I have to try, just because

This week has been extreme hard on me, the physical and mental demands of keeping up has been rough.

Moving Difference is a part of me, a big part over the summer and littler parts over the rest of the year. There are many parts of me that people don’t see.

The hours on the road, the hours at the computer or on the phone or both or all or the hours next to someone talking and helping are just part of everything.

Well, I am human and today I broke…I cried – actually it was more like sobbing in a chair in front of a computer for twenty minutes without a napkin.

It wasn’t a pretty sight.

 

I looked a fool and still look a fool as I write this dripping snot.

I don’t know why I care so much about Moving Difference or the world or even my neighbors…. except that I have to try .. just because…

It is something in me that I have to do, and I struggle, I suceed, I fail and I try again. Over and over again.

I look around at the last few weeks and what Moving Difference has quietly done, it did it just because.

 In this moment, I feel like a huge failure, I can’t get to everybody that needs help, and I can’t even help myself with lunch, I am so far behind and struggling… even the people that are helping this year with the emails are overwhelmed….

Moving Difference is a living breathing thing….which we are all thankful for….but there are moments of personal failures and not enough hours in the day….

Now I feel like a fool having cried, and I found a napkin so my face is swollen but dry, and my blackberry which I had conveniently thrown in the bottom of the trash container is now ringing…. hold on….got to get it….

Okay – I am back – Ironically it is a telemarketer….

I guess I write this to all of you out there to show you that we are human, we have limits and moments of overwhelm. I know that I do, I am not superhuman.

So if you are struggling on whatever is happening in your life, know that you are not alone –

I know the feeling, and I am going to do the one thing that I am good at – try again – just because…..

You are welcomed to join me if you wish.

It isn’t easy, but then again what is…

Phone is ringing again and I got to go, lots of activities this weekend and hopefully some time to write and have a home-cooked meal….. keep OUR chins…

P.S. This doesn’t mean I don’t LOVE Moving Difference, I do LOVE it!! Every day, in every way and even in these crazy moments of life……

The Road not taken

Morning light brings many things into view.

Mostly, that I want food.

My adventures in the world of Moving Difference, has lead me to speak at several civic groups, pick up trash with youth groups, drive tons of miles, receive a lot of emails and volunteering at so many places across the state and now the country, well – it is hard not to want breakfast because the rest of the day is going to be busy.

This is my road not taken. I am not a morning person. In fact, mornings are for people that refuse to stay up overnight and properly greet the dawn with sneers. Okay it isn’t that bad, but it is bad. And no, coffee doesn’t work. And no, I don’t make everybody else suffer because I don’t like mornings.

In fact many people don’t even know this about me. I truly make an effort not to refuse doing something at 6 in the morning and be ugly about it.

So I am not the “bubbly change the world” person but I am present, briefly smiling and WANT FOOD.

Since the start of Moving Difference last June, I have done more mornings before 6am than I have done in the last five years alone.

I have discovered that if you don’t get breakfast when you wake up that early then your entire day is going down hill fast and before noon…..

I have also discovered that an orange cut in half and the guts eaten make a great cooking bowl for over-easy eggs and ready-to-bake cinnamon rolls. AND a banana with the ends cut off and grilled in peel makes a tasty treat with the frosting packet from the cinnamon rolls!!

Not bad for a healthy breakfast on the road and certainly an adventure to make when half-wake!!

My road not taken of early mornings have lead me to places and people that are beyond beauty, they are life-changing. So I will take this road not taken for a bit more and see where it ends before I wiggle back into the night schedule and remember the mornings of campfire eggs…..

So what is your road not taken?

From the mail – Letter of the week.

This letter is from our mail bag, we share it with you in hopes that you understand the importance of Moving Difference even in the smallest way.

Dearest one, Greetings to You & Your Family. I am very happy to contact you in this manner, my name is Joseph Camara from Libya the Son of Late Dr. Mohammed Camara, who was killed by rebels during political problem in my country.

i am currently in refugee camp here in Ghana because of the war in my country. Thing are very terrible for me here and other children.I was rescue from UN and and they took me to the nearest refugee school where i will be safe not knowing that i have loose all my parent. I have not seen my mama for three years. I don’t know if she is dead.

