Miracle Mom

It's pretty rare that I read something in Parade from the Sunday newspaper worth sharing, but this story made me smile out loud. Enjoy:

When Stacy Wiparina told her family seven years ago that she was pregnant, of course they were excited.

"But then I was also kind of scared," says her mother, Patti Goodman. "Afraid for Stacy getting through a pregnancy, surviving a pregnancy."

Wiparina is tiny and fragile and always has been. She was born with a genetic disorder called Type II spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). She has never walked--she never even crawled as a baby--and she has used a motorized wheelchair since she was 7, when her arms grew too weak to push a manual chair. Because her bones have never borne weight, they are extremely brittle and easily broken. Her spine is twisted by scoliosis, and her lungs are weak and prone to infections. She spends at least a week each year in the hospital fighting pneumonia, and when she was 22 a respiratory infection kept her in a coma from Christmas until Valentine's Day. Her doctors expected her to die.

Carry a baby in that body?

"Everyone always worries about me--except me," Wiparina says. "I just knew things were going to work out."

And they did. Twice. Today, Wiparina, 36, and her husband, Rodney, have two healthy, rambunctious children--J.J., 6, and his sister, Sophie, 4--bounding around their backyard in Centerville, Ohio. "I knew I was going to be a mom," Wiparina says. "It's all I ever wanted."

> Read the full story at Parade.com

Pizza Man Saves Life During Delivery

Serendipity? Pretty amazing story from Colorado:

A man in Lakewood [Col.] is alive, thanks to a pizza deliveryman."The pizza guy saved his life," said Kami Linn, the wife of George Linn. "Every doctor and nurse has told me that."George Linn and his family moved to Lakewood July 9. Linn was having heart problems and was hospitalized last week. He was released on Wednesday.

On Friday night, the Linn family called for pizza. About an hour later, Linn collapsed."We are just talking and all of a sudden George said, 'Oh no,' grabs his neck and collapses onto the floor," said Kami.Kami said she had just dialed 911 when the doorbell rang."I don't know why, but I open the door [to] some burly-looking dude and I was like, 'Help me, come help me,'" Kami said. "I didn't care if it was a scrawny teenager. I am like, 'Get in here,' and [the pizza guy] is like, 'I am a paramedic.'"

"He runs in and immediately does CPR on George who has gone into cardiac arrest and has died," said Kami. "He revived him and got him to breathe again."The pizza deliveryman, Chris Wuebben, recently took the job at Johnny's New York Pizza in Lakewood. His boss said Wuebben had also just recently moved to Denver and was delivering pizzas until he found a job as a paramedic. Before that, Wuebben was an Emergency Medical Technician in the military and had just returned from Iraq. The CPR Wuebben peformed worked.

"By the time he had him revived the other paramedics came and took over and said if is wasn't for the pizza guy, who I found out later was Chris, George would have died," Kami said.Linn's fight isn't over yet. He is in the intensive care unit at Swedish Medical Center. He has an infection in his lungs that is making his heart weak and beat erratically. Once that is tackled, his wife said he should be fine.

"This only happens in movies. I don't know, whatever you want to believe, but I know that things are going to be OK because that never happens," Kami said. (from ABC7News Denver)

> Watch a video of the story here.

> Read more coverage on this story from Reuters

* Thanks to my friend Jill W. for sharing this great story about her hero nephew on Facebook!

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Long Lost Brothers Find They Are Neighbors

These stories never cease to amaze me. Hearing about siblings that have reunited is always fantastic...but when they turn out to be neighbors or coworkers, it's reminiscent of Hollywood. Here is the recent story of a pair of brothers in Canada:

After years of trying to find each other, two long-lost Newfoundland brothers have discovered they live just metres apart in Corner Brook.

"He was across the road. I could not believe it. That was crazy. It took me about three hours to get up the nerve to call," said Tommy Larkin, 30.

Larkin and his brother, Stephen Goosney, 29, were adopted as children by separate families. Larkin grew up in a happy family in Cook's Harbour, on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula.

Goosney grew up a few hundred kilometres south, in Woody Point.

