Today is Day #2 of Operation: Snap Out of It! As you might have read yesterday, I'm in a little bit of a funk and I've determined the best way to work myself out of the funk is to follow the wise words of an anonymous author who said, "Forget about yourself, focus on others." So, today is day-two of a six-day random acts of kindness run. By Saturday, I expect to be whistling Dixie, with blue birds on my shoulder, and rays of sunshine escorting me wherever I go.
The idea for today's random act of kindness is compliments of my mother. She told me of a recent trip she took into Manhattan on the Long Island Railroad. She bought a book at the train station, hoping to make the thirty-minute ride in and out of the city pass more quickly. It wasn't until my mother, the avid reader, was on the train and twelve pages into the mystery that she realized she'd already read the book. She immediately turned to the man sitting next to her and asked if he would like to have it. He gladly accepted her offer, explaining that his wife loved mysteries too.
My mother explained she'd often thought about creating a book mark or cover (brown paper bags, look out) that she could place on a book, once it was read, permitting the lucky finder to enjoy the story before passing it along again. I don't know if my mother ever did it, but today I will. We have a small stack of books my husband has read on recent business trips. They are good books, but not books worth keeping. I have just finished putting covers on them. The front says...
I'm done, now it's your turn...
Enjoy the Book
Catch the spirit, do a random act of kindness
And the back says...
Pass it along when you're finished...
Do a Random Act of Kindness
I will bring them to Starbucks when I go for my morning cup of joe and place them on coffee tables around the store. That and a cup of coffee is sure to start my day off on the right foot.
Now, if you commute on a train, bus, subway, or plane; frequent a local coffee shop; exercise at a gym; share common office space; visit a local park regularly; or even shop at a supermarket, consider doing the same. Use brown paper, a mailing label, or something as easy as a sticky note and invite complete strangers to be the recipient of your random act of kindness.Let us know how it goes and I'll do the same.
Announcements:
- Taste of USA: Today we celebrate New Mexico, Wednesday is Texas, Thursday is Washington D.C., Massachusetts, and Hawaii. Friday these states must muster up as many people as possible to... "tell us what your state's made of." On deck... Idaho, Alaska, New York, Tennessee, and Michigan.
- Free For All Friday: We have some takers for this week's Free For All Friday Challenge. First, Andrea (killer aerobic instructor) is hosting a Carnival-themed party for her six-year old son. She has some games brainstormed, but is looking for the extra fixins (party favors, prizes, decorations, music selections, fun outfits she and others can wear the day of the party, food choices, etc....) Important Note: Andrea will not read the blog until FRIDAY, so mill over it for the next few days, but don't post your genius ideas until this Friday.
- Also, Maureen's daughter is turning 16 in February. In New York this is serious business, so a reception hall has already been booked and party planning is in full swing. She is looking for our readerships' collective knowledge and creativity surrounding Sweet Sixteen Court Ceremonies (did you know this existed?), as well as best places to purchase once-in-a-lifetime-princess-tiaras (she said if Texans, host to pageants galore don't know where to get a tiaras then who will?).
- Congratulations to Heather. She was just offered a new position AND PROMOTION at the University of Texas at Arlington. This, of course, means she will be moving my way in the next couple of months. Can you see my smile coming through your computer screen?
Signing off until tomorrow...
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