Crushing Krisis

Comic Books, Drag Race, & Life in New Zealand

krisis

Krisis has been creating Crushing Krisis since 2000, writing songs since 1996, and reading comics since 1991. He is a Customer Success and Digital Brand Strategy executive, serial organizer, parent, and feminist, among other things. Based in Philly through 2017, he now resides in Wellington, NZ.

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At first I thought that i was hungry. Two in the morning, lying on my back on top of the covers thinking that maybe, perhaps, i was hungry.

There was definitely a sensation of roiling unease in my stomach, and i had definitely jogged two miles between the last time i ate and the moment i resignedly turned to my side and pulled the covers over my midriff. I could go have a snack if i really wanted to, but i was already dangerously close to staying up for an entire twenty-four hours. I didn’t relish the idea of doing it twice in one week. I would eat in the morning.

I wasn’t hungry. The bowl of Cheerios stared back at me, scores of tiny unwinking eyes returning my blank gaze. Never a blink. Probably wondering why i poured them in the first place. The spoon and i were like a assembly line machine, working with deliberation rather than care to finish one task and move on to the next. I finished unenthusiastically, my stomach still adrift. I wasn’t hungry.

I claim to be immune to stage fright, but having a big mouth doesn’t equal star potential. In fact, it can be exactly the opposite. Lately, our entire apartment and all of our significant others (oh, and Ernie) have become hooked on Fox’s American Idol. Somehow the show avoids the nauseating generic pop culture that most other Star-Making programs of late have engaged in, instead opting to lead with the contestants and their voices. On each show they sing a song… they can dance or smile if they want to, but really they’re just there to sing. Live. In front of over 10 million viewers. For the chance to be a superstar.

Lindsay and i are invariably amongst the first people into our building on Wednesday mornings, and as we both delve through endless boxes of records we talk about what songs we would choose to sing on teevee. Underneath all the laughter and bragging, i know that i wouldn’t make it. Even with the quality of my voice left wholly aside, i know that i could never walk out on stage and stand still – knowing that a number of eyes beyond my ability to count were on me. And so i settle for watching, for being nervous on their behalf, and for dreaming about being in their midst.

Blogathon is not a top rated teevee show… last year my hits for the 24 hours were in the thousands, but people who actually listened to my songs were probably only in the tens. However, this year looks like it’s shaping up to be a lot bigger than last year, and i really have no way of predicting how many people will visit my page or listen to what i have chosen to invest: a dozen of my most valuable possessions – my songs – plus another dozen covers of some of my popular favorites. In three days they will appear, one per hour, for thousands of people to sample and form opinions on. And my stomach is aflutter. 72 whopping hours left until i have to go live with my my first song and i already want to duck out the stage door and either be sick or hide.

Elise pointed out i have to record a song every three hours to get all 25 of them done by Saturday morning. I would like to point out that thanks to two very generous pledges i have now raised as much money for Planned Parenthood as i have spent on recording equipment for Saturday. Which is now 71 hours away.

I think i might be hungry, but i’m not sure. Back to work.

https://crushingkrisis.com/2002/07/85277890/

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In other linky news, check out a new impeccably designed Philly Blogger who links me: Nicole. Also, long-time linker Matt Pollard has linked me through so many of his layouts in the last two years that i’ve lost count, and i continue to be Random Girl’s only link – very flattering. Finally, i just found a referral from one of my previous Blogathon sponors, Yucca. Not only did i wrongly assume that Yucca was a girl, i never sent him his Best of 25/24 cd. So, erm… look for some special prizes this year ;p

https://crushingkrisis.com/2002/07/85271191/

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So far four very excellent persons have come through with donations on my behalf for Blogathon. I realize that my plea for my charity may have come off as somewhat heavy-handed or offensive depending on your political viewpoint, and i apologize for that. At the time i was just trying to write what i felt in the plainest fashion possible – i suppose i feel very strongly. Anyway, much thanx to all of my sponsors so far and all of them yet to come – rest assured that i spent about a fourth of the weekend working on my 25-song setlist for this Saturday!

As poor as i am, this morning i still took the time to browse through the participant list list to single out a couple of deserving blogs with excellent charities, and so far the two i have chosen are Cakes and Ale (blogging for Autism Society Ontario (and her son)) & Temporary Insanity (blogging for Engineers Without Borders. The latter blog caught my eye because they read both Rabi and Martha, and are already sponsored by Mollie – about whom i wrote both the opening and closing song last year and am also sponsoring (she’s blogging for the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program).

Finally, if you are inclined to donate on my behalf but are reluctant to sponsor my chosen charity, i would urge you to instead donate to my charity from last year – MANNA. The Blogathon sponsor page doesn’t support donation to separate charities for a single blog, but if you would prefer to give to Manna just drop me a line.

https://crushingkrisis.com/2002/07/85270998/

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Yes, i am doing Blogathon this year … if three people pledge a donation to my charity by Sunday.

For those of you not in the know, Blogathon is a yearly event that involves blogging through an entire twenty-four hours while your friends and readers sponsor a charity on your behalf. The longer you stay awake and keep posting, the more the donation will theoretically be – though you can pledge a flat amount: you could donate $6 for a whole 24hrs of blogging or $.25 an hour for the same result. This year during the ‘thon I’ll be posting a newly recorded song every hour on the hour in addition to blogging nearly every half hour. Take a look at the archive of my efforts from last year to get an idea of what to expect.


While Blogathon is excellent publicity for both blogs and their authors, its most important aspect is that it gets the extended blogging community aware and active in supporting hundreds of worthy charities around the country… and the world. Last year my charity was Manna, a local organization that brings meals to housebound AIDS and HIV patients. This year i wanted to choose a national charity who made donation possible through their own website; i chose Planned Parenthood.


For those of you who are under the assumption that Planned Parenthood directly conflicts with some of your political beliefs i would like to point out that, among other things, Planned Parenthood certifies and subsidizes Peer Counseling programs in high schools across America. The goals of these programs (which i was a part of) are to prevent unwanted pregnancy and the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections through frank peer to peer education. Though i cannot promise that pledge money will go directly to that purpose, i think it’s important to keep in mind that Planned Parenthood represents a lot more than the highly polarized issue of abortion. So, if your political stance includes keeping the nation’s youth in the dark about important facts that they could be learning from peers who they trust and relate to, then please refrain from pledging your support. However, if you have an open mind and think education and support are the keys to America’s youth making informed decisions about sex and sexuality, then please consider sponsoring my squawking and strumming.

Okay, enough of that, back to work i go. Oh – one last thing – i haven’t even started recording, so you still have plenty of time to request a song. No promises, though.

https://crushingkrisis.com/2002/07/85256170/