Round 7 - Day 13

[Laura M]

Day 13 (Wednesday 7/25/12):

Went a little better today---

*  Ordered flowers to be delivered to a friend who has helped me through a tough time at work recently.  She really deserved them a week or two ago, but this again is what this Challenge helps me with--doing those things I "mean to" do for others but don't quite actually do.  Hurray!

*  Returned an email to a friend who wrote to me about getting together... once again, finishing & responding instead of delaying.

 

3 things I am grateful for today:

* Long talk with a couple different physical therapists about my hands and a few different opinions on what might be happening & the possibilities long-term based on what they've seen in their experience... the extra time & extra opinions as they had time at the end of the day was very helpful

* Got in front of a project at work & from that got some information on just what's coming so I'm more ready for having taken the initiative about it & discovered more than I thought was there

* Nice long walk with the dog after it cooled off at dusk... took him through his favorite park & watched the sun go down

 

Happy Thursday--

 

L

 

Day 12 (Tuesday 7/24/12):

Very tired today again.  Didn't have any gives planned & I see that being tired maybe I wasn't quite open to seeing opportunities either, I guess.  Did my freekibble.com and gave one of my doctors a big fat hug when I left because I am very grateful for his support and input right now.  That's it for today.

3 things I am grateful for today:

* I called a surgeon's office to leave a message about a question about some past and pending treatment & the surgeon himself picked the phone right up & gave me great support & let me know he'd done some research and calls in the background since our last call to make sure all is on track with another doctor as part of the plan.  I was really thankful for that because it's been a little confusing and tiring to me.

* Finished all my work for the month on time

* Made some calls about financial matters related to the car accident I was in and found that even though I haven't stayed on top of it all, I have paid what I'm supposed to under my health insurance as we go along with nothing outstanding that we could see & providers are being paid.  I was really thankful for that too.

* Spent some time with my mom watching a funny TV show she loves to end the day.  That was fun & I appreciate these times more as I see her growing older & it dawns on me she may not be around forever.

Happy Wednesday--

L

Day 11 (Monday 7/23/12):

Found myself very tired today.  Freekibble.com online was all I was able to do today.

3 things I am grateful for today:

* Having a job

* Being able to go swimming after work

* Being able to work a little longer than planned to be ahead for the week

Day 10 (Sunday 7/22/12):

*  Gave 50 cents to a guy on the sidewalk asking for change: "50 cents, ma'am, or a dollar?".  I found myself making an exasperated sound when I fished in my bag for it, I think it was more surprise & confusion at being confronted by this unexpectedly than disgust, but I was a little surprised at that and that I only gave him 50 cents when I'd just walked out of a burrito stand where I spent $2 on a breakfast burrito to go and $1.50 in quarters on the newspaper at the newspaper box on the way to my car.  I'd also watched a movie Saturday based on a true story about a best-selling spiritual author who spent a while homeless before he did his writing & it had made me think about: you never know who a homeless person really is or why they are homeless.  And then when confronted with one 24 hours later, no, I didn't have much to give or much interest in talking.  A little disappointed in myself about that, like I wanted to be better than that but wasn't.

* Keeping up the freekibble.com as a way to give every day

3 things I am grateful for today:

* Nice time with my mom watching a funny TV show she found & replayed for me On Demand when I visited

* The energy to pick up my house

* Clean clothes & a washer and dryer to use to do the wash at home

Happy Monday--

L

Day 9 (Saturday 7/21/12:

* Got online sadly & gave another donation to the Red Cross again--this time to the Mile High Chapter which is providing services in particular to those displaced from their homes by the Aurora theater shootings.  Don't mean to talk about it too much... but families in the suspect's apartment building & 4 surrounding apartment buildings were removed in a hurry from their homes because of the booby-trapping (bombs and chemicals) he left set up in his apartment; many are staying in a Red Cross shelter and last I heard the police/FBI etc are still working on it, so they may or may not be able to go home by tonight or maybe tomorrow.  Big sigh & speechless...

* In other news, I seem to have given a new air conditioner to MY DOG.  My window unit started grinding to a halt, and since I am not comfortable trotting off to work on Monday leaving him in 100 degree heat, I got a new one shopped for, purchased, pulled the old one out, stuck the new one in, and we are all set.  He is, I mean.  (Oh, and yes, there's quite a big of benefit to me personally that having him around made me get it taken care of quick and I'm nice and cool too.)

3 things I'm grateful for today:

* Sleeping in my own bed at home tonight instead of on a cot in a high school... although I trust they are being cared for & I would be too if this was happening on my street

* Yes, air conditioning, and the money in the spending plan available to buy it

* That someone had their sprinklers on for my dog & me to run through when it was still 85 degrees at 9:30pm when we took our evening walk

* That books and movies are free at the library.  Free.  Just free.

