"And then… just two weeks after agreeing to start helping to do these things…My computer, and all of the things I had kept with it, were stolen.Gone."
~Me, in the letter below
Hello Barclay and Apple!
So, here's my story.
When I purchased my Macbook Pro two Februaries ago, it was a
difficult but well-thought-out decision for me.
I knew I did not currently have the financial muscle to buy
the computer straight up. But I really needed a personal computing option for
the things I was about to embark upon.
What things, you ask?
I was putting together a creative project, recording 6 a cappella groups, doing audio, video, and graphic design. I had some capacity for that. But not nearly with the power I needed. Thus, I created the need for the Macbook Pro.
Here was my rationale: I was bussing tables at a restaurant, after graduating with a degree in Philosophy. I wanted to start doing things with my time and talents. This was a good challenge, and right up my alley. I thought: “Spend the money now, as an investment into audio and video and graphic design… Use it to get proficient, then start earning money doing all three of those things. You’ll be able to pay off the computer in the 18 months of 0% APR financing.”
What things, you ask?
I was putting together a creative project, recording 6 a cappella groups, doing audio, video, and graphic design. I had some capacity for that. But not nearly with the power I needed. Thus, I created the need for the Macbook Pro.
Here was my rationale: I was bussing tables at a restaurant, after graduating with a degree in Philosophy. I wanted to start doing things with my time and talents. This was a good challenge, and right up my alley. I thought: “Spend the money now, as an investment into audio and video and graphic design… Use it to get proficient, then start earning money doing all three of those things. You’ll be able to pay off the computer in the 18 months of 0% APR financing.”
I’m pretty good at convincing myself and others.
We did a decent job with the project. I moved up from
bussing to serving tables as well. We experienced a few setbacks on the
project. (Okay, more than a few). The computer was a workhorse.
After the Spring, Summer, and into the fall, I was pretty
burnt out and had learned a lot from the project. And then my life took a
pivot.
In August of 2012, I heard about this thing called The Freedom Café. It was an idea: a non-profit café, where people came in for coffee and tea (free cup!) and then donate. And because it’s a non-profit, relying heavily on volunteer labor and overhead donated space, the donations would go to cover the cost of coffee and tea. From there, anything over the base cost could be donated to a non-profit working in the field to end Human Trafficking and Slavery.
In August of 2012, I heard about this thing called The Freedom Café. It was an idea: a non-profit café, where people came in for coffee and tea (free cup!) and then donate. And because it’s a non-profit, relying heavily on volunteer labor and overhead donated space, the donations would go to cover the cost of coffee and tea. From there, anything over the base cost could be donated to a non-profit working in the field to end Human Trafficking and Slavery.
The church group that I had been meeting with was talking
about doing some sort of local food movement thing, discussing sourcing, and
had just done our first Community Garden.
Now, we heard about this Café idea (in Amherst, MA), and it
matched up. We wanted to try it in Durham, NH.
So, in August 2012, I took the role as the General Manager of the Freedom Café of Durham (Then called the Freedom Café @ UNH).
So, in August 2012, I took the role as the General Manager of the Freedom Café of Durham (Then called the Freedom Café @ UNH).
