Guilty Pleasure # 62 - The Bachelorette (with Jillian)

I don't watch a lot of TV. There are a couple of shows I love and follow...Chuck and The Office. There are a couple of side shows I periodically follow now as well (my roommates are corrupting me!). If it wasn't for DVR, I would never watch TV. I don't like the idea of being so obsessed with show that you change your interactions and activities with real people to indulge yourself in a fake reality. DVR is nice because I can watch my show whenever I have time. I hate reality TV...hate it, hate it, hate it. P.S. - it's not reality!

But, am I now willing to admit I have a guilty pleasure in TV watching (besides Buffy the Vampire Slayer). I am really enjoying watching The Bachelorette this season with my roommates. I really like Jillian. She is smart, funny, quirky, adventurous and has a good head on her shoulders. And...SHE LIKES THE NICE GUYS!!!! We have a whole group of us that get together to watch the show. We've placed our bets on which guy she will choose. My top three are Kipkyn, Jake and Jesse. Only time will tell!

We're Here To Help Each Other

I'm amazed how situations and experiences in my life always prepare me to help someone down the road. A dear friend of mine from Vegas is getting divorced and it's been nice to be the emotional outlet for him. Knowing what it is like to help someone heal from a divorce in the past has given me the understanding and empathy needed to help my friend now. In return, he is helping my heartache to heal as well. Sometimes we have our little pity party for two and rehash how horrible it is to be left alone. But we also help buoy each other up in optimistically looking towards the future and reminding each other that we deserve the best. Thank heavens for gems of men like Jason Wade!

I'm A Survivor!

The American Cancer Society has the big Relay For Life event for their fundraiser each year. Each city has its own chapter and organization for their specific Relay For Life. Community members form teams and take turns walking around a track or course for 24 hours. Salt Lake's events were held at Heritage Park (This Is The Place Monument) this year. I only learned about the events a couple of days before or I would have been on one of the relay teams. My sister Karen and I attended the Survivor's dinner and the opening ceremonies Friday night. For some reason, I was very emotional about it all. Usually, I don't have any problems talking about my cancer experience, but I was a wreck Friday night. It was amazing to be part of a community that included a 10 year old survivor and a 75 year old survivor, someone that has been cancer free for 20 years and someone that was diagnosed last week. Your life truly changes when you hear the words "You have cancer." The money that is raised in events like these go to the research for finding the cure.

As a group of survivors we walked the first lap of the relay together. Strangers that are united with a common bond. For the second lap, our caregivers joined us. I tearfully walked with my arm around my sister...so grateful for the love, care and inspiration she has freely given me. All members of the 20 teams joined for the third lap, and the relay continued from there. I'm glad I went. It helped with the healing. It reminded me how blessed I am.

I also finally met the guy Karen has been trying to set me up with for a year now. He seems like everything I want in a guy. He's handsome, personable, intelligent, funny and sweet. His fiance is really nice too. Yeah...that's right...he's engaged. "It's like meeting the man of my dreams and then meeting his beautiful wife. Isn't it ironic." Oh well, I guess it wasn't meant to be. At least I trust my sister's taste now.

Ensign Peak

I was in a real funk last Sunday and I finally just had to run away to the mountains. I hiked up Ensign Peak to clear my thoughts and find some peace. You know what...it worked! I didn't find the answers to the questions that have been weighing on me, but I felt more at peace. Luckily there was a break in our Seattle weather and I had a beautiful view of the valley. I love the mountains.

Kathy's a WEAGLE!!!

It has been a crazy couple of weeks, but I had to post a couple of past events. Kathy, one of my BFFs got married on May 30th. She looked like a greek goddess and was actually a joy to be around. I loved being her right hand man (well, woman) and taking things off of her plate so she would be less stressed. Mostly everything went off without a hitch and a good time was had by all. The reception was beautiful. It was nice to see my centerpiece vases getting some use. I was nice to go back to Vegas to visit. It has been too long since I've seen some of my friends. The Betties were reunited once again...just how it should be.