DMV NY's Eve Century Bike Tour

We are planning for one last event to ring out the decade.  Huray! No, it's not another painful marathon.  It's a century!  Why not end this fantastic decade by riding 100 fabulous miles. How are we going to do it?  By riding 4 loops of the new and symbolic 25 mile DMV loop.  The route will be similar to the Christmas Day Marathon, encompassing DC, Maryland and Virginia and doing a complete loop around the Potomac.

Want to save your legs for NY's eve dancing?  No sweat. You have the option of stopping and resting after each loop or quiting altogether.


Loops:

• The first loop will start at 6:00 to end around 8:30. 
• We will break for 30 mins and go again and end around 11:30.  
• We will take an hour lunch break and start the third loop at around 12:30.  We hope to finish the third loop by 3:00.  
• Finally the 4th loop will start around 3:30 to end at 6:00.  

Will we see NY's Eve Festivities?
While riding through Old Town, we will ride through King Street and see the beginnings of First Night Alexandria.

DC: We will stop and see the National Christmas Tree one final time before they take it down for the year.

MD: We will get a chance to see the setup for the NY's Eve festivities at Gaylord Resort in National Harbor.

Expected Pace: 8-10 mph

Here is the DMV loop.

Weather: Cloudy. Highs will be in the upper 40's and we are not expecting high winds.  Looks like a great day to ride 100 miles.

Why I Ran 26 Miles on Christmas Day

Christmas came early to me in the form of a nice surprise -- a call from a friend I haven't seen or heard from in nearly 20 years.  We had gone to school together at Florida and her call from Shanghai was absolutely the right wake-up call I needed to jumpstart my day.  I needed to run, but life is not always on a time table.  No one was waiting for me and the race would start when life was ready for me to begin.

A call home to Mom to wish her well with her big dinner at home.  A call to my son and I wished he was home with me instead.  And then I was off to the National Christmas Tree to start my momentous run.

Christmas Day Marathon Run -- Still On

 This is the new DMV Loop that is exactly 26.2 miles.

Snow or shine, I am still planning on kicking off my Christmas Day Marathon Run tomorrow in front of the National Christmas Tree at 9:30 AM.

O Holy Night -- Reflections of Christmas

Maggie Contreras said it best: "If you are going to be in DC, for Christmas, you have to see the the National Christmas Tree.  Otherwise, it's like rejecting Christmas, if you don't go visit it."

I know a lot of people who've been hear for years and have never visited the tree. So if you have never seen the tree, please go visit it.  It doesn't matter how cold it is.  The tree is magical and you could meet amazing people there. And there's something traditional about the trains that brings out the child in you. It surely did for me.

It doesn't matter where in the US you are from. Every state and territory has its own mini tree.  And if you're not from the US, the tree will have a special meaning to you.

Meanwhile, Amy  expressed her views on Christmas succinctly: Christmas is about sharing the idea of love and giving worldwide.  We should see other people as ourselves. We should set everything aside and love everyone unconditionally.

And the biggest miracle of them all: To Pepe, it was the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell.  To him, it was the most perfect Christmas present of all.

Meanwhile soprano prodigy, Jackie Evancho, wows us with her classical crossover, "Oh Holy Night."

Stand Up Paddle "Stand by Me"

"Stand by Me" written by Ben E. Kingperfectly captures my love and passion for this new found sport. . King was a master of sudsy metaphors that paints a lovely picture of Love that know no bounds.  And John Lennon simply sings it best.


I made this video to depict the exhilaration and excitement of stand up paddle boarding.

Christmas Day Marathon

So what do you do on Christmas Day after all the presents have been opened?  Well if the relatives are in town, you may want to go for a run -- a long run, that is.

If your family or significant other will let you go for several hours, you are cordially invited to participate in the first (annual) Christmas Day Marathon.

We are starting at 9:00 AM on Constitution Avenue, just north of the Washington Monument and south of the National Christmas Tree (Rain, Snow, Sleet or Shine)

The route will then take you to the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree before heading southeast towards Anacostia.

This will be the first true DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) marathon.

I will stage minimal aid along the way at Mile 4 (Congress Heights) and Mile 13 (National Harbor).  At National Harbor, we will take pictures in front of the 65-foot Christmas Tree made of synthetic "candy" glass.


 This is the new DMV Loop that is exactly 26.2 miles. It starts and ends at the Washington Monument.

The route relies heavily on bike and running trails and only about 5% of it is on busy streets.

We then cross the WW Bridge and stop in Old Town to view their Christmas tree and decoration near the Torpedo Factory.  Then it's a 10 mile run back towards the National Christmas Tree.

