November 23, 2011
No Comments
david

Please don’t read this blog post

I made an assumption that your independent spirit would not entertain being told what you can and cannot read. (But, please do not read any further.)

The objective of this post is to motivate you to donate some money to The Blind Project. (Referred to, in advancement circles, as “The Ask”).

People HATE “The Ask”. Whether you are the asker or the askee, it is uncomfortable, so I thought we would be upfront and get it out of the way.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner. We will buy, because it is the season of gift giving, and this is good thing. I bet some of your most fond memories are opening a gift or seeing the face of the person when you gave the perfect gift. Of course part of giving the perfect gift means it won’t be returned. (All that “research” on our computers at work paid off.)

On a personal note, my father is notorious for returning gifts. You have someone in your family that is the same way, and if you can’t think of anyone, then YOU are that person. So in a moment of passive aggressive genius creativity I decided to limit the option of a father returning the thoughtful gifts of a son.

In short- I give meat.

Yes, meat…and it’s from a butcher’s shop so returning meat to a grocery store is not an option. You may be thinking, ‘Return meat to a grocery store?’ Please see above when I used the phrase, “notorious for returning gifts.” I did not exaggerate.

When Y2k did not live up to the hype, my dear father returned umpteen cases of water to the grocery store. Why did he fill half of his garage with cases of water? Because, (note that quotes are being used) “The neighbors will need water when Y2k happens, and they don’t think ahead like I do.” Before you think that was sensitive and altruistic, I am pretty sure that dad intended to price gouge, having cornered the market on having billions of molecules of two hydrogens connected to one oxygen.

Thank you for permitting me to publicly work out some of my issues. I plan to cancel therapy this week and donate the money to TBP.

Speaking of money…it might be wise to ask, “What did last year’s donations produce?”

In 2011, TBP:

• Launched Biographe Lab in Bangkok, Thailand: Women, previously working in the sex industry are now employed by TBP
(see “Sleep Well” & “Introducing Biographe Beta“)

• Obtained 501 (c) (3) status (Official non-profit status)

• Taught beauty (hair, makeup) classes as well as drama and art therapy.
(see “Trip update“)

• Facilitated production of media for organizations in Thailand and Burma.

“The video was a great hit, donations are coming in because of it. TBP has been a great encouragement to us. Thank you.”
-Tim Byers (Board Member for multiple non-profit organizations in Southeast Asia)

What you can do!

• Donate

• Ask your family to donate to TBP in lieu of one Christmas present

• Suggest facebook friends “like” the TBP facebook page. This is one way to be a biographer. (Her story, Your voice.)

• Buy a biographe t-shirt

Thank you for (not) reading, and please remember we can’t do it without YOU.

David and TBP staff