A big thanks to everyone.

Here we are on the last day of May.

I would like to thank everyone who helped make this project a success.

The warm weather is here and things are very busy. I am working at a local paper as well as a 10 week contract at the college.

Thanks to everyone who helped out.

A big thank you once again to givemeaning.com, here's hoping we can work together in the future.

In the meanwhile the PO Box has been closed down, if you would like to reach me you can e-mail me at, thatwillneverwork@gmail.com

Thanks again to everyone. Have a great summer.

Microsoft

Update: It's May.

I will have a chance to check the mail tomorrow, I will be sure to update with anything I find.

School is done for the year. I'm sure September will be here before I know it. In the meantime we shall see what the summer has in store. I had 6 classes this past semester. I should have all of my marks by May 15th. In the meantime one of the final marks is in, 97.99%, I wonder if they will give me the 98%?

Someone just e-mailed me offereing words of encouragement and feeling pretty confident that 'Harpo' will help out. I think the hardest thing is just bringing it to their attention, one can only imagine how much mail Oprah gets in a week?

If you happen to know how much mail Oprah gets in a week e-mail me and let me know, better yet, If you have any tips on how to get Oprah's attention, those could be helpful as well. Finally, if you just want to e-mail me to tell me that Ellen is better than Oprah, that's fine too. (I have actually had four folks send me e-mails along that line so far.)

I won't hold my breath for Oprah or Ellen, however my friends over at givemeaning.com, and I are working on something new and exciting. Keep an eye open later this month for more details.

Thank You Devin.

Two more days to go. Tomorrow I have two exams and a major assignment due, Friday isn't much better. After that we are done for the year. I am hoping to land a summer internship within the industry somewhere, I should have an answer to this, hopefully by the end of Friday.

I have only been able to check the mail once this week, there was another rejection from Apple, this is the third time they have told me, thanks, but no thanks. I am wondering if my letter is stuck in their system or something?

In the meantime Thank You Devin. I found the follwoing in my inbox this afternoon,

"This idea is fascinating to me. Not only are you doing
something innovative, it's also compelling to hear
your story, and to see all the mundane corporate
responses you're getting. Essentially it's true what
was said... "That will never work." That is, without
your website. With the kind of attention that your
website is attracting, I'm willing to bet that
companies will begin to sponsor you just for the
relatively inexpensive advertising that they'll get by
being a focal point on your blog.

Keep it up Shawn, I'm a college student too. I work
full time and go to school full time. It's hard, thats
for sure! I believe there's nothing more valuable than
to be well educated. You're working toward something
more important than any monetary restraint.

Also, I sent you $10. Not much but I'm sure every
little bit counts... Good Luck!"

Thanks again Devin.

In the meantime, if you (yes,you!) could mention my site to your boss / on any message boards or myspace pages you post on it would be greatly appreciated.

Busy, busy.

It has been some time since I have had an update. Well a week or two at least.

Things have been very crazy around here lately. After the teachers strike work has been piled on. The year has not been extended and we are running around crazy trying to get everything done. We are done on the 28th. I am looking forward to it.

I am in year one of the Journalism-Print program at Niagara College and our first paper is out tomorrow, not only was I part of the editing team for our first issue, but I was also featured in an article as well. There is an article appearing that explains my quest and how I am doing so far. I am looking forward to seeing it in print tomorrow. I saw a part of the story written about me and it seems to focus on the fact that the major corporations have all turned me down and how givemeaning.com has stepped up to the plate.

Current events class was interesting today. Our professor led a lecture on 'the new media' she took us through the history of the Internet and explained through various examples the power of the Internet. Before I knew it she had quotes from this very blog on the screen. The next slide - a massive blown out picture of yours truly. She asked me to speak to the class, It was a little intimidating being in front of the largest room on campus, but the faster I was up there the faster I could get my MASSIVE picture off the screen.

I talked a bit about how I set things up and how I wouldn't have been able to do this 10 years ago without the Internet. I rather enjoyed talking about Billionaire Nike CEO Phil Knight, the same man who pays Tiger Woods $20 million a year turning me down, and comparing him to Tom and the folks at givemeaning.com and their naming me their good will ambassador and the $2500 that came along with it.

When you say Nike turned me down, everyone knows who you are talking about and isn't really surprised, when you say that's okay though because givemeaning.com has come through in a big way, people are surprised and tend to say give who? and want to know more. I am more than happy to explain the idea behind the 'power of plenty.'

Things have died down, however I have yet to be able to check the PO box this week due to all the late nights at school and the post office closing at 5 p.m.

I have a few ideas I am working on as it would be nice to reach my goal by September, but I'm not holding my breath, I will do the best I can do, don't expect anything crazy anytime soon, I refuse to accept money from the "extreme" sites out there, like the 'fetish' website that contacted me. A random voice in the crowd today said I should just take the money. It will never happen, I would rather the project end today.

Here's hoping some of my ideas will pan out over the summer.

In the meantime, if anyone has Oprah or Ellen's cell phone numbers maybe you can give them a call and point their attention this way.

Some Numbers: Day 43

Number of days since I started this project: 43

Number of hits on site: 12,000 plus

Number of Radio Stations I have been a guest on: 15

Number of TV Newscasts I have been on: 1

Number of companies yet to reply: 150
(Click here to see who has yet to reply)

Number of print interviews this week: 2

Number of newspapers my story has appeared in:

Many in Canada, Including the Globe and Mail, The Toronto Sun and The Hamilton Spectator plus many more Thanks to the CP wire picking up my story.

Number of major Companies that have taken me up on my offer: 0

Number of companies to refer to me as "Ms.": 5

Number of Billionaires to hand sign a letter saying they can't help me out at this time: 1 (I love this and I hope it's his real signature)

Number of Adult websites to offer cash that I have turned down: 1

Number of dollars raised: Thanks to, givemeaning.com , the little guys and companies contacting me, $3289.75

This project has been more successful than I could have imagined just a few short weeks ago. I am almost a third of the way towards my initial goal, and who knows -I keep my fingers crossed- maybe The Donald, Oprah or Bill Gates will still drop me a line.

Thanks again to everyone who has stepped up and helped me out so far.

Dupont Response

I mailed Dupont in the USA, the return address is in the USA, but somehow this letter was post marked from Sweden? Go figure.

I believe Dupont is now the fifth company to refer to me as "Ms."

Burger King Response

Not only is this the most colourful response to date, but it also contains my favourite sentence - I can't help but chuckle when I read it.

"Although this opportunity displays vast advantages for our supporters and their respective organizations, we are unable to provide financial support at this time."

Visa Response

I give VISA credit, they treat this as the sponsorship request it was and not a donation.