Today I renewed my vow to raise a bunch of money for the American Cancer Society. I’m ready to hit the ground running! Team Check ‘Em Out is poised to break our record this year by building our team, trying new ways to fundraise, restaurant nights, dessert sales, percentage donations, and good old fashioned bowling-alley-panhandling! Hey, we’re not proud!

Well, actually, we are. We have a great team of dedicated, passionate and motivated members, each with a personal reason to fight this horrendous disease. Sadly, our Reasons to Relay still grow with each coming year, but we remain confident that our efforts will be rewarded someday.

Planning will soon begin for our SIXTH ANNUAL wine tasting,

POP A CORK FOR A CURE!

This awesome event will be held in early May, date TBD — but you can bet we’ll let you know. In the meantime, I’m humbly accepting donations at my Relay page. Donations of $100 or more will get you an autographed copy of my latest book–but I’d take just your Starbuck’s money for a couple of weeks, too!

Who’s with me?

Is it just me, or does just about everyone salivate at the mention of a glass (or three) of wine? Personally, I’m a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. I can take it or leave it. But then, I don’t have a good history with it. When I was in my early 20′s, I freely drank whatever—including Scotch—and it didn’t bother me. Until one night I really poisoned myself on Cutty Sark and passed out in the bathroom at the Summer House in Woodland Hills. Yeah, it was over a guy. What a waste.

From that night on, and we’re talking thirty-some years, I haven’t been able to drink more than a few ounces of any kind of alcoholic beverage without getting ucky. Not lucky, ucky. Not enough to get a buzz until it’s buzz-into-nausea. Today, I notice a lot of folks around me have a love affair going on with the fermented grape juice. Most, if not all, social events include or are centered around wine and other spirits. We tend to celebrate. A lot.

All that being said, wine can be good. At least that’s what they say. Red wine, in particular, is supposed to be good for your heart. I don’t drink red, it usually gives me a walloping headache. I do like Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine is also good for cancer. Yep, it’s true. How do I know? Well, it must be, when the drinking of it at a backyard party can raise over $5,000.00 for the American Cancer Society…which is exactly what we will be doing on May 7^th of this year. POP A CORK FOR A CURE is in its fifth year now, and we are full steam ahead with determination that this will be a banner year. This year, we’ll add a local slant:  proceeds from the auction of our famous (or infamous!) novelty cake will go to the Circle of Hope, providing badly needed support to courageous women and men battling breast cancer.

But you don’t have to be a wine aficionado, or even like it to join in the fun. There’ll be desserts, hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment, auctions and raffles and lots of joyful people to mingle with. There will also be that great feeling you get when you know that even though you’re having fun, you’re doing something good and right that will help someone else, someone with cancer who can’t help themselves.

Now that’s worth celebrating!

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Date:  Saturday, May 7, 2011, 2 pm to 6 pm

Minimum Donation:  $25.00

Click on the link above for more info!

Why? Because it’s all we can do. We aren’t the scientists, the doctors, the chemists. Most of us cannot fund major research projects or care facilities on our own. Instead, we support our loved ones, carting them to clinics, hospitals and doctors’ offices. We sit by their bedsides, offering what little comfort we can. We pray. We hope.

So when an opportunity comes along to add what little we can do to the collective efforts of others, it feels good. A modest $25 donation looks mighty good alongside 200 other modest $25 donations, because $5000 is significant. The American Cancer Society will spend 97% of that significant donation on research and patient care, along with their own fundraising efforts, to make sure the contributions keep on coming.

On May 8, 2010, my SCV Relay For Life Team Check ‘Em Out! teammates and I will be pouring wine, providing snacks and entertainment during an afternoon of fun and charity. As in years past, we’ll have silent auction items, raffle prizes and luminaria bags available. A little soft pop, swing jazz and rock ‘n roll. Sunshine* and flowers and fresh air. Neighbors and friends, all with a common goal—to eradicate cancer.

Music, wine and laughter. I know of no other event in town where you can have this much fun for a $25.00 donation. Please join us at Pop a Cork For a Cure. Auction items and raffle prizes gratefully accepted. Click link for more details.

http://www.scvrelay.org/2010/Fundraisers/WineTastingMay8.pdf

*PS – May weather varies! You may have to BYO sunshine.

