***

I just performed a (nearly) precise 72-hour calculation. You helped to surpass the goal by $185. I am touched and inexpressibly proud of you. All I can say is thank you so very much.

If you aren't yet one of the yous, I am leaving this appeal up till Sunday evening. So there's still time to contribute to the fall upraising. I know it's hard to believe, but some people actually read the Internet at home, on the weekend, while away from their, ahem, work. I would kick myself later if I didn't reach out to these 14 people in a timely way.

As for you — the already contributing you — thank you again.

***

I see I'm only three days short not short at all of a six-month leap from my last love-offering appeal. So what the hell, I might as well clang the bell, extend the cup, and beg like there's no tomorrow. That's the way I run this little enterprise of PM Carpenter's Commentary — on impulse. There is no plan — never has been — which is probably why I'm reduced to assaulting your conscience for alms.

Of course there will be a tomorrow. I don't use PBS scare tactics. I don't threaten that if you fail to cough up, I'll fold my tent out of penury, though penury there be. I do remind you that I do this only twice a year.

Other than that? What can I say? If you're at all tempted to contribute, then you already know the whys of that temptation better than I. I should like to think it's mostly because you enjoy the writing and opinions here. But perhaps you also enjoy getting good and pissed at me. That's fine. In fact, that's welcome. The comment section is always open to objections.

Here's a vast admission against interest, which I might as we'll just put out there: There will indeed be a tomorrow here, always a tomorrow, for I wouldn't know what to do with myself in the absence of writing daily about politics and, occasionally, other stuff. I hope you contribute. I really hope you contribute. I desperately hope you contribute. But if you don't contribute, I'll be back anyway.

It's just nice to know that you care that I will — be back, that is, every day.

***

[UPDATED, 1:01 pm Central, Fri.] $3,185 raised in 72 hours. The goal was $3,000. If you haven't yet, please contribute today.   

[Further update: You do not need a Paypal account or a Paypal registration or anything like it; non-Paypal-member contributors inform me that a "guest" service is available.]

to P.M. Carpenter's Commentary