A new year, right? Resolutions, weight loss, blah blah blah. Stuff you and I both know will never happen! I’ve never understand the whole “resolution” process, as I find it to be just another way to set myself up for failure. AMIRITE????
Instead, I offer this terrific subustitution. What will make your new year so much more awesome than last year???
I’ll go first.
Shooting guns bigger than me
Puppy loves
Old friends
New friends
Cute little owls are nice, too. So is the holiday flavors at Starbucks.
Umm..
this guy is pretty rad.
So is the man in that photo.
Rearranging Christmas lawn decorations with my brother
Pulling off quite possibly THEE best planks EVAR
This guy pulling up next to me at a stop light…When you see it, you’ll know epic win!
Playing with the picture settings on my wordpress blog
And finally, (for the moment)
Nerding out at a space museum
How about you? What will make this year extra-full of awesomeness?
Hugs and Sunny Surf,
Jessica and Gertrude
(see mah new nosering?? I’ve wanted it for years and finally did it. No big deal at all. Figured that’s because of all the poking and prodding I’ve dealt with in the past few years. I LOVE it!)
Do you have a bucket list?
I do..I’ve had it since I was 14 years old. I even remember where I was when I made it..I was sittin’ in the backseat of a car, leaving Kansas for the last time and moving to a new life in Arkansas. Since that day, my bucket list has been to a lot of places and been through everything with me. It went to boot camp, Korea, Jamaica, several weddings, a few funerals, Disneyland, Katrina relief, my tumor debulking surgeries, chemo therapy and even Relay for Life.
When I became sick, it became my mission to get as much checked off as possible. Some of the things on said list are a bit silly, as I made it when I was 14. But at this point, I think it’s fair to check some of those off. heh. Here are a few that I have marked off..
I’ve swam with Dolphins. It was well worth it
Went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Meet Mariah Carey
Hey..go big or go home, right?? haahah!! Don’t judge me…we all know you are secretly humming “Always Be My Baby” in your head riiiiiggghtt now..hehe
Toured Washington, D.C.
To include Arlington.
That. was. tough.
I’ve recently added a few things to the list. I do this every now and then. I like to think of it as my immortality magic. I mean, if I still have stuff to do on the list, then I can’t die. Good theory, huh.
Here’s a few things I added recently:
Surf in Australia
Skydiving (just to spite my horrid fear of heights)
Rocky Mountain Climbing
do 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Manchu
(Okay okay..maybe I didn’t really add that last one, but it’s a fun thought. I did add see Tim McGraw in concert, though. )
So tell me..What are YOU passionate about?
Be passionate about SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Whether it is knitting, completing a silly list, or just your political opinion. If you’re not passionate about something, you’re just a wasted bag of flesh and water; a zombie. Unfortunately, I know a few of these. Good thing I’m well prepared for the zombie apocalypse…
Hugs and Sunny Surf,
Jessica & Gertrude
Got a few friends going through the canSer blues this holiday season? Weeeeeheeheeheeeelllll ne’er fear!! the canSer Avenger is here!! AND…
She’s got a few good idears about what to give and what NOT to give your homies who are a temporary home to a one such previously mentioned parasite.
First off, let me start by saying this. People with canSer DO NOT want scarves, hats, turbans, wigs or any other sort of head covering you can possibly conjure up in the smallest part of that non-creative mind. First off, these sorts of items are extremely personal. Everyone likes something different and what one person picks out to give, the receiver may find incredibly unflattering. (I mean, helloooo..not everyone wants to rock a blonde mullet wig; white trash style…don’t lie…I know that’s totally what you were thinking to give..) Secondly, those of us who dealt with or are still dealing with the harsh effects of chemotherapy already have a million of these items. Chances are, whatever you find, we’ve got three of the exact same one…one to wear, one to be dirty and one to wash. So three.
Also, please don’t give us gift cards to places like KFC, Chili’s, etc. Not that these aren’t great gifts, but really; does a person who is fighting canSer and is probably nauseated from chemo really want to eat this stuff?? Should they eat this stuff???? Nope. Not really. So save those for your other grease-eatin’ non-calorie countin’ homies this year.
Having said all that, how bout some things canSer patients would really love??
“But Jess, you already slammed out everything I got. Now I have to return stuff and my Black Friday shopping was wasted!” so you say.
Ne’er fear! The canSer Avenger is here!
AND
Your Black Friday efforts were not in vain! Take those items to your Local American Cancer Society and donate them! They will give them to a new canSer soldier who will love them dearly and you will receive a tax write-off.
It was also one of Oprah’s Favorite Things this year, if that helps any.
