No-vember

Updated on September 16, 2014

 

As you may know, Movember is a yearly event raising awareness and funds for prostate cancer research. Traditionally, one promises to start clean shaven and cultivate a hirsute upper lip in exchange for donations to the cause

I have participated in Movember in the past. This year, I've decided to change things up slightly. Adding an extra month of growth to the 2-year old snarled bramble which currently resides on my upper lip will not appreciably change its appearance, and will probably not solicit sufficient interest to raise money for the cause. Rather than collecting money whilst growing mustahe, I instead propose the following: If I can raise a sufficient amount for charity (€500 to be split between different charities) by the end of November, I promise to shave my mustache.

In the traditional Movember, participants sacrifice their dignity through the first few weeks of the creepy 'stache. I would argue that my sacrifice will be far greater. After November, my soups will go unstrained, my cookies undusted, and I will no longer be able to savor the flavor of my meals long into the evening. Both my Wilford Brimley AND my walrus impressions will suffer greatly. The tender skin of my upper lip, long protected from the harsh realities of the world, will be naked, and will have only the metaphorical blanket of your warm generosity to buffet itself against sunburn, ridicule, and the arsekalt German winter.

While prostate cancer is indeed a terrible disease worthy of donations and research, it unfortunately is not the world's most pressing issue. For that reason, I've decided to split the money I manage to raise between Movember and four under-funded charities rated highly by GiveWell, a "nonprofit dedicated to finding outstanding giving opportunities and publishing the full details of [their] analysis to help donors decide where to give". The four under-funded charities rated most highly by GiveWell are:

For more details on GiveWell and its selections, you can read more here

Ways to Donate

  • Hand me money when you see me. I will give you a reciept. If you have a preference where your money goes, tell me then.
  • Wire transfer money to my bank account. If you have a preference where your money goes, put it in the memo.
  • Donate directly to one of the charities. Please let me know when/where/how much so I can keep track.

Extra Rules and Regulations

  • Be the largest single donor at the end of the drive, and you can decide when/how/whether or not I shave off my mustache. Depending on a combination of how much you donate and how much I trust you, I may even allow you to take a razor to my face.
 

Fantasy Baseball

Updated on March 05, 2012

 

I manage the Ophiuchus Dustballs.