SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

MY BLOG; MY DO-OVER by (me!) sandra, tvgp

if, like me, you can't fall asleep without going over the day's conversations and realizing in what places you messed up

then, like me, you have yet another reason to cherish your blog

because your blog can be your do-over. you don't have to wish, or hope, or pray

you just have to blog.

let me provide some examples:

a long time ago, i was in the company of one of those ivory tower princeton/harvard graduate types discussing our mutual passion, writing

when the ivory guy asks me if i know [plug in some famous writer in history that all ivory grads know here]

and i answered honestly, as is my nature, "no."

and that's when the ivory guy looks at me like

like, well, how can you even call yourself a writer then, and he says with a great bit of snobby attitude,

"you don't want to tell me that!"

/oh gosh... stop me if i've written this story before?


anyway

in the moment i responded politely, as is my nature

but!

since i have this blog and i can create my very own do-over, why then, i'm going to take just a moment to apologize to God for my language

because what i should have said was

"why? who the f#& do you think you are?"

and i realize

realized a long time ago -my audience

my audience is not scholars or college graduates or famous writers. my audience is young, lost, insecure, mass-media/culturally brain-washed, struggling, authentic, average but hopeful people like me

more heart than brain.

more curious than knowledgable.

out to express vs. impress -know what i mean?

****

do-over #2

much more recent -in answering the question, "when are you going to start making money for yourself?"

-this vs. raising money for others, like the tri valley haven.

and it perhaps seems odd to some people, that i'm raising money for others while i myself play the beat the overdraft charge game with my bank

but especially in regard to something like our upcoming exhibit/fundraiser diapers to diapers

i went in knowing this:

money. and more specifically -profit-seeking, can really interfer with certain creative manifestations.

with something like this, how can you possibly decide who gets what? it was my idea, but monica took the picture... we both found models... she/others helped with equipment, i helped with t-shirts/location, she helped with underwear/graphic design..., sponsor helped... there are 9 different models/families.. there is arzo giving us space, a band providing live music, a chef providing appetizers...

it seem to me from the very start, if we could remove ourselves from wanting to make money, and instead let the whole thing serve as a fundraiser for the tri valley haven -no one participating would be let down or would feel taken advantage of

instead everyone would be volunteering their time/talent/resources for a great cause, and this created a completely level playing field, as they say, for all participants

and i'm not guessing, but know, that this was the correct decision for this particular creative project.

to the extent it brings publicity/attention to monica dawn as a remarkable, up and coming photographer

or myself as an artist, or anyone of the volunteers for anything

this to me is a win/win.

i want to pause here to recommend it -fundraising for a cause you respect/love/feel passionate about.

the benefits are layered

the most important to me, is the one i mentioned above -when you are working with an all volunteer team, and no one individual stands to gain more than another, but rather everyone is serving a larger cause

the feeling everyone brings, the spirit and enthusiasm with which they participate is -better. it's just better all the way around

and when you are fundraising vs. seeking personal profit, your opportunities for advertising/promoting your event are supported in that spirit, vs. a business negotiation which can pretty much eat up potential profits anyway

your audience and/or customers get to feel better too... because they know their time/attention/dollars are going to a larger cause vs. individuals

the organization you fundraise for receives attention/money/recognition which almost any/every non-profit organization is very greatful to receive

and the volunteers fundraising receive attention/recognition, which can potentially result in personal/professional growth & greater opportunties

to me it is a win/win/win.

but i didn't get a chance to explain it this way, when i was asked, "when are you going to start making money for yourself?"

i only said, and truly believe, "i know that will come."

and i really look forward to reimbursing and giving back to the variety of people who have been helping me.

TBTG!

~amen.

posted by SHE @ 9:12 AM