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Posts Tagged ‘giving’

Day 118 – Carlos A.

Posted in Donation, Refusals, tagged , , , , , , , on April 17, 2010| 2 Comments »

I have been receiving lots of emails inquiring about my job process.  I wish I had something to update you on.  I am actively looking for work and am participating in several hiring processes right now.  I will certainly post an update when I know something for sure.  Thanks so much for all of your thoughtful messages.

Last Sunday evening I was taking a walk around my neighborhood and looking for a recipient for my $10.  I approached a woman near the Dupont Hotel.  She was kind and said she liked the concept but didn’t feel like she was worthy of receiving the money.  I explained that she could do anything she wanted to with it, including giving it to someone else.  I used all of my negotiation training but I was not successful.  As I was finishing talking with her, a very elegantly dressed couple walked by holding hands.  I thought that they would be interesting to talk to so I chased after them.  It turns out that they had recently got engaged and they were going to get their picture taken.  They didn’t stop so I had to deliver my 30 second elevator pitch as I walked at a good clip next to them.  They seemed completely uninterested in the Year of Giving and said I could talk to them until we reached the next corner.  I thought at first that they would accept the $10 and I would have the shortest time to date to get information from a recipient, but that wasn’t the case.  As we got to the corner they simply blew me off.

Slightly dejected I scanned the street to find someone else and my eyes found Carlos.  Originally from Madrid, Spain, Carlos has lived in Washington, DC for the last 18 months working for an international organization.  I shared with Carlos that I used to live in his country in the city of Valladolid. 

Carlos near Dupont Circle (Photo: Reed)

Carlos was quite tired and jet-lagged having just flown in a few hours earlier from a trip back to Madrid.  I didn’t want to take too much of his time and quickly asked him what he would do with the $10.  He contemplated the choice some and finally settled on donating it to a Clinic in the Adam’s Morgan neighborhood that helps immigrants receive medical treatment.  It sounds like a great organization and I asked him to drop me a message when he donates it and get’s the exact name of the clinic.

I got my camera out to take a photo of Carlos.  While I was doing that I asked how he thought the people of Madrid would react to the Year of Giving.  He thought they would react positively to it and try to do something meaningful with the money.

Giving is not foreign to Carlos, in fact his employer offers an opportunity at the end of the year to donate a portion of each employee’s salary to a variety of nonprofits.  He said he usually participates in this program.

We shook hands and I said “goodbye” to Carlos.  He was probably very tired.  If he was still on Madrid time, it was well after midnight.

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Day 114 – John T.

Posted in Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on April 14, 2010| 6 Comments »

Last week I met with about a dozen former colleagues of mine from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation for dinner at Lauriol Plaza.  I like this place, but I don’t understand the mania around it.  If the weather is nice, everyone goes there and it is not unusual to be told that there will be a two hour wait.  We were lucky that we didn’t have to wait two hours.  After dinner a few of us went over to Kramerbooks for dessert.

After we finished I asked our waiter if he would participate in the Year of Giving, but he said he was slammed and didn’t have time.  So I wandered inside and through a small door that leads to a cozy café / bar where I found John sitting by himself fidgeting with his phone.

John at Kramerbooks in DC (Photo: Reed)A patent litigation lawyer from Irvine, CA, John is in town for a law conference.  He started his own practice with some partners in 2006.  He handles all kinds of cases, although the examples he mentions are mostly in the area of technology and biotech.

When he is not practicing law, the 35-year-old says he enjoys sports, movies, and photography.  In fact he had a nice Nikon camera placed in front of him at the bar.

John and his wife also are involved in giving.  They help the Teen Leadership Foundation.  Specifically he tells me about one set of kids that are with a foster family where the mother has cancer.  In fact he says that he is going to give the $10 to her.

I asked John if there was anything you could help him with for the Lend a Hand section.  He said no, but then thought for a minute and said, “Actually I really could use a responsible, hard-working personal assistant that I can trust to handle confidential materials.”  So if that sounds like you or someone you know and you are in Irvine area, let me know and I will connect you with John.

We shook hands and thanked one another and I started walking home.  About half way home I realized that I never gave John the $10!  Oh no!  I hustled back to the café hoping to find him still there.  Sure enough he was there and was totally cool about it.

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Day 112 – Juan E. and Alex C.

Posted in Gave the money back, Refusals, Transportation, tagged , , , , , , , on April 13, 2010| 1 Comment »

Katy’s decision to destroy the $10 seem’s to have sparked some interesting discussion.  That’s good.

So last week I went to the opening day game of the Washington Nationals.  I have went to the opening day game every year since I moved back to DC.  I thought it would be fun to find someone at the game to give my $10 to.  Well, I had a little trouble getting in the game at first…I thought that I would just pick up a ticket at the stadium, however, with Obama throwing out the first pitch and the Phillies in town, there were no tickets at the box office.

I finally got a ticket after the 2nd inning.

I was standing next to a couple in the outfield section.  That’s right, I only got a standing room only ticket…couldn’t afford much better, but all I really cared about was being there and being part of it.  Well, it’s also nice to win too!

I was waiting until the innings changed to ask the couple if they would be a part of the Year of Giving.  I didn’t want to disturb them while the game was being played.  Well, the inning was going on forever.  The Nationals were getting clobbered.  They pulled pitcher John Lannan in the fourth inning, better than last year when he was pulled on opening day in the third inning.  Clear sign of improvement.

Juan and his girlfriend on opening day (Photo: Reed)

Anyway, by the time I got to asking the couple, the guy had went to get some hot dogs or something.  So I asked the young lady who gave me a look like, “look buddy, don’t hit on me” and assured me that her boyfriend would be right back.  Ok, so I waited, and waited, and waited, and finally Juan arrived with beverages in hand.

I told him what I was doing and he said he was up for it.  Juan is in the landscaping business and was taking the afternoon off.  Juan’s father started the business shortly after the family moved to VA from El Salvador.  He has since handed over the reigns of the company to his son Juan.

Juan originally said he would use the money to buy some beers.  However, a little later he said that he wanted to give me the $10 back if I would give it someone else still today.  Well… I can certainly do that…in fact, I am pretty good at it.  So, back to square one.  I think in the future I might not accept the money back with any conditions.  After all, I don’t put any conditions on those who I give to.  There is some discussion on this from Day 8 when Kevin gave me the money back.

