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  1. Intrastate Running

    Tuesday, September 29, 2009

    In about a month and a half, I will be running across the state with the help of 11 teammates. Team Twisted Blister, as we call ourselves, will relay across the state for not only the pure challenge of completing 191 miles as a team, but also for a really fantastic cause -- EDUCATION. My teammate, and good friend, began donating to The Kenya Education Fund (KEF) several years ago after traveling to Kenya. Since that trip, she has made giving to KEF a regular part of her annual holiday party by collecting donations from guests. This usually involves incredibly fun gimmicks -- like Jell-O shots or souvenir cups for sale. As a grateful guest to her annual soiree, I have given to this great cause with pleasure (and I won't blame it on the Jell-O shots).


    Now, Team Twisted Blister offers up the incredibly fun gimmick of surviving a team running relay across the relatively flat, yet lightning-prone and steamy state of Florida. You get the benefit of experiencing a running relay (by reading this blog) without any of the drawbacks (e.g., body odor, sweat, and tears), and with the knowledge that you are supporting a GREAT cause. Every dollar donated goes directly to a student in need, and provides supplies to help a student complete his or her education. I am always more compelled to give to a charity when I know where my gift is going, and when I know the recipient will appreciate the services provided. No where have I seen students more determined and enthusiastic than in areas of the world where the funds, facilities, support services, and supplies for a quality education are so clearly lacking. I see this when     I read books like Three Cups of Tea, and when I read about the students helped by KEF.

    To read more about Team Twisted Blister, the relay, and KEF, please check out our donation site. Any amount will go a long way toward boosting team morale (especially considering the whole B.O. factor), and toward helping a motivated student receive an education!

    Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. -- Nelson Mandela

    The ladies of Team Twisted Blister after the September 2009
    Zoo Run Run 5K at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.

    [10/23/2009 UPDATE: I wanted to add some more information about KEF, which I received from Brad Broder, the Executive Director of KEF, for those of you wondering about KEF's track record as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization:

    ...Regarding how the KEF "rates", the only website that I can direct you to is Guidestar.org, which is the leading nonprofit watchdog out there. Nearly all 501c3's are listed on their website (you just type in Kenya education fund), with some having more information about their organizations on there than others. I've been meaning to update our profile on the site. After I complete this email I will go ahead and post our 2008 Audit on there, along with the past couple of tax returns (form 990's).

    It's so good that you're investigating before giving. SOOOO important for donors to do that. Few actually do and therefore most people give irresponsibly. Having said that, I've never seen a site that rates the KEF against other similar organizations. I'm not sure what metrics would be used in such a comparison. Obviously rating on the basis of an overhead /project cost ratio is one way, but that often doesn't speak to the ever-important effectiveness of an organization. Effectiveness is such a hard thing to rate.

    I'm happy to answer any questions you have over the phone or via email. To tell you a little more, I am the only paid employee in the US and have been doing this full time since November 2006. Our annual revenue is between $250,000 - $300,000 and we are currently paying school fees for 246 students in over 100 high schools throughout Kenya. We have an office in Nairobi which has 1 full time director and another part time assistant. We get virtually no grant money and rely on private donations, fundraisers and gifts in kind.

    There are two distinct ways to support the KEF. The first is to give a "general" donation that is used at our discretion for both project implementation and overhead. The second way of giving is through a "direct sponsorship" of a Kenyan student. This gift supports a poor boy or girl through 4 years of high school at a boarding school. This gift is a $2000 pledge (payable at $500/yr or all at once) and almost 100% of it goes to the student's eduction. The sponsorship includes the cost of school fees, uniforms, textbooks, pocket money, tutoring and bed nets to prevent malaria. In school, students are given three meals a day, they get medical attention and are always in a learning environment. As an organization we sometimes lose money when school costs are more than $500 a year, but for now, we're making it work.

    I hope this email helps. I'm always available to talk if you need to know more. I appreciate that you are doing some due diligence on charities, although I would encourage you try to look past the numbers of some other organizations and focus on their mission more. Education, for example, is the only way to build human capacity and help break the cycle of poverty and a country's dependence on foreigners. Other charities focus on water, food, micro lending and disease - all of which have their own merits and save lives - but none of which are sustainable and reduce dependency. In the end, my job is to work myself out of a job. I sometimes find that other organizations don't share this view and get to wrapped up in the "business" of charity.

    Thanks again.

    Bradley Broder
    Executive Director
    Kenya Education Fund

    Office: 212.792.6300
    Fax: 212.792.6350
    Mobile: 646.266.6950
    www.kenyaeducationfund.org]

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  2. A Natural Number

    Wednesday, September 2, 2009

    Well, last week it was my turn. After spending much of the year ringing in the next decade for many good friends, I turned 30. I reached 30? I made it to 30? I think it's a pretty big deal, even though I already can purchase cigarettes, alcohol, and porn as well as drive and rent a car. And now, I can finally achieve my dream of running for Senate. With the passing of Ted Kennedy, someone needs to fill the gap!

























