karebaerkronicles

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Race Week's 10Karrots of Eternal Gratitude

In two short days, the race will begin.  Perfect timing to allow the team time to be grateful gluttons.  The Sunday week 7 started, Jerry and I did a trial run as well as this past Sunday.  Both Sundays we did over 6.2 miles but each Sunday was filled with SUNshine, brisk weather and great company.  I live a lifestyle of thanks-living but the holiday time off really gave me the opportunity to reflect on the many reasons to be grateful. 

This is not just a race, it’s a provision of hope, life and time.  The daily operating cost is $2.2M and since 1962, the survival rate has gone from less than 20% from cancer and other childhood diseases to 80%.  Yet that means 20% of patients don’t make it despite the Hospital’s best efforts.  I can’t imagine the anguish to lose a child but amazingly, anguish is not the emotion for many of these families.  Its sincere and radiating gratitude.  They speak openly that without St. Jude they would not have had the additional minutes, days, months or years with their beloved baby.  The moments are precious, reverenced and gratefully appreciated.  For those that are cured, the same sentiment is shared.  The minutes, days, months and years of precious moments, milestones and even disobedient hardships are gratefully accepted.  Every day, everyone on the hospital’s campus experiences miracles, moments, milestones and memories.  Parents, kiddos, doctors, nurses, researchers, administrators, cooks, cleaning staff, volunteers and many more experience hope, light, love, tears of both sadness and joy, hugs, dancing, high-fives, singing, rapping and so many more activities even with those that are a part of the 20%.

This truth makes all of the back and forth race struggle quite a ridiculous one.  It shouldn’t take life in the balance to cause a truly thankful heart.  The reality is that cancer or not….no one day is promised so we should live in gratitude of every moment.  It’s not about the time, the distance or the event itself.  In those moments and those moving forward, it was about life, family, hope, light and LOVE!!!!  It was about togetherness and making memories, moments, milestones and miracles (albeit ordinary as they may seem) in the right now.  This year I run with a team of 6 and a total team of 8.  The amount we have raised is not even close to what is needed for a day’s operation but it’s not about the money, bragging rights or even feeling good about giving. 

I am sincerely grateful I have the privilege to participate in an event that has eternal consequences to so many lives.  These families are connected to others who will receive hope and life from this experience as well.  I personally know one patient (my youngest Son’s friend) who is in college now.  This one experience touched not only us but now touches his campus, people he has never met that watch his video and that in turn changes other lives and hearts.  We experience supernatural transformation and positive changes in life trajectories that transcend these patients, their families, our team and the Hospital.  I know because this years’ experience has had a new and profound experience on my heart and lifestyle.  I will reward our team with my special Carrot and Rum concoction but we have received a much bigger reward that I cannot put into words or actions…..10Karrots of Gratitude!!!

If you’d like to provide a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital please do so and receive your own 10Karrots of Gratitude:  http://heroes.stjude.org/CaptIACInspirations

#10KarrotsnRum  #StJudeMarathon

[karebaerkronicles]

Race Week: 10Karrots of Gratitude

In two short days, the race will begin.  Perfect timing to allow the team time to be grateful gluttons.  The Sunday week 7 started, Jerry and I did a trial run as well as this past Sunday.  Both Sundays we did over 6.2 miles but each Sunday was filled with SUNshine, brisk weather and great company.  I live a lifestyle of thanks-living but the holiday time off really gave me the opportunity to reflect on the many reasons to be grateful.  

This is not just a race, it’s a provision of hope, life and time.  The daily operating cost is $2.2M and since 1962, the survival rate has gone from less than 20% from cancer and other childhood diseases to 80%.  Yet that means 20% of patients don’t make it despite the Hospital’s best efforts.  I can’t imagine the anguish to lose a child but amazingly, anguish is not the emotion for many of these families.  Its sincere and radiating gratitude.  They speak openly that without St. Jude they would not have had the additional minutes, days, months or years with their beloved baby.  The moments are precious, reverenced and gratefully appreciated. For those that are cured, the same sentiment is shared.  The minutes, days, months and years of precious moments, milestones and even disobedient hardships are gratefully accepted.  Every day, everyone on the hospital’s campus experiences miracles, moments, milestones and memories.  Parents, kiddos, doctors, nurses, researchers, administrators, cooks, cleaning staff, volunteers and many more experience hope, light, love, tears of both sadness and joy, hugs, dancing, high-fives, singing, rapping and so many more activities even with those that are a part of the 20%.

