19
MISSION: Dream On
I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Looks like I could have used Affiliated Agent M’s act of kindness!
DATE:
Tuesday, 26 May 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent M
LOCATION:
ladies’ restroom
Rocky Hill, CT
TIME:
not specified
Hi Laura,
Attached are some pictures from a mission I completed on 4/26/11 in Rocky Hill, CT. A couple of the shots are blurry, but hopefully you get the idea.
I am so blessed for everything I have in my life, and have chosen to adopt a “dreams do come true” attitude about how things work out. I am not monetarily wealthy, I will not unravel the theory of relativity any time soon, and I will never grace the cover of the SI Swimsuit edition. BUT…I have an amazing husband who loves me unconditionally, a beautiful daughter who is healthy and makes me proud every day, a home that may not always be clean but is full of love and laughter and friends that are there whenever I need them. So in actuality I am extremely “rich”, smart enough to know what matters and believe that I am beautiful inside and it shows to the people who mean the most to me.
That being said, I decided to keep the “dream” idea as part of this mission theme. I have followed many Native American traditions in my personal life and have always loved dream-catchers, so I thought I would share one with someone who may not be so familiar with them.
My husband and I were going to see a friend of ours perform in a play at a theater we had never been to. I thought it would be perfect because it would be out of my normal mission area and I could leave it in the restaurant before the show. We chose a very small restaurant near the theater and it wasn’t very busy, so I did not know how I could keep it “secret” but I was going to try.
After we ate, it was apparent that if I left it at the table, pictures were not going to be possible. The bathroom was only for one person, so I opted to leave it there because I could take pictures and not get caught.
I went in and placed it carefully among the cleaning items and shot a couple pics before leaving. When we paid our bill, I secretly hoped the girl working there would find it because even though the restaurant was not busy, the takeout phone did not stop the whole time we were there and yet she was still a great server. Either way, I know the right person found it because that is how this whole process works!
Thank you again for being a daily inspiration to me and so many others, I know I am even more blessed because of the Secret Agent L project.
Peace & Love,
Affiliated Agent M
12
GIVEAWAY! Girl Scouts: Courage, Confidence, and Character
Do you know a young lady in grade 6-12 who wants to change the world?
Do you know a young lady in grade 6-12 who wants to gain confidence?
Do you know a young lady in grade 6-12 who wants to be a leader of tomorrow?
Then you must know a Girl Scout.
I’ve been asked by the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania to be the keynote speaker for their upcoming national conference It’s Your Future–Dream It!, which will be held next Saturday, May 21, 2011 at Robert Morris University from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. And I am So! Totally! Excited! Know why?
I was a Girl Scout.
And. I. Loved. It. I can’t wait to share my story with these incredible young women and invite them to become a part of an international movement of kindness.
When Kylie Dunmore, the Program Event Specialist for the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania, asked if I’d like to do a conference registration giveaway on my site, of course I said YES!
So. Here’s how it’ll work:
1. I’ll be giving away 2 conference registrations (valued at $25 each) to the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania’s conference, It’s Your Future–Dream It! . Winners will be chosen using a random number generator.
2. The contest is open to any young lady in grades 6-12 in the Western Pennsylvania region. You {or your nominee} do not have to be a Girl Scout, but will be given the opportunity to become one if they attend the conference.
3. To enter, nominate a young lady who you believe demonstrates the organization’s commitment to courage, confidence, and character. Or, if you follow the SAL Project and you’re in grades 6-12, you can nominate yourself! Tell your friends, tell your family, spread the word. Put it on your Facebook page, put it on your Twitter! Write about it on your blog! Share this exciting opportunity with the amazing young women in your life!
4. In the comments section, tell us why you or your nominee demonstrates the organization’s commitment to courage, confidence, and character. Tell us why you or your nominee loves being or wants to be a Girl Scout!
5. Only one entry per young lady, please.
6. Deadline to enter: Sunday, May 15, 2011, at 11:59 p.m.
7. The two winners will be announced (and contacted) on Monday, May 16, 2011.
That’s it! Have fun and good luck!
