This evening Matt and I were in downtown San Francisco waiting for a BART train. Several homeless people had walked by asking for money, and has become my custom, I said "Sorry." In my younger days I used to dig in my pocket for change, but it seems lately I either don't have cash or my wallet is buried in my purse and I am reluctant to go digging for it. Both really just terrible excuses.
Today as one of the men moved past us to the next waiting passenger, she said, "Let me see if I have any change." And proceeded to dig through her purse. While doing so, she struck up a conversation: "How long have you been homeless?" "What have you been doing in terms of looking for shelter and a job?" "That's good, you've got to keep trying. Don't give up. That's very important." And then she handed him the money she'd found and he moved on.
I immediately felt like a terrible person. Although I give limited money to charities working with the homeless or people in danger of becoming so, it's a tiny part of my income, and well less than the money I give to other causes like cancer and the environment. And then I choose not to give money to people on the streets. So heartless. I was so impressed with this woman.
Then we got on the train, and an elderly lady with a dog asked if she could sit next to this same woman, who of course agreed. She proceeded to carry on a conversation with this woman the whole ride (while her dog yapped behind them and was entertained by other passengers), then helped her get off the train at her station - heading out to tell the conductor to wait, and was walking slowly with this woman through the BART station the last we could see.
I hope this woman knows how amazing she is. I will make an effort to be kinder to both strangers on the street as well as people I know.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Dear Southwest
You may have just lost a customer. I have always loved flying you, even back in the day when you had to camp out in line to get a good seat. Now I am a master of the 24 hour check-in, so that is not a problem. Although you usually have the cheapest tickets where I'm going - PHX, LAX, DEN, SAN, etc., I have also been willing to pay a little more because your Rapid Rewards program was awesome. So simple to use. Fly 16 one-way trips or 8 round-trips, get a free flight. Fabulous.
Now you have gone and screwed everything up. I had 13 credits in the old program before you switched to the new program. Since you have decided that 1 credit = 1200 points in the new system, I have to earn 3600 points to get my free flight. Already flew one round-trip to PHX, which under the old system would have gotten me 2/3 of the way there. But in the new system, this earned me a whopping 587 points, less than 1/6 of the way to my free flight. I would have to fly six round trips to earn what I could have gotten in 1.5 round trips under the old system. Ridiculous.
Apparently the new system is based not only on distance, as I believe most frequent flyer programs are, but also how much you pay for your flight. So if you get a flight deal as we did on our PHX trip, you earn few credits. If you take the last flight of the day with terrible hours so that you can get a cheaper ticket, you also earn fewer credits. This is crap. You are supposed to be the airline of the masses. Suddenly you are the airline of the elite, the person who can pay an egregious amount to fly at prime time. And you're trying to justify it all with the whole no black out dates thing. I never had an issue using my credits before. But now I will, since I'll virtually never earn any!
See you later, Southwest. It was nice knowing you.
Now you have gone and screwed everything up. I had 13 credits in the old program before you switched to the new program. Since you have decided that 1 credit = 1200 points in the new system, I have to earn 3600 points to get my free flight. Already flew one round-trip to PHX, which under the old system would have gotten me 2/3 of the way there. But in the new system, this earned me a whopping 587 points, less than 1/6 of the way to my free flight. I would have to fly six round trips to earn what I could have gotten in 1.5 round trips under the old system. Ridiculous.
Apparently the new system is based not only on distance, as I believe most frequent flyer programs are, but also how much you pay for your flight. So if you get a flight deal as we did on our PHX trip, you earn few credits. If you take the last flight of the day with terrible hours so that you can get a cheaper ticket, you also earn fewer credits. This is crap. You are supposed to be the airline of the masses. Suddenly you are the airline of the elite, the person who can pay an egregious amount to fly at prime time. And you're trying to justify it all with the whole no black out dates thing. I never had an issue using my credits before. But now I will, since I'll virtually never earn any!
See you later, Southwest. It was nice knowing you.
