State of the Shelanman

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August 31, 2005

Helping Katrina Survivors

So, I've finally heard from my two friends who were in Katrina's path, and they're OK.

Or, rather, they're alive and well enough to find an internet connection, and post mostly-coherent thoughts about the hell their lives have been recently.

Other than feeling great relief at their alive-and-wellness (especailly for the one who lives in New Orleans!), and trying to be a good friend, I'm left not knowing exactly what to do...

I've been thinking over the last three days... you know, I'll wander over to a restaurant to have a delicious meal prepared for me while I sit on a patio out in the beautiful sunlight, lean back in my comfy chair, and read my book, and it'll hit me: people in New Orleans (among many other places 'round the world, but I too am subject to recency bias) can't enjoy such simple things.

So, I thought, I'll help out! So, being the great hero I am, I ran down to... no... wait, I did nothing of the sort. I thought "hmm... other than giving money to someone else who promises it'll be put to good use, what could I do?" I haven't successfully answered that question yet. I thought about getting in my car (filling up the tank), and heading down there to join in the relief effort... but I don't know that I'd be any help. When I envision myself doing such a thing, I see myself being utterly useless... more hinderance than help...

I mean, if I were a carpenter, or otherwise just good at building things, maybe I could go someplace [that isn't under water] and just help people rebuild... you know... rent a truck, fill it with lumber, drive and just start building. But... I have no idea how to build houses. At work, I mostly build software. Occasionally I'm called upon to build a computer for a friend. People who don't have houses really don't need someone to help them re-assemble computers. And while I could build quite a few, I couldn't afford to buy parts to build very many at all. That doesn't feel like the answer.

[EDIT: Or hell, maybe it is, maybe what we should do is get me and a few of my readers together to try and get donations of gear and offer to build new computers for people who lost theirs in the storm. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I like the idea... any of you wanna help?]

[EDIT #2: Well... my inner-optimist has gone to sleep, and the inner-pessimist thinks this is all too silly and absurd... it doesn't help as much as just giving money to someone who can rebuild homes to buy lumber with. Because people really do need houses, and really can live without computers... so... maybe I got too excited earlier...]

So I thought I'd post something here and encourage my vast readership to suggest things I could do that would actually help out. If there's something really great I could do by heading out towards that part of the country, I think I'd be willing to spend a few days on such a project. I can't spend forever there, but I could probably manage a couple days, if it would really make a difference. If there's something I can do that would actually help from here, that's great too.

Any ideas?

Posted by andrew at August 31, 2005 04:42 PM

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