129/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: I thought this was a good way to finish out the year. Here's a list of good things from 2019 to remind us all that good things were all around us. May 2020 bring good things every day!

128/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: This ski resort is going plastic-free. This is the trend, folks. Hotel chains are doing it, and now fancy ski resorts. The more, the merrier, I say!

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Today's good thing: There are good people in this world, who do kind things for others. If you ever find yourself seeing only badness, remember people like this guy.

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Today's good thing: AI is now the big thing we're all scared of in the tech world. It's apparently only a matter of time before it takes over the world. But for now, it looks like it'll be helpful for finding wildfires. With Australia currently on fire, this could be very helpful for them. Let's hope this gets up and running very soon!

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Today's good thing: Although more food in this country should be composted, this is a good idea for the food that isn't. And it's possible that composting food emits these levels of gas as well that could be harvested for energy. That would be a win-win!

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Today's good thing: Cadillac is making plans for the future. Let's hope more car brands join in!

123/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: We always hear the horror stories of school lunch debts ending up in thrown out food and public shaming of a child, and school lunches should be paid through our taxes and available at no charge to all students, there is at least this good person doing a good thing. Let her example inspire us, as a nation, to change our attitude towards school lunch debt and how it's handled, and maybe reconsider why it even exists at all...

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Today's good thing: I thought this was a good one for Christmas Eve. The Rockettes are a pretty well-known tradition, and it's good for them to be more inclusive and less ableist. Kudos and keep it coming!

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Today's good thing: LinkedIn is making a commitment to sustainable buildings. I hope they inspire other companies to join in!

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Today's good thing: Turning waste from one thing and turning it into another helpful thing is always amazing and I don't know how people think up this stuff! I wonder what else they'll discover over time, but I can't wait to hear about all of it!

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Today's good thing: Wonderful news for the Spokane tribe! Perhaps this will be the beginning of the government paying reparations to the people who deserve them.

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Today's good thing: Hopefully everybody still has enough free views on WaPo to view this article about a woman and her taco shop that gives away coats to people in need. This is a beautiful example of not only people helping others, but why our nation is a stronger and better place with immigrants in it.

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Today's good thing: I don't know what Goldman Sachs does with coal. And let's be honest, I don't actually even know what Goldman Sachs even is, but apparently they're a big deal. So, hearing that they are removing coal from whatever processes they do, and that they want to help join the fight to clean up the planet, this made me happy! Even if I have no idea who they are...Good job, Goldman Sachs! Keep up the great work!

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This isn't about bragging or enjoying this moment, though there is an element of that, I won't lie. This is about the fact that in spite of all the feelings of being out of control for the last 2+ years, the system still worked. People fought against it at every turn, and it isn't over yet, but it worked. In 2018, we voted enough Democrats into Congress for this to even be possible. Our votes mattered. This is something we need to remember for 2020.

The Constitution doesn't mean anything if nobody chooses to uphold it. Today, enough people chose to uphold it, and justice was served. We need to make sure we continue electing people who will actually fulfill their oath to uphold the laws and Constitution. This great experiment in democracy, in a nation, isn't over yet. Today was not that day. And that, is today's very good thing.

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Today's good thing: What an amazing scientific and medical breakthrough! And even more amazing that one so young developed it! This is definitely good news.

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Today's good thing: People helping others out when they can. We should all have this much love in our hearts for others.

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Today's good thing: This sad story ended happily for a group of cows affected by Hurricane Dorian. Yay for happy endings!

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Today's good thing: Americans are getting healthier, in some areas, which is a very good thing!

111/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Even a broken clock is right twice a day. This is a good thing, no matter who gets the credit for it...

110/514 Good Things

There's a lot of garbage going on in the world right now. It's scary, it's draining, it's just too much, sometimes. But my 18ish year old cat has been doing poorly lately. She had a cold, and then her arthritis in her back leg kicked in after a long absence. I thought it was nearly time to put her down, for her own sake. She moved herself into one corner of the apartment for the last few weeks and I moved her cat box, water, and food there too, to make her more comfortable. She took to it quite nicely. Tonight, for the first time in nearly a month, she has walked across the apartment and jumped up on my sister's chair. It's the most movement she's made in quite some time and was rather impressive for her advanced age. Then I picked her up and took her to my desk where she tried to drink out of my water glass and pouted when I took it away. But she settled in under the lamp light and just sat next to me. She's old, and she probably doesn't have much time left, but for tonight, for this moment, she's doing ok. And I am happy. And that, is today's good thing...

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Today's good thing: Smoking is losing popularity, which is a good thing for the planet and all of our lungs! If you're trying to quit and need non-physical health-related reasons, do a quick Google search on how much water, energy, and resources it takes to make, package, and transport cigarettes. And the amount of landfills are just full of cigarette butts is staggering. If you can't do it for you, do it for the planet. And if you need guilt as a motivator, then think about all the enslaved people who spent their lives in the fields picking tobacco. Do it to honor their memories...

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Today's good thing: Making paper out of stone? How is this even possible? What a time to be alive!

107/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Creative, clever ideas to cut down on waste. I love these new ideas! I can't wait to see what people come up with next!