Netflix is a life-saver for any individual going through chemotherapy. Normally, one would think that the chemo is the life-saver, but that is far from the truth. Netflix is saving canSer kickers every day. Saving them from death by BOREDOM! My chemo sessions were on average, six and a half hours long. Netflix allowed me to not only have a couple of DVD movies to bring, but also instant watch thousands of movies and every single episode of My Name is Earl and The IT Crowd. Laughter is the best medicine and you will find that lots of these gift ideas provide just exactly that!
And don’t be stingy! Opt for at least 6 months and if you’re really awesome, hook ‘em up with the 2-dvd at a time option. Word.
#2
ALL of the Disney Princess movies! (even for a guy. They like them, too, although many won’t admit it.)
I stumbled upon THIS BLOG for those of you who think that the Princess movies may be degrading to women. Quit reading too much into things. You ruin it. Just enjoy the movies. Every girl, no matter what age, wants to be a Princess; particularly a Disney one. I mean, who WOULDN’T want to be one of those chicks up there?? They get it all! The guy, the palace, the crown, the cupcakes..hey. In my mind, they get cupcakes.
#3
The Michael Jackson Experience Game!
This is probably the coolest thing to come out in video gaming this year. Word to the wise: make sure your canSer kicker has one of these gaming systems and that you purchase the game for the CORRECT system. I can’t tell ya how many xbox games I have and no xbox to play them on.
Also, don’t gimme that crap about child molestation, blah blah blah. Don’t act like you don’t know the words to Thriller or Billie Jean..You’re so humming them in your head riiiiiigght now and you know it! Whether you want to admit it or not, the Man inspired the world.
#4
One of previously mentioned gaming systems!!
Or, if the gift receiver already has one of these systems, the xbox Kinect or PS3 Move are nice additions and are required in order to play the MJ Experience game. My personal pick would be the Kinect if that person has all these systems as it provides an overall experience. If the individual does not have a system at all, go for the PS3. It is a better overall entertainment console; as it can surf the web, play blu-rays, etc. the xBox is a better overall gaming console and has a handful of games that are full of WIN that are not available on the PS3. (Left for Dead 2 anyone???)
#5
Anything Zombie related is always fun. So let’s see…
We have..
Videogames
I have to agree with this guy’s love of zombie games; although I rather liked Left for Dead 2…just sayn.
However, he’s left out such greats as Plants vs. Zombies (which is also available as an iTunes app game for iPhone) Dead Space, Rock of the Dead; a game where mad guitar skills are used to destroy the hordes of undead, Red Dead Redemption: Undead nightmare; cowboy up, zombie killers..and the Siren series.
Movies HERE’S a whole list of ‘em! If there’s too many to pick from, I would recommend 28 Days Later,( although, this is arguably NOT a zombie film, as the people are consumed by the rage virus and are not really walking dead but whatever. It’s still a fun watch.) anything by George Romero, Fido, and my two personal favorites, Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead.
Books
Or ANY Max Brooks novel, for that matter
See? A little something for everyone in the Zombie genre. If there’s nothing here, just google “Zombie stuff” and TA DAAAAAAAA!!! Magic!
#6
A nice, quality blanket.
No really. One has no clue how comforting it is to have an amazing blanket that is aaaalll your own. No one else but you has puked on it.
See? Now you know WHY it’s so terrific. heh.
I received one of these when I was in the hospital and it is AH MAH ZING! It goes pretty much everywhere with me.
I actually had two blankets. My homegirl, Kim gave me one as well so I had one to wash and one to take with me.
,
,
,
,
,
,
#8
iPod
Word.
Need I really say more about this??
#9
Gift cards to iTunes
These can be used to purchase music, apps, ringtones ebooks and other whatnot for said iPod/iPhone. They’re lovely and kinda get around that whole “impersonal” issue most have with a gift card. It is actually quite thoughtful in my opinion because nothing is worse than when someone buys you a CD or DVD that you already own or really just can’t stand.
# DEKA (ten in greek, but I thought it looked like “deku” ten cool points if you know what that is from..)
Donation to The American Cancer Society in our name.
No really. That’s pretty cool. Just accompany it with some cookies or a pumpkin pie and there you have it..a gift worthy of tears.
You’re still humming Billie Jean, aren’t you..
RT @Cowboy_J_Storm: Don't get a poop face when you pull up to the entrance of a hotel with your music loud & a baby in the back and I tell … 2 days ago
Netflix is a life-saver for any individual going through chemotherapy. Normally, one would think that the chemo is the life-saver, but that is far from the truth. Netflix is saving canSer kickers every day. Saving them from death by BOREDOM! My chemo sessions were on average, six and a half hours long. Netflix allowed me to not only have a couple of DVD movies to bring, but also instant watch thousands of movies and every single episode of 
Or ANY Max Brooks novel, for that matter