Both Larkin and Goosney spent years searching for their biological family but had no luck, until they received help from Newfoundland and Labrador's Post Adoption Services agency.

On March 25, the brothers found out they have been living on the same street in Corner Brook, western Newfoundland, for the past two years.

"[Finding him in] Newfoundland would have been really exceptional … but across the road is something amazing," said Goosney.

> Read the full story here at CBC News

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Dad Rescues 2 Year-Old Daughter After She Falls in River

As a father this story both scares the bejesus out of me and makes me happy at the same time.

A California dad dived into the frigid East River and rescued his 2-year-old daughter Saturday after she plunged 20 feet from a historic boat docked at the South Street Seaport.

Witnesses heard a splash, then a terrifying scream.

A moment later, the father, David Anderson, was racing down the deck of the four-masted Peking ship, emptying his pockets along the way.

"He jumped in like a scene out of a movie," said Eric Stringer, 34. "He was pulling things out of his pockets as he was running down the steps. He didn't hesitate."

Once he reached the pier, the frantic father flicked off his shoes and bolted over a fence. Witnesses said he then gazed into the water. His daughter, identified by sources as Bridgette Sheriden, was below the surface.

"He jumped in feet first like a pin," said Stringer, a freelance TV producer from Hicksville, L.I. "He went all the way under, and when he came up, he had her in his arms.

"She was motionless, at first. It was a couple of seconds, and then she started crying."

The crowd of onlookers gasped in relief. (NY Daily News)

> Read the Full Story & Watch a Video Recap

* Thanks to Greatdad.com for the tip on this story.

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Help Ardita = the Power of One

I came across this story in Madison's free alt-weekly and it's pretty amazing. I hope you are touched by it too and are inspired to take action. It's truly a story about the "power of one - one community, one family and one little girl."

Ardita Bilalli has been called a miracle child. After her premature birth, in war-torn Kosovo, she came to the United States in 2001 seeking medical treatment for a spinal condition. She was two years old.

After receiving treatment in Chicago, Ardita came to Madison; she's attended Elvehjem Elementary since early childhood. Now age 10 and in the fifth grade, Ardita suffers from spina bifida, among other serious health problems. She uses a wheelchair and is often in pain.

"I've cried a lot, and it's been hard," says Ardita, who over the years has had nine major operations. "There have been many surgeries, but it's fun here, and I've been with some really nice people."

Now Ardita faces what could be her toughest challenge. At the end of the current school year, she must return to Kosovo, where her future is less secure. She and her mother, Shemsije, have twice extended their visas to allow for Ardita's continual medical care, but have been denied further refuge in the U.S. They worry that Ardita may not be able to get the medications and care she needs in Kosovo.

"I just wish she could get the documents to stay," says Shemsije. "I wish there was another way."

Ardita and her mother came to Chicago in 2001 with the help of a Madison-based uncle, Gani Ahmetaj. He arranged for her to receive treatment at Shriners Hospital. Ardita's father, Sami, has remained in Kosovo, having been denied permission to leave. Says Shemsije, "My husband has tried to come and hasn't been able to."

While Ardita looks forward to reuniting with her father, the village in Kosovo to which she's scheduled to return in June has spotty electricity and unsafe water, which may exacerbate her medical conditions.

But there may be a glimmer of hope. Ardita has won the hearts of her classmates in Madison, and a group of concerned moms at Elvehjem Elementary School are taking up her cause. They have contacted lawyers and international experts and are now raising funds to ensure that Ardita has a fighting chance when she heads home.

> Read more about Ardita and this story here (The Isthmus)

Want to do something? Visit helpardita.com to learn more and/or you can also send money to:

Help Ardita Fund
Associated Bank
608-259-4275
4407 Cottage Grove Rd.
Madison, WI 53716

7-Year-Old Organizes to Help Homeless for the Holidays

I wish I was this empathetic and resourceful when I was a kid:

Over the holidays, when 7-year-old Jonathan Slack saw a destitute woman in Chicago with a sign that said she had no place to live, he was moved to tears—and then to action. He wrote a letter to his community of Orland Park, Ill., asking residents to help the homeless, distributing photocopies around the neighborhood. Within 10 days, Jonathan’s neighbors responded with four trucks of food and toys, which he sent to Chicago’s Su Casa Catholic Worker homeless shelter. “I’d like to think it was divine intervention,” said his mother. (from The Week)

Four trucks. Did I mention he's 7? Also, I lived right next to Orland Park for many years when I was younger so that part made me happy too.

