Important note: The Obama/Abramoff connection, and more...

I'm working on a major (as in MAJOR) post on the little-known link between Jack Abramoff and Barack Obama. No, I'm not kidding. Yes, I'll present evidence. Here's a hint: The subtitle of the piece will be "Citadel of secrets" -- and Barack Obama won't be the most startling name in the cast of characters.

Unfortunately, I could not finish that report in time. I'll try to have a complete article on this site tomorrow morning. Right now, I have to run off to one of the very few paying gigs I've been able to score in recent months.

Which brings me to the reason for this post. It's tough to admit this, but -- well, things have been pretty awful. My last paying gig, discovered via Craigslist, involved some 40 hours of work, for which I was rewarded with a princely $100 payment.

That's pretty typical for Craigslist gigs. That's the way I've been trying to pay rent and fill the fridge for months.

I have free digs awaiting me on the other side of the country -- within the general vicinity of Washington D.C. (That is: Within the service area of the DC Metro, which I love.) The deal will last roughly half a year. It's an attic. It will be cold. But it will provide shelter for myself, my dog Bella, and (most importantly) my lady. And, of course, my 'puter. Home is where the computer is.

A job waits for my ladyfriend on that side of the nation. (She hasn't been able to find one here, despite much searching.) As for me: I'll have a comic book to draw -- and a new site to work on called New Deal. My partner in that venture thinks that funding may be possible; we shall see.

Living in the DC area should open up all sorts of possibilities when it comes to investigative reporting.

The problem is this: It isn't easy to transport two adults, a dog and two computers 3000 miles. We're going to do the Grapes of Wrath thing in reverse -- even though we don't yet possess a vehicle capable of the journey.

To be frank, I'm depending on this kickstarter project to get us there. If that project isn't funded, I'm stuck here -- facing probable eviction.

The homeless rarely blog.

A lot of people are hurting right now; my story is hardly the worst one you can hear. If you are in bad straits yourself, please do not donate to the Chalice project. But if you do have the ability to help -- and if you like this blog, or what you see on the other side of that link -- I would tearfully thank you. So will my dog.

Donating through PayPal may be more convenient for you. There are donation buttons on this page. I can arrange for those funds to be transferred to the Kickstarter project. (Of course, both Kickstarter and PayPal and Amazon take out their percentages.)

I may have set that goal a little high. On the other hand, it isn't easy for two people and a dog to make their way across country on $2500. Besides, there is the small matter of a hard drive which needs revival -- although I suppose that, in a pinch, I could re-create those pages.

Are there worthier causes? Are there people living in more dire circumstances? Probably. If you know of such causes, then by all means, help those people.

All I can say is this: If you can aid our attempt to do the "Ma and Pa Joad" thing in reverse, we will be extraordinarily, tearfully grateful. I'll do the best work of my life. I will try never again to use this blog as a fundraising vehicle. (I certainly have not done so routinely, as some internet writers do.) And I'll do my utmost on behalf of the movement to recapture the true spirit of the Democratic party.

Wherever there's a lonely blogger trying to expose a corrupt politician, I'll be there...