Positively: Suds & Giggles

Some things will never change.  Such as the love I have for my family, shamrock shakes, spending the day in yoga pants, and laundry mats.  Coincidentally laundry mats never change either.  The one four blocks from my house still has a laundry detergent dispenser from 40 years ago.  It could be the clean scent of lemon and lavender that makes going to the laundry mat so great, or the fact that it is 100% acceptable to be out in public in your grossest sweat pants you own without judgment.  In addition to these things it also brings back memories of my mother and sister on Saturday afternoons spent laughing over Women's Day magazines and counting down the minuets till we could leave to go get a Culver's custard cone as a reward for folding towels and being mom's little helpers for the day.

Both of my parents were pretty smart.  Mom would give us treats for helping out while my dad would turn the worst part of laundry into the greatest.  Socks.  Growing up with two other sisters there would be about 20 pairs of socks in a load and of course all different cuts and sizes.  My dad started up a game called Sock Connection (there is a whole song that goes along to this...I will sing it for you sometime if you ask)  Every time there was a sock with out its partner we would put it in this basket of lonely socks and once it got full enough we would do Sock Connection and wouldn't you know it..we would walk away each with a few more pairs of socks!  

Now I am all grown and only folding my own socks (however I still manage to lose a few each time...).  As I sit and wait 24 min for my wash load to finish I look around to a place that hasn't changed decades.  The soda machine with a generic Orange label made me giggle to myself....I hope that never changes.  

What I am getting at though is love what you love out of life, no matter how small or silly it may be.  And though you may change as your life goes on take comfort in the fact that somethings never do :D 

Write Positive.  Post Proudly.  

-Kirsten 

Positively Cheapo

Cheapo (the one in Minneapolis) is a common place for me to go to when I want to kill an hour, which is something easily done when I am browsing the vinyl section.  I had a handful of Positively Squares in my pocket and as I pawed through stacks of album covers I left behind squares to artist worthy of a positive shout out.

One artist worthy of this is my best buddy Kevin.  Guy is an amazing drummer/song writer and as I was flipping through the Local section I came across one of his CDs.  It made me so proud and happy to see it, I wrote on the square "this album is crazy great. metal strong"  

This Kenny Loggins vinyl made me smile instantly.  On the back of the square I put "for $2.95 you can get amazing art work!"  Who can resist those flowing locks, well thought out typography and those 1990 geo shapes!! (whoa nelly) 
The best part about this vinyl is that there are 3 copies of it in the store...pick one up.  

  

If anyone knows me they know that I feel strongly about a few things: 1) Die hard is the greatest action movie ever made. and 2) hearing The Black Keys makes my unbelievably happy, and I will ramble on about them for at least the duration of whatever song of their's that is playing on the radio, bar, or commercial.  In between Rubber Factory and  Thickfreakness I wrote "you have awesome taste in music"  (and whoever picks it up does)  The Black Keys circa 2003...can't get any better (but some how they keep out doing themselves).  Alright Black Keys ramble over. 

Positively Square hasn't seen the last of Cheapo.  Till then though go pick up some Kenny Loggins and enjoy a sunny afternoon looking at that grin on your record shelf! 

Write Positive. Post Proudly. 

-Kirsten      

Unexpected Positively

The other night I was at bus stop going downtown, upset that I had a cold on New Years Eve.  A man who was waiting for the same bus started talking to me.  Like most common bus commuters I was stand offish and uninviting when he started listing what happend to him that day.  He was sore from a bone marrow donation he did for his 19 year old niece who was diagnosed with Leukemia recently.  He talked about how he would cut off his leg for her, that no one that age deserved what she is going through.  


I didn't know how to respond.  What words would offer comfort for someone going through this emotional and physical pain?  The bus rolled up and before I could say something of substance we were sitting on opposite ends.  I felt so ridiculous only moments ago I was feeling sorry for myself being sick this time of year when things could be far worse.  Then it hit me, I now carry Positively Square cards with me at all times.  I pulled one out and wrote on the back "Whatever happens, I hope everything works out"  As I left the bus I handed it to the man and walked off.  His story he shared with me was just as unexpected as my note was to him.   


Positively Square cards I created to impact other's lives but it is also impacting mine and making me see there is so much to be positive and simply happy about in my own life. 


Write Positive. Post Proudly. 
-Kirsten

Starting Something That Matters.

April 2009 I bought my first pair of TOMS shoes.  I was in awe of how great it felt to support such a great cause by doing something so simple.  For the next two years I followed TOMS closely, "liking" each new shoe design on my  Facebook wall while anticipating their new product, TOMS sunglasses.  The one for one program gives people in need glasses and or surgeries for their eyes with every pair of sunglasses you buy.  But I wanted to do more than just buy products from TOMS I wanted to get involved.  

A few months ago I signed up to be apart of TOMS Books for Blogger Program and was over joyed when I received two copies of Start Something That Matters along with this note: 

STARTING SOMETHING 

I am a Fine Arts major.  I never took a business class, my grammar is terrible, I'm not a leader by nature nor am I an entrepreneur.   However after I read this book I saw myself as a writer, a leader, and a person that has enough passion to start up their own movement.

THE INSPIRATION 

Middle school and high school were painful times for me.  I ate lunch on the floor because there wasn't any room for my friends and I to sit...uh well that's a lie because the real issue was I was too shy and scared to talk to the "popular" kids.  Why?  Why didn't I tell the girl next to me in math class that she had the coolest sweaters, or  why didn't I tell that boy he made US History my favorite class to go to.  It is a simple complement that can open up conversations with others, hell just knowing that people are genuinely nice in the world can restore your faith in it.  

Few years ago I stopped holding back and just let the positivity come out of me unexpectedly.  I would complement strangers on their shoes, perfume, hair, smile, whatever dazzled me about them I would come out and say it; even if they were just smiling at me because I was coming off as a weirdo...least they were smiling!  As I was reading Start Something That Matters it hit me...being positive does matter.    

HOW IT WORKS 

1) Take a square piece of paper and write a positive message on it.  On the back write  

    @positivesquare or Facebook PositivelySquare (so others can learn about it!) 

It can be anonymous or you can let it known to the world it is from you!  Your square can also be for someone you know "Mom your pancakes are wonderful!"  or a stranger out there needing something to make their day a little bit better "You might have a the greatest smile ever.  Show it!" 

2)  Send it out into the world for another to find! 

Leave your square:  in a park, library book, restaurant menu, bus stop, locker, hospital front desk, a folded sweater in a store, cash register, car cup holder, a mitten, doctor's waiting room, cafeteria lunch tray, etc.  

3) Post it (optional) 

Upload your square and let the positive message grow even more! 
Facebook: facebook.com/PositivelySquare
Twitter: @PositiveSquare

THE CONTEST 

"Like" Positively Square on Facebook (facebook.com/PositivelySquare)

Post a photo of the positive square you sent out into the world with the caption as the message you put on the square.  Whoever has the most "likes" on their photo wins the copy of Start Something That Matters.  

Thank you for reading about this exciting new endever I hope it will be a success with your help.  Please post and follow Positively Square on Twitter and "like" it on Facebook.  

Your support is a positive thing all on its own!  

Write it positive. Post it proud

- Kirsten Zache