Help.

By now any sentient being should be aware that a devasting earthquake has hit Haiti. Many people are dead. Many more need help. I try not to swear on this blog, but that country's status is most simply described as fucked.

These are the days when you need to look around you and give thanks for what you have. I'm pretty confident that anyone with the opportunity to read this is far better off than pretty much anyone in Haiti right now, which means you should do three things:

1. Be thankful for what you have.
2. Hug someone you care about.
3. Give.

That last step is the one that many people forget. You don't have to give much if you don't have much. The phrase "every little bit counts" exists for a reason. Buy a regular coffee instead of a latte and donate the difference. Dig for change in the couch. Donate something. Donate anything. Many experts have stated that what charity organizations need most right now is money.  Here is a good list of options: http://www.theworld.org/2010/01/13/donations-for-haiti-quake-victims/

But you don't even need to spend a dime. Some blogs are celebrating "delurking day" whereby the authors will donate money for each comment they receive. Go read their blogs and leave a comment. (You might even find a new site for your RSS feed!)

• http://albamaria30.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/delurking-day-help-haiti/
• http://www.diaryofamodernmatriarch.com/2010/01/show-me-yours.html
• http://jayesel.net/2010/01/14/delurking-day/

I'm not doing that here because this is a new blog with limited readership, so it would be embarrassing. I donated $100 to Doctors without Borders regardless of my popularity. But to keep in the spirit of things, if I get comments from more than 25 people I'll donate another $100.

And for anyone reading this from anywhere in the world, I am happy you are alive.

photo of Red Eye Chicago from http://twitter.com/designhawg