This truth makes all of the back and forth race struggle quite a ridiculous one.  It shouldn’t take life in the balance to cause a truly thankful heart.  The reality is that cancer or not….no one day is promised so we should live in gratitude of every moment.  It’s not about the time, the distance or the event itself.  In those moments and those moving forward, it was about life, family, hope, light and LOVE!!!!  It was about togetherness and making memories, moments, milestones and miracles (albeit ordinary as they may seem) in the right now.  This year I run with a team of 6 and a total team of 8.  The amount we have raised is not even close to what is needed for a day’s operation but it’s not about the money, bragging rights or even feeling good about giving.  

I am sincerely grateful I have the privilege to participate in an event that has eternal consequences to so many lives.  These families are connected to others who will receive hope and life from this experience as well.  I personally know one patient (my youngest Son’s friend) who is in college now. This one experience touched not only us but now touches his campus, people he has never met that watch his video and that in turn changes other lives and hearts.  We experience supernatural transformation and positive changes in life trajectories that transcend these patients, their families, our team and the Hospital.  I know because this years’ experience has had a new and profound experience on my heart and lifestyle.  I will reward our team with my special Carrot and Rum concoction but we have received a much bigger reward that I cannot put into words or actions…..10Karrots of Gratitude!!!

If you’d like to provide a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital please do so and receive your own 10Karrots of Gratitude:  http://heroes.stjude.org/CaptIACInspirations

[karebaerkronicles]

10Karrots of Golden Timelessness

The last two weeks I have been spent traveling, contracting a cold and then a sinus infection.  All three slightly derailing my physical training. I joined a gym to give myself an opportunity to enjoy fitness.  I run longer and have more fun when there is guy or girl next to me on the treadmill….it’s my competitive ego.  I also LOVE fitness classes like hip-hop fitness, Pilates and total body plus abs conditioning.  My competitive ego emerges and she pushes me to endure.  I then bought a sweatband that promises to Save my Do!!!  It may not be relevant to you but my natural mixed chick hair is curly and in the winter I straighten it out so I do not have to wash it every day but as soon as moisture hits the “Do” the curls come out and then I look like Red Fraggle of the Fraggle Rock crew.  Illness, travel and hair issues can all be obstacles and excuses undermining successful healthy stewardship OR these issues can be carefully managed to become stepping stones towards success.  

Sunday was a crisp 45 degree sunny morning, back from out of town and still suffering from clogged sinuses, Jerry and I decided to do a trial 6.2 mile run/walk.  Did I forget to mention that I finished last year’s 10K in 72 minutes…..hell yeah I am proud of it and will say it another time or two. This year I am run/walking the 10K and Sunday completed 6.83 miles in 84 minutes.  That’s less than 12.5 minutes per mile. As I was enjoying the sun, the crisp morning air I was thinking about all of the lessons learned in this journey.

1)      It is not about the start but finishing well

2)      “Well” is subjective and born out the current context

3)      Life is better with others

4)      Obstacles can obstruct or slow you down until you figure out a way to pass them. Either way it’s a matter of perspective.

5)      It’s ok to come in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th or 90th place.

6)      It’s ok to come not place at all.

7)      Whatever you do, enjoy it and OWN it!!!

8)      Celebrate everything even the losses.

9)      It is YOUR life’s race….Do YOU BOO!