> Read more about Jonathan's story here

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5-Year-Old Daughter Climbs Ravine to Save Mother

This story gave me goosebumps:

A 5-year-old Canadian girl saved her mother’s life after their truck drove off a cliff. Nikki Butler, 30, was driving through the Rocky Mountains with her daughter Mary when their truck skidded on black ice, flipped over the guardrail, and rolled four times before coming to rest at the foot of a steep embankment. Unable to wake her unconscious mother, Mary unbuckled her seat belt, crawled out the rear passenger window, and climbed 150 feet back to the road where she flagged down a passing truck. “I needed to save my mom,” said Mary, “because I love my mom.” Mary was not hurt and her mother suffered only minor injuries. (from The Week)

I want to give that kid the biggest high-five in the world.

> Read More about the Rescue Here

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Childhood Sweethearts Wed... Almost 90 Years Later!

I love stories like this. Sweet, sublime and serendipitous.

They lived long lives...and came back to where they started. Here is their story:

Two childhood sweethearts have gotten married, 88 years after they first met. As third-graders at English Ridge Public School in Wisconsin in 1921, Roland McKitrick and Lorraine Beatty talked of how they would tie the knot one day. But they drifted apart and raised families of their own. Three years ago, after both had been widowed, they got back in touch through siblings. Last week, Roland, 93, told Lorraine, 92, that he needed to speak with her. “I thought, What have I done wrong?” she said. “He just said, ‘I want to ask you to marry me,’ and I said, ‘Go ahead.’” They were married three days later. (from the Week)

> Read more about them here at the Daily Herald

This is my favorite part from the Daily Herald:

For McKitrick, marrying Beatty marks the culmination of a lifelong love story.

He recalls a day, many years ago, when the two of them stood in the Wisconsin sunshine and talked about how one day, they would marry each other.

"I still picture her as my third-grade sweetheart. I've carried that in the back of my mind since that time," said McKitrick, who counts among his prized possessions a photograph taken of the two of them about that time.

"That snapshot stayed in my memory," he said, "and her face stayed in my memory."

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50 Ways to Find Joy

Joy. You know what's joyful? Sitting at work today and having one of my friend "tweet" the following:

Thanks, @pinkbirdi, for passing along "50 ways to find joy" - http://is.gd/TDbk

I read the list in full and thanked him for giving me something to post about tonight. So here dear readers are my favorite from the list of 50 ways to find joy and brighten your day:

2 Get outside. Whenever you feel bored, antsy, or gloomy, go for a walk. The fresh air, changing scenery, and exercise will boost your mood.

6 Build someone's future. Volunteer with a local charity. To find a nonprofit or tax-exempt organization near you, visit www.volunteermatch.org.

10 Know you're loved. There's no greater joy.

16 Keep in touch. Write a friend. Use your best pen and beautiful stationery. Realize that you are actually sending love.

32 Meditate while you walk. Stroll through a familiar part of town and focus your mind on its sights, smells, and sounds. If other thoughts pop up, acknowledge them but return your concentration to what's around you. [I really need to do this more often!]

36 Paint a picture. You don't have to create a masterpiece. Buy some inexpensive watercolors and a pad of paper, and let the colors guide you.

37 Croon in your car. Stash a cassette tape whose lyrics you know by heart in your glove compartment. When you're stuck in traffic, play it and sing along as loud as you can. [this has saved my life - also I do this every single day]

47 Bake cookies. And bring them to work.

> Read the full list of 50 here (bnet.com)

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11 Year-Old Boy Works to Fight Homelessness

Youngsters never cease to amaze me. In just the few short months of Sublime Goodness, I've posted many stories of inspirational youth. This is no exception:

In just two weeks, Zach Bonner's black-and-red sneakers have hit about 170 miles of pavement. They'll log hundreds more miles as Zach continues his 50-day "My House to the White House" journey to the nation's capitol, raising awareness of child homelessness.

