Tag Archives: bald

Bald Birthday Benefit, Books, Society

Let’s Build a Well in Ethiopia

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A year ago today we were in the midst of the Bald Birthday Benefit. We’d already shattered the $600 goal and my baldness was imminent. You pushed on and raised $2,605 for charity: water, giving clean water to 130 people for my 30th birthday. I’m still in awe and incredibly grateful for that.

This year I’ve released my book, Addition by Adoption, and a portion of the proceeds go to charity: water to build a well in Ethiopia. That’s a goal of $5,000. It’s a big goal. So far almost $1,000 has come in, most of it from donations.

I thought about doing the Bald Birthday Benefit again this year, but I’m not sure shaving my head is such a big draw anymore. But I still love celebrating my birthday by giving back.

So here’s the deal: My birthday is in 10 days. Father’s Day is in 15 days. All I really want is a well in Ethiopia. Help me get there.

There a number of ways you can donate, from straight cash to buying a copy of my book. We’ve set up a few special options with the book where more money can go to charity: water, from an Awesome Edition to a 10-copy package. I’m also willing to give you a free digital copy of the book for making a donation. And yes, if somebody wants to see me shave my head again, I’m willing to do it (for a price).

More than buying a book or giving some cash, you’re giving life. 70-80% of Ethiopians don’t have access to clean water. It ends up killing 300,000 Ethiopian children every year. It’s the number one cause of infant mortality.

So help me celebrate my birthday, let’s celebrate Father’s Day—heck, we can celebrate Flag Day too!—by building a well in Ethiopia. Give water. Give life. Thank you.

Bald Birthday Benefit

Shaving My Legs for Clean Water

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Clean Water and a Clean ShaveI’ve been amazed at the results of the Bald Birthday Benefit. We shattered the initial $600 goal in only six days and so far given clean water to 57 people. On June 13 I’ll be shaving my head.

But there’s still that pesky $5,000 goal, the cost of a well in Ethiopia. But at this rate we’re not going to make it. So it’s time to up the ante. I’m shaving my head on June 13, but if we can hit $5,000, I’ll also shave my legs.

I realize we’re reaching ridiculous territory here. But why not? This is my last ditch effort to publicly humiliate myself for the sake of charity. And I’m throwing out this final challenge because, honestly, I don’t think you can do it. It would take nearly $300 a day to hit $5,000 (including today, which is almost over). That’s just nuts. It’s not going to happen.

So I’m throwing out this last, crazy challenge with near total confidence that I won’t have to do it. Because seriously—shaving my legs? Not something I need to experience.

Hear that, Internet? I just said you couldn’t do it. You’re not up to it. There aren’t enough people out there who want to see me shave my legs and give people clean water.

If you’d like to make me eat my words, shave my legs and [most importantly] give someone clean water, you can donate now.

But no matter how much we raise, this is going to be the best birthday ever.

Bald Birthday Benefit

Bald Birthday Benefit: Beyond Baldness

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The face of clean water.Well that didn’t take long.

On day six of the 2009 Bald Birthday Benefit we hit the goal of $600. In a mere six days you folks have helped me celebrate my 30th birthday by giving clean water to 30 people through charity: water. That’s so cool. Thank you.

Oh, and of course, this means I’ll be shaving my head. No more looking like a TBN cohost. Not to disapoint anyone, but as a matter of procedure I won’t be shaving my head until June 13. I honestly (and foolishly) thought it would take us longer to hit the goal and didn’t plan on shaving until then. Plus, we’re getting family pictures taken in early June and my wife insisted I have hair for the pictures (apparently not this hair though). While she loves the benefit part of this idea, she hates the baldness part, so she wins that debate. But don’t worry. On June 13 baldness will ensue.

The New Goal: A Well
Now on to business. I thought this thing would actually take 30 days and here we’re done after only six. What do we do now? We keep going, that’s what we do. I’ve still got a birthday coming up and there are still people out there without clean water. So let’s keep giving it to them.

