Free Rice Deed: Day 5

So, another day in bed due to my ulcer.  But, I still wanted to do some good. So, I went to freerice.com, this awesome site, where you play games to donate rice to the hungry.  You can play everything from English Vocab games to math to learning a new language.  You earn 10 grains of rice for every correct answer, and you can play as long as you want. Today I chose to play the vocab game, I knew I could donate more than if I tried my hand at math...not exactly my strong point.  So, instead of playing 5 hours of bejeweled and earning nothing but satisfaction for getting the top score, I played a little freerice vocab.

CHANGE.ORG DEED: DAY 4

Sorry for not posting over the past couple days. Don't worry, I have kept up with the good deedin', but some craziness has been going on and haven't had the ability to do a daily post. So, I'm playing a little catch up here. I went to the hospital for an out of control ulcer, and so my deed for the day was done online through change.org.  This is a great site with many petitions waiting to be signed to help issues that you are especially drawn to.  I receive daily email alerts about different petitions wanting to be signed, and today I chose to sign one very important to me dealing with Gay Rights.  The fact that it's even an issue drives me insane, but this story really got to me.  All this couple wanted was for their 2 year old son to be able to go swimming at the country club, but due to their sexual orientation they were denied acceptance.  Read  here and sign the petition for yourself.

Inspire Atlanta Deed: Day 3

Today I walked around my little neighborhood in Atlanta (in 100 degree weather, mind you) and hung up inspirational quotes and words of wisdom for the members of the community.  I even put a couple on bikes that were parked around the neighborhood.  I hope these little notes bring a smile or source of inspiration to those who pass by.  

Food Voucher Deed: Day 2

So, I got to the airport last night to find that my flight was being delayed. Then delayed 3x over. Eventually I got put on a flight for today instead. They gave me a food voucher for the inconvenience. Very sweet of them... Aaannyway, once I landed in Atlanta I was starving, and decided to grab a bowl of soup. I realized I wasn't going to use the whole amount, so for today's good deed I used the remainder to buy this nice gentleman a cup 'o joe. When I asked him if I could buy him a cup of coffee, he got a huge smile on his face and called me a sweetheart, which brought a smile to my face.  Good deed tackled, and I still have a whole day ahead if me.

The Suzie Homemaker Deed:Day 1

I just spent the week in Wilmington with my boyfriend, who is working on a film in town.  It was his birthday last Tuesday, and he had no idea I was flying in.  Better yet, his roommate was in on the surprise and had someone from the transpo department pick me up, so I could surprise him at base camp for his birthday.  We couldn't spend too much time together during the week, since he works about 16+ hours a day, but we had a fabulous weekend.  Going jet skiing, bowling, out to eat and just lounging around the house.  But, I spent a lot of time around the house just hanging out, catching up on The Real Housewives of wherever...

Throughout the week I did some cleaning and tried to help out, since I know it's the last thing Justin or his roommate want to do in the little downtime they have.  So, my good deed for today was making them some dinner to come home to, it's no gourmet meal, but hey it's better than nothing.  And I cleaned Justin's room, framed a picture his little niece sent him for his bday and hung up some pictures for him...because like most guys rooms (especially since this is a temporary living arrangement while filming) he has nothing on the walls and no more than a bed and a side table. He needed it to feel homey.  I'm off to Atlanta now, so my Suzie Homemaker deed will be a surprise to them both when they get home. 

