If you click on the donation button on the right, you will be able to send a donation to Taproot through Paypal. Granted, it looks a bit unprofessional, but it gets the job done.
But better yet, go directly to Taproot Foundation’s “Donate” page: http://www.taprootfoundation.org/about/donate.php
I’m sorry I haven’t posted more frequently. I’d be writing more often, but in order to write I need to step away from my place in line. The nearest computers I have access to are within the Apple Store, and when I’m in the Apple Store (or even when I attempt to get 3/4 hours of sleep) I get accused of cheating.
Against my parents’ wishes, I stayed on 5th Avenue all night last night. I was only able to sleep for 1 1/2 hours. It’s very hard to get shut-eye when bulldozers and trucks are bouncing down the street at all hours of the night. This morning, I woke with a start at around 5am to find a spotlight from a news camera shining on my face. It was a crew from CW11 New York looking for a story. I was up until nearly 4 with my fellow linemates, and Julie and her cameraman decide to film Becca and I sleeping.
It’s getting ridiculous. I’m trying to sleep and I have cameras trained at me at every second. My body is starting to shut down. Can you understand why I would want a break?
So, I’m sitting down by #5 and #7 so fewer news cameras bother me in the future.
If you’re going to question my commitment to this project or my hygiene (as the local (ABC?) station did this morning), I want to see you come stay outside with me in the 92 degree heat this afternoon. I’m not going to take hygiene advice from a fluffed-up TV news anchor who falls asleep each night on the Upper East Side. If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
As for the fellow who invited me to spend an evening in the Bronx, I invite you to identify yourself by name and send me your contact information. I’ll spend Friday night with you on a corner in the Bronx, learning about your life.
Please volunteer or donate to the Taproot Foundation. You can find their website at http://www.taprootfoundation.org
Update: The CW11 crew woke me up once again on Friday morning, before the iPhone launch. When I told them to go away, they told me I had no right to interfere with the press and that I had no expectation of privacy in a public place. Granted, I don’t expect privacy on 5th Ave., but I did expect more courtesy from such a large news organization. The cameraman apologized to me, and I to him. CW11 apologized by replacing Julie and her man with another camera crew that was a great deal more courteous.
1 bottle sun-tan Lotion
1 bottle water
1 pint orange juice
1 cup of coffee
1 lawn chair (on loan from Mr. Greg Packer)
1 pair sandals, black sneakers & 4 pairs of socks
4 disposable razors, shaving cream, etc. (showering/shaving)
1 blues harmonica
1 copy of “Mastering the SAP Business Information Warehouse”
1 nice digital camera w/ dead battery
1 cell phone that doesn’t hold its charge
1 uncharged 3G iPod
1 credit card
Enough cash to tide me over until Friday
Kelly Clarkson plays at 12 noon in front of the Apple Store. Enjoy the show, New York!
I met a former hedge fund risk analyst and risk manager around 4pm today. His name is Shiran. He now works as a corporate governance analyst. He’s 38 years old. He retired at the age of 35. He’s visited 178 of the world’s 193 sovereign countries, including several international conflict zones: Sudan, North Korea, etc. He holds (quadruple?) citizenship, and he speaks Italian, English and some Sinhalese. When I asked him where he was from, he said, “Everywhere… and nowhere”.
We spoke for over 1 1/2 hours. Believe it or not, he’s trained as an aeronautical engineer — his mathematics background was sufficient for him to cross-over into finance and be as successful as he is.
I’ll be seeing him again tomorrow morning. He’s leaving for London soon, but we’ll cross paths again in Chicago. We’ll be keeping in touch. He even offered to come by in the morning with breakfast food. He’s a terribly nice guy and a pleasure to talk to.
I just learned there’s a concert tomorrow sponsored by the GM Building not more than 100 yards away. The last artist they had perform was Toby Keith. The week before, it was Beyonce.
I’m #3. Here’s a link: http://vicariousmusic.com/2007/06/25/iphone/
Yes, that’s me. I’m third in line at Apple, Inc.’s flagship store in New York City on Fifth Avenue. I’m chronicling my experience in this blog to share with you the incredible experience I’m having here with the men and women of New York. I’m waiting with Greg (#1), a native New Yorker, and his good friend (#2), also a native New Yorker. I only met Greg and his friend today.
Perez Hilton calls me “Bananas” for waiting in line this early. So here’s my situation, and you judge for yourself:
I’m starting training on July 2nd to be a SAP Business Intelligence Consultant for INFORTE - Chicago. I just graduated from college, and have another week of vacation to burn before I enter the work world. I can’t think of a better way to learn about New York than hanging out with a wide cross-section of the New York population. Granted, the thought of waiting in line might not strike you as an ideal vacation, but in my travels I’ve found that the best memories come from unscripted interactions with locals.
Along with the experience, I’d like to raise awareness about (and funds for) one of my favorite charities — the Taproot Foundation (http://www.taprootfoundation.org). I’m going to buy two iPhones if I can and auction off the first one to raise money for the Taproot Foundation. I’ll sell it for a $5,000 donation to Taproot, OBO.
The second iPhone I’d like to give to my father as a birthday present. In my opinion, he’s the best father a man like me could possibly have. He has worked 40 years day and night to care for his family. I’ve always admired him — there’s no one I look up to more than he — and an iPhone would be a well-deserved gift for a life of labor in service to his family.
As far as my career is concerned, I’m using the time spent in front of the Apple Store to get a jump on the SAP textbook we’ve been assigned. Please give me the benefit of the doubt on my motives, my career aspirations, etc., and please leave me a bit of privacy. If that’s too much to ask, I’ll stop writing.
David Clayman
P.S. Unfortunately, I don’t have a laptop on me, so I can’t write about my experience in real-time, but whenever possible (and whenever permission is granted), I’ll be posting a short profile on the fascinating people I’ve been meeting here while waiting in line. If you live in the Big Apple, stop by and say hi. And feel free to post comments. I’ll respond to them as time and energy allow.