106/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: This is such an amazing story. This man didn't have to do this, but he had the means to, and the desire to make sure these items were kept out of the hands of people who would revere them. I hope these items will help keep the history and the memory of the Holocaust alive, even when we see so many people already questioning it, in a time when there are still people who remember it.

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Today's good thing: It's always a nice thing hearing stories about the police actually protecting and serving. Let's hope this family continues to get the help they need to get back on their feet.

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Today's good thing: Another kid out in the world doing amazing things for others. That there are homeless veterans in this country at all is a travesty. That there are good people in the country who care enough to try whatever they can do to help them, is wonderful. May we all be like this boy.

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Today's good thing: This tweet, and this great idea. A horrible example of a human is doing something incredibly odious, but instead of focusing our anger on him, we can focus our energy, attention, and love on a woman trying to make the world a better place. I hope she wins!

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Today's good thing: California continues to lead the way with cars and emissions levels. If you need a new car soon, consider joining in with the state as they opt out of specific brands that won't be working to reduce emissions levels. We can and must do better. The planet needs it!

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Today's good thing: Is this thread. The content isn't necessarily a good thing, but this is a good opportunity for white people to read it and just take it in. Don't say things like "What? No, really?" Just read it, and ask yourself if you have ever been guilty of making such an assumption. And look around you in public places like the ones talked about, and see if you notice this happening, and maybe choose to speak up and out about it if you do. This is how we learn to be better people, and that is always a good thing.

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Today's good thing: It's been 100 days since I started up this project again! I can't believe it! I wanted something special for today's post, and I this one is a good one. 

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Today's good thing: Finishing out this long Thanksgiving break with another inspiring young person doing amazing things for others. I hope everybody decides to follow his footsteps in being kind to others.

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Today's good thing: Dunkin' Donuts is taking a great first step towards becoming more environmentally friendly. It's not perfect, but it's a good first step. Let's hope they continue working on their coffee cups, and that more chains join in with trying to make all their cups fully recyclable, or better yet, compostable.

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Today's good thing: A new treatment for cystic fibrosis looks quite promising and will hopefully bring relief to a lot of people in the world. This is wonderful news!

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Today's good thing. I heard about this story when it first happened a few years ago, and it warmed my heart. Now, finding out that it's still happening, it just is so wonderful to see! This is so beautiful. I hope we're all able to find connections with people in the world that we might otherwise have assumed we had nothing in common.

95/514 Good Things

Today's good thing is thinking about the good things in my life. We all have good things in our life, even if we only see the bad things. This is a good time to take stock of our blessings. I'm not rich, and I'm worried about having to move next year cuz I can't really afford to live where I am now, anymore. But I have food, and clean water, and employment. I have freedoms that other people literally are dying for in other parts of the world. I detest the person in the White House right now, but I have the right to say that without fear of repercussion. I can literally say it to his face if I wanted, and there's nothing anybody could do about it. I can take to the streets and protest the wrongs of my government, when so many in the world would be imprisoned for such a thing. I have books to read, and enough time in my day to do a little exercising, and also work on writing my own book. That's amazing!

There is so much good in my life. What is good in your life? I encourage us all to take some time today and tomorrow to think about it. I guarantee you there's more than you realize!

94/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Is actually just from yesterday, and also the thrilling and exciting conclusion from last night's good thing post. As much as I dislike the man currently in the White House, I also believe in giving credit where credit is due, and this is a very good thing. Does it undo all the bad? No, but for this moment, it's good.

93/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: This is a twofer, first of all, the Senate UNANIMOUSLY passed something. Anything, it doesn't matter, they functioned with each other! And secondly, this is good for animals, if it gets past the next level. But it has to start somewhere.

92/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Fur belongs to the animal on which it was grown, but this is a great idea for using discarded fur clothing for a good cause. What an ingenious idea!

91/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Italy making students learn about climate change. If only our country followed suit!

90/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: The world is one big step closer to eradicating polio. Polio is still a thing, is probably what you're asking yourself right now. Yes, sadly, it is still a thing. But hopefully soon it won't be if advancements like this keep happening! Yay vaccines!

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Today's good thing: is this video. Just watch and enjoy, and then count the blessings in your own life!

88/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Always is changing its packing to be gender non-specific? Why? Because not all women have periods, and some men have periods, and they all need access to hygiene products. It's a small, symbolic step that will hopefully help fight the stigma of periods.

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Today's good thing: Macy's will no longer be selling fur in their stores! One big chain making a decision like this might lead to more stores following suit. Congrats to Macy's for making a good decision!

86/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Getting rid of tobacco products from one pharmacy chain hasn't ruined their profits. Maybe other pharmacy chains, businesses who claim to be working for people's good health, should do the same? I think CVS is problematic for something, but I'm not sure what. It's so hard to keep straight why we hate stuff and what I need to be boycotting, but for this one aspect, it's a good thing, and I hope it inspires other companies to follow suit.

85/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Unilever is going to cut down on their plastic usage. They plan to cut their usage in half by 2025. I hope they succeed and inspire a lot of other companies to join in!