10)   I AM my own faithful and honorable steward branding the service in my own unique creativity

These are not just cleaver motivational quotes from TedTalks.  A Steward is defined as one officially appointed to manage affairs and keep them in order.  Order is, for me, a life that is glorious positive praise symphony to the one who ordained this journey called Kare Baer’s Kronicles.  The many aspects of my life are not excellent rather it’s a journey towards Excellence.   In this NOW season this training is teaching me to believe and trust its ok to just BE me in this present context, day, hour, minute and season.  I AM timeless and should never be compared to a past reality that cannot be repeated in its context or a future reality that has not yet been created in any context.  The NOW is eternal, I AM eternal and THIS reality is 10Karrots of Golden.  So the reward of 10Karrots with Rum is a celebrated treat of these Sacred Sabbath running revelations.  Next week is Race Week and I am excited to experience the fullness of what the day will bring...

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Defining Your Excellence

My birthday was Oct. 22nd!!!  Silly me thought I was turning 46 and my Mother had to remind me it was 45 (giggles). I spent my birthday weekend with my Boyfriend in Pittsburg, PA.  It was a wonderful time of reflection, understanding, growth and great stories. My birthday week was also Week 6 in my count down to the St. Jude 10K.  Running in PA through the hills, crisp air and the beautiful autumn leaves was life and awe inspiring.  As I ran & reflected, I noticed something about myself and my life that keeps coming up. Doing the MOST AKA Busy.  Busyness is a trap that keeps you mediocre.  I wasn’t raised to be mediocre and so Houston…we have a BIG problem.

 My BORN DAY Gift - Simplify. I narrowed it down to 6 areas: Faith, Fitness/Health, Self-Care, Family, Career & Home (in the order of importance). Week 5 (Week 1 of Simplicity) of training is starting out RIGHTEOUSLY!!!    The Week 5 training plan is:  Sunday 45 minutes of activity, 2.5 miles Tuesday & Thursday, Strength Training on Wednesday and 4 miles on Saturday.  Monday and Friday are rest days. Sunday I enjoyed a 2.4 mile walk before going to worship.  I am joining the gym near my house to help me work out at 4AM with others rather than alone at work. Thank goodness for blessed Marvelous Monday REST and podcasts!  

 My podcast was talking about positive habits. We all want to be excellent at something but in reality we are already excellent at “something”.  Excellence is not a destination but a practice.  It is a practiced habit not a one-time arrival or action.   Excellence is the by-product my life’s actions and routines repeatedly done each day, week & year.  These routines form a habit and through repetition I became excellent.  So what are YOU excellent at Kare Baer?  Well there were a lot of things but not all of them were positive (6 of 14 to be exact).  Busy is the one area, that I am EXCELLENT in by the way, that sucks the joy out of life and makes everything work.  JOY brings fulfillment, peace and happiness.  I have a 100% success rate in excellence but only 57% of it is positive. Taking advantage of rest, I simplified my life and determined to enjoy each moment.  This lesson was a 10-Karrot GOLD lesson (last night’s spiced rum libation in stillness made the lesson richer).  

What are YOU excellent in?

#10KarrotsnRum #KareBaerKronicles  #StJude10K

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Its week 7 of the countdown to the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend.  I am running the 10K and up until last week my training had been severely stalled by a little thing called….dun da don…Life!  This week’s training schedule was 30 minute run on Sunday, off Monday and Friday, 1.5 miles Tuesday through Thursday and a 3.5 mile run on Saturday.  I was not able to do a “formal” run on Sunday due to new home move AGAIN….UGGGGH.  I was happy Monday was a rest day because I have been burning my candle at both ends and in the center.  On Tuesday, my body was breaking down in extreme exhaustion and sickness!!!!  So I made an executive decision to REST.  So my schedule is now 1.5 miles Wed. – Fri and 3.5 on Saturday with rest days on Sunday (My BORN DAY!!!) and Monday and then back to the normal schedule!!!  I am running 1.5 miles in 21-22 minutes which is about 14 minute miles with a goal to run this race in 60 minutes (beating my previous time of 72 minutes).  Consistency and remembering my WHY will be my key to success right?

