tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30168836848854802272011-07-07T23:35:28.058-05:00Just a little spice to get through the day...jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.comBlogger1861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-69271803396159017312010-05-24T04:57:00.002-05:002010-05-24T05:00:48.842-05:00

because my little blog is growing up! I just got so sick of dealing with certain type size/spacing issues AND not being able to add page tabs to this blog theme, that I started to think about revamping the blog. The blog started freezing in Safari and only cooperating when opened in Internet Explorer. And then I started to think the theme was a little cluttered and distracting, and I could THINK

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-9683349797219188662010-05-20T08:22:00.003-05:002010-05-20T08:47:07.365-05:00

I personally think blister management (aside from hydration) is one of the most important things to practice while training for the 3-Day. I'm horrible at it, but I really wish I weren't.  During my first 3-Day, I had no idea what a "hot spot" was or why you weren't supposed to put moleskin directly on fully formed blisters. And let's be honest, I got epically horrible blisters when I walked in

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-18824463386531217242010-05-19T18:24:00.001-05:002010-05-19T18:26:34.656-05:00

(I'm not willing to use my teeth in a fight,  but I'm still bigger than you, BlackJack! Note his devil eyes...) So, the problem started with socks. Mine, specifically. He ran off with a freshly laundered pair of black socks, but since they were cheap (and I was lazy) I just let it go. Crystal came home and tried to take them away from him (cause, you know, dogs shouldn't eat socks). He growled,

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-10197421037200059542010-05-16T19:43:00.000-05:002010-05-16T19:43:38.283-05:00

I really, REALLY wanted to like Rob Ryan. He's the narrator in Tana French's debut psychological suspense novel who takes us on a journey through his flawed memory and (even more flawed?) personality as a detective investigating a 12-year-old girl's murder in the same woods where his two childhood friends disappeared two decades earlier. Sometimes he tries a little too hard to string together

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-3842752241072889562010-05-16T18:59:00.004-05:002010-05-17T15:14:21.867-05:00

It's true. I love strawberry Special K cereal and home-brewed Dunkin' Donuts coffee and reading books cover to cover. I over-schedule myself only to embrace procrastination with a zeal I otherwise reserve for chai latte or Chipotle burritos. I can be trusted with secrets, but when bored, I am prone to purposefully making bad decisions just to see what will happen... What? Oh yeah, I've made a ton

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-71019200491586113532010-05-08T21:38:00.001-05:002010-05-09T09:48:52.954-05:00

These aren't super-official instructions or anything. I first saw these at a breast cancer walk fundraiser years ago and just bought a bra and played with it until it worked for me. (And no, I have no idea if people actually carry these as purses. I haven't - but I would. I'm pretty sure I would, anyway). Step one: Go shopping for bras. I usually get a nice, large padded bra, because those seem

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-66969230424470564722010-05-01T18:15:00.000-05:002010-05-02T00:28:40.519-05:00

As soon as I decided the Friday FundRAISER series was coming to an end, I stumbled up tons (OK, a bunch. Not literally tons) of ideas. So I had to share: * How 'bout them cupcakes? Have a bake sale for breast cancer. Bake cupcakes of various sizes from very small “mini” size to very large. Put 2 cupcakes together and wrap in clear plastic wrap. Sell as cup size “A” cakes, cup size “B” cakes,

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-50253991932640349032010-04-30T06:05:00.002-05:002010-04-30T06:05:00.231-05:00

Last spring, all I could think about was boobs. And walking. And money. Much of my spare time went into planning a wine-tasting fundraiser - plotting about food, publicity, raffle prizes, etc. I solicited prize donations from area businesses and strangers on Etsy. I even made a few brassiere purses myself (which I still think are super-cute). Food was a cheese and cracker tray, a fruit tray and

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-59177306291081047102010-04-29T07:34:00.002-05:002010-04-29T08:08:40.548-05:00

Someday, I will point you, dear readers, to happy blogs. Blogs about cute puppies, fun craft projects and interior decorating.If you know me at all, you probably know that is a COMPLETE LIE.Happiness is nice for five minutes or so, but I generally figure it's only a small slice of the story. Real life is this big messed up mix of cute puppies AND bad economics; fashion AND discrimination; charity

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-3515305675676959692010-04-29T00:14:00.000-05:002010-04-29T00:14:41.523-05:00

After my internal temper trantrum last week about weight loss and clothes that are suddenly too big (yeah, I know, I'm not saying it was a rational tantrum), I figured I deserved a little brag moment to reflect upon how far I've come. Big accomplishments are really just a series of little accomplishments all strung together, right? So, here's a picture of me taken at my parents' place last summer

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-76243720751482536482010-04-23T07:00:00.000-05:002010-04-23T07:00:03.857-05:00

All the garage sales I've ever had essentially: 1) allowed me to get rid of stuff I didn't want to move, or 2) were exercises in carrying stuff outside ... only to carry it all back inside two days later. So, when I saw another 3-Dayer talk glowingly about her garage sale fundraiser, I asked for tips. Here's what Lynna said:1) Make it a group project: "My neighborhood does a yearly giant yard

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-81595820147232241832010-04-22T19:52:00.005-05:002010-04-23T00:33:58.419-05:00

I threw a bit of a temper tantrum this morning. No one heard - I didn't ACTUALLY yell - but I was running late AND nothing fit right AND the damn scale told me I weighed exactly the same amount as I did last week. Despite eating properly (except for a Butterfinger yesterday... and that donut I discovered as part of a fundraiser for Special Olympics) and exercising (except for those two days I