84/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: In honor of the pizza I just finished after two days of pizza for dinner, is this man who uses pizza to train inmates so they can get good jobs once they leave prison. I'd eat their pizza!

83/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Is this great idea that I hope revolutionizes how we purchase products. I looked into it but I can't afford it at this time in my life. Hopefully people who can afford it, will take advantage of it and maybe eventually the pricing will become something more people can participate in.

82/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Cleaning up the ocean. I really hope this is a huge success. I didn't even know this garbage patch was a thing, so let's hope we can make it not a thing!

81/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Apple might be problematic with their products, but they're employing Dreamers and are openly sticking it to Trump, so that makes them pretty much awesome in my book!

80/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Legal help for people who can't afford it. This is such a fantastic idea!

79/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: A child doing her part to stop bullying. This child is going to be an adult one day. I hope that she takes this love and energy with her into the future. We definitely need more of it in the world.

78/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: It's always nice when a company helps pay for college tuition for employees. This is a pretty big-name company to start doing this! This makes me almost want to give them a try someday...!

77/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Kids being amazing and helping out other kids. The examples are boundless, which is wonderful! Let us take inspiration from them and try to help out others whenever and wherever we can.

76/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Taking back power and culture and history is always a good thing. I love everything about this!

75/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Helping people without pain medication. Not that having no pain meds is a good thing, but the fact that there's somebody out there helping people deal with the pain, when there's nobody else there to help. This is a very good thing.

74/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Getting my mind off of autopocalypse in Washington state by celebrating a very good victory for elephants! The European ivory ban remains in place. Yay for elephants!

73/514 Good Things

It's too early here, but I'm seeing some very exciting and encouraging election results coming from across the country. Just tune into your favorite news source and watch it all unfold...Elections, and another round of amazing firsts, and sometimes the right thing being done through our elections, is tonight's good thing. Just enjoy this moment, and if you voted today, enjoy the feeling that you helped.

72/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: California is just on a roll right now! What today? No more school lunch shaming in that state. Seriously, I might need to move there...!

71/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Again, California is doing some great things as a state. This time it's banning fur sales statewide. Nobody needs fur, so I see only good things coming from this. Now, we just need the other 49 states to join in...!

70/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: I posted earlier about some hotel chains getting away from using plastic toiletries, but this takes it one gigantic step further. The state of California will be banning them in all hotels. This means people visiting Disneyland, and there are millions each year, will no longer be filling landfills with plastic! And wherever California goes, so goes many other states. I suspect this will just speed along all hotels getting rid of these plastics. This is great news.

69/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: A huge victory for the Snoqualmie tribe! What a wonderful day this is for them! Imagine for the first time ever, in hundreds of years, being able to breath a sigh of relief that your ancestors can lie in peace. It's a feeling we colonizers take for granted. I am so happy for them!

68/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Food bringing people together and helping get people back on their feet again. Food is one of the things all humans have in common. I love seeing it bring people together and being used to help others. It is a uniter, even though sometimes we act like it's a divider.

67/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Greta Thunberg is doing some amazing work for the future of this planet, but she's hardly the only one. It's important to recognize and give a platform to children of color who are fighting just as hard, yet barely get noticed because they're not white. The more we acknowledge the people in this fight, the better off we'll all be.

66/514 Good Things

Today's good thing, is this tweet. A person's right to choose what to do with their body has been under fire, it seems forever, but today at least, we can take a breath. We still have to fight that fight, but for a moment, enjoy that breath...!

65/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Fighting antisemitism. This is a fight we all need to be in, but it's heartening to see people in a position of power coming together to combat it. We all have opportunities to educate ourselves on this issue, and in turn, help educate others. Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, and joining in this fight against antisemitism is one way we can help ensure not only that those people are honored, but that we also hopefully make sure there are no more victims of such terrorist attacks in the future.

64/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: this video of a family reunion. I won't spoil it for you, just watch. And make sure you have a kleenex ready...

63/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: We should have known it wouldn't be long before California fought back against the EPA's decision to change car emission rules. Let us hope that they win their fight! A win for California would be a win for the planet.

62/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Collect those freebie lotions and shampoos from motels and hotels while you can, because they are going the way of the dodo! What a simple way to help cut down on a huge amount of plastic in this planet. Sure it's a change, but it's one I'm happy to go along with.

61/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Using science, cutting technology, and fertility treatment techniques to try saving a species of rhinoceros from extinction. Will it be a success? Only time will tell, but we have to do whatever we can, while we still can.

60/514 Good Things

Today's good thing is this video. Planting trees and looking out for your own community and country is a great thing!

59/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Doctors in North Dakota can actually do their jobs properly now! This is a triumph for pro-choice advocates! This is why the judicial side of this country is so important and we need to pay attention to it.

58/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Kroger stores plan to treat avocados with a natural spray that should extend their shelf life. While I'm holding out ultimate support of this until I get a little more information, I applaud the efforts being made to reduce food waste, which is ultimately better for the environment.

57/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Less plastic in kid's meals! Not in the food they eat, though I hope there isn't plastic in that! Less plastic in the form of the toy that traditionally accompanies a kid's meal. Let's hope that other fast food chains join in soon!

