Storm'd at with shot and shell...

Today as we are only one week out from the start of the Operation One Voice Run, I was forwarded a video regarding the young man we are honoring with this year's run.  His name is SSG Robert Miller and he was awarded the Medal of Honor for sacrificing himself to save his fellow soldiers.  I am putting the link to the video here and I am also including the poem that was part of the video.

It is a famous poem, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, The Charge of the Light Brigade. 

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!

Charge for the guns' he said:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'

Was there a man dismay'd?

Not tho' the soldiers knew

Some one had blunder'd:

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do and die:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to the right of them,

Cannon to the left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Volley'd and thunder'd;

Storm'd at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of Hell

Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,

Flash'd as they turned in air

Sabring the gunners there,

Charging an army while

All the world wonder'd:

Plunged in the battery-smoke

Right thro' the line they broke;

Cossack and Russian

Reel'd from the sabre-stroke

Shatter'd and sunder'd.

Then they rode back, but not

Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon behind them

Volley'd and thunder'd;

Storm'd at with shot and shell,

While horse and hero fell,

They that had fought so well

Came thro' the jaws of Death,

Back from the mouth of Hell,

All that was left of them,

Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wonder'd.

Honour the charge they made!

Honour the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred!

—Alfred, Lord Tennyson

God Bless,

JCP

Are we too connected?

This morning as I was at my office enjoying my morning S'mores Pop-Tart  (yes, I know, I'm 28, I should be over how wonderful a S'mores Pop-Tart tastes... but, I'm not.  I've loved them since they came out and I refuse to change now... anyway, that is  off topic).

Regardless, I was enjoying my breakfast and checking my phones for messages - text, voice, email and chat while plugging my iPad in to recharge and update its software. I was also reading from newsmap (excellent news source), cnn.com, bbc, yahoo news, facebook, twitter and my local newspaper simultaneously.  It then hit me... I might be a bit too connected.  We live in an age of instant communication, instant gratification and instant updates.  I was reading an article this morning about news in Egypt... within minutes of it being written.  How cool is that?

I know there are also downsides of being so connected... It is easy to O.D. on information, there is just so much out there, it is also easy to be overwhelmed with e-mails arriving at all hours, texts and chats at all times, constant news cycles, etc.

But, think about it this way, what if we told someone 100 years ago, that we would be able to learn and know instantly of things going on hundreds or thousands of miles away?  That we would be able to use satellites to help find people?  That we would be able to learn instantly of a disaster going on in another country and within hours organize relief supplies?  We live in an age of miracles and wonders.  At times like these while I'm posting to my blog, getting text alerts from one of the news sources I follow, preparing to video chat with a coworker and finalizing a plane ticket that I sit back and smile at the wonder of technology and the amazing age we live in.  We have come so far in such a short time... where will we be in 5 years?  10 years?  The possibilities are exciting!

Have a wonderful weekend!

JCP

Looking on the positive side...

Good afternoon everyone!  My mood is slowly improving since Sunday's decision to not run the MCM... I know in my head I am doing the right thing, but my competitive nature and my heart keep saying, "You can do this!".  But, I am afraid after trying to jog a teensy-tiny amount yesterday, I can't do it right now.

However, this is allowing me time to prepare and get healthy for the Operation One Voice Special Forces Run from Duluth, GA (northeast of Atlanta) to Tampa, FL.  I am very excited.  This will be my fourth year participating and I cannot wait to see so many of my old friends and meet new friends.  The runs are always fun and tiring, but every year I walk away so humbled by the many amazing men and women in our country, serving and just living here.

This year, I will be able to update my blog in "real-time" due to my iPad (Happy Birthday to me!!!).  So, please check during the run and see where we are and what we are doing.  I will, of course post more detailed blogs with images and more after the run, but I cannot wait to have "boots on the ground" for the run!

Thanks to all of you who have sent me e-mails or called to wish me well with being sick.  Your thoughts and prayers mean so much more than you can know!  Thus, I am looking on the positive side, and looking forward to the OOV SOF run starting Nov. 7 - 11.

JCP

Well... good news and bad news...

Last week on Thursday I started not to feel so great... just like I have a cold not great... well, by Sunday the coughing had gotten fairly severe.  I went to an urgent care facility on Sunday to see if there was a cough suppressant that they could put me on so I could run the Marine Corps Marathon this coming Sunday.  Well, I get in to see the doctor and you know it is never a good sign when after she listens to your lungs and your breathing she says she wants to run blood work and do a chest X-Ray.

Well, after the blood work and X-Ray, we determined that (thank goodness) the coughing and infection had not spread too deeply into my lungs causing pneumonia, but I did have bronchitis, a sinus infection, walking pneumonia and the beginnings of strep throat.  Definitely not what I had planned for yesterday.  Thus after talking with the doctor, getting several shots to help speed the healing process and some crazy prescriptions, I decided that it would be unwise and potentially very harmful to my health to participate in the MCM this weekend.