Zach, of Tampa, Fla., made a pit stop in Spartanburg's Cleveland Park Wednesday to invite local students to walk with him, then pass his message on to others.

"I would like to continue to educate as many people as possible about the problem of homelessness," 11-year-old Zach said. "That is what the walk is about - to raise awareness."

At just 7 years old, Zach founded the Little Red Wagon Foundation Inc. (www.littleredwagonfoundation.com), with the motto "Kids helping kids one wagon full at a time." On the 668-mile walk, Zach says he hopes to draw attention to the more than 1.3 million homeless children in the country.

"I want people to know the truth about homeless children," he said. "They're not out there because they want to be, but because of bad situations out of their control."

Students from Chesnee Elementary School joined Zach for a walk around Cleveland Park and delivered more than 100 hand-written letters on child homelessness. Zach hopes to personally deliver any letters he collects along the way to President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C.

CES student Jordan Hensley, 10, wrote about the need to help people who are without a home.

"I feel bad when I see people out there without food and water and how they're struggling to keep their lives," Jordan said. "Always try to help people and never let people starve."

This isn't the first time Zach has walked for the cause. In November 2007, he walked from Tampa to Tallahassee, Fla., and last fall he walked from Tallahassee to Atlanta. He plans to complete this third and final leg on June 29. (from Goupstate.com)

And he is 11! It inspires me to do more (in my old age :).

Here is a short documentary on Zack in his "early" years:



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A Million Little Pictures - Photo Project About Art of Documenting

This is so cool. If you remember, recently I posted a recap of a collaborative project by Art House Co-op in Georgia where a few thousand people from around the world (artists & non-artists) created art in sketchbooks, sent them in and they exhibition went on tour. I was bummed that I missed the deadline for that neat project!

Thankfully, the good folks at the gallery saw my post and tipped me off to a new project - "A Million Little Pictures." I'm so excited! Here is the deal:

During the summer of 2009, one thousand artists from around the world will document their lives in 24 frames using a simple disposable camera with a flash.
On September 25th, 2009, an exhibition housing over 24,000 photographs will be constructed to take you on an adventure through the lives of these thousand artists.

We're looking for people with different cultures, ethnicities, geographic locations, and lifestyles. This is for anyone. You do not have to consider yourself an "artist" to participate.

They are going to hold the exhibition in the city that has the most participants. How cool is that? I love projects like this one (and their sketchbook project) -it's simple, creative and engaging to almost anyone.

The camera is only $18 - get yours!

> View the Million Little Pictures website (there are some pictures posted already)

Dog Saves Owner's Life from Mountain Lion Attack

I'll never get tired of stories like this. When you watch the video, it's touching to see the owner's emotion for his dog (I would be grateful too!). Here is the deal:

They say dogs are man's best friend and one west coast pup certainly lived up to that title. An Orange County [Georgia] couple said they were hiking when a mountain lion came at them. The couple's beloved pet jumped into action.

William Morse said he and his wife, Candy, were hiking in Falcon Campground about 1:00 p.m. when he spotted a mountain lion approach.

That's when the couple's 5-year-old Labrador-chow mix, Hoagie, attacked the mountain lion and protected the couple.

The Morses said the attack lasted about 30 seconds. The mountain lion took off and William and Candy Morse were unharmed. Hoagie was severely injured. (from Fox Atlanta)

And here is the sublime end to this story (which isn't touched on in the CNN video below):

Candy Morse said they got Hoagie three years ago. Hoagie had been abused and the previous owner was going to have him put to sleep. The Morse family saved Hoagie and now Hoagie has returned the favor.

Isn't that amazing?

Watch the CNN video:



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Woman Ships Donated Sewing Machines to Needy - The Sewing Machine Project

This is another great story for me that really hits home (literally!) - it's from Saturday's local paper (Monona is Madison's neighbor). I love reading about people like Margaret who spend their hours helping the needy in creative and unique ways.

