I love doing crafts, I love bright cheerful colors, and I love making my apartment cheerful. Painting and crafting is very fun and calming for me. I love it! It's my creative outlet and I think everyone should have a hobby they enjoy. I've drawn pictures for friends and family, but lately I've been focusing on creating art for my own apartment. Not only does it make me feel good to create things, I'm also making art that is bright and cheerful. I love seeing it every day - it helps put me in a better mood. And I like to think that it helps other people feel cheerful when they come over to visit.
I'm including a picture of my art so far. But it's not done yet!
I also vacuumed and cleaned my apartment today. I am trying to do that more often because I have a cat and some of my friends are allergic. If I only thought of myself, I wouldn't clean nearly as often. Oh the things we do for love :)
This past week, I visited a woman through my job who is having memory problems. But she wrote down many stories of her life before those problems started, so now she has a wonderful collection of memories for herself and hr family.
I used to be really good at keeping a journal, but have fallen out of the habit lately. Today, I started back up again. Who knows what I will remember on my own? A physical, written account will be so nice to have! This is an act of kindness for me and anyone else who may be interested in it in the future.
I left some Easter gifts for my coworkers yesterday and brought some in to my practicum people today. They were nothing big, just little things, but they still put a smile on their faces ;) I have more for this weekend!
I like to bake! And one of my coworkers likes cinnamon toast crunch (CTC). So I found a CTC muffin mix and made them today. I gave them to some people at work, but gave most of them to my coworker friend. They turned out pretty yummy!!
Today I decided to give out eye glass cleaner towelettes. I also attached a note saying 'to help you better see the beauty in the world.' I tried to give them to everyone I saw with glasses, but some people seemed confused and said no. They work really well, I promise! But others were very appreciative :) yay clean glasses!
Today, I went out to lunch with some friends. You know how sometimes when you're checking out somewhere and they ask if you want to donate a dollar to a charity? Well, I normally say no thank you. But today I decided to say yes and do my good deed. I donated a dollar for Muscular Dystrophy because I can. It's for a good cause, and I got to write my name on a shamrock and it went on their wall :) hooray for saying yes!
I've decided that my acts of kindness can include acts for myself. I just finished reading a book called 'Activate Your Goodness' and I found it to be very enlightening. It's about the effects of goodness on the world. It states that if everyone thinks good, speaks good, and does good, the world will be on a better path. We all have the potential to do good, which will not only help the world, it will also help us as individuals. One thing she points out is that we must first help ourselves. It's not selfish to help ourselves. Just like in an airplane, when the stewardess tells you to put your mask on first before helping others. Because if you're passed out from oxygen deprivation, you will not be able to help anyone! It's okay to think of yourself first! Take care of yourself so you're better able to help others. So my act of kindness today was for myself - by reading this great book. And remembering I'm important, too :)
I actually did this yesterday and today, but that works! Sometimes I get in the mood to tell everyone how awesome they are, because everyone deserves to hear that. So I got on Facebook and posted fun pictures, telling everyone how awesome they are. It was much fun!! Hopefully it made people smile :)
Today, I went to Joann Fabrics with my mom and sister. We got fabric to re-cover some furniture - so fun! And then I wanted to find some paints to make a new picture. While in the paint aisle, I noticed a woman talking on her cell phone while her daughter stood bored by the cart. She seemed to be talking to her husband, who actually needed the paint, and she was trying to figure out what to get. She was having a hard time. She hung up and asked me if I could help her choose. Oh, also, she was British! So it was super fun to hear her talk! She told me what they needed paint for - to paint little figurines - so I helped her get what she needed. Her husband called her back and she said in her soft spoken accent that she apprehended an innocent bystander to help her. Meaning me! I loved her accent. I'd help her out just to hear her talk! But she got what she needed and was grateful for my help. And so was her daughter because she wanted out of there. Somehow, I always end up helping people at Joann's! Haha!
