I remember it like it was yesterday. It was 2005 and my job at a major airline transferred me to Orlando. With the changes of scenery and the stresses of moving, I was not feeling well. At least, that’s what I told myself.

I had multiple symptoms and for whatever reason, I just was not getting better. Finally, I decided enough was enough and I got myself checked. That’s the day my life changed.

I was diagnosed with a Pituitary Tumor and Hypothyroid disease. I couldn’t believe it was happening to me, but I knew, if given the chance, I would make a change in the way I was living my life. Shortly thereafter, I started treatment for both conditions and, thankfully, I got better. It was time I took a long, hard look at my life and what I was doing to myself; I used to be a smoker and I didn’t follow a healthy lifestyle really at all. Something had to change.

To keep my promise to myself, my family and my friends, when I recovered I decided to embark in a life of fitness and health.  I quit smoking immediately, started a diet (in which I lost 60 pounds!), picked up the sport of cycling and joined the local YMCA. Truth be told, the YMCA helped me become the person I wanted to be. The opportunities I found there helped make new friends who also enjoyed a healthy lifestyle and got to meet the people that continue to change my life for the better. After a short time there, I joined the running club and the triathlon team - something I never, ever saw myself doing. Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine me falling in love with fitness and actually competing in multiple local and out of state triathlons and half marathons.

I loved the lifestyle I acquired so much that I decided to take it to the next level.  In 2009 I signed up for my first Half Ironman to be raced this month. I was so excited, but two months before my race, after many weeks of not feeling well, gaining weight and feeling extremely tired, I decided to look for a second opinion with another doctor regarding my condition. I am glad I did.

This past August I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer, and right away I knew that my life was changed forever - again. Suddenly, the Half Ironman was not a priority. Suddenly, I had to concentrate on winning this race against cancer.

I got surgery within two weeks of being diagnosed. The doctors removed my entire thyroid gland, and now I am on the road to recovery once more. It was here I decided I am not the person to feel sorry about myself, and that cancer was just a little road block along the way. With a positive attitude and determination, I will win the race against this disease.

While attending my last lake swim before my surgery, a great idea came to me. I asked my coach and friend if she would help me create a blog about my recovery and the road to making me a marathoner and an Ironman by 2012. I knew that setting myself a goal to go after something so big would give me the strength to battle this illness, and blogging about it will make it even more real.

When I write about it and make such a commitment, it makes me feel almost as though I signed a contract. I can’t give up on my cancer battle or on my goal of competing in 2012. I am holding myself accountable.

Now, I blog daily about the recovery process and, soon, I will write about my training to achieve the ultimate goals in each of my favorite sports.

I know I will accomplish these goals, I learned five years ago that when you set your mind to do something you can do it.

Join Michelle on her journey to win the battle against cancer and transform into a marathoner and Ironman at http://flygrl2012.blogspot.com.

Article by Michelle Martorell

I was born and raised in Erie, PA. In August 1973 I picked up my life, came to Orlando and moved in with a friend with the intention of staying just a couple of weeks before moving to Cocoa Beach to surf. But, as things would have it, I spent whatever savings I had and needed to find a job and save some money before I could complete my ultimate search for waves.

In October 1973 I started working with the Orange County Water Department as a Water Treatment Operator Trainee. Although my original intention was to work long enough to have enough money to continue my journey, it didn’t turn out that way. Instead, I met the woman of my dreams, my beautiful wife Veronica, and wound up having a son, Alex, and working for the next 35 years with Orange County. I still got to surf occasionally though, don’t worry.

After working 20 years, I knew that I wanted to retire in 15 more years and planned accordingly by participating in two retirement saving plans offered by the county. A friend talked me into contributing to Deferred Compensation (a county sponsored savings plan) when I first started the job. I began contributing the minimum allowable deduction at the time, which was around $5 if memory serves, and increased the amount each time I received a pay raise. After 30 years, I was eligible to participate in DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Program) five years before my planned retirement date. In October 2008, I retired as the Water Production Manager, at the age of 59, after 35 years with the Orange County Utilities Water Department.