Monona's Margaret Jankowski met a woman on a recent trip to New Orleans who lost her sewing machine to Hurricane Katrina. It was a loss that went beyond material matters.

The woman, whose first name was Marilyn, told Jankowski how as a young black girl she was barred from trying on clothes in stores in New Orleans. So she and her sister would sketch the clothes from afar and take the sketches to their grandmother who would use them to make patterns. Her grandmother, in fact, sewed clothes for all of the family's 12 children. It was a kind of self-sufficiency that Marilyn continued for decades until the hurricane washed away her possessions, including her sewing machine.

She went without a sewing machine until Jankoski brought approximately 500 refurbished machines she helped collect to New Orleans.

Jankowski, who has organized similar missions to Sri Lanka, New Orleans and Kosovo, founded the Sewing Machine Project in 2005. The project sends used sewing machines to communities in need. Some replace those that individuals used to make clothes for themselves or their families. Others replace those lost by businesses, schools or community groups. Community centers and hospitals have also been recipients.

Contributors all across the United States have responded to Jankowski's project. Her call for sewing machines has brought used ones to drop-off sites all around the United States and sometimes, via UPS, to her front porch.

It's a kind of giving that people really respond to these days for many reasons, said Joan Gillman, director of special industry programs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Business School and co-host of "In Business with Jody and Joan" on WTDY radio. "In this day and age, we're trying to be green, responsible and help people. This is a way to do it."

It's also the kind of charitable work that has gained favor because it provides the means for families and would-be entrepreneurs to help themselves.

"She's giving them the tools," Gillman said.

> Read the rest of the article at Wisconsin State Journal (it's worth a full read - inspiring!)

People helping people...help themselves. Thanks Margaret for all you do!

For more information and to find out how you can help visit thesewingmachineproject.org.

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Scientists Study "Smiling" Spider in Hawaii

Yes, that's a real picture.

This falls in the "things of beauty" category. I look at this and think of my wife and daughters who scream and yell bloody murder at the sight of the most eensy, weensy spider - but this arachnid makes you smile instead. How cool is that?

Also, as you'll see the spider is also a reminder to the plight of native species who have been crowded out by many non-native ones causing the happy face spider to face extinction:

The spider, which measures just a few millimeters across, has developed strange markings similar to the appearance of a smiling face. Scientists think that theridion grallator, which is harmless to humans, has evolved the patterns to confuse predators.

It is under-threat of extinction in the rainforests of the Hawaiian island chain in the Pacific...from the introduction of animals not native to the islands.

Dr Geoff Oxford, a spider expert from the University of York, said: "I must admit when I turned over the first leaf and saw one it certainly brought a smile to my face.

Dr Oxford, who has been studying the spiders since 1993, said that the unusual markings of the arachnid had made them a symbol of all of Hawaii's threatened wildlife.

"They are ambassadors for all the threatened invertebrates, insects and spiders on Hawaii," he said. (from London's Daily Telegraph)

> Watch a short video of the spider.

> Learn more about Theridion grallator (the happy face spider)

Postcards from Yo Momma

As I was reading this week's New Yorker, I came across a great piece on a website I've never heard of before - "Postcards from Yo Momma: A repository of modern day maternal correspondence." Naturally, a BRILLIANT idea for a website. It's so popular, the editors of the site even have a book out now. They post amusing letters/emails from mothers...mostly shared by their children.

Here are their all-time top rated letters (warning - some spicy language!). My favorite is the Facebook one:

Don’t Passive-Aggressive-Smile-Face-ME

Mom: So when we come to Sydney can we stay at yours?

Mom: Hello?

Me: Oh. Sure. Well, actually there are a number of awesome hotels just a two minute walk from my house. I’ve just emailed you a bunch of links. Have a look! Am happy to book any of them for you. But, yeah, of course you are welcome to stay at mine, if you really want to.

Me: Mom?

Mom: You were welcome to stay in my uterus for nine months, and then my house for 17 years. But I understand, a week at your apartment might be a bit … much.