When I left for work this morning, I noticed that my neighbor's trash was sitting outside of her apartment door. She's a single mother and is often busy and sometimes forgets about it. I was running slightly late and didn't think much about it. But, when I came back later that day it was still there. I had to take my own trash out, so I went over and knocked on her door and offered to take hers out as well. I wanted to ask first just to be absolutely sure it was trash - who knows, it could've been donations or something. Plus, she is slightly paranoid and I didn't want to make that worse. But she was very grateful! And now I also don't have to worry about raccoons coming near my apartment to get her trash. Win win!
I often feel too busy to spend much time playing with my cat. This has two consequences. One: he gets antsy. Two: I get less sleep because he wakes me up at night. I know I should play with him more often to help him use up his apparently never-ending energy, so tonight I did! I spent a lot of quality play time with him and I'm hoping it made him happy. And that we'll both sleep well tonight!
Today, I randomly put little notes on people's cars under their wipers, saying "have a great day." I did this in my apartment complex and at work, hitting up about 12 cars total. It was fun, although a few people looked at me strangely and I was worried I would set off a car alarm. But all went well! Maybe some people just pushed them off without reading them, but maybe some did read them. And for some, maybe it brightened their day a little bit :)
Today after work, I visited my parents and sister. I saw them over the weekend, but felt like seeing them again to say hi and spread some cheer. So I shared some more of my cookies and gave them each multiple, big hugs! I love hugs, and I think they love hugs, too. Well, they didn't tell me to stop! ;) hugs are good for you! They make you feel good, loved, and are proven to lower blood pressure. So hug it up, people! Hug it up.
Tonight I had dinner with a friend, then made cookies for her while we watched a movie. She's always loved my cookies, so I thought it would be a nice treat for her to have some straight from the oven. And it was! She loved them! She calls them manna from heaven :)
One of my friends lives in Alabama and she and her husband are looking for new jobs. Naturally, I want to help her. And selfishly, I want her to live closer to me and my family. So, I asked if they'd be willing to relocate to the Columbus area. And she said they are willing to look at jobs anywhere! Yay!
So now I'm on a mission to try to get them to move to Columbus, which means I need to look for jobs. Today I spent two hours online, trying to find good jobs for them. I emailed her many jobs, hopefully not overwhelming her too much! It's definitely not easy to find the perfect job, especially for someone else. I just want them to be happy :) I will keep looking, as long as it takes!
If any of you know of any office management, HR, or computer support jobs in the Columbus area, please let me know!!
I know it's easy to get overwhelmed by different organizations or people asking for donations. How do you know which one to choose? Which one will spend the money wisely? Is the money going towards what they say it will? Which cause is more worthy than another? Especially for people like me, who feel passionate about many things, it can be very difficult.
I've found that choosing a few organizations after careful research, and choosing something you feel truly passionate about is the best bet. I've donated every year to The National MS Society, Women for Women International, and CARE for the past 4 years. I also donate to Heifer International and the Human Rights Campaign when I can. These are my favorites and they hold a special place in my heart.
But, I also try to donate to something that someone I know is passionate about. My cousin does so much work for the March of Dimes. It is something she feels so strongly about and her dedication is truly inspiring. So, today I made a donation to her walk for March of Dimes. I hope she has a great walk and I'm sure she'll raise a lot of money for the important research. Way to go, Stephanie! Keep up the good work! Keep inspiring people :)
Today I shared my clementines with two good friends. I like clementines a lot, so if I share them, that is an act of kindness :) And clementines are very healthy, so I'm also passing on healthy vitamins and good things. Healthy people are happy people! I like my people to be happy! And healthy!
I also attended my first Outreach and Special Services Division meeting through the Ohio Library Council today and spoke up to be on the Action Council. Normally, I wouldn't volunteer to do something like that, but nobody else was speaking up, I want to try to be more involved professionally, and I'm feeling more confident in myself. So I said count me in! It made them happy and I felt good! It'll be good experience.
