2010 Preview

I’ve been thinking about 2010 and what the year will bring. First I have to say I am glad to be here to live another year. I never forget that every day is a blessing. Someone sent me an electronic Christmas card that had a quote from Winston Churchill that said, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” How true that is.

This has been a hard year for most people. The economy has been in a slump and families are hurting. During the year I became Chairman of the Board of the Virginia B Andes Volunteer Community Clinic, which saw more than 4500 patients in need. The clinic provides urgent or episodic care for folks in Charlotte County who don’t have or can’t afford health insurance. It’s an alternative to having to have go to the emergency room. I can’t tell you how proud I am of the work we do at the free clinic and pharmacy. We have received fantastic support from the community at large and the medical community in particular. Helping to organize and fund the clinic is truly one of the best things I have ever done in my life. I am looking forward to continuing to work for the clinic in the New Year.

In April I attended the National Lung Cancer Partnership Advocate Summit in Dallas, which gave me the idea of organizing the Free to Breathe 5K event in October. I’ve developed a passion about doing something about cancer and lung cancer in particular thanks to the inspired leadership of this organization. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about cancer and how quickly lives are taken by this disease. I lost a number of friends and clients – two to lung cancer -- during the year. We are already planning the next Free to Breathe 5K event for November 13th 2010 at Charlotte Sports Park.

In the new year I am serving as honorary chair of the Port Charlotte Relay for Life, to benefit our local chapter of the American Cancer Society. The Relay will be held May 1st and 2nd and we need as many team members as we can get. Please let me know if you would like to join our “We Have a Dream” team!

Yoko and I have never been in the habit of planning travel far in advance, but with the girls out of the house and on their own, it is hard to get together without some forethought. We are already making plans for the New Year.

I am expecting my Mom to come down from Pennsylvania for a few weeks in January and I am also hoping to see other friends and relatives over the course of the winter. January is shaping up to be a busy month.

In February Yoko wants to go to Tallahassee to attend “Dance Marathon.” Since her freshman year my daughter Jessica has been involved in organizing this fundraiser to benefit Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville. We want to give Jessie our support on Valentine’s Day. I also want to make a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona, to play golf, if we can find the time.

If all is well, this summer I would like to take a trip to the mountains of Tennessee with Yoko and the dog. The plan would be to rent a cabin and spend a few months of the summer working from a cool mountain retreat. (I would have remote access to my workstation.) I have a book project to work on and a screen play I would like to finally finish as well.

Finally, this time next year, if all goes well, I am planning to rent a condo somewhere in Colorado for a week of skiing and winter fun with the family. All the girls have promised to be there. Now that is something to look forward to in 2010!