15 Random Acts of Service

If you are ever looking for something fun to do for a birthday party, or something to keep you entertained for a day, I'd highly recommend Random Acts of Service. If you're doing it for a birthday party, you can do the number of their age, or just pick a number.

Tonight, five of my friends and I did 15 random acts of service.

#1
To get started, we went to my little cousin's birthday party, and sang happy birthday to him, and each gave him a buck through the mail slot. After that we had to start somewhere. We shook quarters: two heads was right, two tails was left, and one of each was straight. We did this at each intersection ten times. It was a little unsuccessful, and only got us one block away from where we had started with a major detour through some neighborhoods.... but it put us close enough to a gas station.

#2 and #3
We filled up the car, and went inside planning to buy a candy bar for a kid inside....but there wasn't anyone in there. So we eventually awkwardly asked the cashier what her favorite candy bar was, bought it, and gave it to her. We used the change, and our two quarters to fill the candy/toy machines inside the door.

#4
The next stop at the grocery store had several acts completed. We each got a few carts from the outdoor racks, and ran them in from the snow to keep them dry.

#5
When we went inside, we walked around looking for ideas for a while, and ran into two of our neighbors. We bought two big valentine cookies, and gave it to them to give to their wives.

#6
Next, we bought a dozen doughnuts to take to the employees at Papa Murphy's across the parking lot. We also bought the last two doughnuts in the case to share among ourselves.

#7
 We bought a box of ten valentine cookies, and took them around to all of the cashiers and baggers. It was really fun to see all of them laughing and eating a pink cookie. :)

#8 and #9
We stopped at a rest home and gave the worker a big Reese's heart. We had two sets of pearl earrings  and just gave them to her for whoever she thought would like them best. We hopped back in the car, but decided we'd just go in and visit with some of them for a while. There were only a few awake because we hadn't got there till around 8:30. (I'd suggest doing this activity in the day rather than all night.) We went back inside and talked to a lady named Dalores. We sat on the floor in her little room while she told us about Nebraska, her husband working for W. W. Clyde, her paintings, and a few other random things. After a half-hour visit, we decided to get back to work, and come back again a little more prepared and earlier to spend some time with them.

#10
We had some pre-made ideas in a box. Each person chose a bag with some surprises in it. One had two walkie talkies in it, and we had to split up and walkie talkie each other when there was somebody passing by we thought needed an act of service.

#11
One had a bunch of coupons, and some tape. The person that got it had to yell "Ahoy, Mateys!" When we passed a grocery store, and we'd go tape the coupons to all the products they were for.

#12
One person got a bag of Lindor Truffles that they had to secretly give away without anyone noticing. If we caught them, they were to be punished by choice of the group. We never caught them in the act...shame.

#13
One bag was filled with a random amount of coins. Whoever chose it had to come up with a creative way to spend the coins.

#14
A letter with a stamp was to be given to someone who had a birthday in the next two weeks and might enjoy a surprise birthday wish in the mail.

#15
One was a bag of granola bars, and the instructions were to find two attractive boys, and introduce them to the birthday girl (which happened to be me...). This is what you get for having someone plan a surprise party for you. Unfortunately, this did happen. We were out getting some late dinner and a cheesecake at Kneaders. I thought I was home free, but no, there happened to be three boys eating THEIR late dinner in the corner booth.
"Hey Janna, turn around."
"No, please, I beg of you!"
It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't 5 girls trying to introduce me to some random older boys when I wasn't even old enough date. This is where I make my quick escape to the other side of the restaurant where I couldn't see their table. One of my friend is apparently particularly outgoing, and started to explain we were doing 15 acts of service, and it was my birthday, and they should tell me happy birthday. (I don't understand the need of those three statements put together in that order, but who am I to say?) One of my other friends willing to get in on the plan came to drag me- quite literally - over. I crossed my legs around the bar of the table, and wouldn't move. I didn't need any self-inflicted embarrassment for the night. I got a little worried everytime I saw somebody head in our general direction. It wasn't till towards the end of the meal that they came and had to walk behind our table to leave. The one they had talked to got our attention, and awkwardly wished me an happy birthday, while all my beloved friends stifled their laughter. I'll guess I'll forgive them someday...


Well, I hope you feel inspired to go have a lot of fun doing simple, easy, and even free acts of service. It was a ton of tun, and I used up more than one sentence for today.

-Jannallred

One Sentence a Day Project

There's a first time for everything. A master was once a beginner. Every journey starts with the first step. Need I continue? In an attempt to mesh all of those quotes into one sentence that hopefully make a little bit of sense, I'd simply state another quote:
 "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." (-Emerson)
What I'm trying to justify is the reason I'm starting my first project, "One Sentence a Day Project".

 I've tried several unsuccessful times to start a blog, and keep it going. I find that I only got around to writing when I was feeling "inspired" and was thinking a little "deeper" than usual. The problem with that is putting things into words is hard enough for an amateur, let alone writing about deep discussion-worthy ideas. But when attempting to just sit down and write about something, I'm like a fish being told to climb a tree. I've got nothing.

After getting advice several times, I've finally had the gumption to sit down and try it. I'm simply going to write at least one sentence a day. That's it. One sentence. It can be an observation, an idea, a quote, whatever I've come up with for the day. I've also contemplated doing one picture of something interesting I see a week. Maybe that'll be next month's (or year's) project once I've gotten the writing part under my belt.

But for now, Ladies and Gentleman,
Till tomorrow,
Jannallred