10 Things Thursday

1. Did you know that today is National Burrito Day?? You can get a free burrito (when you buy one) at El Pollo Loco. HERE is a list of other restaurants offering some sort of special today.
2. Apparently I am supposed to have an organized refrigerator and freezer. I had no idea they even made specialized refrigerator and freezer organizing products. How anal retentive do you need to be to designate food zones in your refrigerator??
3. For all of you who are as old as I am and grew up with Mr. Rogers, you can now have him in stamp form! He's even a forever stamp so he'll never die again (too soon?)!
   
4. I am a huge fan of flowers ... especially random flowers. I've purchased more flowers for myself than I've ever received from anyone else. I will often pick up a bunch of flowers at the market, but am always a little disappointed in how they look when I plop them in a vase. I found THIS ARTICLE on How to Make Fabulous Floral Arrangements with Grocery Store Bouquets extremely helpful and the tips make my flowers actually look like an arrangement.
5. Why is the fact that McDonald's is phasing out plastic straws news?
6. And what is all of this fascination with unicorn baked goods? I walked into the market yesterday and came face-to-face with unicorn cakes, unicorn cookies, and unicorn mini cupcakes.
7. I still need to write a post explaining Cam's departure and continued radio silence. Maybe this weekend. And no, I've still not heard from him nor do I know (for certain) where he is ... although I did some stalking and have a pretty good idea.
8. I posted a couple of updates on Mike's GoFundMe page. If you're interested, and like me, are fascinated by medical procedures, the updates include photos. If you have queasy stomach, you probably shouldn't go there.
9. I need these magnets, because CAT BUTTS!!
   
10. And since I've been sharing little tidbits of "lifestyle" trivia on Thursdays, if you've always wanted to set up a threesome, but weren't sure how to go about it? Lifehacker wants to help you!

No Secret - No Stealing

This is in no way one of my traditional Sunday posts. Y'all know I usually go with Sunday Stealing, or a Sunday Secret. Not today ... 

In what can only be explained as a crazy turn of events, I have set up a GoFundMe for Mike ... yes ... that Mike. 

In a nutshell, Mike traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico, last week to begin 4-weeks of training with his new employer, eventually taking that knowledge to Madison, Wisconsin where he would open a new location of that same restaurant.

3-hours into his first training shift, in a freak accident, he ruptured both of his quadriceps. That is a significant injury, however, due to a delayed diagnosis and care plan (48-hours after the injury), he developed acute compartment syndrome - a medical emergency.

An emergency fasciotomy was performed - large incisions were made on his inner and outer thighs in an attempt to reduce the swelling, and save his legs. Those incisions remain open as he continues to go through negative-pressure wound therapy in an Albuquerque hospital - far away from family - and probably for at least another 30-days before he can be medically transported to a hospital in Wisconsin to continue his treatment and eventual rehabilitation.

I cannot imagine being so far away from one's support system, in a strange city, literally fighting to keep your legs. It's got to be beyond terrifying.

Look ... I'm terrible at asking for donations/fundraising ... I do not like to do it. And in this situation? Many of you probably think I'm absolutely nuts for doing exactly that, but my relationship with Mike went from being all about what he had done to me, to not being about me at all. Compassion kicked in.

All funds raised are going directly to Mike - not to or through me. He's using the funds for non-covered expenses - the eventual medical transport to Wisconsin likely eating up the majority of raised funds. If you are so inclined, I know Mike would appreciate the assistance.

Needy? Or Greedy?

~*~

There's a new gig in town. The politically correct call them "Personal Funding Sites". 

I call them internet tin cups.

I saw my first Pledgie on tumblr. A blogger claiming he hit hard times - couldn't buy groceries - didn't have a suitable living space to visit his daughter.

People gave.

The blogger disappeared.

I thought it was odd that people were so willing to give to a virtual friend stranger, and even more odd that they were so surprised when the guy disappeared from tumblr.

tumblr seems writhe with these types of "fundraisers". I've seen requests for everything from airfare and hotel accommodations to SNARK NYC, to requests for first/last month rent so that someone who claimed to be in an abusive relationship could move.

Lately, I've been seeing more of these "personal funding requests" on facebook and on personal blogs. Hell! I even set one up a couple of years ago for former HNT-er Boo when she lost two of her children in a house fire. 

I get it.

Catastrophic events happen.

Sometimes people need a little help.

I don't take issue with that.

What I do take issue with is people who use these "personal funding sites" for  less-than necessary expenses, like a tattoo or paying for a ticket so they can avoid a parole violation. 

What happened to saving up for for the things you want?

Or accepting the consequences for your choices?

What is this sense of entitlement that seems to be running rampant these days?

You can't finish up your tattoo because you don't have the money? I guess you'll be running around with a half-done tattoo until saving up for it becomes a priority.

Going to jail for a parole violation if you don't pay your ticket for soliciting? Guess you shouldn't have been soliciting!

We see it from famous people too - The George Zimmerman Defense Fund, and Octomom seeking donations to fund a new home.

Maybe I'd have a little more empathy if I hadn't moved out of a half-million dollar home with little more than a bed for my son, a sofa I bought before marrying husband, a futon, and 3 boxes containing plates, silverware and a few random pots and pans.

I had to get an emergency food disbursement from the local food bank because I had no money left over after paying for the moving truck. I went weeks without television or internet because I just didn't have the money to have those luxuries turned on. I shopped at Goodwill - exclusively - for 2 years.

I didn't put a PayPal link on my blog hoping y'all would bail me out. I scrapped through the tough times because the tough times were a result of my poor decisions.

That's how it works ... or should work.

Accountability. It's one of the things that keep us from making same mistake over and over again.

Of course, if I don't want to donate to a personal funding site, I don't have to. No one is forcing me to donate. It's not my place to tell other people what to do. Blah ... blah ... blah ...

I have to wonder what ever happened to qualities like pride, personal integrity, and working hard/saving for the things you want in life.

It seems these days people expect to be taken care of - to have their wants instantly fulfilled. Few people seem willing to sacrifice a little while for the bigger payoff.

Judgmental?

Hell yes, but c'mon ...

Do you ever donate money to personal funding sites? If you do, do you only donate to people you think you know?

~*~