Wall Street

It's been a while, so I guess it is time to write another post. Might as well jump right into the fray, and comment on the Occupy Wall Street protests. Up to today, I haven't really cared about the protests. While I generally agree that our current political and economic climate is unsustainable, I find that most of the noise coming out of the protests is just noise. The original organizers may have had some good ideas and good intentions, but at this point the main points coming from the masses are crazy. Just search Google for "OWS Demands" and you'll find plenty of sites that will detail them.

However, none of this is what really sparked this post. The reason behind this post is far more selfish and petty. The protest hit me personally today when it stood between me and home after a long day of work. I work for a large investment bank in the Financial District of Manhattan, so I spend a lot of time in the vicinity of the protests (I don't work on Wall St. itself, so up to this point I had not personally seen the protests). Today as I was walking to the subway station to get my train home I ran into a march by the protesters. They were heading down one of the main streets between me and my subway stop. Not only was there the march, but because this is NYC there were also plenty of police officers and the portable barriers that they put up to control large crowds at event. All of this blocking my way to the station. I walked up to the next crossing to see if the police had left an opening for people to cross, but alas they did not. I walked a bit further and found a break in the march. I pushed my way to the barrier and caught the attention of one of the police officers and asked how I could get to the station. His response was excellent, and I greatly appreciated it. He simply said "come over here" and walked up a few sections of barrier, swung it open, and let me through. So, to him I offer a big thank you.

As for the rest of the protesters and the movement. I too am one of the 99%. I am, however, starting a career and working hard to make my way in this difficult economy. I worked hard my entire school, and I'm continuing to do so now. So, please, stop interrupting my trip home after a long day of working to make sure that I can support myself.

~Alex

Training, Week of 10/2

I'm back on track, so to speak.  After a week almost completely off, I decided that it's time to get over the existential crisis that I've been having with regards to running, make a training plan, and then get about the business of breaking my 5k and 10k PR's.  I picked two races and did indeed make a plan.  Even better, I have followed it to a T this week, running 54.5 miles in 6:47:57 (7:30/mile average).

It was a tough week.  My legs were sore pretty much all week and my hip started tweaking out.  I know how to deal with both of these and keep going, so that's what I did.  I put in a decent long run, track workout, and tempo run so the quality is there while the quantity builds back up.  I'm back in the hunt and may even remind myself of the runner I was.  I have been feeling a little lost without a team or a "season" to race in but I recently heard my generation referred to as a "lost generation" and that is an identity that I refuse to accept.  So here I come, ready to show 'em a clean pair of heels.

Lane Thornton is Burning (Part 1 of 535)

I am luckier than most people.  Most people are sad about how much money they make until pay-day, when they are happy.  I am happy about how much money I make most days until pay-day, when I get incredibly angry about how much taxes I pay.  I have decided that instead of accepting this as inevitable, I will continue to be angry every time I pay taxes and to help remedy the situation, I will write a letter to a congressional representative.  This time, I wrote to Senator Bernie Sanders (I, VT) for two reasons: I am originally from Vermont and I have written to him before.  The text of my letter is below:


"Dear Senator Sanders:

A bit over four years ago, I wrote a letter to your office over concerns that money was being spent on helping Vermont students attend college that wasn't available to me because I dreamed of studying something not offered by any institution in Vermont.  Instead of addressing my concern, I received a form letter pointing me to a website with some scholarship applications on it.

Despite the lack of assistance, I decided to attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute where I studied aerospace engineering and graduated with a GPA of 3.89.  Not only did I study hard, but I also worked a job and ran cross-country and indoor and outdoor track and field.  I interviewed for and was offered a very good job at a large aerospace company that I believe I earned through the years of hard work that I put into my education.

Here I am, writing to your more than four years later because again I feel like I am being failed by my government.  I have more than $50,000 in student debt and I now pay between a quarter and a third of my salary to the government in taxes.  I hear a lot about "the rich" paying "their fair share" but it seems like I'm paying a bit more than my fair share and I'm not sure the solution is to tax other people more, no matter how much money they have.  What upsets me is not how much money I have or don't have, but what percentage of the money I earn by my own hard work the government takes from me.

I have recently moved to Connecticut from Vermont and although you no longer directly represent me, in my heart I am still a Vermonter and I would like to know that someone hears my voice.

Thank you and I look forward to your reply.

Lane Thornton"

I don't expect any action from Senator Sanders, but it is a start.  I also don't expect to reach every senator and representative as they will continue to change and it would take over 20 years to contact each one at the rate of one every two weeks.  It does, however, make me feel like I'm more engaged in the political process.

-Lane