Today I reflected on yesterday, or basically how times have changed in comparison to when I grew up. The comparison is drastic to say the least. Then I opted to compare being a child born in early 90’s to a child born in the mid 2000’s. Again, a crazy comparison but not as drastic or maybe it is.
Here are my notes:
Child A – born in 1970’s
Child B – born in 1990’s
Child C – born in 2000’s
Phone expectations:
A-Phone privacy is a luxury. Having a second phone line at home is high society. And I can’t forget the good old pay phone.
B-Cell phone as a pre-teen if you are lucky. Not a smart phone just a phone. Texting was at a premium.
C-iPad as preschooler, wifi access, texting, internet and most likely a cell phone for emergencies in late elementary school.
Vehicle expectations:
A-Work to earn money to buy second-hand car. Pay for gas with personal earnings. A job, a paper route, babysitting, whatever was available.
B-Help with a car purchase. May have a job to pay for gas and things but also needs help.
C-Needs new car. Specific type of car. Expects gas for free.
Pay expectations:
A-Minimum wage was low. $5.00 / hour might have been a good job.
B-$9.00 / hour might be good. Looking for easy money jobs. High tips. High commission. More money, less work.
C-$12.00 – $20.00 / hour demands. Work ethic decreased dramatically. Expects high pay for little effort.
The list could go on and on. I’m sure many have variations of this list but it was one I jotted down while reflecting. A little humor post to out here: a Time Machine of sorts. Fast forward 10-20 years and I hate to see what this list looks like.
Were there other factors that may impact these changes? Dual income families vs. single income families?
I recently spent some time on an island. To sum up the experience in one word I would say, blissful. Some may not grasp my definition thus I will share it in this blog.
Fresh air.
Sunshine.
Calmness.
Less chaos.
Soothing sounds of the ocean.
Fresh smells of land.
The few words or phases above could be expanded upon but I’m choosing to keep the post simple. Just like life on an island is, simple.
Morning bike rides amidst the car traffic. Nobody beeping at you to get out of the way. No hurried sense of rushing to get somewhere. A definite difference from my everyday. Time seems to move at a slower pace yet it’s still the same 24 hours each day. A blissful calm to my normal day in day out.
Th photo above appears to be endless yet the island is small. Can a water border translate or infer more of an endless appeal? Less cell phones ringing and chirping. Many are enjoying the sights, the sounds and the environment without being glued to technology. I always had the access I needed but the need seemed less. Sand beneath your toes by the water. Walking opportunities galore. Wildlife in abundance yet at a distance. The clearest of blue skies. Mystical sunsets. Colorful sunrises. A blissful calm in itself.
From the waitresses at the taco shop to the boat captain to the restaurant owner to the tour guide on a bike to the eco tour educator, to the Uber driver, all seemed to love their job. A genuine passion for their environment. It almost seemed crazy to interact with so many occupations that loved their job, their community, their lifestyle. Each one was unique. Each one seemed content. More so than the many I would interact with in my normal day-to-day.
I don’t really have any scientific data to translate the why of my observations. Rather I chalk it up to island time. The island lifestyle. The don’t worry be happy mentality. Not so much about who is better than another rather let’s keep doing x so we can live the paradise lifestyle we want. Less frills. More thrills.
If I had no cares in the world, I’d pack up and head to an island. I would have less but gain so much more. A fresh outlook is always soul refreshing for my mind. It gives me a chance to reset my horizon. Shift what seems stuck. I always relearn to appreciate what I have in front of me while mapping out where and what I really need in front of me down the road.
Breathing fresh air for extended periods of time can be healing. Getting out and experiencing nature can be calming. Experiencing new people, places and foods can be classified as growth. Try it!
Exercising the body and stimulating the mind in a relaxed environment can have exponential benefits. Both short and long-term.
A 5 day unplug from my computer (not smart phone) was exactly what the doctor ordered for me.
I feel fresh.
Renewed.
Re-energized.
Ready for what’s next. While one may feel guilty for escaping reality, the truth is stepping away is essential. This is your reminder. Breathe the fresh air more. Don’t stay stuck in a cubicle of life. Dip your toes in the sand. It will rinse off easily. Take a leap into the deep water. You can tread water longer than you think in life or in the ocean.
The more you break away, the more productive you will be for longer. The end.
