Report

Funny thing happened yesterday right before the party was set to begin. The regulator valve on my propane grill stopped working. That grill is only 4 months old! I raced down to the Target where I bought it - they refused to give me one off an existing grill - they don't sell the regulators for the grills they sell. The manager absolutely refused to sell me one off an existing model. Grummmmmmmbbbbbling. I was very fortunate that Ace Hardware was right there and - I found out - yes, they sell those valves.

Racing back to my house, there were already 15 people showed up. Got the grill going, the guy doing the music had his equipment set up and he started cranking out the tunes. Excellent music, great voice. I'm propping this guy cause' he wants to try and get into doing gigs at whatever kinds of events, and yes, he's very good. I believe he was a contractor doing drywall - that kind of industry has totally tanked right now. Very talented individual - if anyone has something they need some live music for, I would definitely recommend him and can send you his info if desired.

At the heighth of attendance, there was about 75 people in the house, in my side yard and out front, plus news people. People brought all kinds of food. Attendees were both from Craigslist and from my local community.

One of my agendas that I came up with after I started this "project" was also accomplished. I was trying to get enough people from my immediate community together to start up a Neighborhood Association (much different than a Homeowner's Association, they're started up to help the people in the community).

The party was a total blast, I had a great time. People stayed as late as 8:00 pm. I was thinking of doing another party - but - it's going to start getting warm and an outdoor party really isn't the greatest thing from my perspective, but that's just because I'm working outside a lot. Actually, I was thinking of having another party possibly at a local park somewhere. I imagine more people would come just for fact of not having to come to a stranger's house.

Anyway, I want to thank everyone that helped out. People brought food, drinks, entertainment, a cool cop car and I'm hopeful that everyone that came had a good time as well.
ben

Party!

Okay, in a little less than 6 hours we're going to be cooking and eatin'!
I want to thank the 4 individuals that have donated varying sums to help out with this party. It is VERY much appreciated, more than you know!

Just a couple of notes for those that are coming that might check the blog before they leave:
Plenty of parking up and down my street - just please do not block anyone's driveways.
Again, I have limited chairs - if you have lawnchairs, just bring your own if you are inclined to be sitting because I just don't have that many. Everyone will be invited into the house - for whatever room is available - as well, I'm just thinking this is definitely going to be more outside than inside type of deal.
Weather is good - beautiful, actually, today - couldn't have picked a better setting on the dial! - and thank God all the wind has died down that even shut down Sky Harbor the other day!

Also, the news will be here. They have assured me that they will not put anyone on TV that doesn't want to be. I think they did an excellent job of the story and believe they will do what they say they will do. They are very professional and respectful people, at least with my experience with them, so you really don't have to worry about that if you don't want your face plastered all over TV! lol. Quite amazingly, this story is being shown all over the country. Even more amazing - well - the thought of the news media getting involved never even crossed my mind, just didn't think this story would generate that kind of interest!

Anyway, look forward to seeing everyone that has RSVP'ed - and if you are just stopping by here and want to come, either leave your email address in the comments section of this post or find my ad on Craigslist and reply to it and I will send you the address.

Have a great day, everyone!
ben

News

Just a quick note.
Channel 15 news was over here today. I went to Costco, bought the hamburger buns and hot dog buns - and a few brats - and some sodas and green tea drinks - and then they came over to my house.
I'm getting that this is a good story in the midst of a lot of bad stuff going on out there right now. A LOT of bad stuff.
I was quite impressed, too. The reporter and the cameraman were very nice (read: cool) and professional individuals. I sometimes get a "view" in my brain of what some of those people are like - this broke that stereotype in my mind.

They came over to my house and I read a couple of emails I have received. No names - just some of the unbelievable tragic stories. I hope that doesn't offend whoever's email I might have read - but as I said, no names, addresses, nothing too revealing, just the story. The story is happening over and over and over all over the place. If the average person can just put a face to the situation going on, then it becomes personal and starts to touch the heart and soul in a way that does not happen with the generalizations that you see in the news.

I am only adding this for those that may be skeptical about my intentions, or who I am, or why I'm doing this. It never started out to be anything more than just an offering to the community - as small as it may be - to give a moment of refreshing, a time to let go of the stuff that is going on in so many individual's lives.

I am not very good at talking in front of cameras, so if you watch it tonight, well, in "real person" I am a very much more relaxed individual. They are showing on the 10:00 oclock news.

