Reach for you Card!

I love eating out with people. I enjoy the company, and good food, and trying a new wine each time.

What I don't like is when that waiter brings the bill. Everyone eyes each other, hands hovering over their wallets, waiting till that first person makes the move to grab their wallet.

What follows is the argument of who is going to be paying for the bill.

Why am I complaining - I'm not. I am just lucky to be able to keep company with people who love me, and who are gracious enough to spread burdens, like a bill, amount the group.

So thank you

Call for Submissions

Do you have a story about some kind act that you have witnesses, or a story about a time when someone said something to you that you still draw on today?

Submit your stories to Submit@elphos.org for a chance to win a gift card to StarBucks.

Please submit your stories by April 30, 2008. Please include your mailing address with the story. All stories that are posted on the blog will give full credit to the original author.


Our Copyright notice: www.elphos.org/about.htm.

Give a Penny Take a Penny

I was standing in line at the grocery store, full basket of groceries in hand, when all of a sudden I remembered that I had taken my Discover card out of my wallet the night before. Now I am one of those people that love a credit economy. The term Once in a Blue Moon can't even describe how rare it is for me to actually have hard currency on my person. Luckily though, on this particular day, I had a twenty spot and a few loose coins in my pocket.

I thought, no bigge, I was just buying some of the essentials, pop, frozen pizza, chips, cookies, ect . . . all the staples of a bachelor’s kitchen cabinet. $20 should cover me - no biggie. And, at the worst, maybe I have to put a few items back like the veggies and fruits that I had picked up.

It was my turn to unload the contents of my basket onto the conveyor belt that was to deliver my goods to the red flashing laser - the scanner - that was going to decide what I could keep or had to abandon. As I watched the display screen after each swipe of another delicious toll-house morsel, or the frozen delight of Eddy's Ice Cream, the number rose towards the amount in my pocket. $15, $17.65, $19.35. . . My heart dropped. I was about to become one of those people who couldn't pay up. As I watched the Bananas resting on the scales, the check out lady gave me the bad news, $21.95.

My hand shot to my pockets, scrambling to pull out every coin that had been clanging in my pocket all morning long. I quickly counted the coins to find out, if by some miraculous miracle, maybe I had $1.95. 2 quarters, 3 dimes, 4 nickels and a lot of lint. I asked the cashier if I could sell her my lint - she looked at me oddly - I was just trying to buy time to make to make a decision between the bananas or the ice-cream.

If my mother is reading this – I made the grown-up decision – and started to reach for the ice-cream as I apologized for my shortness in cash and for making the cashier have to walk all the way to the frozen section to reshelf that chocolaty delicacy.

In the middle of my apology, a dollar appeared out of thin air. The man behind me produced a dollar and set it on the counter. I looked at him with amazement. I mean, I didn’t need the junk food. It wasn’t like the basket was full of the actual essentials of a balanced diet. I told the man that I didn’t need the ice-cream. He insisted. I told him I forgot me credit card – and thanked him. He simply said “That happens, you’re welcome.”

That happens, you are welcome. Stuff happens, you are welcome. Stuff happens, I don’t mind helping another person.

Thank you.

I know its not Friday. . .

Okay, so I know that it isn't Friday - but, well, I just feel like writing.

I just finished watching the movie I am Reed Fish, which I could love just for the title. If I have a son, I'll name him Reed - if she'll let me.

It is one of those young kid trying to "find" himself movie, with a little bit of twist on the manner of its story telling. Makes the genre it was modeled after not so obvious. But what I do like about it is that this Fish character is a nice guy through out the movie - with some bumps in the road while trying to find happiness for himself. It gives me an overall "good" feeling after watching it.

I've noticed that I have been gravitating to such movies. Watching movies over and over again that have a good earth feeling about them. What I mean is that they touch the soul in the right places. I've watched Amelie again, my all time favorite do gooder movie (It is subtitled - but worth it! I've even watched it with out subtitles just because the cinematography is so great!)



Even the movie, Into the Wild By Colin MacLean, although depressing at the end, had a great message that happiness is found with others in your life.

I've also just started reading a book called This I Believe, which is a collection of people's personal philosophies on life - and what they believe to be true. I've found that while reading them, the common theme of goodness, kindness to others and love are reoccurring themes.

All of these movies, and books that I have been drawn to recently are small little pokes to the soul. They give us that quick reminder about the reasons why we have been put on this earth.

A Little Boost

A lot of times, actions that we take have unexpected, and huge positive consequences.

For example, Eric's Planes simply added our blog to his "Friends of Eric's" links. This simple little action, probably done because he enjoyed some aspect of the blog, brought in over 80 new visitors to Elphos.org. This was such a small way to show appreciation for something - that ended up benifiting this organization immensely.

I can think of so many small things that people have done for me, that have had an enourmous impact on my life. Just the most basic things, like a friend putting their hand on my shoulder and telling me it would be alright - or a Thank You, you did a great job. These type of things have the power to not only lighten our spirits at the time, but a lasting effect for the rest of our lives. On hard days, I still remember kind words of advice, encouragements or solace, spoken to me a number of years before.

I think that if you were to reflect back, I'm sure you'd have the same moments that you often turn to in darker times, may it be words from a friend, lover, sibling or parent.

Part of my objective for Elphos.org is to encourage people to write down those words of encouragement, appreciation, and love so that during those times when we most need these words, we can turn to these letters and reread them. - That and it is always cool getting a letter rather than a bill in the mail.

US Post Office - Free Postage.

This is a surprise to me, but I thought I would mention it - just encase you want to send a letter to a friend, for FREE.

In celebration of the John Adams Documentary on HBO - the US Postal Service is allowing people to customize cards - and then send them out to the recipients.

The free cards are available at www.poweroftheletter.com by clicking on Free John Adams Greeting Card on the left hand side of the screen. (I took a look at the cards - and they look pretty nice - and you can add a picture to the inside of them - but on the back of the cards is a big advertisement for HBO)

To view the Full AP Article click here.

I'd Like to Hear from you . . .

This Week, I would like to hear your story about the act of kindness, words of encouragement or appreciation that you have had happen to you, or that you have seen around you.

Leave a Comment on this post - and tell us your story. . .