spreading the cheer like cream cheese on a bagel

I spoke about this on the video in my last post, but I figured I'd say it again here just in case you are a) impatient and don't want to sit through a whole video, or b) unable to watch videos for some reason.

So here's what's going on. This Advent, I've made a resolution not to buy any presents (I made a couple, but that was months ago so it doesn't count). I've also decided to take a fast from buying things I don't need...so no Starbucks, no iTunes downloads, no going out to eat, no random Target purchases. Just rent, bills, and groceries.

It might be easy to take all that extra money (because I've discovered that it really adds up quick) and just stash it away or something...but I've decided to take that money that I would have spent on random crap/Christmas presents, and make a donation to a charity. After asking for suggestions on my Facebook page, I decided to donate to an organization called Heifer International. They do really great things, so you should check out their website to learn more about their work and their philosophy--mostly because it seems silly for me to type it all out when they've already got it posted themselves.

If you go to their website and click the big red GIVE button, you can look at their gift catalog. My goal is to donate what's called the "Milk Menagerie"--but it's $1000. So that's where I'm looking to you. If you're interested in helping out with this project, you can contact me here on the blog, or via Facebook/e-mail, OR by calling me. A few people have already committed to donating with me, and we've got about $400 so far--only $600 to go!

I think this is a do-able thing. I think the people I associate with are generous people. It doesn't matter if you can donate $10 or $100...every dollar counts. So if you want to help, please get a hold of me sometime this week and we'll go from there. THANKS, people! You are wonderful...or as my favorite college professor would say, "I think you're awesome, do you know that?"

Love you, miss you, blah blah blahhhhhhh!

back from the dead...and then back to the dead...wait, what?

Before you keep reading, watch this video...it's a bit long, but it might put you in good spirits for the sad, disappointing, potentially soul-crushing news to follow. (If you don't have time to watch the entire 8.5 minute video, skip to about 3:06 for the most important part.)



So remember: if you want to get involved with this super sweet project, let me know as soon as possible!

Okay, now that you've seen that, you're ready for something of a bummer. Basically, the Grid Project is dead. As much as I loved doing it for the first several months, I started to get burned out. This isn't to say that I stopped doing exciting/adventurous/good-for-me things...I figured out after the novelty wore off that doing it in such an organized fashion only resulted in doing things out of guilt or obligation instead of the reasons I started the GP in the first place--making myself a better, more well-rounded, adventurous person. I think those are all things that happened, but I have to ask myself:

Is it really worth the guilt/negative feelings? And the answer was a resounding "NO WAY, JOSE! That is quite the opposite of what you're trying to accomplish!"

So...it's done. But I'm okay with it, and I hope you will be too. I'll try to update here more, but the GP updates are no more.

Well, I'm off to do some work stuff...love you, miss you, blah blah blahhhhh!