10
MISSION: Lucky Number 7
Affiliated Agent L of Gunnison, Colorado {who, by the way, has changed her name to Affiliated Agent 7}, doesn’t disappoint. Perhaps you remember her previous mission? All 17 photos?
She’s done it again, folks.
DATE:
March through May 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent 7 {previously Affiliated Agent L}
LOCATION:
various
Gunnison, CO
TIME:
various
Dear Secret Agent L,
I’ve been holding on to this mission for a couple months now. Due to bad weather, bad timing and a bit of bad attitude, I’ve been making excuses that kept me from finishing it up. Your sad post on Facebook (about how many web hits you were getting) this morning inspired me to get this mission completed and finishing my final drop. Last time I did 7 missions and sent 17 photos. So I did the same this time (I was short one photo so I threw in one of my Chihuahua Homey, I knew you wouldn’t mind). This inspired me to also change my name to Secret Affiliated Agent 7 (for my next mission) because I don’t want to confuse people into thinking I am you. An upside down L… I’m so clever!
I started this one early March, just as it was starting to warm up. My husband is still singing “Secret Agent L… but it’s not yooo-uu though”, so I finally told him I am not SAL but I am Secret Agent Affiliated L. He still teases me every time I ask to use the camera though. He thinks he is so clever! So I thought Sunflowers would be a wonderful gift for people to receive for this mission since Spring is here. My last mission was all about walking around and doing random drops around town. And when you commented on wanting to visit Gunnison, it inspired me to drop my gifts on some of our lovely public art pieces and on a couple of our many scenic spots. This mission for me was about finding fun places and getting some good photos. I love Gunnison!
Coming up with the words for the letter is so fun! The attitudes and messages in my letters are inspired by Notes from the Universe. (Visit their site to see what I mean.) I also love using all my son’s colorful crayons. All my drops were going to be outside so I covered my gifts in snack bags. I knew this hole punch would come in handy some day! Of course I had to include some Louise Hay cards. We love Louise!
I knew I wanted to hang them on things so I used a little yarn.
First drop: Legion Park on a Deer’s Tail.
Second drop: A Little Girl’s watering can at Bill’s Park. This one fell off due to wind and when I went to retrieve it an old man saw me and said “Is that a note for me?” I said, “It’s a random act of kindness. Would you like to have it?” He replied, “No thanks, I already got one.” Not sure if that meant he found one from my last mission or it was just one of those things old men say. I’m guessing the latter.
Third drop: Tomichi River Way park at The Gunnison River.
Fourth drop: The alley entrance at the Gunnison Brewery. Wish I would have gotten a better shot of the mural. I love it!
Fifth drop: A Kitten’s Paw at the Family Services Center.
Sixth drop: The trail out by W mountain.
Seventh drop: A Horse’s Ear by the Gunnison Art’s Center. This is the one that was holding me up because there is usually so much traffic here! I really wanted this to be a drop because I love this horse! I made this final drop on May 2nd so it took me two months to complete this mission.
We love you Secret Agent L… thank you for all your efforts toward making this world a kinder place. Keep it up!
Thank YOU, Affiliated Agent 7!! Your extreme acts of kindness give me hope! {Oh, and the photo of Homey? Yeah, I’ll be over in ten minutes for some serious cuddling. HOLY BANANAS IS THAT ONE CUTE PUPPY.}
9
MISSION: {New} Mother’s Day
With Mother’s Day being yesterday, Affiliated Agent B {and her accomplice, Affiliated Agent A} thought this weekend a perfect time to celebrate new moms. I couldn’t agree more.
DATE:
Thursday, 5 May 2011
OPERATIVES:
Affiliated Agent B
Affiliated Agent A
LOCATION:
local maternity ward
Shoreline/Edmonds, WA
TIME:
approximately 8 p.m.
This mission just happened to fall into place. I had actually made these 3 gifts a little while back and just had not “placed” them yet — and so…..
