Call your Insurance Agent

In an effort to lower all of my expenses I called my insurance agent. Thanks to this one phone call I lowered my cost by nearly 40% for the exact same coverage. At first I was jumping for joy then I got mad, downright mad that I my agent was charging me a higher rate all this time. Just goes to prove only you know what is best for your money. Same holds true for stock brokers and investment advisors. Who cares more about your money, them or you? Call your insurance agent today. Get them to lower your rates. You deserve it.

Happy

Very happy.

Political Donations

I am finding myself scanning this website for hours so I thought you might enjoy it as well. It is a searchable database listing who has donated this year to a candidate and how much. If that is not interesting enough, it also lists their occupation.

Some interesting facts to peak your interest; 749k has been donated in my zip code. In my hometown 250-bucks by one guy for Ron Paul. http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/

Primary Election Numbers

Here are the numbers that make the biggest impact on me from yesterday's primary election.
California has a poplulation of 36.4 million people, of which 68% are registered to vote, roughly 25 million. Of those 25 million, a measly 4.6 million voted. In 2006 there were 421,000 registered voters in San Francisco (more in 2008 but I do not have exact numbers). In yesterday's primary only 189 thousand voted, or 44%. Why? What can be done to increase the numbers?

Two Sundays, Two Halfs

I just completed back-to-back Half Marathons on consecutive Sundays. Last week in Austin (www.3mhalfmarathon.com) I had a PR at 1:44:38. Today was the Kaiser Half in SF (www.kp.org/sf) and I crossed the finish line at 1:45:20, not bad considering it was raining and for miles 9-12 we had to run against a head wind.

Now if I can just keep that same pace for a full marathon I will break the 4 hour mark.

Austin Eating

Food is one of the ways we consume different cultures, whether those cultures be a few hundred or a few thousand miles away. When we eat cuisine from a cetain location we presume to know its people, its culture and way of life a little better. Eating BBQ in Austin, Texas, is a perfect example. Texans mean business when it comes to bbq and you don't want to mess with anything fancy.

The photos are from The Salt Lick, quite a well known BBQ joint, and rightly so. You pull into the expansive parking lot and the first thing you smell when you open the door is sweet smell of bbq smoke.

Three things you can tell about Texas and Texans from its bbq:
1. Texans like things big

2. Meat is king. Texans have guns and will use them.

3. Looks can be deceiving. Just like the spicy looking sauce might be sweet, Texas looks rough and tumble but its got a softer side.

4. They love Sam Houston and the Lone Star Symbol

5. Orange is their favorite color.

Okay, the last two have no relationship to bbq but it might as well.

Model?

If you happen to see somebody who looks like me standing or riding a bike from Tony Hawk's new line of bicycles, say on a website or product catelog...it's not me, just my body double. (shown photo is not me, obviously)

Globe'ing Good Time

There are few things as simple and fun as the Harlem Globetrotters. There is nothing negative about them (except maybe having no white players). Everything about them puts a smile on your face. I remember watching them on television growing up. Now that I am old I finally got the chance to see them in person from courtside seats. Not bad.

Age Old Question

Do you ever feel your age? On this day, as I turn 37, I don't feel 37. When I turned 30 I didn't feel three decades old or two decades old when I turned 20. I never felt I was whatever age I was at the time. Most certainly now. 37 conjures up images of somebody who is responsible, settled and secure. I guess it is because I do not fit the stereotypical image of a 37 year old male...gut sticking out, kids hanging on my legs, in mortgage hell and looking for a mistress. I am not saying I feel like a kid. Although I do feel a lot younger when I am around my mother. It is a strange feeling. I feel adolescent almost in the company of parents. I am happy turning 37. Even more happy that I still get carded every now and then.

Trader Traffic Jam

I like Trader Joe's. I can pick up quick meals and a good price. Its tomato soup is great. But the Trader Joe's in my neighborhood (10 blocks away) is way too popular. Lucky for me I can just walk there but a lot of goofballs will probably wait 15 minutes to buy their Two or Three Buck Chuck because there is not place to park. The lot is the size of TJ lasagne.

