A Wish List

for those who want to help

Image description: daisy with a yellow centre and rain drops on white petals on a blurred green leaf background.

Since Charles’ lay-off, we have been doing everything we can to reduce our costs. We have eliminated as many expenses as possible, and I am getting some work through my editing service and also some writing gigs. Charles has a few more months of EI.

I am very grateful for the kindness and support that so many have offered since I let people know about Charles’ lay-off and our financial difficulties. One dear friend has gifted us with 48-hour Mubi tokens, another with free membership in a book binding organization. Some of you have had coffee / drinks with us and covered the bill. Some have sent along links to job and freelance opportunities, or acted as references for jobs and gigs. Thank you to all who’ve provided this support. I will also be eternally grateful to all who helped us during my near-death health crisis in 2009. I am part of a very loving and caring community of writers and artists. I am humungously grateful.

I feel weird asking for help, but many of you ask if there’s anything you can do. For those who wish to contribute in some way, here is a wishlist of items we could use or which could bring us comfort and joy:

1. Gift certificate at a downtown hair salon: Both Charles and I need hair cuts. Preferably at a downtown salon so we don’t have to spend money getting there. A gift certificate for your fav Centretown hair salon would be lovely. If you want to provide this generous gift, please let me know beforehand, just in case it has already been picked. I’ll remove it from the list once I know.

2. Gift certificate for an independent bookstore, such as Perfect Books. I have a long wish list of books I’d love to read, and I get books from the library when I can.

3. Gift certificate for coffee at Art House Cafe or Ten Toes Somerset (no link to gift certificates on their page, not sure they do gift certificates).

4. Gift subscription to Equator Coffee.

5. Gift voucher from World of Tea. I am drinking good tea still, but no longer spend money on the WoT Irish Breakfast, which was a staple, or Lapsangsouchong, a luxury for me, but I loved it.

6. LCBO gift cards.

7. Clothing gift card at stores like H&M. Most of my clothes don’t fit me anymore since I lost 65 pounds after improving my fitness and nutrition post diabetes diagnosis. I am making do, or sometimes will pick up clothes at St. Vincent de Paul.

8. Ceramic nonstick frying pan. We now cook all of our meals at home. We have some old nonstick pans but they aren’t nonstick anymore.

9. Gift cards to local stores like the Dollar Store, Metro, Food Basics, Bulk Barn, Farm Boy would also be of great help.

10. i’ve started an Amazon wish list for supplies that we are always in need of.

11. Gift card to the National Art Centre.

12. Bandcamp gift card for music.

13. Gift subscriptions to Brick Literary Journal, Arc Poetry Magazine, Canthius, Grain.

14. Gift subscriptions to Criterion or Mubi.

15. Our pharmacy is Swift Compounding. I read that one can use gift cards to pay for prescriptions. I haven’t verified this, but money to help cover prescription costs is always helpful.

16. Direct donations can be sent by EFT to amanda @ amandaearl dot com or by Paypal to earl underscore amanda at hotmail dot com. [Note that we had to cancel our dentist appointments last fall after we lost our insurance through Charles’ former company when he was laid off. Our plan, once my Phototherapy sessions are over, is to get in touch with the Algonquin College Dental Clinic to arrange treatment and regular appointments. We’ll still have to pay but their appointments are between $45 to $80 for a cleaning. Thanks to dear friends who gave us this advice.

There are many important causes to contribute to, such as Cornerstone Housing for Women, the UNICEF Appeal for Children Caught in the Gaza Crisis, Amnesty International.