Reflections

Somedays doing this blog was hectic. May I'd had a long day and then realized I needed something for the blog. At one point I begged my roommate to let me buy her something saying, "I need it for the blog!" After that, if I did something nice, she'd just say, "Is that going on the blog?" And it would.

Because I knew I needed to write the blog I searched for every opportunity. There were times when I saw a chance and almost let it pass me by but then I'd remember I needed it for the blog. But that mindset blossomed into something a little more Christlike. For instance, on days when I already had something for the blog and I would see another opportunity, I'd take it. Not "for the blog," but because it was just the right thing to do.

I hope after this little experiment that I will continue to do a good turn every day. Now it won't be "for the blog," but just because I'm a good person. My momma raised me that way. ;)

Finishing up

19. Dec.

Went to the temple. It was really great actually. Oquirrh Mountain said it was the busiest day they've ever had so, said one temple sister, "The Spirit is extra strong today."

20. Dec.

I gave my mom this blog.

DVD

I loaned my DVD to my roommate and even put it in the player and got it all going. Lame, but better than nothing.

16. Dec.

Went shopping with a friend to supply a family's Christmas.

17. Dec.

At work I volunteered for some extra clients. At home, I entertained a guest while the real hostess was preoccupied in a serious and pressing manner.

The Long Winter

3. Dec.

Chatted with a friend in need.

4. Dec.

I cleaned the house. Then a friend came over to hang after she locked herself out of her house. I also loaned my roommate clothes and volunteered to drive everyone to an activity.

5. Dec.

I made raclette for friends.

6. Dec.

It's Nikolaus. Earlier in the week I stole my roommates' shoes and today I put them out with chocolate in them!

7. Dec.

I gave blood. It's nice to do some thing that people cannot do for themselves no matter what. I also chatted with a friend who needed it and did the dishes.

8. Dec.

Did dishes.

9. Dec.

Bought some household supplies and loaned my computer to my roommate.

10. Dec.

I supported a friend by seeing her family's play. Additional I drug my roommate along. I never spend time with this roommate so it was especially good.

11. Dec.

Gave up the front seat.

12. Dec.

Baby-sat for a friend.

13. Dec.

Supported coworkers at their fireside (it was really good!). Visit taught.

14. Dec.

Offered to hep a lady at the library (rejected). Covered a group therapy session for a sick coworker.

15. Dec.

Bought the milk my roommate and I share. Also bought soda for a party we're all hosting later.

Clothes

My roommate had a big night tonight and I lent her some of my clothes. She looked good!

Pizza and HC

I put my roommate's pizza in the fridge. She didn't even notice it was gone, but when she did she was very happy. I also made everyone hot chocolate, which is never a bad idea.

The Auction

Our ward held a "Service Auction" to raise money to supply Christmas for needy families. The families we are helping are the families the ward also sponsors as tutors for their kids -- twice a week. I bought a record, cinnamon rolls, and help to make a living will. Our ward raised over $1,400!

Thanksgiving Weekend

25. November

We spent a lot of time on Thanksgiving meal preparation (I even made a time-intensive pie). Lots of dishes, so I took care of that.

26. November

Brought in the paper.

27. November

Drove for my mom. Fixed Gram's blinds, though I was not as cheerful as I probably should have been.

28. November

Drove my friend to the movies and got out group treats.

29. November

Visit taught.

School Days

A friend in the ward needed help in her elementary school classroom just doing little things. Organizing books, putting up wall displays, making overheads of the constellations. A couple friends and I went and helped her for a few hours.

Update

15. November

I was at my sister's house for dinner. They serve a lot of people. I jumped up and did the dishes. Then, driving home, my mom hinted that she wanted me to drive. I said no but rethought it and drove once we dropped my grandma off (it took a minute to rethink).

16. November

I counseled with a sister in the ward and also did the FHE lesson.

17. November

I attempted to contact a sister in the ward, as an assignment from the bishop.

18. November

I gave a friend a ride home from a dinner she was in charge of. Her ride had had a bad day so went home early and she herself had been pretty sick but had to present at the activity. So it was actually two people who benefited.

19. November

I rubbed my nephew's back while supporting my other nephew and niece in a play.

20. November

I supported my clients in a basketball game then hung out with my mom and helped her make Christmas pillowcases.

21. November

I offered to drive.

22. November

I made dinner for a friend, counseled again with a sister from the ward, and took my roommate her spare keys (she'd locked herself out of her car).

23. November

It was my cotherapist's turn but he had a really busy day so I had a fun time coming up with a group therapy idea.