The first couple of weeks after my retirement were more of an adjustment then I thought they would be, that’s for sure. It wasn’t that I missed going to work - no, it was adjusting to all of things I now had the time to do. Some I wanted to do, some I didn’t.

I have plenty of interests outside of work including traveling, running, swimming, riding my bicycle and my motorcycle, reading and watching TV, so finding things to do wasn’t an issue. I also promised my wife that I would finally complete the items on that “honey-do” list that I had been putting off for what seemed like (and probably was) years.

The original priorities were to keep the house clean, do the laundry, cook and make sure there was food in the refrigerator. I was happy with this because I wanted to make sure life was as easy as possible for my wife, who is still employed. As time went on, however, some of these things went by the wayside.

It turns out, I am not a very good cook. At all. Veronica soon tired of my attempts and took over as Head Chef of our household. I grew tired of cleaning the house and brought back our old cleaning service, too. It just wasn’t for me. But, I still do the laundry, the dishes and grocery shopping. I’m also proud to say I completed most of the other items on the “honey-do” list. I am also involved in our Community Association as a Neighborhood Representative and a member of the Architectural Review Committee, which I enjoy.

My typical day starts by walking our dog, eating breakfast and reading the paper. Then I head to my office and check bank accounts and investments. I do some form of exercise almost every day, too. I like running the most, followed by riding my bike and swimming. Then it’s lunch, maybe a little TV, read a couple of chapters of my latest book, practice my guitar, throw in a nap and before you know it, Veronica is home. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to do it.

I also have the opportunity to travel a lot more now and I go to see my mother and sister in Pennsylvania every few months. My mother is 85-years-old and loves to make me spaghetti and meatballs to this day. I have ridden my motorcycle to Erie and back, up through the Outer Banks of North Carolina and to Key West to get a bowl of conch chowder and a beer. In October, Veronica and I are planning a trip to Maine.

As you can tell, I have plenty to do still. Some people thought that I might get bored. So far, I’m happy to say they’re wrong. I love having the freedom to do what I want, when I want to do it.

I can’t imagine going back to work at any time in the foreseeable future. After all, I just found my balance.

Article By Pat DiVecchio

The empty nest. It’s something all parents think about at some point.  Sometimes in a positive light, often not.  The 2006 comedy movie “Failure to Launch” made light of parents trying to get their son to move out of the house (to launch).  Many parents of teenagers I know have quite the opposite problem.

Call it “Fear of Launch” - panicked about their little baby moving away and leaving the protection of the nest.  My one and only offspring is a recent high school graduate and we are deep into preparation for his launch to college in the fall.  While I do have some fears of the empty nest, I could not be more proud of my son’s accomplishments and I am certain he is ready to fly on his own.

Torey has always been a very bright and charismatic kid.  Growing up in East Orlando, he excelled in the gifted program at Deerwood Elementary and struggled through the tough adolescent years at Liberty Middle School.  He chose to enroll in the Global Technology Magnet program at University High School (UHS) primarily, I believe, because he was looking to break out of his same peer group and make some new friends and find some new experiences.  Less than two months into his high school career, he was faced with the fatal stabbing of a student in the bus loading area only a few dozen feet away from where he was standing. Talk about new experiences.  The struggles that kids face today are far different from what I remember. It’s scary. It’s tough. It’s commendable.

Despite the struggles, he was very involved with clubs and sports, and finished high school with an honors diploma, a Disney Dreamer and Doer award and a Bright Futures scholarship.

Torey was always interested in the sea, and he is now an accomplished SCUBA diver, earning his Junior Open Water certification at age 10, Advanced Junior Open Water at age 12 and Advanced Open Water at age 16.  We have vacationed as a family on a tiny Caribbean island many times, and Torey decided that he wanted to spend the summer there alone as a 15-year-old.

