The Months I Support Most
Item: My bid for novel domination in 2009 is official: I have re-upped my membership in National Novel Writing Month, that annual festival of insanity in which thousands of people attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days. (Like I had to explain it. Most people who might read this already either participate or still have nightmares about my first year, during which I posted excerpts all month long.)
While I'm still not overly enthusiastic about the writing aspect of the event, I found last year that I really missed the great people. I couldn't stay away twice in a row. (And even in my absence I tried to help out a little. I got some cute ninja toys to put in last year's pep packs. PLOT NINJAS, for the win!)
Item: As part of the NaNoWriMo madness, and because a couple of my awesome groovy podcast peeps requested it, there will be a special Unscripted episode of fab on October 24. It's the annual look at the writing event with info on how to support the cause and what the endeavor means to those who participate. Last year's episodes rocked, and I hope this one will too.
Item: Speaking of podcasts and events that rocked, this past weekend saw the 2nd annual Geek is Chic 24-hour Podcastathon, benefiting the Susan G Komen Foundation. You prolly get tired of hearing me talk about it, but it's important to remember that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. (Be sure to touch your boobies, girls and boys -- make sure there's nothing there that shouldn't be.)
I've been a supporter of breast cancer research and other related charities for a while now. Query, who passed from the disease last year, turned me on to a site on my sidebar, one I've tried to shout out every October since. It's The Breast Cancer Site, where just by clicking you help to fund free mammograms for women who can't otherwise afford them. Early detection is vital! Clicky clicky every day.
Last year, Andrea Zuniga had a wonderful idea: Podcast for 24 hours straight. Raise money for the Komen Foundation, and of equal importance, raise awareness with factoids and trivia throughout the full day of 'casting. Because I happen to be a firm believer in breast cancer awareness, I asked if I could help -- and she gave me a slot in the schedule.
This year she asked if I'd be willing to help again, and my natural reaction was "Oh hell yeah!"
(I did a little of the temporal math and discovered that I was there for about half of the podcastathon, including my two hour scheduled time slot.)
It was a lot of fun, and this time she was able to give out some CDs provided by Ariel Publicity, who represents a lot of podsafe music artists. I thought it was way cool that Ariel donated those. There was also a trivia contest in the early evening to find out who knew the most about the podcasters participating in the 'thon.
Andrea is keeping the donation lines open throughout the month of October. If you would like to help support the fight against breast cancer, please visit the Geek is Chic website and donate! She plans to release highlights from the podcastathon all month long, so even if you weren't able to attend, you can hear some of the fun covered in awesome sauce for yourself.
And it's a good cause. To quote Andrea, "I support that."
You know... for being silent the last two weeks, you'd think there was more to say. (In fact, I feel like there is more, but I'm not remembering what it is right now.) If/when I think of it, I'll be sure to let you in on it, Dear journal.