[Click here to see this week's Bliss Initiatives!]
So, you all know that this game I am playing is based on Ben Franklin's account of his playing of his own virtue game as outlined in his Autobiography. What may not be quite as clear is my obsession with Ben Franklin. I have moved a lot in the past 20 years or so and as such have given away and purged a lot of stuff so periodically I have had the fear that I may have given away my copy of Ben Franklin's Autobiography. Turns out this is likely NOT the case as I have found two copies in this house already and "all my books" are still in storage... likely netting me at least one more copy!
Anyway, in keeping with my promise, for this week of ORDER, to give something away each day, on Sunday I will be giving away a copy of Ben Franklin's Autobiography. The way to enter, leave a comment on this post in the blog, and you will be automatically entered in my little drawing. In addition to the Autobiography a little whimsical surprise will also be included. I will choose a winner this Sunday (October 4, 2009) ENTER NOW by leaving your comment!
Next Post: Orderly Observations
My 13 bliss virtues: joy, order, creativity, passion, whimsy, serenity, inquiry, community, romance, gratitude, moxie, humility, surprise
Ooh, ooh! Me! Me! :D) I LOVE that order is this week - we're in the final stages of prepping for baby which means not just having a crib full of stuff that needs to be washed or put away.. :D)
ReplyDeleteConfession: we moved here seven years ago, and until this month there were still so many unpacked boxes in the garage I couldn't get my car inside. It's a two car garage.
ReplyDeleteI finally cleaned out my garage after reading an article in Oprah (yes, Oprah. I read it while I sit in the waiting room when we see my daughter's doctor every week). The article wasn't so much a revelation as permission to let go. In trying to practice gratitude and accepting that I will have what I need when I need it, I was able to let go of a lot of things. I hired my regular housekeeper to help me get rid of things; she kept so much that she didn't charge me for cleaning that week. A friend of hers was VERY pregnant and she and her husband were both newly jobless. They were happy to have all the baby stuff I thought I'd "need" someday.
My daughter caught on quickly, too. She took pictures of all her stuffed animals. Hundreds, I swear. She made a digital photo memory book and donated all but a few that fit on her bed.
Now we park in the garage.
Here's the article: http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200904-omag-beck
It applies "just in case" business models versus "just in time" business models to everyday life.
I think even Ben Franklin would have liked the concept!
Thank you both for playing my little game!!
ReplyDeleteJessica thanks for sharing that Oprah article. I really like Martha Beck and that article is great for this weeks discussion. I think I'll provide the link in an upcoming post... and by the way have you picked a virtue you would like to be a guest blogger on?
I'd be honored to add my 2cents to one of the topics. Let me put my brain to work on it overnight!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity to participate, in a small way, in your initiative. Sign me up to WIN!
ReplyDeleteI read Jessica's comment with interest. We had a closet full of unopened boxes for years, probably 7, until we finally got bookshelves. We could, then, unpack our books and see them again. Of course, we gave many away.
Now I have to figure out where I was and catch up with my Bliss reading. Bliss is such a nice word.