Operation NICE

RAOKA: Kindness

2009-11-12T06:19:00.000-08:00

I'm back! I had an incredible time in Arizona with my fabulous friends. I think someone needs to invent a teleportation machine so I can see them more often than once or twice a year. Get workin' on that, wouldja??

Unfortunately, I brought something back with me aside from great memories. A cold. I've been coughing like crazy and struggling to make it through the days. And since it's tough to take days off after coming back from vacation, I'm attempting to be a trooper, while not breathing near anybody. But I've been neglecting you all far too often lately!

So, I hadn't gotten around to my RAOKA post for the month. I apologize, it won't be as insightful, well-written, or detailed as my fellow RAOKA members. So I urge you to check out their wonderful blog posts about their months of Kicking Arse.

RAOKA Posts from the Team:
Lance from Jungle of Life
Lori from Jane Be Nimble
Dani from Positively Present
Brandi from Joy Rebel
Sami from Life, Laughs & Lemmings

Results
So I mentioned that I wanted to make a list of ten good deeds. I didn't actually write out a list, but I had certain things in my head that I wanted to do this month to push myself to be kinder. I'll just mention a few here to give you an idea. I sort of feel weird about sharing things I've done. I hope I don't sound like I'm patting myself on the back! Not my intention!

Anyway, the internet is an amazing place, right? I have "met" so many people that I feel like I know, even though we've only exchanged emails here and there. Well, one of my internet friends was hurting, and hurting bad. I felt so much empathy each time I saw her Tweet about her pain. I wanted to cheer her up, but I felt like an email wouldn't be enough. So I decided to send her flowers. It's a simple gesture, I know. But I wanted her to know that I was thinking about her, and even though I couldn't give her a hug in person, she was in my heart. Be kind to your friends!

Okay, then one day I was walking into work. I saw a section of newspaper on the ground, as if someone was finished and just discarded it on the sidewalk. I thought about RAOKA and decided it might be a good idea to pick it up and dispose of it properly. I went and grabbed the stack and started heading to the nearest trash can. Then I stopped. The recycle can was behind me at the corner. I knew the right thing to do would be to backtrack and recycle that paper. So I did. Be kind to the earth!

And then one thing that I've always wanted to try was paying for the person behind me at Starbucks. I've heard so many stories about people doing this, and c'mon, being the Starbucks lover that I am, it'd be the perfect act of kindness. So as I was waiting in the drive thru, I peeked at the woman behind me, and decided it was the day. I got to the window, paid for the order with my Starbucks card, and when the barista handed it back, I said, "Actually, could I pay for the car behind me too?" This confused her. She stared at the register for a bit, then asked a coworker to help her out.

"She wants to pay for the car behind her," I heard her tell the other girl. They both looked confused.

"You want to just use your discount card for them?" one of them asked. I told them that I wanted to pay for the order. They turned back to the register, trying to figure this out. "Do you know what they ordered?" the girl asked? So I explained that I didn't know the person, I was just trying to do something nice. At this point, the line in the drive thru was getting pretty long and I was wondering if maybe my good deed was annoying some other folks! The girls finally realized what I was trying to do and ran the order through, saying how nice it was. This entire situation made me think paying for the person behind you wasn't as common as I'd like to have hoped! I just hope the woman enjoyed her coffee!

So anyway, there were a few more little things. I tried to be a bit more conscious (and a bit less lazy) about my kind acts for the month. And you know what? It was a lot of fun! I realized that every kind act I performed put a smile on my own face, and I thought, "I should do this more often. :)

November Theme: Beauty
Stay tuned next month for a post regarding this particular RAOKA theme!

And if you're interested in getting involved with RAOKA, there's some great info at the bottom of Sami's post.

EEP!

2009-11-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

I owe you guys a RAOKA post today, but I'm going to have to keep you in suspense for a little while longer. I'm leaving for Phoenix this afternoon to visit two of my favorite girls and their families for a long weekend. But along with a few work emergencies that have kept me running around like a chicken with its head cut off, I haven't had time to do a write up. Forgive me!

I promise to describe to you my month of kindness as well as introduce to you the theme for November next Monday!

Have a spectacular week and weekend!!!

