If you were to have asked me a few years ago if I’d ever start a blog, I would have laughed and told you what a waste of time they are. That everyone’s too busy producing one to have time to check out anyone else’s.
…That crunching sound you hear is me eating my words.
The change? I started reading, and participating in, a select few and I began to realize the power of community and interaction that probably anyone reading this already appreciates.
Two things inspired this blog: One being my husband, a man so honest and true blue that doing good deeds is part of his very DNA. (And so humble, if he knew I was writing this about him, his head would probably explode.) Putting himself in others’ shoes is so second-nature to him that I probably only see a fraction of the good deeds he performs every day, cause he’d never boast about them or even think they were anything to boast about.
My other inspiration came from the remarkable music of David Archuleta*, the 2008 American Idol runner-up. I first heard David sing the evening of a close friend’s funeral. I was in a sad, dark place and was flipping to different channels on autopilot, just trying to zone out. Then something amazing happened. I became mesmerized watching his dynamite performance of “You Better Shop Around.” There was a light and a joy from this performer, along with his rich, beautiful voice and stunning musicality that somehow lifted my sorrow from me and allowed me to get to sleep that night.
I eventually read many similar stories of how this singer’s pure voice and humble, caring nature had inspired others to be kinder and gentler in their own daily lives.
I felt moved to do the same — if I could make a point of doing at least one “good deed” each day, however small, to make a positive difference of some kind, others might also want to give it a try. If you do (or have any ideas of what more I can do) please leave a comment.
~ Deb, Toronto
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* David Archuleta recently released this beautiful rendition of “Old Church Choir.” Enjoy!
Hey! Thank you so much for mentioning me on your blog! Just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate it!
– Advait
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You’re welcome, Advait. You are very talented!
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Thanks for stopping by my blog! It’s so great to “meet” like minded individuals on my quest to do “good deeds”. Being on day 210 is it?! You must be quite the pro! I am loving the experience so far! Please let me know if you have any ideas for good deeds/ acts of kindness as I still have 349 days to go!!! Best, Alli D. Seigel 🙂
http://www.365daysofgoodness.com
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Hey there,
Pretty text, your husband sounds amazing. And so does that David guy, I don’t know him yet but I’m on it! (I live in Denmark).
If you can say that making people smile is a good deed you should go visit this site:
http://colormekatie.blogspot.com/
Maby you already know it?
Have a great day:)
-Brinja
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Hi my name is katie sam cassidy we are asking when we get married it would be a pleasure we want a Scottish bagpipes on the day August 23rd on Saturday st Marys church cotton stones millbank miss k Higgins 8 bank view millbank triangle Halifax hx6en thank you love katie sam cassidy xxx
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Thanks, brinja, I will check out that site!
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It’s amazing what inspires each of us to become conscious of our own possibilities. For you it was a song sung by a wonderful and talented artist, for me it was reflecting after my father died and deciding to do something meaningful in his memory. I am also a fan of 365 Days of Goodness and guess atleast one or two of her ideas were really yours ie. the coupon fairy. Did you also come up with the meter fairy?
Glad you had to eat your words and begin your blog. It’s powerful!
Linda
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Thanks for browsing my blog! We were so lucky to have been (dare I say) blessed with Sister Mary Joseph right when we needed her.
I’ve enjoyed reading through your posts. Keep up the good deeds! You’re a role model for us all.
rosemary
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Luke Jerram’s public pianos were a great hit here in Sydney last year. You may like to read a story about them, posted at http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?article_class=5&no=385007&rel_no=1
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hello fellow Canadian and Torontonian 🙂 I have to say so far, I like your blog. I also like how you’ve introduced yourself as well.
I look forward to reading more 🙂 check mine out if you fancy: http://www.12baroriginal.wordpress.com
Tasha
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Hello,
Your blog has been recommended to us as a interviewee’s favorite blog!
We would like to do an interview with you about your blog for
http://www.BlogInterviewer.com . We’d like to give you the opportunity to
give us some insight on the “person behind the blog.”
