Do Something Kind Today

EATING OUT

2011-12-13T14:58:00.000-05:00

When you have worked in restaurants for so long and are married to someone who cooks in a restaurant, it is so difficult to eat out without being so critical. I have another blog that talks about my love for food www.marriedachef.blogspot.com.

But when we do go out, regardless if the food ends up being great or just OK, we always take care of our server as long as they are attentive. I know how hard they work since I worked in the restaurant business for 19+ years. And I now tip 20% of the TOTAL bill. Inflation has hit everyone and these servers depend on us to make a living too. In North Carolina, the pay for a server is $2.13 an hour. Restaurants take the stance that they are doing you a favor by hiring you to serve their clientele since you will be making tips or gratuity, whichever way you want to call it. And the extra work of cleaning, setting up, breaking down and putting away adds an extra 2 to 3 hours a night, without tips. And it is nasty, dirty hard work. Chewing gum stuck under the tables, crumbs everywhere. Spills made by babies and toddlers that parents ignore since they feel that the help will pick it up. We called them baby bombs.

I learned that all the folks waiting tables have great life stories. Students supplementing college tuition, parents that need extra money to pay unexpected bills, divorced moms that never expected to maintain a household alone, like me.

BE NICE to your server this 2011 Christmas Season or Holiday Season. Smile, say please and thank you. And tip them accordingly, or even a little bit more. They might be trying to get the money to buy that special toy for the little one at home.

TEXTING - losing a way of communicating

2011-03-27T22:24:00.001-04:00

I just saw on internet that they are taking a poll on whether OMG, LOL & BFF should be added to the dictionary. Really? We even have to consider OMG as a word? I see my college son on his cell phone constantly texting. I asked him why didn't he just call people? He told me that his friends won't answer a ringing phone, only the beeps of incoming texts.
I recently had a friend through Facebook send me a joke on what it would be like if senior citizens used text messages today. I can't lie, it is actually funny.
Sr.'s TEXTING CODE : ATD-At The Doctors. BFF-Best Friend Fell. BTW-Bring the Wheelchair. BYOT-Bring Your Own Teeth. FWIW-Forgot Where I Was. PBL-Pacemaker Battery Low. GHA-Got Heartburn Again. IMHO-Is My Hearing-Aid On. LMDO-Laughing My Dentures Out. OMSG-Oh My! Sorry, Gas. ROFLACGU-Rolling On Floor Laughing And Can't Get Up. TTYL-Talk To You Louder. CGOCPT-can't go out, colonoscopy prep tonight.
But reality is that since my son's generation doesn't have conversations with each other, they will actually be sending texts like the ones above.

Another thing that we are losing is penmanship. Kids today don't know how to write cursive. I taught my kid how to write cursive, but since he doesn't practice it a lot it isn't pretty.  Schools no longer put any effort into teaching penmanship or cursive writing since now we type everything. Even I am typing this blog.

I have the blessing of teaching a Zumba class at my church. Every week between the two classes approximately 125 beautiful Christian women show up.  And one of the things that I have marveled and admired about them is their attentiveness. But what stands out the most is their art of writing cards. I get cards hidden in my bag or places on my car door or on the stage where I dance. And their handwritten notes tell me so much more about them than the words itself. I think about the time this person took to find the card, to find a pen and sit down and think for a few minutes what they are going to write. Then they put pen to paper and write. The results make me smile, laugh, or shed an emotional tear.  A cell phone text is nice, but a hand written note is so much more special.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:
Buy a card for someone you like. It isn't expensive. The Dollar Store has two cards for $1.00.  Give a thank you card to the lady that cleans the bathroom at your office or leave a thank you card for the church nursery worker. Tell your friend you appreciate them for standing by you year after year. Write a note on pretty paper and put it in your daughter's bag and tell her how much you love her and how proud you are of her. Draw a picture and write a note to tell your small child how much you love them and put it in their lunch box. WRITE, don't text. It tells the recipient that you care a little extra more.