What is funny is TJs is supposed to be this eco-friendly store. It led the way years ago with fabric bags and here are its customers spewing exhaust to spend money.

Predictions

For nothing more than a little fun, I thought it would be interesting to extrapolate some of the numbers I played with last week to predict what prices would be in ten years IF the rate of inflation and appreciation remained the same as it’s been over the last decade. So, with some very basic math, I averaged out the increase for single family homes, lofts/condos/TICs and Multi Unit buildings in five neighborhoods and applied it to a new neighborhood, Glen Park 2017. Not only do I doubt that the rate of appreciation will remain the same, but I hope with all my might that it doesn’t because not a damn soul will be able to afford a tank of gas let alone a modest house in Glen Park.

Glen Park
2007 vs. 2017

Average cost of a single family house
2007 - $1,059,660
2017 - $3,274,349

Average cost of a cup of coffee
$1.65
$2.73

Average cost of a Condo/Loft/TIC
$833,878
$2,068,993

Average cost of a gallon of gas
$3.25
$8.18

Average cost of a multi unit building
$1,065,333
$3,123,467

Family Cabin

Growing up I spent many summer days at the family cabin up near Twain Harte. I have not been back in over 10 years and made a visit over the weekend. It sits on 120 acres of land and is perfect for those looking to escape every day life. You have to travel about 3 miles along a dirt road to get there. No running water. No electricity. That is isolated. It is too run down for use and the likelihood of it ever being in decent shape is slim.

It would be a tough rental since it is so isolated but after a compete renovation it would be great for family gatherings or use within the family.

Zippeee!

Life zips by. Tether ball during recess fast becomes being tethered to obligations in need of a vacation. What better way to hit you over the head with the fact that life moves fast and the only thing you can do is hold on for a wild ride than a zip line. A blur of trees, shrubs and hiking trails flies past your feet as you travel 35 mph from above. A metaphor for life if there ever was one. Just yesterday I was running through irragation water in field with a small piece of plywood trying to country surf.

Celebrating our birthday's, mom and I headed up to Moaning Caverns in the Sierra up by Columbia to check out the caves and take a ride on its new zip line. 1500 feet of adrenaline.

You step off a 25-foot wooden tower and the high-pitched zipping sound of a metal trolley is all you hear. I am thrill junkie but mom is not, so for her to do this was pretty courageous.

After the zip we trekked down to explore the caves.

Rising Prices

2008 marks my 10 year anniversary of moving to San Francisco (August).

Take a look at the average price for a place in Pacific Heights then and now compared to some common goods. If only a condo increased by the same percentage as a gallon of milk. Will it continue? Unlike in a majority of the U.S., I say yes.

Pacific Heights
Average cost of a single family house
1997 $1,706,000
2007 $5,022,000

Average cost of a USPS stamp
$0.32
$0.41

Average cost of a Condo/Loft/TIC
$487,294
$1,242,000

Average cost of a gallon of milk
$2.49
$3.99

Average cost of a multi unit building
$1,060,000
$2,328,000

Windy Ways

The Bay Area was hit with a rather hard storm yesterday and it is supposed to continue for a few days. The wind was especially fierce. In some parts it was gusting up to 95mph. On my run this morning, between rain showers, it was more like an obsticle course having to jump over or avoid all of the branches and downed trees. Golden Gate Park was hit so hard many roads were closed.

Cheesey

Many of you have lived through hearing about my unfullfilled business ideas ranging from cupcakes to a men's salons. My latest business infatuation is a restaurant. I have always thought it would be great to operate a small eatery. Now, I would not know where to start but the idea sounds great. San Francisco is a food city. It would not be easy. But there is restaurant in NYC I would love to copy and open up here. S'mac. Everybody loves mac 'n cheese and several posh places here have it on its menu. M-n-cheese would be the main attraction here. Love it. The mini cast iron skillets embody comfort food. Prices are modest. It would be a sure fire success. Care to help me start?

Extra Money

With Michelle away until February I gave myself a few goals to meet during that time. One, of course, is to run and bike more. This I am finding hard to achieve due to the weather. I am finding it hard to find the motivation to battle the chill and when I do, I am finding my feet are turning numb...I need to wear two socks.