More about last year, and this.

Taking care. I lost 13 pounds in ’09, and resumed the wearing of contact lenses. How did I manage the weight loss? Stopped eating sweets, stopped eating seconds, started walking more. Dancing with iPod-clone.  2010: Will continue to pay attention.

Oh, Boy. Yes, Boy George (O’Dowd) has had a profoundly bizarre life (IMO), and has in some way inspired the writing of Paulie Bingham. As it turns out, Paulie is a completely different character (so no worries, George.)  But after reading George’s bio TAKE IT LIKE A MAN (not recommended reading for haters or homophobes) and researching other so-called androgynous entertainers of the 80’s, I was compelled to write a story. It’s done, it’s sitting, and I’m on to something else for awhile.

Singapore.  Incredible trip to attend my son’s wedding. Monumental. What a beautiful city/country. I blogged about it earlier, so no repeat info here, except to admonish: don’t eat the durians.

New business. Wasn’t looking for it, but a new account dropped into my lap via a mutual banking acquaintance. Nice company in Bev Hills. Seems to be a good fit. Extra income is very helpful!

Coming up: Won’t call them resolutions. Goals, perhaps.

Get organized. As I mentioned earlier, I am drowning in paperwork. The amount of mail we get is staggering. Because I am involved in so much, I have multitudes of files for my charitable organizations, my accounting clients, my book marketing campaigns, my school work, and just the day-to-day garbajjjjhe that lingers because it doesn’t quite fit anywhere. This has got to stop, because it’s dragging me down emotionally!

Lightening the load. Speaking of those charitable orgs, I need to quietly step away from some. Not looking forward to doing that, it’s not easy, but something’s gotta give!

Tasting life…and wine. The 4^th annual Relay For Life Wine Tasting is coming to my backyard on May 8^th. Am putting together a committee to ramp this thing up a bit this year. Despite the less-than-stellar economy, it might be our best year yet.

There’s more, a lot more, but I tire of windy blogs.  Back later.

School’s Out

School is done, for now. Political Science was a great class, I learned a ton of stuff that I somehow missed the first time around. Like, did you know the Democrats are the liberal party? Okay, I’m joking. But seriously, I enjoyed the class, finished with a 97%.

Crossing Cultures, my diversity-requirement cinema class, turned out to be much better than I thought. The sad thing was not getting to know more of the other students until the end. I did, I suppose, labor under self-imposed intimidation, being in with all those decidedly younger students. But honestly, most of them were really nice. I did my final project yesterday, a Power Point-backed discussion of my original screenplay for Unmasking Paulie Bingham. My presentation included photos of glam rockers Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Slade, George Michael, Iggy Pop, Elton John and Boy George. I backed them with audio snippets from “Rebel Rebel”, “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” and “Miss Me Blind”. I talked about the history of glam rock and difficulties those rockers who were gay faced in hiding the fact. I related it to the struggles faced by the characters in my story. It all went “swimmingly” well. A+.

We had a pot luck lunch, and snacked while everyone gave their presentations. There were students who worked for a charitable organization (L.A.’s “Dream Place”) over Thankgsgiving; a girl who described the hardships her Vietnamese parents faced as boat people; a girl who exposed the fact that our community doesn’t take care of its homeless population very well. There were four people who visited the Museum of Tolerance; a guy who works with mentally challenged children and adults through the “LET ME SAIL” program. And last, a young man who made his own >2 minute film about fear between students on campus. The film was great.

I was sad that it was the last day. I made a few friends I’ll likely not see again. I hope to see Melinda, the instructor, next spring, if I can take her Film Aesthetics class. She’s a smart, savvy lady and we got along well. A class like that is more like a treat than a task.

“Just Like Jay”

I’m excited to report that Top Publications has just issued a press release for Sisters in Crime’s  Murder In La-La Land (which will include my short story, “Just Like Jay“), with a publication date of May 2010. There is talk that the anthology may be out in time for the L.A. Times Festival of Books. That would be super.

