14
MISSION: The Future Is Mine
Can I just brag about Pittsburgh for a minute?
I can?
Great.
Pittsburgh. Is. Awesome.
And so are our kids.
One of the Secret Agent L Project’s Affiliated Agents (Affiliated Agent LA) works with students in one of our local school districts. She’s a force, let me tell you. She cares about our kids so much, and she’s determined to make a difference in their lives so that they can go and make a difference in the lives of others.
Affiliated Agent LA works with a project called The Future is Mine. The Future Is Mine (TFIM) is the Consortium for Public Education’s initiative that reaches into high schools, middle schools and elementary schools to connect students to authentic career awareness experiences. The Consortium is a unique third-party convener, broker and catalyst dedicated to making a difference in the lives of all children and their communities.
Recently, Affiliated Agent LA had her students participate in an impromptu Secret Agent L mission. Here’s what she had to say:
I think that teaching the students to find their passion definitely involves them seeing themselves as a part of a community and seeking connections with others.
At a recent The Future is Mine Meeting, my students met up with their peers from Clairton HS to plan the workshop. I had them do an impromptu SAL at Dave & Buster’s in the Waterfront with some Play Doh and card-making materials. The kids were really excited to get involved and even used their winning tickets from their game play to purchase items that they planned to use in a future SAL mission! Our lunch date meeting took place on March 10th.
I am so proud of these students and thrilled that Affiliated Agent LA has begun to incorporate the importance of giving, community, and kindness into the TFIM experience.
These amazing kids?
They will change our world. For the better.
13
MISSION: Who’s NOT Ready for Spring?!
You guys.
Seriously.
This weather?
I. Can’t. Take. It. Anymore.
Pittsburgh isn’t exactly known for beautiful weather. In fact, we only get about 65 sunny days per year here. It rains a lot. It’s cloudy a lot. And it has been known to snow in May. {Oh, yes. It has.}
Luckily, where we lack in good weather, we make up for in the kindness of our people. Affiliated Agent MA10? She brings the sunshine.
DATE:
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent MA10
LOCATION:
LA Fitness
Pleasant Hills neighborhood
Pittsburgh, PA
TIME:
mid-afternoon
Like most Secret Agents, Secret Agent MA10 knew she wanted to complete a mission, but what to do? She decided to start by selecting a card. On March 29th, she spotted this card and it just called to her:
How to build from this? As she thought about it, she realized that the gym would be the perfect spot for this mission. No matter who you are at the gym, you are awesome–either you work there and are helping others or keeping the gym clean or your are trying to keep your body looking great or you are trying to maintain your health. It is all good. It is all awesome!
As she was shopping, she came across the soap rose petals in one of her favorite colors, the matching eye mask and the Kwik Kloth. The Kwik Kloths are so cool. They are tablets that when wet turn into a towel. Just perfect for a gym bag or purse. Then she spotted this foamy plague in complementing colors with a perfect message!
She then gathered up the items and wrote out the card:
Just as it was beginning to snow in mid-afternoon of March 30th, Secret Agent MA10 headed to the Pleasant Hill’s LA Fitness:
The gym is quiet at that time so it was not difficult to slip into the ladies locker room. Set the bag and card on the counter, took a picture, walked out smiling! Mission Accomplished!
12
MISSION: Farmer’s Market Mission
I’m not gonna lie: I love it when the guys get involved in the Secret Agent L Project. It just confirms that both women AND men can (and should!) extend kindness throughout their days. Many thanks to Affiliated Agent Bruno for stepping up and joining the ranks!
DATE:
Sunday, 3 April 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent Bruno
LOCATION:
Henry’s Farmers Market
San Diego, California
TIME:
7:00 p.m.
So, I am sure that I will have many more creative endeavors in the future, but this one was just my first… and I have to say it felt GREAT!
