Get to Know Your Charities- Team Kaila/JDRF

In Part 2 of our Charity report, I'd like to draw a sensitive candlelight on the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and Team Kaila.

For those who don't know, Type 1 Diabetes, also known as Juvenile Diabetes, is a debilitating disease that affects millions of people. At this point in time, those with Type 1 can maintained with shots of insulin and blood sugar checks-- but this is not a cure.

The JDRF is amongst the forefront in finding the cure to Type 1 Diabetes, with an amazing network of advocates whos strength, as the site states:

"...lies in our numbers and the ability of our Advocates to work together to build bonds--bonds with one another, as well as with our Members of Congress. These relationships strengthen our community, provide support for those who are living with type 1 diabetes, and deliver our message--the need for a cure--faster and more effectively."

Team Kaila is the name of the JDRF Walk-a-thon team JoAnn Arcenal (friend of the SGWG) formed for her darling daughter Kaila, who currently lives with Type 1 Diabetes. According to their walk-a-thon page, their team raised $275... which is an amazing feat. With our help, I believe we can only up the ante.

With one half of the show proceeds going to GILAS, the second half goes to the JDRF in Kaila's name.

We don't think we could have picked a better charity to give to. With Kaila near and dear to our hearts, and many of our own family members living with Diabetes, this is our sensitive stand to raise awareness. We are honored to help Team Kaila, JDRF, as well as GILAS.

If you'd like to learn more about the JDRF, you can always go to the website at http://www.jdrf.org. You can also reach them via phone at 212-689-2860.

Before I go, I just wanted to share a pic of Kaila. Ain't she a cutie:



You're gonna break hearts when you grow up kid ;). Be easy on 'em.

Stay Sensitive,

JL

EDIT: So... they actually raised over $4,000 for the JDRF!!! We're just going to add to that amount... that's incredible... wow....go Team Kaila! Let's hope the SG's can only add to that :D

Get to Know Your Charities- GILAS

Hey all,

Jay again. So if you didn't know already, this Friday, December 12th in Chinatown, NYC is our first SGWG event. The excitement wells up inside me like the howl of a desert coyote after watching Titanic and Sleepless in Seattle back to back.

With that in mind, I thought I might give you guys a look into the charities we're donating to for the December wave of SG shows. I thought I'd start with one near and dear to my family-- GILAS.

According to the website, "GILAS aims to provide Internet access to all public secondary school students in the Philippines, thus giving them an opportunity to a brighter future."

At present, there are 6,373 public schools in the Philippines, and a little over 2,000 have been wired with Internet connectivity thanks to the initiative.

At first glance, it may seem like a strange thing to fight for in the Philippines, when issues like hunger and poverty are rampant in the country. In all honesty, that was my initial reaction as well. But then my father, who is an avid proponent of the initiative really broke it down for me.

My father's support of GILAS stems from his view of a bright future for the Philippines where the upcoming and future Filipino high school graduates do not find themselves drowning in the new wave of ever evolving technology. After my talks with my papa, I agree.

Alongside understanding new technology is the fact that with increased world connectivity comes the increasing of an individual's world view. GILAS, as well as myself, are hoping that this sentiment carries on to the students of schools they wire. Ultimately, I think the increased access to the world will give these kids a chance to dream bigger than the circumstances of their environment may allow them to. And those dreams can lead to change.

SGWG is happy to donate half of the earnings of the next two shows to GILAS. For more information, please go to http://www.gilas.org.

Getting Nods from the Blogs

Two good net pals Angry Asian Man and Slant were posted up my requests to them to help promote the show.

Both tireless watchdogs for Asian American rights, I gotta give them the love for showing us the same beautiful sentiment on their sites.

Here's to both of them, who's kindness and support flows like an unending stream, pure and filtered, through the Colorado Rockies, only accentuated by the crisp breeze of the mountain air and man I've been watching a lot of beer commercials.

Stay sensitive, and thanks to Angry Asian Man and Slant Eye!
http://www.angryasianman.com
http://www.slanteyefortheroundeye.com

JL

Digital Flyers are Out!

Hey All!

Just wanted to let you know that we just finished making our digital flyers. I'll have a couple of smaller tags ready soon, but if you could be so kind as to help us promote :).

12/12/08 - Silk Road Cafe, Chinatown NYC


12/20/08- PJ's Coffee, Highland Park NJ



We wanted the classic vinyl LP look. Hopefully we pulled it off.

Hope to see you there! As mentioned before, all proceeds go to GILAS and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Till next time,

Stay Sensitive

JL

Danny just returned from a Sensitive Retreat

Dear Diary,

I’m sorry for being an (in)sensitive guy who’s been missing in action ever since this argyle explosion of love was launched. But there’s a good reason for my silence.