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-40495929138960198802010-04-20T22:49:00.002-05:002010-04-20T23:00:39.253-05:00

Last year, one of the lovely Ms. America Tatas from California shared a Tatatini recipe. And I think Tatatinis are meant to be shared, don't you?A true Tatatini with a kick:Rub lemon slice around rim of martini glass and dip in pink sugar.Add 1 to 2 tsp. of Raspberry puree to the bottom of the glass.In shaker with ice, mix:Two parts Raspberry VodkaTwo parts Pink LemonadeOne scant part lemon drop

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-8642352742186948772010-04-17T12:39:00.001-05:002010-04-19T20:42:29.902-05:00

I grew up in a 3-bedroom, 1.5-bath old house on Michigan Avenue in Saline, Mich., where a patchwork of new subdivisions encroached on good old farming territory. It's just a 45- to 60-minute commute from the major automotive employers in Detroit and Dearborn and a 15-minute drive from Ann Arbor.It was a nice house, lots of hardwood inside. Across the street was the gas station where a dog

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-58355946325066509442010-04-16T08:55:00.003-05:002010-04-16T09:02:17.297-05:00

This is the final weekly giveaway, and it features a little cell phone charm left over from several I gave donors the first year I walked. It has a silver ribbon charm and two pink beads.  (Please excuse the less-than-good photograph. I'm a bad photographer to begin with and seem to have misplaced my digital camera. So, this came via my cell phone's camera and my limited understanding of proper

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-85810346118541219842010-04-16T08:33:00.003-05:002010-04-16T09:07:17.910-05:00

I kind of wish I could quilt. An ex-boyfriend bought me a sewing machine for my birthday last year - and it was the perfect gift. But I've only used it once, because I've been too busy to dedicate myself to any major craft project. Especially one that involves learning how to work new equipment. (Just figuring out how to thread the thing involved about an hour and harassing my roommate's grandma.

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-80042783436985695002010-04-15T07:20:00.002-05:002010-04-15T08:00:11.089-05:00

It is NOT.Just ask the people who had to listen to me complain/vent/whine about the person who expressed surprise that I am in my LATE 20s. As in, this person thought I was much younger. I did not ask this person what gave him/her that impression, but suffice it to say, this person has been around me enough to: 1) gather I have clearly graduated from college, 2) be familiar with my professional

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-86269640314939225262010-04-12T05:51:00.003-05:002010-04-12T18:38:46.310-05:00

If you are quasi-obsessed with Black Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston like I am (I know you probably aren't), then you probably know the fairy tale of Alice Walker revitalizing interest Hurston's work in the 1970s, years after the books fell out of print and after Hurston's death. Between Walker and Oprah Winfrey, Hurston's works were thrust into the literary canon more than a decade after

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-53413551165244831702010-04-10T06:46:00.003-05:002010-04-10T06:56:19.989-05:00

This week's giveaway is a pair of pink shoelaces I bought two years ago from Shop Komen. I got 10 or 15 pair and gave them to various friends and teammates, but I still have a few left. The pair in the giveaway (obviously) have never been worn.  :) Here's how to enter:- Leave one (and only one) comment here. If you comment on the Perfect Mother's Day Gift fundraiser post, that will count as

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-26982861294403399322010-04-09T07:59:00.001-05:002010-04-09T08:07:47.330-05:00

What better way to tell your mother (or the mother of your children) that you love her than by donating to fighting a disease that will strike one in eight women? Really, who needs flowers? Donate to a Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walker instead! I tried that pitch last year with admittedly limited success, but I still really like the idea. You can offer personalized letters, cards, or

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-50272694639718388332010-04-07T15:57:00.003-05:002010-04-07T16:59:24.195-05:00

I've been kinda behind (read: busy/lazy/mostly busy) and didn't really pick winners for the Friday giveaways UNTIL TODAY. To be all formal and official, I set up an account at Random.org and used their Third-Party Draw Service. For the pink frame: Shannon from Texas is the winner. (Her odds were incredibily good, seeing as how she commented twice and there were only four qualifying comments

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-1967088854098016412010-04-07T12:45:00.000-05:002010-04-07T12:45:25.516-05:00

Okay, so maybe my score shouldn't be zero - I've been wearing contact lenses for a little over a week. I've actually been WEARING them up until Sunday evening, when I dislodged one while rubbing my right eye. It was later at night so I figured I'd just take them out and call it an evening, but my hands were coated with puppy love and food (having eaten and played with BlackJack since last washing

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-21436816540994097152010-04-02T07:50:00.000-05:002010-04-02T07:52:22.747-05:00

So if this isn't a fundraising idea that will RAISE you up, I don't know what is. It might, in fact, inspire you to host a PG-13 rated bake sale ... but I guess the world could use a few more of those :) From my walking buddy Mandy: Bubbles for Boobies: A fundraising success (and a lot of fun too)! Last year I was at a complete loss for fundraising ideas for the 3-Day. Finally, I decided to

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-24837569019377874112010-04-02T07:47:00.002-05:002010-04-10T06:53:50.274-05:00

Last year, one of my 3-Day teammates made these cute headbands. They have crystals in the inside, so you just soak this in water, pop it in the freezer, and then take it along for a long walk in hot weather. Nice to wear along your neck or as a headband. You also can press it along a pressure point (wrists, etc.) for increased coolage. Update: A commenter was kind enough to let me know I hadn't

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-91538115857807241752010-04-01T07:21:00.002-05:002010-04-01T22:18:06.293-05:00

