Right Brained Gal

Daffodil Days

Thank you to the American Cancer Association for the gift of daffodils I received while getting set up for my radiation treatments at UCLA Medical Center. How fitting that the daffodil is the first flower of spring and used as a symbol of hope in fighting cancer. It is the little things in life that I used to take for granted that mean so much to me. I hate to get all Oprah on you, but there's nothing like cancer to make you rethink your life and reinvent your value system. 

Always on My Mind

So many things are on my mind right now, that I can't even think straight.  Keep busy, don't think about the past, live in the moment and don't worry about the future.

Time Out

If I were the mother of this country, a lot of people would be in time-out right now. How dare you embarrass me by your display of ignorance, hatred, prejudice and blatant lying?  Americans collectively have got to be the biggest, entitled whiners on the planet.  It's a health reform bill, not a bill to outlaw sex between a married man and his mistress. Has anyone even read the HCR bill or is everyone just relying on sound bites, coming from pathological liars, who can't let the facts get in the way of their tirade.

It's not like the health insurance industry gives a dam about human beings and their pain, they are just in it for the money. We are the only country in the modern, developed, civilized world that allows corporate profits for private, for-profit health insurance systems to take precedence over everything, including the health and welfare of the patient.  As in my case, they would rather I became crippled, than pay for a three hundred dollar pair of orthotics that could prevent further injury.

I have spent the past week studying the HCR bill and have traveled outside of my Democratic information cocoon.  I have even been listening to the opposition: Fox, Rush, O'Rielly, Glen and Drudge.  After disinfecting my eyes and brain, I can honestly say that I am so proud of Obama and the step in the right direction this country is taking. In another post I will explain why as a woman battling breast cancer, this means so much to me.

Just remember that everyone has good insurance until they get a serious illness.

Note to Sarah Palin - How is this hopey changey thing working for me?  Fucking awesome! 

LA Marathon

The 25th annual LA Marathon took place here in SoCal Sunday and for the first time ever was a completely sold out event. Additionally, the race route — titled City to the Sea — was an entirely new one that allowed participants to run from Dodger Stadium near downtown LA all the way to the ocean in Santa Monica. Fortunately for me the finish line was at the Santa Monica Pier, six blocks from where I live, and they ran on Ocean Ave which is half a block from my house. 

25,000 people ran and most of them had at least one person watch them at the finish line, which means that Santa Monica was filled with at least an additional 50,000 people.  It was crazy fun and I was amazed at the cross section of humanity who participated in the race. All ages, races, physical conditions and sizes were represented.  One thing was constant, by the time they reached my street, which was less than a mile from the finish line, not one person was smiling. The agony on some of the faces was painful to watch.

I helped throw a party for my landlord who is also a very dear friend, who was running in the marathon. It was a great day, with lots of good food.  I tried to keep it on the healthy side, but the many desserts canceled out all the potential.  My friend Ashley went all out with the cupcakes.

Illustration Friday - Subterranean

The topic for Illustration Friday is Subterranean, meaning underground, so this is the best I could come up with this week.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

 Hope everyone had a fabulous, vomit free St. Patrick's Day.  It's a known fact that the Irish know how to throw a party and everyone is welcome, no matter what your nationality. It was an extremely warm day in Santa Monica, so I am sure the Guinness really flowed.  Even the ocean looked pretty green today.

So lets celebrate all things Irish:

U2
Colin Farrell
Irish Setters
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Leprechauns
Notre Dame
The Pogues
The Celtic Women
The color green

Wake Up Call

This morning at 4 a.m. Los Angeles residents woke up the the sound of the earth moving under our feet.  It was a good way to start the day and a reminder that the next "big one" could happen at any time. Next move is to stock up on water, candles and lots of Girl Scout cookies should we be cut off from the rest of the world. Reminder to friends and relatives from out of state - if it happens before 9 a.m. California time, and is less than 6.0, do not call me to find out if I am all right.  Text me and I will get back to you.

Spring Has Arrived

Even though we don't have a real winter, you can feel spring in the air by the overflow of fresh strawberries, the longer days, and the lack of smog. The rainy season is just about ending and the hot, smoggy days are not yet upon us. This has been the most beautiful week in Southern California in ages, and it reminds me of how lucky I am to live here.

I started this wreath four years ago, and just finished it in time for Easter. I should probably start working on the many Christmas projects that I never seem to finish, since my attention span is about as short as the hair growing back on my head.

Dear Universe

Dear Universe,

I know I have requested that you put people in my life to divert me from my own problems and self obsessing, but maybe you could ease up a little bit.  It would be nice to have a little time to watch the Netflix movie that has been on my desk for three weeks. Or be able to floss my teeth every day. Or maybe even get crazy and meditate.  I know I don't like to sit at home or spend a lot of time alone, but being on call 24/7 makes me want to actually spend time with myself and maybe address a few of my problems. I didn't mean to become a celestially anointed karmic diplomat. But then again, I guess someone has to do it.