56/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Monterey Bay Aquarium and their program for rehabilitating sea otters. Sea otters and people, helping sea otters. It's amazing and beautiful!

55/514 Good Things

Today's good thing, people form a human chain to help out trapped dolphins. Sometimes we really are just so awful that it's tough to watch the news. And sometimes, we manage to be pretty amazing as a species. This is one of those times!

54/514 Good Things

Today is a noteworthy day, and I wanted to put it out there earlier in the day, if I could.

Today marks the 1000th day of Trump's time in the White House. Why is this today's good thing, you are most definitely asking yourself right now. Not because his time there is a good thing, but because you're reading this right now. It means you're still here. You've made it this far. You're still surviving, day by day, you're making it through. Some days it's terrible, it's just the absolute worst, but you're still here. You still have another day in you to do something good for others. To fight for others. To fight the man in the White House. He hasn't beaten you yet.

You may be exhausted, and in need of respite, and by all means, you should take it. Take the break you need, gather your wits and your strength, and then jump back into the fight. It'll still be here when you get back.

But remember, you've made it this far, and that is a very good thing, in my book.

53/514 Good Things

Tonight's good thing: This story just keeps getting better with each iteration. A boy wore a homemade sign to support the college team he's a fan of, and was bullied for it, so the college reached out and made his day. And it just keeps getting better and better!

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Today's good thing: Amazon has pledged to make changes to their company to become more environmentally-friendly. Prior to last month's climate strike, they announced some changes they were going to make. There's a lot more they can do, and this is a great start! I hope this will spur on other companies to join in. A contest to out-green the other company? That's a contests with no losers!

51/514 Good Things

Tonight's good thing: A spice company takes a stand! Penzeys Spices has vowed to use their profits to buy advertising on social media promoting impeaching the current inhabitant of the White House. Looking for some spices? Now's a great time to order some!

50/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Patagonia has an idea that could change capitalism and it's effects on our planet. Can they make a dent in cleaning up the earth? Possibly, especially if we can get more companies to join in with their efforts.

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Today's good thing: Malaria vaccines! It's a thing now! And they're making their way to the regions that need them most. Let's hope that this will save a lot of lives!

48/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: SC Johnson, Coca Cola, and PepsiCo are all cutting ties with a major pro-plastic lobbying group. They are moving towards a plastic-reduced/plastic-free future, and I am here for it! We should all be encouraging all companies to do this too. The less power a pro-plastic lobbying group has, the better, imo!

47/514 Good Things

Today's good thing, is Mattel, and the fact that they are planning an entire line of gender nonconforming dolls. Why is this important? Because all kids deserve to have dolls that look like themselves, and not all kids fit into what we might think of as "male" and "female". They too deserve dolls that look like them. This is a wonderful thing that will lead to more happy, healthy, confident children who grow into happy, healthy, confident adults.

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Tonight's good thing, is men actually thinking about how their words and actions affect women. Could it be that the #Metoo movement is actually making a difference for the better? It certainly seems so...!

45/514 Good Things

Today's good thing: Some companies are making changes in their purchases to help combat the Amazon forest fires. As a believer of little things building into big things, this makes me very happy! I'd love to see more companies make changes like this!

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Today's good thing: Refugees around the world fighting against climate change. In case you thought that you're just one person and you don't have a platform and you don't have money, so why bother fighting, because you're just one person and it won't make a difference, read this. And then get over that attitude and get out there and do something! Anything! It all makes a difference!

43/514 Good Things

Today's good thing, is when two people form an unlikely bond with one another. Humans can be amazing, and I love seeing friendships between people that you might not think should or would be friends. Like Snoop Dog and Martha Stewart. It's a beautiful thing! May we each keep our eyes open for unlikely friendships we can form in our own lives.

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Today's good thing is yet another young person being kind to others. It's easy to forget that homeless children have birthdays too. Getting to celebrate them brings a bit of normalcy to their lives, and maybe helps them forget for a short time, that their lives have been upended through no fault of their own. It's something we should all keep in mind when we think about the homeless.

41/514 Good Things

I've been sick with a cold these last few days and it finally got to me and I forgot to do a Good Thing post yesterday! So, I'll do two today, one now, and one this evening, to stay on target. So, here is last night's belated good thing: More kindness of children. The selflessness of the children I've posted about the last couple of days is really inspiring. We adults really should try to live our lives more like these kids. Knowing that people like them will be growing up to be the adults who are making decisions in the future.

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Today's good thing is the kindness of children's' hearts when they teach us how to give back and help others. These brothers are inspiring and we should all try to emulate their actions!

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I can't imagine the terror this family must have felt during their ordeal. This is a story about perseverance, fighting with every ounce of strength you have, and being as creative as you can to save yourself and the lives of your loved ones. That it actually worked out, I can only describe as a miracle!

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Today's good thing is somebody using their wealth to help others. MS is a terrible condition and I hope researching it will find a permanent cure one day. I really love hearing when people who are rich, who could be spending all their money on themselves only, choose to use it to help others. It's always really inspiring to see.

