I wrote my patented cloying email to BJ Shorak, NCRF Director, making a casual sales pitch while feigning that she might not remember me. Then, smug and expectant, I sat back and waited.
She responded just a few hours later. Good sign.
"SO good to hear from you, Bill!!"
Yep, you da gal, BJ. Even if you like Karina best. Go on.
"Where have the years gone....? And do I remember you? LOL!!! You and Karen will ALWAYS be special to me."
Emphasis on Karen, but I'm implicated too: special. Special is always a good sign. Lois, did you hear that? Special.
"I would LOVE to see you all again sometime."
Love in caps! Can the signs be any better? This isn't ALDA Crappy Sign--this is ALDA Happy Sign.
"It sure WAS great to be a part of ALDA in those early days. I'll never forget my awe at karaoke there! Pure joy!"
BJ, the joy is all mine. Let's sing together. Go on, my friend. Go on.
"A reunion in Chicago would be great fun!"
Speaking of fun, here's the sponsorship and exhibitor form. Make my day, BJ, make my day...."I would love nothing more than to be able to tell you we can sponsor something, Bill, esp. since it's ALDA's 20th...."
Yep, ALDA's 20th. Best conference ever. Great year to be a sponsor....Hey....wait a minute: "I would love nothing more than to be able to tell you...?" That's not a good sign, that's a bad sign. Bad sign! Code Blue! Code Blue!
"... but I can't."
Oh, nooo.
"NCRF has shifted its focus regarding access-related grants. We have a new "CART for Schools Program," where we provide funding for CART at important school functions such as graduation ceremonies."
Nooooo....But I gotta admit: that's a really laudable focus. It really is.
"NCRF will fund NCRA members to provide CART in select K-12 school events with hearing-impaired participants that otherwise wouldn't have access to realtime captioning."
Does ALDA qualify as K-12? You've been at an ALDAcon karaoke party, BJ. Exhibit A!
"We've already turned down others this year. However, I'll bring this up to my Board to see if there's something we can do...."
Hey, I used to be on that board.
"I'll keep my fingers crossed and let you know!"
So sweet of BJ to let me down gently. She's good people, no matter what happens.
But, umm...wasn't I, the greatest thing since rye bread, supposed to cop a sponsorship here? That gale you feel is the air coming out of my balloon. Maybe I'm not such a hotshot sponsorship-getter after all. I'm special and I'm loved, but I'm a failure. How did I get into this line of work? And with the U.S. economy tanking, this could be the worst six months of my life.
Or is it seven?
1 comment:
Bill,
I have come to the realization that I am going to have to get sponsorship. I am terrified and dredding it. I do not know what I am doing. Worse yet, I am completely deaf which complicates the communication.
I have been procrastinating because I do not know how to approach someone for sponsorship. I keep trying to hype myself up. Today on my blog I wrote a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt which seems fitting for my situation: "You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."
I really enjoyed reading your post and knowing that I am not the only one.
Beck :o)
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