Like many people, I love watching award shows like the Oscars. Who doesn't like to see people get recognized for the good work they do? Plus, I want to see the pretty dresses :)
While these awards are great for the famous and fancy, there are no awards for everyday life and the amazing things regular people do. So, I decided to give out my own awards - the Awescars! Awards for the Awesome Everyday People and what they do. Everyone deserves to be recognized for what they contribute, because everyone does contribute something. Many people do not feel appreciated in life, work, or relationships, which is too bad. If someone you know is being awesome, let them know! If your co-worker is doing a good job, tell them! If you love your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend/family member/friend then say it all the time!
So I gave out my first Awescars today to two people at my library who I think deserve them. They are such good people and they make the library a better place. Everyone deserves to be recognized. Everyone. Any type of relationship, whether work or play, requires good communication. I choose to communicate when people are being awesome because they should be told. Who doesn't want to hear that? And you never know if that person really needs to hear it.
As you've probably noticed, I feel very passionate about certain issues. However, I have a bad habit of not staying informed about those issues. At least not actively. And how am I supposed to try to act if I don't stay current with what's happening? So, I decided to do something about it. I researched different organizations around Columbus that involve empowering women, international relations, etc.
One organization I came accross is the United Nations Association of the United States of America. This is the organization that brings the Mock UN to schools around the country, but they also help keep people informed and host events. They allow normal citizens to participate in conference calls with official UN members about important issues around the world. And they have a UNA - Women division! And they have a Columbus chapter, so if they have any local events, I will know about it and hopefully be able to join in the fun :)
So, I joined them! It's not expensive to join, especially if you're a student, and the money goes to a good cause. And I'm already getting good information. I joined them on facebook as well, so I get to see interesting stories every day. Now, I can stay on top of issues, stay informed, make more informed decisions, and being aware of what's going on is the first step in making change. Information is power!!
I love books and I love to read! I worked in the book retail world for over five years and have now worked at a library for over two. I taught English to adult immigrants in Florida for a year, I majored in English in my undergrad, and I am now finishing my Masters degree in Library and Information Science. So, reading, the power of words and knowledge, and spreading that power is very important to me.
When I worked in bookstores, I was always spending part of my paycheck on books. I loved to collect books! Since I moved into my one bedroom apartment, I had to downsize my collection and I pretty much stopped buying books since I started working in the library. In the past, whenever I decided to get rid of books, I took them to a local store and sold them. Usually, I didn't get too much for them, but it was something.
I recently bought two books, which is unusual, but they looked really good and it was on an impulse. But I decided to start a new policy. If I buy books, I need to get rid of some. And not by selling them - by donating them. So, I donated books to my library. Now, others can enjoy the books I read and the library can benefit as well. I save space on my bookshelves and don't need to worry about getting more bookshelves! Simplify, simplify, simplify! There's no reason I need to have so many books when I most likely won't read them again. I have to admit it also feels good to get rid of some of my stuff and clutter. And others can now discover the books I like. :) Win win!
I work in the Outreach Department of my library, which means I get to go out and deliver books to people who can't make it into the library. They live in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, senior apartments, or individual homes. In short, I have the best job ever! Lately, I've been trying to do more programming with our patrons. And today was one of those days!
We scheduled to go out to one of our facilities to play Pictionary with anyone who wanted to join us. Sometimes it's difficult to know how many people will show up for programs, or if anyone will show up at all. I thought one way to lure people in would be to bake something. I made scones! Two types: blueberry and lemon poppyseed. When we first got there and set up, only a few ladies joined us, which probably would've been fine. But then we ended up with eleven people to play! And they all loved my scones! We started playing and ended up having a blast! I even got high five bookmarks to give the winners. And we may have gotten another person there for our Outreach program.
It went exactly how I dreamed it would and I'm so glad I decided to do a program, make scones, and give bookmark prizes. They all asked for us to come back again. Perhaps in the future we can make regular game days with them. What a fun time! You just never know when trying something new will work out so well for everyone involved. You win some and lose some - this was a winner!! And a quick shout out to my boss, who came with me. She was great and fun and helped make it all a success :)
I joined a group called International Pen Friends three years ago this month! I love all things international and love to get and write letters, so I thought this was the perfect idea. And it was! I now regularly write to three women from France, England, and Switzerland. They are great and I love getting random letters from other countries in the mail.