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Today's good thing is a man with vitiligo who crochets dolls with vitiligo so children with the skin condition can have a doll that looks like them. What an incredible person who would take the time out of his life to create something to help others!

36/514 Good Things

Today's good thing is the fact that the Seattle City Council passed a resolution in order to help missing Indigenous women and girls. As we well know, Native and First Nations women and girls are kidnapped and murdered at an epidemic level in North America, and nobody in colonizer communities around the US and Canada seem to care enough to do anything about it. Let us hope that something good, actual action, will come from this resolution.

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We have a long way to go on gun control in this country, but things like this give me hope. As with so many other things in this nation, it's going to take corporate pressure to make any changes. I don't know what will come of this, but it's a start.

34/514 Good Things

Today's good thing, is a restaurant opening next year all the way on the other side of the country so I'm not going to be able to visit any time soon, but I hope lots of people who live there will! Mozzeria, a pizzeria staffed entirely by deaf employees. This is a great step in combating ableism, and I'd like to see more deaf-owned and -staffed restaurants open around the country!

33/514 Good Things

Today's good thing is the fact that states are leading the way in protecting migrant minors being detained at the border. While we aren't out in the streets marching for these poor souls, we are at least speaking out to our local politicians, and clearly, some of them are listening. This is a good lesson that we should always look to local and state governments when the federal one fails us.

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Today's good thing is a heartwarming story of two children finding friendship, in spite of their differences. May we all be as loving and caring of each other as these two kids are. As the song says, we must be carefully taught to hate, but imagine the world if we were not taught to hate. I wish I could live in that world.

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Today's good thing has nothing to do with impeachment. It has everything to do with gardening and immigrants, two wonderful things! I have posted about something like this before, but it was in Canada. I say let the gardens grow far and wide!

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Today's good thing is a person we all know and love, using his platform to raise awareness of a condition that needs more attention.  It's really heartening to know that people can use their power to try and help others out. He didn't have to, he could have just gone about his life, cashing in on his fame for greater personal gain. But he didn't, and in today's day and age, that's pretty incredible.

According to his twitter account, he's already raised $25,000 for research. If you're in a position to make a donation, this is a worthy cause.

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Today's good thing is hope. Hope for people suffering from Sickle Cell Anemia, and awe for technology and science and the advances being made to help others. Obviously, there is a lot that could go wrong with messing with genes, but the more we learn about DNA and how all of it works, the more incredible things we'll be able to do to heal people. Ahhhh, science!!

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Today's good thing is this heartwarming story from New Jersey. People in a position of being able to help others, actually using that position to help others. A lovely story of a family reunion. I hope that this family manages to stay together from here on out!

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Today's good thing was Global Climate strike. As I wrote about last night, the entire planet came together as one, and marched. And I was feeling a bit sad that I wouldn't be able to participate in it because I had to work. But I forgot about my lunch hour...

I studied up on the protest times and routes in Seattle and left my building at noon in hopes of finding something going on at the time. I went to Westlake Center and saw a few really little kids with signs and their parents accompanying them and felt my heart warm at the sight. Then I just headed in the direction of the South Lake Union neighborhood on the outskirts of downtown and ended up at the Amazon building, along with a couple thousand protestors and a helicopter hovering overhead. Because I only had an hour, I couldn't stay long, but I did stay long enough to hear one of the speakers before heading back up towards work.

I made it back to Westlake Center just in time to see the student marchers heading down the hill(Pine Street) and turning up onto 5th Avenue to march to City Hall. I took some pictures along the way, and then jumped right into the middle of the marchers. I was only able to go a few blocks before I had to turn off to go back to work, but the energy was incredible! I wish I could share the pictures but there's something wonky with my phone and I get get any pictures off of them, so you'll just have to trust me that it was amazing!

At both locations, I felt incredibly emotionally overwhelmed. I was fighting back tears and really didn't want to go back to work. But I was so happy that I was able to join in, even if for a very short time. To feel connected to all the people around the world marching today, was amazing. We have so much work to do, and it's going to take every last one of us doing everything we possibly can.

Today was a great beginning, but tomorrow we need to roll up our sleeves, and get to work.

26/514 Good Things

Today's good news is good news for tomorrow. The Global Climate Strikes begin tomorrow and several companies will be joining in. I will be sharing more about this topic over the next several days, but for now, we start here. I am really excited to see what comes out of tomorrow's strikes. Things look grim, and things ARE grim, but we're not beat yet. We will fight every single day, with every last ounce of strength we have, until we draw our last breath upon this earth. It begins now.

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25/514 Good Things

Today's good thing is a celebration for science and access to accurate information. Pinterest influences the lives of many and is in a position to use their power as a vehicle for conveying information to others. Choosing to promote facts and truth could save lives. I'm happy to see more places like Pinterest taking a stand.

24/514 Good Things

Today's good thing is this act of kindness. The Seminole tribe of Florida has been donating bottled water to victims of the hurricane in the Bahamas. It's really wonderful to see people helping out in a time when it seems like so many are just looking out for themselves only. If you were looking for inspiration to do something nice for another person, look no further!