The first one is a little photobook, journal and pencil all wrapped with a ribbon which could be for anyone – male, female, young, old….. — I went to the local nursery any placed it in a box of dahlia tubers for some gardener to find and take home…
The other two were gifts of body lotion and bubble bath — in little clear bags with the notes and SAL cards attached.
I hadn’t really any idea what to do with them until my friend (Affiliated Agent Amy) suggested that in honor of Mother’s Day, how about the local maternity ward??? Great idea Amy! With a little doctoring of the outside and attaching stickers that said “Happy Mother’s Day” we set out for the local hospital.
When we reached the birthing center we offered up what our intentions were and the charge nurse was more than helpful — she took us to the one vacant birthing room and let us “prop” them for pictures (we had one on the bed and one in the isolette). Obviously we couldn’t leave them in that actual room, but once we explained the entire SAL project, she assured us she would place them for a couple new moms this weekend —
Happy Mom’s Day to all you mothers out there (and all those who fill in as moms!!)!
Affiliated Agents B and A, THANK YOU! I’m sure your acts of kindness will really touch the new moms who received them. Thank you for thinking outside the box! {And a BIG thank you to the nurse in charge who offered to act as an accomplice! YAY!}
6
MISSION: Honoring Oncology Nurses
I go to the Hillman Cancer Center here in Pittsburgh. No, I don’t have cancer, but I’m considered high-risk thanks to an annoying little thing that showed up in my left breast a few years ago. Basically, I have an oncologist who watches me like a hawk. And her oncology nurses? AWE.SOME. I have a deep love for the doctors and nurses and staff members at Hillman Cancer Center.
I loved Affiliated Agent D’s mission, because it helped remind me how blessed I am to live in a city with some of the most outstanding medical centers in the nation.
DATE:
between 28 April and 30 April, 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent D
LOCATION:
Boston, Massachusettes
TIME:
not specified
I just completed my first mission. Attached are the pictures from the preparations. I work with amazing oncology nurses and their annual conference was this past week. The 6 cards were developed to recognize (anonymously) nurses for the wonderful work they do for patients with cancer. Two cards were slipped into the conference registration bags, two were left in the bathroom, one was slipped in a box of meeting materials, and the last one was “reverse pick-pocketed” into someone’s bag while she wasn’t looking. That last one was very exciting. Inside the handmade card was a Energy Drink powder for bottled water as well as a Passion tea bag. Oncology nurses need energy and passion for the special work they do.
5
MISSION: Operation Beautiful and Secret Agent L, Affiliated Agent Style.
Um, you guys?
THIS mission is AWE.SOME.
Are you familiar with the incredible project called Operation Beautiful? If not, definitely check it out. It’s all about helping women focus on ending negative self-talk or “fat talk,” and I love it. Affiliated Agent Mommy G knocked this one out of the park by combining Operation Beautiful and the Secret Agent L Project into a tremendous mission of kindness and love.
Enjoy. And never forget the power of words.
DATE:
Thursday, 28 April 2011
{International Pay It Forward Day!}
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent Mommy G
LOCATION:
Half Price Books
Countryside, IL
TIME:
11:30 a.m.
Before I even left my house to perform my Mission, I treated myself to one of my Dove Dark Chocolate Promises and the wrapper read: Feed your sense of anticipation. Love, Dove The timing just made me smile – I knew it was the right timing for sure! My card was picked and written, the envelope made up and the SAL Card placed with Love on the back of the envelope.
It wasn’t until after I did the drop and was headed home that I realized I didn’t take any pictures of what went into the bag! So I’ll tell you! One of my favorite things to take part in is another mission called Operation Beautiful – you leave random post-it notes with positive and uplifting words for other people to find. So, my first (and next 5!) SAL gifts include a brand new pad of post-it notes, a brand new pen (so you can start right then and there!) and two pieces of paper – one describing Secret Agent L (yeah, I copied it all right off of the SAL page! LOL) and one describing Operation Beautiful (again, copied it all right off of Caitlin’s page!).
The place where I did my first drop sort of picked me. I’d been to Half Price Books about a month ago and had put up two Operation Beautiful Tear-Tag Signs on the back of the women’s bathroom door. Well, when I went in at the end of last week I was surprised to see that all of the tags were gone, but the main signs remained! It touched me so much that the employees and all the different customers would leave them up! It was in that moment that I knew I would leave my first SAL Gift here.
