Friends,

I have been overwhelmed and humbled at the progress of the t-shirt benefit, and the kindness of my friends Mike and Sherry/Benen and Rosabel. For years to come, I expect to be reminded of the sentiment on the shirt, “I am rich in friends, if not in money,” whenever I see someone wearing it. Thank you to all who have been so generous.

I have been asked, directly and indirectly, if there is a Go Fund Me, or similar site directed toward the same ends. To paraphrase one benefactor, “(My husband) and I don’t need more shirts or more trim.” While I might normally consider the second part of the statement vaguely blasphemous, I can view her purchase log, and am forced to grudgingly agree that, for now, that she might have barely enough trim. ;-)

I will admit that I am somewhat reluctant to accept direct support. That was what appealed to me so much about the t-shirt project. I could benefit while my benefactors could receive a “thing”. And that thing had a message that I wanted to be shared. I suppose it is the psychological equivalent of an NPR totebag.

So while in no way diminishing my thanks eternal to Mike and Sherry, and as a way to allow folks to help out without overstuffing their closets or trim baskets, I am opening up a second front in this campaign. In the past, I have mostly freely offered my translation skills for mottoes, scroll texts, or whatever else, asking only to be “paid” in an adult beverage, to be delivered at the client’s convenience. And I would mention that I did not keep records of such obligations, so if I was not compensated, I would likely never notice the shortage.

So, for the short term, I will change the text on my virtual cardboard sign from “Will translate to Latin for beer”, to “Will translate to Latin for cash”. A $10 paypal to andrixos@earthlink.net, a CashApp to $andrixos, Chime to $trimguy, or Venmo to @Steven-Boyd-114 will get you a Latin translation of a sentence or motto of your choice. Standard disclaimers apply. You will likely get an explanation of the Latin grammar involved, particularly if it is at all interesting, because I am still, at heart, a Latin teacher. Give me until about October 10, 2022 to revise the translation, particularly if you plan to use it for a tattoo, or other such unalterable application. I would like to be able to consult my “Big Book of Latin Words”, the 2,400 page Oxford Dictionary of Latin, which is at home.  Also, I own a copy of J.N. Adams' "Latin Sexual Vocabulary", so I can address topics of that ilk, but that is at home as well.  Send an email to calontirtrim@gmail.com with the English you want translated into Latin.

I look forward to answering many requests as it will give me a distraction during the time when my wife is asleep.

Thank you all for your kindness.

Steve/Andrixos