Heartbroken - I pray for you JAPAN

2011-03-14T18:26:00.003-04:00

I had the opportunity to work for a Japanese owned company. They are one of the world's largest producers of some of the best sesame oil in the world. We always had folks from Japan work in our office in the USA. They are the most polite, respectful and soft spoken people I have ever met. They always said good morning with a bow. And they always said your name with -san at the ending. Remember the Karate Kid movie? Daniel-san? If you were ever stressed or under the weather at the office, they came around with freshly pressed hot green tea. Whenever they traveled to Japan, they always came back bearing gifts. Some were very unique and not always familiar to the American pallet, but the packages where always so beautiful. The attention to detail and art is so exquisite in Japan. They conserve their heritage, customs and folklore. I don't think there is any culture that can rival Japan's in the way they respect the elderly. In the USA we put ours away in homes most of the time. I see pictures of rescue workers carrying the elderly on their backs with all the care in the world.

It is mind-boggling to see the pictures of towns totally wiped away. Boats and cars on top of 3 story buildings. A truck dangling on power lines. Piles and piles of cars thrown around.

So many people are homeless. Yet they conserve a sense of dignity that comes through in the pictures. They form lines and patiently wait for all to be attended by relief organizations that are on the ground now. I have seen on the news in other disaster areas where people fight, push and shove to get their supplies first. Maybe it is just the initial shock and people are still walking around numb in Japan.

To this day I still stay in touch with my friend Masanori Suzuki. I call him Suzuki-san. When I heard of the earthquake I immediately thought of him and his wife and all of their families. I thought about all the employees of the sesame oil company. The only way I knew how to contact him was through Facebook. And he responded. They are all well. It was such a relief to know, thank God. Fortunately they were on another part of the island, but he still felt all the shaking going on. But now we are worried about nuclear
fall-out. To scary to even think about it.

I want to do something to help. My commitment to give up something for Lent is going strong since last Wednesday. And my promise to donate the money I would have spent on myself still stands. What I haven't done was commit to a certain charity until now. I know exactly which one, and a very reputable one at that. The AMERICAN RED CROSS. They can take the money and purchase what is needed the most. I trust them with my donation. Here is a link to their website.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:

Donate to the American Red Cross for Japan.

https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?idb=0&5052.donation=form1&df_id=5052

GIVING IT UP VERSUS GIVING IT OUT

2011-03-07T18:35:00.000-05:00

It is the day before Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday. LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL as they say in New Orleans. Then comes the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday. A solemn time for Christians around the world as we approach Good Friday. It was a turbulent time in the days of Jesus Christ and it is a turbulent time now. Wars then, wars now. Poverty then, poverty now. Struggle then, struggle now. Nothing seems to change. A person can get very downtrodden.

I have recently fallen in LOVE with a song by Kirk Franklin. Here are a few of the lyrics. The name of the song is:

I SMILE.

I dedicate this song to recession,
depression and unemployment.
This song’s for you.

Today’s a new day, and there is no sunshine.
Nothing but clouds, and it’s dark in my heart
and it feels like a cold night.
Today’s a new day, where are my blue skies,
where is the love and the joy that you promised me
you tell me it’s alright.

(I’ll be honest with you)
I almost gave up, but a power that I can’t explain,
fell from heaven like a shower.

(When I think how much better I’m gonna be when this is over)
I smile, even though I’m hurt see I smile,
I know God is working so I smile,
Even though I’ve been here for a while
I smile, smile..
it’s so hard to look up when you look down.

Hate to see it when you give up now

You look so much better when you smile, so smile.

I didn't grow up with the tradition of giving up something for Lent. I hear people give up chocolate or meat or their favorite coffee at Dunkin Donuts. I understand the physical sacrifice behind this. But how does that improve life for someone else? Are we giving up the meat so that someone else in need can eat it? Are we donating the chocolate to a children's home as a treat? If we are going to give up on something, then I believe we should give it out. My pastor, Kenny Hibbard, opened up his Sunday sermon quoting a book that says, 'Life is not all about you".

For the first time it has been in my heart to give up something for Lent. And I am going to SMILE. I know what to do with the money I would have spent. I am going to donate it. This should be something between God and myself, but I also know that people get motivation from others sharing their heart and stories.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:
Give up something and start giving it out to others. A simple thing to do during this time of reflection as we prepare to celebrate the greatest gift of all. Love Eternal from our Lord, Jesus Christ.

TISSUES FOR SNOTTY NOSES

2011-03-04T18:26:00.001-05:00

The education system in the USA is on a downhill ride going 100 miles per hour and shows no sign of slowing down. As much as people want to fight it, the statistics are there. The USA keeps dropping and dropping compared to other nations in education. And we can name a thousand reasons why. Low teacher pay, overcrowded schools, parental indifference, low family income, no more prayer in school, government cut backs, busing, etc, etc. Yet it amazes me how cities always seem to have enough money to build sports arenas and stadiums, but none for schools. And who pays the consequences?
WE ALL DO.