I excited to learn computer and write all over the world. OUr teacher says that we can make a goal and do good everywhere. I want to be a fighter of fire when I grown up. I also want more food when I am bigger. And peace.

Best Regard
Joseph Camara

This letter was sent to us by the teacher of the refugee school, Mrs. Caan, along with her note thanking the Moving Difference project for existing. She informs us that the school itself will be receiving new computers and new mattresses for the kids as part of someone’s Moving Difference project. We reached out to that person (who doesn’t want their name published) and found out they organized two neighborhood yard sales with all monies going to the school. They raised over $6,ooo dollars last weekend and as neighbors logged collectively 70 hours on their Moving Difference project.

Hats off! Nice job!!

Doing a bit of good on your computer!

You should check out something fun and easy to make a difference in…..

Courtesy of the fine blog Brandy and Summer Gloves

Check it out!

Here! and Freekibble.com

A few trivia questions and you can help out a few pets with getting a little dinner….

Remember if doing an hour of Moving Difference seems overwhelming to your schedule, break it down to minutes – how about a few minutes doing some trivia for some pet food? It is making a difference even in a small way…..

If you have a great idea like this, let us know. Facebook, Twitter, here or email….. LOVE to hear from you!!!

(“The Sleeping Dog” photo copyrighted by Gora Zoltan via WikiCommons)

C’EST LA FIN DES HARICOTS

Yesterday was the kick-off – and there wasn’t time to even think, it was so busy!!

Today has been going since very early and it will be all day and into the evening. Some of us are out in the sun helping others do huge clean-up projects and others of us are getting a tan in front of the computer!!

We got roughly 7000 emails in our first day – lots of questions, lots of suggestions, lots of lots and even a few hours logged.

Not everything has been opened and read and done yet – we are working on it….. I even know that there will be more today and in the weeks ahead –

KEEP THEM COMING – WE Will do our best! – AND we love the stories and suggestions and the hours logged.

 

However in an effort to have some fun and laugh, we have adopted a french phrase to say when we are a bit overwhelmed-

C’EST LA FIN DES HARICOTS.

Basically it means “It’s the finish of the green beans.”

Sure, we could scream, cry and pull our hair out but it is better to just yell C’EST LA FIN DES HARICOTS.

What? You didn’t know that the French truly loved green beans?

Well, I am sure that some people like green beans, but the phrase C’EST LA FIN DES HARICOTS is actually slang French for “It’s hopeless!”

Trust me – nothing is funnier than typing along and hearing “C’EST LA FIN DES HARICOTS” being shouted, followed up a bunch of giggles from the other room and more typing.

Remember the green beans may be finished, we are not!!

Enjoy the weekend – do your hour and love the sun!!!

Waiting for midnight

Yes, officially I have chewed all my fingernails off. And yes, officially, I have triple-checked my triple-check. As much as I can have humanly in place for the Moving Difference project, it is done, together and ready.

Basically, I am sitting here waiting for midnight. Actually 12:00:01am. That is the start point of Moving Difference Year 2.

I think it might be easier to watch sausage being made from scratch, than wait for the clock to hit midnight.

I have thousands of thoughts – will it work, do I have enough petro, can this actually be as good as last year, why am I doing this again, why are we already getting emails in with hours completed, is there a charity in toronto that I can suggest for someone and where is my other sock.

And then I see only 30 seconds have passed. It is still not midnight. I want pie!

So here it is – in a pie shell basically –
What I know –

1. I don’t know what this summer holds.
2. We are at the starting gate, summer is hours away!
3. There is a great staff of people working behind the scenes to log all the hours.
4. It isn’t midnight yet
5. I still want pie.

Soon I am going for a walk to welcome in this summer in the open air. A few stars, a few moments of reflection, and the stillness of the night as it slowly turns into the dawn.

There aren’t many ways to close when you are waiting for midnight.

So I will just give it to you as it is…
I got to go crunch an illegally entering cockroach and find my other sock.

Talk with you soon –
-J

Why Not? and Monkey Boots.

June 21 kick off is fast approaching, I have been asked just about every question under the sun about the Moving Difference project and I am looking forward to more questions…..

Yup… that is right… more questions…. But my favorite question today is the reason for this post….. the question was….

