Day 14

Today I mailed a package to my boyfriend overseas. I stuffed a flat rate shipping box to the point of bursting and took that ten pound sucker to the post office to send it on it's way. I hope that he gets it intact and that he enjoys what's in it. It drives me crazy though that he won't get it for 2 to 4 weeks... I can't wait to see what he says about the contents and a month is a long time to wait!!!!

Michelle

Day 13

The gift of listening: that's what I gave today. Unfortunately a couple of my friends had really terrible days today and I spent some time listening to each of them. One of my friends is going through a divorce and is struggling trying to figure out how to keep her family together and the other has lost her job unexpectedly. I felt terribly sorry today that I couldn't do more to help everyone, and I felt thankful to have the blessings in my life that I have. I really wish those of you going through some hard times a lot of luck and blessings. I know that things will end up working out fine in the end... we just have to struggle through it a bit right now, but I hope you all know you can count on me to help with whatever I can give!

Best Wishes to everyone!
Michelle

Day 12

Cheryl took me out to see a movie today--she won free tickets and let me share them with her! Before we left I went to her house and used her internet. I wanted to let her know I appreciated both the internet usage and the free movie--so I bought her popcorn (or rather our popcorn--I did share it!) and bought her drink... definitely got more than I paid for if you look at internet costs and movie tickets! Well worth it and hopefully she enjoyed it too!

Thanks Cheryl!
Michelle

Day 11

Today was a crazy busy day! I went to the auction and met up with my cousin and her husband as well as my parents. My dad decided not to stay so he left my mom in my care and she and I bought up the place! Actually we didn't do too badly--my mom got a couple of things she really wanted. I picked up some fun random stuff, and we had a good day overall. I ended up taking my mom out for lunch as my act of giving today. She bought my random goodies at the auction and I wanted her to know that I really appreciated her just coming and spending time with me. Also after the auction we boxed up whatever we bought and didn't want and took it to give to my cousin. She then got to go through what was left and pick things for herself and also to keep the stuff to try to sell in a garage sale later. Hopefully it's a gift that gives her a bit more money down the road during garage sale season!

Best wishes!
Michelle

Day 10

For today I decided to write a letter to my boyfriend to appologize. He's currently overseas and I had a bit of a hard day and kind of got more frustrated with him because I was just frustrated with my own stuff. So I wrote a letter to tell him I care about him and I'm sorry to put that pressure on him when he's so far away. I hope that he enjoys it when he gets it--although mail going overseas to a military base is ssssssssssllllllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!

I just want him to know he's always in my thoughts!

Michelle

Day 9

Um... crabby city around here today! I'm in a terrible mood! Yesterday I fell down at the gym and totally felt foolish and then my dog stayed with my parents last night and my boyfriend is out of the country and unable to comfort me. Poor Lydia did all she could to get me through and make me stop thinking of how silly I was and it worked until this morning when I started just feeling grumpy and wanted to stay in bed all day long! I finally went to work though and the mood didn't end... especially after trying to have a phone conversation with the boyfriend in which I could only understand every 2nd or 3rd word he said because the connection was so bad. I was in a crappy mood anyway and really that didn't help.... although I realize that's exactly what he was trying to do. So in order to make it through the day I decided to get some Hershey's Kisses for myself and my coworkers. I just figure if I'm angry and frustrated today then they might be too! So I got some and put them on the table and already felt a little bit better. We started joking at work about how I was having one of those days where I just wanted to throw a tantrum, scream and stomp my feet, and then proceed to leave the building. My coworkers understood and agreed that they have those days too. After acknowledging things my mood improved, and one of the other ladies actually asked if I brought the chocolate and thanked me for it. Hopefully it helped her mood today too!

Day 8

Today I decided to write some thank you notes online for a postcard swap that I was in. There are a few more that I didn't have any sort of address or contact information for so I will have to mentally thank them, but for those who's art I did receive with some sort of contact information I tried to thank them and let them know I appreciate all that I got!

Day 7

Today a friend of mine and I decided to go to the gym and give it a try. We had a good time and laughed and worked out a bit on the treadmill and then afterward we were both starving! I decided to pay for dinner tonight as my act of giving. We went across the street to Wendy's and got something quick for dinner and then went home and ate it. My friend is always helping me out with things like preparing food for parties or picking up the dog on the way home for me... she's a great friend and dinner wasn't nearly enough to pay her back for all the little ways she helps me out!

Day 6

So for Day 6 I guess I am just counting something that I do all day at work... I helped a patron! I work at the library and honestly every day I'm helping people... but today I'm counting it for my act of giving. Sometimes at work I can help someone and not have time to get into everything or go very deep at work, but today I had a more relaxed day and I got to help a patron at work who was very pleasant and was willing to pay for a book that she thought she had returned. She was very nice and I took a few extra minutes to search for the book before she actually paid for the fines and I ended up finding the book on the shelf. Of course she was delighted and I was apologizing for missing it in the first place. She was very sweet though and it made me glad to make a little extra effort at the time. I do appreciate working in a job where helping people is a big part of my day. I actually like helping, although it's so much easier to do when you are helping someone polite or pleasant than someone crabby or someone ungrateful for your assistance. Today I'm glad to give to people at work!

