Shineworks: September

If you are going to work on Labor Day, you should be working to spread shine.  At least that's my philosophy.

Last month Heather, Cheryl, and I inaugurated Shineworks - a monthly ritual we stumbled on in June, during our House of Shine 5k.

The idea behind Shineworks is simple.  Power the planet with shine by using an everyday item to spread a little kindness in your corner of the world.  I select what item we will use, but you decide: (1) how you will use it, (2) where and to whom your shineworks will be revealed, and (3) when during the week your Shineworks will be completed.

Last month the everyday item participants were assigned to use was a paper towel roll.

I turned my paper towel rolls into magic wands.  I covered them in black paper and added white tips and stars.  I stuffed the paper towel rolls with magics tricks, a $2.00 coupon to Baskin Robbins, and a note wishing the recipient a "magical" day.  The best part was having my boys, and family friends, join me at Starbucks where we gave them away.

The worst part is I took ZERO pictures to share with you.

Another participant cut her paper towel rolls into smaller pieces and then used them to make mini flower vases.  She filled the makeshift vases with flowers and placed them in public places.  Still another reader turned her paper towel roll into a Shine Baton.  She painted the roll yellow, wrote words on it, and encouraged anyone in possession to do an act of kindness and then pass the baton along.

You could dismiss me, thinking you are too busy, that you have too much on your mind, or that you are too much of a realist.  Or, you can accept that powering the planet with shine requires this small, but distinctive tribe of readers, to be positive, tenacious, and relentlessly passionate about doing what others will not make time for. 

Instead of dismissing me, how about:

• Calling a friend and make a Shineworks date for later this week?
• Forwarding this to a colleague and then trading text messages about what unsuspecting person in your office you will target?
• Using dinner time to brainstorm with your family all the ways you can join forces to have some Shineworks fun?
• Challenging your boyfriend or girlfriend to do something different than the usual dinner and a movie?

Whether going it alone or finding a Shineworks partner in crime, there are a few more things you will want to know:

You will want to know that you have until Friday, September 10 at midnight to complete you Shineworks.  You will want to know we have a Community Forum labeled, "Shineworks" where participants can post pictures or tell stories about your adventures in spreading shine.  You should definitely know that anyone who participates in Shineworks can order a Powered By Shine t-shirts for $12.00, instead of $20.00.  And, last but not least, you should definitely know that the item you must use this month is...

POPCORN!

Shining off until tomorrow...

Yellow Envelope Project: Denton

Months ago, in an effort to explain the Yellow Envelope Project to newcomers, I described our role as that of a volleyball setter.  Hitters get the glory.  They make the spike that earns the point that prompts all the cheering.  The setter, on the other hand, quietly and unassumingly does her work.  She is focused.  She is intent on taking the receivers pass and turning it into something great.  She is the player that makes the show-stopping spike possible.

I like to think that's what we do at the Yellow Envelope Project.  No bells, no whistles, no accolades.  We are just focused and intent on making the world a better, brighter place by making other players spikes possible.

What an also fitting analogy for the recipient of today's Yellow Envelope Project.  She is a setter.  She is an administrative assistant whose job it is to receive, and sometimes, juggle the balls of seven departments.  Take a look at what her nominator had to say:

"Claire is the glue that holds our office together. She is responsible for keeping the seven departments in our area running smoothly -- budgets, office management, payroll, scheduling ... she does it all!  Claire stepped in to co-chair a major campus-wide event last year and did a fantastic job, even though program planning isn’t part of her job description.  On a personal note, she has always given me wonderful advice about family and work – her “therapy chair” in front of her desk is always available, and I take advantage of that often."

Getting off the bench to cheer Claire on is easy to do.  Simply write Claire a short note thanking her for being an All-Star player.  Remind her that while her work can seem thankless, at best, and endless at worst, her contributions to that office make victories possible.  Literally, that without her jumping in and saving the day the lose column would be longer than the win column.  Write that in whatever way suits you.  

Then...

Seal it in a yellow envelope (or a white envelope decorated with yellow stickers and markers).  Place the words, "Yellow Envelope Project" in the return address and mail it to the address listed below.  And, commit to mailing it before next Saturday when we meet again to recognize another worthy recipient.

That's it.

One fan standing in the bleachers to cheer Claire on is nice - you know, fun.  We are hoping for a full-blown wave!  You send a letter and then tell someone else to send a letter.  Then, he tells someone to send a letter and that person, in turn, tells someone else.  Before you know it the coliseum is on their feet and... the crowd goes wild.

That's the kind of reception Claire deserves.

Shining off until Monday.   

You are the Sunshine

Happy Friday, Shiners! Cheryl here!

Today was supposed to be a video but Heather wouldn't let us come to the hospital to video so you get me instead.Congrats Snow Family! We can't wait to meet Charlotte!

What do you think? Do you like it?

I think that I am drawn to this video and poem because I like to be alone. I like to venture out to a restaurant and sit at the bar to enjoy my dinner. Strangers are more likely to talk to you when you are dining alone as well. They usually want to know why I am dining alone. I tell them: First, I don’t have to cook it. Second, I don’t have to clean the kitchen after I eat it. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

Because it’s not the social norm, I feel a bit daring. It’s my version of living on the edge.

Try it! See who you meet.

The second video is of a 3 year old boy reciting a poem called Litany by Billy Collins. You’ll have to click on the link to see it since I’m not able to embed it to the blog. Click here and hit play. I found I could follow along with him better while reading the words so: