The Princess' Guide: This is What I Know....

Wow.

As pretty much anyone on the planet knows, I've spent the last week campaigning for comments on my KFC / Komen blog post. You know, the one over on my Bucket Blog.

When this all started, I thought, "Cool." We need to get 1000 comments across the program, so that BlogHer will donate $1000 to Komen. No sweat.

Ya'll all know I can't do math. I've never had any qualms about being upfront about that. But even though I can't do math, I know that I have:

About 700 Facebook Friends
About 70 Team Tiara Friends
About 600 Names on my "Don't forget to check your Chi-Chi's" Email List
About 58,000 Fans of the Facebook group for the Breast Cancer 3-Day
An estimate of 50,000 walkers and crew members with access to the 3-Day message boards

And a very big mouth.

So while I can't do math, I'm pretty sure that even with overlap that comes to more than 1,000 people who could make comments on this thing.

But no, as of right now I'm at 139 comments on my post. And the entire program? Nowhere near.

I do have to say, in a week where I really didn't have time to spend campaigning, and I really thought I wouldn't have to, I've spent more time on this than pretty much anything else.

Really.

I've written post after post in hopes that the 3-Day would link to me on Facebook -- which would practically guarantee a few comments. No such luck.

After a being a long-time lurker for FOREVER on some of my favorite blogs, I've left comments -- always with a link. Maybe one or two comments came as a result -- but not 1,000.

I've pretty much hovered over the Pioneer Woman's blog -- hoping to land in the first 10 comments, making a witty comment along with my link. Um... No. But I've gained 10 pounds just looking at the pictures of food she posts. And I'm head over heels in love with Charlie.

And I took a huge leap of faith and contacted Susan over at Toddler Planet. (If you don't know who Susan is, you have my permission to ditch my blog right now and go read hers.) Susan is amazing. She rocks. And I think she's going to help.

But all this really isn't my point. I know, you're wishing I'd just land the plane.

You see, this has really been a learning experience for me. It's been a great parallel to what the 3-Day is like for many of you.

You sign up, thinking "$2300. No sweat." I've got all these friends, all these co-workers, I can raise that $2300 in no time flat.

And you launch your fundraising.

And the grand take-off that you were expecting just doesn't happen. You get a few donations, maybe a couple big, maybe a couple small.... but that first $500 is just trickling in.

So you contact a few more people. One or two donations. That's it.

And you send 50 emails. That nets you $25.

Does this sound familiar??

Here's the deal.... You can let it get you down any more than I'm letting this comment thing get me down.

If people want to donate, they will. If they don't, some will tell you "no." Others will just leave you hanging. What those people don't realize is that you almost appreciate the "no's" as much as you do the "yes's." That it's the ones who leave you in limbo-land that are making your hair turn grayer by the minute.

But you can't quit any more than I can quit. You've got to keep plugging away at it.

What if that next email only generates $50 in donations? That's $50 more than before. That's $50 that will save a life.

Don't give up. You can do it. I know you can. No matter what the economy is like, there are plenty of people out there willing to help find a cure.

Now get on over there and leave a comment.