Just another do-gooder story

I am forever pitching article ideas.  I like writing about people who are doing something to make life better for others.  Sometimes that's a child selling cookies and brownies door-to-door and donating the money for kids in Haiti. Sometimes  it's a rockin' NGO  helping girls in some small corner of the world learn to read.  A lot of the time, it's CARE - my favorite, excellent, and totally hot global humanitarian organization.  This is the stuff that sparks me. 

So, I pitch and pitch to magazine and newspaper editors but far too often here's what they say:  "Gosh, we love this idea.  We think it's great you want to write about it,  but we only have so much space for do-gooder stories.  Maybe they're just being nice and shutting me down easy, but I think the truth of the matter is:  they only have so much space for do-gooder stories.  The thing is, there are millions of really fascinating do-gooders out there, myself, of course, included.  They all have a story of why they're inspired to do something fabulous.  So, even if the big mags out there don't have the space, I'm going to write about it anyway.

 
Introducing:  my new blog - Just Another Do-Gooder Story:

This week, I took on a great big do-gooder project.  CARE asked me to become the State and District Chair for Oregon.  That means I'll talk to my senators (hey- Jeff Merkley- howyoudoin?) and congressmen (Earl Blumenauer, um, I like your bike pin) and their crazy-brilliant staff members about legislation CARE supports.  I'll have coffee with other CARE supporters and try to bring more people into the "save the world" community.  I'll throw a few parties, attend a lot of other do-gooder events and whatever else CARE asks me to do.  All the while, I'll try to be articulate, warm, funny, inspiring and, of course, fabulously dressed with impeccable hair and make up. 

This is going to be a bit of a challenge for me - and not just the lobbying part.  I think I may have gotten a C- in high school civics. Most of what I know about the constitution and how the government works, I learned from Schoolhouse Rock and my daughters We The People, Constitution Debate Team at Grant High School. This weekend, I'll go find a used copy of US Government for Dummies and try to unravel the difference between a bill and an act.

Sometimes, I can be kind of snarky and catty.  I try to be like the Dalai Lama, and never speak ill of anyone, never gossip and never accidentally badmouth someone who's great but annoys me.  Really, I do.  But I fail.  Instead, I'll work on it.  My goal:   become a freakin' saint.

So far, the fabulously dressed part has gone pretty well.  Thanks to those who gave me Nordstrom and Macy's gift certificates for my birthday and to Jennifer Bartels - my very first personal shopper who guided me through the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and didn't even mind that I wasn't spending much money.  Between that and the Target clearance rack, I'm looking just fine.

The impeccable hair and makeup?  I had a meet and greet on Tuesday with Adam Handler, Deputy Director, Policy & Advocacy at CARE-USA.  We met for breakfast at Stepping Stone Cafe, whose motto is "You eat here because we let you."  It's a seriously accurate description of their service but I love this place nonetheless.  I would love it more if they actually refilled my coffee.  This was my first official function as a big time CARE lobbyist and, wouldn't you know it, was also Giant Zit Day.  So, to end my first post for my new blog - Just Another Do-Gooder Story, let me leave you with these inspiring words:  Never underestimate the power of Mac concealor.  That's what it takes to save the world.

Check back for daily posts about Do Gooders, make up tips and saving the world.

Comments

[jordan retro 11]

Morality is not really the doctrine of how to make ourselves happy but of how we are to be worthy of happiness.Do you understand?

[gclub]

Thank you so much for the link and info! Also these flowers are making me get in the mood for Spring! Thanks for sharing!

[shopping reviews]

Good day! this is one of the most interested statement I have heard anyone said. I have always say to myself there are no rules telling us what to do, but rules telling us what not to do. We need to start making rules telling us what to do and we will see how creative our world would be. thanks,