Public "Thank You!" to Saint Anthony & blogosphere & friends -for memories otherwise lost.. -sandra mickanen
enormously grateful to maritza for taking the time to share her very recent Saint Anthony prayer experience
in the comments section of my several-years-old experience praying to...
and that gap between testimonies,
CH= to the bank robbery experience of course! one of the many gifts of the blogosphere is being able to connect closely, testimonies, despite large time gaps. i still regard it a genuine treasure, its value unquantifiable..
but, decades after i experienced being in a bank that was arm-robbed, i blogged about it, from memory.
WILD TO ME! that sue-sue, a best friend at the time; and the driver.. that she would show up and in comments share her side of the scary story.. we hadn't spoken or connected in a good long time.
AND EVEN WILDER STILL!! -that years later, the ex-boyfriend i reference in the memory, steve shaw, due to a friendship reunion, and chance to talk.. HE grants my wish, and shares his incredible, and previously unknown to me, side of the story in comments of that post also.
being able to read it with my own two eyes.. and process...
it is -one of the highest, most generous and most healing gifts to me..
another belated "THANK YOU!"
hallelujah & amen
writing; the great disincentive -sandra mickanen reporting
let me start with another, "THANK YOU!" to my family for the very generous gift card to massage envy. said thanks, wrote thanks, text thanks.. blog post thanks /shesayswithasmile..
now,
highest praise for the professional who provided my services, which included, my 1st ever, microderm infusion facial.. wow! felt great, felt clean.. felt my skin saying thank you...
her name is chikako (chicago, with k sounds..) high, high recommend. milpitas massage envy.
this next info i write because.. think its funny, and my kids will appreciate, because..
i still just loathe a few things: questionnaires, surveys, ratings, -homework after a restaurant meal or service or shopping of any and every kind
and i loathe, that despite not clicking, or clicking, DO NOT SEND FURTHER emails, texts, no marketing.. etc.
my email still gets bombarded, and 'unsubscribe' either doesnt work, or isnt even offered.
so, while, i thoroughly enjoyed my facial, and was delighted with chikako's professional, kind, thorough service..
here it came: hi sandra, thank you for visiting.. blah, blah
text 1-5 to rate your experience 5=Great, 1=bad..
and i do have a kind of default.. internal surge of .... some combination of exhaustion, frustration, pissed-off-ness.. because this is ridiculous, every place you go, every time, from every one..
enough!
but, prayed to adjust my attitude, and.. reluctantly, but, overriding all my emotions and mood..
i click on 5. 5=Great.
done.
should have been DONE! more than enough...
nope.
that opened a new guilt trip and responsibility: ... blah, blah, to share your experience and shout out Chikako online to earn them an additional bonus! w/link..
good God. now she might not get a bonus she deserves based on whether i..
I... who am enormously burnt out on surveys, ratings, texts.. providing feedback for every. single. frickin' thing i buy, eat, look at, visit...
so i did it. reluctantly. pissed off... but she did provide great service. guilt trip worked.
I had my services, facial, and then a massage, back to back.. or, face to back,
what i mean is, facial tuesday; massage wednesday.
on my way to the massage on wednesday, i was all... in prayer.. super grouchy..
reiterating to the heavens, everything i just said above...
why is it my responsibility? why am i being guilted... why every. frickin' thing... why isn't the 5 ENOUGH?!? why must i have a homework assignment.... God I REALLY, REALLY MISS
the good old days... you just said Thank You... gave a healthy tip... maybe, mentioned to a manager..
anyway,
funny part, i arrive for my massage, all stressed out.. loving Chikako's service, but already dreading the follow up text surveyS that will be coming my way in the after of this massage..
and i laid down on that warm massage table-bed, and the soft music.. and the darkened room...
and Chikako started massaging my shoulders...
and i was suddenly, rather instantantly... calm, cool, collected and at peace with the world.
i laughed to myself, silently... and to the heavens.. i needed an attitude adjustment too.
surrendered to the benefits and experience of this magical, wonderful, over-due massage..
****
a powerful, but brief experience,
because,
I ALREADY GAVE HER A 5... AND! ALREADY GAVE A SHOUT OUT ONLINE SO SHE WONT MISS OUT ON HER BONUS SHE DESERVES, -whether a burnt-out-on-surveys customer says so or not.. !!
so, i know in advance,
well,
DELETE.
******
and reminds me of 2 things:
this, of course,
and,
my husband sharing about EMPLOYEE 'reviews' during his career.
upshot is this: if the manager gave a high rating.. which the employee did deserve..
this high rating mandated the manager would have to also WRITE more about the high rating..
-what manager has time, energy for... writing... explaining... justifying..
so, they would default to 'average' because this did not require any additional writing.