Anyway, I thought about the number of people that have replied and the fact that I invited some of the community I live - and figured I better go back and get more hamburger buns! Lol.
ben

I believe that I have responded to every email that has been sent to me at this point and also the email addresses that were listed on this blog on one of the entries.
So - if you wanted to come and sent me an email and I didn't respond - you will need to do so again as I must have missed it.

Just 3 more days and the party will be here!
If anyone else wants to come that hasn't RSVP'ed, please do so and I will send you my address.

Also - and again - I have limited amount of chairs so if you want a place to sit down, please think about bringing lawnchairs or something similar.

ben

Wow!

Unbelievable interest in this party has resurged.
I don't want to get in over my head, so I just deleted that last Craigslist posting.
For everyone that is coming, if you have lawn chairs or any kind of folding chairs, please bring some seating for yourselves because I simply don't have a lot. Sometimes people want to sit at parties, others want to stand and mingle.
Personally, I want to meet everyone that comes!
Anyway, I have replied to everyone that put their email address on the last blog posting here and am still replying to emails that are continuing to pour in.
As I said, I don't want the party to be a bust by not having enough food and drinks and such - though quite a number of you fine folks have said you are bringing stuff - so that will be a great help! Anyway, my house isn't the size of the Taj Mahal, so I figured I better cut it off. Anyone that has already emailed will get a reply with address, just not going to have that latest posting up on CL.
I'm looking forward to a great time with everyone!
BTW, it sounds like a lot of kids are coming - if anyone has ideas how to keep them entertained while everyone else is mingling, I would definitely be open to it. I have teenaged boys - but they are totally into Playstation III and other video game systems/games. However, they do like to play football - maybe some football in a nearby grassy area - with adult supervision of course - would be cool?!!
Open to ideas!
ben

Party

Today - and tomorrow probably - I will be sending out emails to everyone that RSVP'ed for this coming Saturday's party. If you RSVP'ed but don't receive a confirmation email from me with my address and directions by the end of tomorrow - please write me again.

I actually have no idea how many people will actually show versus the number that have RSVP'ed - which is why I am continuing to take anyone that wants to come on the list.

What I do continue to receive are some pretty sad stories about families that have no income besides unemployment and many that are facing homelessness.

I simply don't have the answers, but I'm with you and I hope that somehow, everyone finds a way through all of this.

Also, a couple named Bill and Julie had voiced their desire to come -on the comments section of one of these blog entries, but I never got an email from you to send you my address - the ad is still up on CL, if you can simply reply to that ad I can send you the information.

Hope everyone has a great day, regardless of the chaotic climate going on around us.
ben

Drawing Closer

Just a couple of weeks until the next party!
I have been replying to a lot of emails - some are RSVP'ing for the party, others are making comments.
If you sent me an RSVP email and I haven't replied to it yet, please re-send. I have had a lot of email and may have missed yours.
Also, the question of children has arisen.
Of course children are welcome, I have a teenaged son and his friends who spend entire weekends over here!
Also just wanted to say thank you to the gentleman that sent a donation towards the party - greatly appreciated and will be used for the purpose you intended it for.

Again - for those that are just coming onto this blog - this is a free dinner. I do not expect or require anyone to bring anything. If you DO bring something, that would be great! If you show up empty-handed - no problem! If you show up empty-handed with a dozen people - cool! This is sort of a dinner and BBQ combined, as I will be grilling steaks, hamburgers, brats and hot dogs, but there will also be coleslaw and probably some sort of side dish as well, as well as various kinds of drinks.

As for the economy - well, we all know where that is right now. Personally, my company is shutting down stores, laying off people and are talking about combining divisions. 10% of our workforce was let go early last year, another couple thousand nationwide have been let go since then. As all companies are doing - they are doing whatever they have to to survive, unfortunately, that means workforce reductions (nice way to put it). I feel very fortunate to still be amongst the employed - but there are no guarantees.

Anyway, I just wanted to do an update and let everyone know the party is still a go!
Have a great day!