It would just take a few minutes of your time. The interview form can
be submitted online at http://bloginterviewer.com/submit-an-interview
Best regards,
Mike Thomas
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Hi! I was wondering if I could use your photo of red blood cells for a presentation I am making for work (do you own the rights to it?)
Thanks!
Justin
justinehresman(at)yahoo.com
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Deb;
Thank you so much for your blog, your entertaining and inspiring words and for sharing with the rest of us. I hope you don’t mind but I am adding you to my blog roll so that my readers can be inspired by you as well.
http://www.thecrazylady.wordpress.com
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Thank you so much, I left a comment on your blog, very cool!
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i found your blog totally by chance. i was just searching for some art reference online and i came across your blog. i just wanted to say i love what you are doing and think it is great! it is nice to see there are people still trying to do good in this world.
i’m also a fan of david archuleta.. his voice is incredible isn’t it! anyway i’m going to continue to follow your blog.. keep it up! 🙂
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Thanks, aniekeefe! Much appreciated!!! And thanks for telling me how you found GDAD, I always wonder how people end up here, lol.
Yes, DA’s voice is incredible. Looking so forward to his next album!
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have you seen this?
http://www.thegooddeedssite.com/
kind of same same thing!
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Cool, thanks!
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Hi, nice to meet you !
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I was wondering if I could add your blog to my favorite links? It seems there are many of us that think the world is a great place and good deeds are a part of our DNA….
Thanks
Cindi
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Sure, thank you!!!
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Your article about the people in Japan really touched my heart. I just started going to Japan this year to teach classes and found the people incredibly loving, kind and thoughtful.
I would love to share your post on my blog with a link of course. I too felt the same way about blogs and am so glad there are people like you out there posting.
With love and aloha,
Susan
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hey!! i am so happy that you’re into this;D
i just got the inspiration to do something more:D
want to chat more about it? you can add me @ facebook:D chuzanna@hotmail.com😀
cheers!
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Hi Deb!
I was listening to “I Run to You” by Lady Antebellum. The video got me thinking about trying to do good deeds more regularly and I googled Good Deed Day and I ended up here. I’m a fellow Torontonian and even though our city can occasionally be big and cold, it’s awesome to know that there are awesome people doing fantastic things for each other. Nothing makes me happier than helping others and seeing people help each other . Rock on 🙂
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Sorry I missed your comment till now, Susan, thank you! I know what you mean about city life, the more crowded it gets, the harder it seems to get to even smile at another person. Have a great day! 🙂
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Love the idea and the site! I created something called AreYouCatholic.com which is very similar, but trying to call to action Catholic people. I guess giving a new twist on good deeds and making it home to a particular group. Keep up the great work! 🙂
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Hello,
Just came across your site.Love the idea. I recently started a page on FB with the same concept. After poking around today, I found others have had the same idea.
May I post your page on the “restoring kindness” page on FB?
Feel free to “like” and share ideas/stories!
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Thanks, Brandon! Yes, that would be awesome! I will check out your page!
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Hi!
My name is Bryan and I’m writing an article about good deeds (I can explain it a little better when we’re in contact! Essentially, I’m scouting Toronto for people with stories about good deeds they’ve witnessed or just things that humanity can feel good about.
Your blog is pretty inspiring, and I’m reaching out because I’d love to chat with you!
Please drop me a line at traviseditor@gmail.com
Bryan
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Hi!
My name is Bryan and I’m writing an article about good deeds (I can explain it a little better when we’re in contact! Essentially, I’m scouting Toronto for people with stories about good deeds they’ve witnessed or just things that humanity can feel good about.
Your blog is pretty inspiring, and I’m reaching out because I’d love to chat with you!
