Taking the plunge

Well, here's reason #89,452 that it's a good thing I'm not in politics: I would definitely be accused of "flip-flopping!" :-) Two days ago I was 98% sure I was going to participate as a blogger in the Blogathon. Then I had a bout of insomnia (may it revisit me on Saturday night, o Morpheus!) and felt like kaka yesterday, in addition to feeling overwhelmed by my "to do" list, so I was 100% certain that being a blogathoner was not a good idea. Then I got a good night's sleep and got a few things on the hideous list accomplished, and so today I took the plunge, and I'm now committed (or maybe I just should be!) and officially registered.

So, let the marathon blogging and shameless begging begin! :-)

I've created a new blog specifically for this, called Shambhala, and I'm raising money for The American Himalayan Foundation, which provides education, healthcare, wildlife protection, and cultural & environmental preservation in the Himalayan region.

I had a hard time choosing a charity, there are so many that I love and that we've been long-time supporters of, so I came up with some criteria to winnow down my list. I wanted one that: wasn't that well known so it could hopefully get some attention; no one else was blogging for; has an excellent rating from Charity Navigator; and doesn't have a minimum donation requirement. After all that, my list was narrowed down to three, and it was my personal connection to AHF that broke the tie. I went to college at the University of New Hampshire with AHF's vice president, Norbu Tenzing (son of Tenzing Norgay who, with Sir Edmund Hillary, first summitted Mt. Everest.) Norbu was a sophomore when I was a senior, and we lived together in the International dorm. Well, not together together! (Oh, you know what I mean!) :-)

Anyway, I hope you'll visit the AHF web site and my Shambhala blog, and if you would like to and are able to, I'd love to have you sponsor me! You can sponsor my blog before or during the blogathon and for any amount. Automatic reminders are sent out after the blogathon to all sponsors, and pledges are made by the sponsors directly to the charity through their online donation form or by check (not to me or to Blogathon). All donors to AHF will receive their newsletter, donations over $20 receive a thank you/acknowledgment for tax purposes (smaller donations receive one upon request), and donations of $100 or more receive an AHF t-shirt. In addition, I'll be awarding prizes to my sponsors, though I'm still working out the details! I'm thinking my first pledge and my biggest pledge (excluding family members) will receive thank-you gifts for sure (with a Himalayan theme), and maybe my favorite sponsor-commenter will as well. Which reminds me, whether or not you wish to sponsor me, I hope you'll be able to leave me comments on my blog during the 'thon, to help keep me company! :-)

I seriously doubt I'll make it the entire 24 hours, but I shall do my best. It's all any of us can ever do! :-)

Thanks for listening! I must skeedaddle, as we have a huge thunderstorm overhead that's threatening to knock me offline. (The high today was 102º, the high tomorrow will be in the low 80's, so you know there will be some righteous thunderboomers in between!)