MySpace a place for friends

***WARNING: This section of my profile is serious and heartfelt. If you're looking for something funny, read another part of my page. If you're looking for something charitable to do or maybe someone you can relate to who's trying to make a difference, you might find what I've written below hits home. The song still gets me sometimes...***

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INTERESTS: Changing the world for the better... if you have some big ideas, let me know (seriously!). I'm active in charity and philanthropy and would love to hear ideas and help out where I can.

Have you ever loved someone so much that without them in your life your heart seems to stop beating... a loss so great that while your heart continues mechanically pumping, it ceases truly beating life into your being... a loss that leaves your heart searching for a way to share with the World the miracle of a blessing now lost?

If this hits home with you, perhaps you can more fully appreciate why I'm now searching for something meaningful outside of myself... searching for a cause, purpose, or charity which I can channel this love into. In learning to deal with the loss that is inevitably part of the human condition, I am finding that my only solace and saving grace is my solemn promise to try with every ounce of my being to share with the World as much of that love I once knew.

As a short term goal, I'm presently looking for a way to directly save someone's life this year. If you know of such a situation where I can help, please let me know. I have a broad range of skills and would be willing to provide legal and other services at no charge to such a cause.

HIT PLAY IF YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL...

Temporarily removed Lennon's "Imagine" due to Player locking up Internet Explorer. :-(

UPDATE JULY 12, 2005: A friend with big heart recently informed me of another good cause. If you're able, please consider giving what you can, in time or money, to the www.engagehivaids.com program.

UPDATE AUGUST 30, 2005: I've been toying with the idea of a charity calendar to raise money for the Children's Hospital or a specific child in need of support (if you know of someone, please let me know). If you're a photographer, marketing / promotions agent, publisher or other party/business simply willing to donate time or resources to the project please get in touch. All proceeds would go toward a charitable cause, so barring recovery of hard out-of-pocket expenses no one, including myself, would be compensated. If you're interested, please contact me. I would prefer to help an entire hospital or a child with an otherwise terminal condition (i.e. in the absence of sufficient funds to pay for a transplant or medical procedure) though I'm open to other ideas. Basically, we would need help with taking the photographs, designing, printing, promoting and distributing the calendar as well as collecting payments (preferably electronically through a website designed for this purpose), and interfacing with the charity / recipient (this last part should be the most heartwarming). Merchandisers who can obtain product placement in major merchants / forums would be particularly helpful to make this effort truly spectacular.

UPDATE 10/3/2005:  I decided this past Sunday that I'm going to donate bone marrow... I don't know a lot about it, but I hear it can be "life-saving", so I figure it can't be all that bad.  If you'd like to join the National Marrow Donor Program with me, please let me know (I'll even carpool!). 

For information please go to http://www.marrow.org/. 

If you're in Colorado, the info is:

Colorado Marrow Donor Program
Belle Bonfils Memorial Blood Center
717 Yosemite Street
Denver, CO 80230-6918
(303) 363-2345
(800) 619-1099
http://www.bonfils.org or

http://www.bonfils.org/bonfils.php?section=donor&page=how_colorado

If you have questions, you can also call Bonfils at 800.619.1099 or 303.363.2345 or email Lara_Urano@bonfils.org.  I also have the information for the director of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Bone Marrow Transplant Program if you're interested in getting involved on a more significant level.
 

UPDATE 10/8/2005:  It's official!!! I'm on the National Marrow Donor Program Registry! If anyone wants to sign up, I'd be happy to carpool down and put you at ease. It was a very easy process and doesn't take much time at all (took less than 30 minutes start-to-finish). The first step, HLA typing, requires only a vile of blood, though depending on the initial results you may have to return to give up to 5 viles. If you're looking for a chance to save someone's life... here's your chance! It's easy, too! Plus, even if it were hard... if you can save even one person's life isn't it worth it? I think it is... then again... I'm clearly not your typical bear... (I mean, who has their own imaginary myspace baby?!) :-P

UPDATE 11/20/2005: I've been yearning for a little more "direct" contact with a charitable cause and someone close to me suggested an idea (thank you anonymous suggester!). If anyone is aware of an ill child who would like to go for a ride in an exotic car, I would be happy to make arrangements to take the child out for ice cream (or hot cocoa, depending on the weather) and teach him or her all about the history of different cars / technology. I'm a big car buff and have spent years learning about cars and racing. If you think this would brighten the day of an ill child you know of, please get in touch privately for more information. Would make for a memorable family photo, too. While I wish so hard that I could magically make their illness go away, I hope that a fun ride would at least get his or her mind off of their illness, if only for a while.

UPDATE 12-4-2005: A friend who was touched by the tragic loss of a little angel at a very young age suggested another good cause to support. If you're able, please consider giving what you can, in time or money, to the Colorado SIDS Program. Learn more here http://www.coloradosids.org or click here to donate now.

UPDATE 12/25/2005: "So this is Christmas... what have you done..." I'm turning into a bigger Lennon fan year by year. I somehow feel I haven't done nearly enough. I am so blessed. I'm trying so hard to make a difference. My little sister asked me if she should donate her hair. I thought for a second and said "Yes! ... and I'll post it on myspace!"

My sister may have a little less hair, but she's even more beautiful without it... because the gift comes from the heart.

If you've got a little hair to spare, try Locks of Love, too.

Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children 18 years and younger suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The protheses provided by Locks of Love (and your hair donations!) help to restore self-esteem and confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers (not my wording, but still... it's nice to have hair - I'd hope you can have self-esteem and confidence without hair). http://www.www.locksoflove.org/

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! This is gonna be the best Christmahannakwanzikah ever! (spelling?)

UPDATE 2-20-2006: Help make a difference by supporting the Avon Foundations Walk for Breast Cancer. A new case of invasive breast cancer is diagnosed in the U.S. every 3 minutes, with your help we can move closer to finding a cure and more effective treatments. If you're able to donate, please do so. If you want to get more involved that's even better! A lot of people helping a little can make a very big difference!

SUPPORT THE AVON WALK FOR BREAST CANCER

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE

IF YOU'RE ALREADY READY TO DONATE CLICK HERE

I'm writing a book on driving / motorcycling...

Here is a photo on how NOT to wear your helmet (note it's upside down)!

How not to pass...