14
REPOST: MISSION: Secret Agent L Spreads Words of Love
It’s Valentine’s Day. Don’t be dismayed, my dear friends. It’s not about romantic love.
It’s about love, period. All kinds.
Check out the Valentine’s Day Mission I completed last year.
And remember:
23
Operation Move SAL
I’ve mentioned before that I don’t like to use the SAL website for too much personal stuff, but sometimes I feel it warrants use for that purpose.
Plus, um, this is my project and can do whatever I want. ::stomps foot playfully:: 
At the end of last week, I mentioned on the SAL Project Facebook page that I was embarking on a new chapter in my personal life and that if anyone else out there was going through transition and change like I am, that I was pullin’ for ‘em! Some of you left very kind responses, and I thank you for that.
I can now announce that the new chapter I’m embarking upon is that I’m moving. Don’t worry–not from Pittsburgh! {I could never! At least not without kicking and screaming the entire way!} I had some things I had to sort out before I was able to announce it, which is why I’m waiting until today to share this news with you.
The reason this is such a monumental thing for me is that I don’t do well with change. Like, at all. Growing up in a home with a family member who struggled with a form of schizophrenia, there was always chaos, disorder, instability, and, well, trauma. So, as an adult, I find that I don’t do well with those things in any capacity. Especially when it involves home life. Naturally, moving consists of all manner of chaos, disorder, transition, etc.
I’m moving for personal reasons, mostly financial. I’m also going to be living with a roommate. I have lived alone in my current apartment in a beautiful tree-lined neighborhood, complete with Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Walgreens within walking distance, for over 6 years. My current apartment has been a haven for me, a tranquil place of healing and rest and joy. I survived 5+ years of graduate school in that apartment, realized I was deeply in love with @Ross_A_Tron while living in that apartment, befriended neighbors of various backgrounds in that apartment, and really came into my own skin in that apartment.
And leaving it is proving to be very, very painful.
With that being said, I have to admit that I need some help. If anyone in the Pittsburgh area feels like helping me move, I will not only love you forever, but I will also feed you pizza and beer. My little body is just not cut out for the physical demands of moving.
OPERATION MOVE SAL
Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012
9 a.m.-?
from the Shadyside neighborhood to the Garfield neighborhood
If you want to help, will you drop me an email through the Contact button, please? Then I can gather a list of everyone who’s available and email you all with details.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. And any prayers and good vibes you could impart on my behalf during this difficult (but kind of exciting and hopeful!) transition are most appreciated.
I love you guys.
16
MLK, Jr.: “You only need a heart full of grace.”
Happy Martin Luther King, Jr., Day!
I invite you today to serve one another
in love and kindness.
To give of yourself. Your time, your talents.
To extend your hearts and hands to every person you encounter.
To honor the dream of a man who was the epitome of goodness, kindness, and community.
To make our world a place where we all take care of one another, and, as a result, find that everyone is taken care of.
Go.
Love.
You only need a heart full of grace.
5
Let’s Help Kids. Now THAT’S Kindness.
{image: Melissa Ott Design}
I’m not gonna lie. Pittsburgh is filled with some of the kindest, coolest, most caring folks. My dear friend Anthony Walker, or “Chachi” as he’s affectionately known, is no exception. In fact, he’s one of the best ones.
{This is Chachi. C’mon. Look at that face. ADORABLE, right? So is his heart. photo: Rob de la Cretaz}
Last year, Chachi started Chachi Plays, a really fun way he raises money for area organizations that help kids.
Helping kids. Who doesn’t want to do that?
He raised a bunch of money for Make Room for Kids, which partners The Mario Lemieux Foundation with Pittsburgh celebrity blogger and do-gooder Virginia Montanez to raise money for Children’s Hospital.
This year, Chachi’s at it again. I’d love it if you’d help him out. Maybe that could be your Secret Agent L mission for the week. Got $5? Wanna help a kid? Here’s how you can (in Chachi’s words):
Hello there! Let me introduce myself. I am Anthony, or “Chachi Says.” You may or may not know who I am already. If you do, fantastic! If you don’t, not really surprising.
