is giving seasonal?

Opening Line

It's ok as long as it's funny....

Favourite Bands / Artists

I pretty much love it all - but in particular any old school punk (Descendents, NOFX, Social Distortion, Bouncing Souls), to Ska/Reggae (Planet Smashers, Smugglers and Toots!) and everything in between (Distillers, Sublime, The Strokes, Jurassic 5)....basically, if it's good, I like it.

I would rather poke myself in the eye, than listen to...

People complain

My favourite movies

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Man Bites Dog, The Usual Suspects, Requiem for a Dream, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Run Lola Run, What the Bleep do We know?, The Royal Tennenbaums, Napolean Dynamite, Princess Bride, What the Bleep Do We know? The Gift, Adaptation, Lost in Translation...and any badly dubbed kung-fu movie of course

The worst movie ever created

How do you narrow it down to just one?. Anything with Keanu Reeves in it.

Favourite Books/Mags

Dr. Seuss, Tom Robbins, Transworld, Vice (do's & don'ts)

Interests

Wine, food, friends, travel, making dinner, the beach, people watching, good conversation, movie night, shoes, going out for breakfast

Makes me happy

Friends, sunshine, being outside, cruising around, my stoop, skimmin' at Jericho and just doing stuff in general, morning coffee dates with my beautiful sister and nephew

Makes me sad

rain, being bored

Instruments that I play

guitar in training

Gender

Female

First name

kay

Last name

thody

Website

http://www.proj...

Submitted by kay on Thu, 2006-12-07 11:58.

i realized today (as i was solicited by another organization seeking donations) that i don't do nearly enough in terms of 'giving' on a daily basis.

sure, i contribute in my own ways to my community. the recent loss of a life in front of me however, has triggered an inventory of what it is that i'm actually doing in life that matters. that makes a difference. that truly helps someone other than myself. not pretty.

i doubt anyone would like to consider themselves a selfish person, but this morning i got present to the fact i am. on account of where i am in my life (no kids, etc.) my life and all of my decisions are truly my own and based (in nearly every instance) entirely around me. just me. i do what i want when i want. i don't have to ask anyone or consider how it might affect someone else. if it works for me, i go with it. and that's that.

i'm always busy and feel like i never have enough time to fit everything in. the truth of the matter is that yes, i'm busy, but i'm not that busy. and certainly never will i be too busy to start thinking AND ACTING beyond myself.

i am so truly fortunate in life. for what reason i have no idea, but i really am. and i realized that i can share that with anyone that isn't having the same kind of experience at the moment. i started yesterday, and without wanting to sound like a telethon, i felt ashamed of myself in the awareness of how little it takes to have such a positive impact on someone who truly needs it.

anyway, ryan made a comment on my previous blog about taking with you what lessons you can from tragic things that happen. i still feel incredibly sad for that man and his family, but i think i got mine.

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Sometimes it's hard to tell...
Written by TeachONE on Mon, 2006-12-11 21:32

This is the second "really serious" blog I've seen you post, and I have to say thank you for sharing your thoughts, as I can only imagine how difficult it is to put into words what your feeling after your experience last tuesday. As for your question, I think the answer is different for everyone. For some people giving is just that: an act of giving... giving money to a charity, not walking past the person with his/her hand out on the corner, making time in your schedule to do something for charity... And I think in many cases this is done at the "giving time of year," and often forgotten for the other 355 days a year.

On the other hand, giving doesn't have to only be about giving something... It can be more than that, and my guess from your posts here is that you probably give a lot more than you think you do. Are you quick to share a smile with someone you don't know? Do you acknowledge the person serving you, or take the time to say thank you to the person who is collecting the toll when you cross the bridge? Do you actually think that it's ok to give a tip, even though you didn't have great service, but that's just possibly because the person serving you is having a ridiculously bad day? Do you take the time to get to know the people you work with, and actually say the simple things like "good morning," or "have a good night?"

As much as these things don't necessarily cost us anything (except the fact that we might have to look past our own bad day to do it), they are still an act of giving. Time, a smile (even forced), or just a kind word is often the difference between a terrible day, and one that still has a some type of redeeming quality... Some people do this without thinking about it, or realizing it... I think in many ways those people give more to the world we live in than anyone else...

Peace

TeachONE

With music all is possible... Reach for the stars when your creating, and you might grab the moon.

hey TeachONE
Written by kay on Tue, 2006-12-12 20:37

thank you....for your thoughts and your insight. i think we see things from the same perspective and i truly appreciate you sharing it.

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