NICE Assignment: Places I Love

2009-11-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! Did you all have wonderful Halloweens?? Mine was fun! I wish we would have had more trick or treaters though. We only got three. And I live in a perfect trick or treating neighborhood, so I was surprised. I remember when I was a kid, we went through at least 14 bags of candy every Halloween. It was awesome!

I hope I never feel too old to dress up. I love it so much! Here I am on Friday night, as my favorite movie character of all time, Max Fischer from Rushmore. After trying to convince my husband to be him three years in a row, I decided to do it myself. :) Funny thing is that it's not that much different than what I typically wear. I bought the beret and the blazer, but everything else is a regular part of my wardrobe.

Since it's now the month of Thanksgiving in the U.S., I thought it would be great to do Love Lists as every weekly assignment, focusing on different topics. Let's give thanks for the things we love by sharing them with each other.

Today's Assignment: Places I Love

If you could be anywhere right now, where would it be? What places do you have fond memories of? What spots do you regularly visit because you love them so much? Here are mine.

Let's get the cheesiest one out of the way first. I love to be in the arms of my husband. There, I said it. • I love the city of Boston. The vibe, the awesome public transportation, the fabulous shopping. • I love Sorted (indie/brit rock dance party) at the Barbary. • I loved my grandparents' living room on Christmas Eve, where we'd gather to open gifts for hours upon hours. • I love my newly furnished bedroom. • I love Lorenzo's on South Street. Yum. • I love my friend Maria's home in Arizona which I'll be visiting in three days! • I love riding the subway in NYC. • I love sitting at my parents' kitchen table, chatting with them on a Sunday morning. • I love hammocks. All of them. • I love the HOW Design Conferences. • I love wandering the aisles of Barnes and Noble. • I love the Ritz theaters in Philadelphia. • I love bowling alleys. • I love art supply stores. • I love karaoke bars. • I loved going to the Point Pleasant boardwalk with my mom. • I love anywhere that involves good friends and good board games.

Ahh, that was much needed. It's been a rough day! But thinking about all those great places has put me in a much better mood! So, wanna play along? Tell me about the places YOU love!

I did my assignment!

2009-10-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

On my way into work, I stopped at the grocery store to buy treats for the day. Then I sat in my car in the parking garage putting together little goodie bags for my friends at Starbucks, who provide me with liquid sunshine every weekday morning. And I also made three bags for my fantastic coworkers, who I couldn't be more grateful for.

For some bizarre reason, I'm always nervous doing things like this. Hey, if someone handed me a bag of candy, they'd be my new best friend. But I don't know, my social anxiety kicks in and I honestly almost chickened out. But when I was at the register, I pulled out the bags and just went for it. After I left Starbucks, I had the biggest smile on my face! I should really do that kind of thing more often!

NICE Testimonial: Let's Not Judge

2009-10-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

I received an email yesterday from NICE photographer Beth with a link to a blog post she wrote a few days ago. It is so lovely, beautiful, meaningful, introspective (and more!) that I had to share it.

It's easy to dismiss people based upon their appearances. I still have inner issues from my nerdy childhood. People didn't take the time to get to know me. And even now, I sometimes worry that my blue hair gives off the wrong kind of vibe. I'm not "disturbed" or "alternative", I just like blue. And my husband, in his fitted thermals and baseball cap might seem like a jock. Okay, he sort of is. But he's also one of the smartest people I know, but many times people don't see that in him. They don't see the guy that goes to library lectures of Iranian authors or the guy that studies books on the history of Rwanda. They see a sports nut.

As that age old cliché goes, "Don't judge a book by it's cover," because you might be missing the story of a lifetime inside.

Click here to read Beth's inspiring blog post about how she avoided judgement and had a great experience.

(image courtesy of Beth McWilliams)

NICE Assignment: Trick or Treat!

2009-10-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Phew, it's been crazy in my world lately. I could use a break. Luckily I go to Arizona to visit some of my favorite people in the world next week! That'll be an absolute treat. It's been tough managing everything on my plate lately. I've taken a hiatus from drawing, though I'd like to get back to that soon. I've cut back on my posting here, which I'm sure you've noticed. And I've definitely cut back on chores, much to my husband's dismay. :) But as I've been saying for the last few years, I just need to get through the next couple days!