23/514 Good Things

Today's good thing is this story. Since my bff just got back from Disneyland, I thought I would share this story coming out of Disney World. I love seeing how the actors playing characters in the parks really get into it, and at times go above and beyond the call of duty. Snow White is a highly underrated princess, imo, but we get to see a glimpse of what makes her so special, in this story.

22/514 Good Things

Tonight's good thing is this video I just found on Twitter. I watched it and my mind was seriously blown. The wacky and amazing and helpful and groundbreaking things humans are always coming up with. Just when I ask myself "what will we come up with next?" I see something like this and am pleasantly reminded that not all good ideas and inventions are already in existence.

Could this invention really help clean up our world's water? I'd like to hope so. Why not make it into a fun game that helps connect people around the world too? Oh, this is just such a great idea! It's really exciting to see!

21/514 Good Things

Tonight's good thing is this story. People worked together to reach out to this band, and they graciously took time out of their busy schedule to visit a fan who was unable to make it to their concert. I don't want anybody to get any ideas about faking an illness to get a visit from their favorite celebrities, but it is really nice to see that there are people who care about others enough to do something like this. Kudos to the Jonas Brothers!

20/514 Good Things

I don't know about you, but in all the bad news lately, this piece of great news completely slipped through the cracks. I'd heard about the women of Saudi Arabia being granted the ability to drive cars, but I hadn't heard this great news!

19/514 Good Things

Today's good thing comes from Manitoba, Canada. Yazidi refugees, who have been welcomed in Canada, have turned a piece of land given to them into a thriving and soon-to-be profitable vegetable garden. These newest Canadians have been able to supplement their diet with delicious, healthful food, and are going to be able to sell off the excess vegetables as well to help them make a living. What a wonderful success story, and also an example of helping others in need. Food-related issues are near and dear to my heart, so I always love hearing things like this!

18/514 Good things

Well, I don't know if you're as outraged as I am over what feels like a treacherous betrayal by North Carolina's GOP state lawmakers, but I am really upset and disappointed. I suppose I shouldn't be shocked, but I am. And it's not even my state! But it's the principle of the matter. My Hufflepuffian sense of fairness and being honorable in all you do is offended.

But this is a positivity blog, so there needs to be something positive in this post. So, here it is. To help balance out the bad news, here is some good news for the state of North Carolina. Nice try, people, but I guess it's back to the drawing board for you...!

17/514 Good Things

A Canadian aviation company is sending help to Bolivia to assist in their fires.

Bolivia is home to some of the Amazon forest, along with Brazil, and is experiencing their own issues with fires. Thus far, Bolivia has been far more open and willing to accept help in fighting the fires than Brazil has been. Let us hope that Bolivia's attitude will be adopted by Brazil soon.

16/514 Good Things

Today's good news comes from Nigeria, which has gone three years without a case of polio and is now on the brink of being declared polio-free! Between 2012 and today, there has been a dramatic turnaround in this country with access to vaccinations. We have come to take them for granted here, and we are suffering the consequences of it. This is a time to celebrate advances in science, health, and the fact that vaccines do work!

15/514 Good Things

I hadn't heard about this, did you?

Today's good thing is North Carolina at long last doing the right thing and ending their insistence that transfolx use the bathroom the coincided with their birth certificate's gender. This led to a boycott of the entire state, and then everybody forgot about it.

Fast forward to three years later, and a settlement has been reached that ends that ban. However, there are still a lot of rules and regulations in the North Carolina law books that infringe on the equality and equity of transfolx in the state. This must continue to be fought against, but for this moment, we can, and should, celebrate a victory.

14/514 Good Things

Tonight's is a bit of a cheat, but it brought me so much joy tonight that I knew I had to make it today's good thing. For anybody not from Seattle, you may not know that we don't get very impressive thunder and lightning storms over here. I don't know why, but we usually get very flimsy and short thunder storms. But tonight, Thor has been having a great time over our skies, and for about an hour now I have been subjected to the largest, loudest, longest thunderstorm of my entire life! Our lights started flickering about 45 minutes before it started, and I was in the shower when the thunder began. We're on the top floor and I could hear it rumbling and the lights flickered again. I hoped the lights wouldn't go out in the shower and luckily they didn't!

The rain was coming down like I've never seen it, and for a lifelong Seattleitte, that's saying something! We shut off all the lights, voluntarily, and the tv, and looked out all the windows and even ventured out on our covered porch a bit. We were smart though, don't worry!

Mother Nature provided our city with an amazing show of force that I am still enjoying! I hope everybody was able to make it to safety and sat back and enjoyed the show!

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13/514 Good Things

Good News in the World of Conservation.

Today's good news is this update on the California condor, a bird that had been on the brink of extinction. While they still have a way to go, they are well on their way to recovery as a species. This is also proof positive that conservation efforts do work, if we put the time, effort, and money into them. Let us hope that more effort is put into conservation in the future, so that we humans can long enjoy a planet teeming with wildlife of all kinds!

12/514 Good Things

Disney pledges $1 million to the Bahamas.

Chef Jose Andres is once again stepping up to the (dinner) plate.