It might seem funny when Jay Leno on the Tonight Show goes to the streets and asks people questions about geography, presidents and other various topics. He once asked a high school senior if she knew what the capital of France was. She didn't have a clue. Yet when he asked her who was Nicole Richie's best friend during a reality show, she said Paris. Jay asked her the question again about France and she still wasn't putting 2 and 2 together.

Teachers are overrun with too many students in one class. They have to worry about social issues that never happened when I was in high school. They are not given enough essential supplies to perform their functions and stimulate the young minds under their charge. I know of countless teachers that spend a fortune of their own money to make up for the shortfalls of the education system.

Even if you don't have any children, it is essential to support your local schools. These are the adults of the future making decisions. Paris vs Paris just doesn't cut it.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:

DONATE: Go to your local dollar store and buy a few items of school supplies. Pencils, erasers, construction paper, stickers, etc. Hand Sanitizer and paper towels. And the most important item of all is TISSUE PAPER. Children are sent to school with colds all the time. Some parents just don't have a choice to stay at home with their kids. Teachers desperately need TISSUE PAPER. A few boxes means cleaner noses and less kids wiping with the back of their hands. Drop it all office at your local school and make a teacher happy.

SAVE A JOB

2011-02-16T15:43:00.000-05:00

We are all frightened by the global economy. Analysts keep saying that it is SLOWLY improving. Yet it seems everyone is suffering around the world except China. And right behind it is India. I watched a progam hosted by Piers Morgan recently. He was visiting China and showing the immense prosperity happening there.  I wasn't surprised since they export so much and WE buy it all up.

When President Obama was elected to the presidency he wanted for every new item brought into the White House to be Made in the USA. And I believe he wanted to extend it to any US government office. I agreed with him 100% on this issue. Yet the backlash was huge by exporting countries. How in the world can they dictate what is purchased for OUR governmental offices? They accused us of PROTECTIONISM.  And they won. It was at this point that I understood how weak the USA had become.  I bet if I visited the White House today or other governmental offices and looked for manufacturing labels, aside from the historical pieces, it would probably be made in another country. How sad.

I recently read a story that shared how we can start saving our country, the USA. Unfortunately it was in passing and at a Dr.'s office that I didn't catch the title to share it here.  But it stated that if EVERY American purchased 3 items - Made in the USA - on a weekly basis it would cause a surge in the need for workers at American manufacturing plants. Putting American's back to work.

When I go to the supermarket I make extra time so that I can carefully look at labels. When I see "Distributed by", that means it was imported into a distribution center in the USA and sent out to the various stores. Yes there are jobs at the distribution centers, but not enough to grow our economy. So I put the 'Distributed by" product back on the shelf and keep looking. I want to see MADE IN THE USA. If I can't find it, then I have no choice.  I have found at various stores sponges, laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper, light bulbs, drinking glasses, floor mats and socks to name a few items. Does it cost a few more cents? It does sometimes. But it doesn't matter to me because I am joining in the effort to save this land that I love, a few extra dimes at a time. And this should apply for any country you live in. I am not against the exchange of product. Bananas just don't grow in the USA and Russian Vodka is still the best. What I am against is total dependency on others for our survival.

Here is a suggestion of an item made in the USA that I use. I keep one in the car and another in my pocketbook.
Udderly Smooth Udder Cream for dry Skin. Made in the USA for over thirty years.
It has it displayed right in the front with pride.
They sell this cream at your local pharmacy, or online. I found it at Walgreens.
I think Wal-Mart might even break their own rules and sell it. Imagine that, a non-imported product decorating Wal-mart's shelves.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:
Buy a product made in the USA to give as a gift or to donate. Your local community center can use the items to give away to help fellow Americans. If you chose to give it away as a gift, let your friend know that it came from the heart and directly from the Heartland of this beautiful country.