So here's a belated assignment for you!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! I absolutely love dressing up. Not to mention the fact that I also absolutely love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. But any excuse to play make believe is a good one. Last year I was a Peta victim. The year before that I was Björk. And the year before that I was a Robert Palmer video girl. This year I'll be showing less leg. :)

Today's Assignment: Trick or Treat!

Another one of my favorite parts about Halloween is giving out treats. Unfortunately, my neighborhood doesn't get many trick or treaters, so I might have to go on the offense to find people to treat. That may be my coworkers, my mailman, my Starbucks baristas. Since I always buy far too much candy and I don't feel like gaining ten pounds or ten cavities, I thought it'd be nice to use some of it to surprise those people in my life that deserve a little treat.

And as a treat to you, here's a free download of some Halloween notes that you can attach to your goodies!

If you decide to play along this week, I'd love to see pictures of your treats or hear stories about how the assignment went!

Happy treating!

NICE Campaign: The Responsibility Project

2009-10-22T07:30:00.001-07:00

Where the heck have I been?! Sorry for abandoning you guys. I've been swamped. I know, that's always my excuse, right? Well, I'm so glad you keep popping by anyway!

So the other day, I was catching up on some missed TV, and I ended up watching the premier of 30 Rock, one of my favorite shows. During the commercial breaks, they showed an animation written by Jack McBrayer, who plays Kenneth on the show. He and four other NBC stars, created a series of short films for Liberty Mutual's Responsibility Project.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

The Responsibility Project began as Liberty Mutual's response to the attention they received from their commercial, which happens to be one of my favorites.

Liberty Mutual Commercial(my favorite)

Kiss on the Lips! | MySpace Video

Seeing this commercial always puts a smile on my face! And it reminds me so much of this blog. :)

Blog Action Day 09: Climate Change

2009-10-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

I know it's a little later than usual, but today is Blog Action Day, and I couldn't let October 15th pass me by without a post about this year's topic, climate change.

When I was in grade school, I got the book "50 Ways Kids Can Save the World." I started cutting up plastic rings from Coke cans, putting soda bottles in our toilets, and begging my father to stop using Aquanet so abundantly. But somewhere on my journey to adulthood, I forgot about the earth-conscious Melissa of my youth. Helping the environment took a back seat to convenience.

Sure, we recycle. In fact, if my husband and I are out in an area without a recycle bin, he will bring the plastic bottle home with us. And yeah, we have fuel efficient cars and put on water-saving shower heads. But that's not much of a sacrifice. Maybe today is the day to start thinking, "What else?" Meaning, what else can I do to help join the global fight against climate change?

I thought I had mentioned this book here in the past, but I couldn't find the post, so if I have, forgive me! I think that New Day Revolution by the fine folks of Cool People Care might be the "50 Ways Kids Can Save the World" of my adulthood.

This book is full of helpful tips that even the laziest environmentalist can use. For example:

Replace your incandescent bulbs with florescent ones - done!
When cooking, don't use a pan bigger than you need - never thought of that
Buy green power, check your utility bill for details - we've been wanting to do this for a while
If you forget your reusable shopping bag, be sure to recycle your plastic one - I save mine for this reason, just need to drop them off at my grocery store
Bring reusable utensils with your lunch - I am guilty of abusing plastic utensils
Fully inflating your car tires makes your fuel last longer - gotta do that soon

And there is so much more helpful advice! Things that you might never consider but are actually easy habits to form. I highly recommend you check out New Day Revolution and start making little changes in your life to benefit the earth in honor of Blog Action Day!

NICE Assignment: Laugh a Lot!

2009-10-12T12:35:00.001-07:00

I came across this article via a tweet from fellow RAOKA member, Dani from Positively Present. It's called Laughter IS The Best Medicine and explains all of the benefits from experiencing a laugh, chuckle, chortle, crack up, or yuk. As if we really need an excuse to bust out laughing. :)

No one can make me laugh quite like my husband, Rob. Here he is making me crack up to the point of tears at a black tie gala a few years ago. To be honest, I was feeling kind of crummy today, but after looking at this picture, I couldn't help but feel the hilarity I was experiencing at the time this photo was taken. Hey, maybe there really is something to this whole "laughing" thing.

In that case...

Today's Assignment: Laugh a Lot!