When a friend first sent me the link, I laughed. He was training for an ultra running event, and who knows why but he was looking for more. I am training for a 15k in January and slowly (slowly!) increasing my running every week. I jotted the date down in my calendar, thinking I would go and support him if he did it. But a little voice in the back of my mind also wondered if I could do the three hour event myself as part of my own preparation for January…
Finding the time and energy to run in this season of life has been harder than my ramp up to a half marathon several years ago. I’m not really sure why that is. Technically, I have fewer commitments crowding my calendar. Still, I haven’t been putting the volume of miles into my legs that I should be in order to feel prepared.
As the date crept up, I decided it was time to test myself. If I end up walking, so be it. I set the goal of 5 laps…each lap is 2.2 miles. 11 miles in 3 hours seemed possible. Most of my miles these days are between 15-17 minutes. With a few breaks and to allow for some slowing in the latter miles, 5 laps would be a challenge but I was determined to try.
Another challenge was the time of the event. I would be on the course from 5 pm to 8 pm. I am a hard-core morning exercise person. Lately I have been running a mile or two in the afternoons once or twice a week, but an all-out extended effort in the evening would be a stretch.
When the day came, I had told a couple of people what I was up to but not many. I’m inspired by this image from Compete Every Day.
I packed up my stuff. I ate some extra carbs. I showed up at the right time, grabbed my bib, and lined up with a few dozen other brave / crazy souls and away we went.
Honestly, the run was pretty uneventful. I have a good playlist. People were encouraging. I was several minutes ahead of my target times on each of the first couple of loops. Some runners had full tents set up with chairs and food and decorations. The official tent had trays of cold food and hot. The runners who were competing in the 6 and 12 hour events commented on the quality of the grilled cheese, quesadillas, and more. It had a Halloween theme so some people were dressed in costume.
Aside from cheering on other racers, my mind was focused on my time and my goal. From a “back of the pack” running group on facebook, I had figured out how to set my watch for intervals. I would run two minutes, walk one. I did this pattern for most of the event. My watch buzzed me every time I had to switch.
My trusty playlist kept me going. I even had some universe whispers from a friend who has passed on. He came to me in a group of songs that kept me moving when I was tired.
Other pleasant diversions were the signs some had made to encourage runners. There was a trick or treat fun run with little kids in costume. There were dogs. There were lights. A pretty sunset and a beautiful Harvest moon.
Lap four started and my energy really started to falter. My strength in these long efforts is usually being able to stay consistent even in the later miles. At least that was the case last time around. But I could really feel my lack of training after mile 8. Slower walking in my recovery minutes. Walking creeping into the running minutes. I could also feel that I hadn’t fueled properly. I ate more running chews than I ever have. I ate less nutritious, whole food than I ever do. Combined with running with a headlamp, I was slogging across the finish line of lap 5 but I had about 9 minutes to spare. It was all just guts and will for the last mile or two, but I met my goal.
Given the chance, I would totally do it again. It gives me a benchmark to work from. It doesn’t give me “back of the pack” anxiety since I’m working against a clock and not a finish line. So if I’m free again next year, I’ll do it. I’m also looking at scheduling a half marathon in the spring.
A few kinks to work out…how to fuel for an afternoon race. Shortly after I completed the run, I was overcome with nausea. It lasted for hours. I knew it was from the sugared, artificial nutrition I had taken in (oh, and caffeine). It would also be nice to have a friend or two on the course. Even if I don’t run at the same pace as others, it does help to have someone out there sharing the suffering.
I’m clapping for myself and looking ahead. The goal now is to get out and run more often. To spend more time putting miles on my legs. Training to get faster and better. By the time the 15k rolls around, I hope to be feeling much better about the experience.
An Uber ride for 3 miles away was on the agenda. The app was showing a surge but the price was still around $30.00 which seemed fair. Then the craziness started.
Random men flashing the Uber logo to get your business. The catch was they were not real Uber drivers. $150.00 one shouted. I’ll get you are ride for $175.00. $100.00 over here. There were at least 50 gentlemen stalking you. In your face. Behind your back. To your side. It’s the dark hour. It’s the big city. This is crazy!
To think in that moment, how many out-of-towners or foreign visitors fall prey to these scams. I thought a lot in that moment of who I was with, how to be safe and how things would be different if even one individual is my party was different. How this situation could have shifted drastically. Having street sense is so important when travel in a city, at night during very busy events. Just so much opportunity for misfortune can be lurking nearby.
We dodged that area. It took a minute but we went to a real Uber pick up area. Or did we? A spray painted sign leading to an underpass of the highway. That sounds safe, right? Before we even get close enough we decide it’s just not a good choice. Then the heavens open up. A fierce patch of rain hits us. Yes, we got wet. Once we escaped the flash rain we regrouped on a street corner. Well lit with a police officer sitting on the opposite corner.