THE BREAD AND MILK RUSH

2011-01-10T20:31:00.000-05:00

It has been an unusually cold and snowy winter here in the South. Whenever the meteorologist calls for really bad weather, a syndrome develops and it is called the 'Bread and Milk rush'. There is a stampede to the supermarket to stock up on bread and milk. I have never really understood why, but it happens.
And then I realized that there are folks out there, the elderly, that don't have the luxury to rush and get bread and milk. A lot of elderly folks don't own a car or they are too old to drive. They are sight impaired now or forgetful and can get lost, or they just don't have the reflexes to react quickly in a dangerous situation. Driving in bad weather is a dangerous situation. And believe me, now that I am 50 years old, my eyesight has changed and now I need nighttime driving glasses, aside from my distance glasses and my reading glasses. Thank God for GPS. It is sad to know that one day our liberty of driving will be taken away from us and we will depend on someone to get us around.

We might have a neighbor or know of someone who is elderly and there is something very simple that we can do.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:

If you hear that the weather is going to be bad and plan on going to the store to stock up on food supplies, remember your elderly neighbors. Go over and ask them if they need anything to keep them comfortable. Even ask them if they have sufficient meds to keep them healthy. What extra effort is it to pick up 2 gallons of milk instead of one? I will be old one day and I hope someone includes me in the Bread and Milk rush.

GIFTS THAT REALLY GIVE

2010-12-27T21:59:00.000-05:00

We are smack in the holiday season. Shopping for that perfect gift is always so stressful. And sometimes we have friends that have it all. What to buy? NOTHING! The best gift we can give is ourselves.

What ever happened to those laid backdays? We are just too BUSY. And I realized that all my friends and family are in the same boat. Schlepping their kids back and forth to every activity they have enrolled them in. Working, cooking, cleaning, shopping, going, going, going......

I had done this a long time ago for some friends, and I have repeated it several times for different folks.

My friends names were Leon and Wanda. They had 3 little ones at the time. I didn't have any kids back then so I was being brave. I was going through some real hard financial times, but I loved them dearly. Their 10th wedding anniversary was coming up and honest to God, I could not afford a gift. But I came up with the idea to offer myself to babysit the kids so that they could have a night to themselves. When I made the offer as an anniversary present their jaw dropped. First of all they thought I was crazy for wanting to take care of 3 kids, but they were also afraid the kids were going to hurt me :-) But after much convincing they agreed. The kids were going to come to my house and have a sleep over. This way the parents could wake up to a quiet house and have a relaxing cup of tea. We packed the kids stuff along with a huge list of do's and don'ts and off I went with 3 kids in car seats. I won't lie to you, it was a very long night for me. But in my heart I was so happy that I gave the parents something they hadn't had in a long time. A DATE.

The next day when I took the kids back, Leon and Wanda were all smiles (wink wink ;-). They told me that the best thing about the whole night was either having uninterrupted conversation and not have a little one screaming "MOM" all the time, or not saying anything at all and just enjoying the quiet and each other. They told me it was the best gift out of all they had received.

Another time was with my friend Glenda. She had so much going on in her personal life and with 2 babies of her own. Her house was taking the toll. So one day I came over with cleaning tools in hand and we attacked her kitchen. We blasted the music and had a ball cleaning. Yes it was a bit of work, but it was a gift of love and support.

My neighbor Randi didn't know how to cook fish and her husband goes fishing all the time. I offered to come over one night and cooked it for her. I wrote down the recipe too. And when her husband came home, he was happy to see his prize catch on the menu.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:
Write out some coupons to give as gifts. It doesn't have to be for Christmas only. It came be for any occasion. A coupon can be good for babysitting one afternoon, or if you are brave enough, a full night. A coupon to help clean up. Or a coupon to help a friend cook for the family one night. How about a coupon to offer pet sitting if you know your friends are going to go away? Save them the boarding money. It is about you giving of your time and yourself. Try and beat that Wal-Mart.

Can we count? 1, 2, 3 , 4 .......

2010-12-22T10:50:00.000-05:00

Why do supermarkets cause so much stress to a lot of people? I must be weird, but I love going to the supermarket. I go almost every day. The cashiers know me by name. The smell of fresh produce as soon as I walk in is enticing. Choosing the right shopping cart that doesn't have the twisted wheel can be a challenge, but hey at least it rolls. And having "THE SHOPPING LIST" in hand is a must even though I never stick to it.

