Old year...new year
These are the questions that I answer every year. I look back and remember a bit of what was going on at that time, who I was with (or not), what I was focused on (or not), not taking for granted anything.
How would you answer these?
What's the biggest personal accomplishment you've had in 2016? I had the unique opportunity to be interviewed by a San Francisco reporter for an SF public radio station about my views on rent control. I thought a lot about this, did some research on the woman who would be interviewing me, and then I agreed to do it. It was about 6 minutes long, of which I was only a portion. But we met at my house, and I was in the middle of a living room ceiling repair (among other items), caused by an slow tub leak in an apartment upstairs. It gave me an excellent visual, along with the other points I was attempting make. Seeing is believing.
Also, I was invited to speak to a group of people at a local parish, about the same subject. There were about 40-50 folks there and it was a type of discussion that might be called a debate. But thank goodness it wasn't. There were 3 of us on each side of the priest, who was in charge of the microphone. We each had the chance to give an intro about why we were there, and who we are.
Both of these events gave me a silent confidence which only God could be behind.
What's the coolest thing you've seen in 2016? I traveled to Christchurch, NZ for two weeks during their summer time (our winter) to see my daugher, Sutter, and her husband Sean, and their newly built house. The country is totally beautiful, as are the people who live there.
When I last went to NZ it was after the 8.3 earthquake in Christchurch. The city was in shambles. S&S were fine...but literally shaken. So many asked about them, that I started given updates via Facebook and email. FB was the vehicle that I used to let folks know that they were okay.
This trip Sutter and I rented bikes and rode throughout the city, right next to the red zone. What I saw was amazing: buildings going up, just like vegetables sprouting out of the ground; old buildings, red tagged for demolition, barely standing, with fences surrounding them; temporary buildings so businesses could function; and many of the containers that had been used for businesses had morphed into shopping malls. The architecture is sometimes wild but really intriguing. It truly is/was a city in transition. I can hardly wait to go back!
Where was your quietest moment in 2016? On a bay, Tata Beach, (thank you Sean for giving me the name of the place), I was sitting on a bench taking in the views, and S&S were walking along the beach. We spend 3 nights there, at one of Sutter's friends' second home. We traveled up the east side of the South Island and then came back on the west side. IN-CRED-IBLE.
Who was the most inspirational to you in 2016? The citizens of our town, Alameda. Due to the one on one conversations that each of us had, all day, all places, at all times, they defeated a very ugly rent control, city-charter amendment. We rallied, we won. This was defeated but the work continues to build more housing for all citizens in this town.
What has been the biggest challenge to you in 2016? Keeping my head clear, and not over-reacting to the national election results. I need to acknowledge that Trump won...but there is much work still to be done.
What's the best book you've read in 2016? I'm not sure that I read a book. I read a lot about rent control, in various CA cities.
What's the best movie you've seen in 2016? Not sure that I've seen a movie in a theatre. And those I've rented this year haven't impressed me, since I cannot recall them.
What's the biggest disappointment you've had in 2016? Watching the results of the Presidential election.
What's the biggest change you've made in 2016? I got a new bike helmet, with 40 LED lights on the front and the back. When I press the R or L button on my handlebars, the back of my helmet signals a right or left turn. I was one of the first 100 donors to a Kickstarter campaign about 18 months ago. I received it during the Chritmas holidays.
What's the one prediction you have for this year, 2017? This was my answer last year, "As part of the human race, we need to stop killing each other. Lofty, I know. But it starts now. This year I want to be on the welcoming side to all immigrants that legally come to America.
One last word. Well, 25 last words: We need to laugh at ourselves, and if we can't quite do that, then at least we should smile at people as they walk by.
Live richly, marilyn Happy New Year!
See my real estate blog! www.marilynschumacher.com
How would you answer these?
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| View of San Francisco from Alameda, Dec 2016, at low tide. |
What's the biggest personal accomplishment you've had in 2016? I had the unique opportunity to be interviewed by a San Francisco reporter for an SF public radio station about my views on rent control. I thought a lot about this, did some research on the woman who would be interviewing me, and then I agreed to do it. It was about 6 minutes long, of which I was only a portion. But we met at my house, and I was in the middle of a living room ceiling repair (among other items), caused by an slow tub leak in an apartment upstairs. It gave me an excellent visual, along with the other points I was attempting make. Seeing is believing.
Also, I was invited to speak to a group of people at a local parish, about the same subject. There were about 40-50 folks there and it was a type of discussion that might be called a debate. But thank goodness it wasn't. There were 3 of us on each side of the priest, who was in charge of the microphone. We each had the chance to give an intro about why we were there, and who we are.
Both of these events gave me a silent confidence which only God could be behind.
What's the coolest thing you've seen in 2016? I traveled to Christchurch, NZ for two weeks during their summer time (our winter) to see my daugher, Sutter, and her husband Sean, and their newly built house. The country is totally beautiful, as are the people who live there.
When I last went to NZ it was after the 8.3 earthquake in Christchurch. The city was in shambles. S&S were fine...but literally shaken. So many asked about them, that I started given updates via Facebook and email. FB was the vehicle that I used to let folks know that they were okay.
This trip Sutter and I rented bikes and rode throughout the city, right next to the red zone. What I saw was amazing: buildings going up, just like vegetables sprouting out of the ground; old buildings, red tagged for demolition, barely standing, with fences surrounding them; temporary buildings so businesses could function; and many of the containers that had been used for businesses had morphed into shopping malls. The architecture is sometimes wild but really intriguing. It truly is/was a city in transition. I can hardly wait to go back!
Where was your quietest moment in 2016? On a bay, Tata Beach, (thank you Sean for giving me the name of the place), I was sitting on a bench taking in the views, and S&S were walking along the beach. We spend 3 nights there, at one of Sutter's friends' second home. We traveled up the east side of the South Island and then came back on the west side. IN-CRED-IBLE.
Who was the most inspirational to you in 2016? The citizens of our town, Alameda. Due to the one on one conversations that each of us had, all day, all places, at all times, they defeated a very ugly rent control, city-charter amendment. We rallied, we won. This was defeated but the work continues to build more housing for all citizens in this town.
What has been the biggest challenge to you in 2016? Keeping my head clear, and not over-reacting to the national election results. I need to acknowledge that Trump won...but there is much work still to be done.
What's the best book you've read in 2016? I'm not sure that I read a book. I read a lot about rent control, in various CA cities.
What's the best movie you've seen in 2016? Not sure that I've seen a movie in a theatre. And those I've rented this year haven't impressed me, since I cannot recall them.
What's the biggest disappointment you've had in 2016? Watching the results of the Presidential election.
What's the biggest change you've made in 2016? I got a new bike helmet, with 40 LED lights on the front and the back. When I press the R or L button on my handlebars, the back of my helmet signals a right or left turn. I was one of the first 100 donors to a Kickstarter campaign about 18 months ago. I received it during the Chritmas holidays.
What's the one prediction you have for this year, 2017? This was my answer last year, "As part of the human race, we need to stop killing each other. Lofty, I know. But it starts now. This year I want to be on the welcoming side to all immigrants that legally come to America.
One last word. Well, 25 last words: We need to laugh at ourselves, and if we can't quite do that, then at least we should smile at people as they walk by.
Live richly, marilyn Happy New Year!
See my real estate blog! www.marilynschumacher.com
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