I am sure many people’s WHY for this race is for the St. Jude kiddos.   Sounds so noble and to some extent that is my reason as well but I really don’t have a reason for doing this.  As a visionary…I lay out ideas, get them going and a new squirrel passes that I must chase.  It poses a BIG dilemma in my business and personal life but I do show consistency in my walk with YHVH and with my kiddos.  So what is my issue?  I just do to darn much at one time without intentional regard to if this is something I really want to or should do.  Then I sign up to do it with commitment that waxes and wanes because I did not determine count the cost of the endeavor. Truth moment: I really don’t like to run and I am not interested in being an avid runner either so why the heck am I doing this or should I continue?  You see this race is causing me to examine what is really important to me and what is the best and highest use of my time to glorify YHVH.  On Sunday I will turn 46 years old and in the next five years what do I want my life to look like?  How do I get there and why is it important to YHVH?  Week 7 has been deep and introspective.  It is also victorious because I choose to REST and examine what really is best for me now and to ensure my goals at 50. For me there is a fine line in striving for perfection and expecting perfection before it’s been earned.  

I still have no WHY to this race.  I am simply fulfilling an obligation yet I want to finish with as much excellence as my body will allow.  I will be disappointed if I do not do fare better than last year and I will most likely feel guilty (as I feel now) because of my own failure to consistently prepare.  Even in making that last statement it is as if I have already determined a negative outcome and you get what you think. I refuse to continue to submit to the guilty gallows.  I need a  Mindset Reset: This may be an obligation but I will have JOY, PEACE, LOVE and GRACE in this training.  I am not latent in my start and my outcome is not predetermined by time.  My outcomes, in this race and life, are determined by my mind.  My mind has the intellect to uncover my issue and developed a pathway to get back to  YHVH’s  Glory Grove!!! I will use the rest of this training in excellent joy!!! For the joy set before me is to reach ME, His purposes and run with Rum (yep I said it) and Excellent JOY

[karebaerkronicles]

10Karrots & Rum

Three years ago I started a blog page with lots of ideas but never the time to blog.  Yesterday was my 3 year anniversary on Tumblr and also the day my 8 week countdown to my second 10K St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend run.  Last year, I was dedicated and trained all year to run the 6.2 miles in 72 minutes.  This year I have not trained consistently.  I have only been busy completing an educational milestone (yep I am an over-achieving double Doc),  started a new job (while still a business owner) and moved into a new home (doing that currently).   So now I am down to 8 weeks in training, fundraising and leading a 8 member team....YIKES This is the definition of the urban phrase doing TOO Damn Much.  

So day 2 days into the first week of the 8 week countdown and ask me have I started????  Ummm does this blog count?  Today’s excuse.... it rained and washed out my session.  I used to feel guilty about things like this but it’s my birthday month and the 16th anniversary of my 30th birthday...frankly my dears I don’t give a Shite!!!!  I have a choice, I can look it as a wipe out or a cleansing and clearing to sunnier skies and getting it done.  In the spirit of doing the most, I think its only fitting to shoot for a 60 minute race completion goal.  Its aggressive and may not be realistic but it WILL get done because that’s what I do!!!  It also helps to reward the runs with a delightful and totally healthy Psycho Carrot Deluxe mocktail during the week and cocktail on the weekends.  So week one folks....I will give you a blow by blow on Sunday how it went with pictures.  Happy Anniversary and Birthday to ME and I hope you will follow me and encourage me on this journey of making new history hysterically

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90days on MATA

In May, I read an article about the change of mass transit in Columbus, OH.  It outlined several declines (riders, grant funds, etc.).  While most of Columbus was not affected, there was a subset of people that were drastically impacted and many of them were elderly or poor families.  Yet no one but them really cared.  A week later I learned our beloved Memphis Trolleys were spontaneously combusting into a really big fire.  MATA took the trolleys offline for the safety of passengers but then the debate over the funding to repair these trolleys shed light on the deeper problem of our transit system.  The problems in Columbus were in Memphis as well.  I became curious….but let me be transparent that I was mainly curious because my business office is downtown and I was a trolley rider. 