Juan’s nice gesture to give the money back turned into the good fortune for a young guy from Havertown, PA.  Yes, a Phillies fan.  No surprise really, pretty much everyone at the game was a Phillies fan.  Alex was down in DC visiting his friend Brynn who is a pre-med student at Catholic University.  

The 22-year-old fan said he skipped his job as a Project Administrator for a commercial pool company in order to come down and watch his team beat up on the Nationals.  

Philly fans Alex and Brynn (Photo: Reed)

I didn’t want to bother Alex too much more since the game was in progress so I just asked him two final questions.  I asked if he needed anything that I could help him with via the Lend a Hand section and he couldn’t think of anything right then.  As for the destiny of the $10, Alex said it would go toward gas to get him back up to Pennsylvania.

I noticed that people were flooding out of the stadium.  While I was talking to Alex, the score somehow got to 11-1.  And I thought last year was bad when we lost 12-6!

NOTE: I did also try to give to Andrew who was working at the stadium, however he was unable to accept the money due to company policy.  Also, first post I think that I am in both photos that I have posted (if you look close in both pictures, I am in the reflection of the sunglasses!)

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Day 109 – Alex S.

Posted in Something for others, tagged , , , , , , on April 12, 2010| 11 Comments »

So this morning I heard the NPR story by Liane Hansen…it was great!  If you missed it, check it out here.

So I was walking around my neighborhood one night looking for someone to give my $10 to.  People often ask me how I choose the recipients.  There really isn’t any scientific method, but more of an instinctive gut reaction that I have.  Something about the person makes them interesting to me.  Maybe they are dressed in an interesting way, maybe a pan-handler says something clever, or perhaps it’s just a nice bus driver.  

Alex is sitting in a small park on a bench reading a book at about 9:00pm.  The dim light from a nearby street lamp is just enough for him to read his book: Negotiating Across Culture by Raymond Cohen. 

Alex is dressed in a suit sans tie.  He looks comfortable and at ease with me approaching and sitting down next to him.  He is reading the textbook for his post-grad coursework at Georgetown.  In addition to his schoolwork, Alex also has a part-time job at a DC think tank.  As I explain to him my year-long commitment I learn that his birthday is December 15th (the day I started the Year of Giving).  Somehow I feel that I was meant to meet Alex.

When Alex isn’t studying, working at the think tank or taking in a night at local art galleries (that’s what he was doing this night) he gives his time.  He helps out at shelters and kitchens around DC.  He has volunteered several times at Loaves and Fishes, a ministry of St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church that has been serving lunch to the hungry and homeless on Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays since 1968.

Alex hopes to work in international development and policy in Africa.  This is no surprise given his vast international experience.  For a 24-year-old he has seen a lot of the world.  Check out the video where we talk a little about his experiences overseas.

The following is a letter that I received from Alex explaining how he used the $10.  Also, take note of the link to the study on kindness at the end…definitely worth a read.

 Hey Reed,

I was really unexpected and nice meeting you the other night. I wanted to drop you a note to say that I really think your project is fantastic. I think it’s great that you have embraced the curiosity, generosity, and faith in other people that a lot of us aspire to. I too believe that there’s so many incredible and interesting people we encounter in our daily lives that we seldom take the time to stop and appreciate. I myself wish I did it more.

So, I told you I’d write you to tell you how I’d spend my money.  Basically, 10 bucks isn’t going to change what I can afford, or what some deserving NGO in the area could do if I gave the money to them.  But, what the gesture of yours can do is change something I do, particularly stopping to appreciate the people we see in our daily lives but maybe don’t stop to acknowledge or appreciate. So, what I decided to do was spend that money on some cookie supplies, bake some cookies and give them to people we don’t too often acknowledge – the guys who hand out the WaPo Express, the people who work at the Metro stations and the cleaning people and receptionist in my building on K Street.

Oh and I also thought you’d be interested in this article I came across on the kindness multiplier. Reminds you that an act of kindness has consequences you don’t see!

Cheers and best of luck,

 Alex (109)

Thanks Alex.  What a thoughtful and creative use of the $10.  I would love to know how the people reacted!  If you haven’t already done it yet and can record it, it would be great to post here!  It was great to meet you…thanks for making this giving experience so special.

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Day 116 – Molly M.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 9, 2010| 7 Comments »

I know what you might be thinking…Day 116?!  What happened to Days 109-115?  Did Reed take a break?  Did he forget to tell us all that he is entitled to 2 weeks of “paid” vacation…i.e. not paying others! 🙂  Nope, that’s not the case.  I am simply behind on the administrative side of my year-long experience.  But don’t worry.  To steal and modify a great Teddy Kennedy quote, the giving goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die.The reason that I am posting Day 116 today is that I had the honor of sharing my giving experience today with Liane Hansen and Jack Zahora of NPR.  Many of you probably already know Liane as the host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.  Jack is a NPR producer for the show.  They are putting a story together for this Sunday’s program, which airs from 8am to 10am on WAMU here in DC.  The show is broadcasted on more than 600 stations around the country…so check your local NPR station to see when it will be on.  Later that day the story will be posted on http://www.npr.org.

It is strange to meet someone that you have heard for years but don’t really know.  Liane didn’t disappoint…she was great.  I’m guessing she has pretty much worked every weekend for the last 20 years…would you be willing to do that? 

Anyway, so they were following me around.  I was in the Chinatown neighborhood looking for a recipient and found Molly. 

Molly (Photo: Reed)

Molly was walking her bike down 7th Street when I pulled her over to talk to me.  She seemed like she was in a bit of a hurry at first, but probably was just more skeptical of what I was doing than anything else.  It turns out that at the age of 31 Molly has returned to school to make a career change.  She is studying nutrition at the University of Maryland after having a career in marketing and communications.   

I asked her what she was doing today and she said that she had been studying and now was rewarding herself with a little shopping trip.  “Although I should probably be studying now” she said. 

She said that she was going to use the $10 to buy a couple of grande skim lattes at Starbucks.  Although she decided to use the money for herself, she sounds like a pretty dedicated giver.  She has volunteered her time teaching exercise classes to women in shelters, tutored children in coursework, helped out at So Others Might Eat (S.O.M.E.), helped an organization that offered tax assistance to low income individuals, etc.  Pretty impressive.  She also has an internship with DC Hunger http://www.dchunger.org/ whose mission it is to eliminate hunger in the District.

Liane Hansen interviewing Molly while Jack captures sound (Photo: Reed)

Molly was a terrific sport.  I hope that you have the opportunity to hear our interaction on the NPR segment this Sunday!

