Nature and Not-Knowing

Photo by NASA Goddard.  Used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 (Generic)

Not knowing is most intimate.  - Zen Master Dizang

I woke up this morning to good news.  The power is still on, the water is running, and the eye of Hurricane Irene is moving over NYC.  We will have high winds behind the eye, but the worst of the rain is nearly over.  Although the television news indicates that the city is dealing with some serious problems caused by the hurricane (with continued worries about the rising East River), it appears that the city has largely avoided the worst of what we feared could happen.  

One temptation when the worst case scenario doesn't materialize is to assume a critical or ironic stance.  We can take an almost accusatory tone, discussing the overreaction by the authorities, the inconvenience it caused us, and how we knew it wasn't going to be that big of a deal.  I think this type of reaction is actually an emotional release, born from relieved fears.  

The truth is that we didn't know what would happen.  There is very little data on a how the waters surrounding NYC behave during a direct hit by a hurricane (there is more now!), so the computer simulations were very uncertain.  Our leaders made the decision to look at the worst case models and prepare for what would happen should those scenarios materialize.  They are to be commended for this, and we can all be grateful that the impact of the storm on the city wasn't as bad as it could have been.  

Supporting a Good Cause

This is my third year riding Braking the Cycle.  The ride goes from Boston to NYC in 3 days, covering close to 300 miles.  

This year my ride preparation has gotten off to a rockier start than in prior years. A new position at work, personal and work travel, and a nasty summer cold have curtailed my ability to train. I'm also behind on my fundraising. In spite of these challenges, I've set and am keeping am ambitious goal: I want to raise almost 50% more for HIV/AIDS services than I have in prior years. My goal is $10,000. Several people on the ride have already raised more than $20,000, so I know that with your help I can do this. 

I'm setting this ambitious goal because the challenges that I face in preparing for the ride pale in comparison with the challenges facing a community at risk and the organizations trying to address their needs. The economic situation and austerity budgets at both the federal and state level are having dire consequences for the budgets of AIDS Service Organizations nationwide. New York City has an incredible caseload - our numbers exceed the combined totals of Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. The money you give will go to programs that provide HIV/AIDS prevention and care at the LGBT Center of New York. These programs are lifelines for many New Yorkers. 

Please sponsor me by making a tax-deductible donation, and please be as generous as you can. It will save lives. 

All you have to do is click on this link, and enter your billing information. Whether it's $10, $100, or $1000, every penny will help a person living with HIV or AIDS.

With your generosity, I know I can reach my goal of $10,000. 

Thank you for your support.