Study’s show I have about ten seconds to get your attention: Kids, video games, helping others. I think that pretty much covers everything!
So, I do a lot around the internet. I’m on Twitter: @ChachiSays or @ChachiPlays. I also blog and do a vidcast, but none of that is important. Right now what is important is Chachi Plays.
Chachi Plays is an event that I started last year with the help of some friends. The event is used to raise money to help a children’s organization in the Pittsburgh area. Last year I raised $3000, which was over our goal of $2400 to help with the Make Room for Kids efforts. The basis of the event is that for so much money raised I will play a set time of video games., with the limit being 24 hours straight. (Any more than that would just be crazy.)
Well, it was super popular and the demand came in to do it again… SO WE ARE! This year the money is being split between Toonseum and The Father Ryan Arts Center. Both are starting or already have an arts program for underprivileged children.
All it takes is a few clicks. Go to the Chachi Plays website and make a donation. Any amount is useful. Our goal this year is $3000. Also, if you donate $50 or more, you can come down to Toonseum and spend some time playing video games with me! You pick the game! You’ll probably win. Just saying. The first and last spots are being auctioned off, as they are the best. You can bid on playing a fresh me or loopy me! Your choice.
So, starting the first week of January, donations are being accepted. The rest of the details below:
Where: Toonseum! 945 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
When: Feb. 10th – 11th. 7 pm to 7pm
Beneficiaries: Toonseum and The Father Ryan Arts Center.
Thank you for your time and hopefully you can help us out! Come on! It’s for the kids!!!!
Thanks, everyone!
21
MISSION: Save this sweet dog’s life this holiday season!!
UPDATE: I just found out from a Facebook fan that TANKS HAS BEEN ADOPTED!!!! Thanks, everyone, for sharing this through social media!!!
Those eyes. I can’t look into them without feeling a huge weight in the pit of my stomach.
This is Tanks. She was dropped off recently at the Lee County Animal Shelter in Sanford, North Carolina. She risks being put down this weekend! She is spayed, microchipped, house broken, good with children, good with dogs, and she is 1 year old. The owner surrender her because they don’t have time for her. 
She needs a home and this is not a good day for her in the shelter. She’s been abandoned and she’s scared to death. There’s a lot of soul in those eyes! If you can even be a foster parent to this precious animal, even for just a short time, or if you can ADOPT her, PLEASE PLEASE contact Omayra Zagada, Lee County North Carolina Animal Control Officer II at (919) 776-7446.
Tanks shouldn’t have to die on Christmas Eve. PLEASE consider opening your heart and home to this sweet animal. If you can’t, then PLEASE forward this to EVERYONE you know. Put it on your Facebook page, Tweet about it, etc.
THANK YOU!!!!
16
Play it Forward
Today I will speaking at Propel Schools South Braddock High School for their first annual Challenge Day. The day will focus on ways to combat bullying in school and to educate students about the dangers of bullying. Students will be presented with information from community experts on sexual harassment, race issues, poverty info, and cyberbullying. In the afternoon the entire student body will participate in a discussion with guest panelists. I’ll be speaking about the SAL Project and the importance of intentional acts of kindness. I’m really excited!
But Propel Schools South Braddock High School will also be hosting another amazing event tomorrow, Saturday, December 17, 2011. If you’re in the Pittsburgh area and are currently struggling with ways to provide toys for your children this holiday season, you can stop by the school between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and “shop” for free. Please see the image below for more info. You can also visit their Facebook page.
Kindness in action. I love it.
23
Always Thankful. Always.
I just want to take a moment to tell you all how thankful I am for you.
Each.
One.
Of.
You.
You have brought so much into my life, in ways I will never be able to repay. Thank you.
Thank you for following the SAL Project.
Thank you for sharing your lives with me in this way.
Thank you for inspiring me.
Thank you for opening up to me in such candid and personal ways.