Prepared for this first mission by cleaning out an old stationery drawer in my bookshelf, where I found some rub on transfers and blank cards, along with some affirmation cards I had picked up from the Self Realization Institute in Encenitas. The cards have sayings written by Paramahansa Yogananda and the one I chose was a quote about Cheerfulness. I filled out the card and inserted a $5 gift card from Lestat’s Cafe in nearby Normal Heights. Wrapped it all up and kept it with me all day until I found a good place to drop it off.
While out doing some grocery shopping at a local and very crowded market with long lines and a full parking lot, I decided to place it simply against a light post right in the parking lot to brighten the end of someone’s shopping day and weekend.
Affiliated Agent Bruno just emailed me another mission, so keep an eye out–I’ll be posting it soon! Thanks, Affiliated Agent Bruno! SO glad to have you aboard!
11
MISSION: You Are Unrepeatable
Last week I had three speaking engagements in approximately 24 hours. I was one busy secret agent! I had the opportunity to speak to middle school and high school students, members of the Western PA Multiple Sclerosis Society, and members of AARP. It was delightful!
One of the things I stressed in my talks was that each person in the room is unrepeatable. Yes, unrepeatable. What a powerful concept! So when I opened up my inbox and saw Affiliated Agent J’s mission, I knew it was perfect for today.
DATE:
Thursday, 16 March 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent J
LOCATION:
bus stop
University Heights
San Diego, California
TIME:
6:00 p.m.
Laura! First mission DOWN! WOO HOOO!!
I completed this mission in University Heights, in San Diego, CA. I bought the Starbucks card awhile ago to use for a mission, but I hadn’t taken the time to prepare for one. I figured I’d know when I “needed” to do the mission. The week I did it, I was feeling more stressed than usual, and I thought about all of the people who don’t have the support system I have. BINGO! I decided it was time to cheer up someone else. I pulled this card out of my card file, because its positive quote was perfect for my mission.
I was driving down a busy street on March 16th at around 6:00 p.m. to pick up a friend and saw this bench at a small bus stop with no one sitting on it. Perfect. I took a few snapshots and took off. Loved it. I’ll be back!
Thanks so much, Affiliated Agent J, for reminding us that we are each unrepeatable!
5
MISSION: Eight is Enough–or not!
I receive many emails from individuals who live in and around Los Angeles, and they consistently say that the city is in desperate need of kindness. Affiliated Agent Y decided to take it upon herself to do eight acts of kindness–she knows how much the city needs them!
DATE:
Thursday, 17 March 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent Y
LOCATION:
various
Los Angeles, CA
TIME:
throughout the day
Today was the day.
I placed 8 different “treats” in areas around Los Angeles with your biz card & the following poem:
HAPPY ST. PATTY’S DAY!
I wish you the following:
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
NOW, PAY IT FORWARD…PUT A SMILE ON SOMEONE ELSE’S FACE TODAY!
I hope each of these made the person who found them happy.
Attached are photos.
Thanks for the idea!
4
And the Winner Is…
After HOURS of counting votes (hundreds of them, mind you!), we finally have a winning couple for Veronica Varos’ Wedding Photography Package Giveaway! Woo hoo! We received a total of 804 valid combined votes between the blog posts and the Facebook discussion page. That’s a lot of votes! We had a few duplicate votes, unfortunately, but after sorting out everything, we have our winning couple!
Without further ado, may I please have a drum roll?
{::drum roll::}
The winning couple is….
Jes and Bryan of Team Awesomesauce!
Congratulations, Jes and Bryan! I’ll have Veronica get in contact with you to work out the specifics.
And thank you to ALL of the couples who were finalists, as well as all of those who were nominated. May love and kindness and joy fill all the days of your lives, and may your wedding days make for beautiful memories! YAY FOR LOVE!
3
MISSION: Lucky Five
If I stumbled across an envelope with money in it, I’d feel like I hit the jackpot! {End of the rainbow or not!}
DATE:
Thursday, 17 March 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent K
LOCATION:
Savor the Moment Coffee Shop
West Park neighborhood
Cleveland, OH
TIME:
2:00 p.m.
