Changing the world - Day 14

Ladies and gentleman,

Today I will be performing a good deed that may benefit you! It requires a little audience participation but it is totally worth it.

I am a big reader. I love books. Big books, little books, funny books, skinny books, sad books, Dad's books, any kind of books I can get my hands on. As a result, I have a rather hefty collection. Frenchy reckons that I need to give them all away because books are meant to be read rather than gather dust on a bookshelf. But I've always been a bit precious with my books and the thought of giving them away was almost offensive.

But I have had a change of heart. Maybe it's my 365 days of good deeds but I've come around to the idea of sharing my most treasured tomes with others.

So this is what I'm going to do: I am going to pick my 10 favourite books of all time. The most amazing books I've ever read. The ones that changed my life or my beliefs or just generally were the shit.

All you have to do to get your hands on one is this - a good deed. Pay it forward homies. Do a good deed, post it as a comment on my blog (or if you don't have an account compatible with blogger then just e-mail me your good deed at krissiekennedy@gmail.com) and let me know your address. You will then receive (in the mail!!!) one of my all time favourite books to read.

You can't keep it though! You have to pass it on to someone else and they have to pass it on too. These 10 books are going out into the world as vagabonds - never to return to the dusty prison of a bookshelf.

Yippeee! This is going to be fun...There's only 10 though so get your do-gooder skates on.

Until tomorrow xxx

Changing the world - Day 13

I have been killing myself lately trying to get my book finished. My head is constantly pounding with ideas and amendments and...stuff.

Today I had a day off. I visited my Dad. Went shopping with a friend. She colored my hair. Then I had a lovely dinner at a fave haunt with another couple of besties.

By the time I got home I was exhausted. But a different, nice kind of exhausted. Then I made the shocking realisation I'd forgotten to do a good deed!

OMG! As the kids say these days. I had no idea what to do given I was already in bed. My husband suggested something rude (you can guess) - I told him to go whistle :-)

I looked to Facebook for inspiration and noticed a little 1 on my messages icon. A nice diversion I thought! Who had written me a note? I clicked on it and lo, a friend had sent a link asking if anyone wanted to sponsor her wee niece in the MS Read-a-thin! No shit!

I love the MS read-a-thon. I still remember cheating in it when I was in primary school. All my neighbors would sponsor me for 10 or 20 cents per book but unbeknownst to them I was skim reading 100 Little Golden Books. On collection day I'd be collecting a good 10 or 20 bucks of everyone. Result!

My friend's niece had delightfully stated her target amount to reach was 20 cents. Ah bless! How could I not donate to such a worthy cause on behalf of such an adorable child?

So there you have it - good deed opportunities can pop out at you any time, any place. You just have to be ready for them.

Until tomorrow do-gooders xx

Sent from my iPhone

Changing the world - Day 12

My good deed today literally knocked on my door.

I had just returned home from picking the little mite up from childcare when I heard a pounding on my front door.

I opened it to find a man laden with canvases who then thrust a piece of cardboard under my nose which explained he had communication difficulties. I continued reading and discovered he was selling paintings of scenes from around the area. Would I like to see them?

Well, yes I would. It's not every day an art gallery appears at your door. So I invited him in and he displayed five works he'd done, two of which were very pretty landscapes. I asked how much they were and he indicated to a piece of paper which read '99 each'.

I don't know about anyone else but the last time I had a hundred bucks in my wallet was in the previous decade so I had to decline. He'd heard that old chestnut before though and immediately showed me another note that said 'you can go to the ATM.' Cheeky sod!

Noam started crying so I told the artist that I couldn't go to the ATM but I could give him a donation towards his endeavours if that was acceptable. Apparently it was, so I contributed to his art fund and he set off with a smile on his face.

I'm not sure if this is the good deed he was hoping for but it's something, right?

Until tomorrow do-gooders xx

Changing the world - Day 11

My good deed today is a little abstract but will ultimately save lives.

I have had some rather heated debates in the past with a couple of my friends regarding the cinematic credentials of the movie '27 Dresses'. I contend that that film has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, while some buddies are adamant it should be hailed a classic rom-com.

I was informed yesterday by a very considerate friend, that the movie in question was being screened on channel 11 tonight.

My good deed for today incorporates the following: unprecedented restraint at not putting my foot through the tv.

Ignoring an overwhelming desire to create a Katherine Hiegel voodoo doll and stick pins in it for hours on end.

Resisting the temptation to go on a wild, random shooting spree in protest that such an abomination was ever allowed to assault our eyes and ears.

So you see, sometimes a good deed is not what you do, but what you don't do. Amen brother.

Until tomorrow do-gooders xx

Sent from my iPhone

Changing the world: Day 10

Woohoo! Double digits...Today's good deed was the old double-pronger.

I took a very good friend of mine to an excellent maternity bra shop to get some uber comfy bra's for her expanding boosies.

On the flip side - I took a lovely customer into a fantastic local shop called Bodywise and increased the knowledge of their presence outside of Woodend!

Yay me! And yay for boobs!

Until tomorrow do-gooders x

Sent from my iPhone

Changing the world - Day 9

I'm a little bit obsessed at the moment with crowd-funded art websites. If you have no idea what they are then I hope I explain it clearly.

There are websites (predominantly) in the US where artists from all genres can upload their project ideas for the general public to browse. If you are browsing and like what you see you can contribute money to the cause and help the artist reach their goal. For instance - I could upload the first chapter of my book, write a really great pitch and hope people like it and pledge money to help me pay for publishing...make sense?

Artists usually offer incentives for contributions as well. Most authors offer a copy of the book or something like that. Anyhoo - best way to understand it is to go have a squiz at indiegogo.com or kickstarter.com

I was browsing around indiegogo today and found a book written by a couple of likely lasses called 'does this ponytail make my butt look big?' It's a style guide for women who don't have the wardrobe or money of Rachel Zoe. Cool idea I thought. So I pledged some money to help them on their way.

Donations can be as big or small as you like - my thought is every little helps!

So hopefully my good deed for the day will help a very worthwhile cause take off!

Until tomorrow do-gooders xx

Sent from my iPhone

Changing the world - Day 8

My friend Abbey does this sort of stuff way better over at Gild & Grace but I thought I would try a visual good deed today.

Bashing away on the computer I was pleasantly surprised when my Dad turned up on my doorstep for lunch. While eating he commented on the beautiful daffodils growing in our yard.

I had not taken the time to notice them but when I stopped and stared I was overwhelmed by their magic. The colour just makes you happy don't you think?

So I picked a few for my study - I'm hoping they encourage me to keep persisting in what can be a pretty disheartening pursuit.

And I hope they inspire you too - to do whatever it is that you want to...

Until tomorrow do-gooders xx