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| Jacob and Jennie |
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Why I strive every day to be a better person
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Earned vs. Owed
Over the past few months the family and I have participated in a number of 5K and 10K runs. At the end of these runs, there is always some sort of snack/food/water area for the runners to grab a bite. Sometimes it is a pancake breakfast, sometime fresh fruit, or energy bars, or even boysenberry pie. In every race, the folks handing out the food are cheerful and congratulatory to the runners, and the runners accepting the food are grateful and make sure that those around are thanked and that their fellow runners are able to get snacks as well.. I've yet to see pushing, shoving or complaining. People are patient, happy and grateful. Maybe it is the endorphins from the run, or we're all too tired to complain about any wait or long lines. Either way, it is one of the very great things I have encountered in my very short running journey.
On the other side of the coin...
When a run is a bit of distance from our house, we will drive to the area the day/night before and get a hotel room. Given the choice, we try to get a room that includes a 'complementary continental breakfast', for a small bite before or after the race. Usually these breakfast consist of toast, cold cereal, maybe some fruit, coffee juice, etc... We look at this as a nice 'extra' to our room - not a replacement for a meal, but more of a small snack. Not everyone sees it that way.
After our race this past weekend, we went back to the hotel to shower, and thought we'd stop in to grab a little something. As we were in the line at the 'complementary' breakfast, I saw a family of 6 that had built a small smorgasbord on their table that consisted of no fewer than 2 dozen waffles, 1/2 a dozen bowls of cereal, and assorted cups of coffee, juice, and milk too numerous to count. While this food sat, untouched by the father and kids, the mom of the group was in line and was systematically going thru the tray of donuts, pulling out all of the fancy glazed/sprinkle covered chocolate donuts. While she was blocking the the line from moving forward, a second tray of donuts was brought our, at which point she moved BACK in the line to continue gathering up the fancy chocolate morsels --ALL of them. By the time she finished, she had a tower of about a dozen donuts, and the tray had been decimated.
The truly sad part was that when I went back thru the lobby area 20 minutes later to check out, the family had left the table in shambles, and most of the food had only been partially eaten.
In both experiences, I was struck by the similarities, and saddened by the difference.
Money was paid to participate in the run and stay at the hotel:
At the run, the fee was reflected in race tee shirts, finishers medals, course prep, timers, security, road closer costs, and yes, even post race snacks.
At the hotel, the money was for room rental, power, cleaning services, taxes, and yes, 'complementary' breakfast.
The line between 'what we are owed' in life versus 'what we have earned' is constantly in danger of being erased.
On the other side of the coin...
When a run is a bit of distance from our house, we will drive to the area the day/night before and get a hotel room. Given the choice, we try to get a room that includes a 'complementary continental breakfast', for a small bite before or after the race. Usually these breakfast consist of toast, cold cereal, maybe some fruit, coffee juice, etc... We look at this as a nice 'extra' to our room - not a replacement for a meal, but more of a small snack. Not everyone sees it that way.
After our race this past weekend, we went back to the hotel to shower, and thought we'd stop in to grab a little something. As we were in the line at the 'complementary' breakfast, I saw a family of 6 that had built a small smorgasbord on their table that consisted of no fewer than 2 dozen waffles, 1/2 a dozen bowls of cereal, and assorted cups of coffee, juice, and milk too numerous to count. While this food sat, untouched by the father and kids, the mom of the group was in line and was systematically going thru the tray of donuts, pulling out all of the fancy glazed/sprinkle covered chocolate donuts. While she was blocking the the line from moving forward, a second tray of donuts was brought our, at which point she moved BACK in the line to continue gathering up the fancy chocolate morsels --ALL of them. By the time she finished, she had a tower of about a dozen donuts, and the tray had been decimated.
The truly sad part was that when I went back thru the lobby area 20 minutes later to check out, the family had left the table in shambles, and most of the food had only been partially eaten.
In both experiences, I was struck by the similarities, and saddened by the difference.