Oh, and if anybody wants to help this aspiring nutritionist, she is in dire need of a good biochemistry tutor!  Somebody help!

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Day 100 – Bill D.

Posted in Something for themself, tagged , , , , , , , on March 29, 2010| 8 Comments »

Day 100.  I have given $1,000 to 100 different people so far.  $10 doesn’t sound like much, but trust me it adds up.  Although some people remind me of plenty of things I could have used the money for, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.  It has been amazing.

If you live near Grand Forks, ND, I will be on the air with Denny and Kerri of KYCK 97.1 FM Wednesday morning a little after 8am Central Time.  You can listen live on the Internet as well at http://97kyck.com/.

Bill playing the sax (Photo: Reed)

Last Wednesday I went out in search of a recipient for my $10.  I ran into several former recipients of my Year of Giving: Kenneth B. (Day 30), Bill C. (Day 36), Nikki G. (Day 66), and Manny H. (Day 85).  Now when I walk around my neighborhood I always run into someone that I have given to before.

I came across Bill Davis who was entertaining Metro riders entering and exiting the Dupont Circle station.  The 46-year-old Maryland resident has been playing music since he was in elementary school when he started playing the saxophone.  I too started playing the saxophone when I was in elementary school, however, I produced much different sounds.  I recall my brother Ryan comparing my playing to the sounds of a slow dying moose.

(Photo: Reed)

Bill has been around the music industry for a long time.  He shares one of his most proud accomplishments; producing Peaches & Herb’s Colors of Love album.  You might remember Peaches & Herb best from the late 70’s hit Reunited.

“Reunited and it feels so good

Reunited ‘cuz we understood…”

Bill said he was going to use my $10 to buy him some new reeds for his saxophone.  My name must have subliminally influenced his decision.

I asked him what he thought of my project and he said, “Giving is a beautiful thing.”  That it is.  Speaking of giving…I’ll give you a little peak at Bill’s musical talent.  Check out the following video.

 

UPDATE: Nov 15, 2011:

I ran into Bill this morning at Metro Center. As I climbed the escalators I was greeted by the crisp November air and the melodic tunes of Mr. Davis playing the saxophone. It makes the vibe of the whole area kind of cool. We chatted for a second. He said he was doing alright and might even stop by David’s farewell party next Monday night.

Here’s a photograph I took of Bill this morning…I took this with my point and shoot which is old and not that good…but it still captures his familiar poise.
IMG_3993.jpg

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Day 98 – Chris H.

Posted in Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , , , on March 28, 2010| 4 Comments »

On Friday I came home to my apartment to find a package full of items for Gregory of Day 71. 

Thanks again Darnell!

So Day 98 was an interesting day.  I actually met up with a local news reporter and cameraman and they followed me around while I gave away my $10.  I also ran into Phillip from Day 75.  He was doing great.  He always makes me smile.

It was raining so I took cover at the top of the escalators at the Tenleytown Metro. 

The first woman I approached said that she didn’t have time as she was on her way to exercise class.  I then approached a couple, but they were looking for a ZipCar location and were late to pick up their car.  Then saw a woman walking into the Best Buy and tried to speak with her but she refused.  

Chris - Day 98 (Photo: Reed)

It was my fourth attempt of the day when I approached Chris.  He kindly stopped and said that he would accept my $10.  It turns out Chris is on his way to work.  He lives in Maryland and takes the Metro down to Tenleytown and then hops on a bus that takes him down to his job in Upper Georgetown.

Chris works in the mortgage business.  

We talked a little bit about giving.  He thinks that giving is mostly spontaneous.  That the decision of whether he gives to someone on the street or not is triggered in the seconds before he gives or decides not to.  As it relates to giving to people on the street, I think this is the case for most individuals.  You might have a preconceived notion about giving in these situations, but that may change in the moment if for example the person says something to you that sparks your desire to help them.

When Chris isn’t putting in insane hours at the mortgage firm, he enjoys going out and “enjoying life.” He also likes to cook…me too!  I can’t remember if he said he had taken some classes or he wanted to.  I recently took two courses at the Sur La Table store at Pentagon City.  They were great.  Chris has actually got some practical experience from when he worked as a cook in college.

Chris thought a minute about what he would do with the $10 and decided to give it to a homeless person.  “There are a couple of guys right outside my office…I will give it to one of them.”

We parted ways and I saw his bus a few hundred feet away getting ready to pull away.  He hustled over and thankfully made his bus…I would have felt bad had he missed it because he took time to speak with me.

UPDATE: I met up with Chris again on Friday and he hadn’t given away the $10 yet as the guys who are usually outside his office had not been there all week.  He hopes that he sees them this week.

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Day 93 – Sean A.

Posted in Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 21, 2010| 3 Comments »

I have gotten way behind…all the wonderful emails, comments, media and speaking requests, etc…added to being out of town for a couple days has taken its toll.  Thankfully I got a good night’s sleep last night and am recharged and ready to get caught up!

On Wednesday I headed to Dupont Circle to meet with Katherine Frey and Susan Kinzie of the Washington Post.  Susan had tagged along with me the day before and today Katherine joined to photograph my Year of Giving.

We ran into Bill from Day 36…he was playing an original song he wrote called “Made as One” at the South end of the circle (click here for a pic of us talking).  We chatted briefly…he seems like he is doing well. He is still looking for some places to play.  He used to play at Potbelly’s some evenings, but they have stopped that.  If anyone would be interested in having Bill play at their establishment, let me know.

It was a little after 5pm and the sun’s shadows were growing longer.  I wanted to walk over to the area where the chess players hang out.  It was there I met Sean.

Sean waits his turn to play chess (Photo: Reed)

Sean is a telecommunications engineer with the US Army.  I asked him what he did more specifically and he responded, “I like to tell people that I used to be the guy that you would see in the movies carrying that bag…well, now I try to destroy the other guy’s network!”  When he is not serving our country, the father of three daughters likes spoken word poetry and playing chess.

Sean had made his way up to Dupont Circle after finishing work for the day.  He stands carrying a chess set that he says belongs to his daughter.  In fact he has taught all three daughters to play chess.  Although this is the first time he has been to the circle since winter and snow blanketed Washington, he tries to play as much as possible.

“This is like crack” he says, “although I have never tried it, it’s gotta be something like this.”  “I wake up in the morning thinking about it.  It’s sick!” he says with a grin. 

Today all the chess tables are taken.  Sean waits his turn.  “That’s ok though.  I like to watch.  There are some really good guys here and I always learn something.”

