MARTA and Goodwill Updates!

First of all, my ongoing MARTA education continues. If you recall, I bought three Breeze Passes back in July, because MARTA does not allow you to use the same card for your children (even if it has only a limited number of trips on it) so my daughters and I all needed our own cards (for those of you with younger children, two children under age six per adult can ride for free, by the way). Oh, and we had to get the cards if we wanted free transfers between the bus and train, etc., because you can't get free transfers when you pay with cash.

So, this past Saturday, we decided to take the 150 MARTA bus to the Borders shopping center (and we know to get off at Meadow Lane Road since the stop prior to that, which is closer to Borders, dumps you in the middle of weeds with no crosswalk for getting across busy Ashford Dunwoody). My daughter "tapped" her Breeze Card, as she has become accustomed to doing, and it registered as having no money on it. You can add money to it right then and there, which is much better than having to go to the train station (which is what you have to do to get the card). And, by the way, if you buy a Breeze Ticket (instead of the plastic Pass), it expires in three months. Buyer, beware.

Then, we got off at Meadow Lane Road and Ashford Dunwoody, as did a MAN WHO WAS BLIND. The little white safe-to-cross guy showed up on the pedestrian crossing sign and off we all went--except it started flashing red in about FOUR seconds, when we were halfway across. We ran, and then remembered the man, who was walking at a normal pace across the crosswalk, using his cane to check the path in front of him but oblivious to the fact that traffic was about to surge all around him. I was waiting on the curb, ready to jump in with my outstretched arm, but God bless the drivers who sat and waited that day while the man who was blind finished crossing. There is clearly a pedestrian crossing timing problem here, folks. But at least there is still compassion.

Anyway, so then yesterday, I pick up the New York Times Magazine and there's a great little article about Goodwill. Now, not to beat the dead Goodwill horse here, BUT turns out that Goodwill stores are becoming the hip, hot places to shop nationwide. According to the article, Washington, DC-area Goodwill stores have Webcast fashion shows and a popular blog. Indiana Goodwill has a catchy ad campaign that is spreading across the country. San Francisco Goodwill is working with the founder of Joe Boxer on a line of new clothes made from discarded items. And, of course, 85% of total revenues from sales of items at Goodwill stores goes to job training, job placement, and other programs. All good.

Good thing there are locations so close by in Sandy Springs, Peachtree Corners and Alpharetta (and frankly, with so many close by, there is certainly reason to want something different in that old Ace Hardware space--but what?)