Please drop me a line at traviseditor@gmail.com
Bryan
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Hi! I’m Jane and I’ve just started http://randomactsofniceness.wordpress.com in hopes to someday encourage people to do a nice thing everyday. I admire what you are doing as it is difficult to constantly remind yourself to do a good deed, every.single.day. Amazing stuff! 🙂 Mentioned you on my Facebook page as well (http://www.facebook.com/actsofniceness). It would be great if you could share how you got started doing your good deeds, because people need all the inspiration that they can get! 🙂
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Hello,
My name is Amrita and I am working with a musician named Anya Parker-Lentz who is currently running a “Giving Giveaway” to inspire people to commit random acts of kindness. I think Anya would be a great fit for your blog. Here is some information about her:
Kindness is the act of giving, and Anya is a true believer of this statement, naming her debut album “The Giving”, after Shel Silverstein’s classic, “The Giving Tree”
When Anya’s close friend Jake was diagnosed with a neurological movement disorder called Dystonia, she responded with a song called “Mission Possible”. The song dug deep into the emotions she felt while watching her friend struggle and survive, and that song has now become the unofficial anthem for Jake’s Ride, the organization for Dystonia research.
Anya is encouraging acts of kindness through a giveaway meant to inspire people to give, commit random acts of kindness and then write about their experiences on her Facebook wall. One could either post a picture or simply describe their deed through a comment. Every week one winner will be chosen to win a signed CD and a print of the original lyric art to the title song.
Anya is very excited and eager to inspire others through her giveaway and her music. You can listen to songs, read her full bio, and check out her VPK here: http://cyberpr.biz/clients/3131.
I would love to discuss the possibility of sharing Anya’s story with your readers. I’d be happy to hop on a call with you if you’d like to discuss how we can best work together!
Thank you! I look forward to hearing from you!
Amrita
—
Amrita Parmar
Campaign Manager
Cyber PR® Campaign & Social Media Strategy
amrita@arielpublicity.com
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Hi,
I am working with an artist named Anya Parker Lentz who is currently having a giveaway on her Facebook wall for random acts of kindness. Anya, 16, is an inspiration for all with her encouragement for acts of kindness towards others.
I had reached out last week to see if there was an opportunity to work with you to share Anya’s story with your readers but I hadn’t heard from you so I just want to follow up and make sure you received the email. If not, the post/reply I had sent over with more information is right above this reply/post.
Thank you, I look forward to hearing from you!
—
Thanks,
Amrita
—
Amrita Parmar
Campaign Manager
Cyber PR® Campaign & Social Media Strategy
amrita@arielpublicity.com
(212) 239-8384
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I very much like the idea behind your blog and look forward to exploring it further. I’ve also added it to my blogroll at O’Canada Blog (www.OCanadaBlog.com). If you have not seen it already, you and your readers might enjoy the following video about a visitor saying farewell to Barcelona, which nicely fits your theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEpo4gExLT8 (which I first saw on the excellent Canadian Expat blog (http://cdnexpat.wordpress.com/)
Best, Brett
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Thanks, Brett!
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Oops — on the link for the Barcelona video, I may have posted a shortened version. Full version is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEpo4gExLT8
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Hi, what a wonderful blog you have. if a substantial number of people
in the world does a good deed a day, or say 3-4 a week, the world we will be a better place. I am working on a charity website too. Take care.
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Hi all,
May I recommend a very worthwhile and well-known charity
website which donates rice to the United Nations Food Programme.
When you answer an english vocabulary or maths questions correctly, Freeice.com will donate some grains. Take care all.
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thanks very much, Bob! I think I mentioned that program in a post a while back, but it might be time to talk about it again!
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What a fantastic blog and project you have. I wanted to share an idea I came up called the Good Mojo Project. The idea of the Good Mojo Project is to give a flood of positive messages and posts to one person a day who needs a pick-me-up (like when it is your birthday on Facebook). With enough people buying-in, it would be an amazing experience to see all that support and good energy being directed towards them when they are having a hard time.
What do you think of this idea? Would you be open to sharing the page below and getting more people on board to send the messages?
https://www.facebook.com/GoodMojoProject/
Thanks for checking this out!
Patrick
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Absolutely!
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