* This community committed to giving and sharing and a best effort at putting Good out into the world as we're able & the support that we offer each other in doing so--thank you.

* Willie Nelson on Austin City Limits as I finish writing this

* The Good News Network site that offers only that... *good* news from around the world.  No more shootings talk.

The 1 thing I did de-clutter today (and restored to Beauty/Purpose):  My bulging purse

Peace to you & your family for your Sunday--

L

Day 8 (Friday 7/20/12):

* Gave a coworker a bottle of ChocoVino chocolate wine--yes, such a thing exists--all wrapped up in a gift bag, just for fun.  We were joking recently about some tough times we were each facing with some changes in our workplace due to rapid growth and he mentioned how it was "driving him to drink" ha ha ha but sort of serious, and I said, "well, I keep a drawer full of chocolate myself-- everybody's got their drug of choice" ha ha ha but sort of serious... so just for fun I went looking for something that combined the two.  He's somebody I deeply respect as a person and family man and leader in our workplace, and it surprised me but did me good to know he was facing the same issues as me in a totally different area of our company and it hasn't been easy for him either.

I actually went looking for chocolate beer--and Yes, it does exist!  Who knew???  But it's a seasonal thing... winter stout, etc... so I settled for the novelty wine & it was good for a laugh & a Friday afternoon gift for him to take home for him & his wife.

3 things I'm grateful for today:

* That the worst problems I have at work are due to my company growing (not downsizing, struggling, or closing)

* My favorite morning disc jockey on a local rock station--always very present, self-depreciating & careful to never disrespect or disparage anyone else especially when he does not know the whole situation--the way he chose to acknowledge the theater shootings in our community and some listeners' feelings about it, without sensationalizing or editorializing... this was a gift to us all in keeping us grounded as the news unfolded as we were waking up and going to work.  I listen to that station just because of him & he doesn't even know how much of a difference he makes in my life.

* I think the physical therapy I'm getting now for an arm injury (STILL left over from that car accident) is actually seeming to help, pretty quickly too, so far at least (don't want to speak too soon but... that's how it is today)

Peace to all & may we all remember that we never know the difference a kind word may make...

L

Day 7 (Thursday 7/19/12)

*  Gave my boss a small cactus with a flower blooming out the top... as a symbol of good things coming out of lines and prickles lately in some good work we've been doing.  Just a small gesture for fun.

*  Kept up with the freekibble.com email to keep the shelter animals fed

3 things I'm grateful for today:

* Good meeting with my boss to keep things moving along in a good way

* A fun agility play class I took with my dog for the 1st time & his excited little face when he caught on that it was going to be nothing but Treats Treats Treats in this place if he paid really good attention.  And he did.  And barked at me a couple times when they did not seem to be coming fast enough.  :-)

* This Challenge to keep me focused on other people again & the good things in my life...

Sweet dreams,

L

Day 6 (Wednesday 7/18/12):

*  Gave the gift of picking up the phone when it rang.  I stayed home from work in the morning because I wasn't feeling well, and the phone rang in the middle of the morning, and it's a friend I only hear from occasionally and usually only when she's stressed out.  But I decided to stay involved in the world (part of this Challenge for me) by not ignoring the call especially since I was home and could talk.  She was a little surprised I was there, and we talked about an hour and a half, and the gift to me ended up being that she had some experience and insight into a situation I'm facing myself that I didn't even expect to talk about.

*  Stayed with the freekibble.com as a way to give to homeless animals

*  A dollar fell out of my pocket when I pulled my keys out of my pocket on the way home from walking the dog, and I decided to just leave it on the sidewalk for someone else to find... giving away that thrilling of feeling of "Hey! Is that a dollar! I found a dollar! Ha ha ha!"  That is always fun.

3 things I'm grateful for today:

* Taking care of myself by staying home when I needed

*  Being fair to my employer by working as long as I could once I got in to work

*  Having another friend I could call after work about something at work that bothered me & got it all out

Best to all today -

L

Day 5 (Tuesday 7/17/12):

*  Gave a vase of dried flowers a new life by taking it out of my house to my desk at work where it brightens up the area a bit as something Pretty

*  Started back with freekibble.com's daily email as a way to give every day when I check my email

3 things I am grateful for today:

* Getting some not-easy things accomplished at work in what I think was the smoothest way possible

* Leaving work without working late because I felt a little funny and run-down

* Getting a haircut!  After forgetting to schedule one for too long & feeling a little not-so-pretty with my lumpy too-long hair

Best to all today--

L

Day 4 (Monday 7/16/12):

* Went to a local bank at lunch time today & made a small donation to the community memorial fund for the family of a local police officer killed in the line of duty by a drunk man over the Memorial Day weekend.

3 things I am grateful for today:

* That I feel enough a part of my community & care enough to have this event affect me, to let it move me to action.

