Let's see if I can monopolize on my current situation.
After working for seven years as Network/Systems Administrator at a local non-profit employment-search-assistance organization, my position was eliminated in July of this year due to budget cuts. The Minnesota government shut down for a little while and only started up after cutting expenditures, of which was one of our biggest sources of funds, Health Care Training (we were one of the primary places to go for CNA training in our little town). Our other major source of funding was cut temporarily (too long unfortunately) due to some mismanagement of funds by a fellow affiliate program in the Twin Cities and subsequent auditing that led to DEED ending funding for all the organizations state-wide.
I live in a small town and have been looking for work almost daily but as of yet, have had no luck. As a result of having my job eliminated, I could no longer afford to live in the place I was and had to find a cheaper place to live. I ended up moving into a friend's place who was living on unemployment until he receives full disability from the VA (he was a Captain in the Air Force for twenty years). Turns out, yet again, our state government cannot agree on anything. This is bad news for him because the disability claim will take another six months or so and his last unemployment check is at the end of this month. That wouldn't be so bad as he could simply file for an extension. Our republicans and democrats cannot come to an agreement and so have not been able to pass any laws concerning extensions. My unemployment won't be effected but it will not cover the rent and utilities. So we're pretty much screwed in the coming weeks.
Now that I've written all of that, I guess it seems that having the lenses and camera wouldn't help my situation. I cannot afford any more lenses and most of what I have (and I already have quite a bit anyways) are too soft to be useful for very clear photos which seem to be the ones people love. My photos are soft and they are what I love. I was thinking I could try to sell some of my photos to try to make it longer out here at this place before I'm left homeless yet again (moved out when I was sixteen, homeless for nine years after), winter is coming here in Northern Minnesota, would rather not be homeless again at this time of year. My current soft images, though having a place in my heart are not necessarily ones people will buy. I don't really take photos to make money but if someone wants to buy them and it keeps me out of this impending situation a little longer, then it may suit me to have lenses that are capable of sharper images.
That's why I'm thinking these lenses might help. I don't know the quality of them as I didn't of any of the other lenses I bought. I've never been able to afford really good lenses and decided to buy old glass and adapters to fit them on the 1000D I have. It's hard to judge what IQ the lenses will have as I buy them off the internet at places like
KEH and shopgoodwill, so I bought a few of them. I did get a relatively sharp lens that stays on my camera most of the time (Pentacon 50mm 1.8).
Well, enough with my sob story. I don't expect to get this deal as it would most likely just add to all the stuff I'll have to figure out what to do with at the end of the month when poo hits the fan and I have to yet again move. I hope that whoever you choose to send these to will benefit a lot more that I would if I were in a better condition to utilize them fully. Thanks for the consideration though and actually taking the time to read through all of that rambling. I wish you luck. Wish me luck as well, I'll be needing it.
*My grandma (RIP 2009) used to tell me when I was homeless and would call her to, "Keep my chin up". Those very helpful words have helped tremendously in my life and I will continue to do so now in my current situation. Things will work out for me I'm sure. I'd rather have this happen when its warm. If you've never been homeless in a Northern Minnesota winter, you're lucky. It's nothing to write home about. This town sucks for homelessness. One homeless shelter (for families only) and some churches in the area take in the homeless during a few of the winter months (SOS Servants of Shelter).