I am not going to lie or sugarcoat the truth.  That decision was not fun, after all I have been preparing for this run for a while and I was truly looking forward to completing my first full marathon in DC for a great cause.  I had everything lying out ready to go... so last night I put everything away for this year's run.  Thus, overall, yesterday was a sad day for me. 

But, I have been cleared by the doctor to run in the Operation One Voice Special Operations Forces Run in two weeks.  She said she prescribed stronger medicine than normal and more shots so that I could be back up and running quickly.  I even have permission to try and sneak in 30 minute runs on Thursday,Friday, and Saturday with increasing to 45 minutes on Sunday and up to probably an hour or a little more next week... slow, but at least I will be running / jogging again. 

Sorry to be such a downer today, I was just so incredibly excited about the MCM.  Well, rest assured I will be doing it next year. 

To all 5 of my readers, thank you for your words of support and encouragement during my training.  You do not know how much that means to me and I look forward to updating this blog with photos and stories from the 7'th Annual Operation One Voice Special Operations Forces Run!

JCP

Has anyone told you that you look like... Rudolph?

Well, it was bound to happen at some point during my training to run the marathon, but, I had rather hoped it would happen 3-4 weeks ago and not 9 days away. I got a cold. I know that sounds like a trivial matter, but to me (I fully acknowledge that I am not the strongest runner) it is a big deal. Oh well, long story short, I have a cold. During the course of the evening I went through approximately 2 boxes of tissues and at the office another box and a half. In the process of all this sneezing and sniffling I have truly come to resemble Rudolph! Oh well, I still have 9 days to get back on my feet, literally. Well, I'm off to open another box of tissues, take some medicine and get to feeling ready to run 26.2 miles!!! JCP

The silent killer...

Well, as many of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Around the country, pink is displayed as a reminder that we all can be touched by breast cancer.  I know each of us is inundated with statistics regarding this disease frequently, but just for a moment, I would like to share some more.  For my male readers, please encourage the women you know (family, friends, wives, daughters, cousins, hairdressers -although that might be a bit uncomfortable) to get a yearly mammogram if they are of an age to do so.  If they are not, please make sure they have talked with their doctor to make sure that they are not a risk situation.  For my female readers, please do monthly self-exams.  I know, I know, I am a very shy person and this is a topic I am blushing about while writing, but we must take care of ourselves.  How many of my readers have children? Families? Friends? A really cute dog or cat? Don't you want to be around to have fun memories for ages to come with them?  Then, get over the fear, or shame, or hesitation and take control of your health...

Did you know:

• About 1 in 8 women in the United States (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. (Think about it... statistically speaking, think of you and 7 other friends... according to the numbers one of you could get breast cancer!)
• About 39,840 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2010 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness. (While the number has been going down, even one death is too many!)
• For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
• More than 1 in 4 cancers in women (about 28%) are breast cancer.
• In 2010, there were more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. (That is a HUGE number!  Let's work to keep that number going up!)
• A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 20-30% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of breast cancer
• About 70-80% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations. 

I know these statistics can be scary, but sometimes we all need to be scared into action.  Please, take action and let's save some lives!

JCP

The One... The Only... B B King!

Well, this past Friday I had the opportunity to see a legend perform.  The one and only BB King was in Knoxville to perform... I will wait a minute and let that sink in... Yes, *the* BB King performed this past weekend, and yes, I was there to see it.

My entire life, and I daresay many of my readers' lives (all 3 of you! haha) we have heard BB King's music, watched him perform on TV as he, like so many other legends, bared his souls for us in his art.  And, as so many other legends before him, we have seen him grow older (he is 86), yet still he is performing.  When he took the stage in Knoxville, you could tell his band did not just view him as their boss or their meal ticket, no, each of the musicians that shared the stage with Mr. King were world-class musicians in their own right.  They were there, performing with him because they wanted to say they had performed with a legend.  As he came onto stage, all of the band members was incredibly protective of him.  Throughout the performance, each was always watching him and making sure he was doing good... and was he ever...

Though age has touched his body, his mind and his voice are as sharp and poignant as ever.  He did not shy away from the tough songs, and he did not falter on the difficult parts.  His performance had people singing and dancing in the aisles.  I was humbled to see him perform.  As he exited the stage, one of his assistants brought out his coat and hat for him to put on as he left.  It is rare these days that we get to see performers like him.  The audience did not falter and gave him a standing ovation for the time it took him to stand (he required some assistance) and walk off the stage (there was a wheelchair waiting for him in the wings). 

I've adopted the mantra that whenever a legend performs and if I am able to make it to the concert, I will!

Not the greatest picture... but in the very middle, seated is BB King!

Until Tomorrow,
JCP

It's a Dog's Life...

So, this morning, I took my dog, Sadie, to the groomer today to get all "pretty" for this coming weekend!  We arrived at the groomer's at the crack of 7 AM (for those of you who know me, mornings are not exactly what I would call my strong suit... in fact... I am really bad at mornings).  I filled out all the necessary paperwork, showed the required documentation, left the appropriate contact information and headed out the door.  A few hours later, I get a phone call that Ms. Sadie is ready to pick up.  When I got there, she was so excited (apparently, she had been running around with some of the other dogs and was worked up!) that she was jumping a good 2 or 3 feet in the air... Yep, Michael Jordan's jumping ability pales in comparison to my dog...