    In all seriousness, though, 30 is significant. As a person dear to my heart said, "You only get to celebrate, what? Nine decades?" That certainly put things in perspective when I told him that 30 really didn't feel much different. We only have a finite amount of time in our earthly bodies, and we must take a moment to take stock and appreciate the experience. Nothing serves as better milestone than a birthday.

    Another dear friend of mine gave me the book, What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self. Reading through the collection, I began to think what I would tell my younger self. There are so many younger selves, however, to choose from! The imaginative pre-teen. The conflicted and insecure teenager. The searching and struggling young 20-something. As someone who does not believe in regrets (because all my experiences shaped who I am today), it is difficult task to think what my younger self needed to hear, but I will give it a shot. Hopefully, my current self will take some of the advice, too.

    Dear Sarah,

    At the end of a grueling 2 years of Junior High, during which you faced academic, athletic, and social challenges beyond anything you dealt with before, you are now facing the prospect of High School. I can already see the snarl forming on your face and the dark cloud over your head. I caution you, however, to view the next 4 years     not as a test of survival, but as a brand spanking new opportunity, fresh and clean (with no mistakes). This is the time when you must marshal all of your talents and change your attitude. Sure, some of your classmates are not, nor will they ever be, your friends, but don't lump them all together. The world is not a game of you versus them. Don't limit your experience to what feels safe and comfortable, because I fear you will miss out on all the FUN. Don't wait until college to be brave. Say "yes" to yourself now. Life will grant you many blessings over the years, but only when you say yes to believing in yourself. Don't find the excuses before you even try. Play soccer. Join the swim team. Talk to the cute boy. Travel during summers. What else are you going to use all your paychecks from Wegmans for? Or if you are so stuck on saving up cash, go North and work on the River for the summer. Never again will you have so much available time and resources to experience the world, expand your horizons, and maybe meet some new and fabulous people that don't even go to your high school (eek!!). Allow your black and white world a little more gray, and that means giving yourself a little more slack. You have a strong will, Sarah, and a loving heart. Both of these gifts will get you further than you ever thought possible, but only when you say yes. And when you say yes, beware, the time zips by faster than ever. But that's what happens when you are having FUN.

    With love,
    Your happy, fun-lovin' 30-year-old self

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  3. Road trips ROCK. I love them. Mom and Dad probably just read that statement and passed out. Road trips as a youngster in the Chevy Impala -- not so fun. For them, or for my two brothers and me squished in the back seat. Maybe because those early road trips were so....um, memorable (??)...road trips now are so fun. Sure the wheels just keep on turnin', but the rest stops, the conversations, and the destinations make it all a good time.

    So there we were, Amanda, Tami, and me. Shoving the last bit of stuff into Amanda's trusty Honda Accord, which was weighted down with a bike rack and a U-Haul trailer, ready to roll Amanda's ass up to her new home -- Chicago. The goodie bags filled with chocolate and other sugary sundries were also packed and ready. Let's GO, bee-atches!!

    But, let's drop off the cable company's wireless router first. Ok, NOW, we can go. It's 3 PM, and we're bidding adieu to St. Petersburg by heading north up I-275 and I-75. Amanda's pet rabbit, Jackson (Jack), will not cooperate by riding in her jerry-rigged litter box. She will ride like the queen she is by riding...in the back window.


    Rock on, little bunny. Just don't pee all over if you get excited. We made a couple of pit stops on our way to our first checkpoint in Tennesee. We had some Subway for dinner, and some McDonald's for fourth meal at 1 AM. Throughout the 12-hour trek, we traded off driving duties. I got the rainy, dark, a traffic-filled shift through Atlanta. Perfect, when a trailer is attached to the back of the sedan. I only made one wrong turn, and I blame the GPS for faulty instructions. I kept right, like you said, lady, and I should have kept from turning off the main highway.

    We reached Almaville, TN at 2:30 AM on Friday, and Amanda's dear old friend Jeannie was waiting up for us. I think I remember saying hello before passing out on the couch for the night. The next thing I remember is waking up to the smell of coffee, which is one of the BEST scents in the world! It was a beautiful morning -- sun shining and fluffy clouds, with a hummingbird flitting by the front window -- and we would be spending the next 24 hours here before continuing on to Chicago on Saturday.

    Rob and Jeannie are gracious hosts, and they showed the 3 of us around. I love summer in the north! It is so green and the colors so vivid. And the grass!! The real grass!! Again, I was having a little foot orgy in my bare feet on the grass. Right there -- real grass. One of my Top 5 Favorite Things. Feet down.