Me: Don’t you passive-aggressive-smile-face-ME, woman.

Mom: Fuck off. Love you - M.

Subject: Get me out of here!

Surprise, I am writing you an email.

I NEED HELP AND SOON, BEFORE I STARVE TO DEATH !!!!

I am guessing that you are wondering how come I’m doing this — it’s just because I am locked into my computer room and cannot get out. I was trying to put a door knob on the door and got started, but the thing went completely closed as I was trying to see if it was going to fit — and now here I am having to stoop so low as to write an email to you to see if you could call someone to come get me out. My phones, of course, are all in the other room. I thought that perhaps you could call Beverly and have her and Howie come over and get me out. If you happen to have Tami’s number then call her.

Anyhow, can you get me out of here. I guess I’ll just play games on the computer until someone lets me out of here. Send me an email to let me know you are doing this for me.

Mom, Dad and Facebook: A Dangerous Combo

Mom: How do I unfriend on Facebook?

Me: What, you only have like 8 friends, who do you want to get rid of.

Mom: That’s really none of your business, and I have 40 friends thank you very much.

Me: That’s right, Dad has 8 heheh

Mom: Not for long!

Sometimes a Snake is Just a Snake

Backstory: My mom was a kindergarten teacher in a bad part of town.

Mom: It was a rough neighborhood. The kind of place where the men would come to the playground and let their snakes out of their bags.

Me: Ew! Mom that’s so gross.

Mom: I know. I hate snakes.

Me: Wait, that was a euphemism for something right?

Mom: No! They had real snakes! We had to go check the playground before recess to make sure they weren’t slithering around by the swings or anything.

> Read More at Postcards from Yo Momma

'Hero' Mail Carrier Delivers for Woman in Need

It's nice to pick up my local newspaper and see a story like this (on the front page too no less!).

Mail carrier Courtney Spaude [who above has a striking resemblance to film star John C. Reilly] is a hero in the eyes of Madison police and an 84-year-old woman whose home is on his downtown route. When the woman didn't unlock her screen door so he could get to her mailbox for five days. Spaude alerted police, who credit him with saving her life.

> Read the full story at the Wisconsin State Journal

What I like about this story is that Spaude isn't just going through the motions with his work - he's made connections and took a risk (being seen as intrusive) for the better. Too often many of us punch in and punch out mindlessly so to speak - like being on a treadmill for forty hours a week. Spaude took a chance when it really mattered. Thank you Mr. Spaude from your Madisonian neighbor!

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Are You Living Life to the Fullest?

This evening, I was reading a story about a widowed professor who found inspiration in his wife's life and wondering whether to post it. I went back and forth - Doesn't everyone know to live life to the fullest? Carpe Diem and all that, right?

I think we all do know that, but it's hard to keep that thought in focus. For me, it's easy to confront my own mortality when reading stories like the widowed professor - it ironically brings that idea of living life to the fullest... to life. I'm hoping this little post will help remind you too. Tell your family and friends how much they mean to you...and show them if you can which is even better.

Here is the professor's story:

Jason Hans believes everyone should live their life in a way they would be able to inspire other people, a lesson he learned through his wife’s murder in 2002.

“If you were to die tonight there would be a lot of people sad, but would they be inspired?” Hans, a UK professor, asked the crowd as part of a Final Word lecture series.

“I’m happy to talk about her any chance that I get,” he said.

Hans’s wife, Irina, who he was with for six years, was shot in Washington, D.C., while walking home, in what was later determined to be an armed robbery.

When Hans was told of his wife’s murder, he found it difficult to realize that life went on without her.

“I was shocked that the sun came up,” he said. “I was a wreck for about five or six days. One night I just walked around the city to all the places we had been.”

Hans not only believed he lost a wife, but he also lost the children they had planned for. Hans and his wife had already planned their children’s names, Masha and Sasha.

One thing that helped him recover from her death was he felt that it had become his responsibility to be the caretaker of her legacy.

Hans learned from his wife that life should not be taken for granted and to make the most of what you have before it’s gone.