Massage

Gave friend a massage.

Borders

Treated a friend to treats at Borders and told her a secret she really wanted to hear (about herself).

6 November - 12 November

6. November, Friday

I refrained from gossip.

7. November, Saturday

I was with coworkers and we all had to pick up some papers. I grabbed my coworker's.

8. November, Sunday

Kathy was late to sit on the stand at Stake Conference. I dropped her off close and then found a parking spot.

9. November, Monday

Monday, Monday. I let a friend know that his light was out on his car. He may never have realized it as he never drives backwards.

10. November, Tuesday

I got a call asking me to run to the store to get soda for a friend who was really craving it. It's the friend with cancer and my cancer motto is that whatever the friend wants, she gets. But then I found out that she isn't allowed soda and was really just expressing that she wanted some. But I would have done it!

So the good deed to the day was inviting my roommate to exercise with me.

11. November, Wednesday

A friend I don't know really well has been having a rough time. The bishop asked me to chat with her until she can get in to someone else (they are apparently very booked). She opened up and I just listened.

12. November, Thursday

Day II of the spontaneous therapy session. It's better that watching TV mindlessly. I have purpose!

Bed making

It's a cliche nice thing to do, but I know that I've greatly appreciated it when it's been done for me.

I made my roommate's bed.

Temple and Doors

3. Nov 2009

I went to the temple for initiatories.

4. Nov 2009

I held open the door for a coworker with lots of files. It was a rough day.

Jazz Game

I took some friends to the Jazz game. It wasn't super altruistic and I got the tickets from my sister, but for those friend that I took, it was a good deed.

Last Few Days

28. October

It's work related, but valid. One of my clients has a really hard family situation, so that he just lacks a lot of motivation. But I really tried with him today, encouraging, encouraging, encouraging.

29. October

Getting ready for Halloween. We are making iron-on shirts for our roller derby team (Freaks of Sk8ture). I made my shirt then saw that the iron-ons for everyone else's shirts needed cutting out. So I cut them out.

30. October

Gave roommate a hug.

31. October (Happy Halloween!)

We were pretty gross after the evening's festivities and our costumes (lots of make up and hairspray). I let/insisted my roommate shower first, just to be nice.

1. November

Mom, Gram, and I canned some peaches a while ago. Yummy. I'm about through all my cans. But I took one can over to the sister I visit teach, just as an excuse to say hi.

Quarter

I was at the library today. They have these neat machines where you just slide your card and then place your books on a certain spot on the table (no idea where the scanner is) and it just "knows" which books you have. You can also pay for things like fines or movies. There was an old man next too me today. The librarian was walking him through the check-out process. He was checking out three movies. The librarian explained, "And your change will come out at your ankles." He bent down slowly and obviously painfully. He dropped a quarter (or maybe it was a Sacajawea) and I hurried and picked it up. I wish I would have helped sooner, but better late than never I guess. I take my body for granted.

Driving Miss Daisy

Drove my friends to FHE and lead our following car astray. Good times were had by all.

Visits

With one of my counselors I went around to visit some of the sisters in the ward. I'm very chatty.

Good times

Today was an easy day for service. I guess it's easy to find nice things to do when you have the whole day (as today was Saturday) to yourself.

I made breakfast for my roommate, because crepes on Saturday morning just sounds yummy.

My mom called and gave me bad news that a friend is seriously ill in the hospital and it doesn't look good. Along with my home ward I began a fast.

I went up to my mom's house to hang out with my four neieces and one nephew for the evening. Their parents and my mom all went to the BYU Homecoming game (which BYU lost, rather pathetically I hear). We had a picnic dinner, tooks baths (one BM rescued from the bath water, ew), and watch movies with popcorn and a seriously crazy amount of chocolate milk.

It's the people in our lives that make life so enjoyable. I had a good people day.

European Hot Chocolate

Got the craving for some european hot chocolate this evening. It's like a melted chocolate bar and it's served in a little espresso cup. Treated the roomie.

Seriously

I did dishes again. Starting to wonder if it's a cop-out nicety. Shouldn't I be doing them anyway?Not because it's nice, but because it's right.

Slow day

I checked-out some books from the library for some clients. It has to do with work, but it is a bit beyond the expected or required.

Ward Temple Night

It was ward temple night and I attended. It's fun to think about the person you are doing the work for. Tonight's guest was Johanna Nilsdtr Krog of Norway -- hard to say, but I think I was somewhat close. I think the middle name was an abbreviation of Nilsdittor, so that's how I pronounced it. Hope she accepts.

