Making the world a better place to live&#39;s Journal

(just_aims)

9:33PM - Free donation site

Hi,

Check out this "free donation" site:

The Hunger Site

Just a click a day to feed the hungry, fight breast cancer, support children's health, save the rain forests or rescue animals. It's small way in which we can help make the world a better place.

(Also posted in social work and threads of change live journals. Don't know the mechanics of cross posting yet...sorry!) :)

(a_snowbunny)

1:01PM

The museum where I work does a lot of school tours and I always try to keep an eye out for the little one who seems really shy and awkward to try to find a way to make them smile. This really touched me when I was telling an interactive story with a class group because one day we had a group of kids and there was a really shy girl in the back which the rest of the kids really didn't pay much attention to. So as I was giving out masks of animals which the students would portray in the story, I saved the best and most special mask for her. The look on her face said everything when I gave her the mask and I could tell she was just so incredibly happy. It just made my day and had me smiling to myself for the rest of the school tour.

(3 comments | comment on this)

3:49AM - One more...

(Cross-posted in my journal and a_better_place, sorry if you're seeing it twice.)

I think it's a good deed, but you might disagree, and that's your right. But I'll share, and let you make up your own minds:

Someone in this building has been letting her kitten run loose in the halls whenever she leaves her apartment. This has happened many times in the past week. My friend, Michael, found it earlier this week, and took it back to the apartment to find that no one was home. So he kept it until they got in, and took it back down there. The woman said "He must have gotten out when I left." She didn't seem the least bit concerned about it, just took the kitten inside. We figured that was the end of it.

Well, today, he came home from work for his break, and the kitten was in the hallway again, and again, no owner was at home. Since he couldn't sit around and wait, and didn't want the kitten running loose with some of the freaks in this building, he kept it in his apartment and went back to work. All through the rest of the day and into the night, no one came looking for it. No one wandered up and down the halls, no one knocked on any doors, nothing. And Michael had to leave his apartment several times for various things, and not once did the kitten make any attempt to get out. In short, we think the woman is lying about it escaping, and has been putting it out when she leaves, either in an attempt to abandon it, or to prevent it from damaging anything in her apartment while she's gone.

Michael and I discussed it, and we decided that this is Unacceptable. So he's very graciously volunteered to keep the kitten (even though he already has one cat, and didn't really want another one). He's going to pay for it to get vaccinated and everything (we're quite certain he hasn't had any shots, since he has a lot of ear mites, which tells us he hasn't seen a vet any time recently).

So. We're either cat rescuers, or catnappers. I feel vaguely guilty about it, but we're concerned about what might happen to the poor thing if we gave him back again. I'm supposed to take it to work with me in the morning to get it examined and vaccinated, but I might ask him to wait a day and see if she looks for it. In which case, I will inform her, in no uncertain terms, that if I see the cat in the hallway again, she won't get it back. And if I find it dead or injured, I'll make sure that she's prosecuted for it (animal abuse is a felony offense in Missouri).

So, yeah, I think he's doing a good thing by keeping it, especially with the added cost to him. He didn't even want another cat, and he's already taking better care of it than she did.

3:29AM - Still here?

I'd nearly forgotten this community... that's kind of sad that I'd slip into such a negative state that I wouldn't remember...

Anyway.

The other day, I was on my way out the door at work, when I recognized a patient in the lobby (huge, fluffy dog with a shaved tail... hard to miss), and I stopped to say hello and scritch his ears.

The owner thanked me for recognizing her dog, and making them feel more at home. So I'm not sure which of us did the good deed, 'cause that sure made me feel warm and fuzzy. :)

(rainbowdirt)

1:02PM - what is rainbowdirting?

Do you leave quotes on index cards for people to find? blow bubbles in the hall way? make posters and leave slips of paper in random places to make an unsuspecting person happy? GREAT! you have read the right post! rainbowdirt is here!
The rainbowdirting livejournal community is now open, and waiting for you to join! if you hurry you wont miss any of the action! If you love random acts of kindness, crafts, rainbows and making people smile.... then come on over to rainbowdirt ♥
(please feel free to delete this post if it is unrelated or uncalled for)

Current mood:

excited

Current music: the faint remix

(1 comment | comment on this)

3:11PM

An example of someone making the world a better place.