It was about this time that I learned something that I never knew before.  Sean tells me that he played chess for the Army for 4 or 5 years.  I figured he meant that he was in like a chess club at the different locations he was stationed at, but I was wrong.  In fact Sean’s job for the Army was to play chess.  He was on the Army chess team and that was his job.  I had no the military had chess players on the payroll! 

I had a lot of great video of Sean, but for some reason it was not saved on my camera.  I did have some other quick video clips that I had taken later that I have put together here.  Sean talks a little bit about playing chess for the Army, donating his time, and teaches me a little chess lingo.

As for the $10 he said that he was going to give it to his daughters.

Well, that’s it for today.  I am going to go start practicing my chess game.  Maybe the Army will hire me!

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Day 92 – Carlos C.

Posted in Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 20, 2010| 14 Comments »

Today has been incredible!

There were two beautiful stories on the Year of Giving today.  One by Rebecca Sheir of NPR and the other by Susan Kinzie of the Washington Post.  Please check out their respective links…they are amazing!  Their terrific reporting has driven more people to the Year of Giving website today than all the other days combined!  20,000+ hits

I have been inundated with emails, comments, requests to follow me on twitter and requests to be a fan of the Facebook Page.  People have written to me telling me that the Year of Giving project brought them to tears!  I am speechless and so appreciative of the support that I have received from so many of you!

I shot a little video of me tonight.  Keep in mind that in the last 48 hours I have driven over 500 miles, attended my cousin’s funeral, slept in two different Comfort Inns, and tried to respond to over 350 messages and comments that I have received.  If I seem a little out of it…it’s the lack of sleep 😉 

Earlier this week I met Carlos at the Eastern Market.  Carlos is the person I gave money to on one of the days that Susan Kinzie tagged along with me.  He has been working at the family run butcher shop for 18 years…since he was 10!  He used to cook samples for hungry patrons when he was a kid.  

Carlos at Canales Quality Meats, Eastern Market (Photo: Reed)

Carlos is very knowledgeable about the meats that they have…showing me the pork from Pennsylvania and Virginia and the beef from various parts of the US and Canada.  “You want to look for good marbling in the meat…like little ‘lightening bolts’” he tells me.  Filet mignon is his favorite!

Rather than me write more about Carlos…go read Susan’s wonderful article!  It’s apparently the most read article from Friday’s edition!  Amazing.

By the way…I got an email from Carlos today telling me that he gave his $10 to his wife, Gale.  “She just found out that she will most likely be laid off this July 3rd because of Montgomery County budget cut backs.  It made her feel nice. Thank you.”

Carlos with his father, Emilio (Photo: Reed)

Go say hello to Carlos and his father Emilio at Canales Quality Meats at Eastern Market!

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Day 91 – Lysa S.

Posted in Something for others, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 19, 2010| 20 Comments »

If you are in the Washington, DC area today (Friday) pick up a copy of the Washington Post.  There is terrific story about the Year of Giving by Susan Kinzie in the Metro section.  NPR’s Rebecca Sheir (WAMU 88.5FM) is also doing a story that will be aired on NPR’s Metro Connection at 1pm. 

My car got a flat last week because of a pot hole in the parking lot of Target in Seven Corners, VA.  The last thing I need right now is to pay for new tires.

I went over to Costco’s Tire Center to get two new tires placed on the car.  I got there a half hour before they opened so that I could be first in line and that way I could get out of there quickly as I had a ton of things to do that day. 

As it turns out, I was not the first one there.  Lysa was sitting in her SUV when I arrived.  Somebody else had the same idea. 

Since I had some time before they opened I decided to see if Lysa would take my $10.

She was sitting in her vehicle reading her Kindle, which she said she loves.  She was there to get her tires rotated and balanced. 

It turns out that she is a personal shopper for Nordstrom department store.  She loves her job.  She has been doing this since the 90s when she did advance work for Clinton and Gore.

There are no photos or video of Lysa.  She told me that there was no way that I was getting a picture of her in her “I’m just going to Costco” outfit. 

She told me that she was going to put the $10 toward a care package that she is putting together for the mother of one of her children’s friends who is serving in the US military in Afghanistan.  What a thoughtful use of the $10.

So…here is where my $10 gift turns into a net loss of $32.

At about this time there are numerous people waiting outside for the Tire Center to open.  I start to wonder if they will just try to pretend like they were her before Lysa and me.  There were no such issues and we go in only to find out that I have left my wallet at home (I keep the $10 in the inner pocket of a little notebook I carry around).  The Costco employee says that he can not start the work until I pay and present my membership card.  I was able to go over and get a temporary card at the Customer Service Center but I still had no way to pay for the tires up front.  I asked if he would make an exception and start the work and then I would take the Metro back to my house, get my wallet and come back and pay for it.  He agreed…but just one little problem.  I had no money on me whatsoever.  I had just given away all the money I had on me.  So I could not take the Metro and was forced to take a taxi back to DC to my condo where I ran in to get my wallet and paid the driver.  It cost me $20.  Then I had to Metro back over to Costco…another $2.

Oh well…I got a $22 reminder to always take my wallet with me!

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Day 89 – Tim K.

Posted in Something for others, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 16, 2010| 6 Comments »

Did you vote for who I should invite to lunch/dinner at Clyde’s?  If not go here to vote!

I went and saw Avatar with my dad…really good movie. I don’t know why I didn’t think I was going to like it.  Not the old 3-D that I remembered.

I headed home around 11pm and on my way home I caught the shuttle bus from Rosslyn over to Georgetown.  While I was waiting for the shuttle a young guy walked up with a huge bag and asked if the bus was still running.  I thought it was…well, I was waiting for it so I really hoped it was.  Sure enough, a few minutes later it pulled up.

The bus did come and we got on.  We were both stuck on the bus for a while so I decided to give Tim my $10. 

Tim aboard the Metro Shuttle (Photo: Reed)

We had a few things in common…we both grew up in Central Pennsylvania (about 25 minutes from each other), we both studied in Spain, we both spoke Spanish, we both studied political science…although I ended up changing my major.  Tim is studying International Political Economics.

Tim says that when he is not reading or traveling, he is playing on Georgetown’s Ultimate Frisbee team.  I have to be honest…I have never played…and probably would be no good at it.  I don’t ever recall being very good at Frisbee.

Tim said that he was going to use the money to buy something for his friends…maybe food or drinks…but definitely something for someone else he said.  Hopefully he will drop a note and let us know what the fate of my $10 bill was.