I have to say there are times when I feel too busy and their letters sit in my apartment longer than they should. The past couple of weeks are a good example. But, I finally sat down, read their letters, and wrote back tonight. The most recent letter I got was from a woman in France. Reading her letter, I discovered that she has recently had to deal with some serious losses and needed kind words. So, I sent her some. You never know what good a simple letter can do or how your words will help someone in need. I know they've helped me when I need them, too.
It would be so easy to just say I don't have time and stop writing, but then we'd all miss out. I'm so happy I became a pen friend! I love hearing from them as much as they love hearing from me. We even send each other small gifts and pictures sometimes. It is so fun! And the girl from England looks a lot like me and we have a lot in common. I met my English doppelganger. :)
One of my friends had surgery last month and today was her first day back to work. She was feeling very nervous about going back because she is still experiencing pain, so I wanted to send her some encouragement. I texted her and told her I was about to call her, but not to answer! I wanted to leaver her a voicemail so she could listen to it again as needed. I sang her a song and told her how proud I am of her, that she's awesome, and she can do it!
March 8th is International Women's Day! Women's rights and empowerment around the world is something I feel very passionate about. Warning: I'm going to get on my soapbox for a moment here. It is a proven fact that when women are given the opportunity and resources, they can make a huge impact on their community. Empowering women in society, government, communities, business, politics, and every other aspect of life has the power to change the world for the better. Just think about it. In many countries, women are not allowed to become educated or contribute to society. What a huge opportunity the world has to empower them to become the best they can be. How can the world be expected to move forward without half of the population reaching their full potential? Women are an opportunity, a huge resource! When women are educated, they tend to marry later in life, have fewer children, are able to support their families, help their children become educated, and are more engaged in their communities. They share their knowledge and skills with others. Educating women and girls is one of the best ways to fight poverty and terrorism. I could go on and on and on.
There are many issues we need to overcome for women's rights all around the world, including here in the United States. We have a ways to go, but we are making progress, there are amazing women and men out there fighting to make the world a better place for women. I want to thank them and encourage everyone to learn more about these issues. Just being aware can make a difference in how the world works.
One of my favorite quotes comes from one of my favorite organizations, Women for Women International. "One woman can change anything. Many women can change everything."
Okay, so International Women's Day is important to me! On this day, I decided to make sure the women in my life know how much they mean to me. I made cards for many of the women who work at my library and passed them out. I also made cards for my two supervisors at my practicum site. AND, the women librarians from Kyrgyzstan that I met yesterday just happened to also be at my practicum site today! So I gave all of them cards and flowers :) It was so much fun! I got my picture taken with them. I also sent out facebook messages to the women I love who are not within physical card-giving distance.
So, Happy International Women's Day to everyone! Tell the women in your life how much you love them. Stay aware of what's going on in the world and do whatever it is you can do to make it a better place!
If this subject interests you, I highly recommend the book Half the Sky, by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. It is excellent and I try to pass it on to as many people as possible. Here is a video of Sheryl giving a talk about the basic principles of Half the Sky.
I've always been interested in international relations, especially when concerning women's rights and libraries (either separately or together). So, I've become involved with different international organizations, both nationally and locally. One organization is called the Columbus International Program. They bring in professionals from different countries to come to the Columbus area for training and learning, and then they go back to their countries, bringing along new ideas.
This week, the Columbus International Program happened to bring in professional librarians from Kyrgyzstan! Since I work at a library, they contacted me to see if they could come visit my library. I know I'm bragging, but our library is one of the best in Ohio. So I passed their information on to the library's director and we set up a day and time for them to come.
That day was today! I did not have to be any more involved than connecting the program with the right people in the library, but I ended up staying with them the entire time, helping our director with a presentation and a tour. It was wonderful! I was able to help the librarians learn about our library, gain new ideas for theirs, and I made some new friends. One of the librarians, Aika, told me all about her library. She was so proud of it and what they are doing. It was wonderful to hear her pride and excitement. She works at the American Corners & Centers in Kyrgyzstan and she asked me to like them on facebook. I just did! And she would love to do a webchat with me from her library sometime. And so would I!
