DAY 11,12,13 AND 14

Wow time is going so fast---I didn't mean to not blog, I have been doing the 29 gifts loyally. Trying to keep track of the gifts is a challenge.
A few of the things I have been gifting...... Friday I spent an hour at the post office. I put together a birthday package for my best friend, and my mother. I sent a card to another friend who celebrated a year of sobriety, I also sent my book "get lucky" to a new friend who I know will appreciate the inspiration. Friday night I made sure to go to the "ECO-GREEN" competition that my girlfriend is in, but more importantly, I brought others to support her, and I took random pictures of her hugging people and enjoying the evening. Even though she did not "win" the competition, the pictures made her feel really good and showed how she was loved and appreciated, even when she didn't know she was getting her picture taken.
Saturday I was so tired, but I knew one of my friends 40th was coming up and there was gong to be a surprise party for her on Sunday, so I made her a gift of a few pictures of us in Vegas, and put them in a frame for her.
Then I made it to Orange county for dinner with one of my good friends. I knew he wanted pictures of us together and pix of the evening with his friends, so I took the pictures. He won 22,000 dollars at the horse races that day, so he was overly generous and took us all out to dinner. I realized that some of his other friends took advantage of his "gift" and spent his money like crazy at dinner. I also knew this upset him and ruined his night. So I took video of us knowing that I would turn it into a little movie for him. I knew this would lighten up the incident, and put a smile on his face.
Sunday I went to a charity event for kids who wont have toys this christmas, and I purchased a "Mr. Potato Head" toy for some child who I hope will love it this christmas. I spent a few hours editing the video I made for my friend who bought the dinner for everyone, and turned it into a video for him that I knew would make him laugh.
Here is the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpnrGyqRaZs

(I seem to be putting so much energy into making videos, this makes me more excited to do my website trysomethingnew.us come the new year.)

anyway, he called me in tears on sunday and told me I was the most precious gift in his life and thanked me over an over......the video made him feel special and he also had a GREAT laugh. That was incredibly rewarding.

Monday I cancelled my HBO and my home phone line, so I could have a little extra money to give to something I believed in. I went to the charity "Women for Women" and decided to commit to 27 dollars a month to help a woman from a poor country get a new start. I knew that this foundation will put me in touch with her and we can be pen pals, this way I get to hear how my money is changing her life. I am excited to have a new relationship with another woman from across the world, who is struggling worse than me, and we can become friends.

Now I am on day 15. I decided that since my new lovely gay neighbors just moved in, I would introduce them to my other gay neighbor and I would instigate a cute little fun gay gathering this evening. I think it is important that we get to know the people who live around us, so often in big cities no one speaks to their neighbors, (or in my case gay-bors) but I want to make sure we do speak and form relationships here with everyone around us.
My gift today is the gift of extending effort towards creating community. Bringing people together.

Looking back on the past 4 days, I feel fulfilled, and that although I am broke and un-employed, my attention is not on self-pity, but rather what can I give. That is a gift to me.