* That I'm free to go to bed early tonight if I wish & I think I will sleep well

* ? Getting my favorite salad at the lunch place today

Peace to you & yours--

L

Day 3 (Sunday 7/15/12):

Had my 1st experience of being a Recipient/Participant on a Pay-it-Forward:  I drove through the Starbucks drive-through on the way to the dog park & when I got to the counter to pay, the guy said, "The gentlmen in front of you has already paid for your drink.  Would you like to pay the $2.86 for the car behind you?"  So of course I said yes & then left what was remaining as the difference as a big tip for the barista.  So it was all the same as what I would have spent on my own.

(I kind of wondered if he'd done that because when we were pulling in, I got there 1st but let him go in the line ahead of me because I was making a left turn in & he had the right-turn right of way & I could have jumped in front if I'd wanted, but I didn't.  Or maybe it was just already going on in the line ahead of him.  None of my business, really--just say thank you--but I did kind of wonder.)

But then I did decide to keep it going in a 2nd direction... I stopped at a muffin place too (not a fan of Starbucks baked goods) & bought a muffin & told the manager there what had just happened at the coffee shop & then decided to leave another $2.26 for a muffin for the next person who came in.  He was on board with it ("oh--paying if forward", he says), and left the money right there on the side of the register nice & handy.

It was fun & actually very exciting... my 1st time with all that.  I think that muffin place might turn into a place I could do that on occasion (not an ice cream shop, but thanks, Island Girl, for the inspiration!)

3 things I am grateful for:

* Take out food when I am too tired to be bothered otherwise

* Making time for spiritual readings on a Sunday

* Time with my Mom when I can see she is getting older & may not be around forever

Day 2 (Saturday 7/14/12);

* Made my donations online to the Red Cross for disaster relief on the 2 big Colorado wildfires.

A little late to the party, you say... ?  Well, this is some of what I mean about those things I always "mean to" do... but don't actually get 'around to" as often or as quickly unless I am in one of these Challenges.  At least, these Challenges make me show up in my world, my life, my community in ways that are very easy for me to forget or ignore or withdrawn from if I'm not making a commitment.  Yes, I can say I've donated to the world around me & to the Red Cross before I heard of the 29Gifts idea... but, for example... I laid down to take a nap tonight & realized that the gift I'd meant to give today did not actually happen & that I might not wake back up before tomorrow started, and so I'd have nothing for Day 2 AND HAVE TO START OVER WHEN I JUST GOT STARTED AGAIN YESTERDAY, so I got up OUT OF BED to come online & give something that I 'meant to' do last month but never did.  Day 2--yep, I did it.

Cross that 'undone' one off the list (this is the kind of thing I meant in describing my Intentions for this round).

Sweet Dreams,

L

PS--3 things I am grateful for today

*  My car passed the emissions test needed to get new license plates for the year

*  I found a great new place to go play with my dog

*  I have money to donate to those who have lost their home while I personally am free for today of the worry of where I will sleep and what I will eat, and I have a running car, and my dog and family are in safe places.  It is enough; in fact, it's plenty.

Day 1 (Friday 7/13/12):

*  Gave a coworker a thank you card for some souvenirs she brought us each back this week from her big fat once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa!

*  Found out it was National French Fry Day (!), got everybody who wanted to go rounded up for the drive-through at McDonald's at lunch time, & brought back a bag or two extra to those who almost went but didn't have money or were too shy to jump on board.  I am proud to have done my Patriotic/Civic Duty today in observing this holiday diligently & thoroughly.  :-)

Intentions for this Round:

I found myself entirely shocked and grateful that I was able to give myself a Big Gift at the end of last round in paying off a monthly bill (student loan) in full... and being willing to let it go and be free of it.

That still was a gift that I gave to myself (not other people) although I absolutely credit the 6 rounds of this Challenge with contributing somehow to the Flow that allowed that to happen.  I almost had to take a break just to absorb that this actually happened in my life & savor the difference.

But it's time to concentrate again on the out-Flow to others.  I find (as I've written before) that what this Challenge does is force me to reach out to others in ways that I might think I'd like to do or that I 'mean' to, but somehow never actually 'get around' to it.

And in this little break since May... boy, there's a lot of things left undone... thank-yous not actually given, events in people's lives that deserve attention but didn't get it... and oh, yeah, that tendency to go back to focusing on MeMeMe without even realizing it.

My intentions this round:

* Finish up the thank-yous that deserve to be said/done

* Come back around to those who have had deaths or losses in their lives who might appreciate a little more comfort or attention than I gave originally

* And as always.... be willing to let go of items in my house that contribute to "clutter" rather than "Beauty/Purpose"

Thanks for being out there & happy giving today and for the weekend,

big hug--

L

[Lois55 wwt]

The flowers will mean so much:) I love your gratefuls...good luck with your therapy.

[Deb~ Community Manager]

So happy you had a better day~ You made it so special for others!