  The invention of the automobile has certainly made life for most Americans easier. In any given family household, there is an average of two cars per household.  This factoid has changed since the good ole days when most family households shared a car.  I on the other hand have been a multi-car household since birth (yep I am a proud GM Baby).  At one time,  all licensed drivers in my house had their own vehicle, so I was spoiled.  Yet, I lived in NYC where having a car was a liability to my income. It is my sincerest belief that the system of “alternate side of the street parking”   & my ability to never get it right was a major contributor to the community vitality of Park Slope from each ticket I received.  I then moved to Atlanta where getting to work on the Marta was a perk from my Historic College Park neighborhood.  Both cities have their own transportation issues but ultimately there are more choice riders in those cities even if only to ballgames and concert events.  Never-the-less choice riding is just that – a choice and Marta does a good job at marketing it as the “better way to travel”.  Even in Nashville, my Dad boards a MTA bus at his home in Gallatin that shuttles him to downtown Nashville all while he reads, meditates and sips on tea.  Because they transport in special lanes on the expressway he avoids traffic, saves gas and for the most part has a more stress-free morning.  His riding is not only encouraged, his employer subsidizes it.  In these places public transit is considered a convenient and often smarter way to travel.

  So what’s up with Memphis??  Well I decided to find out by riding the MATA for 90days to work. 

My Experience

I rode the #53Summer bus from Summer and Mendenhall to the North terminal and this bus was never behind.  The driver was always kind, informative and the riders were really nice.  Riders ranged from what appeared to be college students, older people and working class people like myself.  My bus was very diverse in ethnicities but mainly African American (but Memphis is primary African American so I was not surprised) but here were quite a number of Caucasians and Latino Americans.  I do not remember Asian Americans represented at all.  I then took the trolley bus from the north end terminal to GE Patterson and S. Main Street to walk to my building.   The morning driver was very kind and gracious but there weren’t a lot of riders for this bus (maybe 10) and it seemed like a big misuse of bus space.  Catching the trolley bus from my office to the terminal was hit or miss.  In 90 days I may have caught it 10 times.  There is no formal schedule and the time stamp at the trolley station either did not work or was not accurate.  Mostly, I ended up walking from my office at Emerge Memphis to the north terminal and catching the 53 home.  The customer service at the north terminal was not rude but was not kind or helpful.  It was as if we were a bother or I should be happy they were there.  Only once in 90 days did I have a good experience.  Let me say the bathrooms were abominable!!!! Getting to meetings using the MATA was never an option because the trolley service was unreliable and often it would take 2 hours to get to my destination and another 2 hours to get back to the office.  Without Wi-Fi on the MATA, I had 4 hours of travel time where I could not work unless I used my phone as a hotspot (which cost me $93.60 in month one).  Lyft and Uber were not reliable as the city was “fighting” their entrance into the market so on those days either I had to ask my Assistant for rides or find another ride.  Quite a few times I just had to drive. 

  What I learned

MATA and other mass transit systems like it is not an efficient transportation model.

For those that have to travel 4 hours a day to and from work, it does not allow them time to get to parent meetings, make dinner, get to other jobs, etc.  We bemoan and berate many parents, but often I saw mothers and fathers on the bus with their children.  When asked, they got off at 4 or 5pm, had to take the bus to the day care/school, pick up kids and then get something to eat (mostly fast food) while out and ride home often getting home well after 7pm.  For me, the 4hours without access to Wi-Fi cost a loss in work productivity and cost me additional money if I wanted to be productive.

Routes are limited and do not run late for those that work or play in the evenings

I would not be able to take MATA after a certain time so hanging out late on the weekends or even timely access after the evening rush hour was not possible.  Additionally, my bus ran slower and less frequent on the weekends making it a drain on my day to use this transportation model for access to shopping and errands.

MATA limits employment mobility for many of our “good” jobs

Because of MATA’s limits, my son was not able to use the MATA to get to his part-time job at Wolfchase.  I also learned that MATA does not get Nike and Williams Sonoma workers to their jobs well.  If you work downtown, midtown or airport area you were ok for the most part but you couldn’t work late at night or would have to get off well before 10pm (the end of service route times) or overnight to be picked up after 5am in the morning. 

