Second Saturday

It is the second Saturday of MDY5 and things are clipping along. Things are more than great, awesome is an understatement.

And it is all because of wonderful people like yourselves taking an hour and ding something good for someone else. It is quite a gift as time is precious.

It is nice to see that good with all the bad that is happening in the world, that people are making the difference to overcome, to be the good.

Walking a family dog for a cancer patient, or cleaning the tub for an elderly person or cleaning out your closet to give to the local charity store doesn’t seem life changing and news worthy but it is because you are doing it.

It would be nice to see the New York Times headlines said Nothing bad to report today but we have these projects that need some people to come and help at. Thanks!

But we don’t live in that world, we haven’t for a long time. I will hope for it though, and maybe we will some day. After all,7.5 billion people should be able to figure this out.

Keep plugging away at your hour a week, we will be here for you all summer if you need ideas and of course to report your hours too! (Quick note on that: if you are reporting your hours, please put “Reporting Hours” in the subject line and please give a detailed description of what you did and how many hours so we can log it properly. Thanks!)

You are amazing and wonderful people keep up the good work!!!

 

Tomorrow is just a day away…

Moving Difference Year 5 kicks off tomorrow.

I am still as nervous as I was 5 years ago, this year seems almost unreal.

Our goal for Year 5 is 1 million volunteer hours from June 21, 2016 to September 21,2016

One perfect summer of giving back. We are sticking to our founding roots, so all the details are below and of course on the website here too.

Time to read thru and start planning your MDY5 goal, join us starting tomorrow!

The Goal: One Amazing Summer 2016!! Goal of 1 million hours of giving forward time and talents to your/our communities!!!

The Plan: From June 21, 2016 to September 21, 2016, with our friends and family & your friends and family, we become a Moving Difference. On September 21, 2016, no matter where in the world we are, we all watch that sunset together.

What is a Moving Difference? Glad you ask. It is spending at least an hour a week all summer long getting out there and moving to help someone or something in your community. It is picking up trash at the park, it is reading books to sick kids, it is handing water out to the homeless, it is gathering a group of friends to paint over graffiti, it is finally cleaning out that monster of a closet and get those clothes to charity, it is volunteering with your group or church, it is planting some flowers for an older neighbor, it is making dinner for a shut-in, it is walking dogs at the shelter, it is a garage sale with proceeds going to charity, it is anything and everything that gets you out moving and helping your community in any form or fashion.

How do I do Moving Difference?       Easy!

•              Join the Moving Difference on Facebook. This is your way to connect with people like you wanting to be a Moving Difference. It will have tips, suggestions and fun items for the entire summer. There is  a Moving Difference Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moving-Difference/457038127655525)

•              Pick something that you want to do in your community to help out. Commit to doing it at least an hour a week or 12 hours over this summer. You can do the same thing all summer or 12 different things. The choice of what to do is completely yours! (If you need help picking something, just ask!)

•              Then DO IT!! Get out there and become that Moving Difference. Even invite some of your friends and family to join you when you do the Moving Difference activity.

•              And of course, when you have done it – come back to the Moving Difference on Facebook, Twitter or email us and tell us what you did! This way everybody’s hours get logged and we can all inspire each other to get out there. You can even post an “action” photo!!

•              Aren’t on Facebook? That’s cool, you can follow Moving Difference on twitter (@movingdifferenc) or be part of the action with https://movingdifference.wordpress.com or even email us at movingdifference@yahoo.com.

What’s the result? If everything goes as planned, together we will have done 1 million hours of Moving Difference (or maybe more depending on how many people get involved!)- Think about it – 1 million hours of actually helping our communities, preventing just another “boring” summer, getting out there are moving ourselves (despite the hot and sticky) and we will have enjoyed one amazing summer together and one perfect sunset!! That is pretty cool!!

Can I invite my friends and families get involved in the Moving Difference? YES and please!!  Everybody is welcomed to be a Moving Difference. Please help us to help get the word out on this awesome project!! This project is truly about sharing the experience of getting out there and moving and being part of the world.

What about this sunset thing?  It is a sweet way to end being part of Moving Difference and the Summer 2016! This will be an once-in-a-lifetime sunset!  No matter where in the world you are, stopping and enjoying the sunset of September 21, 2016. It’s the last day of summer and the perfect way to reflect on an amazing project that we all did together.

Other stuff to know: It seems simple because it is. This isn’t a corporate ad trick, bleeding hearts pleas or anything like that. It is just humans, in our own little way trying to do our little part and make the world a better place. We aren’t asking for the moon or your money, we are inviting you to spend some of your time to be a difference with us by moving. An hour a week for twelve weeks means 83,334 people like you and us can easily do a million hours!! And we know life happens, so if you can’t do one week, do it the next – just keep moving and just keep being a difference.

And one other thing: We know that money is tight, times are tough for many people and we appreciate you simply taking the time. Whatever you do as part of Moving Difference over this summer, THANKS!