The article has a few tips to help increase your ability to laugh, from spending time with children to playing games with friends. All great ideas! But I'm calling on you guys! I want to know what makes you laugh. Is there a youtube clip that cracks you up every time you see it? Or a website? Or a joke? Share it in the comments and I'll continue to add them to the bottom of this post.

I'll start with a few of my favorites.

An oldie but goodie...the laughing babies:

This video reminds me of me and Rob:

Weekend Plans - watch more funny videos

And one of my favorites, Steven Wright:

Let's make each other laugh!

From readers:
Gayze has a really silly joke in the comments, be sure to check it out! :)
From Melissa: A hilarious Twitter account (warning: explicit language)
From Cristie: A video all about laughing!
From Elizabethflew: Overheard in NY, Catherine Tate and David Tennant, and of course, can't go wrong with LOLCats!

Announcing: RAOKA!

2009-10-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

After forming this little blog o' mine last year, I discovered a slew of other sites in the blogosphere dedicated to niceness. Awesome! So I wasn't the only one! Well, one of those lovely people, Sami, from Life, Laughs & Lemmings sent me an email about participating in a nice-blogging-supergroup. How could I say no??

She was calling the group RAOKA, or Random Acts of Kick Arse. Heck yes. Here's the premise. By joining forces around a particular theme each month, we'll be performing positive acts and sharing them with you all, our readers. You can see how we each interpreted the theme and even play along if you're so inclined! Actually, I hope you'll help me out by coming up with creative ways to demonstrate each theme.

The Players
Lance from Jungle of Life
Lori from Jane Be Nimble
Dani from Positively Present
Brandi from Joy Rebel
Sami from Life, Laughs & Lemmings

The Project
The theme for this month is KINDNESS. A good way to ease into this project. So what does this mean? Maybe I should leave nice notes around town? Maybe I should send out cards to loved ones? Maybe I should volunteer my time? I'm embarking on a month-long kindness journey. What do you suggest I do?

I'd like to take your suggestions in the comments on this post and create a 10 item to-do list that I need to get through. And as I make my way through the list, I'll document my experiences and share them with you on the big culmination day, November 4th, when we all post about our month of kindness. And maybe if you're up for it, you can work through the list yourself!

So c'mon, help me kick some arse!

NICE News: Facebook Measures "Gross National Happiness"

2009-10-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

I saw this on Twitter and had to share. Facebook has created a new app that measures the happiness levels of users based on terminology in status updates. Technology is amazing, huh? :)

Fast Company Infographic of the Day: Facebook Measures "Gross National Happiness"
TechCrunch Article

So, Monday's are a bummer. Big shock. But I wouldn't have guessed that Thanksgiving was the happiest of days. I suppose we're all updating our statuses with what we're thankful for.

I admit, I tend to complain a lot via my Facebook status. I even started posting something last night about what a difficult day today was going to be, but at the last minute I realized how negative that sounded and changed my mind. But as someone who "encourages kindness" and "positivity", shouldn't I be practicing what I preach? Maybe it's time to tone down the Debbie Downer attitude and make every day Thanksgiving!

When I wake up in the morning, I hop online to check my email, the weather, Facebook, and the news. What if I decided to make it a habit to start every day with the status "Melissa Morris Ivone is thankful for...[insert happy thought]...today." I like it! If I'm lucky, my positive attitude might wear off on someone else instead of infecting everyone with my whining.

I think it's time to bring the Gross National (or International) Happiness up to a new level!

NICE Assignment: Be F&*%ing Awesome!

2009-10-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Did you all have a great weekend? I did! My stylist asked if I'd like to pose for her salon's look book, and if I agreed, I'd get a free cut and color. Awesome! So of course I said yes, and on Saturday I was at the salon for over 6 hours having this done to my hair and trying on outfits for the October 19th photo shoot. :) It's so kick ass!

Under the fluorescent lights of my office, the blue blends into the black so it's not quite as noticeable. I suppose that's a good thing since I work for a fairly conservative company. But when I leave here, I can unleash my inner rock star! I do feel a little bit like a comic superhero or something. But I can work with that.

I received an email from NICE reader Mel Weiss the other day and it cracked me up, so I had to share it with you all. It feels good to do nice things for others, right? Well, sometimes we need to pat ourselves on our backs and share with the world just how awesome we are!

Today's Assignment: Be F&*%ing Awesome!