A Deed A Day

So, I’ve had a string of bad luck over the past couple of months ( really since I’ve moved to Atlanta in January).  They say when it rains it pours, and they (whoever they are) weren’t kidding… AT ALL.  It seemed like, if it could go wrong, it would go wrong.  From car troubles, to housing mishaps, to my boss stealing from me…you name it, it happened.  After five months of this daily dose of bad luck, I finally found something to get excited about.  I’m not saying that nothing good ever happened, or I was completely miserable for three months, because I wasn’t. I am a “silver lining, everything happens for a reason, eternal optimism” kind of girl.  However, it gets to a point for anyone, when you just have to say “WHAT DID I DO WRONG IN THIS WORLD?! I recycle, when I consciously think about it. I brake for animals and small children.  I even think about volunteering sometimes.  Aaaannnyways, I had a trip planned to see my boyfriend, Justin, who I hadn’t seen in over a month (long distance, blah) and I couldn’t have been more excited. I’d literally tell complete strangers that I was going to Wilmington, NC to see my boyfriend. I’d get blank stares or confused looks in response, but I didn’t care…soon I would see Justin’s face and be able to kiss it and all that other mushy gushy love stuff no one wants to hear about.  I made a reservation for a rental car (because as I stated earlier, car troubles were one of my many misfortunes since moving to Hotlanta) and made sure I had unlimited miles and my insurance covered my car.  I was stoked. I found a car on priceline for   $17/day with everything I needed.  On the day of my impending road trip I went to work, hurried through the day without thinking about much else (probably why I made little to nothing in tips…hmmmm)  and then took the train to the airport to pick up my car.  I got about 90% of the way through my check-in with the rental company when the guy started talking some nonsense about 450 miles.  Ummm…no.  I had made sure I had unlimited miles.  “Well, because you have a Georgia state license, we can’t give you unlimited miles. Should’ve read the fine print.” Said the attendant, with a smirk.  I wasn’t sure why he felt the need to smirk at my tragedy…yes, at this point I’m allowed to call everything from a stubbed toe to a car accident a tragedy.  I mean, honestly, would you think to read the fine print of a reservation that says UNLIMITED MILES, just to make sure that the state you live in allows you unlimited miles?   Needless to say, after much bantering back and forth, I cancelled my reservation and went from rental company to rental company in search of a car.  Not a good plan on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, by the way.  “Well, I have a mustang for $355 for the day” offered one very helpful sales lady. PASS.  “I can get you into a mid-size for $500 for the weekend,” offered another.  Better, but I still think I’m gonna PASS .  After two and a half hours I couldn’t take it anymore.  I was sobbing. In hysterics. Full on panic attack.  I called my parents upwards of twenty times asking for advice and help.  At one point my mom was on her laptop looking for cars, my dad was on his doing the same and I was frantically looking online on my phone.  My dad finally found me a car and made the reservation.  It was about $120 more than I had originally anticipated on paying, but I didn’t care. I put a smile on my face, texted Justin that I would be on my way shortly and headed for the rental counter.  The sales guy was super friendly and said he’d seen how horribly the first company had treated me, promising he wouldn’t do the same.  He found my reservation and I willingly handed over my debit card.  “Oh” he said, “we can’t take debit cards from people with a Georgia license, it’s airport policy.”  WHAT IS IT WITH PEOPLE FROM GEORGIA!?!? “

“Can my dad phone a credit card in?” I asked hopeful, but already knowing the answer.  The guy shakes his head; I start sobbing all over again, harder than before, and walk away shaking.  I didn’t know what to do. I had been defeated. The trip I had my heart set on for weeks wasn’t going to happen, I’m a waitress at a Mexican restaurant…a mustang isn’t in my budget.  I went out to ground transportation to take a cab home, sat down on the bench to gather my thoughts and smoke a cigarette.  I reach in my purse, and what do you know…I’m out of cigarettes.  Well, isn’t that just my luck?  It seems so dumb, and petty, but that really was the icing on the cake. I lost it. Full on panic attack, sob-fest, pathetic girl at twelve o’clock style tantrum.  I looked over and saw a guy next to me smoking, and with that sad look of desperation in my puffy tear filled eyes I choked out the words that would unknowingly change my fate, “can (deep breath) I (another deep breath) bum a (just for dramatic effect, another deep breath) cigarette?”  He happily gave me one, lit it and then offered me a few more for the road, but I declined.  Just then my roommate called, and I started to tell her the long and tragic story that is my life.  I didn’t notice the guy still lingering behind me as I went into my tale of heartache and misery.  He eventually started to walk away, and I choked out another thank you and figured that was that.  I bum smokes to people on a daily basis; bums, co-workers, bummy co-workers; it’s kind of an unwritten code amongst smokers, in my opinion.  You just do it.  After a long talk with my roommate I got in line for a cab, contemplating what my next move would be.  And then I heard someone yelling in my direction.  “Hey, let me get you a cab, sweethaahht. “ I looked up to see, cigarette donor motioning towards me to get in a cab.  “That’s ok, I’ve got it,” I said, my voice still shaky from all of the crying and anxiety. 

“Come on,” he yelled “You’ve had a hahhhd day. It’s the least I can do. “ (FYI- I am a great speller, I’m just trying to portray an east coast accent for my readers).   I still declined, but suggested we split a cab, because really the $40 I was about to pay to get home was weighing on me.

