we're getting glass desks from M&D in the next 2 weeks as they prepare to redo their office...SCORE!

Tomorrow night is nails, so in to Inglewood I go, but will hang with the folks afterward! And I still need to pick grout that matches the tile and the wood. And Saturday is a 10k, so we'll be done quickly...will be at the Rose Bowl, so might have to hit Roscoe's after...we will have earned it!

My quest to return to TJ's continues... if I could get paid to not work I would, but as of now I still need the money, and the benefits rock. Not to mention, because I've lost so much "in" time, I have one more year until I'm 100% vested. I will not rant for too long, but they broke me and need to take more responsibility then they are. They have become a corporation, and in this case that is a very dirty word.

Bucket and I went to the Comedy Store the other night to see her friend, and about 10 others for $5.00. Sadly, I think we overpaid!

Where did August go? I was so busy, I blinked and it's gone.

September brings the deadline for my first circle journal shipment...crap, that's soon! It also brings an 18 mile day and a 20 mile day. EASY CHEESY! September also brings lots of great new Creative Memories products...check out my site: www.mycmsite.com/susiecomi. September also brings another FUNDRAISING CROP - SEPTEMBER 20TH. Email me if you'd like details!

October..OMG: My office is moving the last weekend of September right before Rosh Hashanah and Inspiration Unlimited; Yom Kippur, the Nike Marathon and the Ontario Expo. OY!

November will be the surgery to remove that darned cyst. It had better be laproscopic surgery, or you'll hear me screaming on the right coast.

Enough of my babble... love to you all.

I wish this didn't sound like bragging...

So many of you know how unhappy I was with my weight. Gotta love a guy who doesn't mention how fat you get when he knows you have no control, but I hated buying the next size up!

Anyway, since I was about 13, even at my thinnest I was a size 10: Jewish hips and thighs all the way...and truly built like a Frankel! But yesterday mom and I went shopping... and all of the pants that fit are a SIZE 8. Seriously...wanted to wear the tag on the outside; called my sis and giggled.

Sadly, a lot of my friends are struggling right now, and I got ya. I feel a little bad blogging this, but this is MY life right now, and I recognize YOUR struggles, too. I love you all and want to support you the way you have me!

Here's to the size we ARE, the size we WANT to be, and the true size we CAN be!

It Takes a Long Time 2 b 46...

Yup, it's my b'day and I'm 46. Shocking; I don't feel like whatever 46 is, and certainly can't fathom how I got here! But it sure feels good!