Talking The (Imaginary) Talk & Walking The Walk
July 27, 2006
Have you ever been walking down the street, having an imaginary conversation in your head, and then realize that you’re making the appropriate facial expressions for the fake conversation? Because I catch myself doing that every time I get a funny look from someone I pass on my walk home.
I walk and my mind wanders into conversations I’ve had on the phone at work, or with co-workers at lunch. Then, my mind flops the chats into something different. What if so-and-so had said this instead of that? And it goes from there. Eventually I’m making faces of shock and dismay- shocking and dismaying the poor passersby who think I’m freakin’ loony.
Speaking of walking… I have a dilemma. My walk, The 3 Day Walk, is in a month and I’m $1700 short of my goal. Which is a big problem. See, I can’t even check in until I have the funds or I give them my credit card info to take the money I haven’t raised four weeks after the walk. I (1) don’t have a credit card and, (2) don’t have $1700. I’m going to work my ass off for this next month trying to come up with the money- I’m holding a car wash up here in a week or two- but I’m afraid I might have to bail on the walk.
If I bail, I’m going to feel wretched for those who’ve already donated. Yes, the money will still go to the cause- don’t worry about that. Any cash donations that aren’t in the account already will go into a separate bank account for next year when I can start the fundraising in, uhm, September of THIS year. I’m so disappointed though, I really wanted to walk. I’m just really afraid that I won’t be able to.
So.. do I bail now and ask people to put any further donations aside for September or October when I sign up for next year, or do I continue to try to raise the money for this year? Gah. This sucks.
Have you tried hitting up local shops and stuff?
July 28th, 2006 at 6:32 amCourtney, I’ve done the same thing with facial expressions! Sometimes the conversations will be about my day and my life, and sometimes they’ll actually be characters I’ve created. If I’m home alone and this happens, and I realize I’ve been having a conversation in my head, when the discussion stops everything seems so quiet, as if the conversation really had been taking place.
And I second Katili: ask various shops. And your neighbors.
July 28th, 2006 at 7:59 amHey there!
Coming from a person who already donated – I would be very sad to see you give up. I think you need to get creative. Life is not about all the reasons you might fail but about finding ways to get where you want to go.
If it were me…
1. I would personally call any friend/relative that hasn’t already donated. A personal call from you will make them feel like they are the key to you suceeding. People like that. Also it’s easy to ignore an email or web posting. A call is a direct request. Ask for anything $10, $20 – anything and everything helps.
2. I would go to a local business that maybe would like some advertising. Tell them what amount you are short and ask that they donate it and in exchange you will wear a T-Shirt with their logo on it or something that says “Bart’s Pizza supports the Cancer Walk” etc. – you get the point. If you go in person people will be more compelled to help you out.
3. IF all of the above fail you could go to a local school and ask to speak to the vice principal. Tell her/him what you’re doing and see if there is someway to incorp. the upper grades – make it a drive that teachs social responsibility and health. Maybe you could give a talk about how cancer has affected your family and the benefits of health lifestyles.
4. There are also newspapers. Call a local paper and see if maybe they’d like to do a community interest story on your walk and your family, etc.
The point is there’s lots of avenues that you could go down.
Please don’t give up. – You can do this!
July 28th, 2006 at 5:38 pmWell good luck, Courtney! Getting creative is a great idea.
I’ve always felt a little critical of that particular event simply because of that minimum contribution. It is a LOT of money to expect from every single person who wants to participate and you shouldn’t feel like you are now when you are working hard to contribute to the cause.
This is something that Bex and I have discussed at length and something I’ve considered blogging sometime. I think that people are totally bombarded by charities these days. While most peolpe are generous with making donations and supporting causes, it really adds up! Between friends, family members and causes of my own, I’ve aready spent over $600 this year on charitable contributions and that’s usually just giving $20-$25 a shot. That’s a LOT of money and the year is not over yet.
I’m not using this as an excuse, but as an explanation. Not for me, but maybe for others.
And I understand how disappointing it can be to have friends and family blatantly ignore your pleas for help. It sucks, but I’m not sure what you can do. It’s going to happen.
Don’t give up!
July 29th, 2006 at 3:54 pmHey… you’ve still got a month right? Don’t give up just yet. Who knows, something might happen and you could push through with it.
But yeah, I know what you mean about ending up doing weird faces while you’re thinking up imaginary conversations. I pretty much have an internal dialogue going all the time when I’m on the bus and people give me funny looks. Or if I’m listening to my Ipod I kinda do the “singing looks” once a really cool song comes on.
August 1st, 2006 at 1:15 amI’d recommend hitting your neighbours up for some donations. I used to do it all of the time – I’d go around with materials for reading, a big-ass envelope and a big, burly friend to stand beside me. You’d be amazed how generous the people physically closest to you can be.
August 1st, 2006 at 11:11 amHey Courtney! Don’t give up on the fundraising….Ellen had some really good ideas you should consider trying. Another idea (to add to the growing list:) is to go to a local restaurant. In Eugene (for example), Papa’s Pizza has fundraisers nearly every week. They donate 50% of all their profits from the evening to certain causes. So, for example, someone goes into the restaurant and says they’re there to support the fundraiser for the evening. They order their food, eat and leave. The restuarant then goes through their till at the end of the evening and cuts a check to the respective charity (sometimes they might even contribute on top of that). We did that fundraiser in high school all the time. I don’t know if there are any restaurants up where you’re at that would be into that sort of thing, but it’s worth asking. It would be especially easy for a restuarant that advertises a lot (on radio, etc) so they could put it in their ad and get kudos for being “community oriented” and supportive of local people/charities. And then all you have to do is get all your friends to go out to dinner for the night. Easy peasy.
August 2nd, 2006 at 1:26 pmGood luck and DON’T GIVE UP! You can do this. People want to help, all you have to do is ask. (Ask and you shall receive, Knock and the door will be opened for you, etc etc
Katie- I will do that this weekend!
Caryn – I swear, people think I’m nuts. And I am going to be asking a lot of people this weekend.
Ellen – I’m not giving up yet- I got a huge chunk of donations from an email I sent, so I’m just trying to gear up to get that last bit in. I’m trying!
Carly – I completely understand what you mean. It is frustrating having to raise so much- but it’s to a foundaton and a cause that really means the world to me. So I’m going it anyway.
Toni- I’m working on it! And singing faces are the best!
Marie – I think I will do that- maybe even tonight if I feel motivated!
Alex – Thanks for the suggestions! I’m going to get my ass busy this weekend working on things!
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:39 pmOkay, so I realize that it’s 5:30 in the morning and that you’re not up yet…. but….
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LLAMA!!!!!!!
Love you! Hope you have a wonderfully llama-tastic day!
August 5th, 2006 at 4:41 amHAPPY BIRTHDAY COURTNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 5th, 2006 at 11:52 amIt’s your birthday Courtney??? You never said a thing! Hope you have a fantastic day!
August 5th, 2006 at 2:09 pmMegs- Thanks!
Toni- Thanks to you, too!
Carly- It was- on the 5th. I didn’t feel like making a big deal of it this year.
Thanks!
August 8th, 2006 at 5:10 pm