Money was paid to participate in the run and stay at the hotel:
At the run, the fee was reflected in race tee shirts, finishers medals, course prep, timers, security, road closer costs, and yes, even post race snacks.
At the hotel, the money was for room rental, power, cleaning services, taxes, and yes, 'complementary' breakfast.
The line between 'what we are owed' in life versus 'what we have earned' is constantly in danger of being erased.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Babies+Zoo=Unwritten Law?
It was a beautiful day in Los Angeles yesterday, so we took a little trip to the LA Zoo. (Don't panic - this is not Dave's SoCal Travelogue - I'll leave that to Huell Howser ) As we walked around, I was struck by how many babies were being pushed and carried up and down the hills of the zoo. I'm not talking toddlers who may have been able to appreciate the animals, but little babies - well under a year old.
I guess it is just a given that if you have a baby, you take them to the zoo. The fresh air, the lack of lines, the ability to go at your own pace and the POSSIBILITY that your kid may get something out of the experience is really all you you can hope to get out of the day.
Come to think of it, we all could use a day at the zoo.
I guess it is just a given that if you have a baby, you take them to the zoo. The fresh air, the lack of lines, the ability to go at your own pace and the POSSIBILITY that your kid may get something out of the experience is really all you you can hope to get out of the day.
Come to think of it, we all could use a day at the zoo.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
What Time is it?
I think that Pandora Radio can read minds. Or at least freak me out when I use it. I was on a run yesterday and the Journey song 'Separate Ways' came on. That in itself is not weird or odd, as I had the radio set to Summer Hits of the 80's.
What made it a bit spooky is that I was thinking about time when the song came on. Stay with me...
Separate Ways was released on February 5, 1983, and was the commencement song at my high school graduation that May. When they played the song at graduation, it was met with a bit of 'meh' from the graduates and even less enthusiasm by the family and friends in attendance. I did not own the Frontiers album and have never purchased the song from iTunes. But every time I hear the opening keyboard riff, I immediately flash on a orange moon over the Palo Verde High School football stadium 29 years ago.
I know that songs can trigger memories, but it got me to wondering...with the access we now have to all kinds of things from our collective past, are we in danger of not having those trigger moments of memory? It used to be that we were much more dependent on our own internal memories, as we didn't have the internet to look up what year Sound of Music came out (1965) or who was the original lead singer for Faith No More (Chuck Mosley), and if we wanted to see the Sound of Music we had to wait until it came on TV. Now, with nearly instant access to well, just about everything, we no longer have to wait. In turn , I don't think we relate to time in the same way we used to. Our 'fond remembrances' are now merely playlist and web sites. We have even reduced our over beer arguments about who had the highest batting average In the American League in 1963 (Carl Yastrzemsk .321) to a game of how fast can you get the info on your smart phone. We're loosing the need to remember, and replacing it with the ability to find.
So, back to time.
I think that this generations relationship with time is changing, compressing if you will. When we were younger, 20 years was a long time, and 50 was a lifetime. This was due, I believe, to our dependency on our own memories. Now, when you are listening to Meet The Beatles, do you eve stop to realize that the music you are enjoying is 48 years old? 99% of the time , I don't.
Do you think our parents, or grandparents related to time in the same way? How many times to you find yourself saying "that was HOW many years ago?"
When Separate Ways came thru my headphones, it took me back and made me recall a fun time in my life. then I thought about all the things that had happened in my life since then, how much TIME had gone by. In the end, I just felt...old.
To end this on an upbeat note, here is possibly one of the the worst music videos ever...still a pretty good song.
What made it a bit spooky is that I was thinking about time when the song came on. Stay with me...
Separate Ways was released on February 5, 1983, and was the commencement song at my high school graduation that May. When they played the song at graduation, it was met with a bit of 'meh' from the graduates and even less enthusiasm by the family and friends in attendance. I did not own the Frontiers album and have never purchased the song from iTunes. But every time I hear the opening keyboard riff, I immediately flash on a orange moon over the Palo Verde High School football stadium 29 years ago.
