bodacious

Alas, no Adam this week.

In the office today, I was using all my fine and brilliant filing skills . I'd felt a bit like John Cusak in Being John Malkovich. The filing part, not the falling into another person's life part.

Yet, I was not alone. I got to work with John, THE Chicago Avon Walk guy. Turns out we know someone in common at CSMT!

Its kinda exciting to watch the behind the scenes action as John et all have to run around putting out fires as an ex of mine used to call it. They're a pretty diversely talented group that have brought their experiences from all different kinds of background to the office. Par example, John BUILT the filing boxing himself out of wood donated from Home Depot.

I've decided to go ahead and volunteer Event Eve. Now that is the kind of event chaos I love working with!

posted by nuprin @ 5:28 PM

So here's the real reason I'm doing Avon Walk.

One night at Golden Apple, after many cups of coffee and hours of second hand smoke, a good friend of mine related this story. It was the first time she did AIDSRide, a three day bike ride from waaay up north down into Chicago.

She was having a rough time climbing up a very steep hill. It had been a very long and hot day but she didn't want to peter out and stop. She's a really determined woman so it was strange for me to even hear that the she was having the slightest doubt of making it up that hill.

Just then a random rider matched up with her and kept pushing her and cheering her on until they slowly but surely got to the top of that hill. She sat on the top of that hill basking in her success when, and this is so like her, she ended up turning her bike around and coasted back down to the very bottom of the hill that she'd just struggled to climb.

She found the climb easier the second time around and went around cheering on other beleaguered riders. Soon she came across a woman who was having a particularly rough time so she slowed down and peddled along side her. The woman was a quite over weight and seemed to have a hard time breathing. The woman was actually crying and soon stopped. The woman was saying she was sorry and that she couldn't do it. She wasn't apologizing to my friend or to anyone else. She was talking, my friend soon found out, to her son who had died of AIDS.

I don't recall exactly what my friend said or did but eventually they got back onto their bikes and got themselves up tot the top of that hill where they hugged and cried and then went on to finish up that ride.

Since I'd heard that story I'd had "to walk.run.bike a charity event" on my 25 list. I'm less than two weeks from crossing it off my list.

See, I'm not just doing it for the greater good. I'm not just doing it to raise money for a great cause. I'm doing it for the person walking next to because I want to make sure she gets there to the end with me.

posted by nuprin @ 12:25 PM

Ooo.. ok so here's a lil update from my last visit to the office. For the first time I actually got spend my volunteering time with ANOTHER person!!

His name is Adam. We spent a good hour stuffing what will be 3000 (THREE THOUSAND!) goody bags for Event Eve. Adam and me make a good team, a regular Ford factory line, me and Adam.

Turns out we have a lot in common. I can't tell you the last time I had a good conversation about art history. then it took a turn to the re-release of Life of Brian - cannot wait to see that! and finally the last episode of Angel - which I missed. poo.

Anywho, since Adam is going to have to keep busy and off the streets, I'll prolly work with him again next week,

posted by nuprin @ 6:19 PM

[strong]warning.[/strong] this is going to be alot since I hadn't posted in a loooong while...

Firstly, I'm still quite a bit away from the min 1800 I need. *sigh*

YET just when things seem un surmountable I get this phone call on Tuesday from my walker buddy, Laura. She explains that there are groups or individuals that will donate huge lumps sums to Avon Walk but not to any walker in particular. Well, the Chicago office has alloted me 500$!!! Ok, to be fair, Jon had told me 200 on Sunday but that is neither here not there. yay, volunteering!

So from what I can tell from today, I think I need just over three hundred dollars to get the min for Event Eve - June 4th! Two Weeks!

The fundraising end is insight. OR SO you would think - but we can continue to fundraise until July! So between now and then there HAS GOT TO BE a friggin sunny weekend so I can have my garage sale FOR REAL! I can still shoot for the 3000 goal and reach it! ok... enough of the exclamation points....

posted by nuprin @ 5:57 PM

ok.

ok.

ok.

for a brief period of time I was convinced that I would not be able to do the Walk.

just a nice little drama that I'd gladly share with you if I had longer internet access and time to describe how awful miscommunication and thousands of dollars can make you want just sit down in the middle of downtown Chicago and cry. That's for a later date.

More walking, volunteering in the AW office (I got a shout out from Allison!) and regrouping TOMORROW...

posted by nuprin @ 7:16 PM

ugh.

ok. I really hate to have to write this. I really really really need help with raising the money. Even with the money I'd gotten off of the garage sale this weekend, I'm well under minimum need to walk.

Lemme 'splain. It was light showers for the big part of Saturday but we kept everything oput and rolled off the covering when the rain stopped. I still made some cash but I was freezing. Then Sunday, which is notoriously a slow day for garage sales, was slow. Though the sun was finally out, it got chilly and not alot of people came through. Finally tally: 140 dollars. *sigh*

Actually I DO have my ass covered. My sister's boyfriend's mom is doing the walk as well. Apparently she's raised the minimum quite a while ago. She's offered to cover my minimum if I don't raise it myself. (She'd also given me a pink Breast Cancer Beanie Baby. Ain't she the coolest?)

However, I don't want to be a charity case for a charity walk. SO. Going to do the garage sale AGAIN. On a better weekend. Another family is bring over more stuff. I'm going to actually put out more furniture and try to haul out the big bedroom set that should bring in a good hundred. Yup a whole nother sale just without advertisment in the paper. I'll make more signage. Get this, my little sister Nana wants to trike around the neighborhood (that's right my mar's got a huge adult tricycle) with a big sign saying: Follow me to the Avon Walk Garage Sale. This WILL happen. Cross fingers y'all!!!

Besides there's the Under The Wire Support Fundraiser still. Please tell your friends, bring 'em along.. did I mention the live music with Miss Lesley and the Jazz Cats? Did I mention the Silent Auction? How's about the great food and drinks, did I forget to mention that? Ok then how's about that its on Friday May 14th at Jefferson Tap Bar and Grille 325 W Jefferson?

As for the walking, all of my errands have been done on foot; a plus for living down the street from many a strip mall... Then one day this week, prolly tomorrow, I'll walk to the station and then back home again afterwards. I'll be able to get a better read on my milage with the pedometer that I picked up from the Chicago Moves event I did earlier today!

posted by nuprin @ 4:26 PM