The Running Black Hole
So I haven't been here in awhile. I'd like to blame something. First there is my job, which prohibits me from surfing the internet all day and following twitter, thus digging up some juicy little tidbits on which to comment. Then, there's been all this moving business, with weekends spent looking for houses, packing, moving, unpacking, and arranging the house.
And also there's the running. I don't spend that much of my time running, actually, but now all my blogging efforts have been concentrated here, and that's not even up-to-date. Nevertheless, this marathon training thing has been sucking up a lot of my time. I am currently in Week 12 of my 18 week marathon training program, and I really started before that, because my half marathon training program started several weeks earlier. So basically I've been following a training program for four straight months. And I don't miss runs. I might miss cross training and strength training (and often do), but I make sure to get all my runs in one way or another. After all, I only run 3 times a week.
I selected the Big Sur Marathon to be my first, as one of my very favorite things about running happens to be beautiful scenery, and I figured Big Sur would offer it up in plenty. Then there would be the 2 mile climb up to Hurricane Point, with the tuxedoed piano player at the grand piano by the Bixby Bridge at mile 13.1 - halfway. The last half of the marathon would be slightly less hilly, slightly downhill, and ending in Carmel. I would train lots of hills to prepare for this tough race because I wanted the epic beauty.
And then the Pacific Coast Highway had to go and collapse this week, turning the marathon into an out and back course that ends north of the Bixby Bridge. So only half as much gorgeous scenery, no epic climb up to Hurricane Point, no viewing of the iconic Bixby Bridge. Totally not what I'd envisions for my first marathon. And yet, I've sunk a couple hundred dollars into it, so it would be silly to change plans now. And I'm sure it will still be better than the Avenue of the Giants Marathon, what with its two out and back courses and essentially the same view the whole time. (I actually quite enjoyed the half, but wouldn't want to double it.)
So I guess I'm a little depressed. I've sunk 12+ weeks into this thing already, and now my main event won't live up to my expectations. And the last week has been ridiculously rainy. Two of my three runs were completed in downpours for at least part of the miles. That means clothes soaked at all layers. And cold hands as it turns out - so cold I could barely eat my sport beans. While the 6 mile run was tolerable, by the end of my 13.1 mile run today, I was extremely cold and sad. That's right, I ran a half marathon - at 2:10, faster than 3 of my previous races.
So anyway, that's my life right now. I'm seriously thinking of traveling somewhere warm next weekend so I can run my 18 miles in the sun. I'm that desperate.
And also there's the running. I don't spend that much of my time running, actually, but now all my blogging efforts have been concentrated here, and that's not even up-to-date. Nevertheless, this marathon training thing has been sucking up a lot of my time. I am currently in Week 12 of my 18 week marathon training program, and I really started before that, because my half marathon training program started several weeks earlier. So basically I've been following a training program for four straight months. And I don't miss runs. I might miss cross training and strength training (and often do), but I make sure to get all my runs in one way or another. After all, I only run 3 times a week.
I selected the Big Sur Marathon to be my first, as one of my very favorite things about running happens to be beautiful scenery, and I figured Big Sur would offer it up in plenty. Then there would be the 2 mile climb up to Hurricane Point, with the tuxedoed piano player at the grand piano by the Bixby Bridge at mile 13.1 - halfway. The last half of the marathon would be slightly less hilly, slightly downhill, and ending in Carmel. I would train lots of hills to prepare for this tough race because I wanted the epic beauty.
And then the Pacific Coast Highway had to go and collapse this week, turning the marathon into an out and back course that ends north of the Bixby Bridge. So only half as much gorgeous scenery, no epic climb up to Hurricane Point, no viewing of the iconic Bixby Bridge. Totally not what I'd envisions for my first marathon. And yet, I've sunk a couple hundred dollars into it, so it would be silly to change plans now. And I'm sure it will still be better than the Avenue of the Giants Marathon, what with its two out and back courses and essentially the same view the whole time. (I actually quite enjoyed the half, but wouldn't want to double it.)