Apparently I severely underestimated you people with my goal of $600, so it’s time to dream big. It’s time to go for a crazy, audacious, stupid goal. According to the folks at charity: water it costs about $5,000 to put in a new well in Ethiopia. We’re not set up to earmark these donations for a specific well in Ethiopia, but it still makes a great goal. A ridiculous goal.

So we’ve got 24 more days. Let’s see if we can build a well. Not for baldness, since that’s already assured, but for more water.

And again, thank you: Best. Birthday. Ever. (and it’s still a month away)

Bald Birthday Benefit

$20 Can Buy Many Things

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Homer SimpsonThe immortal words of Homer Simpson on the usefulness of $20:

Homer: Oh, $20?! I wanted a peanut!

Homer’s Brain: $20 can buy many peanuts.

Homer: Explain how.

Homer’s Brain: Money can be exchanged for goods and services.

Homer: Woohoo!

Yes, Homer, $20 can get you many things:

Threadless T-shirt
A hipster T-shirt.

Pork.
Dinner for two.

Two CDs
The new Eminem and Green Day CDs.

Mmm... comfy.
A comfy lawn chair.

Digital memory.
4 GB of memory for your digital camera.

Internet Combo Pack
An Internet DVD combo pack of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog and The Guild.

Wait, that last one’s actually pretty good.

You could buy any of that stuff for $20. Or you could buy something else:

How Bad Do I Need a Haircut?
A much-needed haircut for a certain someone.

Birthday Cake
A birthday present for that same someone.

Water
Clean water for one person for 20 years.

All three for $20. Now that’s a deal worth a woohoo.

Considering donating to the Bald Birthday Benefit. You can contribute to my impending baldness, wish me a happy 30th birthday and give someone clean water for 20 years. Woohoo!

Thanks.

Bald Birthday Benefit

Bald Birthday Benefit: Day 1

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Wow. And thank you.

That’s about all I can say after the first day of the Bald Birthday Benefit. On day one we brought in $275 of our total $600, getting us 45% of the way there. Wow. Thank you.

What are we going to do for the next 29 days? In my FAQ I jokingly said that maybe my goal was too low and we could just up it, and maybe that’s what we’ll have to do. I’m more than happy to be proven foolish. And it seems I’ll be proven bald as well.

My favorite part about all of this is that I haven’t had a chance to put any grand ideas in motion yet. I had all these big plans for a huge launch, and none of them happened. All I’ve done is spread the word and people have responded. That’s so cool. Thank you.

Let’s give people life (and me a haircut). Donate to the Bald Birthday Benefit.

Bald Birthday Benefit

Bald Birthday Benefit 2009

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So here’s the deal: I’m turning 30 in 30 days and I need your help to celebrate. There are more than a billion people in this world who don’t have easy access to clean, safe drinking water. To celebrate my big 3-0, I want to give 30 people clean water.

It’s not much, a drop in the bucket so to speak. But to those 30 people it would mean life.

The nonprofit charity: water can give one person clean water for 20 years for about $20. So giving clean water to 30 people will cost $600. That’s a pretty big chunk of change, but with your help, I think we can do it.

So help me celebrate my 30th birthday by raising $600 in 30 days and giving clean water to 30 people.

Oh, and if we can do it, I’ll shave my head. Welcome to the Bald Birthday Benefit 2009.

Just for Fun, Style & Fashion

Shaving My Head

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I'm Bald!A few months ago I sent out letters challenging people that if we could raise $2,000 by June 15 I’d shave my head. As of today we’ve raised $3,935. So I’m bald.

A total of 38 families donated to the effort (some ear-marked their funds for the shaving of my facial hair). So on the eve of my 29th birthday I’m now balder than my dad.

A big thanks to everyone who supported us, including the many who donated outside the baldness campaign and those who have supported us in the many non-financial ways, which is just as important (if not more so).

You can also check out photos of the entire process. Or just watch the video.