I always try to go in for one or two items but I end up leaving with 20+ items or more. Since my husband is a chef, our world revolves around food. I try with all my might to avoid the aisle with the International Foods because it has all the different sauces. Sauces from India are my latest craze. Just add the sauce to browned chicken with a side of rice, delicious. And I avoid the bakery. I love breads with garlic and herbs baked right in to dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. But the carbs are showing all over my body.

As I go up and down the aisles I notice that all the registers are empty. But as soon as I finish gathering all my goodies and head to the check out area, everyone in the supermarket has the same idea too. Haven't you noticed that whenever you go shopping, everyone seems to head to the registers at the same time? Why is that? But the few times that I do go into the supermarket to only pick up the one or two things I need, the lines are already long with people pushing shopping carts filled to the hilt. I hope against hope that by the time I walk the few aisles that the lines have shortened. But reality is they don't.

Even the 20 items or less express lane has folks in line ten deep. We look at their carts and start counting how many items they have to see if they are being honest and have the right to be in the express lane. 1, 2, 3, 4 .........21. What?! 21 items? Really? How dare they. Let's be honest, we have all done the counting. Unfortunately with this economy stores are cutting back on personnel and supermarkets are no exception. So even the express lane is sometimes closed. And I can't stand the self service lanes. So robotic.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:

So what is a shopper supposed to do? Inhale, relax, exhale, relax. And STOP COUNTING!. Be nice at the check out line. Read a magazine instead. A few extra items in their cart won't make the world come to an end. And if you are one of the folks like me that has an overflowing shopping cart, let the person behind you that is carrying a few items in their hands go in front of you, especially if they are elderly or dealing with babies. The times I have let a person go ahead of me in line surprises the heck out of them. They always ask, "Are you sure?". Of course I am sure. It warms my heart to see their smile when they say Thank You. Because something that costs nothing is worth a lot. A little kindness can make their day and mine.

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL, WHO'S THE FAIREST BLOWFISH OF ALL?

2010-12-14T01:12:00.000-05:00

What in God's name is wrong with Hollywood? Who was the idiot that said "puffy" lips were sexy? They all look like blowfish now.
I looked up the word puffy in the dictionary.
Puffy: inflated, distended or swollen. Fat, plump. Also means conceited, bombastic.

Hollywood hates to be related to the word FAT, yet there it is. FAT lips. I find it to be the most unattractive look ever. And it doesn't stop there. The stretching of the forehead, implants in the cheeks, implants in the chin, nose jobs that make you go huh? My co-workers and I spent a work break one day looking at before and after plastic surgery pictures of Hollywood celebrities on Internet.  We were either horrified, shocked or amused. But never once did we say, "Wow, they look fantastic". NOT ONCE!

We all have what we think are flaws. But ask a person that is sight impaired if they wouldn't like to see their wrinkles?

Now that I am 50 years old, there are bags under my eyes.  Playing around with the mirror I tried to slightly stretch the skin to see what I would look like. That small stretch changed the shape of my eyes and it did not look like me. I couldn't handle that. And besides, I earned these bags :-)

One day watching The Oprah Winfrey show, they had a woman who had over 20+ plastic surgeries. She wanted to look like a Barbie doll. What she ended up looking like was a freak. They had performed so many "fixes" to her nose that she could no longer blow her nose and had lost her sense of smell.  I can't even begin to list all the procedures this woman had. But the saddest thing she said was that when she went home to visit one day, her father told her that she was no longer the little girl that looked like him. She was still his daughter, just not one that looked like part of the family. And at that very moment she regretted the whole thing, but it was too late to go back. I have a big nose. I know it. But it is my nose. Yet more important than that, it is the nose I inherited from my dad. He has one just like it. And I don't intend to change it.

What is this obsession with physical perfection? I know I will never obtain it. Too much work and I don't have the time or energy. And forget the money a nose job costs these days. I think I was a pretty woman in my younger days. Now I know I am an attractive woman because now I know who I am.

I have a son that I think is the most handsome thing walking, but he needed a little fix in his teens. A $5000.00 fix. He got braces. That's it. Because I always told him he was handsome. I told him that God designed him exactly as God wanted him to be. And who are we to argue with God?  Our job was to keep the design always looking cool.

