I started 2010 with an ambitious goal to give away something every day for 2010.  My Ugg boots, a Prada handbag,  dresses, books, CDs, a North Face jacket.  I bought a hula girl bobblehead when I was in Hawaii for a person I met through Twitter and mailed it to him in the UK.  I gave away my first class seat on a United flight and took their place in economy.  I’d get heartwarming stories back from recipients as well as cards, gifts and blessings.  My “pay it forward” resolution was making me happier than I had ever expected!

After a couple of months of giving away things via Twitter, I switched to giving away my time to hospice.  I was assigned a wonderful 94 year old widow who had colon cancer and MS.  She was a fireball full of wit, humor, wisdom and grace.  Each time I would arrive at her house, she would extend her hand to me while she checked me out up and down to see what I was wearing.  She said more women should wear dresses – not only because they were flattering, but because they were comfortable, provided air conditioning in the summer, and were easy to get off when you wanted to get some action with your hubbie (no lie – her mind was more like a 24 year old than a 94 year old!).  As a hospice volunteer, we are taught to maintain our boundaries, as one can get depleted if we are emotionally attached to our patients.  I know this, but I couldn’t help opening my heart to her.  She became a true friend and confidante in the seven months I knew her and it hurt when she left, but I know she’s dancing up a storm with her husband now, as happy as can be.  “Paying it forward” as a volunteer was an incredible life-affirming and energizing experience.

My hubbie and I together gave our time (and home) to kids in the foster care system and met some wonderful, resilient, and inspiring people. There are definitely a lot of “pay it forward” experiences going on amongst many of the social workers we met.  Respect.

I also ran the NY Marathon for the Colon Cancer charity and raised almost $700 in a few weeks.  It was amazing to see my body respond to the training, getting faster and fitter each week, and as I stood at the start line of the race with my fellow 45,000 runners, my four-months of training all came together to help me run 26.2 miles faster than I had ever done so in my entire life.  And, I did it for a good cause.  I was on cloud nine.

Giving time, love, material possessions, compassion and energy were all ingredients in my “pay it forward” 365 resolution this year.  As a result, I was surprised many times by kind acts by strangers, moments of epiphany, and miracles too countless to measure.  But I also realized that giving too much too soon doesn’t do anyone any good either.  I had a health scare which I discovered was a manifestation of stress.  When the doctor asked me if I was stressed, I said I didn’t feel like I was.  But when I explained a few things that were “on my mind” (hospice, fundraising, fostering, running a company, caring for a handicapped dog and elderly parent, training for the marathon, etc.) I realized I needed to balance my life and change my ways. So I became a bit more selfish and made sure my battery was full before I topped up anyone else’s.

For 2011, I’ve already been thinking through some ideas for resolutions which I’ll post soon.  In the meantime, I wish you a new year of good health and good love. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Kathy

Eight years ago, I was registered to run the LA Marathon for the third time. LA was the first marathon I ever ran and it took me 4 hours and 20 minutes to finish it the first time in 1997. The next time I ran it, it took me 4 hours and 45 minutes. The third time, in 2003, I was shuttling back and forth between my home in Munich, Germany, and my parents home in Tacoma, WA, as my dad had been diagnosed with colon cancer. It turned out to be Stage 4, so I stayed in Tacoma for three months to be my dad's caregiver. During that time, my sleep was very disrupted, and my emotional state was a wreck. Nonetheless, I tried to make it to the gym to put in some miles on the treadmill. Partially to help clear my mind of all the thoughts and feelings that I felt were consuming me, and partly to remind me to feel alive and to take care of my own body.

Race day came along in March (the month of my birthday), and I stood at the start line of the race, already feeling defeated by the sadness in my heart. I ran for 13 miles, then pulled over to the side and quit. I didn't have anything in me. Emotionally, physically, and spirtually. I had given up.

A few weeks later, my dad passed away. And I quit running for a long time.

This past November, I finished the ING New York Marathon with a time faster than any marathon I've ever run before. I felt strong and proud. And I gave my dad a high five as I ran the streets of NY to the finish.

For 2011, I am going to face LA again. I plan to finish this time. To put my failure of 2003 behind me. To run once again for my dad. For others who can't run or who have passed. And I will run this for me.

March 20th, 2011. Two weeks after my 46th birthday and day of the marathon. It will be a belated birthday present for me to cross the finish line.

My training begins today.

I just received my official finisher's certificate today, so I thought I'd add it to this video of me crossing the finish line.

(Note to self: next time don't wear all-black, and keep your arms up longer after you cross the finish so you don't look like an exhausted wobbly duck.)

Congratulations to CEO and founder of RelayRides, Shelby Clark, and his team for launching the neighbor-to-neighbor carsharing service to San Francisco, and counting Google Ventures and August Capital as backers.  Here's a snapshot of the story:

The trend:
There's a massive shift in society from ownership to access. For example, people are happy renting DVDs from Netflix vs. buying DVDs, AirBNB allows members to rent other member’s houses, and Chegg lets students rent textbooks. There’s even a movement and book “What’s mine is yours. The rise of collaborative consumption.”  How about applying this to cars?

The situation:
The combined cost of owning a car - fuel, maintenance, financing and insurance - amounts to an average of over $600 a month/$20 a day, according to AAA. Meanwhile, most cars sit idle for 23 hours a day.

The opportunity:
Carsharing helps the environment: the average shared car takes 14 vehicles off the road, plus it reduces miles traveled, congestion, pollution, and lowers the carbon footprint to build new cars. Carsharing is a $12.5 billion global market and rapidly gaining popularity.

The solution:
RelayRides brings this global carsharing trend to the hyperlocal level allowing neighbor-to-neighbor carsharing. Car owners feel good because they are helping their neighbor get around. Car borrowers feel good because they know they are helping their neighbor make money. It's like they are supporting their local small business.

Good company:
Google Ventures and August Capital funded RelayRides.

Wheels of Fortune:
RelayRides provides car owners a platform to safely lend their cars to their neighbors for a fee, while providing convenient, affordable access to neighbors who need the occasional use of vehicles. They make it possible by providing the insurance (a $1 million supplemental insurance policy covers the rental period) and technology for a safe, convenient, hassle-free transaction. Car owners make an average of $200/month.

Sharing is Caring:
Rather than putting new cars on the road like other carsharing services, the company goes the eco-friendly route by leveraging existing cars that are often idle. This allows neighbors to help each other as car owners can recover some of the costs of owning an expensive asset, while also providing a new transportation option for those in need of a car.

What users are saying:
Anthony Burdi, a 2009 Prius owner in Boston:
“It’s the perfect thing for me. It’s a good way to earn revenue from my car when I’m not using it, which helps me pay for gas, insurance and other running costs. At the same time, I’m helping a neighbor by providing them access to a car. I never thought of it and kind of wish I had, because it’s a great business to be in.”

Caterina Rindi, owner of a Toyota Prius, of San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood:
“Car sharing between neighbors is great for San Francisco, as it will lead to fewer new cars on the road, which will help decrease congestion and pollution. That’s why I’m delighted to make my Prius available via RelayRides - it’s good for me, for my neighbors, and for my city.”