Thank You for the Gift

Just consider this part one of a series I've entitled:  Really, Really Getting to Know Me & The Reaons Why I'm Kind of a Terrible Person.

Some time last year, I donated $10 to feed the hungry. Not because I'm such a good person (since that would clearly contradict my title), but because it got me a gift certificate for a free slice of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. Note that I actually realized after my transaction that I only had to donate $5 to get the free slice. I believe at the time I was thinking double the donation, double the cheesecake, but I was wrong. But whatever, my $10 bought 20 bushels of oats & grains AND a slice of vanilla bean cheesecake. BARGAIN!

Cut to this year... I've been getting an outrageous amount of junk mail lately and by "junk mail" I mean letters from every freaking charity in existence asking for donations. I am 99.9% convinced that the organization that I generously donated to sold my address (because they do that, right?). Rude.

Well, my favorites are of course the ones that send you a gift. I now have enough return address labels to last me for the next 2 years (shame we plan on moving this year). I have an over abundance of gift labels for Christmas. I have a super cute greeting card set. AND of course, I have a dime from March of Dimes (I just can't bring myself to use it. I mean I'm terrible, but not that terrible).

The worst are the ones that send you a picture of the child you'll be helping. I mean, don't guilt trip me in to donating with a photo of little Jazahara, shirtless, playing with a rock. And please, don't send me any more pictures of babies with cleft palates. I know what they look like, and I would love, LOVE to help them all, but it's just not feasibly possible (seriously, like the girl who cried about saving all the little kitties, I want to save all the babies... and kitties... and puppies... and unicorns).

But back to the gifts and the first reason why I'm kind of a terrible person. I have set aside the donation slips of all the charities that sent me a gift with the highest intentions of eventually, at some point in my life, making a donation. I immediately threw away the mail of any charity that did not send me a gift and also the charities that DID send me a gift but it was either ugly and/or had the incorrect address... because I'm a terrible person... kind of. :)