HBCU opens its doors to displaced Bahamians and offers tuition-free education to them.

Hurricane Dorian is slowly wreaking havoc in the Caribbean and East Coast this week, and even as it rages on, people are already lending a hand to people in need. Here are three examples I have run across so far, and I have no doubt that much more will show up before all is said and done.

Here we see examples of people and organizations in a position of power using their power for the good of others. Money and services are being given to those in need in the Bahamas. And a few days ago Trinidad and Tobago pledged to help the Bahamas as well.

Life has been lost and there is going to be a long road to recovery for the Bahamas, but there will be help along the way.

11/514 Good Things

Help Students in Need.

Here are two amazing organizations that help school-age children who live at or below the poverty line. If you are looking for a place to make a monetary donation, look into these two organizations. One focuses on school supplies, and one focuses on feeding students on the weekends so they don't go hungry when schools are closed and free breakfast and lunches are unavailable.

I know, I know, you may be thinking that all of these things should be provided for to students free of charge, maybe through taxes. But we don't live in a world of should, unfortunately, we live in a world of is. And the nation's schools don't currently run that way, so we do what we must do in the meantime.

I'm really glad to know that there are organizations like this in the country, full of people who care for future generations. Some days it's tough to remember that there is still kindness in this nation, but it is there, I promise.

10/514 Good Things

Good News for the Great Coral Reef
A giant, Manhattan-sized chunk of pumice is floating across the ocean and will make its way to the Great Coral Reef sometime in the next year. During its slow journey, it's expected to pick up some new critters and life forms that will hopefully boost the growth of the Great Coral Reef, which could really need a boost. I don't know about you, but I'll be watching this story carefully and with a sense of hope.

9/514 Good Things

Good News for Sharks!

Sharks and rays are being given stronger protections to help keep them from being driven to extinction. In a time when so many regulations keeping people and animals safe are being loosened, it's good to see some regulations being strengthened.

8/514 Good Things

Today's Good News.

Ava Lewis gives me hope for the future. This three year old girl has more love and caring inside her than the entire current presidential administration combined. I have never heard of somebody so young having so much compassion for others. I wish I lived close by her so I could support her stand. The lemonade looks delicious!

7/514 Good Things

Out of the Cold War, comes life...

In a former "no-man's land" of the Cold War, a large strip of land all across Europe, animals have made a home and have thrived. Since humans decided they couldn't work well or play well together, animals came in and did just that. Hopefully, this land will remain a sanctuary to the newer inhabitants for a long time to come.

6/514 Good Things

Today's good thing.

In keeping with yesterday's good thing, we're still on the idea of planting, today. Only this is in Zambia. For so long, African nations have been under the thumb of colonization, and many of the solutions for their problems have come from outside the continent. This helpful app was developed by a Zambian man, for the Zambian people. Hopefully it will help farmers improve their crops, and therefore, their livelihoods! Technology and growing things from the ground, who knew it would make such a beautiful pairing?!

5/514 Good Things

School gardens, today's good thing.
School gardens are becoming more prevalent across the country, and this story from the East Coast talks of how they are thriving even in the summer when students are out of school. Volunteers make the world such a better place, regardless of what they're volunteering to do. And school gardens provide teaching and learning opportunities, and produce food and give students a chance to try new foods.

I would love to see this trend continue and increase nationwide, perhaps teaming up with local food banks or other organizations to make sure that extra food ends up in the hands of low-income people who could make good use of it. Many of us talk about how homegrown/farmer's market produce is healthiest for everybody, but not everybody has access to it. Maybe school gardens can help bridge that gap.

4/514 Good Things

Today's Good News

The proposal to increase rhino hunting in Africa was rejected overwhelmingly. This is good news to current and hopefully many future rhinos. Hunt rhinos? Hell no!

3/514 Good Things

Love Wins Out

Today's good thing, is this report out of Modesto, California. A straight-pride parade draws a whopping 20 joiners, while the counter protest drew over 200 people! It's good to see that love and acceptance for others has a 10/1 ratio over people who choose hate and fear. Let us hope that as the other straight pride parades move forward, they are met with at least that same ratio, if not more, of people trying to drown out hate with love!

2/514

Today's good news...

Barbie fans, doll collectors, feminists, civil rights activists, and science enthusiasts all have reason to rejoice as the news came out today that Mattel will be putting out Rosa Parks and Sally Ride dolls. I don't know about you, but I think they look beautiful!

I think I need to collect all of these!

1/514

According to the internet, there are actually a few more days until the 2021 Inauguration, so the count is actually 514. Normally I will try to find actual news pieces to share, and I did find some that I've bookmarked for another time, but for today I thought I'd write up a list I've been working on all day. I would love more ideas for this list, so if it inspires you and you think of any others, let me know! I'd love to expand the list.