I never had a daughter, but having been a girl growing up I completely understand the pressure of the media and your peers. But what I don't understand is parents giving their daughters a boob-job (breast augmentation) as a high school graduation gift! I can just imagine what my mother would have said if I went to her back in the day asking for a boob-job as a present. I probably would have needed surgery due to 'other' causes.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:
Say some kind words. Tell your son or daughter, your brothers or sisters, nieces or nephews just how beautiful they are. It doesn't matter the age. Insecurities are always there.  Admire a certain feature they have. Point out the common denominator between all the family members and make them feel connected and special.  Teach them to cherish the big nose. And if they happen to naturally have been born with "puffy" lips, tell them that Hollywood is jealous and is trying unsuccessfully to look like as good as them.

Caffeine Fix

2010-12-10T12:17:00.000-05:00

In today's world people are always on the go. The average amount of sleep in the USA is less than 5 hours a night. We try to convince ourselves that we don't need to sleep the full 8 hours. Yet we spend the whole day sucking down coffee or sugary drinks to keep us going.

The coffee machine is the heartbeat of my house.  Either my husband or I program the coffee machine to be ready in the morning so there is no waiting for that first cup of joe. God forbid we run out of coffee. But if we do there is a back up plan.  It's the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru one mile away from the house.  I even change the driving route to work to make it there. Once you get in line you see cars already waiting in front of you. And in no time at all there are cars behind you too. We are all on the same caffeine quest. I have often looked through the rear view mirror at the person in the car behind me wondering if they were as tired as I was. But what we all had in common was the missing smile. No one smiles. I wasn't smiling. We order, we wait, we pay, we get our coffee and we drive off.

Now this idea was not mine, but it happened to me. I was in the Wendy's drive-thru at lunch one day and there already were a lot of cars in line coming in from the main highway. But from a side street an elderly lady drove up in her white car and waited patiently for someone to let her in. Three cars passed her and no one had the courtesy to let her get in line. I let her in. She ordered her food. She drove up to the window and she paid. She was then given her bag of food and she drove off. In the meantime I ordered my food. When I arrived at the drive-up window with my money the attendant told me that the lady in the white car had paid for my lunch and that I didn't owe anything. The attendant also told me that the lady had said she wanted to pay for my lunch because someone had shown her some kindness today. I was stunned. When I got my food I pulled out as fast as I could to see if I could spot her car at least to wave a thank you, but she was long gone. For the rest of the day I had this wonderful feeling inside. God recognized my kindness and rewarded me.  I have never forgotten that day. But it has been several years now and I have been really remiss in "Paying It Forward".

So back to the coffee. This morning I ran out of coffee creamer. I am lactose intolerant so I can't have milk in my coffee and I don't like it black. I had to do a Dunkin Donut's run. And of course the line is already 4 cars deep. As I sat there I saw a car pull up behind me. A big SUV looking thing.  I watched the lady through my rearview mirror. She looked tired and was not smiling.  Then my Wendy's episode popped in my head. It was time for paying it back. I ordered my Chai coffee and drove to the window. I told the attendant that I wanted to pay for the tab of the car behind me. It was less than $5.00. But that small tab made me excited and made me smile. Then I asked the attendant to tell the lady that I want her to some day pay it forward too. I got my coffee and drove out of there like I was in a NASCAR race. I didn't want her to see me. And now I understood why the lady in the white car drove off too. A face to face encounter would take away the feeling of excitement for me and the surprise element for the lady in the SUV.   And I think the idea of paying it forward is lost if you can thank someone. By saying 'thank you' it feels the deed is done. Since I didn't have a chance to say thank you, it stuck with me all these years that I had to do something in return for someone someday. And I wanted her to hopefully thank God instead.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:
Buy the meal of the person behind you in the drive-thru line. You never know. It might change their day from grumpy to happy. Or it might change their sceptical outlook of humanity by a small act of kindness. It might even affect the attendant that sees first hand the face of the person giving, but mostly the face of surprise on the person receiving. They might want to get in the act someday too. But it will definitely change your day. This act of kindness is a better jolt than coffee.

WAR IS INSANE!

2010-12-03T10:42:00.005-05:00

I recently traveled to Mexico City on business. Lucky for me I didn't have to endure an invasive search while going through airport security. Just your regular walk through detector. But my carry on bag was held for inspection. The TSA agent took out my jar of cold cream. The jar was bigger than they liked. And even though I opened it and showed them that the content was very little, it was confiscated. I thought this was crazy. Absolutely ridiculous and insane. How much threat is Jergen's Cold Cream to our national security? But I realized that war is insane. It will never make sense. Man hating man enough to kill. My trip to Mexico City reminded me of how much I love my country. Don't get me wrong, the people are warm and friendly. And the food is out of this world. But it is hard living according to what I am used to. Just the traffic alone can give you a heart attack.