By the way, if you want to help a nice guy out…Tim needs something to do for the summer.  A summer job or internship.  “It would be nice to learn something new” he says.  I have his contact info if you have any ideas for him…just post them here.

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Day 88 – Hans O.

Posted in Donation, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 15, 2010| 9 Comments »

Today, March 15th, marks the three month mark in my year-long journey.  Many times the recipients are inspired to give the $10 to someone else or to a charity.  Other times someone watching what is going on or reading on my blog has been inspired to give $10 themselves.  I have been lucky in these first three months to witness so many inspiring moments.  Day 88 was one of those special days.

I traveled up to Gaithersburg, MD to see my friend Jeff perform in the Rockville Little Theatre’s production of Over the River and Through the Woods.    The show is very well performed and the Gaithersburg Arts Barn is a great intimate space to see theatre.  The show ends this Sunday and I hear that there are still tickets left for some of the shows…so if you live in the area check it out!

Photo courtesy of http://www.clydes.com

After the show, some friends joined Jeff for a late meal at Clyde’s Tower Oaks Lodge in Rockville.  Tower Oaks Lodge has been a favorite spot after many theatre performances in Rockville.  It’s a very unique locale…it’s almost as if you leave the Washington metro area and walk into the Adirondacks when you walk through the front door. 

I still hadn’t given away my $10…so I went searching throughout the many rooms looking for a recipient.  I settled on Hans…a man in his late 30s / early 40s who was standing by himself behind the host station.  I figured he must work there and who better to give it to than someone working at almost midnight on a Friday evening.

It turns out Hans is the General Manager of the restaurant!  He has been with the Clyde’s Restaurant Group (they also own the Old Ebbitt Grill, 1789, and  F. Scott’s to name a few) for 20 years and worked at four of their properties. 

Han's poses with his $10 (Photo: Reed)

We get interrupted by some young guys wandering in the door in search of a banana split.  Hans take care of them and we pick up where we left off.

Hans tells me that he is going to give his $10 to the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, an organization that believes that children thrive with the active involvement of both parents.  Furthermore they feel that barring “issues of abuse, neglect or abandonment, social and government policy must be structured in such a way as to promote and maximize the opportunity of all parents to contribute to the social, emotional, intellectual, physical, moral and spiritual development of their children.”

I had a feeling that there was a story behind this, so I asked.  It turns out that Hans is a divorced father who has not seen his children in more than two years.  I didn’t dig into the details too much as I could see that this was a sensitive issue for him. 

Hans said he was really impressed with my commitment and told me to come see him if I needed a job.  He then gave me his business card and a $100 voucher to eat at the restaurant!  Oh my gosh.  I didn’t know what to say but to thank him.  That was really nice of him.

I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the gift certificate to Clyde’s.  I am going to invite 2 of my previous $10 recipients to join me (and hopefully Hans) for lunch one day.  Now the hard part, who do I invite…this is where I NEED YOUR HELP.  Please vote here on who you think most deserves to go with me to eat at Clyde’s.  I have already invited Hans.  The list below is of the top 20 recipients based on feedback that I have received, page loads, etc.  I have removed several names of those who are not local or did not give any contact information.  [UPDATE 4/3/2010:  Voting is now over]

I thanked Hans again and headed back to my table.  I was gone so long that they had already settled up the check.  My friend Jeff paid for mine.  I insisted that I give him money for it but he wouldn’t accept it.  Thanks Jeff.

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Day 87 – Rick

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged , , , , , , , on March 14, 2010| 5 Comments »

Mark your calendars.  June 15th is the Worldwide Day of Giving.  I know what you are thinking.  You’ve never heard about this day.  Well, that is because I just made it up.  It’s going to be an amazing day though.  Let’s see how many people throughout the world we can get to give $10 (or the local currency equivalent) to a stranger on that day and then share their stories here on the Year of Giving.  More details to come…but start telling people now.  This is your chance to experience the exhilaration that I have been feeling every day for the last 3 months!

On Day 87 I met Rick.  He was sitting in front of a hair salon on Connecticut Avenue.  I remember seeing Rick about a month and a half ago when I was giving my $10 to Ron.  Ron asked if I knew Rick…he said, “Everybody out here knows Rick.” 

Rick says he has been homeless for 7 months…but that doesn’t seem to add up with the fact that everybody seems to know him.  Even Rick himself told me that everybody knows him.  Maybe he has been panhandling longer…but just lost his housing 7 months ago.

He says he doesn’t like to stay in shelters.  “They’re full of drug users in there” he says.  Most nights he sleeps on the streets.

He keeps one eye always on the foot traffic…especially the ladies.  He is quick to shoot a smile their way.  A couple people fill his cup with dollar bills as we talk and a few regulars say hello.

Rick is a little too smooth.  I wasn’t sure what to believe or not to believe. Sometimes he seemed to lose his train of thought…maybe it was the booze.  His breath was soaked in alcohol…although he wasn’t sloppy. 

Check him out for yourself and find out what he thinks of his family, where he sleeps, and what he says he is going to do with the $10!

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Day – 86 Nathan A. and Harry K.

Posted in Donation, Something for others, tagged , , , , , , , on March 13, 2010| 2 Comments »

Today I ended up giving my $10 to two different people!

I was joined today by Rebecca Sheir from NPR.  We met at my apartment and talked for a little while and then set out to find a recipient.

On our walk we saw Anthony from Day 67.  He was his upbeat usual self.  The next time I see him I will let him know that Maureen is giving him some shoes!  He is going to be so excited.

Chatting with Nathan

Near the White House we found Nathan.  He looked deep in thought as he sat by himself on a bench.  Nathan is 52, lives in MD, and is unemployed.  He questions my intentions when I offer him the $10, but when he realizes that it is a genuine offer, he graciously accepts.

Nathan keeps a positive attitude despite being unemployed.  He says that he hasn’t bought hardly anything that he doesn’t truly need in over a year to help him save money.  In the video below he talks about having to move into a basement apartment to reduce his monthly expenditures even more.  He also shares what he is going to do with his $10.

You can find Rebecca Sheir’s report of this experience here.

We left Nathan and walked around the city some more.  Near Gallery Place we bumped into Ivory from Day 49.  It’s been over a month since I last saw him but he recognized me immediately.  He is still trying to get more books produced.  He recently got a shipment of 500 of them which he said he sold out of immediately.  Ironically as we chatted with him, the person who is helping him get his book published walked by.

