Week 23 - Give a Drink...Succes!

So this last week, I had a short list of ideas so I wouldn't forget about our project again. I wanted to do something simple that the boys would be participating in, not just me.

On Friday, we decided to "give a drink" to random people.

There are only two spots in town that I know of with vending machines (besides the community college and schools), one on each end of town.

First, we went to Wal-Mart to pick up masking tape and get some change. When we got outside, I pulled my Sharpie marker from my purse and wrote on the masking tape. Then, Noah stuck the quarters to the tape, and we pressed the whole thing onto the machine. Nobody noticed us.

20 oz. bottles for $1.25 each

Next, we stopped at a local pharmacy. We took care of our little routine, and again, no one noticed us. I was hoping to see someone walk up to the soda machine before we left, but no luck there.

12 oz. cans for 50 cents each

Today we stopped at the pharmacy to get a couple cans of soda, and the quarters were gone. I don't know if one person took all our quarters, or if they were used one by one, but it was definitely fun to stick them up on the machines!

Week 20 - Share a Smile...Success!

For this week, I planned that Saturday I would smile at each person I could make eye contact with...

This was more difficult that I had anticipated! Very few people made eye contact with me.

Our morning began at several stores, so the sales people were easy - they would greet us the moment we walked in the door. It was the other customers shopping that I knew would be a challenge.

I found that the older the person, the more likely they were to look at the people passing by. I was able to catch their eye and smile at them. The younger people were very good at averting their eyes from me so that they could stay ensconced in their own little world.

One woman even did a double take when I smiled at her, at first a little confused that a stranger would look at her and smile.

In the evening, we went to a local street festival. Although there were hundreds of people standing in the streets, listening to music, I was not able to make eye contact with any of them. Each person was wrapped up in the people around them or in enjoying the atmosphere, not paying attention to others around them. And those who were walking down the street were purposefully watching their step or looking away from the faces of people facing them.

Sharing a smile was interesting, and I hope that those who I were able to share a smile with were touched. I will definitely do this one again!