A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - Y is for Yes and Z is for Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Day

I fell a bit behind on the last two letters, but here they are. 

First, though, I'll explain B(e) Kind 366. It's a project I've been planning for a few years now that started on January 1st of 2016. Every day this year (366 days) I'm performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise), doing a monthly challenge of some sort, and raising funds for three charities that have effected my life: World University Service of Canada, The Women's Resource Centre, and the Canadian Cancer Society. 

I blogged A-Z last year with lists of potential acts. Here's the W, X, Y, and Z post from last year. I got sick near the end of last year's challenge so I had to write a couple of posts that included more than one letter. 

As for this year, Y is for Yes and Z is for Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Day! I came up with these because I had two really great days. I didn't do acts of kindness that start with Y or Z - mostly because there are a limited number of ideas under those letters. What I did do on those two days was so amazing that I decided "Yes" and "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Day" were good descriptors of how I felt. 

On Friday  afternoon I participated in Indigenous ceremony and completed a hand drum at The Women's Resource Centre (one of the organizations I am raising funds for). I learned so much from the grandmothers who facilitated the workshop. The drums are comprised of two spirits: the buffalo's whose hide we used for the face of the drum and the tree's whose wood we used for the frame. Once the drums were completed, we feasted them with water and berries. They will be awakened in another ceremony on Thursday. I cannot wait!

Later in the evening on Friday, I spent time with some of the incredible people that make up World University Service of Canada (or WUSC and one of the other organizations B(e) Kind 366 is in place to raise funds for). There are sponsored students who fled countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan in this photo. We had an "end of the school year" bbq and I sat and listened to discussions about life in the refugee camps and the politics of a number of African nations - one of my favourite things to do!

On Saturday, I spent the evening with my "Little" from Big Brothers Big Sisters. We went to an arcade and then made dinner together at my house. We watched a movie while we ate and on the way home he said to me, "I had a lot of fun today. How long do you think I'll be with you guys?" That melted my heart!  -- My Oh My What a Wonderful Day! --

For more excitement, stop by my G is for Giveaway post and enter to win a Blind Date with a Book!

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - X is for X's and O's

In 2016 I am performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise) every day of the year. That's where B(e) Kind 366 comes in! Last year I blogged A-Z with lists of potential acts of kindness. Here's the list for X if you're interested. I actually had a surprising number of options for X last year.

From that list I chose X's and O's. 

I made this simple little game and left it on a picnic table at a park close to my house. Coincidentally, when my partner and I went out for dinner tonight Elle King's "Ex's and Oh's" was playing at the restaurant and now I can't seem to get the tune and chorus out of my head!

If you like chances to win really cool free stuff, blog hop over to my G is for Giveaway post!

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - T is for Take What You Need

B(e) Kind 366 is me being kind 366 days of this year - 2016. I've been planning this project for a few years now and while I try to be kind whenever I can, whenever the opportunity arises, this year, I am making a point of doing something consciously every day and keeping track of it.

Last year I blogged A-Z with lists of potential acts of kindness. I ran into some illness around this time last year so my last few letters of the challenge are combined. Here's my S, T, U, V post!

T is for one of my favourite random acts of kindness to perform: Take What You Need.

I made these posters and posted them on three random bulletin boards in the city. The last time I did this act of kindness was a few years ago when I was working at a university. A few days after I had posted these a colleague sent me a photo of "what she needed" - courage - and it made my day. I hope these 24 slips of paper find their place with someone who really needs them!

For a bit of fun, stop by my G is for Giveaway post and enter to win a Blind Date with a Book!

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - S is for Save the Earth

B(e) Kind 366 is an initiative I've been planning for a few years and it's finally here. Every day in 2016 I'm performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise), taking on monthly challenges (like blogging A-Z), and raising funds for three organizations that have effected my life. 

Last year I blogged A-Z with lists of potential kind acts. Here's my S list, if you're interested: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "S."

It's Earth Day today so S is for the Save the Earth. 

My act of environmental kindness in honour of Earth Day was to sign up for the city's compost program. In a week or two we'll have a green bin and be ready to compost! I recently learned that food garbage doesn't decompose inside a regular trash bag. I feel like that is something that I should have known, but I didn't. In the near future, between recycling and composting we should have relatively little garbage!

Earth = Green, Green = G, G = Giveaway! (Visit my G post and enter my giveaway!)

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - R is for Recognition

Every day in 2016 I'm performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise) and calling the project B(e) Kind 366. Last year I blogged A-Z with lists of potential acts of kindness. If you'd care to take a look at my R list, here it is: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "R."

Today - Day 112 of B(e) Kind 366 - R is for Recognition.

I attended a large meeting today and as I was leaving I made sure to thank the woman who was recording the notes for the meeting. Often the people who do some of the most important work go unnoticed and therefore unrecognized. I try, in every instance that I can, to extend proper recognition.

Be sure to stop by G is for Giveaway!

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - P is for Politics

B(e) Kind 366 is all about doing kind things! 366 kind things - one for every day of 2016 - to be exact! In 2015 I blogged A-Z with lists of potential kindness ideas. Here's the P list from last year if you're interested: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "P."

Today P is for Politics.

It was the Provincial Election in Manitoba today so my act of kindness was expressing my right to vote. It's just that simple today!

There's a really fun giveaway over on my G post that you should enter!

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - N is for News and Nigeria

Every day in 2016 I'm performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise) and that is what B(e) Kind 366 is all about. In 2015 I blogged A-Z with lists of kind acts. Here's the N list if you're interested: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "N."

Today I took an idea from last year's list and spent some time reading news articles and watching news videos about Nigeria's Boko Haram. It's very difficult for me to watch videos and read articles about human rights atrocities so I avoid them for the most part, but today I watched and today I read.

It's been two years since the militant group invaded a school and kidnapped more than 200 girls. We don't hear about #BringBackOurGirls much anymore, but for the families of the young girls in Nigeria the nightmare is still very real.

On April 14, 2016 Boko Haram released a video of 15 of the kidnapped girls reading their names and explaining that they are all alive and well. The Nigerian government confirms that they remain in negotiations with Boko Haram for the release of these girls.

(There's a giveaway over on my G post! Be sure to stop by and enter to win!)