Since it's a Holy Day, we will not be breaking any speed records. We're going to take our time, enjoy, work off the egg nog and pumpkin pie and everyone we run into say "Happy Holidays."

Please contact me if you are seriously interested or seriously insane.  (Don't just show up without contacting me first, so we can plan accordingly)

This event is free, but you have to (BYOA) bring your own aid.

Routes used:

1. Anacostia Park

2. Suitland Parkway

3. Oxon Run Trail

4. Oxon Hill Bike Trail

5. National Harbor/Woodrow Wilson

6. Mount Vernon Trail

This marathon loop crosses three bridges:

1. Frederick Douglas (Nationals Park to Anacostia)

2. Woodrow Wilson (National Harbor to Alexandria)

3. Memorial (Arlington to National Mall)

It finishes with one loop around Hains Point to finish at the Washington Monument to reach exactly 26.2 miles.  The majority of the course is very scenic especially along Oxon Hill Trail (wild deer and turkeys)

The only major traffic lights you will encounter are those along Independence Ave and on Suitland Parkway and Stanton Rd in SE.

Big Bear Bike Sale for Charities

Today I bought a bike, no actually two, and the proceeds, all 100% of it goes to charities!

The first is a Bianchi Mountain bike for an amazing $190. With this bike, I can use as a commuter and even take it with me to NYC on the Bolt Bus.  Lots of people know Bianchi for the road bikes, but they may not be aware that Bianchi was one of the first mountain bike designers.  In 1915, Edoardo Bianchi manufactured a mountain bike in support of the Army Alpine Corps of Italy.

The second bike, a vintage Cannondale aluminum racer for a very good price. I was very glad to know that the money I paid will go to ship donated bikes to Ghana.

Once the bikes arrive in country, the locals work on reconditioning the bikes, creating jobs and taking full ownership and pride in their work.

Now, youths throughout Africa and South and Central America are provided with affordable bicycles for personal transport to work, school and health services.

Since 2005, more than 41,000 bikes have been shipped to countries throughout rural parts of Africa, central America, Haiti and even Afghanistan.

The bikes are used by the indigent as well as by aid workers. Like Nick Colombo said "It's like giving them a car." What a wonderful cause!

Early December Paddle: Georgetown to Navy Yard

  

Early Dec stand-up paddle in majestic Potomac and historic Anacostia from Georgetown to Navy Yard. Filmed with Casio EXILM EX-G1. Board is NSP 11'
Synched to U2's "One."

Although it was a bitter, cold day, best for watching football and beers, I truly enjoyed every second of this invigorating SUP.

DC, MD, VA (DMV) Marathon Loop

 This is the new DMV Loop that is exactly 26.2 miles.

It starts and stops at the Washington Monument.

The route relies heavily on bike and running trails and only about 5% of it is on busy streets.

Can One Cycle Around the Potomac? Absolutely, Just do the DMV.

The 3-D Course Fly-by Video

How to Chew Gum and Talk to your Congressman (at the same time)

You may have heard that it is rude to chew gum while talking -- Yes, but that is not point of this article.  Instead, it's amazing how well the human body can multi-task throughout the day (as long as you are resourceful and resolute in structuring your schedule).

Yes, you shouldn't listen to the radio and TV at the same time while carrying out a philosophical conversation on the phone.   But there are many other ways to multi-task smartly.

It all depends on the activity and whether or not it is Physical, Mental or even Emotional.  One of both these type of activities can be done in unison since they don't over drain the human body's core mental or muscular functions.

Here are activities that will not hinder your ability to concentrate while getting chores done, so you should try to do them as often possible.

1. Studying (Brain) and edit video on Final Cut (Semi-Brain, Semi-Functional) -- This is not done at the same time.  You do a little bit of editing and during the time it takes for the video to render, you can shift to studying and vice versa.  Note: Unless during finals or major projects, I am not normally a big fan of studying for long periods of time. Instead, study for an hour or two, then take a break by doing something else (preferably functional).
2. Cooking (Functional) and watching the news or listening to my class recording (Brain)
3. Talking on the phone (Brain) and walking (Physical)
4. Jogging and listening to tapes or watching TV (treadmill)
5. Talking and Checking routine email (not writing email)
6. Talking to friend in car (Brain) while driving (Functional) -- Not on the cell phone, though.
7. Reading the paper (Brain) while waiting for the Metro (Routine)
8. Thinking about your job tasks (Brain) while running (Physical)

Tomorrow: First Ever SUP, Bike, Run Tri

November 28th

Morning:

Stage bikes at Jack's

0800: Launch SUP from National Harbor beach

(Leave cars at paid parking)

0900: Arrive Old Towne: Stop for quick rest

1200: Arrive Georgetown: Jack's

• Store Gear
• Lunch at Georgetown

1300: Depart GT via bikes

1430: Arrive National Harbor

• Store bikes in car

1500: Depart NH via run

1700: Arrive Georgetown

Mission Accomplished

• Catch a ride to NH to pick up bike
• Drop bike at Home
• Pick up SUP from GT
• Return Home

Volunteers feed Homeless at "So Others Might Eat"

This year, both our federal and state budget deficit has grown enormously.  Programs are being cut, but we must never forget the men, women and children who sleep on the streets, especially during the winter season.

It has been reported that some 1.56 million Americans were homeless at some point in 2009.

In addition, with the recession and growing unemployment, more and more families are becoming homeless.

This year, city officials are proposing that on winter's coldest nights, the city should provide shelter first to those who can prove DC ties such as proof of a legal address.

Under DC law, the District must shelter anyone who is homeless and seeking a bed when the temperature falls below freezing.

But proving DC residency may become an oxymoron for thousands of DC homeless, and many could die on bitter, cold nights.

That is why it is critically important for us to not forget and to support our Shelters especially during these difficult winter seasons.

Turkey Trot So Others Might Eat

Homelessness is a serious problem in DC and the rest of the nation. In 2007, the number of homeless in the US was estimated to be 671,859  (National Alliance to End Homelessness).

It has also been reported that some 1.56 million Americans were homeless at some point in 2009.

So Others Might Eat at 701 O Street, NW., feeds over 800 meals a day.  But it's not just about the chow, it's providing support and service so that they can get back on their feet.

That is why RUNINDC is a strong supporter of programs like Back on My Feet

From the Nov 2009 blog re: Running w/ BOMF

Back on My Feet gives the homeless a second chance to regain control of their lives. The program's mission also exemplifies several of Runin DC's core values. The first of these is "reflecting on relationships" or seeing how we are all connected. Back on My Feet is not a handout; it is about partnerships and seeing ourselves in others. While running and training, the homeless and the trainers support and challenge each other to strive higher.

Back on My Feet is also about "understanding" or empathizing with people--no matter how different they may appear at first glance.

The neat thing about running is that it is a great equalizer. When we're running hard up a hill, it doesn't matter what socioeconomic status you come from. You are working extremely hard -- rich, middle class, or poor -- all of us have to climb the same hill and have to rely on our God-given strengths and stamina to do it.

Sasha Bruce Safe Homes is a wonderful program that provides homes for our young people. All of these programs also provide counseling and classes that can lead young people back to a more stable and supportive family situation.

Turkey Trot for Hunger

Gobble, Gobble, S.O.M.E.

Ok, here are my plans for Thanksgiving. No, I'm not gonna be w/ family and friends. I love them, and they will always be there for me the rest of the 364 days of the year.  Today, I'm gonna blow them off and make new friends instead.  Or else I'm not eating.  And to me, that means a painful death.

FAST: Skip Breakfast.  Yes, not eat NOTHING.  No bread, no banana.  Nothing but coffee (or else I won't be awake) and liquids.

RUN

0800: Participate, film, interact during the 40th Anniversary TG Day Trot for Hunger @ W Potomac Park

Bike

For every person I meet who tells me about their experiences with So Others Might Eat (SOME) and the extent of their support for this charity, I will then either run 1 mile, bike 1 loop (3.5 miles) or SUP (15 mins).

SUP (Stand Up Paddle)

Then I will SUP from W Potomac Park to Navy Yard and back the number of times necessary to complete the challenge.

Wash up, then head straight to the SOME Soup Kitchen on 71 O St, SE to help serve Thanksgiving dinner.  Yes, I want to eat my first meal of the day w/ my new friends.  And I want to catch their impressions of what this day means to them.

Then head home to put together the footage from today's events including from the family meal to post to recognize the hard work and dedication of everyone involved.  Everyone has a story, and tomorrow I will have an ear for them.

Then for the rest of the day, I'll just spend the quiet evening w/ my bird.  No friends, No Football.  No Turkey.   They will all be there for me tomorrow and some...  And they will all eventually wish that they were not.

Live, Love or Else

In life, you either just live by, or you LIVE in it.  I choose the latter.

After being pickpocketed in front of Macy's Philly and biking consolant but cheerful back to my car in Fairmount Park to grab more cash -- the only thing now left in my name, I stumbled upon something that totally brightened up my visit: couples of all types, lining up anxiously for a memorable shot in front of Robert Indiana's Love Sculpture.