So I guess I'm a little depressed. I've sunk 12+ weeks into this thing already, and now my main event won't live up to my expectations. And the last week has been ridiculously rainy. Two of my three runs were completed in downpours for at least part of the miles. That means clothes soaked at all layers. And cold hands as it turns out - so cold I could barely eat my sport beans. While the 6 mile run was tolerable, by the end of my 13.1 mile run today, I was extremely cold and sad. That's right, I ran a half marathon - at 2:10, faster than 3 of my previous races.
So anyway, that's my life right now. I'm seriously thinking of traveling somewhere warm next weekend so I can run my 18 miles in the sun. I'm that desperate.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
Festivities
The first weekend in December I headed to Vegas with my great friends Liz and Erin to have a girls' weekend and celebrate some birthdays. I just discovered these pictures on my camera of the gorgeous Bellagio - one of our favorite places.
For Christmas, my parents were nice enough to come visit us here in San Francisco. Here we are enjoying dinner at our little apartment. Dad worked so long he's still in uniform.
On Sunday we went on a wine tasting tour of Sonoma with my family and Karen's in laws. Matt and I had never been to wine country before, and I enjoyed the trip. It was great to spend time with family and the scenery was beautiful even though it was raining. Also, unlike in Temecula, none of the people at the wineries yelled at me for preferring white wines.
Today we headed up to Santa Rosa to check out the Schulz museum before returning to the real world. Matt is thrilled, as always.
Matt and I were spoiled for Christmas as always. This year Matt received lots of kitchen items including a canner and a dehydrator (apparently one must be prepared for the apocalypse). I received several books, many treats, a cute sweater and necklace, and of course running-related items. Karen got me a very cute running jacket to replace last year's Christmas present that I mysteriously lost, as well as a couple running books. Matt got me a very cute running charm bracelet and some sleeves.
As today was the first day of my marathon training, I have decided to actually keep track of my training this time around. We'll see how long it lasts, but for now I am doing so here.
For Christmas, my parents were nice enough to come visit us here in San Francisco. Here we are enjoying dinner at our little apartment. Dad worked so long he's still in uniform.
On Sunday we went on a wine tasting tour of Sonoma with my family and Karen's in laws. Matt and I had never been to wine country before, and I enjoyed the trip. It was great to spend time with family and the scenery was beautiful even though it was raining. Also, unlike in Temecula, none of the people at the wineries yelled at me for preferring white wines.
Today we headed up to Santa Rosa to check out the Schulz museum before returning to the real world. Matt is thrilled, as always.
Matt and I were spoiled for Christmas as always. This year Matt received lots of kitchen items including a canner and a dehydrator (apparently one must be prepared for the apocalypse). I received several books, many treats, a cute sweater and necklace, and of course running-related items. Karen got me a very cute running jacket to replace last year's Christmas present that I mysteriously lost, as well as a couple running books. Matt got me a very cute running charm bracelet and some sleeves.
As today was the first day of my marathon training, I have decided to actually keep track of my training this time around. We'll see how long it lasts, but for now I am doing so here.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Angry City
I've been very angry lately for ridiculous reasons. In an effort to help myself understand how stupid they are, I'm going to put them down in writing here:
- Dear dog walkers/runners. You and your dog do not have a right to the entire path, whether or not your dog is on a leash. Either way, when your crazy dog causes a tear in my ACL, I will sue you (for, if nothing else, being a bitch).
- It's called a sideWALK. Not a sidesmoke, a sidehangout, or a sidestandinthemiddle. Please get out of my way.
- If I wanted to get high, I would probably go out and buy some weed myself. I don't want to inhale yours because you must smoke out in public.
- Smokers are jokers.
- If you are in your car and you can't see the intersection, don't honk. This is San Francisco. I would wager that 90% of the time a car isn't moving when the light is green, there is probably a pedestrian in the crosswalk. And they would prefer to be alive.
- My neighborhood is not your personal raceway. There is no need to go 50mph up a hill in a very people-dense part of the city.
