Good Deeds

This month, I decided to challenge myself to do at least one nice thing per day.  I can't exactly remember where it started - probably with stopping to let a car make a left in front of me at an intersection that is really tough (been there, man - solidarity).. and it felt so nice.  Usually I am a bit of a rushy ass behind the wheel, whirling around the city at top speed, honking, rolling my eyes at incompetence, racing ppl off the line and getting in front of another car just to "claim my spot in line".. a really pointless line, that doesn't really matter at the end of the day, right?  Not sure I'm committing to being a defensive, grandma-like driver for life, but feeling a bit less rushed these days, so that's one place to start. Or was it this buzzfeed list that brought a tear to my eye: http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/the-world-isnt-such-a-bad-place?  (I think it was the kid's letter to the vet particularly.. omg...)  Just realizing it's up to each of us to try to make this world a better place.  I'm not sure I want to get to the end of my life and reflect on just how tidy my kitchen was, or how handy my new closet shelving is, or how long a nap I managed to take today.  These things are great, but some days I feel like I'm living this massively selfish extravagant life (because I have the time and means to organize my closet.. hmmm.. I am not much of an adventurer!).

Some mini good deeds to date:

I emptied all the change in my wallet into the Salvation Army guy's thing (what is that thing?  a donation bubble?  donation fishbowl?)  There were $50 bills in that fishbowl - I had to look twice to make sure they were real! Then I gave a bunch of dimes and pennies.  Small, but hopefully it helps someone.

I spent some of my lunch break the other day chatting with a recent grad looking to get into the environmental field - 4 years of reviewing 400-1,000 resumes every February gave me some idea of what looks good on a resume, so I hope my advice was helpful.

I donated to my dog walkers' pet food drive that they were organizing this Christmas.  That one was my favourite so far - I love thinking of a pooch being made happy by cookies he probably never gets to eat. Because when times are tough, understandably, dog treats go straight to the bottom of the grocery list.

These things are great.. but also tough in a way because you want to do MORE.. but I guess you have to be realistic.  I'm not made of dog treat money.  So I guess you just do what you can!

This week I got involved in Freecycle which is basically the antidote to Kijiji.  Jeff and I put stuff on Kijiji frequently - snow tires (because we seem to constantly be shedding cars?!), foosball table (still unsold 5 years later.. anyone have a hankering to play some table soccer with tiny men... EVERY DAY?  NO?!  shocking!), car parts from his Jetta (RIP Jetta - 2001-2011 - car parts have made it live on in a zombie-like state for the past 2.5 years), old couch, etc. etc. - and the million annoying inquiries we get that go nowhere, the no-shows, the petty bartering (from Dutch Jeff as well as the interested parties! :P), and nonstop text messages back and forth - it's exhausting.  Freecycle on the other hand is you posting items you no longer want/need of likely lower value (e.g. old cork bulletin board, now unused pine end table/nightstand, extra DVD player from 2003) and you get these wonderful messages from people like a guy helping out his friend who recently got divorced and was left with nothing - how a DVD player would make her and her son's Christmas - come pick it up buddy!  I also threw in an old lamp for him today (my good deed for the day) which I'm sure I could have found a home for somewhere, but would obviously be much more appreciated by this woman than in my over-lamped house.  I also heard from a place that is working to support the over 400 people who were recently laid off from a plant in Fergus and was so happy to donate the corkboard to them.  So instead of Kijiji-induced rage/apathy/disappointment in humanity, I felt distinctly warm and fuzzy (not to mention my closet is now even less cluttered and more organized.. omg.. I'm so boring!!!!).

This took hours. "Before" picture withheld for a reason! ;)

With most of my Freecycle goods picked up and my house in this state of extreme organization I'm going to have to get creative for my good deeds for the rest of the month!  Anyone have any ideas? 

I wish I could give tons more money/goods to charity (and not just the one I work for) - that is an ongoing frustration.  Perhaps one day I'll win the lottery (right Dave, Kate, Pam, James, Dawn and Viv?) and be able to make it rain everywhere!

If anyone wants to join me for my December challenge, I'd love to share ideas and accomplishments!  I already have my mom and Jeff stepped up to the challenge with me, which is great! I'm hoping I can consciously continue it through to 2014 and beyond! Stay tuned..