There were couples, madly in love, young and old, friends, platonic and borderline lovers, some rekindling the fire after many decades, their progeny now with many children of their own, wanting to know how the fire sparked that caused Mom and Dad to become ONE.

The image of couples romancing, the line never stopping, made me truly realize that this was too good of an opportunity to let slip by. In life, you either just live by, or you LIVE in it.  I chose the latter.

I set up a camera on the platform behind by the water fountain to film time lapse to prove once and for all that while I was there, the line never stopped -- truly all day and night -- there's always some couple approaching or waiting in line to get their picture-perfect shot.  If not lovers, there are skaters -- one or the other, people tend to flock to and admire the simple but meaningful iconic image made famous by Robert Indiana.

To complete the all encompassing emotionally powerful scene, I decided to chat to couples and ask them two simple but sound questions: 1) Where did you guys meet; 2) What are your plans in the City of Brotherly Love.

The posted video is the results. I hope you find it enlightening as it was for me.  Actually the story from one of the couples resoundingly melted my heart.  My heart is still in tattered pieces as I mindfully revisit this scene.

The SE Anacostia Loop

This Thanksgiving weekend, a few of us hardy souls will attempt to do a 12-mile Md to DC SUP followed by a 15-bike loop and a 10-mile run

The bike loop will be different since we will be biking the SE quadrant to National Harbor.

This is the route from Anacostia to NH:


View Larger Map

My New Love: She's Dressed Up and Ready to Chop

Today I discovered the absolute love of my life.  She is so soft and voluptuous, sweet and surprising and lives in the new-vibrant and cosmopolitan Chinatown.

Actually, she is more flavorful when she's dressed and sexy when she's spiced up, ready for a swing.

Her name starts w/ the letter "C" and she doesn't have a last name, at least I'm not so sure.  She has family, a close relative in Virginia (Roslyn actually) and two other cousins that just moved into the city.

She's not from here originally.  She was born and raised in New York.  But she's all grown up and ready to stretch her wings.

I've known her for some time, for five years actually.  I would see her from time to time, sometimes I would walk right past her, sometimes I would even stop to say "Hi".

Today, I decided to try.  "Go for it, hot shot," I said.  I gathered up my nerves and tried my best to win over her heart, artichoke hearts, that is.

Yes, the romaine was fresh and crunchy, the naked asian salad and edamame beans were simply delectable.

But what is it about Chop't salads that gives it a thumbs-up advantage to their competition, and yes that includes my favorite Chipotle.

It's the way they actually chop the salad into tiny little pieces and wrap all the goodies into a warm, soft pancake-size tortilla that makes your heart melt from the inside out.

I know it doesn't sound too sensational, but frankly there is something delightfully new and unfound new flavors are being released when you chop up the lettuce and greens into tiny little bitty and you mix it with all that's soft and pretty.

It's called Chop't and Honey, she's my brand new fling.

Amy Grant "Holiday Mail for Heroes"

I was really enamored by Amy Grant's new song:
"Better than a Hallelujah". The song really touched my heart because it really relates to people who have gone through hard times.

All the verses are just incredible. Listen to this:

"God loves a lullaby and a mother's tears in the dead of night."

"Beautiful the mess we are"

Thanks to AG, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes and their wonderful program of connecting Americans from all over to our deployed troops who need to know that the folks back home care and support them and they wouldn't be out there without them.

Veterans Day 2010: WW II Memorial

Reflecting

Veterans Day is full of Reflection. At least during my last 20 years of service it was a day of contemplation and tribute. But this Veterans Day, in a sense is nostalgically new.

Although it has been a year, it is strange to recognize our time-honored Heroes by not wearing a uniform myself.

Understanding

This Veterans Day, like anyday, we must try to better understand the diversity of our Armed Forces -- it is full of color, creeds and culture and it is as muti-modal as the Cyberspace World that we thrive in.  And this year, we are on the cusp of Don't ask, don't tell being repealed.  Will it happen?  I believe we should support our Military Leaders and respect the rule of law as it is passed in Congress.

Negotiating

It is important that we listen to our judicious soldiers: From the Frontline General to the deck seaman or buck private, their informed inputs from how we strategize the war to the most fundamental aspects of quality of life will shape our Military and our Country here and now.

The inputs from those who serve must be threaded with the views from the decision makers on the Hill and molded in with the thoughts and minds of those who we serve.

