Various Artists 'American Oxford #5'

Free Food February was one of my many stupid little things that I do. Why? I don’t know. I’ve just always done things like that.

The month where I went meatless… The month of no sugar… The month of no beer… You get the point, right?

When I announced my Free Food February, my friend Christine called me and proceeded to jump all over my back.

At first, she dismissed my little experiment as a “stupid Eugene stunt”… But her friend Melody said, “Eugene’s a genius!”

That statement threw Christine for a loop. She’s not used to hearing the words “Eugene” and “genius” used in the same sentence, much less complimenting the other.

Melody said the I would be saving a MINT on food! I wouldn’t be buying groceries or any food because I would be bumming stuff off my friends. It was pure genius! I could save basically a house payment by freeloading off friends and family.

Christine explained this at great length and with ferocious volume over the phone and into my ear hole… And it got through my thick skull. I made a decision at that moment… I would keep a running tab of all the money spent on food for me by my friends. And at the end of the month, I would donate that amount from my own pocket to Greensboro Urban Ministries.

I spoke to my boss, Bruce Wheeler, about matching whatever that amount came to and he agreed!

So… I’m giving Greensboro Urban Ministries $144.00 that will be matched by Dick Broadcasting Company for a total of $288.00.

The hardest part for me was going over 60 hours without any “real” food. Sure, I knew that eventually I was going to be fed… But there are a lot of people out there without that assuredness. They have no idea when their next meal is coming.

I don’t want to sound like I’m getting on a soapbox here, but lets try to remember that the next time we take that bite of food. While we’re satisfying our taste buds and filling our bellies… There’s a stomach out there that’s rumbling with hunger.

If you’re so inclined… Make a donation to the Urban Ministry in your area or your local food bank.

--Over the weekend, I watched Chinatown… And it seems that I have never seen the film before!

Yeah! I’ve never seen Chinatown! I have no idea what boring Jack Nicholson film that I had Chinatown confused with… Maybe it was that “Two Jakes” flick… I don’t know.

Anyway… I liked Chinatown although it didn’t cause me to wake up friends and family. I nearly woke the neighbors when I saw Roman Polanski cast as one of the thugs… That blew my little mind. And I really liked the “European” ending where some one dies without the obligatory and American “happy ending”.

The film was beautifully shot and that’s the best thing I can say about it… I gave Chinatown 3 out of 5 stars which means that I “liked it” on Netflix.

Thanks to Brad K. for convincing me to give the film that I never actually saw another chance.