Hanging with Pigeons

A Smartphone is not a Boombox

Since when did cell phones become boomboxes?   I do not want to hear your favorite song blaring out of your smartphone so loud it is distorted and barely identifiable.  Isn't that why ear phones were invented? 

Coyote run

Saturday sights:
Two windmills
Two Tibetian Monks
One coyote
One goal to clean up the beach

Funny, I think I have seen more coyotes here than I did living in 'The Home of the Coyotes'.

Under Construction

Hello Old Friend

Needs a Player

Not so tasty tomatoes

yummy?!

Wilson's New Gig

Not Even St. Patrick's Day

Photo A Day Challenge

New self challenge is to try to post a new photo each day. Don't hold your breath.

Pac Heights Potty

Does this really make a porta-potty more eye pleasing? It's not like using it will be any better. Maybe so. We are talking Pacific Heights. Maybe there is a hanging plant inside with spa-like soap and towels.

A-maze-ing

Passed by the Mile Rock Labyrinth on the run this evening. It is a nice little escape just three miles from the apartment. It seems world's away.

Attention Real Estate Agents

Please take better photos of your listings. I don't want to see a couch. I don't want to see the sign of a 'hip restaurant' down the street. I want to see the space. Do you expect to sell anything with these photos? I understand your real estate license did not come with a photography class but it did come with some marketing lessons. Use them.

Not a bad place to be

Comcast Sucks

I emailed Comcast with a minor complaint and this is the bloated and useless response I received.
--
Dear Kevin,
Thank you for contacting Comcast Cable Email Support.

I thank you for allowing me this opportunity to assist you. Kevin, as
your service representative today, I want you to know that your
satisfaction is of my topmost priority. Our goal is to provide our
customers with the most effective possible support. I will be more than
happy to assist you with your concern. Rest assured that I will address
your concerns as quickly as possible.

I understand your concern regarding the program available for channel
416. Kevin, I can understand why you would be upset, I would feel the
same way if I was in the situation you are in. I sincerely apologize for
the inconvenience this has caused you. Rest assured that your concern
will be taken care of and I will be providing you with the best possible
resolution to your concern in this email response.

Kevin, we need to hear about any unsatisfactory situations in order to
correct them and to enhance our level of customer service. I have
forwarded your comments to the appropriate members of our development
and management teams for further review and action. We appreciate that
you took the time to help us keep our commitment to quality customer
care.

To send comment, suggestions, or feedback, you can also go to:

http://www.comcast.com/corporate/customers/contactus/feedback.html

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we address your
concerns. If you have any more questions feel free to reply to this
e-mail.

Kevin, I thank you that you took time out from your busy schedule to
share your concerns. We continue to strive for complete customer
satisfaction so your feedback is valuable to us. In addition to
providing you with the latest and greatest products, we want to ensure
that you are satisfied with our services. It is a pleasure assisting you
and resolving your issue today. We appreciate that you have chosen
Comcast as your service provider and we thank you for your business.

Thank you for bringing Comcast into your home. Comcast appreciates your
business and values you as a customer. Our goal is to provide you with
excellent service. If you need further assistance, please do not
hesitate to contact us at:

Customer Support (24 hour a day, 7 days a week):
http://www.comcastsupport.com/chat

Phone Support (office hours only):
1-800-XFINITY (9346489)

We hope to do business with you again. Have a great day and take care.


Sincerely,

Elaine T
Comcast Customer Care Specialist
--
That is the longest email about nothing that gets absolutely zero accomplished I have ever read. Talk about trying to make sure I feel good about complaining. What a joke.

Saturday Run Observations

This is what I came across during my Saturday morning run:
That sweet Giants and Tim Lincecum mural
Crazy triathletes in lingerie getting ready to jump in the water at Aquatic Park
Elderly Chinese more limber than me doing Tai Chi
Saturday morning boot camps everywhere
A nickle
Realization that pushing the walk button at crosswalks does little good
A clear mind
Cool playground with a spongy surface
Cherry blossoms in full bloom along the Lyon Street Stairs
ahhhh

Never an Ordinary Run

Here is what I came across on tonight's run:
A magnificent beach
A professional photographer taking shots of an awe inspiring bridge
Campers at Rob Hill in the Presidio
A police cop training his dog to attack a man in a big, padded suit
Pre-teens playing lacrosse
A dozen or so cyclists whizzing by
Strange metal yellow chairs of various heights in a meadow
A penny
Inspiration
A super cool orange convertible MG
Fallen eucalytpus branches from the recent storm
A new public water fountain
Reminded once again why this place is so great

All within my six mile run.