Innovating

As bureaucratic as any large government organization can be, we still have the "old-school" dinosaurs that make it very hard to get things done.  Bottom line is not what they strive for sometimes; prestige and perception my trump productivity.  Thankfully, the military today are filled with young people who grew up their entire life with the internet and who embraced MySpace before Facebook became the 10th continent.  And there are enough young, revolutionary minds within the senior and mid-grade ranks who recognize the power and reach of social media to communicate to their traditional top down organizations and to the American people, too.  They are once again recreating the military -- doing something some of the stiff senior ranks are not known to do -- knocking down barriers and creating transparency so that the common people will be deeply empowered.

Navigating

As we look forward, we must remember their sacrifices as well as the lessons that their notable acts of humanity afforded. What we do now with the ensuing war against the Taliban, al-Qaeda and those who want to do harm against the country that I call home will determine how joyous or remorseful we commemorate Veterans Day in years to come.

Oklahoma -- Oh What a Beautiful Play

Today, Tanushi and I had the honor to attend the Arena Stage's inaugural centerpiece: Oklahoma, and oh we were in for a pleasant experience.  I had waited almost 3 long years for this Southwest masterpiece to be opened, and the wait though painful for an inpatient guy like me, was definitely worth every minute of it.

Oklahoma was everything I expected and everything I didn't expect.  For starters the main actors were not the traditionally white farmers who you expected to see in the rugged southwest during the turn of the century, but African American and Hispanic.

What was amazing was that Curly's love is played by Eleasha Gamble, an African American woman who was raised in DC and studied at Catholic University. What is even more amazing is that Eleasha was called up to take the leading role just days prior to the play's debut in DC (due to a family emergency with the former actress).

There was no time to absorb what she was getting herself into.  She just had to jump in and soak up as much as she could.  The spirit and drive of Eleasha playing her role dynamically shows just how gutsy and endearing she can be.

You first see Laurey singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," and after Curly flirts with her, you fall in love with Laurey right away.

Although Eleasha performed her show with mini scripts tucked neatly in her apron, they were not distracting and reminded me of the gargantuan task that she faced.  Plus, she rarely referred to them.  It was amazing how Eleasha soaked up her script and the whole surrounding so smoothly.  That gal has a lot of guts.

Kudos to Eleasha, Nicholas Rodriguez, and the rest of the stars for making this performance so riveting.  Kudos to Molly Smith for adding in diversity for reverting a potential crisis and for making this production so powerful and life changing.

Who Said New Yorkers aren't Friendly

NYC this weekend was my 10th marathon, and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this whole experience, namely the volunteer and fan support





Since I'm a diehard Washingtonian, I'm partial to the MCM and the National Marathons.  But I have to admit, that NYC has now become my favorite.

Yes, DC, you are still the most runner-friendly city in the world, but the Marathon experience in NYC is like no other.  Nothing compares to it.  If you are a marathoner (what is that?), you should try it before you croak.

The fan support was almost continuous (with the exception of the bridges, of course).  And with people cheering, I felt almost no pain.  No cold, only hospitality.

NYC Marathon

NYC -- an amazing place; The Marathon -- an amazing race

NYC is an incredible place to visit and to celebrate the beauty and diversity of all 5 buroughs and to meet the warm and exciting people from the city and all around the world.

And today, I got to see all that by running through all 5 beautiful buroughs back-to-back. It was one of the most incredible moments this year, of my life, and it was the greatest marathon I've ever experienced, by far.

New Yorkers love the marathon like they love the Yankees, the Giants and the Jets, and they came out in droves to cheer and holler for all of us, locals or not.

And the band support was incredible -- all 120 of them including the Japanese Taiko drummers and a dance marathon with all the runners dancing to the beat of Y-M-C-A in beautiful Brooklyn.

I didn't get a best time, not even close, as I soaked in the crowd, but I scored a medal -- Bronze for my 10th Marathon.

I'm so glad No. 10 was NY -- Nothing comes close to the appeal.  And if I could only do one marathon, this would be it!

I made many friends here, and yes, I'll surely be back.  In fact, I've already registered for next year.

Swimming Key Bridge

Marathon Fight Songs

Running in Honor of LCpl Gary Halsman

Video: The Making of a Military Doc

A motivational video of the Uniformed Services University 2nd year Docs raising money to care for our Wounded Warriors.

USU has a worldwide reputation as a center of excellence for military and public health as well as for eduction and research.

When I had the pleasure to work at the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center (2004--2005), I had the opportunity to see the great work at USU staff and students.

A lot of the initial work for advanced kevlar (fiber developed by DuPont) for the purposes of ceramic plates in body armor was conducted at USU.

