Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Update (DAY 177)

Hello all. Sorry it has been so long since my last past. Things have been good (I will fill you in momentarily) but what is even more exciting is that the Nosmokeathon is quickly coming to a close!

It has been just about six months now without a cigarette and it feels great. I set my mind on quitting and I can proudly say I did it! I had loads of support from family and friends and everyone who donated money to this cause. Together we raised a lot of money that will go to fighting cancer (grand total to be announced in a later blog entry). I am looking forward to presenting the American Cancer Society and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network with checks in the weeks to come. Raising money for two important cancer organizations was great motivation for me. It made this process bigger than just me. If I failed, I would have let a lot of other people down besides myself.

I want to thank everyone who supported me with this. As much as the monetary donations were appreciated, the words of encouragement and interest in my success were just as important to me. You guys made all the difference, so thank you again.

Now to fill you in on my summer. I had a good one! I finished up with my teen tour program a couple weeks ago. It was a great experience for me. I met some wonderful people and visited some awesome places. The last four weeks of the trip were to Virginia (Colonial Williamsburg and Va. Beach), Pennsylvania (Hershey and the Amish Country), Maine, and Toronto. I had never been to Maine or Toronto so it was nice to see some new things. I ate delicious lobster in Maine and checked another baseball stadium off the list catching the Blue Jays play the Athletics in the Skydome, which is now called the Rogers Center (booo corporate naming rights). I am now looking to carry my momentum from the summer in to acquiring some full time employment. Anyone looking to hire a smart, well-rounded, semi-good looking young man, here I am!

I will try to update the blog a bit more frequently. Please check back again soon. Thanks again.
-Matt