Timeout for Something That Matters
I've never pretended the Monkey Chow Diaries is about anything other than me amusing myself and anybody else who cared to watch. But in the course of this week, one thing I have grown to understand like never before is how bad hunger sucks.
At the end of the week, I'll be making a donation to Bread for the World. I'm not associated with them in any way, but they do good work that matters. A number of people have said they wanted to donate along with me, so I invite you to give to Bread or anyone else who helps feed people. And feel free to list other worthy food-based charities in the comments section here.
At the end of the week, I'll be making a donation to Bread for the World. I'm not associated with them in any way, but they do good work that matters. A number of people have said they wanted to donate along with me, so I invite you to give to Bread or anyone else who helps feed people. And feel free to list other worthy food-based charities in the comments section here.
51 Comments:
I have a little advice for you. If you start getting down about this whole project just think of how neat of a way this is to reach out to the younger generation on how important sharing is and how there are those out there with less than us. Most kids dont like the idea of statistics and chalks boards...but a man eating monkey chow, for some reason they start to idolize, and when monkey chow man starts reflecting on how hunger is a real prevelant problem in todays societies, it could just change a few of them in the way they think... Therefore if its not too much to ask, tomorrow, the 9th, if you could make a pretty good strong statement on the importance of this topic, and how this is not just a USA problem... this is a world crisis, and how the monkeys at the zoo who get fed this stuff are actually living better than some of the people living in the monkey's native Africa...
Keep up the good work...Well done... Please leave a message on myspace if you have one. i actually would like to hear some more ideas you have had about this sort of stuff, and maybe i can help give you some as well.
Thank you.
Here is a list of 263 charities that provide food. Though, personally, I prefer to support organizations that catalyze sustainable changes, like Engineers Without Borders. (The old feed a man a fish versus teach him to fish thing).
Go Adam...
I'll be making a donation to CARE in your honor. I respect your dedication! If you ever make down Cincinnati way, lunch will be my treat.
Willy
I completely agree, and will donate ASAP...
Cheers,
-Anna.
re: willyboy's comment... oh boy, I can see it now, your friends leaving bowls of monkey chow out whenever you come over.
Some have asked about dreams. Let us know after this is all over if you ever have a nightmare where you go to the chinese buffet and all they have are plates and plates of heaping piles of monkey chow!
btw..I understand what they are doing, but it is sort of funny too that everyone is saying monkey *chow* and purina is bumming out.
I lived in Africa for 6 years of my early adolescent life and I've seen starvation first-hand. Thank you for using these 15 short minutes of fame to bring some public attention to this serious issue.
I will gladly be giving a donation to one of the charities listed above and encourage others to do the same.
Thanks for making me laugh! You are almost there - one more day to go!
Did you ever answer the question about whether you purged your house of people food before embarking on this? If you didn't, then I take my hat off to you, after I find it.
And I like Gregory's idea up there, so I'll be making a small donation to Engineers Without Borders in your name. It's like Monkey Chow for the Cure or something over here. . .
Hey there Adam! Memepunks is pulling for you. We wrote a story in your honor.
One more day... One more day... you can do it!
You are my hero.
For once, I'm disappointed that the "How did you hear about us" option doesn't have a blank to elaborate on what "other" means. I'm holding out on donating until I find one that does. I'd love to see hundreds of donations on a single site referred from "The Monkey Chow guy".
On an unrelated note, my mom fully supports your endeavors, but worrys about your health.
hey man this is hilarious...my friend just showed it to me and i didnt know that you havent even finished yet! hah makes me feel like im there with you...lol...your cute btw...i want to chat with you person to person! lol add me on aim...britishphoto....i live in arkansas and im 19
you should donate the amount that you saved this week =)
I recommend Heifer International. In case you don't already know, they try to supply impoverished families and communities around the world with enough livestock and sustainable agricultural supplies so they can feed themselves.
Good on you for the donation concept. Give a shout-out to Bread for the World or another worthy and sustainable charity (like Mercy Corps) on tomorrow's episode, and you'll multiply your effect.
Best of luck, bro. Keep digesting.
Yo, Adam, I would like to congradulate on your past 6 days... I personaly couldn't last that long...Um... I'm only 14, but I 've done some pretty intresting things...I actually licked my school desk for 5 dollars...I can understand how having to do something uterly disgusting over and over would be tough...Let me telly ou that a school desk has to be one of the most horrible things you can do to your body...I had striped throat, stomach flu and bronchitis for a week...I still am having medical issues as of date...and this all happend over a month ago. I bring this up to try to cheer you up,get you to believe that what you're doing isn't that bad anymore,know I think you could safly know that there are people out there who will do about anything..Um, I'm sure you've inspired many people, if not just me. I'm going to try to get a donation started through my school to help with the hungry, and I think your request to have others donate is a wonderful idea.
Intrester Teen
Oscar
(try soaking the hard chow in water over night and then mix it with the "wet"...maybe)
As a monkey, i am glad you are showing the plight I face each day having to eat that shit, that is the reason we through our own shit at each other is because it is indistinguishable from the shit we eat!!