That's where Be F&*%ing Awesome comes in. (I'm censoring for you guys, but the website does not, so just be warned!) This website is a place for you to share your latest awesome deed with others. Create a profile and submit your FAdeeds. And you can rate other people's deeds, which raises their Awesome Quotient. It's like a reward system for being nice.

BFA User krd77 "hosted a happy hour for a bunch of girls that just moved to town. i met some great people and helped welcome the newbies to the area." BFA User meggraeff "adopted a puppy from the orange county animal shelter in North Carolina." BFA User rickybobby77 wrote "I called a 1800-Howsmydriving number and told them the driver was an awesome driver."

I'm sure you've all done plenty of awesome things this weekend, right? Why don't you share it with the BFA community and raise that Awesome Quotient of yours! :)

NICE Video: Validation

2009-10-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

I had two super nice people send me the link to this video, so I knew it must be good. It's not just good, it's AMAZING! I couldn't help but get choked up by the sweetness of it all. Trust me, you will love it!

NICE Testimonial: A Lasting Impression

2009-09-30T07:40:00.001-07:00

The other day I received an email from Lauren of (Mis) Adventures in Theatre with a story about a man she met in Vegas who left an impression on her that she won't soon forget!

So this is completely random. While I was driving home today I somehow got to thinking about a fellow I met once in Vegas. I will preface this by saying that of all the bums I've ever met, Vegas has some of the nicest, and this guy in particular, was exceptional.

I was going to a hotel a little off the Strip to go pick up a friend of mine who had just flown into town. I have also, recently bought a new car (against my will, but that's a different story) and thus, it is very clean (cars actually don't get dirty in Vegas. So weird). I parked in front of the hotel, got out of my car, and this fellow approaches me. I've been approached by bums (I really wish there was a better word, it sounds so awful when I say it :( ) plenty of times before this, so I'm not really shocked. This guy though, is different. For someone who is clearly down on his luck, he is very put together. His ragged clothes were clean, he stood up proud, and had a little belt of window washing tools around his waist and a pocket full of clean rags.

He comes up to me and says, "Hello Miss. Would you mind if I washed your windows for some change?" I looked at my car, with it's pretty clean windows, and looked at the man. He happened to catch me on a rare occasion when I actually had cash, and I usually give to folks who ask politely, cause hey, who am I to judge? I dug in my purse and pulled out my last $5 bill, handed it to him, smiled and said, "My car is pretty new and not really dirty, but you are welcome to this anyway."

He looked at for a minute, stood up a little straighter, and before he took it he said, "I really appreciate that Miss, but if it's all the same to you, I'd like to work for my money." I was shocked. In the best possible way. I said, "Of course! I admire that Sir, go right ahead. Thank you so much!" He then took my money, nodded and said, "Thank you, Miss," and proceeded to wash my windows.

My friend had met me in the parking lot while all this was going on, and we had to wait for him to finish, but he did a great job. I told him thank you again before he left, and he smiled at me and walked away. This man - who is washing strangers windows for whatever change they will give him - this man is one of the most polite, appreciative, kind folks I've ever met. He has more grace and manners than people a thousand times better off than he, and doesn't seem to moan and whine over his situation. Clearly, he influenced me, because this instance has stuck with me. We should all be so appreciative and polite. I hope that wherever he is, he is well and happy. :)

What a wonderful story! It definitely makes me feel like a brat for all the times I complained about Starbucks being out of my morning pastry or the extra traffic I hit on certain mornings. Puts things in perspective. That man must live by this motto, as we all should.

Do you have a NICE:Testimonial that you'd like to share? If so, click here to send me an email!

NICE Picture: Betsy and Lou

2009-09-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

I received this illustration from Betsy the Cow creator, Anne. She told me that Lou, the adorable yellow birdie, likes to do some motivational speaking, and he was inspired by this blog! :) Could that be any cuter???

I am flattered, Lou! (And Anne!) Thank you so much!

NICE Assignment: Promote Blog Action Day

2009-09-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

Blog Action Day is quickly approaching. On October 15, 2009, thousands of bloggers will unite to blog about a particular issue that is affecting our world on a grand scale. This year the topic is climate change.

Did you participate last year? I did. It was very powerful, being involved in something so unifying. Reading people's interpretations of the issue was enlightening to say the least.

