Maybe I've Been Wrong...

I have been enjoying a very satisfying degree of smug self righteousness over the last several years.

As you may have noticed, I ...am one of the select few that truly recognizes the problems of Africa. It really has been a comfortable place for me to go since it's so terribly tough being poor little ol' me. It has been a consolation in a life that has been a whole lot more normal than I had imagined when I was a young buck. I think I watched too much TV.

So...all is not perfect in my world. I didn't make it into med school. I guess I now have to admit that I'm not actually going to make it to the NHL. I was not to be a powerful media tycoon. I am perhaps not going to change the way the media controls democracy in our so called Free World.

However... I figured I was, at least, a member of the elite group of aware westerners to be concerned about the problems in Africa. The rest of the world around me was content to make money and to be distracted by whatever the wizards of the profit driven society could conjure up for us to consume, consume, consume. I was so -so very much above all that. La tee dah.

Now even this little gig is coming to its pathetic end.

You people are making this very difficult for my self esteem. Holy Cow! I send one poxy little e-mail out about our family going to Uganda and wham: $5,000 gets sent our way! What is wrong with you people? 5000 bucks in a nasty little economic downturn! Where's all this apathy when I so badly needed it? And if it wasn't to be cold, hard cash you gave in other valuable ways: clothes, medical supplies, sporting equipment, school supplies. You people are busy! How do you make time for these things? How can a normal guy start to feel any vestiges of superiority when his buddies start getting outrageously generous... all off of one, lousy e-mail!

Diana and I are humbled by your generosity. All of you went far, far beyond our expectations. On behalf of the people who are truly in so much need, thank you all. On behalf of my family, thanks for all your encouragement. It has all meant a great deal to us.

I'd like to "out" many of you by name because you deserve it ...but I know some of you would be angry that I would think to expose your remarkable secret generosity for all to see. I will however highly recommend some businesses that have helped in this cause. If you're looking for straight shooters, these businesses have made donations without any of my obnoxious cajolling or without any strings attached and that says a lot about integrity so I'm going to take the liberty to let my friends know about some businesses that need to be recognized.

If you live in Kelowna and you're looking for a house: Mike Willmott and Richter Domeij and Associates would be a great place to start. And while you're buying a house, you might need it appraised for the bank. Appraisals West is THE place to go as far as we're concerned. Wait: you need a mortgage? Don't think of anybody else other than Mark Pinchin! And while we're in the real estate theme, even the real estate board (OMREB) itself has gone out of it's way to be supportive.

Want some marketing advice: talk to X Agency and Communications. Need a car: you're going to get an honest deal from Don Folk Chevrolet who stepped up to give money amidst a very difficult economic challenge. Thanks for buckets of toothbrushes and toothpaste from orthdontist Dr. Moore and Doc Martin (as in Dr Tom Martin, the respected family dentist not the maker of boots worn by skin heads)

Now if any of you can think of any more neurotic ways for me to feel important, please give me some suggestions. After all your generosity, I'm back to feeling lost and way too normal...