May 21, 2010
May 19, 2010
dancing and drama
I'm home from a wonderful weekend in New York. The redeye out on Friday morning 1AM was not long enough, landing at JFK at 6:30AM. I spent Friday noon with Marc who's just as remarkable in person as in phone, email and his blog. We had hot chocolate unlike any I've ever had - not sweet. It was steamed milk with semi-sweet chocolate syrup that you add on your own.
Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday I spent with my sister Lauri, her husband Reid and my niece Lila at their house in Garrison. Lila is a crack-up! She sings and dances and expresses her (many) opinions by talking and signing. She's got a soft speaking voice and speaks very quickly. "antbethsit" meant that I was to sit next to her on the stairs. What a doll! Blond... and tall! I made her a wallet to go with the purse I made her months ago - and she knew EXACTLY what to do with it. I'll get some pictures loaded.
We're closing on the house on Tuesday - but there's a repair that needs to be estimated today/tomorrow and then done within 10 days of closing. We intended to take care of it ourselves after closing but now we don't have that option = drama = more money = stress. Here's Jesse's most recent album of house pics.
My friend Jana is coming to see me this weekend - can't wait! We'll do fun stuff; little does she know that I consider packing "fun."
Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday I spent with my sister Lauri, her husband Reid and my niece Lila at their house in Garrison. Lila is a crack-up! She sings and dances and expresses her (many) opinions by talking and signing. She's got a soft speaking voice and speaks very quickly. "antbethsit" meant that I was to sit next to her on the stairs. What a doll! Blond... and tall! I made her a wallet to go with the purse I made her months ago - and she knew EXACTLY what to do with it. I'll get some pictures loaded.
We're closing on the house on Tuesday - but there's a repair that needs to be estimated today/tomorrow and then done within 10 days of closing. We intended to take care of it ourselves after closing but now we don't have that option = drama = more money = stress. Here's Jesse's most recent album of house pics.
My friend Jana is coming to see me this weekend - can't wait! We'll do fun stuff; little does she know that I consider packing "fun."
May 13, 2010
act brave
This excerpt from Wheelchair Kamikaze (who I will meet tomorrow!) got me thinking - as his posts almost always do:
Sometimes, the only way to be brave is to act brave. MS is some scary shit, and fear might as well be listed as one of its symptoms. But fear can be conquered, and every day, in the MS patients I know online and in real life, I see a quiet courage that is constantly put to the test but rarely wavers. In the end, we live each day as best we can, MS and the fear that comes with it be damned.
Tomorrow is Mom's 60th birthday. From the outside I wonder if it somehow doesn't seem as devastating that she's in her condition in the nursing home when there's a "6" in front of her age. 40's and 50's, sure that's HORRIBLE that she's in a home. From the outside, now that my siblings and I are all grown... does it seem so bad? Sure she's going to be 60, and it's culturally more acceptable to be in a home in your 60's. But that doesn't erase the last 15 years of her 40's and 50's she spent there. It is bad, no matter what anybody on the outside might think or see.
I don't know what the difference between being brave and acting brave feels like. I wonder if Mom does either. She has put on a brave face and laughed hardships off for so long... as have I. As I'm sure have siblings, and Mom's siblings and parents. And our support systems - acting brave to support each of us. Acting brave is all I know of bravery. That's all I have to say about that.
Sometimes, the only way to be brave is to act brave. MS is some scary shit, and fear might as well be listed as one of its symptoms. But fear can be conquered, and every day, in the MS patients I know online and in real life, I see a quiet courage that is constantly put to the test but rarely wavers. In the end, we live each day as best we can, MS and the fear that comes with it be damned.
Tomorrow is Mom's 60th birthday. From the outside I wonder if it somehow doesn't seem as devastating that she's in her condition in the nursing home when there's a "6" in front of her age. 40's and 50's, sure that's HORRIBLE that she's in a home. From the outside, now that my siblings and I are all grown... does it seem so bad? Sure she's going to be 60, and it's culturally more acceptable to be in a home in your 60's. But that doesn't erase the last 15 years of her 40's and 50's she spent there. It is bad, no matter what anybody on the outside might think or see.
I don't know what the difference between being brave and acting brave feels like. I wonder if Mom does either. She has put on a brave face and laughed hardships off for so long... as have I. As I'm sure have siblings, and Mom's siblings and parents. And our support systems - acting brave to support each of us. Acting brave is all I know of bravery. That's all I have to say about that.
May 11, 2010
mobile giving
I’ve been struggling with how to include this ramble about mobile giving and finally decided just to do it. Please skip this post if you're not interested :)
It's bright and shiny, "convenient" and "instant"… the U.S. is more comfortable with text-to-give now because of campaigns like Haiti. Here's what I think are the key components of the Red Cross' success with text-to-give for Haiti:
1. Urgent, highly emotional issue – utter devastation of the poorest country in the western hemisphere
2. Immediate, graphic, totally saturated media coverage
3. Highly-portable and accessible call to action/donation – text-to-give
4. Widely-known and well-respected American Red Cross brand
Many nonprofits are now launching text-to-give campaigns without a Haiti-scale issue (thank goodness we don't have more Haiti-scale issues!). Some are creating compelling issues (equating a single urgent, graphic concept to the donation) but aren't getting widespread media coverage. Twitter, Facebook and email only go so far.* Lacking coverage, promotion costs money.
