bse saves lives

October is breast cancer awareness month...Ladies and gentlemen...yes I said gentlemen and ladies..I want all of you to give your loved ones a gift that will take you 10 minutes (or less) a month but at the same time give you additional years to love them. Everyone, men included should be doing their breast self exams. Yes the gentlemen should also be doing them...same technique as the ladies use--just less tissue to go over. If everyone did their own breast self exams the incidence of fatal breast cancers would be cut by 90%...The scary information comes next: The different sizes and cure-ability of a tumor found by a doctor at an occasional checkup is the size of a marble and stage V (less than 20% survival), by a doctor at an annual exam-- the size of a small grape and stage IV (about 50% survival), by the occasional breast self exam a pea and stage III (75% survival) but by the monthly breast self exam a small grain of rice and stage I (99+% survival) and this typically is curable by outpatient surgery and seldom even needs anything else but attentive followups by a good medical team.

Are we going to be afraid of something that can be cured without the loss of a significant body part! NO most of us have cut ourselves by accident and have a bigger scar than the removal of a grain of rice--often it is now done as an outpatient and you can be back at work the same day. On the 4th of each month remind 4 others to do their breast self exams. Breast cancer in men is rare but 5 minutes a month can save their lives, too. If you do not know how to do a breast self exam check the Breast self exam site or ask your primary care medical professional (http://breastselfexam.ca/section4slide5.html) and for the gentlemen please check (http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/guys/tse.html) about testicular cancer--no reason to die since it is curable and you can do both exams in 10 minutes.
What a gift to give your loved ones--your life!

Peace and do your self exams!

Had the information been available in 1953 my grandmother might have lived a longer life! She had the first radical double mastectomy for breast cancer performed in Idaho in 1952 and died in 1955 of breast and ovarian cancer that spread from the breast cancer.

TAT Apprentice Phase 1 started May 2010

Random thoughts about beginning the Tatters Across Time, Inc proficiency program. It has 3 parts or phases. Phase 1 aka Apprentice is an incredible way to improve your tatting abilities--yes I've been tatting 25 plus years and am learning more than I thought I would over the 3 phases. I have done 1 yes just the first pattern and the learning curve is more like straight up--no curve yet!!! As per their request I will not be posting pictures nor patterns to help keep the integrity of they program intact. If you want the patterns or more information it is available from the Tatters Across Time, Inc website.

So far I have learned that the way I have been doing my rings although not wrong; there is a better way that makes them a/look nicer and b/be easier to open when necessary. I've also learned a better way to do picots and joins. Just different and it gives an improved look to the tatting I do. I now have been using the improved techniques for just a couple hours and find myself doing them automatically already. I actually have to consciously think to not use the technique until it says to in the exercise! This program is incredible just in the amount of knowledge it is sharing and pushing me to improve my tatting. The cost of the entire program is less than $200 and well worth it as far as I can see at this point. The first part is the least expensive and after the first exercise I know I've gotten my money's worth! If you are considering tackling this program it is an incredible learning experience. I'd say I started with a tatting high school diploma and the Apprentice phase will leave me a tatting college graduate with graduate school coming--not scary, not intimidating just an incredible experience available for anyone who wishes to try it. You have the time you need to do this so you don't have to tat fast just accurately and with awareness of what you are doing. You think of your tatting skill in a whole new way. Of course I have not, and will not, send anything in until I have it done as per the instructions. You do send it all in at once for 3 evaluators to decide if it needs to be improved and re-tat or it is acceptable the way it is. Kind of scary waiting for feedback after what will be several months of work and then another 2 months of awaiting their decision. I know I tat well but have not had the feedback of others "judging" my efforts. Yes the items I've tatted get raves. The specific techniques I use are just accepted and the entire item is enjoyed for what it is...not how it is constructed. I'll not loose any sleep but it is a new experience.

This is the first post on this subject and I will strive to post at least twice a month and hopefully weekly. Look out Mondays...

Peace, C

computer problems

My tolerance for computer problems has always been very low and after waiting 10 days to get my computer back, connected it all up. Started it....and it still takes 45 minutes yes that was confirmed by a count up by seconds timer!but is seemed longer! It takes 45 minutes to connect and it took 15 tries and a bunch of white screens and start overs. I promised I will not use naughty words but boy oh boy do I have a list I could put in about now! Dear hubby, Doug, will talk to the tech on Monday and I'll probably take in in shortly (March 29, 2010) after so he can try again. He thought he had the problem corrected--but I have reason to believe it is not fixed because it is still having the same problem! Until I get my computer with win xp on it back I am using Doug's computer with win 7 that is incredibly challenging to use. If someone has a way to make it work easier or explain how to make it work I'm willing to listen and try. Peace and namaste....

posting a picture

Sorry I have been trying to learn how to add a pic for awhile. My daughter had these pearls but didn't want to put them on a post earring back so I used Nina Libin's Basic Earring Pattern and did a variation that would work for her. My daughter does not like "big" earrings (sorry Nina but she says yours are "big" we can agree to disagree on definitions here...) but wanted to wear the pearls with a black/gray/white dress that goes beautifully with her pearl necklace. I made my own variation on Nina's pattern so it worked for us--a big Thank you to Nina for sharing the pattern! Peace everyone and I will do my best to post more often and add pics on a regular basis too!