“WHY?”  (insert awkward pause) “I mean why do the Moving Difference project?” asked a reporter. He went on to point out that I don’t get paid, that I have to do a lot for it, that working with the public  isn’t easy and that because of how Moving Difference is established, I would never be able to benefit or even see all the hours/people done for the project this year, last year or the years to come. (A happy reporter deep inside his soul, I am sure.)

Personally, I preferred just “Why?” but life isn’t that simple…

I could only think of one thing at that moment, Monkey Boot’s Free.

You need to listen to it. .Off of youtube – Monkey Boot’s Free  

It moves me, it understands and it is cool. Unexplain the unexplainable with a groove.

The question “why?” to do the Moving Difference Year 2 project is for each of us to decide. It is in the actions, not just words that we gain an open mind and become part of this entire world.

And just so you know, “Why not?” was my answer back. And the funny thing is that “Why not?” is a good answer.  

We have got a full summer of Moving Difference Year 2 ahead of us…..

time to fly…

Free as a bird…..

 Many more things to come in the days and weeks ahead…..

Take the chance, change yourself – why NOT do the Moving Difference project?

(*Hold the phone – What? You have never heard of Monkey Boots!!  Not up on your Indonesian SKA?

That’s okay; check them @monkeybootsjkt or  Facebook  I was actually introduced to them, by a fellow Moving DifferenceR last year.  Since then Monkey Boots have been in ears and rockin’. )

Welcome Back to MDY2!

There is a great quote by Socrates – “Let him that would move the world, first move himself.”

Another one of Socrates’ quote is “To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the true meaning of knowledge.”

Both are quite fitting as it is with much thought that Moving Difference in happening again in 2013. If I have to be honest about it, I thought Moving Difference was just a one year thing. I never set out to make Moving Difference a yearly thing, it has just happened that way. I am grateful for last year’s learning curve and many,many people who did Moving Difference. And this year, Moving Difference has an awesome staff of volunteers to help with the flood of calls, emails and logging all those hours of service that are reported to us. So officially I say upon you….

WELCOME BACK TO MOVING DIFFERENCE YEAR 2!!    (#MDY2)!!!!

Basically, it is the same deal – we are asking everybody we know to donate an hour a week from June 21, 2013 to September 21, 2013.

Your weekly hour can be whatever you wish to do that helps your community, your favorite charities, your shady parks and our world.

The idea is simple – an hour of giving forward your talents and time all summer long means that the end of the summer, 13 hours of goodness per person!

And of course, September 21, 2013, we ask that you join all of us to cap off a great summer by watching the sunset in your part of the world!

The goal in hours last year was 1,000 and we hit approx 62,000 hours for the entire summer project. Not bad for the first year!

So being modest, this year’s goal is 2,000 hours & then some.

Yup, 2,000 hours for sure and the “& then some” part is simply because we realize that this year could be just as big or bigger.

Just shoot us an email with your completed hours when you can and we will log it into the totals! If you got questions, please ask! If you need help finding a place to do an hour, let us know.

Of course, there will be this handy blog for info, story-sharing and such. There is a Facebook page, and Twitter account on the right side column here for you to follow, tweet or shout out at. The Twitter hashtag is #MDY2 if you want to tweet what you are doing for MDY2.

In the days to come there will be tons of info sent out to thousands of people who did last year’s Moving Difference, and we ask in advance that you shared the love with your friends and family. Have them join in with you on this great summer adventure. Moving Difference is about the human factor, you and me, our family and friends and our collective ability to make this world a better place.

Now just to re-cap – Moving Difference is you with your family and friends giving forward an hour a week from June 21 to September 21 to any charity, community project or activity that helps make the world a better place. Then on September 21, 2013 everybody in the Moving Difference project watches the sunset in their part of the world to celebrate another great summer of Moving Difference. You email us if you want your hours logged into our official stats. And you are welcomed to email us if you have questions or need help finding a home for your talents. And FYI, Moving Difference is ALWAYS free for everybody to do and welcomes everybody to give forward of their time and talents only. Moving Difference isn’t about monetary donations, it is about giving of your time and talents to people and places that you love.

Well, here goes something… Moving Difference Year 2 kicks off on June 21 – join us…

and in the words of another Greek, Plato – “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than a year of conversation.”

Looking forward to a great summer!

Peace, ~J