I know that songs can trigger memories, but it got me to wondering...with the access we now have to all kinds of things from our collective past, are we in danger of not having those trigger moments of memory? It used to be that we were much more dependent on our own internal memories, as we didn't have the internet to look up what year Sound of Music came out (1965) or who was the original lead singer for Faith No More (Chuck Mosley), and if we wanted to see the Sound of Music we had to wait until it came on TV. Now, with nearly instant access to well, just about everything, we no longer have to wait. In turn , I don't think we relate to time in the same way we used to. Our 'fond remembrances' are now merely playlist and web sites. We have even reduced our over beer arguments about who had the highest batting average In the American League in 1963 (Carl Yastrzemsk .321) to a game of how fast can you get the info on your smart phone. We're loosing the need to remember, and replacing it with the ability to find.
So, back to time.
I think that this generations relationship with time is changing, compressing if you will. When we were younger, 20 years was a long time, and 50 was a lifetime. This was due, I believe, to our dependency on our own memories. Now, when you are listening to Meet The Beatles, do you eve stop to realize that the music you are enjoying is 48 years old? 99% of the time , I don't.
Do you think our parents, or grandparents related to time in the same way? How many times to you find yourself saying "that was HOW many years ago?"
When Separate Ways came thru my headphones, it took me back and made me recall a fun time in my life. then I thought about all the things that had happened in my life since then, how much TIME had gone by. In the end, I just felt...old.
To end this on an upbeat note, here is possibly one of the the worst music videos ever...still a pretty good song.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Cool vs. Crazy
I have a Pinterest page/blog/thingy. Here is the sum total of what I've done with it:
4 images. Four. Vier. Quatre.
I got this email yesterday:
For those of you who don't know who Peter Molyneux is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Molyneux
 | ||||
| Sorry its so small - click to enlarge |
I got this email yesterday:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Molyneux
Why in the the WORLD is he following my Pins?
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Door #1, Door #2 or Door #3?
I've never been a huge fan of traditional game shows. I enjoy playing trivia and puzzle games, but with friends, not on TV for money (or a life time supply of Rice-A-Roni, the San Fransisco Treat!)
The types of game shows I like are the slightly off...Liars Club or To Tell the Truth, or even Wipeout...Big Balls!
Basically, games with no real talent or skill - no knowledge of trivia, or ability to solve puzzles.
My all time favorite was 'Lets Make a Deal'. Now before you all go get huffy, and say that in order to play well, you needed to have a general idea of household items and grocery costs, I say 'HA!' You only need to have a ridiculous costume and the ability to physically agonize over 'Door #1, Door #2, or Door #3?'
The utter joy or crushing pain on the contestant's face that was triggered by the pull back and reveal of what was behind their chosen door was what made the show such a draw for me. Recently, I started to think about why I was attracted to this very primitive type of proposition... win or lose. I think it is because, instead of a Roman Emperor giving the thumbs up/thumbs down, or even something as simple as a coin flip, there is at least the illusion of control of destiny. The 3rd choice, combined with the player themselves being given the choice made it seem more than random chance.
I think that with many of the decisions we have in our daily lives, it really does turn into 'Door #1, Door #2, or Door #3?', and we kid ourselves that what we choose, no mater how much research we do, how much influence is applied to us by outside forces, that it will make any difference - we still could get the ZOINK!
Sour grapes? Not really. To appreciate the good in my life, I have to realize that I have to accept the ZOINKS! as well as the new car. I have to embrace that I will not always be in control of my fate, that I will make both good and bad choices - regardless of preparation , or lack there of, and that sometimes I will have to choose between 'Door #1, Door #2, or Door #3?'.
The best part is, I still get to choose.
So...
Monday, March 12, 2012
Apologies for the blanks...
He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. ~Benjamin Franklin
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