Julia O'Sullivan:  

I always wanted to be FAMOUS, WEALTHY, & A PHILANTHROPIST, NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER (AND I HAVE BEEN SEMI-FAMOUS, AND I HAVE GIVEN OF MYSELF TO OTHERS, IN VARIOUS WAYS, TO HELP THEM ALONG THEIR WAY; BUT, I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE WEALTH -- AS I'D REALLY LOVE TO HELP DESERVING PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. My family and friends thought that was a UNIQUE idea. Currently, I have dedicated my donations to the Philippines Mission for Children, which is viewable via Harry Conner's Facebook Page, or his gofundme page for the P.M.C. I am in the process of collecting boxes of things to ship over, hopefully in March (2017). It is wonderful to see the faces of the more than 850 (and growing, literally and figuratively) number of children being fed, educated, and, groomed in G-dly ways, by a wonderful group of volunteers, since only April, 2016! We could really use your support. The Filipino folks are extraordinarily grateful for all the offerings - as they are mostly a very poor country, but a beautiful group of people. I've loved their peoples for nearly 30 years, now....would you please consider helping out with a donation(s) - any amount helps, as U.S.D. go much further than local currency, due to the exchange rate. You will be able to see pictures of each week's feedings - of the beautiful little ones who are benefiting! Please look up on gofundme - Philippines Mission for Children, and, give whatever you can - every $$ counts!! Thank you...they are thankful, and, so am I! G-d Bless you for caring. How do you blow off steam? Describe your favorite way to relax. I PICTURE STEAM COMING OUT OF MY EARS, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION! LOL. I SUPPOSE I'D HAVE TO SAY, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, AND VISUALIZING BETTER THINGS. :-) AND, IF I HAD TO NARROW IT DOWN, I'D SAY, I SPEND MUCH OF MY TIME RELAXING WITH MY DOGS & CAT, WATCHING TV -- SOMETIMES WITH MY LAPTOP, AND, SOMETIMES JUST TALKING TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS -- AND, SOMETIMES, I JUST SPENDING TIME TALKING WITH G-D....AND BEING A PART OF THIS BEAUTIFUL WORLD WE LIVE IN! PRAYER AND MEDITATION GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS GETTING THROUGH LIFE'S TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS...,AND, SO DOES SINGING! I finally started getting out, at least once a month - to sing Karaoke...which is lots of fun, and, hey - I have a great voice - because I practice, and, I "sing as if no one is listening!" And, thankfully people enjoy it! Do you have a hero? Talk about where your inspiration comes from. CHRISTOPHER REEVE...AND HIS WIFE, DANA, AND THEIR CHILDREN. AFTER HIS INJURY, CHRIS BECAME MORE FAMOUS THAN EVER, AND REALLY HELPED MEDICAL SCIENCE, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH FOR PARALYZED PEOPLE, WITH HIMSELF TAKING HIS FIRST STEPS, YEARS LATER, IN A POOL, SUPPORTED BY STAFF-- WHAT A MIRACLE! I HAVE HIS BOOK -- "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE" -- IT IS ONE YOU CANNOT PUT DOWN, AND IT WAS ONE OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER THAT HE WROTE AFTER HE WAS INJURED! G-D REST HIS SOUL. I BET HE'S WALKING TALL IN HEAVEN! HIS WIFE, DANA, SHE WAS SUCH AN ANGEL, HERSELF, WITH HER DEVOTION TO HER HUSBAND; AND, HOW SHE HAD TO TAKE CARE TO BREATHE FOR HIM, WITH A HAND PUMP, DURING A WINTER OUTAGE, AND, SHE DID MORE THAN SOME, MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN MANY, BUT, SHE WAS VERY DEVOTED -- THAT WAS LOVE, AND INSPIRATION. G-D REST HER SOUL AS WELL. OH, AND, IN THE BOOK, WHEN YOU READ ABOUT CHRIS ONE DAY MOVING A FINGER -- HIS/THEIR WHOLE WORLD BECAME A MOMENT WHEN TIME