Today's Assignment: Promote Blog Action Day

What can you do? Well, if you are a blogger, sign up to participate. Add a badge to your blog. And even if you don't have a blog of your own, there are ways to take action.

Feel free to stop back here on October 15th to participate in our discussion!

NICE Stuff: KIND Snacks

2009-09-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that I'm a Starbucks junkie. So when I saw a display of granola bars at the register with the word "KIND" on the packaging, it caught my attention. I had to learn more.

I went to their website and discovered that KIND Snacks are not only about being good to yourself by eating nutritious treats, but the company also encourages being KIND to the world. They are committed to their "mission to foster global coexistence and kindness."

One project they have that demonstrates this is KINDED, "a movement inspiring kind acts, seeded by the KIND team (www.kindsnacks.com). Get a KINDED card, pass it on with a kind act, then track how far your chain of KINDINGS travels!"

KINDED is a way to monitor kind acts. How neat is that?

From the site:
Research shows that kindness makes people happy and happy people are healthier! However, despite being so powerful, kind acts do not happen nearly often enough. That’s why we developed KINDED--to make doing unexpected acts of kindness more frequent and easier to do.

Click here to get your own KINDED card and start passing it on today!

NICE News: Light a Candle for Peace

2009-09-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

I received a tweet from Donna in Ohio letting me know that her kids learned a song about peace (in sign language too!) and were singing it in at school in honor of Peace Day. This project took place throughout 31 countries, and the singing began in New Zealand and ended in Hawaii. The song was, "passed around the world from Montessori schools in different time zones to fill an entire day with children’s beautiful voices singing about peace."

And then last night I received an email from someone in Georgia, letting me know that they sang at 11:00 a.m. despite only having a handful of students due to severe flooding in their area. That person didn't send her name, but hopefully you and your loved ones are doing okay! Her email led me to this website where they have videos posted.

It's so sweet, I can barely take it! Here are a few of my favorites.

South Korea

Seoul English Academy: International Peace Day from Seoul English Academy on Vimeo.

North Carolina

Mexico

NICE Assignment: Celebrate Peace

2009-09-21T05:19:00.000-07:00

Happy International Day of Peace everybody! Thank goodness for Twitter or I might have completely missed it!

According to the website:
"Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization, with all its limitations, is a living instrument in the service of peace and should serve all of us here within the organization as a constantly pealing bell reminding us that our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace."

While the idea behind this day is grand, to say the least, I thought that this point made it very relatable. It's not just about peace between nations, but it's also about peace between individuals.

International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind.

Today's Assignment: Celebrate Peace

Quite simply, let us promote the idea of peace and inspire others to think about its magnitude. The Day of Peace website has some great ideas for getting involved. A few of them are very simple for us internet-folk, so I encourage you to participate!

FACEBOOK: Please join thousands of others at our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/peaceday There you can see some of the latest events happening all over the world. You can also post your own stories and links to websites, YouTubes, etc.

FACEBOOK IDEA: Consider posting the following words (or some variation) on your Facebook page on, or before, the International Day of Peace - and asking others in your network to also do this: “We hope that people, communities and nations everywhere will participate in this year’s observance of the International Day of Peace on September 21st. If you agree, please post this as your status today.”

TWITTER: To let more of the world know your thoughts or plans for Peace Day and to share links and YouTubes on Twitter, please tweet about your plans for Peace Day and add #peaceday in your updates. If enough of us do this on September 21, #peaceday will appear on Twitter as a “trending topic” and will be followed by thousands. Together, we have an opportunity to inform millions of people!

Or you could always make a donation or even shop the Day of Peace storefront to show your support.

Happy Day of Peace!

NICE Testimonial: Small gesture, big smile

2009-09-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! I am so incredibly excited for this weekend! It looked like the weather was going to be perfect, so Rob and I booked a night in New York City. Not to sound cliché, but I LOVE NY. We try to go a few times a year, at least for a day trip, but when we have the chance to stay the night, it's even more awesome. Can't wait!

So I have a backlog of testimonials and things to share with you. This one is from a few months ago. When I went to my design conference in Austin, I met one of the nicest people alive. Her name is Cami, and she has the type of personality that can make you giddy in an instant. I felt as if my life improved just by being in her presence. So I was thrilled to receive a testimonial from her!