The last #sunday thought

This is the last #Sunday Thought of MDY3 –
It has been an amazing summer and tomorrow is that amazing sunset that we all have been working towards….

one more sleep before the last sunset of this summer…

one last Sunday to go and do, one more thing, one more hour or even all of it again…..

It has been a busy summer – I honestly in my heart am a bit sad that it is at the end….

I even cried this morning thinking about this MDY3, its hours, its goals, its people, its everything….

As I sip this tea, I think this last quote should be directly from me.

But I am lost for words…… the only thing I can think is –

 

Thank you.  You are amazing people doing amazing things. Thank you very much.

Truly thank you.

#sunday thought

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. –Mark Twain

#Sunday Thought – silly hat style

With SO MANY MANY MANY MANY people out there in the world doing the Silly Hat Big Clean this weekend – (Big thank you BTW!)

this quote is for you!

 

“Grab your coat, and get your hat,

Leave your worry on the doorstep,

Just direct your feet,

To the sunny side of the street.”

 

Dorothy Fields

 

 

 

#sunday thought week 8

Of the many hours reported, there are many different projects going on in this world.
We don’t have enough time in our lives to tell you all the stories we have read and happy tears of joy this MDY3 has brought into our lives.

We humbly thank you for doing all the hours that you have been doing and look forward to the rest of the summer as we are passed the half-way mark and heading for home base- that wonderful sunset –

Here is something to think about –

 

 

And now a word about failure.

Officially we are in the middle of summer, half-way there and half-way back.

The good intentions of June have passed thru the murky waters of July and are now staring you in the face with the heat of August…. and there is a list of things to be done by September too!

 

It isn’t what you planned in your head, when you started this year or even this summer. The truth is life happens.

 

But that doesn’t mean you failed or are a failure. You adjust and attack again or adjust and simply come away with a different viewpoint.

 

Failure doesn’t define us, it strengthens us.

 

If you haven’t gotten your Moving Difference hours done yet, take a breath. You got time and you got this…

 

Even a minute, even just one hour of Moving Difference is something to be proud of.

 

Don’t let the doubt of failure be your hallmark.

 

Have the courage on the path that you have set out for yourself. You got this!

 

 

#Sunday Thought Week Six

Sometimes I am the mouse, sometimes I am the cheese….

Courage, birthday candles and love

I am taking a weekend off from this huge Moving Difference project. Yup, this weekend….

I am sure that you all will survive one weekend…. if not, email me on Monday. Ha!

 

The love of my life is celebrating his milestone of a birthday on Saturday.

Yes, he is the love of my life, the guy that is there for all the stuff that happens and even for yet another idea of mine.

 

I am proud of him. He is an amazing person and then he does some pretty cool stuff with his profession and other interests.

 

He is what courage is all about. He has the courage to be himself and the courage to stand up for those who can’t.

He is a friend, a colleague, a person, a brother, an uncle, a nephew, a son and a legal professional.

 

His dreams are mind-blowing, his laughter I could live in, his hopes are simple and his love is wide.

I am so lucky that he shares this crazy life with me, I am thankful for all of the moments and all of the starlight, both in the sky and in our hair….

 

To the love of my life – happy birthday!

I love you so much. J

 

To the rest of you – The best lines from Easyrider (the movie) and catch you all on Monday!

 

Easyrider scene (link to the scene)

 

George Hanson: You know, this used to be a helluva good country. I can’t understand what’s gone wrong with it.

Billy: Man, everybody got chicken, that’s what happened. Hey, we can’t even get into like, a second-rate hotel, I mean, a second-rate motel, you dig? They think we’re gonna cut their throat or somethin’. They’re scared, man.

George Hanson: They’re not scared of you. They’re scared of what you represent to ’em.

Billy: Hey, man. All we represent to them, man, is somebody who needs a haircut.

George Hanson: Oh, no. What you represent to them is freedom.

Billy: What the hell is wrong with freedom? That’s what it’s all about.

George Hanson: Oh, yeah, that’s right. That’s what’s it’s all about, all right. But talkin’ about it and bein’ it, that’s two different things. I mean, it’s real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. Of course, don’t ever tell anybody that they’re not free, ’cause then they’re gonna get real busy killin’ and maimin’ to prove to you that they are. Oh, yeah, they’re gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it’s gonna scare ’em.

Billy: Well, it don’t make ’em runnin’ scared.

George Hanson: No, it makes ’em dangerous. Buh, neh! Neh! Neh! Neh! Swamp!

#Sunday Thought

Summer is starting to truly heat up!!!

Thank you for all the hours that you have done this far!!
(Keep sending your hours in!! -With the subject line “reporting hours”)

The quote for this delightful Sunday is:

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. –Confucius

Keeping going – keep doing – YOU ARE A MOVING DIFFERENCE!!!