Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
I had set this aside to use sometime this month when I felt like we needed a break. I didn’t realize it would be needed so soon. Here is just a little kindness to brighten a tough day.
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This was too good not to share.
The letter:
The response:
Acts of Kindness: It Takes Just A MomentPost + Comments (31)
The second of the three hero patrons who stopped the Club Q shooter has given a statement:
Among the heroes identified by witnesses and officials in the Club Q shooting was U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas James, who reportedly charged the suspected shooter with Richard Fierro and possibly others at the bar.
James, through a Centura Heath spokesman, issued a statement Sunday for the first time since the shooting at the Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub.
“I simply wanted to save the family I found,” James said. “If I had my way, I would shield everyone I could from the nonsensical acts of hate in the world, but I am only one person.”
“Thankfully, we are family, and family looks after one another,” James continued. “We came a long way from Stonewall. Bullies aren’t invincible. I want to support everyone who has known the pain and loss that have been all too common these past few years. My thoughts are with those we lost on Nov. 19, and those who are still recovering from their injuries. To the youth, I say be brave. Your family is out there. You are loved and valued. So when you come out of the closet, come out swinging.”
We also know there are more unnamed heroes, those who shielded folks from the shooter, those who led people to safety, and those who rendered aid to the injured. A reminder that one evil person with a gun, despite all the damage done, is outnumbered by good, caring, brave people.
And let’s not forget those we lost that night; here is a link to photos and stories on each of them: Derrick Rump, Daniel Aston, Ashley Paugh, Kelly Loving, and Raymond Green Vance
In our last post on the Club Q shooting, I expressed a desire to learn how to be a better ally. It seemed to strike a chord with others, so here we are. I’ve asked Sister Golden Bear and Dan B, who offered to help on this topic, to hang out with us and get things started. Dan B has a lot going on today but is going to try and stop by. So post your questions and offer any advice or resources you have. I know we have a diverse community here and can learn a lot from each other.
And we don’t need to limit this to LGBTQ+ issues. There are many folks out there who need allies – and this would be a great place to discuss, as well.
It really comes down to, how can we be better citizens and kinder humans, to our neighbors. Discuss. Please be kind.
I’m really needing this today. We are coming up on the year anniversary of my mom’s passing this week and I thought I was doing okay. I was wrong. I am not. Everything makes me teary, including this trailer for Tom Hanks latest film, which I had to watch several times. And don’t get me started on Queer Eye on Netflix. Ugly cry. But in a good way. So much kindness and feel good in that show. And if you need daily food for your brain/heart, I recommend the vlogbrothers on youtube. Short videos sure to make you think and feel good.
Okay, on to our regular scheduled acts of kindness:
From a couple of years ago, but still adorable:
I follow Chris and his flock for daily happy videos (you can follow on twitter, IG or youtube). He has morning and evening “rush hour” when the animals are released and then gathered for bed. Lots of ducks, geese, emus and a variety of mammals. It’s a sanctuary. I will say, this one was a surprise. LOL
Velcro-Pumpkin has the right idea on a blustery day, but an egg? #velcropumpkin #farmcat pic.twitter.com/klzjYAensZ
— caenhillcc (@caenhillcc) November 2, 2022
Acts of Kindness: Dance A Little Each DayPost + Comments (11)
Last night seemed a little jammed here on the blog, so decided to wait a day for this. I was running around today, but still wanted to post this, so I didn’t go too deep into the archives, just pulled some of the most recent items.
From prolific Steeplejack, this touching photo. And don’t be surprised if we have a full-jack kindness post sometime soon so I can clean out his wonderful backlog. So much good stuff.
I’ve thought a lot today about my grandfather, who worked underground in the mine. I’ve also had the privilege to go underground with miners in KY and a comment stuck out to me: “We go down together and we come up together.”
They work for each other. The ultimate teammates!!
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) October 24, 2022
ETA:
Michael McGuire’s wife, Mollie, said he is an employee of Excel mining and was at work until after 5 p.m. which gave him less than an hour to make the 6 p.m. game.
“My husband chose the job he has to support our family so that I could be home to raise our wonderful children, there are many times he misses out on these events due to work. So any chance he can be there he is, no matter how tired or dirty,” she wrote on Facebook.
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Albatrossy sent this adorableness:
This is what a baby panda sounds like. And it's as adorable and hilarious as you thought it would be. pic.twitter.com/0QLyebWqOG
— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) September 14, 2022
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Acts of Kindness: A Little Joy All AroundPost + Comments (33)
This is going to be brief tonight, as I pretty sure I only have one, maybe two, brain cells that are currently not suffering jetlag.
From Steeplejack – who made my morning with this sweet story:
My partner pulled off the most wholesome, archaeologically adjacent, bamboozling act of kindness and I had to share it. 🧵
When I was in Rome this summer, somehow my trowel ended up in my carry-on. I was mortified when it was discovered in the TSA line, because I knew (1/?)
— new liver, same eagles 🦅 (@abigail_staub) October 18, 2022
Acts of Kindness: A Trowel and Some BaseballPost + Comments (46)
A quick one tonight. I have quite a backlog going on now, so I’ll slowly work my way through them. If you’ve sent me an email, I do respond so you know I’ve got it and then file it in my “Kindness File” and will use it eventually. I just didn’t want anyone to think I’ve ignored their submissions.
And just a reminder if you send me something, please try to find a source that is not subscription based – it difficult to share those.
I may have shared this one early on, but I didn’t see it in the earlier posts, so we’ll start tonight off it with it:
Guy’s security camera catches kid tearing it up on his driveway almost every day, so he decides to do something about it. pic.twitter.com/ZDVb7zLgZo
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) August 27, 2020
As the baseball season wraps up, I have quite a few wonderful moments to share, somehow the languid pace of the sport lends itself to lots of sweet moments. I want to do a full post of them. But I’ll share this one that both ghost cat AND Steeplejack sent me:
A wholesome story about a baseball finding its way home pic.twitter.com/JcSsncqx1K
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 17, 2022
And this young girl has a heart beyond her years:
Acts of Kindness: Kids Just Make It All BetterPost + Comments (29)
Hey, look it’s Wednesday (it is Wednesday, right?) and I’ve remembered to put this post together. Regardless if it makes you smile, it really lifted my spirits today, picking what I would share tonight. Enjoy!
HumboldtBlue sent this to me, and I sure hope you’ve already seen it because it’s become a cult classic. I actually have a video story on Recess Therapy that I’ll share, maybe next week, full of these kinds of interviews. The young man who interviews these kids is so sincere, it’s why they feel comfortable telling him this stuff:
This is one of the best videos to ever exist. pic.twitter.com/ds90GMqH5l
— Gramps (@capetownbrown) August 5, 2022
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Steeplejack sent me this in Feb, and I swore I shared it, but I can’t find it in a post. Even if I did share it, it’s worth sharing again. Kids, man, I love seeing things through their eyes.