I went through the KFC drive-thru last night for supper. The husband and I had been working out in the yard for five solid hours, landscaping. I was exhausted, dirty and just wanted to grab something and go.

The KFC guy gets on the speaker and he's so bright and cheery. I told him to give me a second since I didn't know what I wanted and he replies, "Sure! Take ALL the time you need. I'm here until 9:00 anyway!" I get to laughing and tell him I'm ready. He gets on and laughs, "Wow, that WAS a second." By this time, I'm grinning and laughing. Then, he hits the wrong button and came on the speaker and was laughing at himself and telling me about it, like we were old friends.

By the time I got to the window, I was grinning ear to ear and wasn't so cranky. They say fast food employees who get paid the minimum wage give the minimum work. This was a happy exception to that rule, and he completely made my evening by just being happy.

He cracked jokes at the window with my son and when he told us to have a great evening, he really meant it. Cheers to the KFC guy in Eldon, Missouri.

(lunaheretic)

3:39PM

i booked a flight from Toronto to Amman, Jordan. i will be there early Friday. i will be helping my partner, the journalist i mentioned earlier, with the filming and footage. Likely we will make several short films there, trying to get another viewpoint and some documentation of what is going on, uncensored by newstations. i may be able to update once in a while as to what is going on, but i am not sure. i will not be going into Iraq myself until it is a bit safer.

i am not a human shield
i know what Saddam has done
i do not support his regime
i am an American citizen
i do not know what the answers are
i am ashamed that we have followed our leaders so blindly
i am ashamed of my own ignorance and i am seeking to fix that
i want to be objective
i want to see the truth with my own eyes
i wish to find how i may escape this culture of selfish apathy and possibly help, however i may

This Mortal Coil
Blood (1991)
I Come And Stand At Every Door

I come and stand at every door
But no one hears my silent dread
I knock and yet remain unseen
For I am dead, for I am dead
I'm only seven although I've died
In Hiroshima long ago
I'm seven now as I was then
When children die they do not grow
My hair was scorched by swirling flame
My eyes grew dim, my eyes grew blind
Death came and turned my bones to dust
And that was scattered by the wind
I need no fruit, I need no rice
I need no sweet, nor even bread
I ask for nothing for myself
For I am dead, for I am dead
All that I ask is that for peace
You fight today, you fight today
So that the children of this world
May live and grow, and laugh and play

the lyrics do not do this song its justice...download it if you want to hear a heartwrenchingly beautiful song and haven't heard it yet

(5 comments | comment on this)

(dayglow)

12:38PM - This community isn't dead yet!

Today, one little word made my day a whole lot better. A simple 'hello' on a pretty good day like today (the weather is so warm and beautiful, it's really hard to be having a bad day) makes it into a superb day. The story goes like this.

My high school jazz band played at the lion's club pancake feed today. Afterwards, I returned home and parked. I stepped out of my car. There was a lady across the street. If she wasn't working on her yard, I wouldn't have been able to pick her face out of a crowd as my neighbor. I didn't even notice her, until she yelled out 'Hello' and I smiled and greeted her in return. And that made my day so much better. Just a simple hello from a lady on my street.

Current mood:

cheerful

12:52PM - Tiny community in my area and the true meaning of giving

GRAVOIS MILLS -- This small lake community refuses to allow the Grinch, disguised as a pink slip, to steal Christmas from 27 children.

"When we found out 13 people at a local business had been laid off from their jobs with no pay, my husband Paul and I had to help," Gravois shop owner Carolyn Schlapper said. "We couldn't let all those kids go without something under the tree for Christmas."

Former employee Jessica Fair said the company that employed more than a dozen salespeople shut its doors and laid them off last Wednesday.

"As parents we've been put in an awkward position at the worst possible time," Fair said. "We are too late to apply for unemployment in time to buy presents for our kids and the company isn't open to give us paperwork to apply for emergency food stamps."

Schlapper listened to the parents' plight and immediately began collecting gifts from her own store shelves and put them in bags. A nearby resale shop gave her clothes and shoes.

