Things apparently got complicated

It turns out that being forced to switch treks was more significant than just a change of dates and people I'm climbing with. The financial structure appears to have changed as well, and I finally had a conversation with the folks in the UK to confirm how this works.

Before I had a goal of 2500 GBP, but if I raised 4000 GBP I would pay no actual trip costs except plane ticket myself, and the amount I payed was on a sliding scale based on how much between 2500 and 4000 I raised. Thus, there was incentive for every dollar raised up to 4000 GBP

Apparently the sliding scale no longer applies. This is kind of a big deal, because the new structure is raise 2420 minimum and pay an additional 695 trek costs, or raise 3975 and pay no trek costs. No sliding scale. As you may have noticed, 3975 - 2420 is a lot more than 695 so this is actually a pretty expensive switch. I've already made my 2420 goal. I can close out my fundraisers, accept the fact that I'm paying an additional 695, and all the excess just is extra cash for VSO (which is of course not a bad thing) or I can try to push hard to get from the roughly 2600 I have now to 3975 in order to not pay any trek costs. But until I hit 3975 - 695 = 3280 that's the much more expensive option. In other words, if I fail to meet that goal I'd actually costing myself money to take that option. In theory I'm not actually supposed to be able to switch from one to the other but they'll let it slide since my circumstances are a bit odd. Now I just have to figure out how I feel about the rest of my fundraising efforts.... It's all going to a good cause but it's a bit hard to want to take on the sheer effort involved when it might mean that most of what is happening is that it, if I'm lucky, I'll have spent a lot of time fundraising in order to spend about the same amount of money out of pocket.

The money is still going to VSO and being used for good work, make no mistake. This is just a calculation of whether it really makes sense for me, under the new structure, to continue putting a lot of time I could otherwise use hiking and getting ready for Kili in setting up new fundraising events now that I have met my minimum mark and raised thousands of dollars for charity.

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

It's no monster truck rally, it's the Princess Bride! On the Big Screen! With Rodents of Amazingly Unusual Size! All this can be yours at the Grand Illusion (1403 Northeast 50th Street) on Sunday May 23rd from 1-3:30m for the cheap, cheap price of $7, or the even cheaper price of $5 if you're in Prince Bride related costume. That even comes with popcorn, so how good a deal is that?!

Yard Sale Success

Today was the Wallingford Yard Sale (a route of houses, heavily advertised, with yard sales raising money for John Stanford School) so naturally I took advantage of the day when everyone would be yard saling to have my own. I've been steadily trying to sell all your generous donations via used goods stores, craigslist, etc, but today was all about the standard yard sale. And what a beautiful day to sit around drinking tea, reading a book, and selling stuff to passers by.

It went great! One early buyer got my hopes up with lots of purchases, making me quite apprehensive when things slowed down heavily until lunch time, but around lunch we made most of our sales in a couple hours. That included one woman from Argentina who basically bought me out of all the donated tiny sizes of women's clothing from my mom and Noha.

All told just today I raised over $187 by reselling stuff that other people were trying to get rid of anyway! I also still have a bunch of stuff left, and plan to get more donations from people as they're moving/cleaning out their spaces so I hope to do at least one more. In other words, it is not too late donate to the garage sale efforts. I've raised over $380 from reselling donated items. Continued huge thanks to everyone who has been funneling things to me, and please keep them coming!

Better about going to the gym than blogging about going to the gym

Fortunately if one had to choose either going to the gym or blogging about it to do, going to the gym is pretty unambiguously the higher priority. Still haven't hit my overall goals for gym attendance but April was an upswing and hopefully a good trajectory.

Also! I went for a run with Aurana around Greenlake. Ok, so we didn't jog all 3 miles straight but we did commit to meeting up 1-2 times a week to do it, and agreed that running with a buddy makes it way easier. I'm also excited to note that we agreed to tackle the bleachers at Greenlake - I think I need to start reminding my body what it means to go Up Up Up Up Up.

So here's the stats to close out April and start out May:

April Gym Visits: 8
Long walks: 4

Visit 1:
Miles jogged: 1
20 @ 45 lb chest press
30 @75 lb leg extension
30 @ 105 leg curls

Visit 2:
Miles on elliptical thingo: 1
Miles jogged: .85
30 @ 45 lb chest press
30 @ 90 lb leg extension
30 @105 lb leg press

Visit 3:
Miles on elliptical thingo: .9
20 @ 60 lb chest press
35 @ 90 lb leg extension
20 @ 120 lbs leg extension
70 crunches

And starting off May:
May Gym Visits: 1
Runs: 1

Miles jogged: 1.68
20 @ 45 lb chest press
30 @ 90 lb leg extension
25 @ 30 lb and 10 @ 45 lb shoulder press
30 @ 105 lb leg press
80 crunches


Cumulative Stats through April (I really need to figure out how to get a counter widgit)
Gym visits: 19
Hikes: 1
Long Walks: 4

As you wish!

Change in plan! The people have spoken and, as you wish, it will be the Princess Bride at the Grand Illusion (1403 Northeast 50th Street) on Sunday May 23rd from 1-3:30m

Yes, it's this classic as you've never seen it (well, at least as I've never seen it) - on a big screen surrounded by dozens of other fans. This movie has it all! Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles...

This is a fundraiser! Tickets are $5 if you come as someone from the movie, or $7 if you don't. That being said I'd encourage that not everyone come as the Dread Pirate Roberts.

Why? As many of you may know by now, I've signed up for the crazy challenge of climbing up Mount Kilimanjaro in September and raising money for a British charity called Volunteer Services Overseas (http://www.vso.org.uk) on the way. The money I'm raising is going to fund projects such as HIV education efforts and giving people the knowledge and tools to build secure livelihoods.


Free popcorn comes with your ticket! You're welcome to bring any other snacks you want.

You're also welcome to bring drinks. There will be some wine and possibly other beverages on hand that may or may not contain iocane powder. Beverage donations are happily accepted, the better to allow people to build up their tolerance.

As this is a fundraiser I'm trying to fill every seat, because every ticket sold means more money going to the charity. So PLEASE RSVP. Tell your friends! Tell their friends! Just let me know how many people are coming. I'd love to fill all 70 seats in the theater.

TL;DR? The Princess Bride at the Grand Illusion, in support of a great cause. Tickets are $5 or $7 depending on your attire and come with popcorn. If you can donate beverages, let me know. RSVP and tell your friends!


If you can't attend but are interested in donating, you can do so online at http://original.justgiving.com/jessicablat