"Why should I give to the Annual Fund?" one may ask upon receiving a mailing or phone call from OWU. "Aren't there many other attractive things I can give to at Ohio Wesleyan, like a building, or a bench, or something else? Something that will last? Something that will show my name forever (or until the weather wears it off)?"

Yes, there are. However, the Annual Fund is still there, even when there are other more attractive things to give to. The Annual Fund is kind of like the hot girl's friend in high school. Sure, the hot girl was hot, a cheerleader, bubbly, always dating someone older and much bigger than you. Not much substance. The friend, while not as attractive, was cool, smart and fun. But you never wanted to date the other girl; you only wanted to date the hot girl, even though the intelligent choice would have been the friend. In the end, after the hot girl went on a couple of dates with you and left you sitting alone in your 1992 Plymouth Acclaim to go party with a college guy, you realize that maybe you made the wrong decision.

Or maybe the Annual Fund is like going grocery shopping. I never, ever sit down and think to myself "I really want to go buy some groceries today." No, I sit down and think "I really want to go buy Browns season tickets, or the new Arrested Development season on DVD, or a 62" flat screen plasma TV, or (fill in the blank)." V8 just doesn't excite me. But if I did that every time I wanted to buy something rather than buy food, I would eventually starve to death- but at least I would have my flat screen.

The Annual Fund is Ohio Wesleyan's groceries; OWU needs the Annual Fund and the support from donors to stay alive. It may not seem like the most attractive choice, but it is the most important. It's the choice you need to make before you make another gift to the University, because it supports the current operating budget. It is the only funding option that directly affects every part of OWU. Without it, you probably wouldn't be reading this blog (which could possibly motivate you not to give, depending on your opinion of all of this).

An Update on Me
I have reached a new level of tired in the past week. I recently started business school at night after work at the large campus-nation south of Delaware and we're in mid-terms. While I do believe that getting my MBA will be worthwhile and rewarding, if one more person says "It will be over before you know it" or "You'll make it all back," I'm going to lose it.

Just yesterday, I was working with a group to get ready for a midterm in Managerial Finance, and we were talking about the price of tuition. Turns out that the price that I thought this little venture would cost was about $10,000 off, as in I will owe more. I felt like my brain hemorrhaged. Apparently I need to take remedial math along with marketing and finance because I can't compute multiplication. This will just have to go to my theory of unreal numbers (see April 4 blog).

I will live in this state called Ignorance with the capital of Bliss for as long as I can.

P.S.
If anyone does happen to have a 62" high-def flat screen and they want me and a couple of buddies to come over a watch the Browns games, just call me and let me know. You'll hear:

Me: "Hello"

You: "Hi Jason, this is (whomever). I was wondering if you and a couple of buddies want to come over to watch the Bro..."

The next sound that you will hear will be the phone falling to the floor, feet running, doors slamming, and tires squealing.