Calendar Girl Blog: One Night Stand

By chance, I looked out my front door to see this fine creature trotting by, looking panicked. Either my front boulevard is marked as a safe place or the pet god likes sending me strays (3 dogs and 1 cat in less than a year).

As she hesitated by my walk, I quickly asked if she'd like a cookie. A universal term, cookie has no equal to a dog. Up my front steps she bound.

After cookies, water, kibble and a quick call to the closed for the night humane society, I was left with only one choice. The big beauty was having a sleepover. I showed her around, rolled out the rules and we settled in for the evening.

Within an hour you would have thought she was my dog. The only thing missing, her name, was a minor inconvenience given 'good girl' or just 'dog' got her attention.

Sleeping with a dog brings fond memories flooding back. The contented sigh that follows the judicious, 2am bum licking is a sound that no human can supply. I drifted off to sleep content with dog sprawled on the carpet. In the morning, Molly's missing dad was found and a joyful reunion was had.

Calendar Girl has been dog-free/less for afew years now. Perhaps it's time to put in a real order with the pet god.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: BlogHer Bound

With a the calendar green light flashing, I'm hoping to have the 2007 edition in hand for my journey to the BlogHer conference in California. Here's hoping some 'blog hers' will want to blog it.

Calendar Girl likes green lights.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Good News Monday

Miracles do happen.

Ten thousand cheerful Canadian bucks have been secured for the start up of Breast of Canada 2007.

Calendar Girl is very grateful to the four lenders and thrilled to be back in the calendar publishing saddle. Yippy Yahoo!

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: P.O. Box 714

Should you be from the snail mail era, I hope this photo helps assure you that Calendar Girl is fully equipped to receive your mail orders or large cheques.

To send in a calendar order, you will need to download the pdf order form from this page. After you fill in the form and dash off a cheque or include your credit card information, you can scoot down to your post office, slap a stamp on the envelop and pop it in the mail. Our full address is on the pdf form.

Eventually Ron, the guy who fills my mailbox will carefully place your letter in box 714. Should I arrive while Ron is doing his work, we will have a conversation through the tiny box hole. People will stare as we talk through the wall.

Calendar Girl likes having these conversations with Ron. And she likes getting mail. Nice mail that is.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: New URL

I've moved my blog. Yes I know this is shocking news. Unexpected no doubt. I gave you not a lick of notice that I was even thinking of such upheaval.

Please accept my apology for the upset. But this new space will be much, much better. Because....I'm actually on the Breast of Canada site now which means BoC will be much bigger and we all know that bigger is better on the web.

So then, if you wouldn't mind changing the address to little old me to this nifty url. http://calendargirl.breastofcanada.com/.

Heck if you've never linked to me but would like to do so, I'd be pleased as punch. Which I'm assuming means the drink not the whack in the head. Ouch.

Calendar Girl thanks you.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Life in a Bubble

My neighbour Randy took a splendid photo of our neighbourhood BBQ potluck held down the street last Saturday. Titled Community; Randy's shot captured what I have come to believe.

I live in a bubble.

Perhaps it's not owning a TV that helps maintain my unique state of mind. Certainly being literally surrounded by creative neighbour's like this and this and of course this contributes to my picture of the world.

Calendar Girl understands the fragility of her universe. But within this tender reality is a strength that feels remarkable.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal. Order a Breast of Canada today.

Calendar Girl Blog: Fan Mail

Dear Calendar Girl

I recently received a piece of mail from the University of Guelph in regards to their library project. On the info flyer was some information about your calendar, Breast of Canada 2006.

My first thoughts were 'god what a beautiful photograph'. As a photographer my first reaction was to the image but then it became the message that it sent out. I have been surfing thru the website about the calendar and women’s health issues in general and was compelled to write and comment.

As the father of 3 beautiful young women I worry about their health. The issues they face etc. In this world of airbrush images the simple presentation you have provided is stunning and effective, the message conveyed is powerful.

I just wanted to say Thank you for this beautiful piece of art and continued success in getting the message out there. We may be guys who sometimes think with the wrong brain but we all have mothers and sisters, daughters and friends who must deal with these issues.

Regards

Ed

Calendar Girl would like to find more guys like Ed.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: RSS Feeds and May Two Four

Funny thing this blogging, on-line world that I mess around in. I know nothing. And I know more than I know I know. If you know what I mean.

Take RSS Feeds for instance. They've come up before...I have brought them up before and Dan (see yesterdays comment), perhaps my only feed reader has filled me in on the basic premise. Now thanks to his latest comment, I poked around some more and even though I was poking into the previously poked, this time my poking produced insight.

Light where once was thick darkness. How does this happen?

Anyhow, I didn't find the answer to Dan's question but I did glean more feed understanding. Which to me is worth mentioning since I'm always pleased when I can look the adage 'Can't teach an old dog new tricks' in the snout and bark confidently....'Oh yes you can.'