Congratulations, you are awesome!
When I got out of the military last year, I decided that it was unattractive for a pretty southern girl to curse and talk dirty in the civilian world. So a friend suggested that I say "MONKEYS" instead of my normal expletives. It caught on well, and now I say MONKEYS all the time. It lightens the mood immediately because people laugh. Please feel free to adopt this. I think it would be fitting for your adventure!
Hi Adam,
I'm wondering what you're going to do with all your left over chow? Ah, the naivete of that first pic of you holding TWO HUGE BAGS of the stuff, smiling on the couch, before you started - it's so bittersweet to see now.
Seems like there was a real uniformity to the kibbles - maybe you can produce some Lincoln-Log-esque sculpture?
Keep it up, man. You rock. I've noticed that the # of views of your video has doubled every day. If you go another week growing at the same rate - potentially you would be reaching 2,560,000 people on day June 16th! Think about it!
Just kidding.
Peace, and thanks for making me think,
Julie
I just came across your blog through someone else's site. I also have to admit that I am fascinated by your experimentation. To all of us out there that always wanted to do things like this, I would just like to say thank you. Good luck on your final day.
I am one of the weird people who has wanted a 'people' chow'. I am tempted to buy the extra bags off you and attempt to eat it for 30 days. There seems to be a demand from your public for the experiment to continue. Let us make this the summer of Monkey Chow.
I clicked on the link, the first thing i see is a muslim dude. Why, Monkeydude, are you feeding our enemies? (remember Pocahantas gave them white colonists seed and look where it got her people). And besides, if you really want to help starvin Africans, buy them birth control (and maybe medical supplies. For real. One child per couple with alotta food is going to thrive more than 3 half-fed kids on a subsistance(monkeychow-ish diet). But no one wants to buy Africans the pill..(you don't get a cutey postcard with a kids picture that way). Now there's somethign to be angry about.
-Simdave (28@hotmail.com)
Hey Adam. I remember that once during exams I felt that I didn't have enough money for food or time to eat it, so I somehow decided that I could meet my basic requirements through a mixture of cornstarch and milk. It was pretty disgusting, and I am ashamed to say that I only made it about a day and a half. A few years later, I was in a similar predicament and would pilfer tube feeding mix from a hospital. Which was slightly better, but not by much. I would also supplement my diet with dog biscuits left on the counter by my roommate. Another time, I decided that I could live off a soup made from the leftovers from my roommates: I would take whatever they wouldn't eat, vegetable scraps, etc. and dump it in a pot and boil it with water. Every few days I would add new stuff to the mix and boil it again. It was sort of like compost for humans. It was also pretty disgusting. I must admit, that none of these brilliant ideas ever lasted very long or were ever subsisted on exclusively. So I admire your perseverance! You are doing a great thing. I humble myself at your monkey feet.
I recommend people donate to World Vision (If you insist on it being a "feed the hungry" program, they have one called Basic Needs). WV guarantees that 87% of your donations go directly to the people in need. Not many charities can make that claim.
Congrats Adam.
Hello, a bit ago I tried the "master cleanse" thing that all the cool people are doing around here. I did it partly to show encouragement to my fiance, partly to see if I could do it, and partly on a bet.
10 days of a liquid made of lemons, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper... not as bad as it sounds, but by day three I wanted to punish the world for it's crimes in as bloody a way as possible!
By day 9 I was climbing the freaking walls with hate, anger, and boredom.
On day ten I sorta started liking it.
But on day 11... duck on rice for lunch and extra-spicy Schwarma for dinner, and I was fine.
So if your gut is normally pretty tough that steak may not be as far fetched as it seems.
Good luck!
dude you are the man, i cant believe you actually went through with all this, eating worse than a monkey at a zoo that is so awsome. and you should take the left over monkey chow at the end and like turn them into cookies and prank your friends it would be awsome.
a for the donations i think that is very honorable of you, i too think now i will donate my time and money to a charity thing my school does i think they call it chefs agaisnt hunger or something
anyway one more day you can do it woooo
Hey, I think since your poop is "scarce" and your mood is down today, that you've found out why they feed monkey's fruit along with this stuff! Fiber and carbs!
Yeah, a steak probably would NOT be a good idea tomorrow night, lol. I would go back on human food gradually. And something you might want to take is called Senakote. It's a natural vegetable laxative type thing. Works like head of cabbage! :)
Oh, and it's totally cool about the donation thing. To everyone out there thinking about it, NOW is a great time to donate to your local food banks. They are usually full around Thanksgiving/Christmas, but right now they are probably running kind of low. There's nothing worse than someone desperately needing food to feed themselves or their family, and having the food bank have to tell them "we're empty".
I don't like people using the words 'hotted up'. HOTTED IS NOT A WORD. Or even..."THIS SEASON'S HOTTING UP". Again. Crazy.
We who do not eat monkey chow salute you! I like your lack of agenda, too, and that you came to realize a cause rather than starting out with one. So I gave. Perhaps there is a Monkey Chow Foundation that could match?