Works in Progress

Relay For Life

Happy Hannukah

Have a great week! (Note:  For some reason the formatting is screwball on this post and I don’t have the patience to fix it. Sorry…

Our local event boasted 140 teams this year and more than 5,000 attendees; around 220 booth spaces (many teams had multiple booths). The track was trapezoidal, as the old rectangle layout no longer works. Parking, as always, was a challenge, despite the seemingly endless chain of lots at Central Park. When I arrived at 8:40 am (late as usual) there were exactly 5 spaces left. I got lucky.

Opening ceremonies were organized differently this year, due in part, I’m sure, to the increased number of teams participating. Noticably missing was L.A. County’s huge ladder truck, which has, in years past, raised Old Glory during the Star Spangled banner and prompted more than a few patriotic tears. Instead, this year’s committee opted to release doves to kick-off the always moving Survivor Walk. After a truncated turn around the park, survivors joined their teams for the team walk,  which was a random line up this year. Whether by good fortune or planning, our team happened to get announced just as we passed by the microphone. I do know we cheered the loudest.

At 10:30 am, we gathered before the stage to listen to winners of the inaugural essay contest. My 17 year-old niece, who won in the 10-12 grade category, read her moving poem, “United”, and I couldn’t have been more proud. She was awesome, confident and deserving of the necklace and gift card she was awarded.

It was great seeing “old” friends, good folks I only see at this event. The weather was kind this year. Our family walked at 1 pm, and although the “track” was longer this year (.4 mile), it didn’t matter much as we walk for one hour regardless. We slowed briefly to give a listen to the 21st Century Blues Band, a great group of musicians reminiscent of the Allman Brothers. These guys are pro. We dutifully entered a few raffles and gratefully accepted free water.

Relay is so much more than just that one hour walk. Indeed, the walk itself seems almost inconsequential in light of the many other efforts and activities that precede it in order to make a good event successful. As the day progresses, you begin to feel the effects of the collective; the aggregate emotions, energy, and power that pervades the atmosphere in the Park. How can 5, 000 people, all of whom have been touched by cancer in some way, not create a massive aura?

It is with this collective spirit that we come to Luminaria in the evening. We are laid bare by our emotions, we express our grief–and our hope–openly. Stripped away are the pretenses, the thoughts of money, competition, raffle tickets and parking. Here we are united in remembrances, gratitude and in honor of each other and our loved ones.

The luminarias are a testament to the outpouring of love for those victimized by cancer. As we walk, those white paper bags beckon to us, ask us to read their names and remember their stories. Remind us to never give up the fight. Lots of tears, lots of hugging, lots of memories are shared.

Some go home, others camp out for the night, but all are left contemplative and solemn, for a time. We come close to truly understanding why we came, and why we will be back next year. If you have not been to a Relay For Life event, you owe it to yourself to attend.

When I “joined” Relay, it was just after my mother’s passing. Because there was so much cancer in her family, she lived in fear of falling victim to it. Her mother, grandmother and several sisters and cousins all succumbed to various forms of cancer, mostly during their fifties and to afflictions of the female organs. Ironically, it was lung cancer that caught up with Mom after 50+ years of smoking. So it is likely that she would have beaten the family odds had she not become addicted to cigarettes. (By the way, I don’t smoke!)

When my brother was diagnosed last spring, I was deeply affected. I didn’t expect that I, personally, would be experiencing a loved one’s battle again so soon. Little did I know that cancer was about to strike us again; this time, my husband, a kidney tumor just before Christmas. THE GOOD NEWS: both my brother and hubby are doing fine and are now cancer-free. There is a lot to be said for early diagnosis.

There probably hasn’t been a worse time in recent years to ask for a donation. We all know what a disaster our economy has become. Sadly, our charitable organizations feel the pinch first, as usual supporters tighten their belts in order to provide necessities. But if you can spare even $25.00, it will make a difference, I promise you.

On April 4, 2009, our team CARING FOR YOU is hosting our third annual wine tasting right here in Valencia. There’ll be wines from local suppliers and vintners, music, refreshments, a dynamite silent auction and raffle prizes. $25.00 donation gets you in to a wonderful afternoon with friends and neighbors. Of course we are accepting other forms of donations, i.e., prizes to be raffled, baskets to be auctioned, etc.

You can also donate on-line

Relay is getting bigger and better every year, and you may already be lending your support to another dedicated walker. If so, God bless you and thanks!