Funny note for Earth day

Yes, I know. Earth day was on Wednesday 4/22 but with all running around (mostly on Bart, if you're wondering) I haven't had a chance to write about it. I tried writing a post via my new cell phone while on the train only to lose it by hitting the wrong key.

So Earth day. I got a ride to the station (which happens everyday I go into the city), but this time after walking through the ticket gate two Bart employees were thanking people for riding and then handed each rider a green slip of paper (oh the spirit of earth day.)

I took the note and after walking up the steps to the platform I read it. Again a thank you for riding Bart and an url for us to check out. I folded the note, slipped it into my bag and peered around only to notice that the platform was becoming littered with little green sheets of paper. Now don't you think it would have been more eco-friendly to post the new url on the overhead screens that flash the train times? The extra greeting was a nice touch and they could have left it there.

If they really wanted to push being eco-friendly they could have done a Bart promotion, giving a small discount to encourage ridership.... since the fares may go up this June.

Lunch with a Stranger

So last week when walking down Market Street to get a tea latte at Coffee Bean (thanks to my brother for introducing me to them) in downtown San Francisco, my friend and I walked by a young girl sitting on the sidewalk with a cardboard sign that read something like, "Ran out money while traveling. Please help."

I noticed the sign briefly but what grabbed my attention was the way she looked. A pair of glasses, blond hair pulled back into a half pulled pony-tail, a large D like the Detroit Tigers was etched on her neck, long black jacket pulled around her small frame and a dark washed pair of jeans. My friend and I continued on to get coffee and tea. On our way back she was still sitting with her sign. We walked a few steps past before I stopped, turned back and approached the young girl.

"What are you doing today for lunch?" - me
"Nothing." - her
"Why don't you meet me in front of See's Candy, just down the street at noon? - me
"That would be great." - her
"I'm Shelly. - me
"Crystal"
We shake hands.

At five to noon I headed outside to meet up with her. Now I suppose if one was really hungry they would be early, right? Crystal was nowhere in sight. I waited for a few minutes and then rushing down the sidewalk just five after noon was Crystal. As it turns out she didn't remember the name of the candy store and ran into a police officer who pointed her in the right direction.

As we headed to Subway (her choice) she told me her story. Crystal had hitched hiked from Detroit to Auburn, CA with her friend Shelia. Both had lost their jobs and were hard pressed to find anything in the extreme down turn Detroit is facing. A friend in Auburn mentioned that they could come out for a job, but once they arrived the job had fizzled out. Crystal was working for her aunt's cleaning company that serviced both commercial and residential places. However, her aunt lost more that 50% of her business and instead of having several jobs a week she was lucky to have one in two weeks. Her aunt had to let her staff go.

Shelia on the other hand was working as a temp to hire employee of Walmart. Walmart offered her a full time job only to lay her off along with 49 others 30 days later. Times have to be really bad if Walmart is laying off employees.

With two footlong sandwiches in tow we headed down the street towards the Greyhound bus terminal. They had found an underpass that provided some protection from the elements and the other people sleeping there took the two girls in. Shelia and Crystal had spent the day before walking up and down the streets and Shelia's feet were sore. So we brought the food to her. The three of us sat on the cardboard mats and spent the next hour talking.

We talked about the other people that sleep there. There's a couple, a 70 year old man who gets up with his cane and across the way are the "crackheads". One of the "crackheads" caught one of the rats that come out at night and put it into a Jack in the Box container. The rat got out of the container only to have the other rats scurrying after it because it had ranch sauce on its back. Shelia mentioned that it was so disturbing it kept her up. She said she tries to get back to the spot before sundown, before the rats come out, so she can get to sleep and not think about them attacking her stuff.

The girls had taken the Greyhound bus for $20 to San Francisco, hoping to find work in a larger city. Shelia had met a person looking for donations for a non profit group the day before and asked if there was any job openings. After chatting with the worker for several minutes she was asked to come in on Thursday for a job interview.

As for Crystal she's in need of a state ID card as she lost her Michigan ID. She went to get one but learned that they cost $25 (in MI it costs $12), which when you have nothing is quite a bit of money.