I was at a Sensitive Guy training retreat. You see – sometimes even the most Sensitive Guy (and let’s face it, I’m the most sensitive one in the bunch since I hug teddy bears and unicorns in public ALL THE TIME) needs to be reshown the ways of the Sensitive Guy. I love New York City as much as I love puppies and children, Santa Claus and Hanukkah Harry, but sometimes the city makes you a little crazy, and you feel a little less willing to give.

Well I’m happy to say I’m a new man!

At the Sensitive Guy Retreat, I learned how to refold my bed sheets into nice squares, how to arrange dinnerware and how to use just the right amount of fabric softener so that my girlfriend’s laundry is snuggly soft. I learned to appreciate that my teardrops taste like gum drops. They’re delicious. And I learned how to rake leaves with just the gentlest touch so that the leaves don’t cry.

And what is this about a girlfriend? Yes, Mr. Formerly Lonely Heart Bear has a girlfriend. But who is she? Let’s just say we share the same love for Care Bears (and their cousins). She’s the Bright Heart Raccoon to my Cheer Bear. The Optimus to my Megatron. The Misfits to my Gem. Without her I am nothing, crying alone into my knitted designer sheets. And sometimes when I think of her, I shower in rose petals and breathe in deep, envisioning being wrapped with her love.

But this is only because the Sensitive Guy Retreat reminded me that it’s ok to cry at Disney movies, it’s ok to love and, most importantly, it’s ok to give with all your heart.

I hope you have been giving with yours, this holiday season.

Do it for the turkeys, the turducken and the tofurkey,

Your Reformed Sensitive Guy

Danny Katz

SGWG SHOW IN NYC AND NEW VIDEO!

Hey guys,

Are you all staying sensitive?

Some great news has come in! We now have an official venue for our NYC Show! That makes two shows for some great causes. Here's the info:

December 12, 2008
Silk Road Cafe
7:30PM - 10:30PM
30 Mott St.
Chinatown, NYC

December 20, 2008
PJ's Coffee
5PM - 9PM
315 Raritan Ave
Highland Park, NJ‎
(732) 828-2323


Proceeds go to GILAS and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation‎

Also, other than the Thanksgiving entry below, we also have a new video for you... enjoy!

Thanksgiving- A Celebration of Sensitivity and Cranberry Sauce

Hey All--

So I meant to put up a post over the holiday season, but well, Thanksgiving is not a time to be hunched over a keyboard in front of a screen that glows like the smile of your first love in those moments after your lips first touch hers.

No, this is a time for family, a lot of good food (as you can see in the picture above), and if you believe in magic, pets that cook phenomenally well. My dog kills it on the grill. I actually took a picture:


But enough kidding aside, I just wanted to give you guys a Top 5 of certain things I'm thankful for:

• 1. Barry Manilow: Other than Dick Clark, no one represents Americana more than this man--which is why it was fitting that he sang the theme for Dick Clark's American Bandstand. The man's voice is dipped in gold with the epicness of whale song, and he continues to spread that magic on decade specific compilations. His newest one, Songs of the 80s, is out now. On it, he covers a great song about how he's never gonna give, never gonna give, give you up.
• 2. Speaking of which, did you watch Rick Astley do his thing during the Parade? I'm thankful this song continues its never ending rise to the top.
• 3. Cranberry Sauce: Here at SGWG, we know that sometimes, the most important parts of anything are often the unsung elements. In the Thanksgiving world, nothing unsings more than cranberry sauce--a delicious gel that is so often overlooked that when we take it out of the can, we never bother to gussy it up (in my household, it often still has the ribbings from the can from whence it came). Well that changes today Cranberry Sauce... consider yourself sung today. You're sweet and amazing, and an amazing foil to the succuluence brought to the table by the turkey that was brought to the table. And don't worry... even though the turkey may be the V8 HEMI that gets everyone running to the table, I know that you're the oil that makes it possible to do what it does. You're the Cyranno of the table, and while some may not know where those dulcet tones come from, don't worry CS. I know. You're an SG.
• 4. Pictionary: True story. When my family or friends get together, more often then not, we play Pictionary. But we play what I'd like to call with Argentinian Sheep Shank No Holds Rules... I don't know why its Argentinian, and why a sheep shank is involved, but essentially only 2 teams are made, and it's all play all the time, with the artists on both sides drawing whatever the hardest thing on the card is. Nothing makes me happier than screaming "Jackal! It's a Jackal!" over and over or not knowing how to draw the word "compare" so you try drawing the scene in Con Air where the plane lands on the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel because Con Air kind of sounds like compare (I swear to you this is a true story).
• 5. Family and Friends: In all seriousness though, I'm very thankful for all my family and friends. We here at SGWG would also like to thank the readers and the folks that are thinking of coming out to the shows.

That's it from me kids. Til next time... Stay Sensitive.

JL