Hi, guys--
So I am well aware that blogs should be focused on one topic and that they should be updated regularly--weekly or even several times a week. I have EVERY INTENTION of making that happen. But here's the problem: I can't just cram in "write a blog" in the middle of all my shit. I need TIME and SPACE for the creative juices to flow. (Or I need a ghostwriter, right @winediva?)

See? Even just now I am distracted by a Reply on my Twitter feed to my post of "Working on a blog that will essentially summarize why I am a terrible blogger." And I have five replies and am now torn as to whether to reply back or not. DAMMIT. Tweetdeck--OFF.

Reminds me of that joke: "How many people with ADD does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer: "Wanna go ride bikes?"

SORRY! Sorrysorrysorry. Okay, let's try that again.

So instead of being super-creative and thoughtful, I am going to take the lazy way out and offer a roundup to skim the events of the past few weeks at Planet Cancer so you'll know why my blogging sucks, starting in mid-April. A travelogue, if you will....

But if you make it through the whole thing, hopefully you'll have a little better idea of the things we do to keep the Planet spinning and get the word out to the people who can help us grow this awesome community of ours. So.

TOUR DE LIS: April 17-19
Courtney and I headed down to New Orleans to meet friends and family for this fundraising bike ride, started by the family of Josh and Abby Lipschutz, survivors of PC's first couples retreat. It benefits the Cancer Assn of Greater New Orleans, Planet Cancer, and the Lance Armstrong Fdtn. Omigosh, y'all: it was AWESOME. I think all of you should join us in NOLA next year! Here's a little video action so you can see what it's like:

Which leads me to...

ONS CONGRESS: April 29-May 2
The Oncology Nursing Congress is the national conference for our beloved oncology nurses. This year, their conference was held in San Antonio--conveniently close to Austin--so we headed down there to hand out Planet Cancer information and hang with fellow advocates, including Lindsay and Joyce from Fertile Hope, the gals from Cancer and Careers and the ubiquitous Jonny Imerman from Imerman Angels. It was also a reunion of sorts with Jon and Johnna, the uber-volunteers, and with Kaye Weinrich, another PC couples retreat alumna, who held down the booth since Courtney and I could only stay for a day, because that Saturday night was...

FLAMINGO-A-GOGO: May 2
Planet Cancer's annual fundraiser in Austin. Even swine flu couldn't stop us. (Don't. Even. Get. Me. Started.) I think I shall make this a photo entry. For more photos of the shenanigans, go towww.annieray.net.

Olympic swimmer and testicular cancer survivor Eric Shanteau, pinked out!

Everyone giving cancer the bird! This was awesome. Especially the children in the front row. Oops.

That next Thursday I was back on a plane heading to...

AOSW, Savannah, GA
The annual conference for the national Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW). Here's what I do at these things:

"Please, take my pens. They're funny! They say 'We've done drugs Keith Richards never heard of!' And then send all your young adult patients to Planet Cancer and My Planet. Kthxbai."

And then...I was off to Atlanta to receive an award from theAmerican Cancer Society. But I'm going to stop this interminable blog post right here and now and I'll make that a separate entry. Because it was actually pretty cool and slightly surreal. And I don't have photos yet.

So...I'll be back soon. No, seriously.

The End.