Turns out Hy-Vee (the local grocery store) had long-stemmed roses on sale for 50¢ each. I bought myself and my mother each a dozen. Then, remembering your flowers from NICE Day, I bought two more dozen. Since I work with a lot of women, I thought I’d give them to my coworkers. So not the stretch out of my comfort zone that I could have done, but wait...

On my way from the depths of the parking garage to the seventh floor where I work, several ladies in the elevator commented on how pretty my roses were. One even leaned over to smell them. I pulled out the yellow rose she was smelling and handed it to her. I said, “Enjoy!” She said, “No, no, that’s ok...” I said, “I insist!” and smiled as we left the elevator. She was very happy and continued to smell her yellow rose through the lobby of the building. She said I made her day.

And all the ladies I work with who got flowers really liked them as well.

A small gesture. A big smile.

Isn't she fantastic?? I'm always so thrilled when I hear that someone's actions were inspired by this blog. That means it's working! To know that a person will be out buying flowers, think back to Operation NICE, and then perform kind gesture is the most flattering thing I could imagine. Thank you, Cami! You not only made the day of those women you gave flowers to, but you also made mine!

Do you have a NICE:Testimonial that you'd like to share? If so, click here to send me an email!

NICE Photo: National PARK(ing) Day

2009-09-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today is National PARK(ing) Day. Haven't heard of it? Well, it's "an annual, one-day, global event where artists, activists, and citizens independently but simultaneously temporarily transform metered parking spots into 'PARK(ing)' spaces: temporary public parks." Pretty great idea, right?

On my walk across the street from my office to get a cup of coffee (and a piece of tasty coffee cake) this morning, I spotted one of the installations. From the back, all I could see was that it was a bunch of white signs on stands. But as I crossed the street, I saw that the signs depicted illustrations of leaves.

The parking space, located near the corner of 16th St and JFK Blvd. was turned into a Philadelphia Tree Museum for the day.

I'm hoping on my lunchtime walk I'll find a few more of these! Click here to read more about National PARK(ing) Day.

NICE Giveaway #13: And the winner is!

2009-09-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

It's giveaway time!!! This is my favorite thing to do! And today is three times as wonderful since Tina was kind enough to offer up three String-Rings for this contest! And just to remind you what's at stake, here is what the winners will receive. A lovely piece of jewelry that encourages the wearer to be mindful of kindness.

129 entries total, way to go guys! And the compliments you submitted were phenomenal. You had me in tears, truly. So, using the handy Random Integer Generator, I picked three random numbers out of 129, and here were the winners!

Comment #3: Jan C. - Last Friday night my husband and I helped to chaperone the local high school's marching band (two of our own daughters are members). It was a hot night to be marching in full uniform, so the parents handed out free bottles of water to the kids after pregame. Lots of those bottles ended up under the bandstand once they were empty, and they needed to be picked up after the game.  My compliment goes out to all of those teenage band members who, instead of bolting for the band room to change and get on with their evening, stopped for a few extra minutes to throw away their own trash and to help pick up after their fellow band members who were not so thoughtful. It was really great to see that lots of the kids felt compelled to be nice and help the adult chaperones out. September 11, 2009 6:44 AM

Comment #73: Viewtiful Justin - My mother is a saint. She's so loving, sacrificail, and patient. And I will tell her so the next time I see her, thanks to this little giveaway exercise.September 12, 2009 7:28 AM

Comment #25: gfxchick - 74. My 10-year-old daughter is amazing. Earlier this week she started her orthodontic treatments and has metal expanders in her mouth. They are uncomfortable and we have to expand the appliance twice a day. It's painful and she hasn't complained at all. I don't think I could be as strong as she is. I have a new level of pride for her. Wow.219. September 11, 2009 9:36 AM

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I'm so happy for you! Click here to send me an email with your contact info and I'll forward that over to Tina. I have to send a huge thanks out to Tina for offering to do this giveaway. Please check out her website. These make excellent gifts and the holidays are approaching!

