Getting My Game Face On

In any competition, mental preparation -- in addition to physical prep, of course -- is essential. Getting your head right could be the difference between merely showing up and truly excelling. In order to ensure success, you must get your head right, and get your game face on. I know these things, and that's why I asked my parents and Will if we could go to Santa Barbara for the weekend. Of course, they said yes. 

We had a great time this weekend -- I continued to stuff myself with healthy food (yes, I consider a vegan apple and quince crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to be "healthy" and don't you dare tell me any differently), took long walks (which didn't bother my incision, gut, or portacath in the least), got a good night's sleep, and was inspired by the beauty and power of the ocean. 

Some other highlights:

* We learned that my mom and Will are a supremely talented duo when it comes to washing my hair in a hotel room sink (I can't shower like a normal person until the portacath is for sure, definitely, not even close to becoming infected).

* We learned that extremely hot wasabi has no effect on Will's tongue when he's taken a Vicodin (he had two wisdom teeth out earlier this week and has been milking the pain meds ever since). The stuff that was making my eyes water literally had no effect on Will, who -- as you might have guessed -- is usually a lot wimpier than me when it comes to ingesting wasabi.

* We went to a "metaphysical bookstore," where I stocked up on many sticks of incense and other "metaphysical bookstore" goodies. I'm pretty sure that working at a "metaphysical bookstore" is one of the most stress-free jobs in the world.

* Oh, and I forced my parents to watch The Crazies (I'd already seen it, as is the case with almost all scary movies), which scared the hell out of them. Bonus! 

So why, besides just wanting to spice up my weekend, did I choose to go to Santa Barbara and what the hell does it have to do with my game face?

I spent a lot of time in SB when I was a little one, and I attended an incredible retreat during high school that also took place there. I've got countless wonderful, unforgettable memories from my time in Santa Barbara. It's a place where I feel truly relaxed and energized all at the same time. Before I started my first week of chemo, which begins tomorrow, I knew that I needed to harness some of that special Santa Barbara-inspired peaceful aggressiveness (yes, aggressiveness is a word). During the course of this weekend, I did just that.

The picture below captures my game face on this day, the day before I begin chemo. As you can see, I'm relaxed, engaged, and supremely confident. My body has healed and is ready for battle, and my game face is on. I can't wait for tomorrow. Cancer, you're going down.