We started walking back to Dupont Circle.  On our way we noticed a large tractor-trailer with expanded sides.  It was a mobile museum exhibit on the customs and traditions of the American funeral.  At first I thought this was a very odd exhibit to have, much less housed in the back of a trailer.  We were greeted by Harry who is the President of MRA Experiential Tours which operates the exhibit.

Harry in front of the American Funeral Museum (Photo: Reed)

He invites us inside and shares the history and culture of American funerals to us.  He proves to be very knowledgeable on the subject and we find out that he has first hand experience…he worked his way through college working at a funeral home.  The exhibit is very interesting and you can find out where it is going to be by checking their website.  Although, it might not be completely up to date as Washington, DC was not listed on their calendar.

Harry started in the shipping and freight forwarding business for events.  He later got the idea of having mobile exhibitions.  He now has about 20 trucks in the fleet.  He has done work for a variety of well-known companies such as Mattel, Boeing, Tabasco, AstraZeneca, Mazda, etc.

You might recall that on Day 82 Keith gave me $10.  I wanted to give that to someone but in addition to my regular amount that I give each day.  So since I already had given Nathan my $10, I used Keith’s $10 and gave it to Harry.  In turn Harry said that he would donate the money to the National Scholarship Program of the American Board of Funeral Service Education.  The scholarship program was established to provide financial awards to students enrolled in funeral service or mortuary science programs to assist them in obtaining their professional education. Established during the 1960’s the program has awarded scholarships to hundreds of students.

Thanks to both Keith and Harry for making that donation possible!

We took a different route back to Dupont Circle and guess who we ran into sitting in Franklin Square?  Nathan had met up with his brother and they were sitting talking to each other.  We were a few blocks from where we had originally met him.  Small world.

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Day 85 – Manny H.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , , , , , on March 12, 2010| 4 Comments »

Yesterday Rebecca Sheir of NPR did two great stories on the Year of Giving.   Check them out.  One of the stories is available online here …the other I can not get to load on here.

Also, check the Lend a Hand section….some people have stepped up and offered to help out some of the recipients with items they need.  Thanks Teri and Maureen!

Manny takes an order in the Sauca-mobile (Photo: Reed)

On nice days, I sometimes will walk all over the city looking for someone interesting to give my $10 to.  Tuesday was just such a day.  It was warm and sunny and I must have walked 3 or 4 miles.  I ended up giving my $10 to a guy in a lunch truck.

Manny was laid off from a Venture Capital firm right before the holidays…now he is helping out the Sauça lunch truck. 

According to their website, Sauca “combines food, travel, music, design, technology and fun into the most interesting new concept to hit the streets.”  The concept was inspired by “snack vendors in India, railroad station vendors in Europe and the mobile taquerias of South America.”  Manny knows a little something about international street food…he has travelled all over the world with the Armenian Folk Dance Group.  He likes the fish tacos…but says everything is good.  I can’t vouch for the food yet, as I had already eaten when I came across the truck.  I will seek them out on another day and try their food, however, I can tell you that a frequent customer stopped by and raved about the food and service.  She bought the Medi Vegi and said it is “amazing!”

The website is cool…they have a web came that shows what’s going on at the truck (this was not working when I checked the site out) and they have a great list of sauces you can get.  You can also check the website to find out where the truck is going to be.  Manny says they are planning add several more trucks this summer.  Seems like these lunch trucks are doing well…I should open up a little mobile taqueria!

Check out the video to find out what kind of job Manny is looking for, what he did with the $10 and also take a behind the scenes tour of the truck.

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Day 84 – Jim and Jacqie

Posted in Rent, tagged , , , , , , , on March 11, 2010| 2 Comments »

I was trying out a new spot called Social.   It’s on 14th Street just north of the Columbia Heights Metro.   I just was having drinks, but the food looked fantastic.  They do several portion sizes as well so that you can share plates easily.  Very cool place…worth checking out.

It was there that I met Jim and Jacqie, a young New Jersey couple transplanted to Silver Spring.  Jim is a video editor.  Jacqie teaches art at a local school.  They are getting married this summer.  I mostly spoke with Jim.

He is a pretty interesting guy.  Frankly I think we are lucky to have Jim with us today.  He told me about some rough times in the past that he had with drug use.  Today he says that he is drug free.  I am sure the road was not easy.

Jim is a big fan of his home state of New Jersey and the opening scene of the movie Way of the Gun…a movie that I have never seen.  It was kind of funny…I think he looked at me twice and slowly said, “Way of the Gun.”  Speaking of guns…check out this video to see Jim’s tattoo.

This is not a tattoo that you later decide you want removed!

Jim handed the money over to his fiancée.  I asked him what he was going to do with it and he said that times were a little tough right now and that he would probably just put it toward rent.

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Day 83 – Brad F.

Posted in Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , , , , , on March 10, 2010| 6 Comments »

I was interviewed yesterday by NPR…so make sure to listen today during the morning and afternoon news for a short report on my Year of Giving by the talented journalist Rebecca Sheir.  Click here to listen online. 

On day 83 I found myself heading over to the Caribou Coffee shop on 14th Street near Logan Circle to meet my friend David who was in the play The Foreigner with me.  On the way I ran into Ron from Day 24.  He was talkative and we chatted for a few blocks as we walked the same direction.  We walked past Bob from Day 72…he was at his usual place shooting baskets.  I would have asked him what he ended up using his $10 for but I had several things to do and was running a little behind, so I decided to follow up with him another day.

Brad (Photo: Reed)

While I was at Caribou Coffee I met Brad.  The 27-year-old was working on his computer when I met him…turns out he has a blog called A Jersey Kid…definitely worth checking out. 

Brad was born in Connecticut but grew up in New Jersey.  He moved to DC to go to George Washington University where he did both his undergraduate studies as well as law degree.  I know what you are thinking…wow, you found a lawyer in DC…what a shocker.  Well, Brad is not a lawyer. 

After graduating from law school he realized he didn’t want to practice law…so he joined an IT firm doing project management.  He also writes regularly on his blog and hopes to make writing a more integral part of his life.  For now he says, “You either do what you love, or do what allows you to do what you love.”

We spoke about all kinds of things.  If you want a good person to just discuss the interesting facets of life, you should seek out Brad and have a chat with him.

On this day he was particularly bothered by some comments made recently by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece, Alveda King.  She was quoted as saying, “Abortion is a racist, genocidal act.”  Brad disagreed with her using such inflammatory language.  Regardless of your views on abortion he says, a statement like this does not encourage educated debate on the subject.  I have to agree.  I wonder what the late Dr. King would have thought about his niece’s views.