Military doctors not just save lives -- they go into harm's way, defend themselves and face the enemy when necessary.  They have a tough role.  LTC Lakin was one such doctor who has gone to harm's way (Afghanistan) and performed superbly.

That is why I was very surprised to hear about the refusal of LTC Lakin,  Army doctor (Birther) who refused to deploy.  He definitely wasn't looking out for his wellbeing and his family when he chose to disobey a lawful order.

Whatever the issues and appeals of the Birthers, it wasn't up to a military doctor to bring them up.  There are many people working on this and the case has been appealed to the Supreme Court.

When you sign up, you serve your Country when ordered.  If you have conscientious issues, you bring them up through your chain of command, but that shouldn't stop you from fighting for your Country.

Kudos to Military Medicine, and let's hope LTC Lakin and others learn their lesson.

Marine Corps Marathon: "Dead Men's Hollow"

Dead Men's Hollow is DC's own multi-award-winning Bluegrass and Old-timey Gospel band. After running through the monotonous and lonely Hains Point, it sure was nice to hear them perform.

Only one complaint: I asked for a CD, and they didn't bring any. Next time...

Restoring Sanity: Which Train Will You Board

It was supposed to be another DC Rally, and living here for nine years, I've been to a bunch of them.

But this time, in the midst of a historic and game-changing Midterm elections, this "Restoring Sanity" Rally trumped all the others, including sorry Glen, the highly-political Restoring Honor Rally just two months prior.

As usual, both Colbert and Stewart had full of jokes and tricks, particularly noteworthy was the feud between Cat Stevens singing "Peace Train", and Ozzy Osbourne singing "Crazy Train."

Not able to agree, the two finally settled on the ubiquitous "Love Train."

What is the best thing I like about attending a peace rally -- not the keynote speakers, but the people from different background and faiths coming together to share and to listen. This never happens at other events: Sporting, Concerts, Festivals. Normally, people keep to themselves. At Peace Festivals, People talk and swap stories.

"When the Saints Go Marching In"

A little bit of Southern Gospel and a little bit of Folk, but a whole lot of energy and freedom at the National Mall

Restore Sanity: Gretchen Wears Her Art

There were thousands of bright, enthusiastic and creative people at the Mall, but only a few that were as talented as Gretchen and her family.

During the rally, there were many metaphors. After all, it was Halloween, and costumes representing peace, love and community abound.

Even Colbert and Stewart sparred playfully over the metaphor of trains (Love, Crazy and Peace).

The point of the rally was that despite the liberalism, we were all one people after one common cause.

Mick Foley, perhaps said it best. If he spotted anyone being less than reasonable, he would "Jump out there like a righteous bolt of thunder and ask you to be polite to each other."

Restore Insanity: "Free Market Kissing Booth"

Two ingenious men, a little crazy, but with a hilarious message of capitalism, dabble in free market economy by selling the only talent they can piece together -- a peck on the cheek or ahem, the lips, in exchange for currency.

Although, a monopoly, the supply exceeds the demand. And the demand is very elastic.  Perhaps further incentives is needed to make this profitable.

Man Bikes from Wisconsin to Florida with Guitar

Marty loves his country. He loves America so much that he is giving up everything to ride his bike across America.  Carrying just a knapsack and an acoustic guitar.

He's heading south now towards Miami.  Best of luck to Marty -- I'm sure he'll get to meet a lot of interesting people on the way.

Arena Stage is Finally Back!

I remember the old Arena Stage.  Located in the midst of crisp, apartment co-ops and subsidized housing, the area of southwest Washington had languished for decades.  And the Stage that had grown into one of the nation's most prominent and experimental theaters seemed sadly out of place.

The "SW Stage" is where I saw Frankie and Johnny.  The entire play was confined to Frankie's one-room apartment throughout the single night on which the play takes place.

Frankie is a disappointed romantic and hopeless waitress who comes home to sit alone, staring out the window at the neighboring apartment building.

Johnny is a energetic short-order cook, just out of prison.  Johnny, like Frankie has had traumatic experiences with romance, but unlike Frankie, is willing to try again.

The play made me laugh, and my heart leaped and took a backflip when the two decided to give it a chance. But just as much laughter, there was drama, and the falling in love and falling apart, simply made me cry.

That was back in 2007 with the old Arena Stage, rustic and dimunitive. Today, as Tanushri and I walked into the sparking, sun-splashed arena, we were totally blow away by both the immensity and artistic design.

So totally blown away, that we had to come back to see a show -- later in the week, we would be looking forward to our return to watch the reclaimed Broadway musical "Oklahoma."