I Google people all the time. I guess part of being a reporter/curious person is cyber-stalking people. Never know what you need to know about someone until you know it, right?The key is: I NEVER TELL the person I Googled them.Because that would just be weird, right? YES, YES, IT IS! I was talking with a new/unfamiliar source for the newspaper a few weeks ago when, suddenly, in the lull in the

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-14259408332299023912010-04-01T07:10:00.003-05:002010-06-28T22:46:44.692-05:00

Update: All the cards and candles have now been claimed. But I have more stuff posted at: http://chailatteplease.com/unofficial-3-day-resources/ I don't know about other three-peaters (er, people who have done multiple 3-Days), but I've accumulated a good pile of unused fundraising STUFF. I'm crewing (not walking) this year, ergo I have no fundraising minimum and admittedly have permanently

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-38950019505764125532010-03-27T20:14:00.000-05:002010-03-27T20:14:27.349-05:00

This woman was a pinnacle of patience. Listening to her coach me how to put in contacts and take contacts out of my eye Thursday reminded me of that time in college I tried to teach someone how to drive stick. Only she was so much nicer than I was. Whereas I remember myself saying: Really? Don't you hear that horrible grinding sound the car is making? That's bad. Where you hear that, you're

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-88321721710005780412010-03-26T09:07:00.004-05:002010-04-02T07:53:33.031-05:00

This week, I'm giving away a hot pink New Balance keychain that has a little light at the end (perfect for trying to see your car door lock or the contents of your purse.)  The rules remain the same: - Leave one (and only one) comment here. If you comment on the Thorlos sock fundraiser post, that will count as an entry, too. - If you tweet about this week's Friday FundRAISER post go ahead

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-42210530246500509492010-03-26T07:20:00.002-05:002010-03-26T08:54:55.529-05:00

Everyone needs socks, right? And if you're walking tons and tons of miles, you don't just need any ole socks. Some people swear by super thin socks, but I've gotten hooked on Thorlos thick socks. Last year in D.C, I started out with their thicker walking socks each morning and switched to a thinner (although still well padded) sock after lunch. Everyone should try a few different types of socks

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-55944531541515689572010-03-25T14:36:00.000-05:002010-03-25T14:36:15.844-05:00

About 4 a.m., I was really starting to worry that I had no idea how to cook eggs over easy. As in, I had no idea as to whether that mean the yolks were supposed to be runny (isn't that sunny side up?) or if the term did not refer to the yolks at all. I was really worried that this shift at the homeless shelter wasn't going well.  See, there's supposed to be two of us making and serving breakfast

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-66511199047964852162010-03-24T07:26:00.001-05:002010-03-25T07:36:17.823-05:00

Yes, that was me you saw drinking coffee at the gym yesterday. At 6 a.m. It was that, or get up even earlier so the coffee could digest and flow through my veins BEFORE I left the house. And trust me, I appreciated that 10 minutes more of sleep I got a lot more than I would have appreciated proper hydration. I am on this kick of trying to work out in the morning to boost my metabolism

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-74749575164051675042010-03-19T06:59:00.001-05:002010-04-02T07:54:14.292-05:00

It's finally Friday - and time for another giveaway. When you comment, please remember to include your e-mail address so I can easily contact you if you win. This week, I'm giving away a two-tone pink toggle bracelet. I don't remember exactly where I got it, but I'll admit, I've never worn it. It's time for a new home! Here's how you enter: - Leave one comment here or on this week's Friday

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-41949196072433920592010-03-18T22:13:00.004-05:002010-03-19T07:04:59.287-05:00

I don't think I've ever verbally asked someone for a donation. I've sent tons of letters and e-mails, but I've never initiated a conversation seeking a 3-Day donation. I just have hard time doing it. And last year, I felt a little guilty asking people for another round of donations after my family and friends had been so generous the first time around. The reality, though, is simply asking for

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-11225339095271766692010-03-18T21:54:00.000-05:002010-03-18T21:54:29.413-05:00

My new roommate is clearly the best thing in BlackJack's life. When he's in his room (where BlackJack, the stealer of socks and eater of any human food, is not allowed), BlackJack lays outside the door with inhuman patience. He has, once or twice when that inhuman patience ran dry, scratched on the door. He doesn't feel that way about me. The second he hears my car pull in the garage, he digs

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-23677115924270248502010-03-16T21:43:00.000-05:002010-03-18T22:33:18.776-05:00

... Saturday while I was shopping. I've watched What Not to Wear enough that, yes, I know what they'd say. They said I'm a GIRL and should wear a dress every now and then. You know, sometime when either someone I know or I, myself, am not getting married. And then, they said necklaces are the best accessories and I should add some to my almost exclusively bracelet-and-earring jewelry collection.

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-10075944394558281072010-03-14T15:48:00.004-05:002010-03-14T23:55:47.316-05:00

I gave myself a two-week break from trying to live healthily/lose weight. There was stuffed-crust pizza, a shameful number of trips through Taco Bell's drive-thru, LOTS of McDonald's iced coffee, and various other transgressions I can't really remember now. I kinda wish I had thought to get another Shamrock shake while I was at it. On top of bad eating, I didn't exercise. I half-sprained my

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-16252526694908155812010-03-12T21:27:00.002-06:002010-04-02T07:54:48.478-05:00

So, I'm starting a new series on Chai Latte Please that will feature a specific fundraising tip or piece of advice each Friday. I know what you're thinking - the 3-Day site offers a million (er, at least 101) ideas, and other online ambassadors have already posted about this. Why are you wasting space on the Interweb with such talk? Because the more we all talk about it and the more we exchange

