Sixth set of Relay pics....

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The HHS ROTC Color Guard

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Survivors walking into the seating area after the dinner that they enjoyed...prepared by the Oviedo Women's Club.
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My brother and Jackie releasing their butterflies. Every survivor got one at the dinner and they were told when to release them.

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Living in the moment. Taking it all in...

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Fifth set of Relay pics...

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This is Zach Majka. He was the honorary chairperson of the Oviedo Relay event. He is holding the torch that went around the track the entire 18 hours of the Relay and was passed around each lap. He has survived cancer 3 times. What a trouper!!! His mom is following behind him. She, too, is a cancer survivor as is her mother, Zach's grandmother!
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This is Zach breaking the banner (which says "Celebrate") to start the survivor lap. Both the OHS Lion mascot and the HHS Huskie mascot were pulling the banner. If you look carefully, you can see the HHS drumline in front of the banner. They led the way for the march/walk/relay against cancer.
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On the survivor lap...my brother and my friend Jackie.

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Here they are coming up on the last curve of the lap. They look like true survivors...warriors for the rest!

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These gentlemen were holding up the rear. They had the Relay banner and everyone else joined in the walking behind them.

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Fourth set of Relay pics...

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Here we are walking the second lap...only the survivors walk the first lap. By his look, my brother took this very seriously. It was raining from the time the survivors came out from their nice dinner. It wasn't a hard rain and we walked on grass but it was really crowded for a while. There were a lot of people there.
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This pic is after our laps (we did two). Kent was taking the pics so he isn't in any but It was still a family affair!
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This is my friend Jackie with me. She walked the survivor lap with my brother.

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Another picture of my brother, sister and I along with my sister's husband and my son, KJ. He doesn't look happy but he is inside. (He's 15!)

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The luminaries that they set up for the 9 pm lighting. It was really nice. The rain slowed down enough for the candles to stay lit through the ceremony.

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Third set of pics

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Walking a lap around 11:00 pm. Kent stopped by after dinner to bring me some "stuff" to finish out the night and to drop KJ off. He snapped some pictures while he was with me. You can see that the lighting was really good. And the rain had stopped for a little while. It started back up after he left but stopped for good around 1 am.
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The torch was passed to me while Kent was walking with me. A cool experience. It went around the track all night long. I carried it twice. (I was wearing Kent's jacket while he was with me as he got hot and I was cold.)
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Kent got a glimpse of a teammate folding up one of the tents. It was near the end...I think around 10:30 am. I was still walking!!!

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I walked with many different people during the hours I walked. This was Mitch (Mitchell Wade Salons). What a nice guy! We had a very nice chat. His booth had Mardi Gras as their holiday, hence the beads he was wearing.

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Karl came with Kent to carry a few things back home (via car) that were needed for the team booth. I think he was proud of me. (At least, I hope he was.) I was tired!!!

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Second set of Relay pics

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A sign in front of the high school where the Relay For Life in Oviedo was held. It was put up a couple of weeks before the event so people could see it as they passed by on Lockwood Blvd.
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These cups were placed in the fence for all to see prior to the event. There's an arrow on the far right leading to the entrance where people turn in to park.
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Paint The Town Purple was an incentive for local businesses to get involved. For every $100 donation to the American Cancer Society, the business received a large purple ribbon to place on their door (or in some prominent spot). There were many throughout Oviedo.
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This was how my first pair of shoes looked after the walk. I wore three pairs altogether but these were worn the most hours. They were my old running shoes from back in the day (I believe it was a Wednesday!) when I could run in races. Now, my shin splints remind me of my age and limitations. The other two things are tally marks on the sleeve of my t-shirt to keep track of all the laps. I know I missed a few as I got distracted talking to new friends. The three markers were used - one for each hundred laps.

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A close up of my shoes. They were very good to me especially in the rain. My feet stayed dry the entire time it rained and even afterwards as the grass was drying off. New Balance are awesome!!!

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Relay For Life Pics

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Here is the booth that the team created. Our team is "The Broken Chain Gang". Each team was to pick a holiday and theme the booth around that. Ours was Memorial Day and we were very patriotic.
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The raffle area was on the side of the booth. You bought tickets and put your ticket into the bags. Winners were called the next day just before noon.
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Another view of the tent. Notice all the red, white and blue.

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My brother and my friend Jackie coming into the Survivor seating area for the opening ceremony.

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The HHS drumline marching in with their signature cadence (my younger son is the first base drum).

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When you talk the talk...