Vimeo Vs YouTube

Vimeo provided a spectacular video show mapped to the windows of their HQ building on W 18th St.

With YouTube, there's a greater possibility of becoming famous.  With Vimeo, there's a greater chance you'll be discovered by the experts.

I never turn down an excuse to come to NYC.  Living in DC, NYC is practically a hop, skip and a jump away.  And when Vimeo provided me with a free pass to their Inaugural two-day Video Festival at their headquarters in NYC, it was too good of a deal to turn down.

I learned everything you ever wanted to know about the DLSR from this video pioneer himself, Phillip Bloom, learned how to arrange my viewer, canvas and timeline on Final Cut by award winning producer, Abba Shapiro, and that an Ipod 4 or Touch can shoot HD 720 video up to 30 frames per second.

So what is Vimeo, my friends asked.  And then the obligatory question, how's it different than YouTube.
Both are great and YouTube can give you greater visibility. But Vimeo is more creative and overall more talented allowing you to see really cool videos.  With YouTube, there's a greater possibility of becoming famous.  With Vimeo, there's a greater chance you'll be discovered by the experts.

I learned many important things, and suddenly realized that there was so much I simply didn't know.

So what was the purpose of this two-day festival.  It was not to spotlight a new piece of equipment or to emphasize a new form of editing.

The Closing Party was simply the best party I've ever attended. Period.

The purpose of the Vimeo Video Fest was to highlight the creative potential of you and "me."  Vimeo wants to showcase innovative, original and creative video regardless of genre, technique, background or budget.

Vimeo didn't just spotlight what was new, they wanted us to explore what was next.  So who's going to win out years from now. Neither both products can collaboratively coexist.

Rowing Hudson

There's only one thing better than running along the Hudson River, and that is paddling or rowing on the Hudson River, itself.

After the invigorating Inaugural Vimeo Festival, I was ready to charge onto the River and meet and film rowers pushing through the large swells and strong Manhattan current.

On this particular trip, I was blessed to join an avid rowing group at Pier 40, sit in the back by the Coxswain and film to my heart's delight.

I've never crossed the Hudson to New Jersey before and definitely never made an interstate trip across the mighty River.

But on this day I definitely made a lot of friends from and around the Downtown Boathouse.

And yes, I'd rather be paddling (Stand-up), but once in a while, it's better to work as a team.

Now here was my lucky chance.

Healing the Hidden Wounds

I read with shock and gratitude at the Washington Post's special report "The Cost of War: Traumatic Brain Injury,"

I had known Lt Col Tim Maxwell.  He was a patient at the National Naval Medical Center when I had the honor to work as the Public Affairs Officer from 2003 to 2005.

Maxwell is an amazing man who continued to look after the Marines, even after his traumatic injury -- Maxwell Hall in Camp LeJeune was named in his honor; and I will always be amazed by his incredible work ethic.

TBI is a horrific injury that in many ways is unlike a limb injury that can be more easily identified, treated and rehabilitated.  Worst, since its hidden, people may not be aware and discriminate against TBI patients who may come across as being rude, inconsiderate or forgetful.  And the effects of TBI can change over time.

Vice Admiral Adam Robinson, the Surgeon General of the Navy believes that nobody returns home from combat without at least some degree of post-traumatic stress. 

"If you are involved in combat and combat operations, you have post-traumatic stress," he said. 

Even those not physically involved in combat, but operating within the combat theater, are at risk, he said. "If you are exposed to the tension and to the stress of a deployment, you are a candidate to develop post-traumatic stress." 

"I did not say you have a disorder," Admiral Robinson emphasized. "So when I talk about PTS, I don't add the 'D' for 'disorder.' Because we know that if we treat it and treat it effectively, we can actually obviate the disorder. If we can stave off the 'D,' we are ahead of the game." 

Let's hope we can truly stave off the "D" and continue to make advances in TBI diagnosis and treatment for all victims of brain injury.

Kudos once again to Christian Davenport and the Washington Post for such a great piece of journalism -- telling the incredible stories of the home front and warfront and giving the rest of us a closer perspective to what these brave men and women have experienced and sacrificed so that we can continue to live in peace.

TS Nicole: Ode to a Storm

Normally I hate tropical storms. They knock down trees, flood basements and disrupt power.

But now with my newfound love of SUP (Stand-up Paddle), I wait for you at the end of the pier, every day, every single hour.

Tropical Storm Nicole brought strong winds, heavy rain.

I dash out to the water's edge ecstatic, feeling soundly insane.