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-76321572311877533842010-03-12T21:14:00.003-06:002010-03-12T21:31:21.653-06:00

Last year, one of my teammates stood outside an upscale grocery store collecting donations and found herself asking men if they enjoyed boobies. She got a lot of donations -- some men even said they thought about her comment while they were shopping and decided to donate on their way out. (I think that's how it went, anyway). Obviously, a certain amount of fundraising success is capturing

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-75457116106206649522010-03-11T06:48:00.000-06:002010-03-11T06:48:12.774-06:00

... And if you were around last spring for the wine-tasting fundraiser, I'm sure you know what that means! Yes, I did rummage through the 36D and 38DD bras and bought four. Thankfully, the check-out clerk was female. When I got home, I unceremoniously began cutting them apart to make brassiere purses. One of which will go toward Leanne's online auction (which hasn't started yet, but when it

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-48752507930341610402010-03-10T22:15:00.001-06:002010-03-10T22:17:03.939-06:00

Little by little, laylagrace.org has become my favorite blog. Don't go there unless you have at least 30 minutes to read from the end to at least the middle of the story of a Christian family, an adorable little girl and a faith in God that (apparently) stood the test of cancer and death. Little Layla Grace lost her struggle with Neuroblastoma yesterday. Her mother (and sometimes her father)

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-68835943859056572352010-03-09T19:38:00.000-06:002010-03-11T07:12:42.064-06:00

No, no, I'm not getting married again. I'm trying to sell the engagement ring. And help end breast cancer. White Gold Diamond Engagement Ring.65 carat stone set in platinum,IGI appraised Colorless D clarity I1. Size 7 I think the sun in the picture makes part of the ring look like yellow gold, but it's a nice consistent white gold. I'm asking $2,500 total. $2,000 will be payable to me

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-41752799087245283332010-03-09T07:42:00.004-06:002010-03-10T07:16:32.004-06:00

I was a woman on a mission last month. I WANTED to win JessLC's Giveaway Giveaway. Basically, she encourages people to exfoliate (IE, get rid of) one item a week that they no longer need or use. Some people post a picture of the item on her blog for others to claim and others just submit pics of the stuff they tossed or donated on their own. I had a lot of extra stuff. I also had a lot of extra

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-59300379568217366052010-03-08T19:30:00.000-06:002010-03-08T22:00:39.901-06:00

I've lost track of whether economists and/or optimists think we're in a recession/depression/turn-around. What I can tell you is: I don't have a lot of extra money laying around, and I bet a lot of other people don't either.I've seen some Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walkers acknowledge this in fundraising letters and ask for prayers and emotional support from those who feel they can't

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-25212311585684096862010-03-08T06:42:00.003-06:002010-03-08T07:02:47.735-06:00

The early scenes on foot-binding in this 19th-century Chinese story made me gag. And my feet tingle.I started out determined to avoid cultural judgment and tried to compare foot-binding to breast implants or braces. Then I began to understand that these girls were made to break their own toes by walking on them while they were folded under their feet and bound. Mothers oversaw this relatively

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-45769395215388326112010-03-07T11:44:00.003-06:002010-03-07T12:03:18.154-06:00

What said, "Failure to plan is a plan to fail"? And "It's never too late to do the right thing..."?Were they people who were trying to rub it in? Because once I made one bad eating decision yesterday, it MULTIPLIED with alarming ferociousness. It started with me purchasing an egg-white breakfast sandwich and bagel with cream cheese at Dunkin' Donuts on my way to a long eight-hour thing. Not a bad

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-61264268556617243942010-02-25T09:29:00.007-06:002010-03-04T20:30:51.623-06:00

In less than 23 weeks, the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure will descend on Chicago with all its Gatorade, pink costumes and blister self-help stations. Each walker will have raised at least $2,300 to fight breast cancer, and many participants will use those three days to honor and celebrate both survivors and those who succumbed to breast cancer.Among them will be the Chicago Ms. America Tatas.

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-49985759816352536202010-02-23T00:54:00.014-06:002010-02-23T08:51:22.036-06:00

My roommate got into Penelope Trunk's blog months ago, which led to me starting to read her a few weeks ago. (Yes, I usually am behind). Trunk has Asperger syndrome. She announced her miscarriage via Twitter (By announced, I mean she didn't think the miscarriage was a bad thing. It saved her the trouble of a planned abortion.) And she claims to write career advice but actually organizes funny

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-87747759314982742472010-02-20T12:42:00.005-06:002010-04-12T08:22:10.924-05:00

My favoritest book of all time is Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. During seven weeks in Haiti, she wrote the love story of Janie and Tea Cake, the tragedies that ended it and the miserable marriages that preceded it. The book was perhaps the antithesis of Hurston's own great love story: Janie tells Tea Cake she has no regrets of following him into the hard, impoverished life in

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-30947342889427815852010-02-19T05:58:00.001-06:002010-02-19T05:59:52.972-06:00

This week's featured crafter grew up in Indiana on the shore of Lake Michigan and now lives in Long Beach, New York. So, she packages her wine charms (IE, cute little bangles for the bottom of your wine glass) with a surf clam shell. She has a million different designs (OK, not really a million. Several.) $5 of the $15 for the pink-ribbon theme charms to go Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Here's a

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-9707198328234210702010-02-16T08:24:00.004-06:002010-02-16T10:30:14.559-06:00

Not everyone has the gift of gab. And it can be really intimidating to ask people for money, especially when you haven't done this before or you don't have a personal connection to breast cancer compelling you to walk in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. The 3-Day online participant center has some great draft e-mails, but here are a few more I've seen or sent myself, in case you'd like a