-writing; the great disincentive.
*****
close with one more giant "THANK YOU!" to Amazon....
click on icons.. [delivery was great! on time, care, followed instruction, etc.]
done.
love you for it!
****
hallelujah & amen.
A: a very happy & romantic valentines too! for the micks..
i love that my birthday and valentines are calendar neighbors;
live write next door to each other.
as has been our tradition for several years now:
valentines dinner is in the comfort of our own home.
we decorate the table with flowers, chocolates,
valentines decor of one kind or another..
place cards we've exchanged.. pictures from past dates..
enjoy some bubbly..
and my husband makes us a crazy delicious lobster dinner,
and we spend the rest of the evening
expressing our love for one another
and our gratitude to God, for bringing us together.
hallelujah & amen!
#vellumdays
A: my 'actual' 60th birthday: friday, feb 13th, 2026.. Exceptional!
an exceptional evening
loved everything on our plates at koi palace in milipitas;
and loved listening to fancy nancy order in Chinese..
successfully (although awkwardly) used chop sticks
excellent service, and art & beauty in every direction at the restaurant itself..
followed by..
how fun! champagne toast at the Georges home.. where they had a big
60 fabulous on the tv screen; with a playlist of happy birthday songs in every genre..
flowers, cake, tropical photo backdrop, and very generous birthday gifts..
spoiled me. spoiled us.
"THANK YOU!"
/you know i also sent a handwritten thank you, yes...
their company is so delightful and friendship a giant blessing
LOVE YOU! -your beautiful family...
lots of gratitude prayers...
amen & amen.
#vellumdays
MY PARTY DRESS backstory -sandra mickanen sharing... #fashion #reallifestyles #magicofmacys
what happened really, is that, after i ordered our NFL Super Bowl Logo T-shirts,
when i placed mine on my side of our closet... it was kind of near the dress I wore for New Years Eve welcoming in 2025..
picture: New Years Eve, Meritage resort in Napa Dec 31st, 2024
Entourage Live!
the dress I purchased at Magic of Macy's.. and then went back, and
purchased a 2nd one, just so I could have the matching fabric to have matching sleeves and a matching tie made for my husband..
public "Thank You!" here to Lesa who does all the sewing magic..
now, unfortunately, i could not get the sleeves to stay put while dancing, so ended up, i just placed the sleeves on our table, and grooved on..
kept those sleeves though.. and that dress...
and inspired by the coordinating colors, i put the dress on, put my NFL Super Bowl LX tshirt over the dress... -love! then, kind of held the sleeves up... awesome!
public "Thank You!" again to Lesa.. had the sleeves sewn onto the t-shirt..
i did have to remove the black mesh from the front of the dress myself.. it created too much bulk under the t-shirt, but left the mesh on the back of the dress..
and then.. seemed like such a great opportunity to also use my husband's tie, that had been made to match.. use it as a belt!
-couldn't have been more pleased with the whole result..
then! my sister had mailed me, in advance of our party.. the cutest! most darling bday cake theme earrings, and the colors of the earrings.. -
i asked her if she had sent a spy in advance.. went so well with..
"thank you!" "love you!"
*****
more fun with fashions in 2026... really looking forward to it!!
all tithing and "thank you!" prayers..
#vellumdays
the greatest gift: this memory! -on the morning of my 60th birthday, fri feb 13th, 2026 -sandra mickanen sharing
rereading this post i wrote in 2015... so grateful i took the time to write it; grateful for the inspiration to revisit it; and grateful for this blog which allows me to search via a keyword, access & share it..
click on link below to read: -covers a lot of ground!
A FAVORITE! PERSONAL POST FROM MY ARCHIVES... and "thank you!" here to Maritza, for sharing her very inspiring recent experience; having lost a very special scarf...
Great memories, actually...
"Thank You!"
****
i am not going to rename my blog of 20+ years; i'm not.
but, if i did rename it... i would call it, "Look what God can do!" dot blogspot dot com.
-because, no where, is it my intention to be like, "look at me!"
but rather, for anyone and everyone who knows the entirety of my life story, thus far...
the accumulations of trials, multiple life-threatening traumas, adversities, set-backs, defeats, rejections, struggles big and small..
i made it to due season! from the pit to the palace.. i am a witness! this blog is my testimony!
to God be every glory! hallelujah! selah! & amen!
-leaving all that lies behind, behind.. we will continue to press forward..
loving Jesus with our whole hearts, our whole soul, our whole mind..
loving our neighbors as ourselves..
Today is a very happy, healthy, victorious 60th birthday for me...
"THANK YOU!" friends & family for your love, support, well wishes, cards, gifts, and humorous "congratulations!"
xoxo LOVE YOU WRITE BACK!
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