Despite the calmness of the night, the well lit area and the police presence we were still a target or easy prey. Up rolls the late model small sized suv. The window goes down and says I’m your Uber. Really? No you are not. That’s why Uber has validation codes and labels showing it’s an Uber of Lyft vehicle for that matter. He was relentless. He turned off his vehicle and said, I’ll just wait until you are ready. I know you need a ride. Wow, just wow is all I could think of.
Regroup session #304 it seemed like. Headed back toward the corral of fake Uber drivers to see if the bus was still running its routes. That would at least be a bit safer than the other options. Then luckily our short walk landed us on the side of the street where the cab service has just replenished its line of cabs. A real cab. A meter. A photo IS. Phew. We found a viable option.
The cab smelled like urine and sweat. Luckily it was only a three mile trip. The driver was nice but offered a cash option vs credit card. One of the passengers opted for cash quickly. Little did she know that that meant he didn’t turn on the meter. He would in essence pocket the fare. In most instances it wouldn’t be a big deal, but I thought otherwise given the interactions in the last hour.
Would we make it 3 miles to our destination. If there was no record of the pickup who would know where were ended up. I had so many thoughts run through my mind. Maybe I shouldn’t think this way but I did. I had my antennas up and I was ready to bail from the back seat if anything went wrong.
I made it to my destination in one piece. I did learn to always be aware of your surroundings and make sure you have a plan with your travel mates. How to handle awkward situations. Who makes the final yeah or nay decisions when the group can’t decide. Who is most responsible and equipped to navigate a specific travel destination.
Maybe remote Idaho you don’t need to think about these things, but in a big city to another country you should definitely have a plan. You should also know if you blend in or stick out. That in itself can make you a target. Are you showcasing you are a traveler with a shirt for an event on and a gift bag? Are you an outfit maybe not suited for a everyday train ride? Are you a different ethnicity amidst a a crowd of different background?
Little things one may not want to think about. Just a word to the wise when traveling. Don’t be naive. Consider worst case scenarios and just be aware. Don’t hike in a remote trail on the middle of nowhere without leaving your itinerary with friends or family. It’s like pilots file a flight plan, subsequently we should all file a travel or excursion plan or at least share our location with others as a safety measure.
Just a random city post of what may or may not happen in the city at night. It could be in a suburb as well. This post merely uses the city as it was an actual experience lived.
The whirlwind trip had come to an end. The final leg of trip was in sight. The plane ride home was the last hump. Sounds simple right?
11 pm flight becomes midnight. Then it shifts to 2am. Then it’s cancelled. Gone from the radar. Good thing each of had some frequent flyer miles sitting idle with Delta. Now we are booked on the 6 am Delta flight. Sounds amazing but the adventure is just beginning.
The airport closes at 11 pm. That means if you are not in the terminal you are kind of left in a pickle. For us, we made it an adventure of sorts. We entered through the one open door by ticketing. We had a cleansing party in the empty restroom with a pack of cucumber wipes. That was a freshening up we all needed after a day in the dirty city!
We shifted to charging our cell phones, watches and laptops. Each of us perched by a different column or by an elevator with outlets. It was peaceful yet eerie at the same time. Clearly we were on the floor and lucky for us it was just cleaned! We saw a handful of passengers exit off flights that either arrived late or the weary stranded travelers opted for a night in a hotel. We talked with security guards that passed us by with oen eyebrow lifted. We giggled with workers coming in for the new shift. It was a different way to experience the airport in a big city. The calm before the chaos of a new day. An unexpected excursion.
We were invited to be the first ones through security at 3 am. I think they were tired of us loitering. That came with some interesting conversations at the security point. We snagged a few quick photos that we may never get again. See above and below. We enjoyed the open space and the freedom to stroll through the airport as if it was just for us!
We dozed off on the floor of our gate for what seemed like hours but were really minutes at best. We snacked. We giggled. We recapped the trip to the city. We planned breakfast for the next day. We chatted about the same three snacks Delta gives on each flight. Before you knew it, we were ready to board. I slept on the plane so I have no idea how the flight was.
I loved every minute of my time in the empty airport. I felt like it was my own private airport for a few hours. Just out here living my best life full of unexpected adventures.
Until next time or until the next destination post surfaces. Wondering where the next spot will be? Maybe a warm climate. Maybe a remote desert? Guess the story isn’t written yet.
2 Chicks and a blog 