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-13576669080414824062010-02-16T08:19:00.000-06:002010-02-16T08:19:17.652-06:00

Here's a letter I received from someone doing the Avon walk: Dear Jillian, By the time you finish reading this, another woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. Every three minutes, someone is hearing those dreaded words, you've got breast cancer. My mom heard those words fifteen years ago. Instead of prom, boys, makeup, and bio class, my working vocabulary transitioned into

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-9764070912860658592010-02-16T08:13:00.000-06:002010-02-16T08:13:43.903-06:00

Dear FRIEND, Remember the Chicago Breast Cancer 3-Day in 2007? I trained, raised money for breast cancer education and research programs, walked, camped in a pink tent, and walked even more. And after all that, they still haven’t found a cure for breast cancer ;) Statistics still show that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes. So, I’m doing it again. I’m

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-57937618884524246792010-02-15T08:28:00.000-06:002010-02-15T08:28:19.474-06:00

The most obvious answer is - HA! You're a journalist! Money? Ya ain't got none. :: loooooong-suffering sigh :: Some stereotypes exist for a reason. But no matter how little (or how much) money you make, you still decide how to spend it, and clearly spend more of it on some things rather that others. For example, after years of stalking Gap and other typical suburban mall shops enough to spot a

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-5395974810967814672010-02-12T08:06:00.001-06:002010-02-12T08:16:35.442-06:00

Oh ye Midwesterners, spring is NOT just around the corner. Might be time to admit you are still going to be piling on the winter coat, gloves/mitten and scarf for a few more MONTHS. But, this week I'm featuring a crafter who makes all sorts of fun ways to stay warm. She also makes Boobie Beanies, which I saw at the Breast Cancer 3-Day in Washington, D.C., and LOVED enough that I would consider

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-26667376324526095752010-02-12T07:59:00.001-06:002010-02-12T08:16:55.530-06:00

My series on crafters/artisans/creators who dedicate at least part of their work to fighting cancer might be winding down. So far, I've featured crafters who have a good presence on Etsy, but the charities they support and cancers they fight have ranged from Susan G. Komen for the Cure to the American Cancer Society to a long-time friend. I've featured an artists cooperative, coffee-infused

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-4381932391277773582010-02-10T07:38:00.001-06:002010-02-10T07:50:35.173-06:00

The signs don't lie: No one really walks the 3-Day alone. If you come to an event not knowing anyone, buddies will find you on the route, at the blister self-help station and at dinner. And trust me, nothing inspires a sense of closeness like showering in a semi-trailer -- or waiting in line for the semi-trailer showers with a bunch of tired, stinky people. Conversation happens. But, I can

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-3742944818016322932010-02-10T07:35:00.002-06:002010-02-10T07:48:13.356-06:00

... to realize and acknowledge what this girl handled in a few short sentences. Bri was writing about her broken engagement, but I think the sentiments perfectly encapsulate my failed marriage. At some point, we all learn that not everyone is who they hold themselves out to be, and there’s nothing like observing a person in his natural habitat to make you realize that love doesn’t necessarily

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-56996804784436651272010-02-08T08:26:00.000-06:002010-02-08T08:26:27.116-06:00

In the fall of 2003, I bought what I thought were a super-cute pair of jeans at a Gap Outlet store. They had a gray-ish tint to them and buttoned up the left hip, sans zipper, leaving the front flat. I liked them so much I bought two pairs and thought I was the coolest girl in Hoopeston, Ill. (Which, really, is like grading on a curve considering that, oh, ten girls ages 20-25 VOLUNTARILY live

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-29951953468258407322010-02-04T21:03:00.001-06:002010-02-04T21:04:17.535-06:00

Sarabee's creations make me wish I was better at knitting. I found her via this cute, pink yarn (half the listing goes to Susan G. Komen for a Cure) and am glad she decided to share her thoughts with you: What I create: Hi! I'm Sarabeth, I offer handspun and handpainted yarns and handpainted drop spindles My favorite piece in my Etsy shop is: Oh no, that's like picking between my children... uhm

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-25638701235073369172010-02-04T09:04:00.001-06:002010-02-17T05:35:02.155-06:00

So, there are no sesame seeds, no tinted lettuce -- and definitely no meat -- in these cute little burgers. If you can't tell by the pic, they aren't ACTUALLY hamburgers. They are white cupcakes with brownies and red frosting. I made them in honor of Election Night and managed not to eat (too many) of the brownie scraps. :) (The recipe has a few extras, but I have to say, the white cupcakes and

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-24086374316083061622010-02-03T00:19:00.001-06:002010-02-03T00:23:42.449-06:00

I was climbing on the Stairmaster about the time Woodstock Willie and Punxsutawney Phil were making their predictions this morning. My gym has huge floor-to-ceiling windows, so I had a great view of the fluffy snow that blanketed the ground and of the snowflakes that continued to fall. Oh, and I had to scrape my car before I could drive home and shower. But I soon learned that Willie had

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-74904022610963254312010-01-28T21:08:00.004-06:002010-01-29T07:41:46.198-06:00

How do you tell the world your two-year-old is probably dying in 140 characters or less? Layla Grace's mom didn't - she spread it out over several Tweets last Friday at  www.twitter.com/laylagrace Layla Grace has Neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of childhood cancer (the same form of cancer Noah had). Last week, doctors told her family that despite the treatments, they had found new tumors.

