From the TEDTalks website, the description reads:
Humorist John Hodgman rambles through a new story about aliens, physics, time, space and the way all of these somehow contribute to a sweet, perfect memory of falling in love.
Remembering falling in love with your life partner is made of happy. Happy New Year to my own wonderful husband! 🙂
But boy is he going to be disappointed when they take his temperature! Hee!
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Remember, keeping your animal friend healthy is made of happy! And so is the New Year! Happy New Year, everyone!
Look, I used an exclamation point in the title. This should tell you how awesome this news is! The baking/cookie company, Archway, in Ohio had shut down abruptly back in October, leading to 300 people losing their jobs. The method in which they did it was particularly hard on the workers: they had changed their locks overnight and people found out when they showed up for work and tried to get inside.
“Wait,” you say. “Gladmin,” you say, “this isn’t made of happy! This is made of crappy!” Hmm… a new idea for a blog shows up in my head… *shakes head* No, no, this IS made of happy, I swear. Bear with me! *growl* Sorry, dumb pun.
But then Lance Inc., a Charlotte, North Carolina-based snack food company, purchased Archway at a bankruptcy auction. And last week 60 workers were asked to return immediately, with perhaps more coming back in the months ahead.
That’s wonderful. But wait, there’s more!
When it promised to reopen the bakery, Lance gave all 300 former Archway workers a $1,500 prepaid debit card.
“I was crying,” Devan says of the gift. “I am like, ‘What are these people doing? They don’t know me. They don’t know us. They don’t know any of the Archway people. And they are giving each and every one of us $1,500.’ ”
Sexton — the woman who’d been preparing her kids for a meager holiday — says of the $1,500 gift: “It was awesome. My first thought was, ‘I can give my kids a Christmas.’ ”
David Singer, CEO of Lance, says the gift cards were a way of letting Ashland know the new owners are different. “We wouldn’t do it willy-nilly,” Singer says. “We do want to make money. But this is the pool of folks that we intend to hire. We just wanted to let them know who we were.”
The 60 workers rehired so far are earning their previous salary and retained their seniority. They also were provided health insurance from day one.
Via Shuttered bakery reopens, rehires workers – CNN.
I am totally going to buy a cookie from Archway and Lance! You are such awesome employers! Like Sears, David Lance & his company are doing right by the people who make up their business, even though they don’t know them from Jack. You guys are so made of happy! And so are the employees and their families!
Day 67/365 by sictransitgloria is on christmas vacation!
This beautiful picture reminds me of a tiny crocheted shrug/vest that my mom made for me when I was probably around 5 years old. I remember wearing it with pride. I remember thinking I was so special that my mom made me this cool piece of clothing, before I even knew what cool was.
I never let my mom give that away. I dressed my stuffed dolls in it when I got much bigger and it shrank in the wash. I carefully put it away in storage for years. A couple of Christmases ago when I was visiting family, I stumbled upon it again. I brought it back to my home with me. It sits in my dresser drawer, reminding me of my mom’s love.
I have every handmade gift anyone ever gave me, except the edible ones. 😉 I have cards, the knitted and crocheted things from my mom, the makeup bag, the tapes/CDs, the strange postcards, the picnic-tablecloth-turned-bag even. I have everything.
Chances are, if you’ve ever given a handmade gift, the recipient still has it or holds fond memories of it. Those are the ones most precious to me. Know that your family and friends still cherish all of those things you put such care into.
Thank you for putting your time and love into a handmade gift. Your friendship is certainly made of happy.
This pup looks so happy! I’m pretty sure it’s because he knows who he is and he knows what he’s supposed to be doing AND he’s doing it — he’s found his big stick and now he’ll carry it home! 🙂
When I’m doing things right and all is right with my corner of the world, I feel like how this guy must feel. I hope your new year will be full of this kind of contentment and sense of achievement The New Year will surely be made of happy!
Imagine, by John Lennon, almost always brings me to the brink of tears, but fills me with a sense of hope as well. John, your memory will always be made of happy for me. Thanks for making my teen years better than they could have been. Your music still changes people.
Last year, this man’s program gave away 1,416 bikes to kids!ÂÂ
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Alex Cook provides bikes for less fortunate families.
Alex Cook remembers the disappointment of waking up on Christmas and not finding a bike, every single year of his childhood.
That’s why about nine years ago, he personally bought 10 bikes to give away to less fortunate families. Alex owns a barbecue restaurant in Tampa and stored the bikes there leading up to Christmas. When his customers started asking questions about the bikes and he told them what they were for, those 10 bikes turned into 182 bikes in just two weeks thanks to their generous donations.
via Christmas Bicycles Hero – Bay News 9.
I can imagine being one of the lucky kids. Thank you, Alex Cook, for being so very made of happy that you wanted to share it! 🙂
This particular story is important to me because I know the woman who did this. I was working at a company in 2006. The front desk administrator was a very friendly, kind-hearted person. She always made sure to arrange blood drives and charity drives. And you could truly see that she was always doing these things because she wanted to see good in the world.
In December of 2006, I had heard from others in the office that Dottie was going on medical leave. I was worried that something bad had happened to her, but it turned out that she was going to donate one of her kidneys to her friend. She was out for several months before returning to the office.
Hearing that she was doing such a thing for a friend, not even a family member, was truly inspiring. In fact, at first, it was a bit mind-boggling. But Dottie had always been such a giving, strong person that it made perfect sense.
Her speech to an elementary school starts at 1:07. Thank you, Dottie, for being such an inspiring individual. Your friend Don, who sings Elvis for the kids at the same event below, is clearly made of happy. 🙂
There are so many impressive things about this story. Giving to the homeless is already such a wonderful act. Giving $500,000 is incredible. Doing so anonymously is even better. The thing I’m most impressed by was that this person was able to save up that much to give to the homeless as a community college teacher.
Who’s the “Secret Santa” for Sacramento’s homeless?
It’s inspiring to know that someone would want to bequeath $500,000 for a successful program to help the homeless. But it’s doubly impressive that such a donor would not crave the recognition that such a gift deserves.
Cottage Housing, a Sacramento non-profit that helps the homeless transition from the streets to self sufficiency, announced today that it it has received half a million dollars from “the estate of a long-time Sacramento community college teacher.”
via The Swarm: Who’s the “Secret Santa” for Sacramento’s homeless?.
Here’s to honoring the memory of this anonymous donor. Er… you know what I mean. We don’t know who it is, so… I’m sure your family knows who you were, and are immensely proud of your legacy. Homeless people who will benefit from your generosity, not to mention further generosity inspired by your actions, are made of happy.
p.s. I had taken a little holiday vacation. 🙂
OMG. OMG, I tell you. I cannot believe that there is a blog called… wait for it… Cute Things Falling Asleep.
Truly, this is a wonderful world.
This little pup was featured as “Sleepy Puppy 13” with a cute rating of 4 and a sleepy rating of 4.
Why must this puppy put his head on the step/ledge/shelf/whatever that is?? Why? Is it because he knows it’s more adorable this way? Can I cuddle him already?
