This time...Satan is Helping Children!
Once again, I invite all registered F:ATties to join us in a celebration of holiday giving...especially the kind of unwanted, tacky kind of gifting that makes your holiday slightly awkward and possibly embarrassing. In past years, we have all had a good time pointing and laughing at "hilarious" gifts that F:ATties have given to each other like the Jessica Hahn issue of Playboy, The Hour of Power board game, Fucking Reef Encounter, an autographed picture of Goofy and...well, there was that infamous "Peanut Butter Drawers" incident a few years back that threatened to put the kibosh on future Secret Satans. But this year we are back once again with a twist.
My family and I are going to be delivering a pile of games to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (www.CHOA.org). This is a wonderful pediatric hospital that we have visited on a number of occasions not only when our kids have needed to go but also when we've had friends' kids in for various reasons. Fortunately, we've never had to stay or go in for anything serious, but this is a place where kids are fighting to get better, having to spend a long time there away from home in recovery, or even approaching the ends of their lives. It's a heavy atmosphere levied by hope, and the doctors, nurses and assistants there are really doing great work. So we thought this year it would be nice to take the kids up there some games, some titles the hospital can keep in their play rooms so that maybe the kids there can laugh, smile and enjoy time with their friends just like we do. So if you would like to donate a NEW game for this drive, please send them my way as soon as you can- we're hoping to do this by December 9 so the kids that are there for the holidays can have something fun and new to do. These need to be kid-friendly games that don't require adult coordination or supervision, so I'm thinking anything HABA, Ice Cool, My First Carcassonne, Animals on Board, Ravensburger kid's stuff, Loopin' Chewie, Coconuts, titles like that. They do need to be new need per the hospital's request so unfortunately we can't take anything used- otherwise, we'd be taking some of our stuff there. Just let me know if you want to participate in this in a PM here and let me know what you will be sending so we can avoid too much duplication. If you do not want to physically send a game, I can take a PayPal donation and purchase a game locally- either something you designate or something I pick on your behalf. I can also write up a tax receipt if you want to claim it on taxes for 2016. I'll take pictures and stuff if they let us go in to actually give the games to the kids, but I'm not sure how that will work out. I hope some of you folks will pitch in on this, we've never done an "official" F:AT donation drive other than Operation: Burning Christmas a few years back so here's your chance to make up for all the bad you did this year...or are about to do in Secret Satan.
Now, Secret Satan rules:
- You must submit to COMP-U-TRON by December 2. Send me a PM with your name, address, and whether or not you are willing to ship internationally. I can take non-US folks, but be aware that you may be the only F:ATtie in Slovakia. I will enter the information into COMP-U-TRON, which will spit out a punch card matching you up with another F:ATtie using a complex series of occult algorithms that analyze various metrics such as propensity to kick a puppy, relative level of brimstone in the bloodstream, number of Iron Maiden albums owned, D&D character level, and favorite flavor of doritos. You will be matched up and provided with the name and address of another F:ATtie (the "target") and that is who you will send your Secret Satan "goods" to.
- You are expected to send at least ONE "legitimate" game. What that means is flexible. But in the past we've had folks sort of just throw in random thrift junk and it was neither funny nor cool. Be mindful that some folks are spending actual money, and if you completely cheap out and don't bother to put any thought into it then you wind up looking like a jerk.
- Other than the one "legitimate" game, it's free for all. Put anything you want in there, but again be mindful that some folks have kids/spouses that may not appreciate the humor of things like Hustler magazine wrapping paper. We've seen all kinds of crazy stuff in the past, and the crazier the better. Some folks send multiple packages. Again, it's up to you.
- You MUST submit photos of the contents of your package(s), box openings, whatever you want. We must have photographic evidence of receipt. NO EXCEPTIONS.
- Packages MUST arrive no later than Christmas Eve. It's lame when someone waits until after Christmas to send something. I get PMs from folks wondering where their package is, it all gets very uncomfortable.
- Someone always gets screwed by someone. We've been pretty reasonable about that in the past- things happen- but if you may not be able to fulfill your Secret Satan responsibilities, then sit this one out, OK? This year we will be publically shaming anyone that fails to provide a package to their target.
- As is tradition, we will have forum threads for discussion, a Secret Satan sock puppet account so you can message anonymously, and of course a thread for results (i.e. photos, which you MUST submit).
This is intended to be FUN and RIDICULOUS- so do not expect to get the game of your dreams in the mail, do not expect to get $X worth of trade value out of what you get. In fact, expect that most of what you will get will wind up at Goodwill or in recycling. Or in a fire. If you DO get something good...then remember that for next year, because you got lucky! Hurt feelings and angriness are NOT allowed, so come at this with a spirit of good times and laughs and we'll all enjoy it. In a very Satanic fashion, of course.