Anyway, we get back to the office and next thing you know, one of my coworker's families stops by and they have two daughters, and before you can say "Cheese" the kids and Sadie are rolling around on the ground playing!  And... one of the girls brought Sadie a treat!  What a doggie day of heaven... spa and then playing with kids!!!

After the kids left, Sadie promptly went back to her pillow in my office, had a snack and fell asleep... It's a tough life, but somebody has to do it! 

It's a dog's life... and yes, the groomer put a bow in.  Sadie was too tired to shake it out of her fur!

JCP

Why, Hello Fall!

So, today I was driving back from dropping off some stuff at several of my client's offices and it hit me... Fall is not only here, but the colors this year are already amazing!  I was driving and looking around and already there are beautiful reds, oranges and browns showing through! I cannot wait to see all the colors at their peak in a few weeks!  With the past few years having been so incredibly dry the turning of the leaves has been nowhere as striking as in the past, so I am definitely looking forward to seeing some gorgeous trees!

After enjoying the beautiful leaves for a bit, I started actually looking around and saw several fall decorations and pumpkins out!  This year fall has surprised me with its "sudden" appearance.  Yes, I know fall has been here and I have just been in my own little world and not noticed, but it was a very nice surprise today!  Happy Fall to everyone!

JCP

What a week...

Whew... last week was crazy!  For those of you who talked with me during the week, I would like to apologize if many of my answers to questions / texts / etc came across as nonsense, grunts or a simple nod of the head.  Between Junior League's Holiday Market which I am co-chairing next year (so this year I was trying to pretend I was a sponge and learn *everything* possible) coordinating the Fall Festival for the Netherland Inn the weekend prior and leaving town this past weekend to be in a dear friend's wedding in Charleston, I was a bit swamped... oh and did I forget to mention working during this...  Sometimes we can't all be Superman...

Anyway, I am now back to normal (well, as normal as I get!) and am starting to prepare for the next big things coming up for me!  First in a few weeks (Oct. 30) I will be running the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC.  I am simultaneously nervous and excited.  Nervous because my training has not been exactly to the schedule I had originally hoped for.  Excited because, do I really need to explain it... I am getting to run with 30,000+ other runners through our nation's capital!!!! 

Next up on the agenda I will be going to visit several of my dear friends in Atlanta for a weekend (Nov. 4, 5 and 6).  I cannot wait!  Beth was one of my little sisters in my sorority and is a dear friend!  I will be staying with her and her husband in their fabulous new house (LOVE IT!) and getting to see my god dogs, Toby & Ollie!  Yes, they are fantastic dogs and I cannot wait to bring them treats! (I know, I totally ruined the surprise since Beth reads my blog... but I am pretty certain Toby and Ollie can't read, so they will still be happy!)  I will also have the chance to see my friend, Glenn and catch up .  Hopefully can meet up with several of my other Atlanta friends. 

Then from November 7 through 11, will be running in the Operation One Voice - Special Operations Forces Run from Atlanta to Tampa!  I am so excited, this will be my fourth year running with the team and each year it gets better and better.  Also, it is always wonderful to reconnect with my friends from the previous year.  It is a fun-filled week full of memories, friends, silly moments, somber moments and a sense of patriotism that is unmatched.

After that is another run, Thanksgiving, a class reunion and all sorts of other mischief! Now I am tired again! haha, have a great day folks!

JCP

What to do in an emergency...

Sorry for not posting last week, but between work and Junior League's Holiday Market and being in a friend's wedding, my week was swamped!  I will get to more on Market and the wedding later this week, but today I wanted to reflect upon something that happened to me yesterday and truly saddened me.

I had gone to the store and when I returned home there was a dog that had been hit by a car right in front of my house.  Some nice people had stopped to try to look after the dog, however, they did not know who to call or what to do.  Please remember, if you have dogs or cats, make sure to keep a tag on them that identifies who the owner is and how to get in touch with you (preferably two numbers).  Thankfully for this dog, I knew who she was as I had walked her home on countless occasions.  Also, even if you are not a dog or cat owner, please remember that most areas have an emergency or after-hours clinic for animals in distress.

Finally, if you decide to adopt an animal, please remember that you are responsible for more than just feeding it and taking it to the vet annually.  You are responsible for loving it, caring for it, keeping it safe, providing its entertainment (remember you get to go out and socialize with people all day... however, for your pet, you are its ONLY social contact) and also realizing that the super cute puppy or kitten you adopted will one day be a senior dog or a senior cat and will need just as much, if not more, love and care.  You don't adopt a pet for just the good years or the good times, you adopt them for a lifetime.  I am not trying to scare anyone from adopting or having a pet, it is just a big responsibility and one that should be entered into with thought.

God Bless,
JCP