So today, after I picked up my youngest from school, we headed over to the book store, wandered around a little while (didn’t want to be too obvious!) and then headed for the bathroom. I added two more Operation Beautiful Tear-Tag Signs and hung the Secret Agent L Gift on the coat hook.
I truly hope whomever chose to accept the gift felt the Love I had in leaving it for them. Post-It notes and a pen may not be much, but combined with the right words – they can help change a day, a week or a life!
4
MISSION: Books Around the World
If only you could meet Affiliated Agent C from Munich. Seriously. This woman? Incredible.
I’m lucky–I’ve met her. She emailed me several months ago to say that she’d be coming to the States on business, and she wanted to “stop by Pittsburgh” to meet me.
I know, right?!
We coordinated a time and place, and wouldn’t you know it, the darling woman brought me presents from London because she knows I used to live there.
We had a wonderful chat over tea here in Pittsburgh, but little did I know that she was on the last leg of a four-city, two-continent mission of kindness.
I did say she’s incredible.
PART ONE: Olga Kaminer’s Christmas in Russian (a compilation of classic Russian Christmas stories)
DATE:
23 December, 2010
LOCATION:
airport waiting area
Munich, Germany
I left Munich on December 23rd to spend Christmas at my sister’s place in Northern Germany. At home I wrote the “This gift is for you” letter to go with the present. I always explain in this letter what the “Secret Agent L” project is about and ask people just to pass on the gift if they do not like it.
At the airport I got the wrapped (FAIL!) book security scanned and finally dropped it in the waiting area. I decided to stay close, because this was an airport and the gift an unattended item. So if somebody would run away from it screaming for the bomb squad I could stop it.
In fact people looked at it, but then decided to ignore it and went away. I watched a kid who wanted to pick it up so badly and explained the mother what was written on it (“This is for YOU whoever you are”), but she did not let him. I sat there for an hour and then I had to leave for my flight. I think the book ended up in the hands of the people cleaning up the airport, which is totally fine. They do not get enough attention and appreciation anyway.
PART TWO: Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights
DATE:
1 February 2011
LOCATION:
Stansted Express {the train from Stansted Airport to London, Liverpool Street}
London, England
After the experience in Munich I decided to not wrap the book anymore and just drop it together with the little letter about the SAL project in an envelope stating the “This is for you whoever you are” message. Doing it that way the person finding it could immediately see it is just a book and nothing dangerous.
For London I chose a famous classic of the British literature and I dropped it in the Stansted Express – the train from Stansted Airport to London, Liverpool Street. I use this train very often when I visit my company’s office near the London Walls.
PART THREE: Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
DATE:
22 February 2011
LOCATION:
the A Train
New York City Metro
New York, NY
I was so super excited about my East coast vacation that I wanted something about an adventure for the New York leg of the trip – and what could be better than the Mark Twain classic?
I dropped the book in the A train of the New York Metro on my way back from Washington Heights to Midtown in the evening of February 22nd.
PART FOUR: Nick Hornby’s Juliet, Naked
DATE:
25 February 2011
LOCATION:
bus
Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh, where the SAL project started, is the final city on my book mission tour. Pittsburgh means a lot to me and so I chose a book that means for several reasons a lot to me as well. It also fits because – in the very end it is a love story between a girl from Europe and a guy who lives in Pennsylvania.
What makes this part of the mission very special is that I dropped in a Pittsburgh bus on my way to a personal meeting with Secret Agent L.
Dear Secret Agent L – thank you for starting SAL, thank you for this fantastic evening in Pittsburgh, thank you for the ride back to the hotel. Can’t wait to see you again on my or your side of the planet.
Affiliated Agent C, I love you! THANK YOU for this amazing mission of kindness and for such a wonderful and thoughtful evening in Pittsburgh. I am SO glad we got to meet, and I can’t wait to come to Munich to see you again!