If they overcome or work around #1, #2 and #4 and spend the upfront cost/time for a text-to-give campaign, they're still taking (hopefully calculated) risk. Will the return come through on their investment? Making $32M like the Red Cross is unlikely. Additionally, promotion of text-to-give to existing donors (Twitter, Facebook, email) can negatively impact the success of your other giving channels. “If you pushed just one person to give via mobile who otherwise would have given by any other medium …you'll end up trading away involved, ongoing donors for anonymous, one-time, no-connection, low-dollar gifts.”
*I know that people access social media and email on their mobile devices... which probably means that they also access the interwebs on their mobile and can follow a link to a mobile-friendly online donation form – with higher increments than a texted $2, $5 or $10.
All that said, I believe it's worth a try as long as expectations are in check. As always on my blog, all of this is strictly my opinion – all of it. I think Haiti was unique. And I dread the text-to-give campaign that will rival it – only because of the tragedy it will likely support.
It's bright and shiny, "convenient" and "instant"… the U.S. is more comfortable with text-to-give now because of campaigns like Haiti. Here's what I think are the key components of the Red Cross' success with text-to-give for Haiti:
1. Urgent, highly emotional issue – utter devastation of the poorest country in the western hemisphere
2. Immediate, graphic, totally saturated media coverage
3. Highly-portable and accessible call to action/donation – text-to-give
4. Widely-known and well-respected American Red Cross brand
Many nonprofits are now launching text-to-give campaigns without a Haiti-scale issue (thank goodness we don't have more Haiti-scale issues!). Some are creating compelling issues (equating a single urgent, graphic concept to the donation) but aren't getting widespread media coverage. Twitter, Facebook and email only go so far.* Lacking coverage, promotion costs money.
If they overcome or work around #1, #2 and #4 and spend the upfront cost/time for a text-to-give campaign, they're still taking (hopefully calculated) risk. Will the return come through on their investment? Making $32M like the Red Cross is unlikely. Additionally, promotion of text-to-give to existing donors (Twitter, Facebook, email) can negatively impact the success of your other giving channels. “If you pushed just one person to give via mobile who otherwise would have given by any other medium …you'll end up trading away involved, ongoing donors for anonymous, one-time, no-connection, low-dollar gifts.”
*I know that people access social media and email on their mobile devices... which probably means that they also access the interwebs on their mobile and can follow a link to a mobile-friendly online donation form – with higher increments than a texted $2, $5 or $10.
All that said, I believe it's worth a try as long as expectations are in check. As always on my blog, all of this is strictly my opinion – all of it. I think Haiti was unique. And I dread the text-to-give campaign that will rival it – only because of the tragedy it will likely support.
May 04, 2010
may is may
On Friday night we went to Brewery Bar II which is not a brewery, nor a bar, nor is it the second of anything. They do have a bar, but it closes early and is way too bright, so NOT a bar. They do have good margaritas and fantastic Mexican food though - I get the pork green chili, half mild and half hot. On Saturday after watching the wet Kentucky Derby we went to Wazee Supper Club which is on Wazee and serves supper... but isn't a club.
So May. As you know, Mother's Day is this Sunday. I wish I could be with Mom for but I can't. Mom's 60th birthday is May 14. I'm struggling with what to get her for both occasions... Grandmother is at the nursing home right now too because she cracked her pelvis (ouch!) so I should find something(s) they can both enjoy. My cousin Eric will be back for his short break from Iraq in May so they'll have plenty of visitors.
May is also means there's a signing bonus available for the three-day 50-mile Challenge Walk in San Diego this September. When you register, put my name in as a the referrer - I'll get a $100 credit to my fundraising when you reach $250 (first-time Walkers only). I WILL share the credit with you by way of directing some of my fundraising your way. Read more on my fundraising page.
Cinco de Mayo tomorrow (margaritas anyone?) and World MS Day on the 26th. #worldMSday
And in May, I gotta figure out how to move us to the mountains. AFTER the appraisal comes in this week!
So May. As you know, Mother's Day is this Sunday. I wish I could be with Mom for but I can't. Mom's 60th birthday is May 14. I'm struggling with what to get her for both occasions... Grandmother is at the nursing home right now too because she cracked her pelvis (ouch!) so I should find something(s) they can both enjoy. My cousin Eric will be back for his short break from Iraq in May so they'll have plenty of visitors.
May is also means there's a signing bonus available for the three-day 50-mile Challenge Walk in San Diego this September. When you register, put my name in as a the referrer - I'll get a $100 credit to my fundraising when you reach $250 (first-time Walkers only). I WILL share the credit with you by way of directing some of my fundraising your way. Read more on my fundraising page.
Cinco de Mayo tomorrow (margaritas anyone?) and World MS Day on the 26th. #worldMSday
And in May, I gotta figure out how to move us to the mountains. AFTER the appraisal comes in this week!
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