Not only was this fun for me, it also helped me be more visible to my director, I was able to catch up with my contacts in the international world, I got to make new international friends, and I got to help out international librarians. Win-win-win! It was great. Just goes to show what saying yes can do. I was nervous, but in the end it was a great decision.
They also gave me a pin with our flag and theirs :) Thanks, new friends!
I live in Ohio, which means in the winter it can be fifty degrees one day and then snow five inches the next. It's completely unpredictable and causes many colds and sniffles. Today happend to be one of the snowy days. When I went to bed last night, there was no snow, but when I woke up this morning, there was a lot of heavy, wet snow on everythings. Including all the cars in my apartment's parking lot.
So, I got up and got ready faster than normal. I bundled up and went outside to assess the snowage. There are three people in my parking lot area that use handicapped parking spots and I decided to clean off their cars for them. One of them had already left (she got out fast!), so I started with my neighbor's car. She has two children, one of whom has cerebral palsy. School was cancelled today, but I figured they may go somewhere else and she'd appreciate a clean car. I don't know the person who parks in the other handicapped spot, but I figured they would also appreciate a cleaned off car. Chances are the warming temperatures of the day would have melted it anyway, but if they went anywhere before it warmed up, it hopefully gave them a nice start to the day.
Take that, old man winter! You threw some snow at us last night, but I knocked you off those cars! Yeah!
It's so easy to hear someone ask a question or wish for something and just forget about it. But going that little extra distance and actually finding out for them or helping them get something done is quite spectacular.
Today, I had to take my car into the shop for something. The guy who always helps me out knows I work at the library, so he asked me some questions about taxes and tax forms, then he asked me if I know of a place in Westerville where he could take a soil sample to get it tested. I have never heard of such a place and told him so. It could have been so easy to just forget about it and let him find it on his own (or not), but I looked it up when I got back to the library. And found it! I wrote down the information for him and gave it to him when I picked up my car later in the afternoon. He was so appreciative and I found out that he and his family tried growing their own vegetables last year and it didn't go very well. They really want to grow tomatoes and beans! So he wants to get his soil tested in order to do better next time.
If I hadn't done this for him, I would not have seen his happy smile and wouldn't have learned something personal about him. And it never hurts for your auto mechanic to like you ;)
I once heard somewhere that people like to get the kind of affection they give. That sounds confusing - let me explain. If someone always leaves you happy notes, then they would probably love for you to leave one in return. If someone gives you compliments, you would be surprised how happy it makes them if you compliment them as well. If someone likes to give hugs, they would most definitely love to get random hugs from you. This has really stuck with me, so I try to pay attention.
In my department at the library where I work, we go out and deliver books to all the schools in our district. There are two particular secretaries at two particular schools who are so incredibly kind and caring. One woman gives us tasty treats every Thursday and is always ready to greet us with a smile on her face. So, I decided to bake cookies and give her some, along with a nice thank you card. The other lady always gives me hugs and asks me how I am. So, I also gave her cookies (because who doesn't like cookies) and a heartfelt thank you card. Her hugs and kindness really do mean a lot to me. I wasn't able to deliver these things myself because I'm not scheduled to do these deliveries this month, so I asked my nice co-worker deliver them for me (Thank you!). I will also give her a hug the next time I see her. These two women deserve to know how special they are and that they make a difference in someone's day.
There are two famous people that inspire me to be a better person and make people laugh. The first one I've already mentioned: The Kid President!! This kid has something called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which causes his bones to break easily. I guess he's had over 70 broken bones so far! His brother in law was inspired by his spirit and resilence and they began to make his Kid President videos. I first saw his Pep Talk video, which came at a time when I could really use one. I felt so inspired by him, his spirit, and his laughter. Oh my goodness, this kid's laughter is so contageous! And at the end of each of his videos he asks what you will do to make the world more awesome, which is part of the reason why I am doing this blog. So I decided to write to him to tell him how he has inspired me and just how completely amazing he is. I hope he continues to inspire people and I hope I can somehow inspire people - even just one person - to make the world more awesome. Check out his website at kidpresident.com.
