{"id":222,"date":"2014-12-12T15:04:09","date_gmt":"2014-12-12T20:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/?p=222"},"modified":"2014-12-23T13:17:54","modified_gmt":"2014-12-23T18:17:54","slug":"week-13-hey-how-ya-doing-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/?p=222","title":{"rendered":"Week #13 – “Hey, how ya’ doing?”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"#50<\/a>

#50 “How ya’ doing?” (Photo credit: Grace Church)<\/p><\/div>\n

(Editor\u2019s note: Thanks again to all who\u2019ve generously responded with donations or pledges for the 50 for #50 virtual toy drive! \u00a0We have 12 individuals confirmed so far, with a total of at least 31\u00a0gifts given in Rob\u2019s honor to-date. \u00a0We are so close! \u00a0Check the footer of this page for an up-to-date list of toys and locations\u00a0— and if you’d like to join the tribe, just\u00a0let us know what you donated and where\u2026and maybe even post a photo to Facebook! \u00a0I\u2019ll update the total each week, with a grand total on Friday 12\/26. \u00a0THANK YOU\u00a0TEAM HAPPYNESS!!!)<\/span><\/p>\n

Week #13 – “Hey, how ya’ doing?”<\/p>\n

It’s not surprising that someone left these words on the board at Rob’s services. \u00a0This is a question we hear\u00a0in passing every single day (How are ya? \u00a0How ya’ doing?) — but few people really intend to get an answer. \u00a0However, as many of you know, Rob was not a casual question asker-er. \u00a0When he asked you something — he meant it. \u00a0He wanted to know the answer — and he was prepared to take the time to get it. \u00a0He wasn’t afraid of an honest answer either. \u00a0In fact, he seemed to delight in it! \u00a0I’d venture a guess that much of the happiness in our individual relationships with him was built on this kind of ease and honesty. \u00a0It is one of the things I selfishly miss the most.<\/p>\n

13 Weeks is significant — it’s exactly one quarter of a calendar year, one season, and three complete months since SpreadHappyness was born with the mission to look at the little ways our beloved friend\/brother\/mate\/partner brought happiness to people’s lives — and challenge ourselves to carry this light forward to others each week:<\/p>\n

1. Wave Big
\n2. Say Hello Like You Mean It
\n3. “Shakers!” (aka Nicknames…)
\n4. Got “Character”?
\n5. How to be “Beautiful”
\n6. “Pure Energy” (Are you an outlet or a plug?)
\n7. Don’t make pretend…make plans! \u00a0Go…”Get Your Wings!”
\n8. Are you a “Smiling Guy” (or gal)?
\n9. Ready for some “Strange Magic”?
\n10. “Gabes and Toyds” \u00a0(What’s on your wish list?)
\n11. There’s no (i) in “Generous”
\n12. There’s no (i) in “Thoughtful” either!
\n13. “Hey, how ya’ doing?”<\/p>\n

Happiness is not an accident. \u00a0It’s a choice. \u00a0We CAN create happiness…one week, and one interaction, at a time!<\/p>\n

Your assignment for this weekend: Pick someone (or maybe try everyone) and ask sincerely: “Hey, how ya’ doing?” \u00a0Be prepared to spend a little time listening to an honest answer…and be ready to offer words of encouragement whether it’s good news or bad news. \u00a0This includes being excited\/enthusiastic\/encouraging to someone who is starting something new — or being patient\/understanding\/steadfast toward someone who is struggling. \u00a0One great answer to either scenario is simply: “I believe in you!” (and mean it!)<\/p>\n

And so, let me ask you…How are you doing? \u00a0Have you spread happiness lately? \u00a0Is there anything I can do to help or encourage or celebrate with you? \u00a0Because…and this is true…I believe in you!<\/p>\n

Spread Happyness this week…and tell us how you are doing\u00a0in the comments!<\/p>\n

12\/12\/14 by Grace Church
\n<\/em>\u00a9 Grace Church<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

PS:\u00a0Congratulations to Amy Wood-Oblen for a successful Monster Truck Rides for Toys event last Sunday — and thanks to all who donated!<\/span><\/p>\n

50 for #50 Toy Drive Update
\nAS OF\u00a012\/23\/14:
\n1. Thomas the Tank Activity Toy was donated at Dollar General in Netcong, NJ.
\n2. Two Lego sets and a Lincoln Log set were donated at Toys for Tots in Stockholm, NJ.
\n3. Two Operation Christmas Child boxes, Baby Chicks, a Bible, and money to fund Thanksgiving baskets were donated at various locations near Succasunna, NJ.
\n4. Two Hallmark Jingle Bell Stuffed Animals will be donated in Flanders, NJ.
\n5. CLUE game will be donated in Flanders, NJ.
\n6. Hot Wheels Assortment was donated near Stanhope, NJ.
\n7. Donation made to EFA (Endometriosis Foundation of America) in Robert’s memory.
\n8.\u00a0Barbie VW beetle donated to Community Hope’s SSVF Program (supportive services for veteran families)
\n9. A baby doll with a pacifier and crib, a doc mc stuffin gift pack, and home made loom bracelets were donated to the Hackettstown Police Department in Hackettstown, NJ.
\n10.\u00a02 stuffed horses, a\u00a0Crayola<\/span>\u00a0creation set and a remote control car were donated to Toys for Tots in Parsippany, NJ.
\n11. Four wigs (along with bandanas) were donated to Carol G. Simon Cancer Center\u00a0in Summit, NJ.
\n12.\u00a0Five gifts — Mega Blocks, a play xylophone, a Fisher Price Rock-a-Stack, a baby doll, and a plush puppy dog — were donated for a sweet little girl through Angel Tree in Tampa, FL.
\n13. A monetary donation was made to Toys for Tots near Flanders, NJ.
\n14. A\u00a0donation was made to Mylestone Horse Rescue in Rob’s name.
\n15.\u00a0Two very generous donations were made in Hopatcong, NJ: Gift #1 — 2 sweaters, 2 mulitmedia pads, a color wheel, and 126 mulitmedia art set. Gift #2 — tie dye kit, package of white tee shirts, cross stitch kit, crewel kit, soa<\/span><\/span>p making kit, nail kit, 2 bottles of nail polish, nail treatment, nail oil, base coat and top coat, and lots of socks!
\n16. A donation was made in Rob’s memory to Memorial Sloan Kettering.
\n17. Donations were made at Toys for Tots and Bergen County animal shelter in New Jersey.
\n18. A donation was made in Rob’s name to Eleventh Hour Animal Rescue.
\n19.\u00a0A $50 donation was made in Rob’s name to United Methodist Global Aviation Ministry.
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Editor\u2019s note: Thanks again to all who\u2019ve generously responded with donations or pledges for the 50 for #50 virtual toy drive! \u00a0We have 12 individuals confirmed so far, with a total of at least 31\u00a0gifts given in Rob\u2019s honor to-date. \u00a0We are so close! \u00a0Check the footer of this page for an up-to-date list of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=222"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":265,"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222\/revisions\/265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spreadhappyness.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}