He said Irina had once written, “Lying in my dark, cold, spooky grave I will think: Was there a meaning for all that?”

Katie Lamping, a nursing sophomore, said the event gave her a positive message about living your life to the fullest.

“I thought it was good and it was touching,” she said. “It makes you think about your life and the people that are special to you.” (from the University of Kentucky's Kentucky Kernel)

Dad Delivers Baby During Flood Using Google

This is so great. I often wonder, "What would I do without the internet?" Well, in Jordan's case below, it truly was pretty essential!

A Hendrum, Minn. man used nothing but instructions from the Internet to deliver his new baby girl.

With the Red River growing higher and higher on Sunday and her basement flooding, Natalie Peck went into labor.

A midwife was not able to get to the home on time so the task was left up to dad. He turned to the Internet for instructions and delivered a health baby girl named Margaret.

"I think its something guys can relate to if all else fails follow the instructions and this was one of those times I was going to follow the directions to a T," laughed new father Jordan Peck.

The family's not sure when or if they can return to their home. For now, the new family are staying with friends. (from KSTP TV)

Two things I like about this story:

• Having a baby is amazing. Having it during a flood at home delivered by yourself is all caps AWESOME.
• Bonus points for using Google to find out how to deliver your child.

Watch the story via CNN:

Youth No Obstacle for this Volunteer

Here is a great story that I'm proud to say is from my area - I found this in my local paper yesterday:

Through a calendar in his iPod touch, Alex Rosencrance easily tracks when he needs to call volunteers, order groceries and write newsletter articles as part of organizing a monthly meal to feed about 80 homeless in Madison.

The 11-year-old Waunakee boy reliably reminds the mostly adult volunteers of upcoming shifts and some say his involvement has reinvigorated the monthly meal program that was hurting for participants.

“It comes kind of naturally for me,” Alex said of the leadership role.

Alex’s main duty is organizing about 17 volunteers needed each month, and while he doesn’t always help make the meal, he does like cooking at home.

> Read the whole inspiring story at the Wisconsin State Journal

There are a number of cool things about this story -

1. I like how he is leveraging technology for a good cause
2. When I was eleven, I spent most of my free time playing Nintendo!
3. Reading stories like this remind me that "Hey, if an eleven year-old kid can do something as awesome as this, why can't I do more?"

Related Sublime Goodness posts:

• Boy Asks Friends for Food, Not Toys on Birthday
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• Boy, 5, Saves Dad's Life
• Kids' Letters to President Obama

The Key to Happiness...But You Won't Believe It

I came across this intriguing article and had to share it with you. At first the notion of "talking to strangers" seems obvious when reading it, but upon further reflection...how often do you really do it?

A Harvard professor says he knows the secret to happiness and is ready to share it with the world.

Unfortunately, nobody believes him.

The secret, according to psychology professor Daniel Gilbert, is to ask a total stranger.

"In some common situations, surprisingly, the best way to know what will make you happy is to find somebody who is already in the situation you're contemplating and see how happy they are," Gilbert told CTV.ca in a recent interview.

"Obviously, you and other people are different but the differences between people seem to be relatively small."

....he said people should trust their own imagination less and trust other people's experiences more.

"Don't fall for the mistaken idea that you are so different from other people that their experience has little to teach you," Gilbert said.

"You and other people have a lot in common."

So, if you want to become a lawyer, stop daydreaming. Instead, go find a lawyer.

"All you have to do is find one person who is a lawyer and you're already going to have more information about what it's like to be one than you could ever generate on your own," Gilbert said.

"That's not just true for being a lawyer, it's also true for moving to Cleveland, eating apple pie, marrying Andrea, and every other thing that you can possibly name."

But what if nobody else has been married to Andrea?

"Well then you're out of luck aren't you?"

> Read the full article

You might also like these related Sublime Goodness posts:

• More Secrets to Happiness
  
• The Secret to Happiness: Seven Ways to Savor Life
• Happiness Habit: Routines to Make Your Life Richer & More Productive
• Five Surprising Happiness Habits that Could Change Your Life

* Hat tip to Happytweets for the tip on this story