Perspectives, Giving and the WPBT

Today, I'm full of introspection and a desire to recalibrate my perspectives.

I need to tell you what happened to the food we collected at the January Co-ed Invitational. Seems not only am I slow at getting posts up, we just hadn't quite gotten to Channel 1 with this years big box of food. We felt bad too since some of the food had gotten past it's freshness date. No worries, we replaced that food. It was our fault.

Anywho, OhCountess takes the food their last Friday. Not knowing that it had limited hours that day. It was closed. Bummer. The sign on the door suggested leaving the food in the space by the door. She did just that. As she was leaving, a young girl approached the door. As my wife describes, "she looked like she was definitely in need." OhCountess stopped and went back. She could tell the girl was more then a little disappointed that the place was closed. My wonderful wife, approached her and talked to her. "Yes, it's closed, but are you looking for food?" The girl nodded. "Well, I just dropped off a whole big box of food, why don't you look through it and take what you need. Oh forget that, just take the whole box." Maybe it was fate or what ever you want to call it. Hopefully, it will make a difference in her life. I figure it's +karma. Giving to others in need rocks.
Last week was a great reminder for me. Keeping our lives in perspective is one of our most important responsibilities but also the first thing we throw to the wayside when we get caught up in our busy lives. I got to spend small moments with Lightning36 as he took care of his family in a time when I can't imagine as a father having to deal with.

I've said this before that one thing you just have to get used to working here is that people never visit our workplace for the fun of it. Usually, when people come here from out of town, they are coming because this is a place of hope when you are running out of it. I wrote on my personal blog a little while ago about charity in my life. It's a struggle not to want to help every last person that needs it, but when people come from around the world to this place, you quickly realize that there's no way you can. You just have to be happy to do with what you can.

So, what the hell am I doing on my poker blog writing about this personal stuff? Isn't that why I maintain the other blog??? Yes. Yes it is. But I have questions for you poker readers. Questions I'm not sure what the answer is...so here's where the whole poker blog thing comes in.

Lightning36 stayed at the Ronald McDonald House. This is an amazing place, I wouldn't be offended at all if you followed that link and took a look around their website. Go, I'll be here if you want to check it out. I used to think that it was just a McDonalds marketing ploy. Reality can be such an eye opener. Here's there mission:

Our Mission - The Ronald McDonald House of Rochester, Minnesota provides a "home away from home" and offers support to families seeking medical care for their children.

Honestly, that's what they do. Since I started here, I've been inspired by stories of co-workers, neighbors and friends do direct help for this organization. This got me thinking. What can I do to help? Before Lightning left, he was even working on ideas of things to do to help this organization.

I've always been impressed with the poker communities generosity. Say what you want about poker and it's practitioners, but we give back. So here's a couple of my ideas and I'd absolutely love to hear what you think.

This first one came in part from my last home game's winner. Ross and I were trying to think of ideas for the next home game and keep with the usual January theme of charity but this time, focus our attention on the Ronald McDonald House. Instead of the usual can goods for extra chips, what if the add-on came in the form of actual service. You want extra chips, you join us for a day of service at the house? Would you volunteer to get extra chips in a tournament that's all about the fun? I think I like the idea. We can always give stuff.

The other idea is a bit more straight forward. I was wondering if anyone out there would be willing to participate in a charity poker tournament on Full Tilt? I'd like to organize one, maybe for after the BBT5. That schedule is brutal enough. Maybe we could tie it into the BBT5 pimping and really promote it. If it's gonna be me and 5 people, it's probably just as easy to ask for PayPal donations, but if I can get some serious interest, who knows, maybe we could make a difference in some lives. What do you think? Our own WPBT charity event? (pssst....this is where you come in...)

Think about it...