And thank you to everyone for entering. Your words are inspiring. I hope you all take a look at the comments if you haven't yet. It is the assignment for the week, after all. :)

NICE Testimonial: The Silver Lining

2009-09-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

I received an email from Eric Jacobson last week, and I thought it was inspiring so I wanted to share it here. It's no secret that times are tough in the U.S. right now. I consider myself lucky to have a (hopefully) stable job, but not everyone is so fortunate. Like my father, for instance, who lost his job months ago. It's easy to get sucked into a state of depression when put into a situation like that, but Eric made it a point to not allow that to happen to him. Here's how.

I'm writing to you today about myself, but am hoping that my actions might inspire others who are also unemployed. Because, despite the bad things associated with unemployment, I've discovered there can also be good.

I was part of a downsizing in February after having worked at the same company for nearly 27 years. Since February, in addition to looking for a new career opportunity, I've discovered it's a great time to be giving back to the community and to be helping others.

So, I'm filling my days:

Delivering Meals On Wheels weekly to the elderly.
Helping out at an organization called Cancer Action, which celebrates it 50th anniversary this year. Once a week I help organize their storage room where they store all kinds of supplies, nutritional supplements and other donated items that are provided to 4,500 individuals coping with cancer.
Leading a walking group of seniors on a weeklly walk in different parks in the community.

Volunteering has been very rewarding and I'm determined to keep it up after I land my next job.

In addition, realizing I have a lot to share, based on my 30 years of a rewarding carreer, I've started a blog on "how to be an effective manager" that hopefully will be particularly helpful to professionals who are new to their management role.

And, I'm mentoring a woman in Arizona (long distance via e-mail and phone conversations from Overland Park, KS) who is launching an event planning business, helping her with her business plan and with marketing ideas.

So, volunteering, teaching and mentoring.

He took advantage of the extra time he now had in his schedule to help others less fortunate. I think Eric Jacobson deserves a virtual applause for positive attitude and eagerness to improve the world! Great work!

Do you have a NICE:Testimonial that you'd like to share? If so, click here to send me an email!

NICE News: Meow Spoken Here

2009-09-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

I received a Twitter message from Ohsugarsugar with a link to an article and a note saying, "I thought this article was a great example of someone being super nice! :)" She was right.

Tammy Cross rescues kittens. But not only does she help sick, abused, and abandoned kittens, she rehabilitates them and houses them, sometimes over 20 of them at once, in her own 450 square foot New York City apartment. What an incredibly big heart!

Click here to read the heartwarming New York Times article about Tammy Cross.

NICE Assignment: Read the Comments

2009-09-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Hi there! Did you guys have a great weekend? Mine was lovely, thanks for asking. :) Saturday was the Philadelphia Twestival at Lucky Strike Lanes. I was there with my husband, Rob, and four friends, and I will throw humility out the window and say that I kicked all their butts! Barely. But still.

{image courtesy of Gloria Bell}

Although it was a very wonderful event, I admit that the turnout was disappointing. It was so much fun! The cost of the ticket was basically covered by bowling discounts. And there were a ton of great prizes. So what was stopping people from coming out? Laziness? Social anxiety? Did any of you attend a Twestival in your area? Why or why not? I'm hoping the next one in February can be a huge success!

Anyway, on to the assignment. You guys are blowing me away with your comment entries for the String-Ring giveaway going on right now! The compliments you are leaving for others are bringing tears to my eyes. Whether it's a family member, or a friend, or a chance encounter with a stranger, all of these people are deserving of the kind words you have posted!

Today's Assignment: Read the Comments

At the time I'm posting this, there are 107 comments so far. I'm not suggesting that you go through and read them all! Even I'm having trouble keeping up! But I really encourage you all to click here, scroll down, pick a comment or two and enjoy.

I picked a random one to post here and entice you.

From belle_mlle:
I want to compliment my best friend Molly. She's my inspiration; she just completed the Chicago Triathlon with Team in Training, which raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Molly and I aren't very athletic, so when she told me she was going to not only enter the triathlon, but also complete the International Distance, I was shocked. But she did it!! She raised $2700 for a cause that's dear to her heart, as her mom died of Hodgkin's Lymphoma when she was 6. Not only that, but she defeated her first triathlon with a smile on her face. Now, when I get frustrated by a task that's difficult or tedious or taxing, I think of Molly. If she can do whatever she sets her mind to, then I can do the same. She's the best!!

Beautiful, right??? There are 106 more just like it. I promise, it will brighten your day!