Mexico Abode

Here is the place in Mexico where we stayed. Located about 1 1/2 north of San Jose del Cabo in the small village of El Cardonal, about 40 minutes from Los Barrilles


I do not know what I miss more, the solitude or the cheap and amazing food.

Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year was officially on February 6th but the celebration continues on nearby Clement Street (The Richmond District's Chinatown). The dancing lions were out in force this past weekend stopping by local businesses to bring good luck.

Marathon Minutes

I just realized I now I have 5 more minutes to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I have to run a race in 3:20 or less to get in instead of 3:15. That is now only 15 minutes faster than my best time. 5 more minutes never looked so good. That is a 7:33 pace. Not a cakewalk...for sure. Time to build a faster me, a stronger me.

While this goal is great I do not want to forget to do one thing: Give thanks that I can run. It's all too often we get so hung up on our goals that we simply forget what a blessing it is to be able to get out there and run. Many of us run because we overcame something else. There's quite possibly a good reason you are a runner. For me it is something else. Running gives me freedom and puts me more in tune with my surroundings. We often go through the day and do not notice the world around us. We're stuck in buildings or behind the wheel. I notice so many things around me when I run, I travel down roads I would normally not. My senses are alive.

If your running isn't perfect and you feel like you are in a rut, wondering why you are doing this day after day--stop for a minute. Rejoice in the fact that you can run.

Dying While Running

I saw a man die while running on Sunday.

I like to think I am invincible, especially when running. I get stronger with each step. I improve with each deep breath. I believe this to be true. Seeing a runner have what appeared to be cardiac arrest reminds me though I am NOT invincible.

I did not see him collapse, I saw him on the ground then a rush of people move in to try to revive him just after he crossed the finish line. Efforts that lasted over 20 minutes to no avail.

Sad, sure. I know running can be taxing on the heart but like any muscle it gets stronger the more you work it. The risk of dying while running is quite small. A study published in 1996 found a 1 in 50,000 chance during a runner's marathon career. (Based on exercising for more than 3 hours in a marathon.)

The man who died was younger (36) than me and finished slower than me (by 20 minutes). I do not know what shape he was in but you have to wonder if he prepared enough to handle the event. Did he push himself too much? Were there other factors that contributed to his heart's failure like clogged arteries? Most who die while running had undiagnosed heart anomalies. Too many questions requiring answers we will never get but it got me thinking about the dangers of running and what I and all runners should do to look out for ourselves.

Know your limits and know your body. Listen to your body and train and run accordingly. Be alert in any drop in endurance or strength. Be aware of any chest discomfort, numbness in the jaw or arms, tightness of the chest or shortness of breath. Have your heart checked.

I paid special attention to my heart tonight, my first run since Sunday. I strapped on my handy heart monitor and throughout my run I did not peak over 150bpm. I did not run very fast, my normal leisurely (for me) 7:30 per mile pace. Even at the end, my heart rate hovered just under 150bpm.

According to heart charts for a person my age the max heart rate should be around 190bpm, so I was not pushing it. This is now my guideline to watch and monitor from this point on. The good thing was my recovery rate. Within one minute my heart rate dropped down to 80bpm, well above average according to the charts. The old ticker is not only working but working well.

There were a series of stairs about midway through my run. At the top were two guys smoking pot. One of them was coughing like crazy. Maybe it was his first time. On my way down I said to myself I may not be invincible but I would rather run the risk than sit around doing that or nothing at all.

Sun or Snow...I'll take this any day

For all of my friends shoveling snow and shivering...suck on this!
Running last night in a short sleeve shirt. A crisp morning ride today. Plenty of sunshine. Glad to be here.

Old Paper Routes Revisited

This made me think back to my old paper route for the Modesto Bee. I remember getting my hands covered in black ink, the sore shoulders and having to wake up way too early. That and having to pay for the rubber bands and plastic bags. I always felt the paper should pay for those. I mean come on, how I am supposed to deliver YOUR paper without them?