I ended up getting a phone call and had to leave, so our discussion got cut short.  Brad says he will give the money to someone else.  I look forward to hearing his story about regiving the $10!

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Day 82 – Cole D.

Posted in Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 10, 2010| 3 Comments »

I am still trying to get caught up writing my blog…I am several days behind now…It’s been tough to stay indoors writing my blog when it is so nice outside.

Cole is a member of the United States Marine Corps (a big thank you to Cole for his service to our country!).  He has made two tours to Iraq and is looking forward to an opportunity to go to Afghanistan in January of 2011.  I notice that his left hand is injured and he said that he injured it while driving a military vehicle in Iraq.

When I meet men and women who have been on active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan I like to ask them what their impressions of our efforts are.  So, I asked him about Iraq.  “We have done our job” Cole says.  “The government is in place.  The Iraqi army is good.  The police are in place.” 

I was surprised by two things that Cole told me.  One was that the Iraqi people don’t want us to leave.  I hope that is representative of us doing a good job there.  The other was that the Iraqi people go crazy for the military issued sun glasses they wear.  They wear Oakley brand if you are curious.

Cole says he will give the $10 to someone else.  He is not sure to who…but he agreed to let us know.

And then something happened that has never happened before.  A man came up to me and gave me $10.  Keith had been nearby and heard what I was doing.  I thanked him but said that it wasn’t necessary, that I had made this commitment and was prepared to part with the $3,650.  He insisted saying that he was really inspired by what I was doing.  I accepted it.  

Thank you Keith!  That was beautiful and sincere and greatly appreciated!  I hope the act of giving made you feel as good as I feel every day when I give away my $10! 

I have given Keith’s $10 away…stay tuned to Day 86 to find out what happened to it!

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Day 81 – James H.

Posted in Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 8, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I heard from Roger D. today from Day 54…he is doing well.  Still struggling but his positive attitude is inspiring.  I hope to meet up with him this week.  He is having some trouble figuring out how to get some medical/dental assistance.  He is also still looking for counseling and a used lap top…if you haven’t checked out the Lend a Hand section, please do, maybe you can help someone today.

James (Photo: Reed)

If you have driven by the corner of Calvert and Connecticut in Washington, DC in the last 8 months there is a chance that you have seen the man on the right.

This is James.  The 39-year-old works for Street Sense.  I try to find one of their salespeople each week because I just love the concept that the paper has and have really enjoyed meeting every single salesperson.

James, vendor #315, got a job after his friend Randy suggested he apply.  Randy used to work for Street Sense until he passed away in November of last year.  The opportunity to help others is what drives James to go out six days a week to sell the newspaper that helps DC’s poor and homeless.  Even on the coldest days, even in the rain, James is out there.  He doesn’t let a lot stand in his way, not even a serious life-threatening illness.

You see, James was born with spina bifida cystica (myelomeningocele).  This is the most complex and severe form of spina bifida.  In James’ case he was born with a hole in his back and part of his spinal cord and nerves were on the exterior of his body.  Doctors operated and put everything back where it belonged, but it left him with some life long challenges, mostly related to his legs.  He uses crutches to get around, but can walk small distances without them he says.

The youngest of eight children, James is very positive.  His warmth is contagious and radiates when you speak with him.  He was so happy I thought he might have been drinking, but after speaking with him for a while I realized that that is just part of the love he exudes.  He is a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and enjoys drawing, seeing movies, spending time with friends, and just “enjoying life.”  As I talk with him I can’t help but think that spina bifida might very well shorten his life.  I later researched it and found that “most individuals live well into adulthood.”

James at corner of Calvert & Conn., DC (Photo: Reed)

I asked him what he planned on doing with my gift and he said, “I am definitely going to give it to someone else…someone who needs it more than I do.”  He followed this statement up with one that I truly believe as well, “When you help others you help yourself.”

Throw away your Prozac and come down to Calvert and Connecticut Avenue in DC and say hello to James.  Repeat daily for 6 days and you will be good to go!

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Day 66 – Nikki G.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged , , , , , , , on February 19, 2010| 5 Comments »

Nikki panhandles near Dupont Circle, DC (Photo: R. Sandridge)

Nikki has been homeless off an on for the past 20 years.  She is 55 and says she suffers from various health complications stemming from some aneurysms that she has had.  She sits on the cold concrete ground, rocking back and forth, and never looking at me in the eye.  The emotion in her face has been completely drained.  She maintains that cool steady expression during the entire time that we speak.

I asked her what she planned on doing with the $10 and she said that she would probably use $5 for food and the other $5 to put on her Metro SmarTrip card.

Nikki says that people can stop by and say hello to her.  She is in/around the Dupont Circle most weekdays.  Also, she could use some help from somebody who understands Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).  She has been denied benefits and says that her case manager is not very helpful in getting the issue resolved.  So if anyone has some knowledge about this and is willing to share with Nikki, please let me know.

I taped a little video with Nikki which you can see here:

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Day 58 -Jeremy G

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged , , , , on February 10, 2010| 2 Comments »

Snowpocalypse 2010 (photo: R. Sandridge)

I woke up this morning to more snow!  After going down and shoveling the stairs and sidewalk in front of my condo, I headed out to give away my $10.  I found Melise, Kevin and Danilo…all said they could not accept my $10 for one reason or another.  All were nice and interesting to speak with…however, I was on a mission.  After more than an hour searching, I found Jeremy.

Jeremy was standing in a covered entry way for an office complex where he sought refuge from the cocktail of cold, wind, and snow that was swirling around Farragut Square in DC.  He is 48.  His stained clothes and weathered look led me to believe that he was homeless.  When I asked him if he was, he struggled with the answer.  Jeremy said he tried to stay with friends mostly or in a shelter near 2nd and E Street. 

Conversation was awkward with Jeremy.  He was extremely polite but seemed to be in a slightly altered state.  I don’t know if it was the cumulative effect of being out in the cold or a result of substance abuse or something else.  He took out a folded piece of newspaper that he had in his stained jacket and wrote down my name and other information I told him.  Every time I would jot something down in my small notebook, he would write something on his paper.  

Jeremy hopes to make a few dollars shoveling snow (photo: R. Sandridge)

I asked him what he was doing there.  He said he thought that some of the maintenance crew of the nearby office buildings would pay him to shovel some snow for a few dollars.  I asked what he would do with the $10 and he said that he would get some food, hot tea, and maybe use the leftover for bus fare.

