Well, not the first two actually, at least not as far as I know.
I really hate doing this, particularly since I haven’t really been earning my keep around here lately, but it looks like things in the Empire have reached the point where I have to have a fundraiser in order to keep the lights on. Yes, it just keeps piling on, doesn’t it?
I know, these are troubled times for everybody and I certainly don’t want to suggest that my trouble is in any way more important than everybody elses, but… I suck at this, don’t I?
Anyway, if anybody has a few shekels laying around that aren’t needed, every little bit would be greatly appreciated.
My apologies as well as my thanks.
Misha
UPDATE: I’m going to be saying this to all of you personally, but I just wanted to put up a public notice first that you guys are absolutely incredible and way above and beyond anything! I really don’t deserve y’all, but I and the family are eternally grateful that we have you!
I also want to say to all of you who said that you were sorry you couldn’t help or that you wish you could do more to please, please don’t worry about it. Please don’t. There are two reasons I hate putting up posts like this and avoid it like the plague. One is my pride, and the less said about that one, the better, but the other one is that I know that you all want to help. I know this because I know what great people you all are. And thus I know, because I know from personal experience that there are times when you cannot help because you yourself are knee-deep in alligators, that there will be some who really, really wanted to and now feel bad because they can’t.
I don’t want that to be the case. Ever. Nobody owes me anything. Nobody has any obligation to me other than the one they feel they have, and that one’s misplaced because, let’s face it, I’m not really doing anything other than putting up stuff on the Internet. If not me, then somebody else would and, more importantly, if not for YOU all, then it would just be me screaming into the wind.
To those of you who wanted to chip in but couldn’t or wished that they could have done more, I only want to say this: Please don’t think that way. Because I know that you wanted to, and that in itself is a huge gift. Just the fact that you saw some guy on the Internet kvetch about something and immediately thought “how can I help?” says all that needs to be said, and I am eternally grateful for that too.
Don’t underestimate the value of that compassion in and of itself, because it is enormous.
And now I’ll have to stop because the room is getting awfully dusty for some reason and I’ve got shit to do so I can get back to work giving you something for all that you, every one of you, give me constantly for just hanging around and putting up with me.
G-d Bless You All!
Misha