The two are quite knowledgeable. They were going to register for food stamps, check out a Hot spot (a local help center for homeless and teens) between 7th and 8th, and enroll in a homeless teen program.

The face of homelessness is changing. You never know, the guy on the train beside you may have enough money to wash his clothes and eat lunch but may rest his tired body on ground at night because rent is too high and his debts are too consuming. It's make me realize that although the country is in a down turn and many people are facing extreme hardships, I'm fortunate. Very fortunate. I have a home to sleep in, food stock piled in the cabinets, and both my husband and I have jobs. We are truly blessed.

Serving Customers better?

I saw this sign last week while walking through Berkeley.

I'm just wondering how closing a location is deemed as serving customers better. Anyone care to explain?

Did the cups have babies?

How come trying to organize items the way they once were (before you packed them away in cardboard boxes and moved them to two other locations before returning to the original starting point) never fit the same way?

It's not as if the item has magically expanded (like just ad water) and now takes up more room in the closet or that the cups had babies when you weren't paying attention.

I know we still have the same amount of dishes (maybe even one or two less) but yet things don't seem to fit the same. And the something even crazier is that we've given things away, recycled items and still there seems to be too much.

I guess I'll just have to rethink what do I want to keep vs. what is clutter. Or better yet reconfigure the organization of my items. Check out this new storage system offered by target, it's pretty cool.

If you have any suggestions please let me know.

Ah, Painting

The joys of painting... pick a color while trying to remember the tone of the couch cushions and the counter top plus the blue wall that was painted two years ago and you haven't looked at it in a year. Yes, picking paint colors can be fun.

We are in the processing of moving, yes again, across the street. I know it seems silly but we're actually moving into our old place (from which we once started). Before leaving for our big Canadian adventure we were there. And now it is time to return.

Thankfully the renter kept the condo in good condition and with a few minor things (new carpet in one room,) the fresh coat of paint in the living room, office and hallway will make the place feel more like home than just another place to rest our heads.

Comparison

Have you ever looked around your home, or someone elses' and started taking pictures of anything laying about? Well, yesterday I had the pleasure to hang out with a new photo friend, Tiffany Fong. She has a lovely home in the east bay. And after a morning filled with exciting photography talk, I felt compelled to finally take out my camera and snap a few pictures. Then in post production I thought, hmmm... what would these look like in black and white. So here's they are both color and b&w. Let me know what you vote for. Leave it in the comments.



She had this green monster head sitting on her kitchen counter. Maybe it was warding off germs and bad spirits or maybe it was from a party, nonetheless it made for a fun subject.

Then the shoes pile caught my attention. I have a shoe collection near my front door but I don't have them pile into a decorative basket.

Races in the Rain

Have you ever been the track? Where the horses race? In the rain?

Well, I've been to the track, where horses run but never in the down pour we experience over the weekend. While our friend had never been to the races and had asked if we'd go with her. So despite the rain we headed out.

During the race season at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, every Sunday is dollar day. Meaning parking is a dollar, the entrance is a dollar, the program is a dollar, beer is a dollar and I bet you can't guess how much the hot dogs are... yep, you're right a dollar. When we arrived a guy was on his way out and handed us the program, so we saved a dollar to bet later.

There is a cover section on the bottom floor where you can purchase food and place bets. Placing bets is the best thing about going to the races. And even better if you have no idea about the horses or know what the odds mean. Plus, most of the data that is provided does not account for the track condition, which was squishy at the very least.

My first bet was to show, meaning I was hoping for my horse to come in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd - which it didn't. Then we bet on a race at Santa Anita track, or that was the plan. Our friend forgot to tell the clerk that she wanted the Santa Anita race so her bet was placed for the next Golden gate field race. Oops. We notice in the program later that it tells you to check your ticket before you leave the counter, just for this reason.

J went for a Perfecta or Exacta or Straight Forecast (UK). A bet placed on two horses but they must cross the finish line in exact chosen order.

We lost our bets, like many others. But we had a fun time, and that's what really matters.