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sonoranrnSo I posted over on another website about the Run For Your Lives 5k that I'll be participating in come October. It's a 5k obstacle course that includes zombie hoardes trying to "kill" the racers. I'll be a zombie (natch) and am so damn excited about it I almost can't stand it. (My affection for zombie stuff these days is only barely suprassed by my new-found love for dystopian novels.) Anyway! I posted the link and stuff, just wanting to share with those who didn't know about it. The first response I got?
The only thing missing is a charity to benefit! Maybe you should see if you can scare up some sponsors to donate to your favourite charity for every kilometer/obstacle/brain eaten!
My first response to was to roll my eyes and mutter "Oh, for fuck's sake, what's wrong with people just doing something for fun?". I immediately felt a little bad about that and brought it up to Jesse. I think he summed up my feelings on the matter well. He said that he, too, was tired of the "monetizing" of *everything*. Regardless of where the money goes (into someone's pocket, to charity, whatever) or what it is someone is doing, it seems so often these days that the money is all it's about. Plan on reading 100 books in a year? Get someone to sponsor you! Running a marathon? Get sponsors! I've had countless people ask if I was going to have people sponsor me when I hike the A.T. (whenever that comes to pass). NO! I'm doing it *for me*. Just like I've set my reading goal *for me*. And how I want to go be a stumbling zombie in a race *for fun*. Maybe it's selfish but, gods, come ON people.
Also, really, with the economy and unemployment rates being what the are and with the number of charitable events increasing exponentially every day (or so it seems), who, exactly, does this woman think would sponsor me? I know I, for one, am getting pretty sick and freakin' tired of people hitting me up to donate/contribute/sponsor, etc.
And furthermore, I do my part in the charitable world. More than my part, actually. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 9/09-9/10, about 62.8 million people volunteered at least once through or for a charitable organizion. (That's about 26.3%, they say.) Those people gave a median of 52 hours of their time. (My current age bracket gave an average of 48 hours.) I spent 5 years volunteering at the pound, at least 6-10 hours a week. In the past 30 days, I've spent almost 30 hours at the food bank. I'm planning on volunteering my services as a nurse for the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk in D.C. this year. I think I deserve a chance to do something fun just for ME.
So there.
Nyaaaah.
The only thing missing is a charity to benefit! Maybe you should see if you can scare up some sponsors to donate to your favourite charity for every kilometer/obstacle/brain eaten!
My first response to was to roll my eyes and mutter "Oh, for fuck's sake, what's wrong with people just doing something for fun?". I immediately felt a little bad about that and brought it up to Jesse. I think he summed up my feelings on the matter well. He said that he, too, was tired of the "monetizing" of *everything*. Regardless of where the money goes (into someone's pocket, to charity, whatever) or what it is someone is doing, it seems so often these days that the money is all it's about. Plan on reading 100 books in a year? Get someone to sponsor you! Running a marathon? Get sponsors! I've had countless people ask if I was going to have people sponsor me when I hike the A.T. (whenever that comes to pass). NO! I'm doing it *for me*. Just like I've set my reading goal *for me*. And how I want to go be a stumbling zombie in a race *for fun*. Maybe it's selfish but, gods, come ON people.
Also, really, with the economy and unemployment rates being what the are and with the number of charitable events increasing exponentially every day (or so it seems), who, exactly, does this woman think would sponsor me? I know I, for one, am getting pretty sick and freakin' tired of people hitting me up to donate/contribute/sponsor, etc.
And furthermore, I do my part in the charitable world. More than my part, actually. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 9/09-9/10, about 62.8 million people volunteered at least once through or for a charitable organizion. (That's about 26.3%, they say.) Those people gave a median of 52 hours of their time. (My current age bracket gave an average of 48 hours.) I spent 5 years volunteering at the pound, at least 6-10 hours a week. In the past 30 days, I've spent almost 30 hours at the food bank. I'm planning on volunteering my services as a nurse for the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk in D.C. this year. I think I deserve a chance to do something fun just for ME.
So there.
Nyaaaah.
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no subject
Date: 2012-01-15 06:32 pm (UTC)I am with you on the 'please donate' requests. We are inundated all the time.
Dropped a 'friend' off FB because, after she visited my home and saw my mineral collection, she made a snotty remark on FB about "maybe you should spend some of the money you spend on minerals and give to..... etc." Bloody hell!!! One of the groups she mentioned is on my regular giving list and has been for 20 years. The GD women barely knows me and was making erroneous judgment calls.
ENJOY. Do you zombie run and have a blast. You are accountable to no one and, you are right, it just always isn't about the damn money.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-19 06:29 pm (UTC)I am absolutely appalled at your "friend's" behaviour. I hope you kicked her ass out the door and halfway to Colorado.
I am honestly not sure what I would have done in that situation. Perhaps suggest that, since bicycles are cheaper to run than cars and better for the environment, that she sell hers and donate the money to Greenpeace. Or that since she could survive on very simple fare, she should donate most of the food in her house to a food bank. (The list goes on.)
The absolute gall of that woman just drops my jaw, truly.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-16 01:11 am (UTC)And benefits are nice, when they're strictly for the sake of helping someone in need, but the reversal - having an event and then feeling like it must serve something or someone after the fact, is tiring.