Movember parting thoughts

Hello, everyone

First of all, thanks to each and every one who contributed to Movember Prostate Cancer Awareness. Either through a retweet, or by ‘liking’ the page, or by replying to an email, or by offering to give me cash in person. You even helped if you saw me on the street, noticed the ‘mo, pointed a finger and laughed. It’s still awareness, I’ll take it as a ‘notice’. It would have made me smile. My most favourite moment of the past month – the photo below:

It was fun to do, the ginger ale looked ‘champagne-ey’ enough, and the scarf just completed the whole thing. The full original Christopher Walken video of the SNL sketch is here. How can you not get inspired by that? Maybe for next year I’ll do a whole party based on that sketch… The second most-favourite moment was getting a $5 donation from my sister with the comments “I shouldn’t donate too much, I’ve already paid enough just be being related to you”. Kinda sums up the common sentiment, no? Here it is by the numbers:

30 days, 26 tweets, 19 clicks, 16 donations, 11 likes, 3 mass-emails, $505 shiny new coins.

Wait a minute, I generated more clicks/donations than ‘likes’? You people really did pay money to shut me up :) Thanks for your support, and as for those ‘mass  emails’, methinks a bigger circle of friends/coworkers/clients is needed. I’ll keep working on that.

Thanks also for reading my motivational platform. These past couple of years have really been shitty in terms of family health. In a way, your response, no matter how small, was equated with understanding, and ultimately – sympathy. I can’t ask for anything more. It also helps that some of you elaborated (in private) of your own reasons for donating, and your own issues with Prostate Cancer. That, too is ‘awareness’, so I’ll take it.

This was a first for me (mass emails, connecting with strangers on emotional level virtually, asking for money, taking own photos and putting them online at 7am on Sundays…) I definitely had a lot of fun, and hope you were somewhat engaged and entertained too. The ‘mo is staying for a couple of days, so if you see me around the office, stop asking when it’s coming off. I kinda got used to it.

Thanks again to the 16 people who stepped up and went beyond just pledging – actually donated. In my tiny address book, that’s 16 more records with a big star next to it. To me, my family, that’s a big deal.

I’m looking forward to 2011, seriously considering a team, but at the same time, wondering how much of an improvement it would be if I still went solo, but with better tools, better ideas, and better self-promotion. Lots to learn. And lots of people to befriend between now and then.

Thanks again.

PS: almost forgot – go get checked up, or send your man/father/brother/grandpa to a doctor. That was kinda the point all along. Early detection, timely treatment.