Thank you for choosing peace, for choosing love, and for choosing to give of yourself, even when it’s hard.
Thank you for your comments on my posts.
Thank you for your Facebook love.
Thank you for teaching me.
Thank you for rooting for me while I battle depression.
Thank you–oh, thank you!–for being kind.
Happy Thanksgiving, my dear friends. I love each and every one of you.
{Now, tell me. What are YOU thankful for?}
6
Be Kind To Pitbulls. Pittsburgh-style.
Things I love:
People.
Kindness.
Mental health awareness.
Cool t-shirts.
ANIMALS!
You’ve heard of St. Francis of Assisi, right? Well, he’s totally my homeboy. He has this wonderful quote that resonates with me and, I think, with the SAL Project in general:
“If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men.”
–St. Francis of Assisi
I got a press release recently from Zoe at The Cotton Factory about a fundraiser they’re participating in for Hello Bully, a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation here in Pittsburgh that focuses on the rescue and rehabilitation of the American Pit Bull Terrier. And, of course, I knew I wanted to share it with you. Because I do love me some animals. And I bet a lot of you do, too.
It’s the PITS: Pittsburgh Loves Pit Bulls
Limited-edition PITSburgh tees and hoodies available through October
Pittsburgh, PA — September 2011 – The Cotton Factory and Hello Bully are pairing up once again to bring back the incredibly successful limited-edition PITSburgh t-shirt for the month of October. Designed as a fund- and awareness-raising campaign for Hello Bully, with portions of each sale donated to the local Pitbull rescue group, the shirts were a huge hit when issued in June.
This time around the PITSburgh pride design is available on both t-shirts and hoodies with your choice of gold or pink ink. $5 from each t-shirt and $7 from each hoodie sold goes directly to Hello Bully. The shirts are available for sale online at The Cotton Factory October 1 through October 31, 2011. The promotion ends October 31, after which the shirts and hoodies will no longer be available.
The Cotton Factory produces quality apparel with original designs created by a devoted staff of local designers. Based in Pittsburgh, PA, the Cotton Factory often partners with local groups such as the Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project, Bike Pittsburgh, and more. For more information contact Zoe. And make sure you visit their Facebook page!
I hope you’ll consider helping out the folks–and Pitbulls!–at Hello Bully by purchasing one of these limited edition t-shirts and/or hoodies. And you don’t even have to be from Pittsburgh! You’ll just be showing the world that your kindness extends to all living creatures, and that really takes the phrase “Be Kind. No Exceptions.” to its full meaning!
I’ll be placing my order tomorrow–on payday!
5
Secret Agent L Needs YOU! Yes, YOU!
Alright, lovers of the Secret Agent L Project!
I need your help!
I’m working on a very special and very top-secret mission that will help the Secret Agent L Project touch even more lives, but I can’t do it without you. That’s what I love so much about our community: it really is about all of us. It functions and flourishes because we all come together.
[cue group hug]
So here’s where you come in:
I want you (yes, you!) to film your next mission.
It’s simple, and I think it’ll be a lot of fun! You can even have a friend help if you like!
Here are the specifics:
1. Please limit your final filmed mission to a maximum of 4 minutes. (Less is fine!)
2. Please upload your finished product to YouTube or Vimeo and email the link to me via the Contact button above.
3. Introduce yourself speaking directly to camera, tell me where you are from, and your reason for being a part of the SAL Project.
4. Introduce your mission idea.
5. Show the exterior and interior of the location of your mission if possible.
6. Film yourself with limited explanation of what you are doing.
7. Film from a hidden spot the person finding your mission. (This part might be tricky, so a busy location, like a bus stop or shopping center parking lot might be best, because that way you won’t have to wait around too long. Also, please give limited explanation at this point, too.)
8. Afterward, film yourself directly into the camera concisely speaking about the success of your mission, how you thought it went, and how it made you feel.
9. DO NOT do anything illegal, and if asked to stop filming while on any property, please do so and find another location to better execute your mission.
