Pools and Miles, Miles and Pools
We had a little pool going on in the office to guess when 50% of Alaska's population (335,000 people) have signed up to be an organ and tissue donor.
The whole staff was given statistics for the previous year complete with fancy graphs illustrating sign-up numbers and opt-out numbers, and then we set out to do some guesstimating.
I guessed at what would probably be the daily change in registrants, and made that number smaller because the first quarter of the year is always slower at the DMV (tip for anyone needing to do anything at the DMV: January is totally your month because there are no lines).
When everybody guessed their dates and the list was posted, I saw that my date was much, much later than everyone else's. There was more than a month between the earliest guess and the last.
So for the last month we have been posting the number each day, crossing people off the list and publicly shaming them with a company-side email. You lose, you suck, better luck next time but you'll probably suck then, too.
My guess was 1,000 registrants too early, but much like the $1 bid on the Price is Right, I won by nature of being the last contestant with a valid date.
People, I am now in possession of 20,000 miles with Alaska Airlines.
I am so excited about this, about the sheer possibilities of this, I don't even know how to behave.
Jeff has been humming the Rocky theme song all morning and I have responded by throwing things at him all morning. He thinks he's being cute, but I know he's just jealous.
What should I do with all of these delicious miles? I'll need to use them within the year, and really. I could go anywhere. Do anything.
Visit a friend? Damon in San Francisco? Rachael in Las Vegas? April in Richmond? Nathalie in Calgary?
Go someplace warm and sunny next winter with a pool and a beach? Hawaii? Los Cabos? Miami for the start of a cruise?
Go to, um, Fairbanks? A weekend in Seattle?
Where would you go with a free airline ticket?
2008
9 Love Notes
Hawaii, but unfortunately I think that's more like 35k miles; Mexico is 30k. I think you're limited to the lower 48 (or somewhere in Alaska). But I guess that's assuming those are the only miles you have; Hawaii is pretty nice if you want to supplement those miles with some other miles or money.
Enjoy!
I wouldn't go to Fairbanks - it's ugly here.
Somewhere warm... Miami? San Diego?
Think WARM
I would go somewhere really fun like Universal Studios in Florida with a sister in law who has more vacation time than your brother and we could have a girls only vacation...that way you get warm and fun and a friend to go with...
Erin - I wouldn't waste my miles on a trip to Fairbanks. I'd much rather drive it anyway.
And Jen - That is definitely an idea I hadn't thought of (welcome home, by the way! how was Nome?). And... hmm. Not a bad one at all.
So, only 50% of Wisconsin motorists are registered organ donors. I bet every single one of the other 50% would accept an organ transplant if they needed one to live.
About 50% of the organs transplanted in America go to people who haven't agreed to donate their own organs when they die. As long as we let non-donors jump to the front of the waiting list if they need a transplant we'll always have an organ shortage.
There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage -- allocate donated organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.
Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer.
Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.
Or you could donate those miles to your wayward brother in San Francisco. Think about all the good karma you'd be getting with that generosity.
Turn on the registration of your forum and you might be hearing from more of the old (especially resourceful) friends..either way...take care...
Cyn...
i'm actually in Virginia Beach, btw, within reasonably close driving distance to Busch Gardens. so you could come visit us, see the beach, be somewhere warm, go to a theme park, and possibly even see a hurricane while you're at it. :D
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