Sabbatical Over

Thought it was about time I came back from my sabbatical. Thanks to a friend from work, I logged into Blogger for the first time since May!

Yep--I'm gainfully employed. It's a temporary job, but it's perfect for now and currently has an indefinite end date. Very low stress. Great co-workers. I get to be all sorts of geeky with data.

Our marketing efforts have not paid off in the slightest from earlier in the year. However, last week we went to Indianapolis for the ITLA convention, and garnered a new client based on our mini focus groups. Mr. Jade spent an hour and a half consulting with them today, and I will get to make a trip to Terre Haute sometime in the next couple of months for some witness effectiveness training.

Health-wise I'm not in the greatest of shape these days, but I am getting stronger and thinner as a result of working out twice a week with Mr. Jade and our personal trainer. After 6 weeks, I've lost a few pounds and gained some muscle tone. It's been a great experience.

Speaking of health, I am in better shape than a few of the people I really care about. One friend who just went through chemo for a 2nd time, is going to face yet another round early in 2010. I have set aside some special hats for her, because she will be losing her hair (for the 2nd time). My mother-in-law is starting to pass into a new realm. We are fortunate to still have her tomorrow for turkey and togetherness-so that's what I am most thankful for this year.

Just tonight, a good writer friend of mine told me that she also has cancer, but the prognosis is very good for her. I felt compelled to tell her that I've been there and came out on the sunny side of things. In fact, I have been a survivor for 16 years. It seems so odd for me to say that-almost like I'm fudging. I am, actually though, a two-time survivor. In my twenties I had skin cancer and a female cancer. Luckily, they were both caught very early on, and the surgeries were minor, which makes them seem like they weren't really big deals. In fact, if I wasn't such a doggone bleeder, I would have gone to work the same afternoon after one of the surgeries.

It got me thinking though...I have been berating myself lately for being such a wimp. I've been sick the majority of my adult life, and I really am sick and tired of being sick and tired. But, wow. I must be a tough old bird to have survived the Big C twice. I'm starting to see myself in a whole new light, and I think I like it.