I crossed the Douglass Bridge and turned right at Nationals Park,
I launched my board at the sparkling Diamond Teague Pier, designed to make the Southeast waterfront spark.

The Anacostia River, grimy, polluted and brown.

Normally I would grimace, my face wrinkled in a wicked frown.

But today I was elated, the wind blowing behind my back

And I paddled gleefully down the Anacostia on a broad reach tack (wind to my starboard quarter)

The trick to running a downwind is to ride the swells and not lose balance. 

It's all about focus, not your skills, strengths or your talents.

Normally swells are long and steady and ragged like a mop.

But today, the swells were gusting and tall, full of ripples and chop.

Soon, I decided to lift my paddle and not work any longer.

As I past by the tail of Hains Point, the paddle as my sail, the winds blew stronger, the waves grew longer.

I shut my eyes, felt the soothing wind and let the river take me home.

I was in Heaven on the Potomac, surrounded by towering swells, just me, the birds, alone.

My Bird Just Flew Away

Apollo, my Sun Conure, escaped today.  He danced through the grayish, overcast sky, partaking in breathtaking aerial acrobatics.

Apollo was elated and ecstatic -- after five months in my house, he was finally free, away from the monotonous life inside a steel bird cage and a noisy life of CNN, You Tube, homemakers chatting on the phone and the constant hum of the fish aquarium filter located near his cage.

The Coming of the $1 Cupcake

So last night, my date introduced me to the wonderful world of cupcakes.  Red Velvet Cupcakery to be exact (Penn Quarter near Chinatown).  And before last night, I was not a believer.

So what is behind the rise in the popularity behind the remarkable world of cupcakes?  Was there a new invention?  Did they create an elusive recipe? Though my Red Velvet was super sweet and delightfully delicious, it wasn't something to write home about or nutritious enough to substitute for lunch or dinner.

So clearly, the cupcakes are considered a luxury item.  And with prices that surpass $3 per cake, sampling a few can easily set you back $15-20.  (For this price, I could buy a burrito and a six pack of domestics)

The production of cupcakes is relatively inexpensive.  There are only a few flavors, the raw material is cheap and so is the labor to produce and sell. In addition, product inventory is low and since all their stores are tiny matchboxes, with lines that stretch outside a block long, the amount of rent they pay is minimized (they should pay the city for renting out the sidewalk).

Since there were only a handful of favors (Red Velvet and Chocolate), Process Costing  (used in companies that make many units of similar products) equals Total Manufacturing cost/Total Unit Produced.

Cupcakes seem to sell well without much marketing. All you need to do is head for the long lines.  Thus, they are able to bring in a lot of customers without having to spend much on overhead (marketing).  The women are crazy over it, and the men are lining up because their girlfriends asked them to do it.

With a low manufacturing overhead cost, their Predetermined Overhead Rate is also relatively low.

So with high revenues, do things look all rosy for the cupcake industry?  For the time being, yes, but in the long run -- a different picture.

First, I'm willing to stick my neck out and say that the cupcake industry is benefitting from its recent wave of popularity (Thanks to Hollywood and Sex in the City) as well as the downturn in the economy (Most people consider cupcakes as an affordable luxury -- a way to feel good about rewarding yourself with a trendy cupcake without breaking the bank).

Since it's relatively easy to make cupcakes (I'm sure even I could learn how to if I had the patience), and the start-up investment costs is much smaller than opening a cafe or restaurant, there currently is new competition sprouting up all over town.  I bet it won't be long before they open up cupcake kiosks in Giant and Safeway.

The majority of the costs are fixed that means that the price of rent and machinery stays the same despite output.  Variable costs would be raw materials (flour, sugar, cream) and labor would be step variable, since they would fluctuate depending on sales but in increments.

Since the demand for cupcakes is inelastic, when the price of cupcakes come down due to oversupply, the demand will not necessarily go up.  People who are willing to wait long lines for cupcakes will likely (over time) still wait in line when the prices come down to a buck, and vice versa.

Huge returns naturally attracts competition.  Extra competition attracts capacity.  Now with more supply, the cupcake stores' incentive is to lower prices so that they can retain some of that business. 

Long lines at Georgetown Cupcakes.

Meanwhile demand remains constant and may decline over time, as people lose their adoration for them and the men get tired of waiting those long lines or realize this is wrecking havoc on their diets.

So, despite my great experience with Red Velvet (thanks to my friend), I'm not yet hooked (like I am for stand-up paddling) and fortunately for us, with new competition and lower prices, things don't look all rosy for the cupcake industry.

Yes, my friend, there will be a $1 cupcake in the not too distant future.  And no, you will not see me wait in that line.