I live in the West Park neighborhood of Cleveland – an area very rich in Irish heritage. Being a European mutt (as I lovingly refer to myself) of no Irish ancestry whatsoever, I sometimes feel a little left out on St. Paddy’s Day. I wonder if my neighbors think less of me because I don’t have an Irish flag hanging on my house. I have, however, been a lifelong fan of all things Irish, and have been dubbed “honorarily Irish” by several friends of true Irish descent. So I thought, What better day to launch my first Secret Agent Mission than on St. Patrick’s Day itself?
I went simple. I bought a card, wrote a little note inside, and enclosed a five dollar bill. Who couldn’t use a little extra cash?
Not wanting to risk my sanity by dragging my daughter downtown with me to the parade, we planned for a trip to the zoo instead. I figured I could easily leave my card on a bench somewhere. As it turned out, however, we were joined by two friends and their little ones, leaving no private time for the anonymous gift drop. The mission would have to wait until later. I figured we could just stop at a store on our way home from the zoo and leave it on a shelf.
Plan B was foiled when my 2 1/2 year old daughter fell fast asleep about 5 minutes after leaving the zoo. There was no chance I was waking her up to take her into a store with me, thus risking a no-nap afternoon. I drove through my neighborhood, trying to scope out a street bench to leave my card. No way – too many revelers in green out on bar patios and congregating on the sidewalks. I finally decided on a stealth drop-off at my favorite coffee shop – Savor the Moment. They have a bench out front, not in particularly clear view of the shop counter. And it was 2:00 in the afternoon – not a prime time for customers. So I parked about 5 feet from the bench, ran out, tied the card onto the wrought-iron armrest of the bench, snapped my picture, jumped back in the car and drove off. Upon driving past the shop a couple hours later, I happily noticed the card was gone.
Happy St. Paddy’s Day to all!
2
MISSION: First Time is the Lucky Charm!
I know you’ll understand when I say that I *still* have St. Patrick’s Day missions in my inbox! I think we should celebrate luck and kindness no matter what month it is, right?
DATE:
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent D
LOCATION:
parking lots
Western New York Breast Health and
University of Buffalo Neurological Center
TIME:
not specified
Ok I did it & had fun! Hope I’m attaching these right! I wanted to do something Irish since St Patrick’s Day’s coming up and I have Irish ancestors.
I found great St Patrick’s Day card, some pencils with shamrocks, chocolates wrapped like gold coins (like you’d find at the end of a rainbow), Andes mints. Decorated green bags with shamrock stickers and then I was ready to go.
My next dilemma was trying to decide where to leave the bags. After much deliberation thought I had the perfect solution. Had a doctor’s appt @ Dent Neurology on Tues 3/15 so thought I’d leave one there parking lot. Then I thought WNY has several cancer institutes…what about one of them. Surely they could use a day brightener.. I googled and there was WNY Breast Health just down the road from where I was going….seemed like the perfect plan. Hopefully my bags would brighten someone’s day after they’d had testing done or dr’s appt.
Arrived really early for appt as planned. Waited for some cars to pass. Put bag on car window & took picture. Took picture of the front bldg, but it didn’t come out
.
After my appt, drove up & down the street but couldn’t find the WNY Breast Health bldg. Feared I was going to be really late for work so ended up going back into Dent parking lot to rear of bldg where UB Neurological (University of Buffalo) is located. They do MRI’s, Rehab and all kinds of testing….again waited for people & cars to pass and put 2nd bag on car window & took pic. Also able to get pic of back of bldg.
The poem on the card in green says:
Just a bit of Ireland
That I’m bringing you today
To bring you luck and happiness
It’s a wee and tiny present
Full of good luck and good wishes
This Random Act of Kindness
Was brought to you by
Affiliated Agent D
of Secret Agent L
Thank you for allowing me to be part of this……really enjoyed it!!!
Already starting on my next bag.. have smiley stickers ..thinking of locations ….
Happy St Patrick’s Day!!
Agent D in Buffalo
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