American Lung Association - Fighting for Air

TO MAKE A DONATION SCROLL BELOW MY PICTURE AND CLICK ON THE 'Support Rob!' TEXT.  THANKS SO MUCH!

October 29 - Done, 2x!!!  Thanks so very much!  I actually feel pretty good today, as if I did nothing at all yesterday.  I guess the exercise paid off.  Much appreciation expressed yesterday for the fund raising, which is extended through November 30.

Thanks again!!!!!!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 26 - This is probably my last post until after the climb.  It's pretty danged cool that so many of you stepped up on the donation front, my initial goal was $1,500 and my total will exceed $3,000 (some checks are in the mail).  I was looking at my mapmyhike.com stats and I've logged about 30 miles of stairs over the past three weeks so I'm about as ready as I can get. 

thanks yet again!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 22 - One week to the climb.  On Saturday I did Howe St. stairs four times and on Sunday I did the 135th St. stairs in Lake City three times.  Ali did one lap each day.  And probably won't again.  My plan is to do Howe Mon-Thurs this week and rest up Friday and Saturday.

This is the final push for donations so if you know any interested donors-to-be guide them my way.

I'm one week shy of three months without a smoke!!  I can't believe I ever smoked now - where did I find the time and money?????

Thanks Everybody.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 19 - Well, we got to $2,500 in pretty short order.  I'd consider boosting the goal again but I think that would be going to the well too often.  Maybe next year.

So thanks again to each and every one of you, it's now on me to actually finish the climb.  I'll post again later on the 28th.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 15 - We're going to $2,500.  Get potential donors to me; tapping ex-smokers is an excellent approach.  Two weeks left before the event.  Saturday morning I met PJ Glassey and Joe Dann.  PJ is crazier than I am in that he runs stairs competitively.  He imparted some tips that, no doubt, will help me get to the top.  Joe is the event organizer and recently moved here from Dallas where he used to climb the stairs of the subway.

Oh, I'm well into my non-smoking lifestyle, day 78 or so and finding it pretty easy.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 11 - Okay, you made me do it.  I increased our goal to $2,000.  Guide anyone with an interest in combatting breathing issues (or anyone with too much money) to this page.

Thanks Everybody.

***********************

October 11 - DING DING DING DING!!!!!!  Good work Everyone, we made our goal!  With 17 days left until the climb I wonder how much more can be pledged.....  I'll think on it but in the meantime, Thanks Again!

*************************

October 11 - Wow, it feels great to be back.  I've figured out how to manage my back issue, I just can't lean too far forward.  So, after nearly four weeks off I got in a full workout last night and was only a minute off of my usual pace, feels good.  Stairclimb?  It's on like Donkey Kong!

More importantly, if you missed it, Rich Wolverton came up with a huge donation, putting us at $1,252 against my goal of $1,500.  I'll tap office staff next week.  Thanks again Rich!

 ********************************

October 9 - I tried to do stairs last week but my back just wouldn't cooperate.  I finally did the Lake City stairs Saturday and that wasn't too bad.  So I guess I'm off and running again.  er, walking.  Still no smokes since July 29.  Still no new pledges, but working on that.

**********************************

It's October 1 and time to get serious, I suppose.  I've been resting my back for over two weeks but will start the stairs tomorrow.  No new pledges in the past week but I haven't been in fund raiser mode since I have avoided the stairs.

Day 65 without a smoke.  The real message - at $8/pack that's over $500 that I can spend instead on poker!  Or porn!  Or both!

 **********************************

Still Sept. 24 - late breaking news - my brother actually came through.  Actually I'm sure it was his new bride, Cathy.  At any rate we're now over half way.

Oh, and if you're wondering, so far it's Rob 58, nicotine 0.  As in 58 days without a smoke.

 ***********************************

September 24.  It's been ten days since I was able to do any stairs - my back has been a royal pain so I've been giving it time off.  I'll give it a try tonight to see if it's loosened up.  In the meantime Harald stepped up so now we're 46% of the way to our goal, with 34 days left.  I have yet to tap the office folks and I have two others who have verbally committed so I remain confident about the goal.

Thanks Everybody!

 ***********************************

September 15/12.  I couldn't manage a stair climb early this week due to work stuff.  Then I tried on Thursday, only to get about 2/3 of the way up when back muscles seized up on me.  I beat a gingerly retreat and was still sore on Friday.  So, I'll give it a rest today also and shoot for tomorrow to a local set of stairs.

The Chantix ran out Thursday night so it's mano-a-mano against the nicotine now.  And my appetite, holy freaking cow - if it's not tied down it seems that I'm eating it.  All the more reason to stay with the workouts, at least until I can get that under control.

This week saw three more donators - Meg, Rich, and Cathy.  The latter two haven't quite made it to the donor page but I'll get them there by crunch time.

Thanks again everybody.

************************************

September 6, 2012. It's now about 10 days since I enrolled and I'm still nicotine-free. And still on Chantix but only for another week or less.

More importantly, since my initial update below we are now 1/3 of the way toward my goal of $1,500. And so far I've really only pestered family. I mean, I've bothered everyone but I actually goaded only the ones I love. And they've responded, now with 2/3 of donations. Up from aught a few nights ago.

In the meantime I've had a lot of interference with my after work regimen and I intend to remedy that tonight. It's been a week. I've stopped with the check-in's at Starbucks and bottom and top of QA Hill as my targets wouldn't be penetrated (certain bro-in-law) and people kept asking why I dranks so much coffee at the end of the work day. I pretty much ruined my well earned (and financed) reputation as a beer drinker. If you haven't noticed you can see my stair climbs (and rounds of golf when I remember to start the damned thing, and there's even an exercise monitor for sex!) via a mapmyhike.com app that posts to my wall.

so, I'm off to hit the hill and then it's TACO NIGHT!

thanks everybody

No one should struggle to breathe. That is why I am participating in the Fight For Air Climb.

Please either join me and register for the climb or make a generous donation to the American Lung Association to support our FIGHT FOR AIR.

Thank you for joining this important fight for children with asthma, teens who are pressured to start smoking, people with lung cancer and emphysema, and everyone who wants to breathe healthy air in our communities.

Okay, that's the canned message.  As you may or may not know I'm three weeks into kicking the habit myself.  But smoking or not you probably know that I've been doing a lot of stairs lately so now I'm doing it for cash.  Someone else's cash, but cash nonetheless.  So c'mon you cheap bastards (and bastardettes), show me the money!  And thanks for your consideration.