Some of the facilities lack dignity for its passengers and for itself

Nasty bathrooms and poor customer service and compassion – need I say more.  Well I will, these truths are a poor reflection of how MATA views itself.

Customer service is still an issue (but I noticed that as hospitable as the south is supposed to be many industries lack excellent & consistent customer service)

There needs to be an overall kindness revolution.  I know some of the passengers are horrible to the workers but I was taught that you respect and be kind to others even when they are disrespectful to you.  People’s behavior is NOT a reflection of you but on themselves.  I guess dignity towards others is a part of a bygone era and completely out of style and I just didn’t get that memo.

While it may have saved me gas, it cost me time, productivity and money on other expenses.

All the money saved on gas went to Uber, Lyft, cellular data overages, food, etc.  I actually spent more the first month and had to devise a plan for months 2 & 3. 

MATA costs are not state subsidized but city sponsored and due to mass budget cuts funding has been cut.  They rely heavily on grants and riders.

This fact is due to state laws.  The only choices, thus far, are to reduce route coverage, increase fairs or receive more city funding.  MATA provides services to major corporate players but receive little, if any, subsidies for these services as these corporate entities feel it’s the city’s responsibility.  While it may be the city’s responsibility, the fact is that Memphis city proper’s shrinking revenue base also reduces our ability to meet its ever increasing budget demands without raising taxes on individuals and businesses.  We both know where we all stand on that one….voters (individual and business owners) have screamed NO TAX INCREASES!!!!

MATA is not alone and most of its problems (like most of Memphis’ issues) are consistent in other larger cities and town across the country.

MATA recognizes this is a national problem, yes national and thus not unique to Memphis.  So the haters can stop crying about Memphis is so…because most cities have these problems including NYC, ATL, L.A., Chicago, etc.  MATA is also looking at how other cities are transforming this trend.  Side note:  Although Memphis’ city land area is much larger than Atlanta land area, contains 10% less people in its metro area (700,000) to Atlanta’s metro population (7M) which creates a whole new can of worms.

MATA and the City are now working together, most of the time, to create solutions but the answers are not easy and are costly.

    There is no easy answer.  Mass transit is a complex issue that leaders at MATA and the city are really trying hard to find viable solutions without additional cost to taxpayers.  Often the attenders of the Board meetings are riders with no real political influence, who are poor but vocal and committed.  There are rarely any choice riders at the table (but that may be because the meeting times start in the middle of the afternoon, 3pm).  I have yet to see a public official represented just as a concerned official and citizen of Memphis.  So we need more people at the table, in the conversation and taking the “real” conversation to the streets.  I did take my experiences back to my Memphis Bestie who is a part of the current New Memphis class and her team did present a MATA project based on their own research and my experience so I hope to see it be taken on as a real project but if not it has now become my personal project.

  Call to Action

I have developed three solutions that may help generate enough income to help MATA become a transportation option of choice:

Work with New Memphis’ Joy Turner on making this a project for young professionals.

If 100,000 choice riders will choose to ride MATA one day of the month or buy a daily pass and not ride that will increase monthly revenues by $350,000.  By committing to this monthly, MATA will see annual revenue increases of $4.2M. 

Asking more people to be at the table to review ways that MATA can save on cost, increase routes and reduce inefficiencies that eat up current revenues. 

  Affecting change is hard but working together we can reduce the cost of sacrifices that must be made.  In order to make Memphis a city of choice, we have to work with our government and its services to help it realize the change we want to see.  Change is not the sole responsibility of the government, unless we want to be in a dictatorship, but it is our own collective responsibility.  We pay taxes and elect officials that we have the right and ability to demand more but we should never ask more of anyone than we are willing to do ourselves.  I am a Memphian by choice and committed to its health and growth.  I desire to see a transit system that I can enjoy and be proud to ride but also a system that better supports those that do not(for whatever reason) have another alternative other than public transportation.  So my 90days begins again October 1st….Will you join me???