STOOD STILL, AS HE SHARED THE REVELATION WITH HIS FAMILY. I HAVE A LITTLE SUPERMAN FIGURINE SITTING IN MY HOME OFFICE (FORMER OFFICE - SINCE I BECAME DISABLED....CANCER, NOT PARALYZED, BUT, IT PARALYZED MY LIFE IN MANY WAYS. I WOULD OFTEN LOOK AT CHRIS'S BOOK...AS A REMINDER -- "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE" -- THANK YOU, CHRIS (AND, DANA) REEVE!! BTW - though, I was paralyzed for a short term, due to a botched medical procedure, from the waist down, which left residual damage, though it is not particularly noticeable, thankfully. :-) MY GREAT- GRANDMA WAS MY EARLIEST HERO, MY PARENTS (ALL OF THEM) HAVE BEEN HEROES THROUGHOUT MY LIFE (ESPECIALLY MY DADDY BEFORE HE PASSED ON NEW YEAR'S 2011-2012...REST IN PEACE, DADDY - UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN)...AND, SO MANY OF MY RELATIVES HAVE BEEN HEROES THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, INCLUDING MY SISTER, AMY - WHO LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE TWICE IN HOSPITAL SETTINGS, AND, I THANK G-D FOR HER BEING THERE AND FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE! My Mother has been one of my greatest supporters, best friend, and, beloved teacher, mentor, and, caregiver, throughout much of my life. She is truly heroic. I am Blessed by her and all her mothers before her. :-) My husband was very inspirational to me. Because of how he passed from this world, I have become a strong advocate for Military Veterans, and, their Survivors/Dependents, using our Legislators and Talk Radio, and social media. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD. I KNOW I HAVE - AND I KNOW YOU HAVE/CAN TOO!! :-D I'VE HAD MANY OTHER HEROES THROUGHOUT MY LIFE - THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE, AND, THOSE WHO DON'T - I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND, WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU! :-) WHEN PEOPLE ASK IF HAVE ANY KIDS, I (SOMETIMES) SAY YES - THREE DOGGERS...THEY THINK I'M SAYING DAUGHTERS...AS I PROCEED TO TELL THEM ABOUT SASHA, TATUM, AND BONNIE - or nowadays - Tatum, Bonnie, Sophie, and, a 2 1/2 year old boy, Aubrey.. LOLLOL. THEY'RE MY FAMILY, my BFFs -- G-D BLESSED ME WITH THE FURRY KIND OF KIDS. :-D Life doesn't always turn out the way you expect. What's been your biggest surprise? LEARNING I HAD CANCER -- THOUGH I HAD SISPECTED IT WAS SOME SORT OF CANCER. I HAD SYMPTOMS THAT WERE VISIBLE BACK WHEN I WAS A YOUNG KID, AND, I HAD SPURTS GROWING INTO MY TEENS, THROUGHOUT MY TEEN YEARS, ON AND OFF, AND THEN ON AND OFF THROUGHOUT MY 20'S, AND THEN BY THE TIME I WAS APPROXIMATELY 31 YEARS OLD, I'M NOW 44, (07/16/08) (NOW NEARING 50, - JULY 15, 2013), WHEN MY SYMPTOMS CAME ON PRETTY MUCH MOST OF THE TIME, AND EVENTUALLY, IT WAS ALL THE TIME -- UNTIL I FINALLY GOT ON THE ONE MEDICINE, OF WHICH I HAVE AN INFUSION PUMP, THE SIZE OF A PAGER (IT'S LIKE AN INSULIN PUMP), SUPPLYING ME WITH A STEADY STREAM OF THE MEDICATION WHICH CONTROLS THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS DISEASE, AND, NOW, I'M DOING BETTER. I SPENT YEARS BEING TESTED, MISDIAGNOSED, AND THEN IT WAS STILL YEARS LATER THAT THE DOCTORS WOULD GIVE ME THE MEDICINE, BECAUSE OF THE COST -- THAT'S WHEN I STOOD UP AND SPOKE OUT!!! HOW DARE THEY (DRS.) TALK TO ME ABOUT COST -- YOU CAN BET IF IT WAS THEM, OR THEIR FAMILY, IN QUESTION. THEY WOULD NOT WAIT TO BE PUT ON THE MEDICINE. THANK G-D I HAVE SOME GOOD DOCTORS ON MY TEAM, NOW...I'M VERY BLESSED, FINALLY. I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH SOME MEDICAL PROVIDERS, AND I TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO LEARN FROM MY KNOWLEDGE, AND, EXPERTISE, FROM YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND, STUDYING OTHER PATIENTS A...Expand for more