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-33419922279814911852010-01-28T20:47:00.002-06:002010-01-28T20:50:55.257-06:00

Warning: This post is (mostly) about shameless self-promotion and brazieres. In that order. Last year, when I was raising money for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, I made a million little notecards that I used as thank-yous and for fundraising. And now, I have piles of them sitting around, inside little cellophane envelopes that are collecting dust. So, I'm hosting a little giveaway to

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-29484506079446445662010-01-27T18:32:00.000-06:002010-01-27T18:32:28.033-06:00

I've read a few blog posts about the New York Times and other papers charging for online content and started pondering -- would I pay for their news? Sadly, probably not. Unless I wanted a specific article I had heard about elsewhere and needed it for a specific reason.I have no idea if I'm like everyone else, but in order to sign up for a regular subscription for something, I have to feel like

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-38750132174382131092010-01-24T10:46:00.002-06:002010-01-25T05:52:30.267-06:00

This week, I donated $10 to Haiti relief efforts via text. While on a short work break. Uber-easy. Super-convenient. I had meant to donate SOMETHING earlier. But then I didn't get around to it, pondered what an appropriate amount would be, and got busy with other things. Sometimes I wonder if potential 3-Day donors get that way. They see you, talk with you about the walk, take your donation

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-82886852141022093892010-01-23T19:01:00.004-06:002010-01-24T00:00:45.979-06:00

I only got two comments about my Annarbor.com post. A postive(?) one: Torn. Had a subscription but never received the paper. Since it's online - seems in real time and interactive. I read it now. And a not-positive one: The latter. [jillianduch: IE, s/he misses the Ann Arbor News.] People I talk to generally don't like annarbor.com. There aren't enough reporters, the comments can be very rude to

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-30314805625173854692010-01-21T23:56:00.010-06:002010-01-23T17:05:46.049-06:00

Handmade Help isn't a person. And it's probably not fair to call their works "crafts." Handmade Help is a group of well-established artists who have been affected by cancer and want to help. All the profits are donated to a four-star cancer charity. I ran across their Etsy shop and fell in love with several pieces. The images on their Etsy site are copyright-protected from reproduction, so I

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-69629551315474475412010-01-20T07:29:00.002-06:002010-01-20T07:32:34.258-06:00

I'm hardly a veteran 3-Dayer. I've walked twice, crewed once, and will crew again in August, but there are tons of people with many more miles and many more closing ceremonies worn into their feet. I know the 3-Day Web site offers tons of fundraising and training information (and great message boards), but there are some cool little things about the 3-Day I didn't learn until I got a little more

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-90565830861388225262010-01-18T23:41:00.001-06:002010-01-18T23:45:29.325-06:00

I read a news article about the earthquake that hit Haiti for the first time today. Really. I think I found out about the earthquake from a co-worker the first day after it happened, but (as insensitive and rude as it might be) I didn't really care to read about misery in a far-off place and significantly upgrade the amount of misery I processed in one day/week. Yeah, I guess I became one of

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-4329357861661106032010-01-16T08:27:00.002-06:002010-01-16T16:58:17.231-06:00

I pouted and snapped a few pictures when I saw this at the Newseum in October:It's not fun to think about newspapers closing or struggling to adapt to a new media environment. It's also not fun to realize that one of the newspapers on my resume no longer exists. (I interned at the Ann Arbor News in the summer of 2000. Am I too old to include my internships on my resume?) But there's no use

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-38073731103419615962010-01-15T06:16:00.007-06:002010-01-16T17:34:04.602-06:00

Coffee syrup and pancakes! Oh my! That's one of the packages JAVA & Co offers as part of its JAVA Pink for the Cure. This husband-wife team produces specialty coffee-infused syrup (in a variety of flavors!), sweets and other decadent goodies here in Illinois. A portion of the sales from JAVA Pink for the Cure line is donated to breast cancer awareness and research. You can read a little

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-25133108292831302212010-01-13T19:11:00.003-06:002010-01-13T19:38:10.749-06:00

Last night, I ate my roommate's ice cream.In my defense, it's been in the freezer for weeks, and I distinctly remember her saying that she didn't actually like ice cream. Rather she bought it for visiting family. Who are no longer here. So it's not really wrong, right?Sigh.I didn't eat because I was hungry. Or because I thought ice cream would be the perfect fuel for my body before climbing on

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-71695947064995501592010-01-10T10:48:00.003-06:002010-01-10T11:42:03.716-06:00

I've recently re-immersed myself in an (unhealthy) obsession with checking my Google Analytics stats to see how many people are reading this blog. (The answer: Not as many as my ego would like.)I briefly considered pulling the plug on the blog to force myself to dedicate a little more time and energy on any number of the other daily/demanding pursuits. But I'm not going to.Why?Because I like

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-4595782186229510462010-01-09T20:13:00.008-06:002010-03-08T07:15:57.381-06:00

The first creak must have been a warning.I didn't notice.I was laying on the floor, curled around my roommate's toilet, with a wrench (is that what those things are called?) trying to tighten the bolts on the tank. I had replaced the flush valve on my own toilet (on the second try), and the roomie's family noticed her toilet had the same hard-to-flush problem. I figured I was more-than-qualified

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-67216178222022389542010-01-07T23:41:00.015-06:002010-01-08T08:59:37.259-06:00

Welcome to my new blog feature. Each Friday (or super-late Thursday), I'll introduce you to a crafter (or artisan) who dedicates part or all of the proceeds from his or her work to a cancer charity. Some will be 3-Day walkers; some will have been touched by less well-publicized forms of cancer. But hopefully, all will be examples of how creating can sometimes combat a disease that does little but

