Saturday, March 17, 2007
On Getting And Giving
Some time ago I read an entry in a blog of a young lady who had asked for, and then received, some cash donations so that she could maintain her current lifestyle, mainly that of not living under an overpass and not starving. 
This seemed like such a good concept to me that I asked for donations to the Frank Spanko Retirement Fund so that I may maintain a preferred lifestyle, namely that of lavish living on a large estate in a comfortable climate.
Unfortunately, no one has chosen to send me any money. Perhaps asking for minimum donations of $10,000 was a bit much.
I have received one gift, however. One kind soul was generous enough to send a package of dung. Now, this was not the fetid, steaming, squishy type of dung. It was clear that this person was one of class. The dung had been dried, hardened, and cut into cute little animal shapes. Were it not for the labeling on the packaging, they might even have been mistaken for cookies, rather than healthy nutrients for plants.
They did, though, taste like shit.
Since interest in the Frank Spanko Retirement Fund appears to be slight, if you are so inclined, perhaps you could direct your generosity towards more helpful causes. At the risk of sounding like a shill, I can recommend one such organization. It is called NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is a grassroots organization the provides support, education, and advocacy for those with serious mental illnesses and their family and friends. To learn more about this fine organization, please see their web site at www.nami.org. You may donate online there, or you may mail your donation to:
NAMI
Donor Services
P.O. Box 630577
Baltimore, MD 21263-0577
If NAMI is not your cup of tea, there are many fine groups that always need your help. If you do not prefer to donate money, please consider donating your time. One thing that I have learned over the years is that, even for an imaginary spanko, helping people is fantastic.
This seemed like such a good concept to me that I asked for donations to the Frank Spanko Retirement Fund so that I may maintain a preferred lifestyle, namely that of lavish living on a large estate in a comfortable climate.Unfortunately, no one has chosen to send me any money. Perhaps asking for minimum donations of $10,000 was a bit much.
I have received one gift, however. One kind soul was generous enough to send a package of dung. Now, this was not the fetid, steaming, squishy type of dung. It was clear that this person was one of class. The dung had been dried, hardened, and cut into cute little animal shapes. Were it not for the labeling on the packaging, they might even have been mistaken for cookies, rather than healthy nutrients for plants.
They did, though, taste like shit.
Since interest in the Frank Spanko Retirement Fund appears to be slight, if you are so inclined, perhaps you could direct your generosity towards more helpful causes. At the risk of sounding like a shill, I can recommend one such organization. It is called NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is a grassroots organization the provides support, education, and advocacy for those with serious mental illnesses and their family and friends. To learn more about this fine organization, please see their web site at www.nami.org. You may donate online there, or you may mail your donation to:
NAMI
Donor Services
P.O. Box 630577
Baltimore, MD 21263-0577
If NAMI is not your cup of tea, there are many fine groups that always need your help. If you do not prefer to donate money, please consider donating your time. One thing that I have learned over the years is that, even for an imaginary spanko, helping people is fantastic.
