My Christmas List

I'm at a point in my life where when I want something, I find a way to buy it for myself. It might take a minute, but I'll get it. When I have to put a list of gift ideas together for my loved ones, I include items like this amazing shirt. In real life, I won't buy myself a $25 t-shirt. However, if someone were to buy it for me? I'd wear it all the time.

I'm one of those those people--I don't like giving or getting gift cards, even though they're easy to buy and can be very useful. I always want my gifts to mean something and I want someone who gets a gift from me to know that I know them. I know, it's annoying.

This year, my list has a few frivolous t-shirts and other items on it-- and I would be tickled to receive any of them-- but I also added some of my favorite organizations in Kalamazoo so people can make a donation for me. I've never been the type to ask for donations for a gift. I don't know what happened to me this year, but I can't really think of anything else I want besides things are cost insane amounts of money. I can't really ask people to donate to the Human Fund, ya dig?

These places are doing so much for our community and are mostly run on donations and volunteer power. That's pretty badass. Here they are, in case you're looking to do the same and need some ideas:

1. Clean Water for the World because I love the work they do.

2. RAWK: Read and Write Kalamazoo because I'm still an English teacher nerd at heart and RAWK helps create new reading and writing nerds.

3. Peace House because I love the East Side of Kalamazoo and so do they.

4. KGLRC: Kalamazoo Gay Lesbian Resource Center because I've worked with hundreds of youth in the community over the last decade and many of them have received amazing resources from the KGLRC.

5. Animal Rescue Project because of our fur babies.

6. Educating for Freedom in Schools because I love their approach to curriculum and schooling.