Thank you for letting me be of service to so many.  It puts everything in perspective when I see a three month old baby, go through things no infant should ever have to endure.  How reassuring it is to know I can be there for him and his family.  How I can comfort a friend who is homesick for her loved ones on the other side of the world. To be able to help friends throw dinner parties to bring families and strangers together. Entertaining visitors from out of state and showing them how charming Santa Monica can be. Two little boys who scream with delight when they see me. Because of all of this my horizon just got a little wider and my self worth a little stronger.

Now if you don't mind, I think I'll sit down and read the new Martha Stewart magazine and get inspired by all the ideas for Easter, that I will never have time to do.

More Bang for the Buck

Anyone who lives in Los Angeles knows the best place to get cookies is Diddy Riese in Westwood, a few blocks from UCLA. Since it is so close to campus there is always a line, but the wait is part of the fun. Not only are they incredibly inexpensive at three for a dollar, a dozen for $3.75, but they are pretty good and made fresh all day long. They usually have about ten favors including  snickerdoodle, chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia, double chocolate, sugar, M&M, and the list goes on.  For a dollar and fifty cents, you can be the architect of your own gluttony and design your own ice cream sandwich using Dreyers ice cream and choice of warm cookies.


Tonight I went with some friends to feed our stress induced appetite. Since it was so cold outside, I only got one cookie and took a pass on an ice cream sandwich.  When you go with friends, you don't have to worry about finding a parking place, because the driver parks in the loading zone, with the engine running, looking out for cops. Other wise, it takes longer to find a spot to park, than it takes to stand in line, get the cookies, eat them, give a tip to the homeless person and walk three miles back to the car.  No matter what, the hassle is worth it. It just seems so wrong to pay so little for something so good.  

Peaceful Journey

I was so touched to receive this beautiful print in the mail the other day and especially surprised because it was from someone I have never met. I want to thank Shirley of Shirley's Illustrations for being so kind to send me this print which I have framed, so I can admire it daily. I will always cherish it, not only for the lovely artwork, but for the message it sends to me personally. She is an artist I truly admire, so visit her site to see more of her fabulous work.

Woman's Conference 2010

I am a huge fan of Maria Shriver and although I have never been invited to her house for dinner, I almost feel like I know her.  I often see her around town in Santa Monica, and  she and I attend the same church.  Every year she puts on a Women's Conference in Long Beach, California and for a long time, I have wanted to attend.  This is her last year to be involved since her husband will be leaving office in 2011, so I definitely will make an effort to be there this year.  I have friends who have attended and they have nothing but good things to say about the quality of the speakers and the women attendees.

They have a contest every month to win two free tickets to this estrogen filled event. For February it consisted of writing an essay on who you would invite for brunch, either dead or alive. Even though I didn't win, I really enjoyed writing this:

The Great Giveaway: Who would you like to Invite to brunch, dead or alive?

I would love to invite my late mother to brunch. Not only to see her again, but to ask her why I have gotten breast cancer, the same disease that took her away from me when I needed her the most? First, I would have her hold me in her arms and tell me that everything will be all right. Then I would ask her about the afterlife and if it is where you finally find peace? If anyone could ever meet God, it would be her, so I would be sure to ask if He/She is as loving and kind as she taught me to believe. I know she would be thrilled to meet my daughters, knowing how difficult is was for me to be a mother, without a mother. She would be as proud of them as I am. That would fulfill my life long dream, of her getting to see her granddaughters. I would hope that she could confirm that heaven is a place of love, fairness and peace. That it really does matter if you were a good person here on earth. I miss her so much, and just writing this makes me realize that a mother's love never dies. I could sure use a hug from her right now.

February is Short, But Interjected with Love

 Poor February. Not an easy month to get through. It's far removed from the holiday buzz, yet not close enough to the brilliance of spring, causing most people to feel locked into the gloominess of winter.  Even the groundhog frequently goes back into his hole, not wanting to stick around for the dismal setting.  Thankfully it's the shortest month of the year and Valentine's Day falls  smack in the middle. There is even a mental health day, courtesy of past Presidents, for those who especially need it.

True to form, February took the life out of me.  It was a month of recovery, pain, fear, and an overload of depression. At times, I couldn't see the tunnel, let alone the light at the end of it. Like Mr. Groundhog, I wanted to go back into my dark hole to retreat from reality, hoping to wake up when things looked brighter.  After a slow start, my body started healing, my fear was replaced by hope, the bad news turned into acceptable, and the depression was treated. Once again, I was taught the importance of compassion, love and acceptance. Thank God for kind, loving people and for giving me an overabundance of them in my life.