I don't know if you are old enough to remember a TV commercial that showed 2 opposing armies walking towards each other on a field. And once they stopped to face each other, out walk the leaders of each army in business suits. They take off their jackets and they start fighting. Just the two of them. A good ol' scuffle. May the best man win. And now that I remember that commercial, having Jesse Ventura or Arnold Schwarzenegger as elected officials would finally make sense. See what I mean? We become insane.

But there is a hard and sad reality to war also. OUR TROOPS. Men and women that risk their lives and put their families on hold for us so that we can elect the Jesse's and the Arnold's.. We have the freedom to vote, among other things. A year after 9/11, my husband and I flew to Las Vegas for his grandmother's 100th birthday. I encountered 2 soldiers coming back from Iraq. We were standing in line to buy beverages. My husband told the cashier to charge him for the water bottles that they had picked up. When the cashier told them what we had done, they walked over to us to say thank you. I came and hugged them and said, "No, thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you are doing now so that my little boy won't have to do it later."

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:
It is the holiday season and we can do something so big without spending big.
This is legit. I checked it out. http://www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/soldiercards.asp
For the 2010 Holiday Season, the Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are again sponsoring a "Holiday Mail for Heroes" program to distribute holiday cards to service members, a program that encompasses not just troops who are recovering in military hospitals, but also service members stationed throughout the U.S. and abroad, as well as veterans and their families.
The cards should be addressed to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456.
All cards must be postmarked no later than Friday, December 10, 2010. Cards postmarked after the deadline will be returned to sender. This deadline ensures enough time to sort and distribute cards before the holidays.
The Red Cross provides these additional guidelines:
DO
* Include your heartfelt sentiment and sign all cards
* Entitle cards with generic terms such as "Dear Service Member, Family or Veteran"
Limit cards to 15 per person or 50 for school class or business group
*Bundle groups of cards in single, large envelopes.
DON'T
*Send letters, care packages or monetary gifts.
*Include personal information such as home address or email addresses
*Use glitter - excessive amounts can aggravate health issues of wounded recipients.
*Include inserts of any kind as they must be removed in the screening process.

I'm off to buy some cards.

Please submit your comments if you joined me on this idea.

JUST A DIME

2010-12-01T20:50:00.001-05:00

I turn 50 in a few days and I have been doing a lot of introspection. And I asked myself what matters in life? Seriously, do I really know? These past 2 years have brought it to the forefront. A difficult economy and the global instability are enough to make anyone crazy. I empty-nested. My only son went off to college. And I have a husband that works a horrendous amount of hours. I am grateful he has a job, but I have had to face many, many hours alone. So what do you do to make yourself feel better? I could eat chocolate or go shopping or get a pedicure. But that 'good' feeling disappears so easily. I would gain weight and add more debt to my credit cards and I sure don't need either of those things.

I always considered myself a kind person and would do a nice thing every now and then, but not enough to really make a difference. You always hear that cliche, "It starts with you". But you know something? It really does. WE can change our environment, our world. One kind act at a time.

I was in the supermarket the other day and there was a lady buying a gallon of milk. She was paying cash for her purchase. Unfortunately she didn't have enough money. She was short a dime. The cashier told her she would wait for her to go get some money from the car if she had it. The lady said she didn't have it. I always complain about how heavy my pocketbook gets because of loose coins. We all have a few coins in our purse. So without saying anything to her because I didn't want to embarrass her, I handed the cashier the $0.10. The lady turned around and said "Thank You, you didn't have to do that." I said, "Don't worry about it, it's just a dime.". And her response to me was, "It is never just a dime."

The rest of the day I had the warm and fuzzies. And I want to experience that feeling more often. I want to fill the voids I have with kindness and warmth. And I want others to join me in that experience. I want to post an idea of something kind to do every week and I would love to hear your feedback.

DO SOMETHING KIND TODAY IDEA:

Don't give the finger (you know which one I mean), give a hand.

Give up the road rage for one day. If someone turns on their car signal, don't speed up. Let them in. And if someone cuts you off, don't flip the bird, wave and pray they arrive safely.