Where I am succeeding in is finding unique and quick ways to make an extra buck. A quick scan of craigslist is an electronic mine of opportunity. There are numerous odd jobs and tasks people are willing to pay you for. One of them is taking part in focus groups, which are plentiful in SF. Now, to do this I can not tell the company what I really do for a living but that is easy. If I do I will be automatically disqualified. I pulled in $200 thanks to an IBM focus group and $50 for a web site design group. I have another lined up in a two weeks, $50.

Other things in the works include passing out hors d'oeuvres at a posh event, $100 for three hours and being a cycling model for a photo shoot for some marketing group, $75.

While this will not make me rich it is fun and makes life interesting. It makes me want to find some other way to constantly make money instead of my daily 9-5. And heck, who can't use a few extra dollars?

Aloha

I walked into a tiny Hawaiian restaurant for dinner and was greated with a pleasant "Aloha". I had the urge to say aloha back but didn't, feeling my aloha would be less genuine since I am not Hawaiian, don't work there, and really just wanted to grab a quick bite to eat. Plus, I thought is was kitchey and one time only, meant just for me. Then lady said it to every customer who walked in the door. And after I ordered the waitress said "Maholo". Again, I had the urge to say mahalo back but didn't. She was saying this to every customer. Then I got to wondering, in a place with so many countries represented on the menu, this is the only place where they greet everybody in the native language. Yes, I know, Hawaii is not a country, but you get my point. I walk into a Vietnamese restaurant and the staff greets me in English. The Turish place I frequent, they don't speak Turkish. Thai, Pakastani, Russian, Indian, they all greet me in English. Every now and then in a Japanese restaurant they will say "Konbanwa" (good evening) but mostly is it 'hello'.

What seperates Hawaiian from the others? Do they feel adding value in saying these little pleasantries in Hawaiian will make my dining experience any better? I don't think so. The only way you can make Hawaiian dining any better is to give me a real life view of a Hawaiian beach while I am gnawing on my chicken katsu. Aloha.

In my ear

Remember when Napster was first starting?
I have yet to get an iPod or any mp3 player for that matter. My mother is hipper in that category as she has one. Heck, I don't even own my own computer. The internet is revolutionizing how music is distributed and heard, we know this. I recently read an article stating the internet has given new life to the once 'dying' classical music scene. With the internew, new listeners are downloading classical music because it is easy and nobody else has to know it. There is no great risk in downloading something you are not particularly familiar with. Despite my lack of online music prowness, that does not stop an auidofile like myself from enjoying music. Here is what has my ear right now.

1. Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense. This is not something I just stumbled upon but everytime I reach for a CD or LP (yes, that is what I have) I reach for this. 'This Must Be the Place' is as mesmorizing now as it was when I first heard it. 'The less we say about it the better Make it up as we go along Feet on the ground Head in the sky It's ok I know nothing's wrong . . nothing...

2. Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals - Lifeline. The new album is simply brilliant. It is acoustic, it is bluesy, it is Ben Harper at his best.

3. Toby Keith - Big Dog Daddy. I am a sucker for country music. I am not ashamed of my country love. I am not a big fan of his Ford commercials or his try at holiday music, but Toby's no-nonesense style is always fun.

4. Radiohead. Anything and always.

Twice in 1 Year

My feet were on fire, my hips in ached and my knees cringed in pain, but somehow I managed to cross the finish line of my second marathon this year. Once again the best part about it was running it with my good friend Omar. To make it even better Omar and I had our own little cheering section, his parents.

This race is one of the better supported marathons I have run. All along the race course there were people cheering you on, especially the final 4 miles. It sure is an emotional boost having them there. You can't stop running when somebody is cheering you on. The course takes you from the Folsom Dam to the State Capital and running in December you see all the vibrant tree colors.

And talk about a post race score! An All You Can Eat Buffet ...for $4.99! If you are ever in Sacratomato and in the need for a good inexpensive meal, I highly recommend Annabelle's in Old Town.