Excuse me...

I feel like I get asked things on the street by strangers very frequently...more than the average person.  I guess I have nothing to compare it to because I don't know how often you're stopped on the street, but either way, it feels like a lot.  

Maybe I look really unassuming, or as if I know where I'm going, maybe it's because they see I'm in a rush and know that I need to be slowed down a bit for my own sanity...and for whatever reason today was no exception.  

Typically I get asked for the time, directions, "do you know where XYZ is?" etc, like it was today (twice).  Sometimes it is really random things, or people make a comment about something you both witness.  Recently I was waiting for the train and someone walked by who was dressed, how do you say, like a person who doesn't own a mirror and shops at a costume store?  The guy standing next to me looked at me and said "Ooof, what happened there?".  I laughed and I was glad that my own attire lead him to believe that I'd agree with him.

Many times it's not so much by chance, but you're hunted by those sweet but tortured souls asking for signatures and/or money for causes...

Admittedly they are tricky and have managed to seep into my chest and pull at my heart strings from time to time.

"Excuse me, do you care about starving children?" Um, yeah, obviously.

"Excuse me, do you want the earth to keep being polluted?" No, I'm pro-Earth.

"Excuse me, do you have time to hear about this aweful thing that is going on even though your life is stressful and you listen to awful things all day long for your job?" Okay they don't really say that but essentially that is the message.

Right now my typical response is "I'm sorry...you have a hard job!".  That definitely doesn't answer their questions, and it only minimizes my guilt slightly, as I walk past them and into my coffee shop, book store or CVS. 

Okay well really, if I wasn't a student and had a decent paying job (c'mon May/June...no whammy, no whammy!) there are several causes, I'm sure, I would support without hesitance.  I'm just not sure what those are.

So while I'm not the most educated/cultured/worldly person out there, I'd say I'm educated, I'm a bit cultured and worldly enough that I'm slightly ashamed to say:  I'm not really sure what causes I'd really like to support. 

I do some stuff...I always vote locally, I've written to my local representatives about local issues that come up or issues in legislation that I think are important, I've helped my mom who does a lot for the environmental movement...and I'm sure there are other things, too.

I do secretly (not so secret anymore) wish I was a true NPR snob, I mean buff, because I feel like then I'd really know more about the world, and sound smarter.  But really, I enjoy it and listen in the car or on my Droid NPR app whenever I can (yes even through their annoying week long, now 4 day long, fund raisers).  And, who doesn't love, "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me"?

Anyway, so I would probably support NPR.

So what are other things I find important?

-Health Care - Mental Health - facilities/access/local community support centers, etc

-Environmentally conscious and improving companies, building, technology, etc

-Education/children - but no idea what would be helpful at this point...I have a hard time thinking I want to give money to my undergraduate university or my graduate school, they've gotten enough from me...

-Internationally?  Well there are so many needs even here in the States, and really so many elsewhere I don't know where to start...Some organizations I know about (and importantly I've heard are trustworthy) are Heifer International www.heifer.org and OXFAM International www.oxfam.org. 

I got an email yesterday saying that today was the sign up for Alternative Spring Break which I got totally excited about, I had assumed registration was months ago.  I thought "perfect I can finally do something cool, to help people and go somewhere different!"  Well by 9am this morning all the slots were full.  The good news is there are a lot of people that want to help, the bad news is I'm not going on alternative spring break. I wonder if I should take that as a sign to go away and find a beach somewhere instead?  

I guess by posting this, I'm trying to put out my feelers to see what I want to be involved in, even if it's not monetarily.

What's your cause? I'd like to hear!

Until next time,

E

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