Donate to Hal

8
year Mo Bro
Hal Stern

$50

Target: $4,595
raised $25,684 since 2012
My motivation
Fundraising for cause areas including:
Men's health

This has been a strange year to redefine "strange." 10 days into 2020, my favorite rock drummer (Neil Peart) died and I saw my last live concert (Trey Anastasio Band). 30 days: A friend and a family member lost their dads. 45 days: My last business trip. 75 days: I haven't been in my office since. I've bought weird things online. I started to sketch again. I cleaned out my home office half a dozen times and unearthed things that the Computer Museum doesn't want. I'm playing a lot of music, and taking virtual lessons with a non-touring musician. But I'm stressed, we're all stressed, and this isn't good for our overall health.

This is my 7th year as a MoBro and i'm aiming for a lifetime $20,000 fundraising goal, which is completely within the realm of the possible if I continue to get the amazing support from this community. I have the added acceleration and benefit of a great team of coworkers at Janssen US, where prostate cancer is one of our oncology therapeutic areas.

I am committing to moving 60 miles this month -- walking, biking, skating, and perhaps even jogging. 60 miles represents 60 men who commit suicide each hour. You know the song from "Rent" - 525600 minutes - that's how you measure a year in men's suicides. I'm committing to improving that statistic, whether through Movember or making the extra effort to reach out to those I know are at risk.

My profile picture is from last year's SAXX run in NYC, and I promised that if I broke my goal I would share pictures. There you have it. I have some other mild craziness in mind. We have to be creative.

2020 has forced us to rethink all of our relationships from the most casual to the familial. Men's health -- especially our mental health -- must increasingly be in focus. We can't be this separated, without music and sports and poker nights and still be fully healthy.

Movember is about dealing with these issues; about battling the emotions and tensions around balancing work, family, life, friends and the specter of men's cancers. It's about rising back to the surface, it's about choosing to go up rather than down; it's about making music out of life.

Let's rock on, Mo team. 60 miles, $3,315 and perhaps some terrifying photo opportunities to go.

Read more  +
Read less  -
How I'm
getting involved
Janssen Oncology
Team captain Sophie Paik
$50 Team funds raised
View Team Page
0 of 60 miles
Your feed

Leave Hal a comment
 

Previous year's posts
20 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

"Easy Like Sunday Morning" - 60.7 miles, $6,400 raised, and this has all been wonderful. Thank you, Mo Bro, Mo Sistas, supporters and donors and other fans. That's me literally crossing the finish line on the bike this morning (Jam: Trey Anastasio "Gotta Jibboo" from the Beacon Jams)

Previous year's moves
20 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 3.8 mi00:10:00

Over goal (both ways)

20 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 4.5 mi

Almost there, with 2 days to go!!

20 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 3.7 mi

Pre-turkey workout. Smoke from the bike and the smoker.

20 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 5.2 mi

Pre-Thanksgiving. Music: Trey "Stealing Time" Beacon Jam

20 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 5.2 mi

O'Dark O'Clock O'Bike.

21 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 5.3 mi

Music: "Set Your Soul Free," Trey Anastasio, 11/19/20 Beacon Jams

21 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 5.3 mi

Tuning: "Curlew's Call" from last night's Beacon Jam featuring TAB horns

21 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 3.7 mi

on the bike watching Trey's Beacon Jam

21 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

Update on Move-mber: My right knee has decided to make this more of a challenge than usual. One very large bore needle of cortisone (and some x-rays) later, I'm ready to go again!

21 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 2.4 mi

Entertainment: "Under the Scales" podcast with RJ Bee and Tom Marshall

21 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

A friend mentioned Peter Gabriel last night, and I was thinking of the time I saw Tony Levin's jazz trio cover "Don't Give Up." It's a wonderful, dissonant and very difficult bass line that powers the song. "When daylight came, I saw the earth, the trees had burned down to the ground." It's stark but it's hopeful. An anthem for Movember.

21 Week(s) Ago
I cycled 4.1 mi

i'm back....back in the saddle (seat) again

22 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

Why I decided to go to 11 this year with the Mo activities - a story about growing up nerdy with my cousin David
https://freeholdhal.medium.com/make-your-own-luck-a8f861e6e436?sk=7f97dbb7a9c8d9f3855a1f511aa78a9f

22 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

Happy Friday the 13th! Initially I decided I was going to track my walking for the month, and walk 60 miles -- really not that much of a challenge. The Global Mo Team helped me choose to Mo My Own Way (cue Fleetwood Mac), where I will ride the bike 60 miles in the remaining days of Movember. Now that's a challenge for my aging knees.

But I'll be posting updates, maybe some reading and play lists, and as promised -- some pictures!

I'm a mere $52 away from my 3rd goal, I've surpassed my previous years' high water marks, and I'm over $21,000 raised in 7 years for Movember. I may ride, but you all rock and roll. Thank you

22 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

A former co-board member wrote a deeply moving piece about culture, technology and his late brother. My thoughts on those topics, and how they are amplified in and by Movember, is here: https://freeholdhal.medium.com/small-great-men-ea01700e7ad3

22 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

A huge, hairy, hirsute thank you to all of my supporters. With four incredible, generous donations (all from long-time Sun co-workers) I hit my initial goal for 2020 and have now raised over $20,000 lifetime for Movember.

And as was the case at Sun Microsystems -- that means a goal increase. Now I'm looking to hit $4,065 for the year, another $750. Why the weird amount? Because when I crush that it's another $750 to setting an all-time single year record, and maybe a spot in the top 100 in the United States.

The support, love and understanding from this community is just outstanding. Thanks (in advance and in arrears!)

23 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

I promised more on Frank Zappa, his indirect influences on me musically, his meta indirect influences on my musical influences, and why he gets a Movember mention - story is too long for the update box, so here's the verse, chorus and coda https://freeholdhal.medium.com/frank-discussion-4fa1b6afb1b9

23 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

Happy First November Thursday Team Mo!! For those of us who mark time by holidays, November is measured in weeks to turkey, and today is the quarter pole event. Here's a picture of 3 Thanksgiving turkeys to get you in the mood....

I want to thank all of the donors, fans, and old friends who have chimed in with their support and encouragement in the last five days -- great to hear from people from so many facets of my life, and the future of happy, healthy young men is reflected in your graciousness.

$640 to go -- that's $25 a day for the rest of the month. Maybe it's time for some stretch goals?

73 Week(s) Ago
Hal Stern

50 miles moved with 7 days to go. Entirely in range now. To top it off, thanks to a generous group of Mo-better people, I hit my increased fundraising goal and have now, with your help, brought $16,000 over 6 hairy season to Movember

Show more
Note: As donations can be made privately, not all donations are displayed to the public.