SteelyKid has a bit of flu, so we're all a little discombobulated in Chateau Steelypips. I'm going to be trying to get a full day's worth of work before noon, which won't leave room for much blogging.
But here's something for you to think about/ comment on: the day after tomorrow is October 1, which means another year's DonorsChoose blogger challenge. Last year, I famously got $6,000 in contributions by offering to dance like a monkey, but I'm not sure what would follow that. So,
What should I offer to do if I manage to reach the overall challenge goal of several thousand dollars in total contributions?
I'm obviously not going to do anything illegal or immoral, but I'm willing to sacrifice a little dignity for a good cause, as you can see at the link above. So, what can I offer to do that would get you to donate money to help school kids through DonorsChoose?
There will, of course, be some smaller incentives for individual donors, including advance copies of How to Teach Physics to Your Dog. But what should I offer as an overall incentive for meeting the overall challenge goal? If you've got an idea, leave me a comment.
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Shave your head and paint it blue! (kudos to anyone who knows this reference)
Do you and Emmy have any tricks together, like frisbee catching or bunny chasing?
I'll donate whatever you do - Donors Choose has been my #1 charity of choice for years now.
Once again, I'm lobbying for growing (of facial hair) rather than shaving anything. I believe I suggested mutton chop whiskers last year, but a Van Dyke beard would also work.
I'm with Dr.Free-Ride on this one, but I'd prefer a handlebar moustache. That one takes (hair-growing) talent AND skill!
How about [some period of time greater than a month] of beard growing, with weekly photos using Steelykid and/or Appa for scale?
Or, alternatively, construct and carry out some particularly goofy physics demonstration.
I am not enthusiastic about anything involving facial hair, for two reasons:
1) I'm going to be doing book publicity not all that long after the fundraiser ends, and I'd rather not look like more of a doofus than usual when I do that.
2) Kate doesn't like it. And her vote carries more weight with me than everyone else put together.
If facial hair is out, something along the lines of "I believe in physics" might be fun. Two examples are the bowling ball pendulum and hot coal walking, though they have been done before. For most hits, though, let Steelykid and/or Queen Emmy do something surprising to you. Tow you around with appropriate mechanical advantage?
Two words: physics tat.
The tat's been done (over at Bad Astronomy, amongst others...)
I like the fire-walking idea. Or bungee jumping.
There may be enough money in the word to induce Chad to get a tattoo. However, I am pretty damn sure it is more than even remotely feasible to raise on the Internet.
Re-enact several of the sillier scenes from Star Trek. To music. As an interpretative dance. With Chad singing the lyrics in iambic pentameter. While wearing a wig.
OK, maybe not. Something along the line of Scalzi's review of the Creation Museum would work if we could find an appropriate target. If I were cruel enough, I'd suggest joining Scientology for a period and reporting back accurately; but I think this is more likely than a tattoo.
[Hey, would Emmy consent to a tattoo? For real money, a tattoo of a cat? :-)]
Not suggesting this for Chad, but for all the people who are looking to satisfy their facial hair growth for charity fix: Movember ( http://www.movember.com/ ) is coming up.
Trade dinners with Emmy.
*ducks and runs*
Watch Glenn Beck for a week and not scream.....
Video impression of the gang from Big Bang Theory??
OK, if facial hair is out, perhaps you can recreate a great dispute in physics.
With hand puppets.
Get a hold of/make a Jacob's Ladder, get some white smoke around, grab a couple of nice, strong lasers to put through the smoke, possibly an undergrad on a slab and giggle, cackle and guffaw like a proper mad scientist.
Well, it relieves the tension down our way...
"OK, if facial hair is out, perhaps you can recreate a great dispute in physics.
With hand puppets."
YES!
You should do an almost naked nott run. This should be done at either 12:55 pm on a MWF or 12:45 pm on a TTh. It will only help with your book publicity and is not as drastic as facial hair.
I think either can be partial. Either partially naked on a full Nott run or fully naked on a partial Nott run.
Hmm. Don't know what a Nott run, is - should I? - but if Chad's knees are up for it, running a marathon would actually be a win-win scenario.
Plus it would give me someone to share misery with as I aim for running my first next May!
An interpretative dance for one of your physics lectures, delivered to your students and captured on video, then posted online? Must include colorful scarves.
For those not up on Union traditions, a naked Nott run is a run around the Nott Memorial, naked. But I'm guessing that would be vetoed, so how about painting the Idol? Or dressing Chester A. Arthur up to look like a famous physicist?
I think you should have to shave Ethan Siegel's chest hair.
Combine two of the above suggestions? Maybe a re-enactment of a scene from The Big Bang Theory with hand puppets? (Must involve a Sheldon puppet.)