“So what has got you so down, dawhl?” he asks once I’ve slightly composed myself.  Still short panicky breaths are all I can muster. 

“I…just...hate…this…town,” I stammer. 

“Why are you so upset,” he persists on me telling him my story.   So, I make this poor stranger endure the saga, as I have you…and I apologize to him…and now to you. 

“What if I buy you a plane ticket to Wilmington?” he offers.  My jaw drops, this literally can happen, and did. I just shake my head no, my mouth still agape.  “seriously, I have so many skymiles, that I never use, just let me buy you a plane ticket.”  I am floored.  Flabbergasted.  Stunned.  What other words can I use  to describe this emotion? Because I felt them all, separately. 

“why are you being so nice to me? Someone you don’t even know.”

“Isn’t life about helping people out that are need it? When I can help a stranger out, I do” he says very matter of fact.

“Well, yeah…that’s how I feel. I just didn’t know other people existed that felt the same way.”

“I just have one condition,” he started.

Oh great, I thought, this is where I’m going to get propositioned, or raped or any number of terrible things I’ve seen on Law and Order SVU marathons. 

“I was on my way to the bar,” he continues “come in and have a drink with me and I’ll get out my laptop and book your flight.”

“Uh…okay, I’ll think about it,” I say, immediately realizing how dumb, naïve and also ungrateful I’m sounding.  I really just wanted to scope the bar out before saying yes.  I mean, I’m a young girl out on her own in a cab with a guy she’s never met; I wanted to make sure it was a packed place full of people and not some “bar” in the basement of his house.   When we get to the bar in the middle of town in broad daylight, with a ton of people filtering in and out, I decide it can’t hurt to go in. worst case scenario the guy’s a creep and I get the hell out.  My mom and dad texted and called relentlessly, worrying about their baby girl…understandably so, but I just wanted to believe that there was some good in people left in this world. I sent them his full name and where we were.  I kept in contact with them non-stop throughout the night.  But, sure enough, the guy pulls out his laptop, searches for flights to Wilmington, and next thing I know, I’ve got a flight booked for the next day to go see the love of my life.

 I just kept saying “This feels like an Oprah moment! A REAL LIFE OPRAH MOMENT!”  You get a plane ticket, you get a plane ticket, and you get a plane ticket!!! We’re all going to WIIILLLLMMMIIINNNNGGGTOOOOOOONNNNN!!!!

The next morning I left for Wilmington, NC and had an amazing weekend with my amazing boyfriend, I’ll spare you the details, which involve a lot of eating dinner out and playing kissy face and telling each other how great the other one is.  When it came time to say goodbye I was heartbroken, as I usually am when we have inevitably have to part ways. I cried a little, okay a lot, and then he left for work. I took a cab to the airport a few hours later and figured that was it until the next time.  But, wouldn’t you know, they were oversold and there was a tropical storm a-brewin’, and they needed flexible travelers in exchange for vouchers for another flight.  I literally ran to the counter. Oh my god, I can stay another night with Justin and get airline money for my next flight out here?! I’m down. So, needless to say, my first trip to Wilmington was free, and now my second one is going to be as well. 

In all that has happened to me in the past couple of months, I may have gotten discouraged and upset at times, but I never lost faith in myself or other people. I kept a positive attitude, for the most part, and always ALWAYS believed in karma.  But, since the generosity of this complete stranger and then the crazy luck at the airport on the way home, I really decided to take a closer look at karma and my life.  I may be a happy, nice and good hearted person; but I rarely went completely out of my way for a total stranger. Maybe some change here and there, or a few kind words to someone, but never along the lines that I received.   I also don’t have a stack of skyline miles setting in my account, or more than $20 in my bank account most of the time, but I could still make an effort to do more.  So…….the reason you’ve endured this long and winded story is because I am making it a priority to do at least one good deed a day. Some for people that are close to me and whom I love dearly and some for people I don’t know from Adam.  And, I’m going to blog about the whole thing…and whatever else may be going on in life.  I’m doing this for two reasons. One: I hope someone else will be inspired to do something similar.  I think this could be a much better place for everyone in it, if we all did just one selfless good deed to make someone else’s day better. Two:  Writing about it will make me more responsible. Knowing that other people are expecting me to do something good, will help me remember what it’s all about. Even on the worst days. 

So, I hope you enjoy this experiment/journey/new project as much as I know I will. 

THANKS FOR READING!

D