Drink for the Cure

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Do you remember how I said a little while ago how awesome my friends are? Here's an example:

I met Jia a few years ago while helping out with PodCamp. We've maintained one of those peripheral friendquaintenceships that I'm really good at, and when I posted about my surgery a few weeks ago, he dropped me a line.

Which led to us getting together for coffee, and chatting about projects that we're working on and projects we'd like to begin. He started an organization called Couchange, which is a social venture that raises money for nonprofit organizations by converting abandoned assets - such as leftover gift cards - into cash. He discussed making a donation to the Komen Foundation in my name to support breast cancer research, to which I replied that I was about to start fundraising for Race for the Cure, so he could do it through there if he felt so inclined.

So the next day he sends me an email asking how I feel about having a happy hour type fundraiser to help meet my Race for the Cure goal. I visualize a low key evening having some cocktails with friends and think: "Cool. Drinking is way easier than running. I don't even need to train for that. I'm in!"

The next thing I know, there are belly dancers and lingerie models and local artists and all of these amazing and talented people coming together to create this fundraising event that benefits the Komen foundation and my Race for the Cure efforts. (Which reminds me...no pressure or anything, but I guess I should start running...)

Sooo....here are the details:

Saturday, May 1st from 7-10PM at the Firehouse Lounge & Embury at 2216 Penn Avenue. (Embury, by the way, is rumored to have some rather delicious cocktails. Which I am looking forward to verifying for myself.)

The evening features a fashion show and lingerie auction, fire arts, bellydancing and other fun events, including:

• Master of Ceremonies, Kellee Maize (http://www.kelleemaize.com)
• Fashion Show and Lingerie Auction by Jonäno (http://www.jonano.com)
• Bellydancing by Hot Metal Muses, Vyora of Tribe of Azhar, and Scheiny
• Fire Arts by Erika May (http://www.erikamay.com)
• DJ 7up (http://www.steelcityfunk.com)
• Art by Natalie Gable, LMFC

Tickets are on sale now for $8 through ShowClix (http://www.showclix.com/event/9401) and Venmo (use your mobile to buy tickets now by texting "Pay Couchange 8 for DrinkCure" to 646-863-9557) or $10 cash at the door. Ticket cost includes the first drink for free and half off appetizers. Ages 21 and over, so parents, leave the kids at home.

All proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Race for the Cure, with additional awareness, information and speakers from BRICKS for Young Adults, Gilda's Club Western PA, and the Cancer Caring Center. I'll also have some information there about a new photography project I'm putting together, which I'm pretty excited about.

Also, just wanted to give a shout out and a huge thank you to Jia for spearheading this whole thing, and to the other organizers, entertainers, and artists who have donated their time and talent to the planning and execution of what is shaping up to be a great evening.

Now, I just have to make sure I don't get the dates for Drink for the Cure and Race for the Cure mixed up.

Just in case, if you happen to see a girl at Embury on May 1st wearing sweatbands and running shoes, it is most assuredly not me.

Tags: Around town, brca, breastcancerresearch, couchange, drinkforthecure, embury, Events, firehouselounge, hereditarycancer, ihaveawesomefriends, jiaji, Just me, raceforthecure

Racing for the Cure

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Well, I'm doing it again this year. I'm running in the Komen Pittsburgh Race for the Cure, to raise money for breast cancer research.

This will be my fourth year racing. This year, as you may know, my reasons for running are even more personal. As a result, I've upped the ante for the amount I'm hoping to raise: my fundraising goal this year is $2000. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so on my Race for the Cure page. Anything you can give is both helpful, and very much appreciated.

Of course, I use the term 'racing' pretty loosely. Because - just between you and me - I think the last time I ran was during last year's Race for the Cure. Which doesn't bode well for my:
endurance
physique
chances of coming out of this with any shred of ego intact

For kicks, I went through a list of more likely scenarios for me on race day:

Gimpy Shuffling for the Cure
Getting Lapped by Old Ladies using Walkers for the Cure
Publicly Humiliating Yourself in Front of Thousands of People for the Cure

Unfortunately, none of those have quite the same ring to them as Racing for the Cure. Which means I should probably go for a jog. Or perhaps begin with a brisk walk. I finally got the ok from my surgeon to start running again, so I have no excuses and exactly 4 weeks to make sure those alternate descriptions don't become my reality. Zero to 3.2 miles in four weeks. (Anyone care to place a friendly wager on what that likelihood of success might be?)

To help motivate myself, I hung up a picture of me after last year's race:



Ok, fine.

It was maybe a little more something like this:


(You may be wondering why I appear to have the body of a man in these images. I haven't been able to find a scientific explanation for it, but it only happens when I run. Weird, I know.)

Tags: Around town, brca2, breastcancer, breastcancerresearch, hereditarycancer, hopingnottocrylikealittlegirlhalfamileintothis, Just me, komenfoundation, notarunner, pittsburghraceforthecure, racingforthecure, savethetatas