My wife, Wendy, and I dismissed it as impossible, but he very methodically took on and solved every challenge to make the trip possible.  He found a sponsor, housing arrangements, odd jobs to do while there, and figured out all the Immigration laws.  He spent six weeks the summer of 2008 living as a student intern there (with three 19-year-old Dutch female roommates).

His trip planning and time away was a mixture of pride and panic for us as parents, but certainly good training for his “launch” into full-on adulthood that he is now facing. When I look back at all he has accomplished, I’m flooded with wonderful memories and a growing sense of anticipation at the incredible things he will do in the years to come.

Some of Torey’s best training and experiences came through his association with the Boy Scouts of America.  He first joined as a Tiger Cub Scout at age five.  He progressed through the ranks of Cub Scouting, earning his Arrow of Light and being the first scout in his Pack to receive the “Heavy Shoulder” award for earning all 20 Webelos Activity Pins available.

Eventually, Torey earned his way to the highest rank possible, Eagle Scout, and will have earned three additional Eagle Palms by the time he turns 18 in September.  He has been elected to many leadership positions in his local Troop, including Senior Patrol Leader twice and he even directed a community service project that was selected as the most outstanding in the Southern Region, the largest region in the United States.

He was recently informed that he finished as the second most outstanding Eagle in the entire nation. Torey was also recently presented with the BSA’s Honor Medal for demonstrating “unusual heroism and skill or resourcefulness in saving or attempting to save life at considerable risk to self” for his actions to save a potential drowning victim.  This award is so prestigious that only 28 were awarded nationwide last year.

Now, Torey is enrolled to begin classes at the University of North Florida in the fall, majoring in sports medicine and athletic training, a passion he developed in his senior year at UHS.  He will only be two hours away from home, but I am sure the nest will feel pretty empty for Wendy and I.  However, we are extremely proud and confident that he has passed his pre-flight checks and is “Ready for Launch” … well, mainly.

Article by Mike McCleskey

White sandy beaches. Breathtaking oceanfront views. Live music with chef-prepared cuisine. Paradise? It just might be. And the best part is - it’s a lot closer than you think.

I recently found out that my own little slice of perfection is a mere two hour drive away, hidden - among all places - in Jupiter, FL. The quaint beach town just north of West Palm Beach is home to the cozy yet elegant Jupiter Beach Resort and Spa. It was here, on a whim, my girlfriend and I decided it was time for a little vacation to unwind and bask in the Florida sun our pale exteriors so desperately needed.

We were met with one of the rarest occasions life has to offer: when something actually lives up to the hype. It fit the bill. Exceeded our expectations. Unassuming from the exterior, the resort is magnificent from the interior, transporting you to an island hideaway the moment you walk in with its warm colors and designer mahogany furnishings.

When I go on trips, I always notice the little things first. My parking-to-walking ratio, how big the plates at the restaurant are, what the elevator smells like - call it what you want but those things make a difference to me. My girlfriend on the other hand? She immediately noticed the 7,500 square-foot, full-service spa. Mainly a hotel for destination weddings, the spa, I found out somewhat reluctantly firsthand, offers a marbled steam room, aromatherapy, Swedish massage and even stations for manicures. Never having a real spa treatment before, I don’t really have much to compare my experience to; but I can tell you that whatever they did felt right (read: sign me up again).

After a brief elevator ride to our room on the sixth floor, I opened the door to a majestic view. The curtains were open, as if to say, “Welcome Home” exposing the foamy white waves of the warm Atlantic before I even had a chance to put my bags down. Talk about your first impression.

Once we had fully explored the resort and its 10 meeting rooms, we sat down for dinner at their signature restaurant, Sinclairs Ocean Grill. Offering up dishes inspired by local ingredients and international flare, we enjoyed a wonderfully prepared, made-to-order five-course meal. Typically not big seafood eaters, I may have been converted that night. It’s hard to describe, but I’ve never eaten anything so “fresh” before - and trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of things. I’m usually the guy who orders the weird thing on the menu just to see what the fuss is about.