"I told my daughter about it and she went to her church with the story," Schlapper said. "People at her church, Castleview Baptist in Blue Springs, collected money and bought as many groceries as they could with $260.05. A little boy in the congregation gave them his nickel."

Paul Schlapper said the boy's small but heartfelt addition shows the true meaning of the holiday spirit.

"He gave what he had to help someone else," Paul Schlapper said. "Isn't that what it's all about?"

10:43AM - This story made me cry!

What a brave boy in this story!

( Read more... )

(2 comments | comment on this)

7:44AM - Chicken Soup for the Soul

I get this every morning, a little bit of sunshine to start the day. :D

( Read more... )

(3 comments | comment on this)

(aardwolfe)

8:35AM - Nice, or desperate?

Currently looking into finding a work agency to make some cash whilst I'm over in England for a few weeks. Rang round a couple of them yesterday, got the 'we'll send you an application form' from most. One, however, knowing I was in a rush, said she'd drop the form off at my house on Monday. Considering it's about 5 miles out of her way, I thought this was kind of nice of her. :)

Current mood:

pleased

Current music: Dream Theater - Fatal Tragedy

2:11AM - Cool thing that happened at work

I was busy all night, and didn't get time to restock the cups and such in the snack area, so when one of my regular customers came in to get a soda, he reached into the cabinets underneath and stocked everything up for me. Very cool.

9:22AM

I was in Wal-Mart yesterday getting a pinata for the Halloween party at School when I got to the checkout lane behind this sweet older lady. She had all her stuff up on the conveyer when I noticed a really cute orange and black lace witch hat. I took a closer look and she smiled. I told her it was the cutest little hat.

She told me she was mentoring a little girl through the church for Halloween who wanted to be a witch. I told her that was extremely wonderful of her to do. She smiled a huge smile and said they do it for as many children as they can and usually go in the hole when it's all over. You could tell she was happy to do it. Her eyes sparkled and she had a beautiful smile.

Here's to all you wonderful people who give a little something for children who don't have it. Even if it's just for Halloween.

(2 comments | comment on this)

(katoc1)

1:58AM

hey im kate, and im new:) just wanted to say hi:)

(4 comments | comment on this)

9:04AM - Various nice things

First, there's my friend, Michael. Actually, he's my ex. We dated for three years, but now, he's more like a brother. I've been having a rough time lately, financially speaking, but Michael keeps me from starving, and helps a little with the bills. He doesn't pay for everything, of course, but he helps just enough that I don't lose everything. This accomplishes two things: first, it helps in the practical, physical sense. I'm not starving, and I still have a roof over my head, etc. But, even more important, it shows me that he has faith in me. He knows that I'll find work soon, which is why he pays *just* enough. He knows that he doesn't need to do more than that, because it won't be much longer before I can pick it all back up. He doesn't do this with some false hope of winning me back or anything. He does it because he's a good person, and he knows I'd do the same for him were our positions reversed.

Also this week, aardwolfe and I were out grocery shopping. For us, this means several different stores, 'cause we have to find the best bargains. Usually, this is a bit daunting, as at least two of the stores seem to seek out the rudest cashiers possible to employ. I usually dread having to go through the line with someone glaring at me as they throw my groceries over the scanner. But not that day. EVERY place we went to, the cashiers were smiling and friendly, and it just made the day so much more wonderful. So, if any of you out there work in the public eye, remember that a smile can do so much more than you realize. You can completely change a person's day just by treating them like they're human beings. And there's the added bonus that the whole thing carries forward. I was nicer to everyone all day (which Dave definitely appreciated after my bitch-from-hell week :P), and even let people in front of me while I was driving. :P

Little things, sure. But when they add up, the world's a much nicer place to be.

(allah_dot_com)

7:28PM

vicious vivre diario utilisateus

When walking barefoot do you look for the rusty nails in the ground to step on just because the FOOT wants to see what it feels like? No? Then please also consider thinking for a change about what is better for the Whole rather than just YOU. You would be so loved. I promise you that.

2:03PM - Too cute not to post

A grammar-school teacher from Miami, remembers this Oscar-worthy birth tableau from one of her students...

( Read more... )