3
MISSION: Bruno’s Bus Transit Mission
Affiliated Agent Bruno just might be getting a promotion to Senior Affiliated Agent soon. This guy’s got some great missions. So creative and thoughtful. I feel blessed to have him as part of the Secret Agent L team.
His latest mission? Well, it has his name written all over it.
DATE:
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent Bruno
LOCATION:
Bus Stop at 30th and Lincoln in North Park
San Diego, CA
TIME:
2:30 p.m.
Made a quick card using MS Publisher finding some cool, colorful pictures of a bus while on lunch at work.
Had some leftover bus tokens laying about and taped them to the inside of the card with an appropriate message.
I left this one at a colorful bus stop near an electric box in the neighborhood near where I work, just before the end day rush for students and people working in the neighborhood. Two bus tokens are basically good for 2 fares in the city, which should get most anyone to wherever they are going on their way home this afternoon.
This one felt really good to do and only took a few minutes to throw together.
With Love,
Affiliated Agent Bruno
2
MISSION: Hope and Happiness for a High School
I remember high school. And I can tell you this: I wouldn’t ever want to go back. I got made fun of, talked about, ignored even. It was rough. Sure, I had some really great friends, but they got made fun of, too. High school is just plain hard. So when Affiliated Agent A decided to try to make it easier for a few people through her missions of kindness, I knew we had a good one on our hands.
Hopefully, her acts of kindness inspired her classmates to choose kindness towards one another while walking the halls of their high school.
DATE:
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent A
LOCATION:
Easton High School
Easton, Maryland
TIME:
approximately 7:45 a.m.
Lately, I have realized so many people in my school have been in a funk. So last night I decided to do to make 3 cards as my little act of kindness. The first one started on a bad note, my markers seemed to be dry and my creativity just wasn’t where it usually is, but by the last card I felt proud of myself. In the first card, it had a free Rita’s coupon and some words of encouragement. The second had a lolly pop on the front and the third was a collage, so I felt like it didn’t need anything else with it.
In a school with over one thousand students, I had to do it during homeroom so I would not get caught. I can defiantly say it was an adrenaline rush to take out my phone to take the pictures, because of the high risk of getting caught and possibly get it taken away. I got through the first two easily and without seeing anyone. However after I set down the last one in the stairwell, I heard hard footsteps and I was caught by a teacher. Although that didn’t get in my way, I still wish my mission had gone flawlessly.
Throughout the school day, I briefly glanced at each spot to see if they had been picked up and they had, which was an amazing feeling. I even heard a group of people talking about it in the hallway! Nonetheless, I hope that whoever received the cards liked them because my school can get pretty tough sometimes.
1
MISSION: A Little Kindness from Chicago
This Affiliated Agent’s story?
I fell in love with it. You will, too. And her note at the very end of the mission? I could just squeeze her.
DATE:
Thursday, 24 March 2011
OPERATIVE:
Affiliated Agent M
LOCATION:
elevator
Chicago, Illinois
TIME:
not specified
Hi Secret Agent L,
First of all let me start by saying, How much you have changed my life! Thanks. My first reaction was, Well…Why didn’t I think of this.
I always wanted to be a Secret Agent or police of some kind, solving a mystery! Now I am a part of creating mystery of kindness.
So here I was sitting @ office desk and thinking when should I start? And decided I should start on my wedding day, which was 2 days away.
So decided to make my special day special for another nice person.
On my wedding day, I brought a box of chocolate and wrote a small note and with the help of dear husband left it on a car in parking lot (metra) on the way back home from work. As the husband guarded me from anyone looking, I placed it and ran.
Was this close to being caught by fellow passengers as I was too obviously nervous. Second mission over a weekend dinner and made husband place a pack of gum. Didn’t get caught so far but being nervous I couldn’t take a good picture of the first two.
So third one today, placed a small letter and gift card for Starbucks in a elevator. Hoping and praying I should be alone in the elevator and it was a smooth ride.
Thanks a lot!
Note: I am not good when it comes to express my feelings in writing. I am pretty sure the above writing is only a small percentage of what I am feeling!
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