Donate to the SFWA medical fund (or risk the wrath of Gandalf)

Nebula Award winning author and NCSU professor John Kessel once offhandedly quipped, “I know the world does not care, but nobody could pay me enough money to go see ‘The Hobbit.’ Well, maybe someone could, but nobody is going to.” 

Well, now somebody has (actually, a lot of somebodies)... 

In exchange for donations to the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund, which offers interest-free loans to members facing unexpected medical expenses: 

• $250 — Prof. Kessel goes to see The Hobbit (the upcoming Peter Jackson version, in a movie theater before the end of the year, no cop-out home screenings of the Bass-Rankin animated classic) 
• $500 — Prof. Kessel will write 500 words on the film 
• $750 — Prof. Kessel will either before or after the film eat Denny’s The Hobbit-themed Ring Burger 
• $1000 — Prof. Kessel will dress as Gandalf when watching the film - REACHED as of 2:15 p.m. (PST)
• NEW: $1500 — Prof. Kessel will watch the entire Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings trilogy and write 500 words on this experience
• NEW: $2000 — Prof. Kessel will channel his inner Leonard Nimoy and perform 30 seconds (on video, of course) of “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins“
• $2500 — Prof. Kessel will dress as Galadriel when watching the film (and yes there will be documentary evidence)

But wouldn't you rather see him as Galadriel?  You've only got until Monday morning, so go donate!