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You better walk the walk!!!
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I DID IT!!!
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I walked from 7:18 pm until noon today!!! I did 234 laps which is the ecquivalent of 47 miles!!! I feel sore but very accomplished. It rained until 1 or 2 am and some of it was fairly steady rain. I used my umbrella for that time.
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I met some amazing people there. Many were survivors who came to help others and take part in something that they want to see eradicated. We talked while we walked. I made a lot of friends and we have the same commitments to seeing this through. Hoping that one day, cancer will be a thing of the past.
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The whole atmosphere was of hope and courage. Laughter and excitement. Pride and love.
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I am touched by those who walked with me to find out why I was walking "that extra mile". They wanted to help me keep going. That was so cool of them to want to do. I loved the atmosphere and the encouragement by others. We all shared in that. Today might have seemed like it was all about me but it wasn't. It was all about a cause which I took to heart.
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My final laps approaching 12 noon were very memorable. There were many people all around me, even the whole "Broken Chain Gang" team was there walking the last two laps cheering me on. I received many hugs and hand shakes congratulating me for my accomplishment. It moved me to tears as I tallied up my last marks on my sleeve.
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There is no worse battle than having to fight for your life. To face the gates of death and know that you have to move on, you can't take a break, you can't give up. I had a choice, I didn't have to do what I did. I could go on with my life with no difference if I did give up my walking goal. But those fighting cancer don't have that option. They have to overcome the chemo, the radiation, the surgeries, the boodwork, loss of hair, loss of weight, loss of freedom and independence.
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I walked for them. I walked the walk!
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Gordon Klatt, MD

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Who is he and why is he important to me? Find out here.
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What does Namasté mean?

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The Divine in me salutes the Divine in you. I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the place in you of Love, of Light, of Truth, of Peace. I honor the place in you where if you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me we are One.
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-From Lake Center Yoga

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New License tag for me....

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326 SUX

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That reads:

I am not happy about paying three dollars and twenty six cents a for a gallon of gasoline for my vehicle!!!!

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Amuse Yourself

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Along with contributing to a healthy heart, laughter can also contribute to a stronger immune system.
Christian Northrup, M.D., related a study done by researchers who proved the significance of positive feelings on the immune system. The white cell count in the saliva of several college students was measured before and after watching three different types of movies. One was a war picture, another a documentary on organic farming. The third film was a romantic comedy.
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Without variation, the white cell count was consistently higher among students after watching the comedy. The advanced number of white cells indicated a stronger immune system. No change occurred after the organic documentary and, tellingly, the white-cell count of students who watched the war film dropped considerably.
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This is an excerpt from Vibrant Life on-line. More of the article can be found here.
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I learned something today...

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Here is the original picture I took in 2006 of the hibiscus I love to pieces! I have two of them and they were hit by the freeze in December. They are coming back now and will be fine for the summer. I call these the sunset hibiscus.
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I wanted to learn how to alter photos and Karl gave me a quick tutorial tonight. I can't wait for more lessons!!!
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Ponderings...

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When I am able, I shall...
when I am unable, what can I do
but wait
for me to return
to myself
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- a fellow blogger

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Living the Tao

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Thoughts bending flexible,
allowing for any possibility,
like supple palm trees
bowing in abeyance to forceful winds,
elastically swaying,
shifting from rigidity to fluidity,
while rooted in humility,

Small thinking
anchored in well-being,
a liquid state of mind
detached from outcome,
flowing within a living oneness,
a soft resilient patience,
a natural harmony,
strong and free,

Accomplishing great deeds,
conquering without striving,
like running water eroding rock,

Dying
inside the moment of being alive,
trusting the usefulness of uselessness,

Ending conflict
by showing love,

Curious, rather than afraid,

Finding happiness within
the space of not doing anything,
just the space of being done.
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Gordon Neumann
8/6/2007
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Happy Birthday, Dr. Suess

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Theodor Geisel was born today in the year 1904. Check it out here.
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What was your favorite Dr. Seuss book? Mine was "The Lorax", although, "Oh, The Places You'll Go" is a close second!
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Quote of the Day

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Where the spirit does not work with the hand,
there is no art.
-- Leonardo da Vinci

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Gates of Prayer from the Reform Judaism Prayerbook

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In the rising of the sun and in it's going down,

We remember them;

In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of the winter,

We remember them;

In the opening of the buds and in the warmth of the summer,

We remember them;

When we are lost and sick at heart,

We remember them;

When we have joys to we yearn to share,

We remember them;

So long as we live, they too shall live,

For they are now a part of us,

As we remember them.

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Did you know...

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98% of the weight of water is made up of oxygen
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A single ounce of gold can be beaten flat into a thin film covering 100 sq. ft.
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Bats will always turn left when exiting a cave
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"Mickey Mouse" was the password that the allied forces used during the D-Day invasion
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Woodrow Wilson's picture is on the $100,000 bill
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The San Francisco cable cars are the only mobile national monuments
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Join me in the Relay for Life

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I will be participating in the Relay For Life on March 14-15, 2008. It is an 18 hour walk around the track of our local high school. I have set a goal of walking the entire 18 hours except for one 5-10 minute break each hour. I look forward to contributing in a some way to motivate others to walk and hope to continue this as a yearly goal.
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My personal page is here.
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Benefits of Walking - How Walking Reduces Health Risks

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Exercise Slows Aging Process
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Research shows adults who are physically active in their 50s and early 60s are about 35 percent less likely to die in the next eight years than those who are sedentary. For those who have a high heart risk because of diabetes, high blood pressure or smoking, the reduction is 45 percent. Click here for more.
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