Tag: kindness

Get to Know Your Neighbors!

Posted in Be Good, Life, the Universe, & EverythingTagged , , , , , , Leave a comment

So I was planning on writing this post in Feb 2018.  I know this because I saved it as a draft.  Since then, kind of a lot has happened!  I had surgery, separated with my wife (divorce pending), moved twice (once in with a VERY good friend for a couple months, and once into my own apartment), and have had a bunch of other ups and downs in my life.  Still, the theme is solid and carried over from my old place to the new.

I’ve met a grip (do people still use this slang?) of people here at my new apartment since I moved in September.  Most of them are nice enough, but haven’t been social enough to take a relationship past “saying hi in the hallways.”  However, I have met one couple who are awesome and we hang out at least once a week.  We’ll call them “Peter and Lindsey” (because those are their names).

P&L are great peeps, but this post is not about them.  It’s about me.  Because it’s my blog, and I make the rules.  And this blog is about having good neighbors.  And BEING a good neighbor.  But mostly having them.  But it’s wicked important to be a good neighbor too.  Because if you’re not a good neighbor, then you can’t be MY good neighbor, and now we’ve come full circle.

Anyway, having good neighbors makes living anywhere so much better.  There are people you can hang out with.  People who have pets that you can play with and not have to clean up after (the pets, not the people).   Here’s a short list of some of the great reasons to have (and be) a great neighbor.

  • Dog Sitters
  • Coffee and adult beverages
  • Playdates – Doggy and Kids
  • Block Parties
  • Safety and Security
  • Fresh Fruit from Neighborhood Trees
  • New Friends!
  • Borrowing household goodsSOmeoNe tO lEt YoU knoW iF yOu’rE caPitAliZing WoRDs sTrangeLy.
  • They can introduce you to their single friends (HEY PETER AND LINDSEY!  INTRODUCE ME TO YOUR SINGLE FRIENDS).

And innumerable other things that I won’t be numerating here.  There’s too many numers (spelling intentional).  But the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT reason to have good neighbors is:

Sorry, I have no idea.  Sometimes I start a sentence hoping the answer will come to me but as you can see it doesn’t always work.  In this case, I think the reality is there are hundreds of good reasons to have and be a good neighbor, and none to not.  None to not sounds weird, but I like saying it so I’m leaving it.

In conclusion, don’t be a jerk.  ESPECIALLY don’t be a jerk to people who live in your neighborhood.  But ESPECIALLY especially just don’t be a jerk to people.  Or animals.  Follow the holy trinity of wholesomeness:

trinity of wholesomeness

Follow the advice of these 3 amazing people and we’ll all be a-okay.  As always, thanks for reading and you’re welcome!

Living the Dream,

Humble Dave

The Way of Jello

Posted in Be Good, Food, Life, the Universe, & Everything, Random Thoughts, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , 5 Comments

During a recent experience you can read about here I learned about the wonders of #Jello, a medicinal miracle, excellent not only for your body, but also your soul.  Although sometimes you must seek it out, it will occasionally appear when you need it most brought by a helpful stranger in colorful scrubs and comfortable shoes.  Accept this gift.  For Jello Is Love, Jello Is Life.

This recent experience got me to thinking, is there a deeper meaning to this miraculous substance?  Is it possible to put into words the lessons that were imparted to me, or must they be experienced to be truly understood?  And the answer, of course, is “Yes.”

And here it is.  I give you, “The Way of Jello“.

  1. One must be solid, but jiggly. Be viscous.  Immerse yourself in your environment, but don’t give up everything that makes you what you are.
  2. Let people see into, but not through you.  It’s important that you let people get to know you, but you don’t have to give away all your secrets.
  3. Explore a variety of shapes, colors, and flavors.  The world has so much to offer, don’t close yourself off simply because something appears different than what you’re used to.  Step outside of your comfort zone.
  4. Be delicious.  If someone gets close enough to put their mouth on you, make sure they enjoy the experience.
  5. Don’t be afraid to get a little mushy.  Sometimes getting a little emotional can be cathartic.
  6. It takes great change before we reach our full potential.  Like Jello, that strange powder which becomes an amazing treat full of life lessons and  awesomeness, if you’re feeling stuck don’t be afraid to make a dramatic change to shake things up.
  7. Subject yourself to a wide range of temperatures.  The proper application of both heat and cold is necessary to healing injuries to your body, as well as your soul.
  8. Step outside of your comfort zone. You must escape your little box to reach the next phase in your evolution.
  9. You make your strongest impact not on yourself, but on others.  Never underestimate how simply being yourself can affect those around you.  Like Jello, make it a positive experience for those with whom you come into contact.
  10. Always be prepared to perform at your best.  All times are your time to shine.

Remember: #JelloIsLove, #JelloIsLife

As always, thanks for reading, and you’re welcome.

Living the Dream,
Humble Dave

Tell People When They’re Awesome!

Posted in Be Good, Life, the Universe, & Everything, Random ThoughtsTagged , , , , , , , 5 Comments

I know I say this all the time, but this one really WILL be a short post.  I think.  Sigh… we’ll see?  Here goes!

So often people only share a negative experience.  “The food was cold,” or “The service was terrible,” or “They didn’t have the size/color/etc I wanted.”  And I understand this.  You WANT people to know that you didn’t receive the level of service you expected, and often it was below the level the store promised.  It’s important to share these experiences so that, 1) Other people can use this info to manage their expectations, and 2) The store can use this feedback to improve their services.

But you know what?  Positive reviews and positive feedback can be MUCH more effective at accomplishing these same goals.  When you tell someone they’re awesome often enough they start to believe it.  Once that happens, they aren’t a regular person doing an awesome job, they’re an awesome person doing their regular job, which happens to be awesome.  They’ll be awesome at whatever they choose to do! That’s an amazing thing!  And each one of us can help everyone else achieve this state of awesomeness simply by sharing our positive experiences.

This is already longer than I wanted, so I’m going to wrap it up with a task for you.  And here it is:

Each day this week, starting from the moment you read this, I want to you tell someone they did an awesome job, and thank them for it.

I’m not talking about mumbling a “Thank you.”  Make eye contact with the bagger at the grocery store, “Thank you so much for putting the eggs on the top of the bag instead of the bottom.  I really appreciate it.” To the person you pulled behind at the gas station, “Thank you for pulling up enough for me to reach the pump!  I appreciate it.”  And smile.

Always remember to smile.  But that’s a topic for another post.  Go do it.  I think you’ll discover that you not only made their day, but improved yours as well.

As always, thanks for reading, and you’re welcome.

Living the Dream,
Humble Dave