Today is the day that I achieved my goal of 39 Acts of Kindness birthday celebration!  Four days ahead of schedule.  I’m excited to share with you so let’s get going.

#39 – Make A Wish.  I know from experience and my focus group of 1 that kids love throwing pennies into fountains and making a wish.  I also know as a fact from my focus group of 1 (me) that adults love doing it too.  If it is good enough for Snow White it’s good enough for me!

Years ago while babysitting Gavin I had decided to take him to Build-a-Bear.  I was trying to make the company a client and really needed a better perspective on what all the hubbub was about.  Gavin seemed like a good enough guinea pig!  Due to a colossal parking fail on my part we ended up in the mall parking garage but walking out onto the wrong street.  I have very strict rules on where to park in all the malls in the Los Angeles area.  I’m not a big fan of the mall experience so I always have to know the best parking space for easy access.  This time I was coming to the mall from a different angle and threw cation to the wind parking in a non-Wendy approved designated spot.  Due to this fail we had to walk through the Americana on Brand (a fancy outdoor mall) to go across the street to the Glendale Gallaria (the less fancy indoor mall).  Yes … they build two malls right next to each other.  Don’t ask me why.  It’s Glendale.  I doubt they know why.

The Americana on Brand has a huge water fountain in the middle of its main courtyard complete with dancing waters.  It’s pretty fantastic.  Gavin was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.  I spent the next 20 minutes or so digging for change out of my purse so Gavin could make wish after wish.  He is my kid focus group of 1.

I figured if Gavin and I enjoyed it so much others would as well.  I printed up some “Make a Wish” signs and stopped at the bank to get 2 dollars worth of pennies before heading to the Americana.  My goal was to get there as early as possible, before the shops opened, so I could limit the people who would see me.  For some reason I was ridiculously fearful that the mall cop would catch me and scold me for screwing up their pristine fountain!  Wouldn’t you know it, as I got of the elevator and looked toward the fountain I was walking side by side with a mall cop!  I made a beeline in the opposite direction of him, around the mom’s with strollers going for their morning walk (Just as an FYI mom w/ stroller always has the right of way … don’t forget it.), past the odd couple sitting at the fountain and got in, what will be, the queue to see the Easter Bunny.  There I put down my first sign and 100 pennies.  Next I walked around to the opposite side to place my second sign and final 100 pennies.  I then made a dash for the escalator.  I hope the fancy Americana mall cops take the act of kindness as a positive thing and let the signs and pennies hang out there long enough for people to enjoy them.

Pinch to grow an inch – Free Happiness.  After the Make a Wish Wendy Bomb of Kindness I made my way home to take Riggins for his morning walk.  I had decided that my neighborhood could use a little happiness and compassion.  I’m not saying it is a bad neighborhood but it did take me YEARS to get my neighbor to smile back at me when I waved as I passed him in my car.  And there was that one time when I was running with Riggins and misjudged the height of the curb causing me to fall flat on the ground.  We are talking straight down, pants torn, knees bloody, hands scrapped fall.  Their were plenty of people around, there usually are.  They all stopped and stared at me.  Not ONE came to see if I was okay.  The only person at my side was Riggins.  Now it is possible they are afraid of Riggins.  Scratch that, they are afraid of Riggins.  If you want to scare the crap out of someone in my neighborhood tell them you are friends with the big black dog that blonde girl walks.  It will have them shaking in their boots.  Still, no one even called from a distance, “Are you okay?  I’d come help you but your dog scares the crap out of me.”  Sigh.

On our walk today Riggins and I put up free happiness flyers.  Each had tabs that a person could take for him/herself or pass on to a friend including “happiness,” “love,” “a hug,” “confidence,” “patience,” “humor,” “strength,” and “peace.”  I hope they bring a smile to someone’s face.

BTW while looking for Scatter Kindness pictures I came upon a few that are part of really great Etsy stores so I wanted to share them with you:

• http://www.etsy.com/listing/87510175/scatter-kindness-vinyl-wall-decal
• http://www.etsy.com/listing/58341632/dandelion-wall-decal-scatter-kindness
• http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=all&includes%5B0%5D=tags&search_query=dandelion+wall+decor+decals&ref=related&page=1

I’ve made a word document for you to use if you would like to post a few in your neighborhood.  Download from here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6ofpzkj1286dhki/Scatter%20Kindness.doc

Done!  Finished!  Terminado!  Finito!  I’ll write-up a final roll call on my birthday Monday so we can review the 39 acts and the fun I have had.

Act of Kindness Roll-Call:

• 1-14 (note that 1-11 can be found in the links at the bottom of the post) – https://wendyandriggins.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/39-acts-of-kindness-12-13-and-14/
• 15 -25 (note 15-24 can be found in the links at the bottom of the post – https://wendyandriggins.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/good-deed-fail-25/
• 26-38 (note that 26-35 can be found in the links at the bottom of the post –  https://wendyandriggins.com/2013/03/18/39-acts-of-kindness-36-37-and-38/