Calendar Girl will mention this is the Friday before our May Two Four Long Weekend, which means three days of stupidity for some. Our weather is such that Calendar Girl cranked on the woodstove last night. Her weekend plans involve hanging out with her neighbor's and hauling two cord of apple wood for next winters toasty fires.

Her lumberjack friends are jealous. Apple wood is coveted.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Blog

On April 27, 2005, I made my first post on this blog. Counting today's effort, 310 posts have been recorded in my attempt to explain the process involved in publishing the Breast of Canada calendar.

Secretly, I'd hoped that my regular regurgitation would offer insight, understanding and a burning desire for the reader to buy, buy, buy. Over the last year, not a single person admitted that "blog" was the way they'd heard about B0C nor the compelling reason for purchasing it.

Drats!

Unlike My Menopause Blog where readership continues to grow, Calendar Girl Blog is fickle. October registered 4 times the readership of March. Guess that would be the power of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in action.

Other interesting statistics include the following: Total Visits: 100,652. Continentally speaking, only Antarctica registers no readers. On average you read 1.7 pages and stick around for an odd, 47 seconds.

Calendar Girl does wonder about the future of this blog. Heck Calendar Girl is curious about the future of pretty much everything.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-Tankerous Mommy

Amelia Frahm sent me a review copy of her children's book Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy . Beautifully illustrated, the story offers a child's perspective of mommy's cancer-tankerous moods during cancer treatment.

I'm of the mind that children should be given details about issues faced by families. It's naive to assume that by shushing conversations within ear shot of kids, they will be kept protected from the truth of illness.

Kids are very intuitive. If details of what is actually going on are not shared, children will make up their own story. I remember clearly being six year's old and being told my bed ridden mother was tired. I understood tired but what my mom was demonstrating seemed much more than that. I was sure that she was angry with me.

When the ambulance came to take her to the hospital, I was shocked and mad as hell. My family had lied to me.

Cancer treatments are no picnic in the park. Amelia makes that clear in her book, without sacrificing the clear message of love for her family. If you are a mom going through cancer treatment, I would highly recommend this book.

Calendar Girl would go even farther. With the sheer number of cancer related illnesses surrounding us, Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy would be good reading for any family. Just click on the cover or link to order from Amazon.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: New Cover

I've posted the 2007 cover in my side bar. At 55, she is our oldest cover model yet.

Calendar Girl loves the branding that has evolved with the covers over the year's. Besides gracing the calendars, she wonders if some other product could be developed using the same images.

What would you buy?

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: My Gardener

This is my gardener. After several years of doing the 'cupid' routine for various events, my statuesque friend took over the job of spreading love in my sweet woodruff patch. Since his arrival, wild violets, bloodroot, bleeding hearts and several mystery plants moved to his side of my property.

The guy is a regular chick magnet....my female cardinal often perches on his head.

Calendar Girl admits that this post has nothing to do with publishing the Breast of Canada calendar.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Canada Health Day

Today is Canada Health Day.

The motto: Stay healthy. Prevent disease.

The website: Canadian Health Network.

Calendar Girl wishes you well. Very well.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Breast Cancer Conferences

It always takes me a few days to get over a conference, no matter what the focus. I find the conference environment unpleasant....poor air, strange lighting, industrial food and packed schedule very taxing. My regular work world is much higher quality with fewer people and a more manageable pace.

Breast cancer conferences are no different than most conferences that I've attended except for one key feature. The emotional energy. Breast cancer events are always attended by breast cancer survivors and whether conference organizers like it or not, emotions run high and deep.

Survivor delegates come from many different camps. Some are newly diagnosed or in the midst of nasty treatments. Others are raking up days that distance them from the moment they found out that cancer had invaded their breasts. Women may or may not wear their wigs and prosthesis. And no matter how long they've been free of the disease, they will recount their experience in great, horrifying detail to who ever is listening.

I've heard many sad stories. Women I've met along the way have had horrible first encounters with the disease. Some tell of failed reconstruction and relapses. Families split up. Finances are ruined. Careers are lost. Women die.

All are fearful. None sail through.

I listen to the stories and offer whatever I intuitively feel is needed. I notice how the conferences move along, with no space for the tears, grief or fear. Not a tissue in sight. No time for sadness. Only courage is rewarded. Strength. Stiff upper lip.

Pretty in Pink.

Calendar Girl would love to see a conference that sinks below the surface of protocol. Instead of making everything 'look good', perhaps a conference could allow everyone to 'be real'.

But who am I to say. I'm not a survivor.

Calendar Girl hates breast cancer.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, pink.

Calendar Girl Blog: New Nipple

The smiling young breast cancer survivor was very excited.

"I'm getting my new nipple at the end of the month."

Calendar Girl offered her congratulations.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Prevention vs. Cure

The statement up for debate at the breast cancer conference was provocative. 'Cure is better than prevention.'