Our next morning began with a gentle nudge from the sun set to the soundtrack of breaking waves just outside. We decided to take in some of the sights Jupiter has to offer. Our first stop was a trip to the Jupiter Lighthouse, the oldest structure in Palm Beach County. We took a guided tour up the 105 step spiral staircase and emerged with a panoramic view of the Jupiter inlet, the mansion-studded Jupiter Island and more yachts than you could shake a stick at. At just a few dollars per person, it’s  a trip, and a view, that’s definitely worth taking.

After the near vertigo-inducing climb down, we headed off to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Attracting more than 225,000 visitors a year, this completely free to attend, interactive center tells the story of some of the area’s most famous amphibian residents. The work that this beachside facility does to educate the population and rehabilitate turtles back into the wild is nothing short of inspiring. Not to mention it’s right on the beach, which happened to be our next stop.

As our day came to close, we headed back to the resort’s secluded beach to catch the last bit of sun before we had to leave the next morning. Our surprise weekend getaway ended just as relaxing as it started - lazily swaying back and forth in a beachside hammock, surrounded by palm trees, engulfed by tranquility.

When you’re planning your vacations this year, remember that a weekend can be just what you and your family need. It’s about making memories, so do what we did and make the most of yours.

Vacation doesn’t have to mean some faraway, amenity-laden land of the lost. No, there are plenty of places to go right here to fill all of your sand-soaked dreams. After all, life’s a beach and we’re in Florida.

Ironically, I found my piece of heaven on Earth in Jupiter. Where’s yours?

Article by Corey Gehrold

On April 29, 2010, I won the biggest gift in all my life: a round trip for two to Vancouver, BC that included accommodations for four days, three nights and airfare. I have always wanted to travel to Canada - even more after the Olympics were held in Vancouver.

I have always been a fan of networking to meet contacts and grow my business, especially in our current economy. I just never thought it would lead to a great vacation.

I try my hardest to meet with the Executive Referral Group for networking in East Orlando every Wednesday and every Thursday I attend Coffee Club at the Marriott Airport to start my mornings off right. The groups have very diverse attendees and I have grown my business considerably by becoming a part of their families.

Being a small business owner can be tough in times like these when everyone is struggling financially. The success and growth of a business can really depend on the people you know and how you can reach potential clients. For me, networking is my preferred method and I would recommend it to anyone as part of their business plan. It even comes with a few surprises every now and then, like a vacation.

I heard about the CUE networking event from Coffee Club and thought I would give it a try. CUE, which stands for Connect, Unwind and Escape, puts a new spin on networking. At this event, Orlando locals are invited to the Orlando Airport Marriott pool area for a night of networking, food and fun. It’s an amazing opportunity to make new friends and even connect with old ones. I have to say, my night started off simply enough, as I mingled about enjoying wonderful food, listening to great music and meeting new friends.

At the end of the night, they did the drawing for the trip and called my name. Me. I couldn’t believe it, I was so excited I felt like I was going to pass out. I have never won anything like this in my life.

Now, let me say that some people only think about what’s in it for them. To me, you get what you get when you believe. I have always felt that if you believe and have faith it will happen. The trip was just another example of that mantra for me.

It’s all about the positive attitude. The first week I was a guest at Coffee Club, I made two great contacts for fundraising and three leading to people interested in my business. On the second week at Coffee Club, I won two cookbooks. On the third week, they were giving away tickets to the CUE Networking event and I won those as well.

At this point I was feeling on top of the world. People say I am very lucky, but I say it’s just a reward for a positive attitude. On the way to the CUE event I said, “Lord, if this is meant to be, let me win and surprise my husband with this trip.” And then I won.

For me, networking has enriched my life in so many ways, now both professionally and personally. It has opened so many doors for me I would not otherwise have access to.

My advice to anyone is that you just need to take advantage of every opportunity you can and put yourself out there. You never know what possibilities might come your way by meeting someone new. Who knows, you could even win a free vacation.

Article by Carol Giddens