stuff jen says: Mar. 5: Inspiration

I love to read meaningful quotes. There are a lot about courage and hope and faith and healing and all kinds of cancer-related things, but to be honest, many make me angry. The stuff like “anything is possible if you believe” is total BS, in my opinion. Sure, the idea’s nice, and if it helps you keep a positive outlook, here’s an even bigger “yay.” But we all know that all the hope in the world isn’t necessarily going to bring people back to good health. If that were so, DUH—nobody would ever die, right? Maybe Hitler. Nobody else.

Call me a pessimist, fine. But I prefer “realist,” thankyouverymuch. It’s not that I’m hopeless about life in general, or specifically, how successfully my friends and I will be able to fight cancer. And weeding through piles of quotes, I can occasionally find something that really speaks to me, something that is beautiful and lifts my heart or gets me in FIGHT! mode. You might think these are just as BS-y as I think the others. Meh.

Since I just shared a bunch of quotes from Twitter yesterday, I’ll keep this post short, but I couldn’t resist these few:

Courage and cheerfulness will not only carry you over the rough places in life, but will enable you to bring comfort and help to the weak-hearted and will console you in the sad hours.
~Sir William Osler

Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.
~Emory Austin

The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next.
~Mignon McLaughlin

Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow.
~Dan Rather

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind.
Some come from ahead and some come from behind.
But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready you see.
Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!
~Dr. Seuss

I love these about companionship:

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.
~Jane Howard

Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.
~Emily Kimbrough

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facts of jen's life

So, who do you think you are? I think I’m Jen. People who don’t know me sometimes call me Jenny. That’s weird.

Tell me about yourself. I was born a small black child, and am now a grown-up, or at least my kids think I am. I’m in my mid-40s and live in the ‘burbs of Portland, Oregon. My husband is Victor, and my kids are Katie and Jack. Read this if you want the real and very long scoop.

Tell me things people might not know about you. I am an ordained minister and can perform marriages. Why no one has asked me to do this for them yet, I do not know. ● At the request of my Disney-hating friend Ed, I got mouse ears embroidered with the name “Satan” and I didn’t even get kicked out of Disneyland. It’s quite possibly the ballsiest thing I’ve ever done. ● I “helped” write this book, published in 2012: You Take it From Here, by Pamela Ribon. My name is in the back, and I’m still geeking out about it. ● I recorded a song in a studio in 1994 and it got local radio play for a few months. At least two times I turned on the radio in the car and my song was playing at that moment—very cool. ● I nearly died from a zit in 1986. I am not making this up. ● Victor and I once appeared on The Tonight Show. Really. If you can find a VCR, I’ll show you the tape.

I read some of your posts and I think you might be an alcoholic. I drink way less than I write about drinking. If I ever STOP talking about booze, then it’ll be time for an intervention.

What do you love? Books. Coffee. Fonts. Broadway musicals. San Francisco. Bacon. Rum. Law & Order. Naps. Butter. Home. Crack cocaine. iDevices. Words. Disney vacations. You.

If you could punch anything or anyone in the face, what/who would it be? Cancer. I was diagnosed with lymphoma in November 2009. I kicked its big fat ugly ass and am in remission now. ● Comic Sans. ● People who won’t take responsibility for their problems—the “I didn’t do anything to deserve this!” attitude. Look in the mirror. That’s who to blame. ● Celebrities who are famous for no reason. Y’know, if we stop looking, they’ll go away... ● Bad grammar and spelling and the dummies who use it.

You seem bitter. Did someone piss in your Cheerios? I’m not bitter. I think unicorns-and-rainbows stuff isn’t very interesting to read, so I tend not to write that way. But also, now you’re being kind of a jackhole.

It seems like no one ever comments on your blog posts. Why is that? Most people comment on the Facebook links. I don’t know why.

What if I want to tell you something? Two ways to reach me: leave a comment on a post, or e-mail me at jenniferTAKETHISPARTOUTmanullang at gmail-dot-com.

1 comment:

sherileeMarch 5, 2010 at 7:00:00 PM PST
I love quotes in general, and I love all the ones you shared in your post! It's interesting how the ones that acknowledge it's not all sweet tea and sunshine (ha ha) are the ones we can really relate to, since (duh) life just isn't all sweetness... and I swear I wrote my post tonight BEFORE looking at yours, but I think my quote fits in nicely with your theme. (Cue Twilight Zone music.) Happy weekend, dear! xo

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Thanks! –Jen

Mar. 5: Inspiration

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