We didn’t talk more.  I felt he was uncomfortable and I was freezing by this time.  I asked if I could take his picture…he obliged and I took the photo you see here. 

Would you believe on the way home I passed Melise again…the first woman who refused my $10 today.  She was nice and recognized me immediately.  Small world.

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Day 55 – Esteban H.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Refusals, tagged , , , , , , , on February 8, 2010| 5 Comments »

Yesterday my brother invited me to see another Capitals game.  Man, it was a good one!  The Caps were down 4-1, then came back to tie it and eventually win it in overtime.  Although Ovechkin looked a little sluggish sometimes, he was on fire shooting 3 of the 5 goals.

After the game, Ryan and I thought we would hang out a while before we tried our luck getting on the Metro.  They were only running one train every 30 minutes and the majority of those who came to watch the hockey match came by Metro…so you can imagine what a mess it would be right after the game.

We headed into a Starbucks to take refuge from the cold and chat for a while.  I ran into Thomas, a friend who used to live in the same condo as me before he and his wife moved to New York.  Well, they moved back and he spotted me in the coffee shop and said hello.  It’s a small world.

I approached a woman, Lori, reading the paper at the counter and asked her to accept my $10.  She refused, urging me to find someone else more deserving.  I get this answer a lot.  I try to explain to people that they can do whatever they wish with the money.  If you think that you are not deserving of it, why not take a minute out of your day to give it to somebody who you think is deserving of it.  I sometimes think people are too lazy to do that…or they just don’t want to be bothered.

I ended up finding Esteban.  The 67-year-old Mexican-American was standing, with the help of a cane, next to the Verizon Center.  The first thing you notice about Esteban is the fact that he is not wearing any socks or shoes!?!?  He has a pair of sandals on.  He says that he doesn’t wear socks of shoes because he was poisoned with mercury by some people walking by while he slept and now it is too painful to put anything on his feet.

After a few minutes, I find myself a little confused in the conversation.  I switched to Spanish hoping that that would help clear up what he was trying to tell me.  Unfortunately, I realize early into my 25 minute chat with Esteban that he most likely suffers from schizophrenia and/or other mental illness.  Ok, the lack of shoes and socks should have been a red flag.

I am not sure what to believe about what he tells me.  Some details seem normal and very believable.  Like the fact that he came to the US in 1984, has been homeless for most of the time, has relatives in Texas, and is originally from Tamaulipas, Mexico.  But then there were the bizarre stories.  Like the lynching of a bully in a DC shelter or the friendship with a DC police lieutenant or stranger yet, the intimate knowledge he has of a scandal involving the FBI, CIA, and a former DC mayor that caused him to flee the city and end up at the Pentagon. 

It was sad.  Esteban needs help far beyond what I am able to provide.  It takes a while to wrap up the conversation as he retells some of the stories.  He said he would use the money to get some food this week.  I told him to protect his feet.  He explained again about the mercury and how anything he put on his feet hurt.  I suspect his feet are frost bit.  I urged him to go to a shelter, but he refused.

I wished him luck, shook his hand and nodded to my brother to get on our way.  He smiled and hobbled a bit further under the overhang, close to where his bags sat wet from the gray slushy mess that covered the sidewalk.

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Day 36 – Bill C.

Posted in Bills, Food & Beverage, Refusals, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2010| 2 Comments »

I have been so impressed with how many people I know who have opened up their wallets and hearts to help those in Haiti.  Maybe it is because technology has made it easier for us to make contributions, maybe it is because many of us remember our own times of need and how much it means when someone offers to help.  Regardless of the reason, I am impressed.  I have also seen the generous side of many people after they have learned about the Year of Giving.  Thanks to all of you who have offered me support and encouragement.

Today I struck out three times before finding a willing recipient of my $10.  I first approached a city worker.  There is an area of DC called the Golden Triangle.  That district has workers dawned in bright yellow vests whose job it is to help people find where they are going and keep the area clean and safe.  I doubt they get paid very well and they offer a great service.  The first person I approached said he was not able to accept money while he was working.  So, I went on my way and saw a Latino man leaving a bank with a chef’s outfit on.  I approached him and he seemed very skeptical of my intentions.  He said he was working and could not talk to me.  I gave him my card and kept on walking.  Then I saw another Golden Triangle employee and thought I would see if I got the same answer as his colleague.  Sure enough, he toted the company line.

Three refusals…wow.  One more and I will have a new single day record.  I walked by a man sitting on a park bench next to a guitar case.  Bill was dressed all in black and sporting dark sunglasses.  He looked cool and relaxed as he enjoyed his coffee on this warmer than average Tuesday.  I sat down next to him and explained what I was doing.  He smiled easily and said he really liked my project. 

Bill playing a few songs at Dupont Circle

Bill has been playing guitar for 45 years.  He tells me that he has played and worked with all kinds of people in all kinds of places.  From street corners to now mega-star Alicia Keys.  Yep, Bill did some work for Alicia Keys when she was a young teenager.  He says he likes any kind of music, “from the 50’s to Smashing Pumpkins.”  He credits the Ink Spots, the Platters, and all of Motown as influencing factors.

In recent years, Bill has not been so fortunate.  Playing some gigs here and there and getting some extra cash on the street.  He entertains the public in front of the Starbucks at Dupont Circle and the North and South Dupont Metro entrances.  On a good day he says he brings in over $100.  On a bad day $15. 

If you want to check out some of Bill’s music, you can find him on MySpace.  The site is outdated and doesn’t look like it has been updated in a few years.  I asked Bill if he had family and he mentioned 7 brothers and sisters.  On the MySpace page you will also find what looks to be a blog post by Bill in 2007 asking for help finding his two children that he apparently has lost touch with.  Sad.  He is such a nice guy.

So I asked Bill what he was going to do with the money and he said it would go to food and utilities.  I get the feeling he is not paying rent right now and tries to give as much as possible to his roommate, a fellow musician. 

Bill pulled his guitar out and tuned it.  His fingertips tell the whole story; the hardened skin from years of sliding his fingers up and down the guitar.  He plays a couple tunes and even breaks into some vocals as well.  It would have been a beautifully serene moment had it not been for a certifiably crazy man screaming on the next bench over.

Before I left I asked Bill what his all-time favorite song was…Moonlight Serenade.  For those who live/work/play near Dupont Circle, keep an eye out for Bill and say hello.

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