by Nicole Ouellette | Aug 13, 2010 | About Us
Friday, August 13. For me, it will always be the day I almost died.
It was 1993 and I was 12 years old, having one of those summers spent almost entirely in the water. I had biked to the town pool only to find it was closed for maintenance. Remembering that my mother was leaving the house, I biked home fast before I was shut out for the afternoon. I remembered looking both ways before crossing the street but clearly I didn’t. I saw red and then it was dark. (Years later, I found out it was a red pickup that hit me when I was telling my mom I had felt uncomfortable sitting in someone’s truck and I didn’t know why. Yup it was a red truck!)
I don’t remember any pain but it was dark and I couldn’t move or open my eyes. I remember hearing people talk all around me and not being able to say anything. I was trapped in my body.
I spent three days in the hospital. I don’t remember much but I remember my family being around and that I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I remember trying repeatedly to make it through a half hour long television show or a chapter in a book but getting a headache before I could finish. I had a concussion. I had an MRI or maybe a CAT scan which I slept through. Overall, I was sleepy and a bit sick to my stomach.
The day I was supposed to go home, I had a seizure. It felt like some big invisible hands were holding me down and pushing my head backward. I tried to mentally overpower it, or at least say something to calm people around me down, but I was trapped in my body again.
by Nicole Ouellette | Mar 27, 2010 | About Us
I write about whatever I want on Friday, because it’s fun. And I can.
I thought I’d take some time to answer a few FAQs about my new addition. Gidget became my dog at about 11 pm on Wednesday night when she, over the course of half an hour, crawled out of her airline crate and accepted a Greenie from me. Here’s more about the whole scenario.
Why Gidget?
Gidget was originally named Corky on the website she was listed on. When I asked the animal shelter director if she’d mind if I changed her name, she didn’t skip a beat. “I mean Corky the Corgi? Were we even trying that day?!?” And everyone I met agreed that this name could not stay, which only reaffirmed what I was going to do anyway.
by Nicole Ouellette | Mar 20, 2010 | About Us
I write whatever I want about at the end of the week. Because I can.
Now that it’s finally sping in my corner of the world, I can advocate walking again.
I mean, we all know that it’s great exercise and doesn’t waste fossil fuels like driving, but these last few sunny days have made me think about the actual reason I enjoy walking: You notice funny things that you never notice when you are driving a car.
I could show any number of lovely photographs of some of Bar Harbor’s more famous landmarks at this point but instead here are some things I’ve driven by a million times but just noticed when I was out walking the other day.
It makes me wonder what else I’ve missed, and makes me think of walks past, like my walk to school on Vinalhaven, my walk into town from my French apartment, or the nightly walk my dog and I used to go on around the block.
by Nicole Ouellette | Feb 26, 2010 | About Us
Every Friday, I write about whatever the heck I want… because it’s fun.
I pretend to hate video games… but I really don’t. I just stay away because I have no self control. Anyone who doubts this should watch me in the same room as a bag of Cap Cod kettle cooked salt and vinegar chips…
Yum.
Oh right, yes, computer games. I may have never got past level three in Super Mario Brothers when I was a kid (or even now) but I did have some games that I was good enough at to actually enjoy.
I started off with Tetris on the Gameboy. That thing got passed around in our family so much, I am surprised it didn’t melt the year we got it.
Briefly in college, there was Snood. I had to uninstall it off my computer, the only time I’ve even had to uninstall anything.
I even went through a Spider Solitaire phase that was so intense, I would dream I was playing it all night. I had reached a point in my life where I had enough self control to just not let myself even open the program for a year. And I’ve gone the last few years being a pretty productive internet user…
by Nicole Ouellette | Jan 12, 2010 | About Us, Blogging, Email Marketing, Good For You, Marketing Monday, Personal Finance Tips, Social Media, Tech, This Week In Business, Too Cute Tuesday, Uncategorized, Websites
Editor’s Note: Thank you all for your kind condolences about the death of my dog. I appreciate your compassion, and am happy to report that I am feeling much better this week. Many thanks.
Know an individual or business doing something cool to promote themselves online? Let me know about it and they might be featured as part of Marketing Monday!
I’d first of all like to keep this blog a positive one. There are so many people doing so many good things online, to promote their business or otherwise.
The only reason this website seems to work is because it belongs to Gwenyth Paltrow. I haven’t found anyone who ‘gets it’.
by Nicole Ouellette | Jan 5, 2010 | About Us
Yes, I know the BE blog is on break, but I was reading this old post that I wrote on my old personal blog after my father died two years ago. I thought it might be appropriate to rework it and post now.
I put my dog down last night, and for those of you who struggle to find words to comfort someone who is grieving, here is a little advice that may be helpful. Thank you to those who have wrote or commented; your kindness is appreciated.
I’ve learned a lot these past two years about losing someone important, first suddenly with my father two years ago, then rather slowly with my dog with her finally passing yesterday. More than anything during these times, I’ve noticed how many important people touch your life and reach out when you need them.
People have said some pretty comforting things to me but also a few odd things. I thought I’d pen a blog sharing these ideas because I find people often don’t know what to say.
