I screwed up. I dropped the ball. I start so many projects over here in my office overlooking a bamboo forest that I don’t actually finish them all. I have learned to filter myself before trying to put every seemingly good idea I get into practice. Because sometimes, those ideas suck. And sometimes, I just don’t have the time, patience, manpower, assistance or money to do them justice. Here are some recent projects where I just totally failed to deliver.
Quimbo Accompaniment
In May of 2012 I promised to return to southern Colombia to accompany farmers whose land is being taken from them by the Colombian government and a European multinational. I didn’t and I haven’t even edited the video I took on my first trip. Three people donated $190 to defray my costs and I have now refunded those donations.
An American Crisis Pamphlet Series
In April of 2011, I proposed creating a series of eye-catching, substantive modern libertarian pamphlets on the most pressing issues of the day. I partnered with a graphic designer and raised $2,300. We produced the first three pamphlets and then I found out that the printer couldn’t print them because they weren’t quite formatted right. Then the designer couldn’t figure it out and crucial deadlines passed. The project fell apart and I’ve been trying to find the motivation to resurrect it ever since. In the meantime I refunded half of the money raised and another big chunk of it I never actually took receipt of.
I have decided that it is the time to resurrect this project. I still have $720 of donor funds left and I will use these to defray my costs. The original plan was for 16 pamphlets. I am shooting for 10 this time and I may add more if there is a demand. What 10 topics should be covered? You tell me!
I am looking for a graphic designer right now. Know a good one? Have him or her contact me at [email protected]. Hopefully the designer will have done pamphlets in the past and have a sample I can look at.
We Won’t Fly
We Won’t Fly was an overnight success in 2010. We made the administration defend TSA scoping and groping on national TV and we shut down the TSA for Thanksgiving weekend. But then what? Where do you go from there? To be honest, of the tens of thousands who flocked to our message of dignity and liberty, most were complainers. Very few were interested in any kind of ongoing constructive work on the issue. I still keep my toe in the project in case I can have an impact but I’m about ready to resign from it. I’m convinced that the correct path here is an organization that is focused on respect for the 4th amendment.
Agora I/O
Agora I/O had two very successful online conferences in 2011 and then I stopped. But I am going to resurrect it in March of 2014. Stay tuned!
Are there any other projects I forgot about? Do you think I owe you money? Speak up. I don’t like to leave things unfinished. I stand behind all of my actions, or inactions as the case may be.
