Ok, now that I have your attention I would like to share a little joy with you.
Yeah, that kind of joy, without the consumption. Do you want to feel good? Upbeat? Energized? With a feeling that you can conquer the world? Have you met anyone who makes you feel all that? (Crap I sound like a commercial!)
I have been lucky enough to meet someone like that and the more that I’m in her presence the more I want to be. The first time I met Jodi Pliszka (and her beautiful daughter) was at a Healing Angels retreat (for cancer survivors) and I was extremely impressed by her, but you can read all about that experience here.
You might recognize her from being on “American Inventor”(reality show).
I was fortunate enough to get to go to this year’s healing angel retreat as the photographer and got to meet up with Jodi Pliszka once again. I tell you, I walked away from that evening on clouds and ready to take on King Kong if he crossed my path.
At the time, I asked Jodi if I could share a photo or two that I took of her with my blog, after she pushed me off the chair she said yes and helped me back to my feet. Because I’ve been so busy she probably thinks I have forgotten. {Ok, I procrastinate, but this post isn’t about me. Move along.}
Jodi is an amazing woman, living with alopecia (no hair), she has a great sense of humor and wonderful spirit that just rubs off on you when you’re in her presence. I’m telling you, if you have the opportunity to meet her, or hear her speak, GO! Don’t even hesitate.
While I was there, I purchased her autobiography (Bald is Beautiful) and although I just started it (about 3 chapters into it - yes I‘m slow, get over it) I can tell you ,I love her writing style and her spirit comes out in her written word. I’m sure she has no idea that I was going to go on and on about her like this, and I bet I’ll make her blush if she finds this, but if you have a minute run off to her website and see what she has to offer (Headline it, children’s books, a bald cat or two and a lot of personality). I know that if you email her she will respond back (and leave you with warm fuzzies), I don’t know when she sleeps.
Jodi autographing Bella.
I hope I left you feeling energized and refreshed (and full of cake).
PS - I'm still jealous that she never has to shave her legs. How's that fair?!
Meeting people like Jodi is definitely a gift. I'll be sure to keep my eye out for her...who knows, maybe I'll invite her to Floyd! And congrats on the photography gig...
ReplyDeletePS: after going to your link for the older post I say again that I like your new web design SO much more!
I saw good images - but moreover - you made me really hungry for cake! ;)
ReplyDeleteCheers, Klaus
She sounds a very inspiring woman.
ReplyDeleteWell, I have to admit there! I was at first thinking OMG she's trying to make me fatter than I already am becoming! But then I would have read that post either way! Very inspiring!
ReplyDeleteI know several people who energize me the way Jodi does you... I need to see them more often! Gorgeous pics (as usual). I especially like then hand-holding one. It literally took my breath away. Strange, huh? I've always been a sucker for a good hand picture.
ReplyDeleteMy co-worker is bald from chemo, including no eyebrows or eyelashes, so I noticed those right away on the book cover! I wonder why she did it like that? Anyway, I'll have to look for her book! She sounds wonderful :)
ReplyDeleteI am trying not to eat right now because we're going out to eat at a restaurant with tons of fattening food tonight. But that cake has me drooling right now!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd Jodi sounds like an amazing woman! It's rare to meet such inspirational people in this life.
Oh my goodness, Lisa! This post was amazing. The photos were beautiful, and the post in general just made me cry. I have a friend who has cancer and only has two weeks left to live. She was just diagnosed this past winter with ovarian cancer that had been there for THREE years undetected! She just discovered that she was misdiagnosed and it was not ovarian cancer, but colon cancer. She was getting the wrong chemo and now it is too late. I visited her in the hospital the other day and she looked like an angel. So beautiful. It just makes me so sad to know what she and her family are going through. She's a trooper and has come to grips with knowing she will only have a short time left on earth. This post just made me think of her and all her bravery.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, you had me at the chocolate cake!
ReplyDeleteThat is so great you had the opportunity to be part of this inspiring woman's life - if only for a little while. Good thing I'd just polished off a sizable slice of chocolate cake or I might have been less sanguine seeing these luscious photos....
ReplyDeleteI fell in love with a man with alopecia. It was his bald head that made me turn my head and take a second look at him when we passed each other at the library. He smiled at me, I smiled at him, we talked then exchanged phone numbers. We dated for two months and then he told me that he doesn't shave his head, he has alopecia ... zero body hair whatsoever. That was when I noticed he didn't have eyebrows or eyelashes. His charming personality made me miss that. We dated for almost a year and he always teased me that the bathroom cleaning duties were mine because it was my hair on the floor.
ReplyDelete