Day 5

UPDATE--Sounds like Harley has a home--she's living with the family for now. Thanks for helping though to anyone who asked around!Okay so it's Day 5 and I offered to give my friend's dad's dog a bath. This is her--her name is Harley and she's a Basset Hound with a wiggly little tail and a bit of spunk! She was super cute, but smelled awful because she lived in a house with a smoker. Unfortunately her owner just passed away and she's kind of in a state of Limbo right now... looking for a home... if anyone knows someone who might be willing to take in an older dog--she's about 10 and has some issues that come with old age--like Arthritis, deteriorating eyesight, and hearing loss--but she is house trained and shows affection ALL the time! Um, and you can't look at her sweet eyes and not want to pat her cute little head! Especially if you could see how her little short, stubby legs turn outward when she stands there and her floppy ears almost hit the floor she's so cute! Oh, and don't try to stop her tail from wagging!

In a funny note to those of you reading though, Harley gave me a gift of her own, she actually ended up showing me that an old dog isn't as feeble as you might think. After getting her bath I let her out to go to the bathroom without her collar on thinking she was an older dog and wouldn't go far.... um, she wasn't happy with the bath apparently and she took off down the sidewalk. She's got some spunk in her when she wants to show it and she took off running (or hopping on those funny little legs) and we both ended up tripping and falling in the neighbors driveway! Um.... glad the neighbors weren't out because that would have been terribly embarrassing--the neighbor girl wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top with a coat on top is chasing a short, old dog down the street and wipes out! Argh! Totally embarassing! But she certainly taught me arthritis is no match for her when she's on the go, she taught me to have a good laugh at myself and the situation, and she taught me that you are never too old for an adventure!!! So go lopping down the sidewalk if you need to and see what happens!

Day 4

So it's Day 4 of the challenge and I did a couple of things today. I listened to someone vent their frustrations about a work situation, and then afterwords I actually just agreed and changed the subject so we could both be encouraged to do what we can to make things better. This is a big deal for me and this particular work situation because it's one that frustrates me a lot and I was able to allow someone else to get out their issues with it and not get stuck in that angry frustrated mood afterwords. Hopefully it helped both of us to know that someone had similar issues and that we weren't floating around alone. I enjoyed my day which was a great way to prove that you can have some impact with a positive attitude and I guess that was honestly my gift for today... having a positive attitude in the face of frustration!

Best Wishes!
Michelle

Day 3

Fell off the wagon today. Don't you have days where you get so overwhelmed by everything going on that you don't end up doing what you want and need to do? I thought about fibbing and saying that I gave more to a patron at the library than normal or that I helped out a friend or something, but honestly I'd be lieing to myself not to anyone else... and if there is one thing I try not to do it's lie to myself! So I'm telling you truthfully that I missed a day and that tomorrow I'm starting over again... and maybe I'll just consider it a redo of day 3 and get myself back on track! Here's to tomorrow and giving it another shot!

Michelle

Day 2

For day 2 of the 29 day giving challenge I sent a letter to my Grandma. I haven't talked to her since around Christmas and I wanted to tell her thanks again for her support when I bought my house a year ago. It was great to have family and friends supporting me so much and she gave me just a bit of seed money to help with a down payment which was a great relief! Actually I used part of the money to put in new carpet, which was wonderful!!! It felt nice to look back on something I had given thanks for over a year ago and remind someone that I'm still grateful for the impact it made. So thanks again Grandma and thanks to all of you who helped me paint, strip wallpaper, remove carpet, and do all the moving and packing and cleaning necessary to start a new home--a home of my very own! I can't tell you how happy this house has made me this past year and I'm glad to have all of you around to continue to share in that awesome, wonderful feeling!

Best Wishes!
Michelle

Day 1

Yesterday was the first day of the giving challenge and used that opportunity to double the tip to the massage tech who worked on the knot in my back. On Monday my back was actually really sore to the point that I had to ask my dad to bring me a heating pad to work so I could hopefully make it through the day at work. It was a long, slow day and I was not in a very good mood. After using the heat through the evening and then through the night my knot was less sore though and I scheduled a massage appointment for Tuesday after work. I decided that since they were giving me a discount on the massage (the monthly special discount) that I would double what I usually leave as a tip. Granted I don't make a lot of money and I'm not one to tip a ton when I get a massage, but I felt like she was very thorough and helped out a lot. I'm still a bit tight in between my shoulders but honestly it's worlds better than it was on Monday and the therapist earned every dollar she made!!!

So Day 1- I want to say thanks to Amanda at the
Massage Therapy Clinic in Georgetown Square here in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The web address for the site is http://www.myfortwaynemassage.com

Best Wishes Everyone!
Michelle

29 Day Giving Challenge

I recently read the book 29 Gifts by Cami Walker and I really appreciated it. The book was pretty basic, but the point of the book is that you are supposed to give one thing every day for 20 days and learn to connect more to others through giving. The gifts can be anything from calling a friend who needs some encouragement, sending a package to someone, volunteering your time or services to those around you, or just smiling or encouraging a stranger. The point is that you are supposed to give gifts not with the expectation of getting anything in return and not because you feel like you have to give something. You are supposed to just learn to give to feel connections and to honestly bring about something positive for another person... and that's why I've decided to give it a try. I'm starting tomorrow. Tonight I'm at work and although the opportunity surely will present itself I guess I'm just feeling like I want to start fresh tomorrow with the idea in my head from the start of the day. Wish me luck on giving my 29 gifts for the next 29 days!

Best wishes!
Michelle