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-41548293564400562072010-01-06T07:31:00.004-06:002010-01-06T07:54:58.731-06:00

I luv the elliptical trainer. After a long (fun-filled) day at work, I climb up, turn on my music, and coast along at the same settings I've used for six months or so now. Between 35 and 45 minutes later, I'm covered with a small sheen of perspiration that seems to have absorbed the stress from the day.But (sigh) apparently that's not good enough.I was recently informed that one must mix up their

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-38874812467137909042010-01-01T21:03:00.006-06:002010-01-10T10:11:22.439-06:00

• The last two books in the Wicked triology: Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire• "Things I Learned About My Dad: In Therapy" edited by Heather B. Armstrong• Reread the Harry Potter series (I devoured the books in one week, sometimes pulling all-nighters, so, yeah, I think I probably missed a few details...)• Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-75494974571490838312009-12-31T22:25:00.006-06:002010-01-01T13:02:44.561-06:00

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.There's been a few steps of beautiful inlaid wood, but plenty patches of worn carpet and wood so thin it threatened to collapse beneath me. Some were basked in sunshine; others, not so much. There were times (OK, much of 2007...and 2006.. and maybe 2005) when I would spontaneously start crying while my mind wandered when I was driving. There were times I

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-6409698126116310332009-12-29T07:53:00.005-06:002009-12-29T08:34:59.496-06:00

I've hemmed. I've hawed. Walking in the Washington, D.C. 3-Day took months of preparation - but it helped me get in better shape, introduced me to some amazing women, and challenged me to try things I normally wouldn't try. Oh, and I raised $2,300 in a horrid, horrid economy to help advance breast cancer research, give cancer patients access to treatments they otherwise couldn't afford and raise

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-10237476833054705542009-12-26T12:42:00.007-06:002009-12-29T07:41:46.194-06:00

The first ones stirred about 4:30. They wanted a cigarette break and a cup of coffee, which was strong and peppered with wayward grounds. About 18 shapeless figures slept on pads in the church basement, a lattice divider sectioning off an area for women.In the kitchen, one volunteer commented on the age of the stove and range as he piled chopped potatoes, onion and margarine into a skillet. The

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-27890855744947998922009-12-20T15:18:00.004-06:002009-12-20T15:31:54.290-06:00

... unless I was so pretty no one cared that I couldn't cook :)To recap the last three days: I baked three loaves of pumpkin bread on Friday. BlackJack got one - sadly, not the one that caved in while it was cooling because I took it out of the oven too early. But I didn't find any mushy, unbaked spots in the third one when I dissected it. And one out of three ain't bad, right?Yesterday, I did

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-61590812252156434242009-12-17T22:19:00.005-06:002009-12-19T21:04:35.590-06:00

Who wudda thought that something like this:would come in a bag like this:I was the LUCKY person that got the INFAMOUS wreath at my book club's white elephant exchange. Surprisingly enough, no one chose to "steal" this from me over opening an unwrapped white elephant.

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-74338525302746650842009-11-30T20:55:00.002-06:002009-11-30T21:18:37.703-06:00

Really, I do. But honestly, if it were, I would have WON that competition hands down in the past two years. Gold medals all the way. Like, Michael Phelps before those unfortunate photos surfaced. In 2007, I made this family history book using Ancestry.com, that left the whole family quietly reading for about 20 minutes on Christmas Day. If you've met my family, you know that we are all so

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-45073638354302262009-11-26T20:18:00.002-06:002009-11-26T20:30:20.665-06:00

After I went on and on about how I fixed my toilet, the darned thing stopped working again. I hadn't actually fixed it at all.And I just didn't really know what to do, so I just used the downstairs powder-room and pretended the problem didn't exist.Until last week. When I meandered through a different big box store, found a part that looked exactly like my (non)flapper, and disassembled my toilet

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-88105376470569460842009-11-23T22:09:00.002-06:002009-11-23T22:14:06.875-06:00

I'm sure anyone interested can read his mom's announcement on his Care Page themselves, but to repost:After a long battle with Stage IV Neruorblastoma cancer, Monday morning at 8:02 AM, Noah Biorkman passed away at his home in South Lyon, Michigan.Scott and I, along with our families, would like to thank everyone for the continued support over the past few years during Noah’s illness. As most of

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-82181422070472313972009-11-18T08:17:00.002-06:002009-11-18T08:22:32.815-06:00

Not too early to think about fundraising for next year? Or -- gasp?!? - are you still struggling to make this year's minimum?I haven't ever done this, but it's my favorite fundraising idea of all time (which I lifted from a 3-Day newsletter months ago):Fundraising Tip: My favorite fundraiser is a holiday fundraiser. I send out Santa Claus letters to children or adults for five dollars each. This

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-24622463881650800922009-11-16T22:54:00.005-06:002009-12-29T10:32:44.710-06:00

Once upon a time, I read Julie & Julia by Julie Powell. And couldn't get into it. It was a gift, but I couldn't get past the first 50 pages. Don't get me wrong - I appreciate incremental concepts like cooking a different Julia Child recipe each day just to kick-start your life. I suspect it was a great and popular blog, especially among cooking enthusiasts, but reading it in book form -- boring!