Way to go AngryMan, you're almost there! Don't give up now! I just "found" your videos on YouTube and I'm starting to dig in to what this is all about so please bear with my ignorance on exactly what your purpose here was/is. I'm still looking into it. From what I've read so far, you're almost done, again, way to go. Maybe you've hit on some new diet for the masses! Over 5lbs in one week! The movie stars down in Hollywood will be all over this in no time! You should try secring the movie rights and perhaps a patent or two. Hey ya never know! Good luck with it all!
Doooh_Head
I've just watched your videos and must commend you on your bravery. This is far ballsier than the Atkin's Diet. I'd imagine that one could food-process the wet monkey chow with some spices and not really be cheating, as spices don't have any nutritional value. Food-deprivation psychosis set in for me once at 3 days, while I was doing a liquid detox diet. So I really must say that you're quite the contender. Congratulations, and please make a final post of you enjoying your first human meal. I think the expressions on your face would be priceless. I hope it's ok, but I'm posting a link to your site on my (very insignificant blog) and image linking one of your pictures. It shouldn't really cost you much bandwidth, but if so, tell me to knock it off and it shall be done.
We're rooting for you in the Southlands,
JON from Alabama
I just want to second the recommendation for Heifer. They take donations for female livestock which they give to hungry families, with the restriction that the animal's first female offspring be donated to another family with the same restriction.
I hope you're having fun with this experiment. I'm certainly entertained. And good work on using your sudden fame to help others.
Tim
I'm with you bro, and I think anyone that received even a moments enjoyment out of the MC diaries should give as well.
Even if it's only a couple of bucks, what ever you can afford.
I have fasted in the past as well, and it does suck bad, but we at least have an out at any time we choose, and a light at the end of the tunnel. Many many ppl don't have that, so pleas take the monkey's advise, and give something, what ever you can.
Your monkey ventures have made my week. It was great to see your post suggesting donations. I just made one to your charity choice.
Good luck - I will be counting down with you today!
You should continue for another week or so with the video postings, change it to the people chow diaries or something. It may take a few days before the simian superstrength kicks in. I've seen/read enough about superheroes to know that their grasp of their newfound powers is rarely instantaneous.
Eeek Eeek! You the man!
NPR. Wow.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5472655
I thought McDonald's WAS human chow.
Thanks, angry man, for giving me a meaningful activity to get me through my day at work.
Anyone that wants to donate to hunger, here are some good sites. All it costs you is time. You click on a button and they donate food/money. The money comes from advertisers on their site.
www.thehungersite.com
www.stopthehunger.com
www.freedonation.com
Oh yeah, and you can only click once a day and you don't have to click on any of the ads for your click to count but if you do, it supports the site. Go ahead, click a few ads. Then remember to go back again tomorrow, and the next day.....
Heifer International provides livestock to people in developing-world countries. Teach a man to fish...
angry man: Even monkeys in labs will get food enrichment besides their monkey chow. Soak it in water or juice. Your way too hard on yourself. There should be a very good reason to only feed a monkey chow. I once got in trouble for tasting the lemus chow (not bad), and heard of a starving student who decided to save on groceries by eating chow for a week. I don't know if he ate anything else.
Heifer International is a great organization that aims to reduce poverty and hunger throughout the world.
I made a donation to Engineers Without Borders (Canada) for you. Makes me all warm and tingly inside. If you feel warm and tingly though, that might be a problem.
Right now I am eating a hot dog.
Thanks for this whole week. You've entertained a whole lotta folks with this. And if it helps raise awareness by showing just how sharp and attention-getting real hunger can be to one guy, all the better.
cheers,
sebastian6
robotrecordparty.com
You should eBay off little zip-lock baggies of the remaining Monkey Chow (how about seven pieces in each bag?) and donate the proceeds to your charity of choice. I bet there's enough curious people out there who would be interested to experience Monkey Chow for themselves!
Eric H
I'd buy monkey chow!!!!
Thanks for your thoughts on hunger. I made a donation to Heifer International that I'd been putting off. It's truly a gift that keeps on giving.
As an aside, I'm a vet and I've dealt with the Zupreem food..and it really does stink! But not as much as monkey poop when it's flung at you :)
I manage a chimpanzee sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo and I think you should consider donating to primate causes after experiencing how miserable it is to be shoveled unexciting monkey chow day after day.
At least as free human you have the option of trying other kinds of food. Most zoo primates are giving monkey chow with a variety of other things, but it's still far from exciting.
Also, it's not a natural activity for monkeys to throw poop. It's irksome when you work in the field and you constantly get barraged with the same idiocy over and over again.
My wife -- who for a while lost her senses of smell and taste after a serious accident -- points out that while you really can't make claims about having gotten a lot of insight into how hungry people live, you have gotten a lot of insight into how people with taste/smell impairments live. Also I gather people with color vision problems tend to find all food really unappetizing.
Of course i don't know of a charity guided to such.
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