The two most powerful words.

Said Thank You.

The Weekend

Things get busy.

16. October

I was at a Relief Society retreat where the Stake Relief Society president spoke. She was talking about self confidence and security. A friend leaned over to me and said, "I don't have so much of a problem with that any more. And that's because of you."

17. October

I forgave a friend who really hurt me.

18. October

I went visiting teaching!

The Vacation

So I went on vacation which meant I couldn't post but here is the report of what I did.

8. October

I bought my friend some sheet music and took it to her. The music wasn't available to her where she lives (Toronto). This means that her ward choir will have some really nice music to sing... instead of homemade arrangements of the hymns.

9. October

I helped my traveling buddy stroll her luggage. She wasn't an invalid or anything - I was just being nice.

10. October

I let my friend sit in the front seat. This may not seem like a big deal but it is, because I'm usually subtly bossy and get my way. I also took photos for some fellow tourists so both could be in the photo.

11. October

I did the dishes for my host. I also got to chat with the local sister missionaries. I talked about my mission and how it wasn't super statistically significant. I think that made the one sister feel good. She said, "And you worked really hard right? That makes me not feel so bad."

12. October

I took my hostess out to "tea."

13. October

I offered to help a woman with a disability. She denied my offer, but I would have done it just the same. I also previously gave my friend a pass-along card which she passed-along today.

14. October

(I have returned home by this point but not blogged.) Today I talked to a really nervous mom. Now, I'm not sure work-related items really count, but I feel that today I went a little above and beyond and really tried to make this mom feel comfortable. I also made my friends dinner.

15. October

I've been grumpy tonight but I still took the time to write to a few friends, just to catch up and to let them know that I'm thinking about them. I want to be a good friend.

Part Two

I visited the sick again today. It was personally a little more upsetting because I leave for a trip to Canada soon and I might not see her again before I go. I'm just worried.

Visit the sick

My roommates appendix burst! She's going to be in hospital for a while. I visited her and stayed a while. Another friend and I washed her hair which was quite the adventure.

Yard work

My coworker offered to help me out by supplying a group activity my boys could participate it. Yard work for his mother-in-law. Awesome. We cleared her large garden and pruned some trees. I wanted to be industrious too, to set a good example and because yard work -- when done in moderation -- can be fun. And it was.

Partying Dishes

We had a lot of people over this weekend for General Conference. And they stayed for a long time. Like 8 hours. So lots of food happened. My roommate, who was really doing all the work, felt a little ill by the end so I did all the dishes for her.

Programs

The only thing I did today wasn't super altruistic at all. I'm a little disappointed. I went to a BYU women's soccer game (us 2 them 1) and I put my program next to some other trash so that it would be easier for the clean-up people.

Maybe another nice thing I did was invite a friend to watch conference.

Appointments

Today I took a sister in the ward to an appointment. She has breast cancer and no car. She came from a rough background in Arkansas and moved to Utah with just $20 and faith that "if the Church is true, things would work out." Gutsy.

Dishes

I had just an hour or so between jobs. And the dishes needed doing. My roommate would be home soon to make her annual October 1 pumpkin bread and cider. I thought she'd probably like to start with a clean kitchen. And I really don't do dishes often at all. I rationalize that I use very few dishes. But I did the dishes tonight -- even the couple things needing hand washing.

Make a new friend

I went to Institute tonight - a first. Our teacher had us break off into groups. My friend and I got together, naturally. I noticed that the young man directly behind was all alone so I invited him into our conversation and it was nice. Later, while waiting in line for food, I made friends with another lonely stranger. It was quite pleasant.

CD

My good deed for today was a mix CD. This past weekend, my friend CJ and I went to a concert in another state (Jason Mraz, if you wanted to know). We listened to our fair share of music, not to mention the concert, so the CD was full of music we enjoyed on the trip and at the concert. CJ was happy with the CD and made a big fuss over it which was just the reaction I was going for.

Merry Christmas

"Service is the rent we pay for life..."

I've never been a parent so I really don't know what parents want. But I have parents. My guess is that a couple things parents want are for their kids to be happy and for their kids to be good people. I think these things might be the ultimate payoff as parents -- and to have someone who will deliver holiday goodies to the neighbors.

This blog is my gift to my mom, to show her that I'm happy and that she raised an ok person. Everyday, from now until Christmas, I'm going to do something kind for someone. And it has to be something unplanned and out-of-the-way. Then I'm going to write about it. According to my calculations, I'll be doing at least 87 nice things before Christmas day.

Merry Christmas, Mom. Love you!