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-74743216499235682412009-11-14T04:13:00.002-06:002009-11-14T04:34:47.673-06:00

So, don't laugh, but I'm pretty sure dieting makes me dumb. As in, I found myself asking the same person the same question multiple times in the same day. She was nice about it, but that happened a few days after my mind was so numb seven hours into work that I wasn't confident I could spell my own name correctly. (Thankfully, I did. And everyone else's name, too. But that was sheer luck.)I got

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-31467021802361021352009-11-12T21:20:00.004-06:002009-11-12T21:27:03.105-06:00

So, I totally forgot about this. But when I was in D.C., I found myself in Union Station as they were setting up the "Art of Can" exhibit. And I'm a little embarrassed to admit that it took me a few days before I realized the sculptures are made from Red Bull cans.See:I missed seeing it once it was fully set up, but you can see more things from the exhibit (and much better pics) here.

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-7621601336238929582009-11-12T21:00:00.004-06:002009-11-12T21:28:09.714-06:00

... when I got an e-mail that there was an "Urgent Update" on Noah's Care Page.Whew, it was good news. The family has gotten so many Christmas cards that Noah's mom doesn't have any more room, so she's redirecting mail to Noah's dad's house. 80,000 pieces of mail Monday alone. Don't you just kind of love people, sometimes? It's so easy to be rude to random strangers you see on a daily basis, but

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-55670648546449507502009-11-07T22:53:00.003-06:002009-11-07T23:00:18.687-06:00

How do you sugar-coat crappy?Not like, “Oh, that dress/haircut/pound-o-make-up looks great on you” when it actually doesn’t. But those times when someone looks you dead in the eye and announces: “This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.”And you holy-hope it is, because it looks and sounds horrendous. And you’re kinda glad it didn’t happen to you.I thought about that recently reading

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-51412799812220619672009-11-04T15:04:00.003-06:002009-11-07T22:50:42.837-06:00

So, out from the clatter of Facebook status updates about jogging, getting kids dressed, hating to go to work, I learned about Noah Scott Biorkman.He’s five, and he’s dying of Neuroblastoma. The Little Man was diagnosed in February 2007, and it went into remission about six months later, only to relapse in September 2008. Apparently, the cancer continued to spread, and the doctors told his family

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-61217891153654045362009-11-03T19:30:00.004-06:002009-11-03T19:45:44.748-06:00

I really used to like Jon and Kate Plus Eight. I’d watch and make little mental notes of things to do when I become a mom: ice cream for lunch once a summer, making pots and pots of homemade soup in a single day and freezing it, special alone time for each kid with each parent, avid couponing.OK, yeah, the avid couponing probably never would have happened...:: TLC sigh ::Kate’s interview by NBC

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-91301760880536792332009-11-01T09:06:00.005-06:002009-11-01T09:49:26.931-06:00

Last Sunday, I was sitting at a table at a random craft fair trying to peddle my mom's cute purses-made-from-hardcover-books in an effort to cover some of my 3-Day travel costs. I had some other random crafts available, too, and a jar for donations to pass onto some of my 3-Day teammates who hadn't reached their minimums yet.It was a crappy craft show. Few customers. I was chatting with the

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-35839702809942048352009-10-31T16:23:00.009-05:002009-11-01T09:06:56.711-06:00

So, maybe it's time to admit that my relationship with online dating is on the rocks. I met a guy and had a six-month relationship, met a guy who filed for divorce the day of our first date, met a cool guy with whom I had absolutely no spark, and went on my fair share of first dates that were not followed by second dates. Dates have included riding in a tractor, a bonfire and tossing rocks over

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-59581171481093416502009-10-29T21:31:00.003-05:002009-10-29T22:32:39.804-05:00

So, I would say the problem started with Oreo-cookie shakes. I'd pick up one on my way home from walking in the park, conveniently ignoring that they have more calories than I would have burned walking for an hour or so.Then, there was McDonald's iced coffee. Delicious. The perfect way to wake up in the morning. 270 calories.And then, my laziness encouraged me to get a McSkillet breakfast burrito

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-15006939723074680202009-10-26T07:35:00.006-05:002009-10-26T08:46:30.266-05:00

I recently got an e-mail from Jen, who walks in the Tampa 3-Day, about how many blessings cancer has given her. Yes, you read the right. She's 32, has fought breast cancer twice and believes cancer has blessed her ..."It was the best gift I have ever been given. I woke up to life!" she wrote. "I went through so many medical procedures and live day in and out with the anxiety of whether the

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-56952781075811357062009-10-23T16:37:00.005-05:002009-10-23T20:54:06.502-05:00

Only 1 percent of breast cancers happen in men - but that amounts to about 2,000 cases in the United States a year. You can read a story from Today about a husband and wife who are both battling breast cancer here.Apparently, the husband thought he had pulled a muscle when he went to the doctor and ultimately was diagnosed with breast cancer...Moral of this story? Men should feel up their own

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-68282251655888713322009-10-22T07:22:00.002-05:002009-10-22T07:36:00.224-05:00

The e-mail is tempting: $35 off the $90 registration fee if I sign up soon for another Breast Cancer 3-Day.But my bank account is so sad right now. Depressed even. Like, more than the state of the national economy.I enjoyed myself in Washington, D.C., but weirdly enough, fundraising takes money, training takes money, dinners with the team take money, martinis with the team take money... And now

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016883684885480227.post-68773525484538438442009-10-21T21:24:00.004-05:002009-10-23T15:49:18.997-05:00

I unearthed my late teens and early 20s in my garage this evening. It wasn't pretty. Some might call me a late bloomer...Anyway, my mom's been forcing me to take back all the crap I left with her during the various times I've moved out. And that crap had ended up in my garage. I popped open one box that was too heavy for me to lift without risking back injury and found a little time capsule into

jillianduchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495167702607288577noreply@blogger.com0