Life is rough, there are a lot of expectations we have on ourselves as adults. There are a lot of no-nos that we impose on ourselves and each other. This is a list of things that I am hereby giving us all permission to partake of in life. If it helps you get through the day and feel better about yourself or life, go for it! The only thing we're not allowed to do, is judge ourselves or each other for doing anything on this list. Here they are, in no particular order:

*Read books geared towards children, tweens, or teens. Seeing the latest craze and feeling left out? Give it a try!
*Reread your favorite books you read as a child or young person. Break out those Baby-Sitters Club books I know you have stashed away in your attic and read them again.
*Watch the Disney Channel/Nickelodeon/the Cartoon Network. There's a lot of fun stuff on these channels.
*Enjoy sappy Hallmark movies. And not just the holiday ones. Because, why not?
*Not have an opinion on an issue that doesn't interest you or that you don't know enough about. No, seriously, it's ok.
*Color in children's coloring books. With crayons.
*Make friendship bracelets. Remember those? Let's bring them back.
*Turn off the news and social media when it's too much. This doesn't make you a bad person.
*And never turned it on again, ever, if you need that. Looking out for your own mental health needs is never bad or selfish.
*Not worry about calories. Enjoy the heck out of that doughnut you're contemplating and feeling guilty about wanting.
*Not know the answer to something. We never stop learning in life, it's ok to not know something.
*Take delight in silly, small things. This can make the difference between an unbearable day and a day that you know you'll at least get through.
*Read comic books. DC, Marvel, Elfquest, Archie, whatever you want. They're fun, and why would you deny yourself fun?
*Go to the zoo/aquarium/Disneyland, even if you don't have kids. A lot of adults avoid these types of places if they don't have children because they aren't made to feel welcome there. But let me tell you, sometimes these places are MORE fun without children...!!
*For women-It's ok to love the color pink. You are not betraying your feminist beliefs by loving pink, I promise you.
*Not be perfect. Let's all give ourselves and each other a break, ok?
*Eat S'mores. Next time you're at a campfire and the kids break out the graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows, make sure to join in.
*Do word-find puzzles. Sure suduko and crossword puzzles are considered more "intellectual" or a better use of time, but sometimes it's just too much. You have my permission to do word-find puzzles with impunity.
*Rewatch favorite childhood shows and movies. You know you want to. Go ahead and break out those Full House dvds or rewatch Labyrinth or The Neverending Story. It's never a bad thing to watch these!

So, there you go. This is a small list of things I am now declaring ok for people of all ages to do, free of judgement or fear of being discovered for enjoying. There's a lot of garbage in the world, and allowing people to find happy and healthy ways to temporarily or permanently escape from that garbage is important. We can lift each other up by extending the common courtesy of not putting others down for doing these things. I hope you all enjoy finding little ways to take care of yourselves during this time. We all need it!

510 Days Left

1460 Days

I wrote the above blog post on January 1, 2017, and by my calculations, 950 days have passed since then. That leaves 510 days left until Inauguration Day, 2021 when the next presidency will begin. 

After a discussion with my cousin last night, I realized that I hadn't been doing this blog or this project, pretty much since I set out to do it. I had given in to the fear, anger, and despair. Granted, there's been a lot to have fear, anger, and despair for, but I have come to the conclusion that I just can't live in that and sustain any sort of healthy life. 

I can't ignore the bad things in this world, or not fight them, but at the same time, I can't ignore the good things, or not embrace them, either. I have been out of balance for too long, and it's time I fixed that. As I said in my original post, if I have to spend the rest of this presidency playing the Glad Game, then so be it. 

I realized something this past summer as I did my annual viewing of the classic Disney film, Pollyanna. The Glad Game isn't some saccharine, cutesy game played by somebody who had a lot to be glad about, it's actually a defense mechanism that Pollyanna and her father used to get through life. It was a conscious choice, their way of saying "I will not let the horrors of the world define me or control my emotions. I choose joy, because how else can I get through life if I am not positive? I will not let those horrors win. I choose happiness."

So, I am going to embrace the Glad Game too. I will continue to talk about the things we need to fight for or against, but I will also try to balance it out with at least one positive post a day. A respite from all the awfulness that seems to be cascading upon this planet with a swiftness we could not imagine with this presidency began. 

 

For too long, I let this presidency bring nothing but anger out of me, and it took my voice away. I haven't blogged in a long time, and even the novel I'm trying to write is a daily struggle. I've let this awful person have too much of my energy, and it's time I take it back. I will not live in fear of what might happen in the world, not when I can still speak out against it. It's not much, but sometimes it's all we can do.

Are any of you also feeling out of balance right now? Like the world is overwhelming and just too much? I highly recommend that you find ways to limit what you consume in the news and on social media. There are some very simple ways to wrest back control of those two issues that seem to be consuming us, instead of the other way around. And for the sake of your own mental health, take breaks from the horrors every once in a while. Even if it means you miss something entirely. The fight will still be there when you get back. None of us is any good if we're drained, hollow shells of our former selves. And with as much energy as you spend on the bad things in the world, I encourage you to spend an equal amount on the good things in the world. And if you can't find good things, then become the good thing yourself. 

 

Some days it might be really difficult to find something good to focus on, but I am determined to seek it out and share it with you all. I have 510 days left until the next presidency, I can choose to see that as 510 days of horror to endure or 510 days of opportunities to find good and be good. I know which one I want to choose. How about you?