We heard that prevention is expensive. It's not practical or cost effective. Everyone needs prevention. Only the ill need the cure.

Then we were told that breast cancer is not one disease.

Of course those in favour of prevention claimed the cure is too expensive and prevention is the cheapest way to go.

Both sides implied that pills would be our salvation no matter which camp we were in.

Pills.

Health by pill.

Calendar Girl wants to bury herself.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Health Nut

I over heard a survivor at the Reasons for Hope Breast Cancer Conference assuring her audience with this claim.

"I'm not a health nut."

Calendar Girl wondered what was wrong with being a health nut?

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Canadian Breast Cancer Network

These pins carry the breast cancer image used by the Canadian Breast Cancer Network. Perhaps you can see the woman, arms over head, dancing forward.

It is a hopeful, joyous message for an ugly, painful disease.

I've just returned from my jet setting to Montreal and the Reason's for Hope Scientific Conference on Breast Cancer. Besides hanging out with my survivor pals, I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at a meeting of the national board of directors for the Canadian Breast Cancer Network. CBCN partners with me on the Breast of Canada calendar.

When I started this project, prior to the ice age, I imagined attending such meetings, big fat cheque in hand, full of good news for an on-going publishing history making.

Ah such is the dream of a 'save the world' inflicted wench such as I.

Ironically, I found myself offering the good news and bad. Production for 2007 is on hold pending start-up funds being acquired and despite selling close to 2500 calendars last year. Controversy continues to be stirred at the same time as accolades are delivered. The ying and yang of BoC makes a rollercoaster ride look like a drive across the prairies.

There is no doubt in my mind that how women feel about their breasts greatly influences their breast health. I know, because calendar owners tell me this. Women emphatically claim that Breast of Canada positively influences their attitudes. Like regular exercise, loving your breasts...heck...loving the entire body package....every wart, lump and bump...is profoundly good for your health.

All I need is $10,000 in start up fund. In the big business world of breast cancer, such a paltry sum gets sucked up in an afternoon session at a conference. But because my breast calendar includes breasts....nipples and all....doors close before I curl my hand to knock.

Calendar Girl could have a hissy fit over this. Indignation, exasperation and pure white rage could be her daily headspace. But Calendar Girl will not fall into that unhealthy trap. The irony of making herself sick by way of health calendar is just too silly.

Still, it is curious. With the truckloads of money raised by running for the cure, she wonders why a pittance for prevention doesn't trickle in her direction.

Do you think, before you pink?

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Reasons for Hope Conference

I will be attending the Reasons for Hope Scientific Conference on Breast Cancer this weekend in Montreal.

Calendar Girl will be sure to report all signs of hope she encounters.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, Breast Cancer Conference.

Calendar Girl Blog: Luke Skywalker Day

According to Gareth, Breast of Canada designer extraordinary, today is Luke Skywalker Day.

May the 4th be with you.

Sue Richards

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal. Order a Breast of Canada today.

Calendar Girl Blog: Greening Guelph

It's been a few months since I offered up my room with a view. As you can see, life is squishing out everywhere. My front tree tends to be the slowest to bud out in the spring and last to hold it's leaves in the fall. Gives my boulevard garden that much more time to enjoy the sun.

I have no grass anywhere on my property. It's lovely to contribute gardens and silence to my neighborhood instead of the din of lawnmowers and the spray of pesticides.

Calendar Girl will be celebrating Henry's birthday with Anne, his widow tonight. We're having a bonfire in her backyard. We have ashes to sprinkle.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.

Calendar Girl Blog: Tree Hugger

On Saturday, about 30 friends of Henry's gathered on the island of Guelph Lake and planted a small grove of Elm trees. Henry died on Christmas Day from brain cancer.

All 12 of the days plantings were started from cuttings by Henry as part of his provincial wide project called The Elm Tree Recovery Project. These were the first cuttings from his nursery to be released into the wild.

My friend Tannis and I shared the planting of this sweet sapling. Named St. Agatha, our little tree was hugged, kissed, tugged by Henry's horticulturally adept father, sung to and surrounded by horse manure and a wire fence. One of the other male tree planters grumbled that our damn tree got more love than he.

Grateful for the sunglasses, Calendar Girl let the waves of grief that accompanied the day wash over her. The speeches were short. We thanked ourselves for attending. And we thanked Henry for inspiring us to 'Make it Beautiful'.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, Henry Kock.

Calendar Girl Blog: Start Up Money

It's been over a year since this blog began. By the time the calendar turned to May 1 st last year, the 2006 edition was at the printers. Such is not the case with the 2007 edition. The calendar has barely been put together in draft form.

Once again, I have no start up funds to get me on my way. But unlike previous years, I'm also out of energy to hustle. This poses a problem.

Calendar Girl does not have a solution.

Calendar Girl

Tags: Calendar Girl Blog, calendar girl blog, Breast of Canada Calendar, Sue Richards, middle of normal.