If you haven't seen this video yet, please watch it and be prepared to love this kid to death!!
The second person who inspires me is Jimmy Fallon. I love watching Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and I have to confess I call Jimmy my TV husband. I know that sounds creepy, but I am constantly impressed by his genuine kindness and ability to make people laugh without being mean. He calls people 'pal,' plays games, isn't afraid of being silly, and always has time for his fans. I am a Fal Pal :) So, I also wrote to Jimmy Fallon to let him know what a great person he is and to keep up being awesome. I also mentioned that he should have the Kid President on his show. They would have so much fun together!! Just sayin :)
I have no idea whether I will hear back from either of them, and if I do I have no way of knowing whether it is really them writing to me. But everyone deserves to know that they are awesome and doing a great job. Wouldn't you want someone to tell you that? It can be argued that famous people already know and hear it all the time, but you never know. Maybe they need to hear it. We should all tell someone how awesome they are!
Today my family and I celebrated my Mom's and my brother in law's birthdays. We went out to a restaurant to eat good food and have a good time. There were eight of us and it was a little crowded, but the waitress did an excellent job. She was friendly, attentive, and knowledgable. To make sure she knew how much I appreciated her service, I gave her a slightly larger tip than normal and also wrote a special note on my receipt. I told her she did a great job and wished her a wonderful day.
After we finished eating, my sister and I went to the restroom. Like most people, I avoided the stall with the unflushed toilet and used another one. While waiting for my sister, I noticed others doing the same thing and decided to do something about it so others wouldn't have to wait. So, I took a breath and used my boot to flush the unflushed icky toilet. The next woman to come in was then able to use that stall. I would normally not do this because it grosses me out. And I already did one act of kindness for the day. But I felt inspired to push my kind limits today :)
I've decided that I want to live in a world where people do nice things for each other. Sure, that may seem optimistic and you may think I'm silly, but it's fun to do the impossible! And if I want to change the world, I have to start with myself. While I try to do kind things as often as possible, I want to commit to doing one random act of kindness every day for a year, whether it's for my family, friends, co-workers, or complete strangers.
I've been inspired by my family, friends, loved ones, and future loved ones. I want them and all the wonderful people I haven't met to believe that miracles can happen and true kindness does exist. One day at a time, one act at a time, I believe I can change the world and make people just a little bit happier and know they are worth all the kindness in the world. That in turn may encourage them to perform their own acts of kindness.
Another inspiration for me has been the Kid President. This is a kid who posts funny, fun, inspirational videos and asks people to get up and do something to make the year awesome. So here is my contribution. If you haven't heard of the Kid President, check him out. He is incredible. I want to put him in my pocket and carry him around with me everywhere! Watch his videos at kidpresident.com.
So here goes! I will continue until March 2, 2014!
What will you do to make the year awesome?
And if you have any suggestions for random acts of kindness that I could do, please let me know! I welcome any ideas. You can write a comment or email me at yearofawesome@gmail.com
So I gave out my first Awescars today to two people at my library who I think deserve them. They are such good people and they make the library a better place. Everyone deserves to be recognized. Everyone. Any type of relationship, whether work or play, requires good communication. I choose to communicate when people are being awesome because they should be told. Who doesn't want to hear that? And you never know if that person really needs to hear it. 
One organization I came accross is the United Nations Association of the United States of America. This is the organization that brings the Mock UN to schools around the country, but they also help keep people informed and host events. They allow normal citizens to participate in conference calls with official UN members about important issues around the world. And they have a UNA - Women division! And they have a Columbus chapter, so if they have any local events, I will know about it and hopefully be able to join in the fun :)
When I worked in bookstores, I was always spending part of my paycheck on books. I loved to collect books! Since I moved into my one bedroom apartment, I had to downsize my collection and I pretty much stopped buying books since I started working in the library. In the past, whenever I decided to get rid of books, I took them to a local store and sold them. Usually, I didn't get too much for them, but it was something. 
