Thursday, September 27, 2007

Bringing Sexy Back

Sometimes there are drawbacks to being one of the last American families without cable.

Like being clueless about the ending of The Sopranos.
And being confused by references to Pimp My Ride.
And missing the documentary Crazy, Sexy Cancer on The Learning Channel (TLC).

I could get 100% behind the "crazy" part of the title. (If it had been "kooky," I really would have embraced it.) But I was a little confused about how cancer could be "sexy."

Film maker Kris Carr explains it best in her Crazy Sexy Cancer blog (grammatical errors are Carr's, not mine):

"Cancer ISN'T sexy, the soulful women who have it ARE. We are warriors, angels, vibrant hot tomatoes and cancer can not take that away from us. Cancer cowgirls are empowered, whole, thrivers with or without the disease. I refuse to let cancer break my spirit, victimize me, or make me feel like a sick person - so I CHOOSE to believe that I am more alive, beautiful and yes, sexier (AKA empowered, passionate and intriguing) than ever before! Why not?
By that definition, I AM sexy, even with a Marine hairstyle, slack skin and a pipeline coming out of my chest.

Carr goes on to write, "I don't look at my journey as if it is a battle (partly because I hope I don't lose) so instead I call it my cancer adventure story."

I love that! When I first received my diagnosis, a friend said something similar to me: "Don't think of yourself as a sick person. Think of yourself as someone who has something interesting going on in her body."

And let's face it: it has been an adventure. A crazy, interesting and - yes, sexy - adventure.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Smooky, I don't have cable either, but I do have Netflix to keep my pop culture IQ at an acceptable level.

Crazy Sexy Cancer does not appear to be on DVD yet, but I'm sure it will be soon.

SAMO Calling said...

Susan - I'm ready to give up my cable. I don't even watch TV. I only watch news - and even then, I get plenty of that at work online. I catch up on other happenings thru friends. Cable is so darned expensive! So hanging with friends with cable will keep you as in touch as you really need to be with all that. Pluswhich Sopranos needed to be seen with company. Now, CSC sounds intriguing. Better go talk to my cabled Tivo'd friends now....

Margaret said...

Hey! I don't have cable either. But it does sound like a life-affirming documentary.

Karen said...

And let's face it: it has been an adventure. A crazy, interesting and - yes, sexy - adventure.


Weeeelll ... I guess someone took Paula's suggestion about the "Big O" to heart!

Anonymous said...

Fran Drescher seems to have it...see Cancer Schmancer book....Susan, you never had to bring it back...you've always had it, Baby! Love, Suz

janet aird said...

Wow. Not that you would have chosen this, but I think your life has an amazing texture and depth because of the way you're handling it. I'm very, very grateful you're sharing it with us.

Lilli said...

No marine ever looked as sexy as you with your super short hair!

Mrs. Duck said...

Susan, you never cease to delight and amaze! You go, you sexy thing!

A friend once told me: "Sexiness is being smart, strong and enthusiastic." You beat everyone I know, hands down.

Mrs. Duck