10. BE SAFE and HAVE FUN!
p.s. If you need some more help, check out this video mission I completed last December. Yours doesn’t have to be quite as long or as involved, but it might help you get an idea of how to film and complete your mission. I just used my iPhone’s video option, but even a FlipCam could work.
I would like to have your missions by
Friday, October 21, 2011, please.
That gives you a little over two weeks. Easy peasy!
I realize that we’re all very busy, but I cannot express to you how much this act of kindness will mean–not just to me, but to many others. I wish I could say more, but just trust that this request is made out of love and kindness. I will not be using ANY of this footage without your final permission, so I’ll be sure to contact you if your filmed mission is chosen to be a part of this very special project.
Thank you!
xoxo,
Laura
4
NAMI Walk 2011 with Team Secret Agent L
Happy National Mental Illness Awareness Week!!!
This week marks National Mental Illness Awareness Week, and I’ll be highlighting it a bit over the next couple of days. To start us off, I thought I’d share my weekend experience with you. As many of you know, I recently embarked upon a fundraising effort for the National Alliance on Mental Illness’s annual walk, NAMI Walks, here in Pittsburgh at the South Side Works. On Sunday, October 2nd, despite the cold, rainy weather, my team and I gathered together with thousands of others in a celebration of recovery and awareness. Combined, we probably had on close to 329 layers! (I had a puffy vest on under my t-shirt. I wasn’t taking any chances!) It was miserable outside, but in our hearts, we were warm and happy.
Here, team members Jill and Lynnetta throw up our gang sign (a heart, of course!) with me:
My Number Two, Vivian, rocks. And puts up with my silliness:
No Pittsburgh event is complete without the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Pierogies. Here they are getting ready to join in singing the National Anthem:
I’ve got so much love for my team!
We even had some Mini Superheroes of Kindness with us, capes and all!
The event wouldn’t have been the same without AWESOME t-shirts from the amazing Commonwealth Press on Pittsburgh’s South Side (right up the street from where the walk was held, actually). My contact at Commonwealth Press, Dan Rugh, is officially a superhero. If you ever need t-shirts, I’m telling you: Commonwealth Press are your go-to peeps. I LOVE THEM.
Dan, you. are. the. man. Thanks for sponsoring us and for giving the most excellent customer service experience a secret agent could ask for. Your generosity and all-around awesomeness will never be forgotten. I’m a customer for life now, thanks to you.
Team Secret Agent L raised over $2,300 for this year’s walk, and I couldn’t be more proud of and thankful to everyone who contributed. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
And, of course, a big thank you to my lovely Darcey Garda from NAMI Southwestern PA. Darcey heads up the marketing and communication efforts at NAMI SWPA and has continued to be a source of inspiration, love, and friendship. I simply can’t imagine my life without her. And, goodness! Did she work her tail off (along with many others) to make this year’s walk a success! Way to go, Darcey! Love you, lady!
I also wanted to highlight just how important the NAMI Walk is, especially to our team members. I did a mini-interview during the walk with team member Kathy–who drove in with her husband ALL THE WAY FROM BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, just for the walk! Kathy, thank you for your courage and your inspiration.
After the walk was over, the Mini Superheroes of Kindness, their mom, and I all completed a mission! It included a gift card to a very popular restaurant chain here in Western Pennsylvania called Eat n’ Park, as well as a lovely card. We left it at the South Side Works movie theatre for some rainy-day moviegoers to find. It was so much fun! The Mini Superheroes of Kindness kept asking, “Is it time to do the mission? Is it time to do the mission?” throughout the entire walk. I loved their excitement and desire to spread kindness!
All in all, it was a very wonderful day, and I went home one happy secret agent.
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Recent Comments
- Katherine on MISSION: Know That You Are Loved
- Shannon on REPOST: MISSION: Secret Agent L Spreads Words of Love
- Mike Berginc on MISSION: Harris Grill
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- Affiliated Agent B on Operation Move SAL