Steak

I just bought 25 steaks the frozen, high quality stuff that you get through delivery) for this party, lol. THOSE will be on a first come, first served basis! After that, you'll have to resign yourselves to pulled pork BBQ sandwiches (absolutely delicious!); hamburgers; some brats and then after that the lowly ole' hot dog.
Remember, this is a FREE party, there is no cover charge, I don't expect anyone to bring anything (but you most certainly can bring something if you want to!). I made some homemade coleslaw at the last party that I absolutely loved (whether anyone else did or not, lol). Gonna do that again.
I was thinking of doing an early afternoon party, but I have had email from people thinking this was going to be a night thing. Doesn't matter to me- whatever anyone wants to do! Maybe start mid-afternoon and cruise into the night.

My heart goes out to the hundreds of people that have written about their situations - people that are losing their homes, that is something that is just unfathomable to me. These aren't lazy moochers, either, these are hard-working people that have had the misfortune of losing their job and not being able to find another. Unemployment benefits are better than nothing - but it certainly doesn't cover the cost of most home mortgages in this market.

ben

Is This A Scam?

Just want to address that issue on this third posting on this blog.
I have no ulterior motives, I am not selling something, there will be no sexual advances when you come over here. I am not a mortgage broker or a "modification specialist". I work in the Waterworks industry - which sells fire hydrants and underground pipe to contractors. I don't know of too many households that I could sell that kind of stuff to, so you're pretty safe there.

I am also not a religious fanatic - though I have ties to religion, you aren't going to get preached at.

If there's one point I want to make through these parties - it's a very simple one: I firmly believe that the old ways are the best ways - people take care of people. Still many people in the U.S. that also believe this - help one another if you can help. If you can't - don't worry about it. Do what you can. If you're the one in need, it never used to be that you had to hide it because you would lose your dignity and pride. No-one wants to be humiliated. How can you help it if you lost your job because the company you are working for is tanking due to the economy? You can't.
That cascades into losing your home. Potentially and realistically in many cases, that can result in being homeless. This is a national tragedy that is affecting literally millions and millions of lives - both adult and children. We see it in the news, but do you see it personally? Odds are - eventually - you will. I have received hundreds of emails from people that have lost their jobs and now are going to lose their homes. It's no longer just the bad deals that were made, now it's affecting the working class that - wouldn't be losing their homes if they hadn't lost their jobs.

In my humble opinion, we simply need to start looking around us. People don't want to look like they're needy. Do we know our neighbors? Do you know the family 2 doors down? 3 doors down? People you know could be hurting tremendously and you may know nothing about it. It's a simple matter of starting to ask what's going on with your neighbors, your friends, your family. The families that are JUST barely eeking by on one income - those people could use a little extra food. Maybe pay an electric bill for them, whatever you can do! I KNOW there are people that are not hurting - everything's fine and rosy regardless and you are the folks that can help.

That is my heart in all of this. If I can start a spark - if something could start happening all over the valley - where people open their eyes and realize that the Joneses are no longer trying to do anything but stay afloat - maybe we can ease this suffering just a little bit.

Hey, I lost hours at work. Enough that I had to make some serious choices about things around my home. I made my choices and now? Foreclosure isn't a word I'm willing to have to deal with in my personal life - I will fight and claw and do whatever I have to to make it through this mess. So are many, many other people. The effect of what I ended up doing actually has caused me to have more than I need. Which is pretty cool, and I don't even have to go to a second job (and not, I am not doing anything immoral or illegal).

The invitation to this party/dinner is open to everyone - whether you are doing great or you are hurting badly. I intend on having a good time - just like at the last party.

More

I've had numerous emails from people stating that the day I have picked isn't a good one for them - asking whether I can change the date or just let them know when I do another one.
It's certainly early enough that the date could be changed.
My reading into all of this is that Sunday is a better day than Saturday because there are many people that work on Saturdays.

Enough consensus and I can change the date to a Sunday - let me know!
This second party will consist of mostly the same thing I had at the first:
BBQ-ed pulled pork sandwiches
Hamburgers
Hot Dogs
Brats
Maybe a few steaks
Drinks
Coleslaw
Chips and dip
Maybe a few beers (but do not want to turn this into drunken debauchery, thanks!)

My house is located near 40th Street & Baseline in Phoenix, near the Tempe/Phoenix border.
If the date doesn't get changed, I will be sending out emails to everyone that RSVP'ed with my address.
Anyone wanting to help out or bring food - please do! (and please let me know what you intend on doing so I can account for that).
But- I am not expecting that of anyone, especially those that have lost homes, jobs and are struggling. Some people have stated that they can't even make it here for lack of funds to put gas in their gas tanks.
And - if you're well off, come anyway! The more the merrier!