Saying Good-bye to 2010 and Hello to 2011

In 2010, a lot has occurred. 

1. Straights As for first time in college
2. Got admitted in to DAAP
3. Got a new job
4. 3 years with the girlfriend
5. Had my first car accident
6. Volunteered with the Tarbell for County Commish Campaign
7. Lost 50 lbs
8. Started biking
9. Started running
10. Spent my first New Year's Eve party outside the house.

It was a great year overall. I accomplished a lot: had a few setbacks and a few firsts. 

For 2011, there are going to be a lot of changes in my life. I'm going to be graduating from college finally, and I'll be shoved headlong in to the working world. With that comes having to pay back student loans, being completely independent from mom and dad, and the uncertainty of the current job market. Elyse and I will also be moving. I really want to live in OTR, but we'll see... 

2011 is going to be scary, but I have a few goals I want to accomplish in the next 12 months.

1. Get more involved in my community - I live in CUF, but will be moving in August. I want to get involved with a community council and activism. There are a lot of good things happening in Cincinnati, and I want to be a part of it.
2. Network - I want to use every opportunity I have to network with new people and reach out and get involved with the things I am passionate about.
3. Post on this blog at least 5 times per week - This one will be tough because school is going to be busy this winter quarter. I also need to complete this full website and put up my full portfolio.
4. Lose 20 lbs - This is last bit of weight I want to lose. I want to have it off by March. This will make my total weight loss 70 lbs, from 220 to 150. 
5. Complete my "30-by-30" list - Elyse and I are working on compiling lists of the 30 major things we want to accomplish before we turn 30. We're both turning 25 this year and have absolutely no idea what we want to do with the rest of our lives. By putting these lists together, we hope to at least know want we want to do in the next 5 years.
6. Travel - I want to go to Chicago (never been) and Phoenix. My sister lives in Phoenix, AZ and has been bugging me to go visit. 
7. Get a full time job - I'd love to have a full time job right after I graduate in my field, but I know the chances of that are relatively low. But I'm definitely going to try.
8. Bike over 4000 miles this year - I love biking, and I've seen larger part of the city from my bike seat this past year. I think 4k miles is an ambitious but achievable goal.
9. Run as many 5Ks and 10Ks as I can - I've found a love for running, so I want to maximize this as much as possible.
10. Learn to dance - I'm thinking salsa dancing, maybe some ballroom-style dancing, swing dancing; I want to know how to dance when the opportunity arises, feel confident, and not look like a fool on the dance floor. I know Elyse will appreciate this one. 

I'm looking forward to a new year with new opportunities, challenges and rewards. 

$5 /gallon Gas by 2012??

The former President of Shell Oil is saying that Americans could be paying as much at $5 per gallon of gasoline by the year 2012. (Link Here) One other person quoted in the article stated that while he doesn't think that we'll see $5 per gallon by 2012, he does expect it within the next decade. 


What does this mean for Cincinnati?


For starters, the city currently supports no mode of transportation (other than bike) that doesn't run on petroleum-based fuels. This means that the populace is limited to modes that will be getting more and more expensive to operate. What we will see happen is increases in the costs of goods and services in the region. Because most products are delivered to their final destinations via truck, their costs are tied to the cost of transportation and the costs of fuel.


Currently, transportation costs range from under 15% to 20% of a household's annual income (HAI) within the City. Outside the city it ranges from 20%-28%. Housing costs average in the 15%-25% throughout most of the city. (Source) As fuel prices rise, more and more of a HAI will be used for transportation. With housing costs fairly stable currently, these increased costs will eat away at money that would be spend on other goods.

Since we already determined that those other goods are going to also get more expensive, this means that the households are going to have less money to spend on ever-more-expensive goods and services. 


How can we prepare?


The city needs transportation options that run on fuels other than petroleum based diesel and gasoline. Fixed-guideway transit such as streetcars, subway, and lightrail all run on electricity. As gas prices continue to increase, people will look more and more to alternatives to driving for their commuting needs. 


Cincinnati is currently planning on installing what is to be the first phase of a (hopefully) multi-phase multi-modal transportation system. The streetcar will work with existing Metro service to provide incentives for people to live and work in the center city where housing and transit costs are lower. Future projects that are already being explored include Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along major corridors and additional extensions of the streetcar lines. 


What can you do?


Call, email, snail mail our councilmembers and tell them that you support increased transit options and want transportation to continue to be a priority in this city.