April 1, 2010

It is with heavy heart and with high hopes that I make the following announcements:

Today I cut off my ponytail and shaved off my beard.

For 20 years I have dedicated my life to family, community, charity, education, youth programs, and nonprofit organizations.

I am bankrupt financially and without family.

My dedication and efforts to improve myself, raise my kids, and live a charitable life have resulted in my being homeless, destitute, and unable to own a car.

Just as any wife who dedicates herself to raising her children expects to be cared for by her husband, I somehow possessed the same naive belief that my efforts would be supported and rewarded. Most of my jobs and work since 1992, have been for free. The money I did receive was not enough for me to live on.

Although I designed ways to be reimbursed or paid for my time, I worked freely, with no regard for whether I was paid or not.

This charitable lifestyle of mine destroyed my marriage, weakened my family, and resulted in my being disinherited by my own mother, who wrote a new will specifying I was not to be regarded as her son.

I gave freely of my time to neighborhood organizations, and donated much of my time to my children's schools and was a teacher's aide without compensation.

Although I am proud of my actions and activities, my charitable lifestyle has resulted in my present situation which many of you are aware of.

I apologize for the pressures and requests I have made of my friends and family for assistance. I apologize for being, "a burden on the lodge," as several masons have referred to me. I am also very thankful for the donations, charity, and support I have received from my Mason brothers. Still, I am a man, and I have my pride.

I will no longer ask for any financial support. If I cannot pay my dues, I will quit my membership and rejoin in the future. If I cannot purchase my own ticket for a masonic event, I will not go.

This may not sound like much of a compromise to most people, but I have somehow been able to survive for the last 20 years while being a Mr. Mom, developing my spirituality, and enriching my life and the world around me with my creativity and artistic endeavors. I have been a full-time Kung Fu Master for 20 years, whether I was getting paid for teaching or not.

My life has been blessed and rewarding in many, many ways, that only those closest to me, have been able to see. Yet, I paid a price far greater than I expected for my spiritual lifestyle. Now, without a car, without a job, without a home, and without food, I am forced to change my lifestyle.

So I make the following proclamations, to reassure my family, relieve the stress I have imposed upon my friends, and to regain the respect of my fellow masons:

1. I will dedicate myself to mercenary activities and cease to donate my time and labors to any education or nonprofit organizations.

2. I will dedicate myself to capitalistic motives and ventures that will build up my financial resources until I own property, have a retirement income, and own a car.

3. I will not be involved in raising children or even babysitting--unless I am paid for it.

These proclamations will hopefully no longer be necessary in 20 years when I reach the age of 75, when I plan to retire and rededicate myself to a spiritual and charitable lifestyle again. I hope that by then, I will be able to set an example of being charitable and philanthropic, without being a burden or requiring the support of the community.

I have truly enjoyed my past 20 years and loved the time I spent raising my children. I have been able to save lives, improve lives, and set an example of spiritual and honest lifestyles that I know has inspired and benefitted many persons over the past two decades.

So, although there is regret in my determination, there is also a belief in my values, and my new capitalistic and mercernary motives will not be tainted by my greed and poverty.

This new lifestyle will prevent me from giving so freely of my time. Yet, all persons, in all my different vocations, have encouraged me to take this new self-serving lifestyle path.

Today, April 1, 2010, I cut my hair, shaved my beard, and became committed to joining the mainstream of America, in pursuing my happiness through the fruits of my labors and investments. For twenty years, I will dedicate myself to amassing as much wealth as possible, so that whatever years are left in my life, I can again dedicate them to serving and benefitting humanity, in the unique ways that only I am capable of.