    Later that day, as evening drew close, and after more friends from Cincinnati arrived, we drove to Arrington Vineyards for a picnic dinner. The location is beautiful! On a hillside overlooking the vineyards, you can picnic at the tables there as long as you buy a bottle of wine. And buy we did. The whites went perfectly with our fried chicken dinner and potato salad. We languished as we sipped the last of our bottles and watched the sun set.

    After such a restful and enjoyable evening, it was hard to get up the next morning with the knowledge that we had to hit the road. We got a little bit of a late start because we stayed to chat and enjoy a homemade breakfast. Once we were on the road, it was cornfields and horse farms for a very long way through the last sliver of Tennessee and a good chunk of Kentucky. In Louisville, we stopped for "lunch" at White Castle.


    OK, here's the thing. I've heard about White Castle before. I had never been there, but I heard the raves, and hell, I saw Harold and Kumar. I thought I was missing something, and I thought that THIS was my moment to experience WHITE. CASTLE.

    I was...underwhelmed. Steamed on a bed of onions? Pretty much equals a bland tasting piece of square meat on a tiny bun. Oh well, you can't tell me I didn't try.

    We forged on through Indiana, and then, made it to the threshold of Chicago. The tension was palpable. Amanda was at the wheel. I should say that the tension wasn't palpable because Amanda was at the wheel. It was because we were so close to Amanda's new home, and so far from her favorite home. That, and Amanda was at the wheel in an urban setting. SCAAARY!!!

    We arrived at Amanda's new lodgings in Hyde Park around 6:30. The unloading of the car and the trailer went relatively smoothly and quickly. Thanks mostly due to the brawn that showed up -- Josh, Mr. Wallace, and Mr. Shadduck -- we moved boxes up 3 flights of wooden stairs and through tight spaces with relative ease. Amanda and I, after a lovely deep dish pizza made in a wood-fired oven, began setting up her new apartment. Our adrenaline took us all the way to 12:30 AM.

    The next morning, we took our time starting our day before returning the U-Haul. Once returned, we made our way to the Navy Pier for some sightseeing. My local resident friend, Erik, came to meet us for lunch and a walk around Millennium Park, where we saw....the Bean. That infamous piece of tourist art that provides no end of amusement and distorted reflections. I'll let you enjoy our day, just as we did, in photos:




    I loved every moment of my time in Chicago, and I know Amanda is going to take to her new home like a duck to water. Sure, winter is going to blow frozen monkey chunks, but that's only for 8 months. The rest of the time -- it will be gravy. I definitely am going back to visit because 24 hours was not long enough. There is still so much more to do and see. Wrigley Field! Hot dogs! Oprah? Maybe not, but I still haven't wandered the waterfront drunk in the middle of the night, and I still haven't been in a parade singing "Twist and Shout." Next time, Amanda, next time. We're doing the town up right.

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  4. Again, I meant to post this earlier, but August really got a away from me. I'm playing catch up now.

    Back in early August, I got a chance to play with the cool kids on Lake Seminole, which is right here in Pinellas County. After picking up supplies (subs, drinks) and gassing up the boat, we loaded into the boat and motored away from the ramp. The lake is pretty big, as lakes outside of Finger Lakes and Great Lakes country go, and is separated into two parts. The back lake area is smaller, more residential, and shallower. You could stand up, with your head out of water, if you didn't mind the mucky goodness of the lake bed sucking at your feet. There may have been gators in there, too, but I didn't see them (and I didn't look too hard).

    Dan was the first one up on the wakeboard once we got all situated in the boat. He showed the rest of us rookies how it was done. [Note to my cousin Kyra: I am pretty sure we were following all the rules included in your how-to manual.] Jen, a wakeboarding novice, if not virgin, was up next -- and in only a few tries. Making it look so easy, Jacob thought he would have no problem. Not so. Thus, the wakeboard was benched for a bit, and the tube was inflated. I jumped on board the tube and held on for dear life. This isn't your Daddy taking you around the lake for a nice ride! Tubing is akin to the mechanical bull -- you're hoping to get your 8 seconds! I held my own, but the tube, my fellow tube rider, and the lake all left their mark on me. I nearly lost my suit in there somewhere, too. Note to self: put on the rashguard prior to rash-giving and suit-taking activities.

    The tube was put away as we motored back toward the larger, main lake. The wakeboard was brought back out for another go. Carl gave his most valiant efforts, but never quite got the brass ring. I gave it my best shot, and nearly made it to upright (SO CLOSE); however, I never quite made it either. I blame my vice grip on the tube (and subsequent tossing from the tube) for reducing my strength. I just didn't have any oomph left. Jacob finally got upright and moved forward a few feet before getting dunked again. We just left him for dead and took off for home after that...


    Seriously?! That last part would never happen. We all made it home alive, and gator-bite free. I definitely was sore for a couple of days after our playtime on the lake, but it was worth it. It was one helluva a beautiful day in Florida and a great day to be out on the water.

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