- If there is an empty row on BART, it is considered a social norm to sit there - not with me. I don't want to smell your perfume.
- If you have a dog in the city, you have an extra special obligation to pick up that dog's poop. Who the heck is going to remove it when you leave it in the middle of the damn sidewalk. Also, would it kill you to walk your dog far enough way so that it doesn't have to pee on the concrete hill and I have to watch it flow all the way down. And know that I will be stepping in it tomorrow.
- Dear employers. Making a backhanded comment in the company meeting about how you are looking for leaders, not people who sit around and wait for things to do, is not a good way to boost employee morale or productivity. Especially when 60% of the people in the company are leaders with initiative - who you would rather sit down, shut up, and blindly do what you say.
- Dear managers. As a manger, part of your job should be to understand who needs to be micro-managed and who doesn't. I am well past the point of needing every step of a process explained to me. This isn't rocket science - I do these things in my sleep.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Hark the Herald Angels 12K
Today I completed the same race a 2nd time for the 1st time - in other words, I am apparently starting running traditions. Does that make me a runner? (I'm still trying to avoid the moniker.)
I loved this race last year for so many reasons, not the least of which was that it was pouring rain. It is put on by a company called Enviro Sports and is very low key. This particular race involves everyone meeting at the ferry docks in Tiburon and taking the 10am ferry over to Angel Island. There is no particular race start time; it just happens whenever everyone gets off the ferry, goes to the restroom, and puts all their extra gear in a plastic bag to leave at the picnic area. The founder of Enviro Sports makes all the announcements by standing on tables and yelling really loudly, and supposedly the winners receive rubber chickens. The trail is marked with orange tape, and there are no aid stations. At the end, they do provide a nice assortment of water, gatorade, and snacks. And of course, there is a t-shirt - which happens to be the same as last year's.
The trail heads up hill through pretty forest, but unfortunately the gorgeous views from the open parts of the fire road haven't happened either year owing to fog. The racers tend to be friendly and everyone seems to have a good time, although I feel like that held true more so in the pouring rain. How can you not smile when you are covered in mud and sprinting down a mountain? (Although I don't think my mom was smiling while waiting for me...)
I managed to cut about 6 minutes off last year's time - does that mean I'll be able to knock 12 minutes off Kaiser in February? (If only.) However, the ~500 foot elevation gain seemed tough to me, so I have a long way to go before Big Sur!
I should point out that although I enjoy the low-key nature of this affair, I do still like my half marathons to be loud and full of bands and cheering spectators! Sometimes running has to be a party.
I loved this race last year for so many reasons, not the least of which was that it was pouring rain. It is put on by a company called Enviro Sports and is very low key. This particular race involves everyone meeting at the ferry docks in Tiburon and taking the 10am ferry over to Angel Island. There is no particular race start time; it just happens whenever everyone gets off the ferry, goes to the restroom, and puts all their extra gear in a plastic bag to leave at the picnic area. The founder of Enviro Sports makes all the announcements by standing on tables and yelling really loudly, and supposedly the winners receive rubber chickens. The trail is marked with orange tape, and there are no aid stations. At the end, they do provide a nice assortment of water, gatorade, and snacks. And of course, there is a t-shirt - which happens to be the same as last year's.
The trail heads up hill through pretty forest, but unfortunately the gorgeous views from the open parts of the fire road haven't happened either year owing to fog. The racers tend to be friendly and everyone seems to have a good time, although I feel like that held true more so in the pouring rain. How can you not smile when you are covered in mud and sprinting down a mountain? (Although I don't think my mom was smiling while waiting for me...)
I managed to cut about 6 minutes off last year's time - does that mean I'll be able to knock 12 minutes off Kaiser in February? (If only.) However, the ~500 foot elevation gain seemed tough to me, so I have a long way to go before Big Sur!
I should point out that although I enjoy the low-key nature of this affair, I do still like my half marathons to be loud and full of bands and cheering spectators! Sometimes running has to be a party.
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