Tickled Pink Cookbook

Two things happened in January 2006 that has changed the course of my life. The first one when I signed up to walk in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer (WEBC) benefiting the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, and the second one was I was laid off from work.

I think of the second event as a game of musical chairs for grown ups. I was left standing when the music stopped. Oh well – life happens.
Now, what do I do to fill my days? There’s one thing you have to know about me --- I am one of those crazy women who cooks dinner, while working on a PowerPoint Presentation, setting up meetings, texting, spending time with my husband, feeding our gorgeous cat and watching TV all at the same time. I thrive on stress. I love being busy. Without a job, what do I do now? Woe is me. I have no job. BOO HOO! It was a total pity party. I whined ... and whined ... and whined ... (and yes, lots of WINE too!)

One day, I came across a website with profiles of women battling cancer. It broke my heart because it reminded me of what my mother went through when I was 10 years old. IT WAS MY WAKE UP CALL. OMG!!! How dare I sit here and feel sorry for myself! I didn’t have a job but I WAS NOT FIGHTING CANCER!!! How shallow was I to think that not having a job was the worst thing that could happen to me?
So I decided to take action! No more pity parties. I did my research on how I can help raise money for a cure. I clicked on the Alberta WEBC site to get fundraising ideas and saw that this team had put together a cookbook to fundraise for their walk. This was it!! This was my new project (oh yes, and to find a job, too – but I had a lead, so that could wait). As I bounded upstairs from my home office in the basement, I proudly proclaimed to my bewildered husband “ I (read We) am going to publish a cookbook!!!!!!’ Now, you have to know my husband – the man has never said no to me in 25 years together. He shakes his head in a yes motion and goes “OK.”
Armed with nothing more than a blind ambition and visions of a best seller (You have to sell 5000 copies in Canada to be a best seller), I set off to make this cookbook to be different from the tens of thousands on the book shelves. How? This cookbook will have 2 special key ingredients ... 1) Stories from the people whose lives were affected by the Big C 2) 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will go directly to cancer research. For once I’m doing something that is ‘not about me’, but for someone else. I LOVE IT!
I sent out a few emails, and in no time, I had my first recipe and story submission and a PUBLISHER!! OMG!! I have a PUBLISHER! (Oprah, are you there?) So, off to the bank I go, and to take out a personal loan to pay for the printing of this masterpiece.

Recipes and stories I asked for – and recipes and stories I got. The submissions came from all over the world and the stories will bring tears to the most hardened soul. Many of the stories brought tears to my eyes (and this is something that is usually reserved for the WEBC opening ceremonies). These stories will make you believe that this world is filled with a lot of wonderfully warm, inspiring and giving people.

Tickled Pink Cookbook was launched on June 1, 2007 – the first day of the 2007 WEBC event. We’ve sold them through our website, through stores that don’t forego their commissions or profits (they get the giving-back-to-your-community spirit), through friends and family and out of the trunks of our cars. To date, we’ve raised over $50,000 for cancer research and have sold 2,500 (not quite a best seller according to the experts – but it is to us).
If you want a cookbook that will fill your stomach and your heart -- visit our website at WWW.Tickledpinkcookbook.com – PLEASE make sure you put the word “cookbook” in – I can’t be responsible for the site you will visit!!

As for the job situation – I did get another one (like everyone told me I would). Apparently, there are thousand jobs out there ... but you only have 1 life. Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much!