[This is the third of three posts on terrible gifts] I book binge. I consume a book all at once, as quickly as possible, preferably in one sitting. I will read right through any activity that doesn’t require my visual attention, including eating and tooth-brushing, until I hit the final page. Needless to say, this [...]
[This is the first of three posts on Terrible Gifts] My mechanic had bad news. “It will cost more than what your car’s worth to fix it,” he said. Then he amended his thought. ”It will cost more than what your car’s worth to just figure out what’s wrong with it.” So we got a [...]
Tags:Seriously still can't get over the fact that we own a minivan.
After I made the gifts from the 40 days, I dutifully wrote to each charity something like this: Hello, I just made a gift to You, Important Charity and would like to request that any further communications from you come over email rather than through snail mail or phone. I respond best to emails, and [...]
Tags:Heifer International·Nurse Family Partnership·Philanthropedia·Seriously the CEO wrote me about my $10 donation and I nearly fell out of my chair·The chair should maybe have some sort of guards on the sides
Recently my phone rang. The caller ID showed an area code that I know but almost never ever get calls from. It’s the area code for a very rural part of central Ohio. The area code of my alma mater. Kenyon was calling for a gift. I always pick up because I like to hear [...]
Tags:After writing this post I'm gonna need a nap·Sometimes these giving decisions are tough
For much of this project I’ve been the Orneriest Giver Ever. But I gotta say I look at this and feel kinda positive about it.
Tags:Giving
So. I am loathe to receive. And I am a patronizing giver. What do I do about it? Yesterday (and today) I made my patronizing gift to VillageReach. I’m not going to fly to Africa, schlep out to the recipients of the funds, and demand that they Gimme Somethin’ Now. This would not be sensible.
Tags:Giving·patronizing
When I began this project of giving for 40 days, I got lots of feedback about how this would make me a better person and give me good karma and life would be all happy smushy feely-goody. It would have been easy to try and go along with this and report back only on the [...]
Tags:Bah humbug·Giving
