About

1000 Awesome Things is just a time-ticking countdown of 1000 awesome things. Launched June, 2008 and updated every weekday. Full story here.

Also, I share the inspiration this site in this TED Talk:

Some thoughts and reviews from around the horn:

“1000 Awesome Things might be described as optimism for the rest of us. Sunny without being saccharine, it’s a countdown of life’s little joys that reads like a snappy Jerry Seinfeld monologue by way of Maria Von Trapp.” – The Vancouver Sun

“Neil Pasricha is the guru of small joys.” – The Toronto Star

“None of what Pasricha shares is philosophical or heady. Similarly, his style is not a pontification on a single universal truth on how to live a more positive life, regardless of one’s personal circumstances. It’s absent of prescriptions that assume only changing the way we think will result in better outcomes. He merely brings to life — and reminds us about — the small occasions that will likely have you saying to yourself, “yes, that is so right. Why didn’t I think of that?” Pasricha doesn’t mandate a way to live well. In many simple ways, he just reminds us that we already do.” – The Huffington Post

“Pasricha finds fun in frustrations, going from grit to wit.” – Publisher’s Weekly

“Strangely heartwarming… perfect for rainy days.” – The New Yorker

“Laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with just enough sarcastic nostalgia…” – Wired.com

“Honors the little joys of life.” – USA Today

“Consumer angst has turned western civilization into a morass of grumpy old men moaning about shoddy battery life of iPhones or the annoying omnipresence of accident claims adverts when you just want to watch a daytime quiz show. So sometimes, it’s nice to remind yourself of life’s sweeter side and the pleasures to be had from the small things — like peeling the thin plastic film off new electronic gadgets or sneaking your own cheap snacks into the cinemas. 1000 Awesome Things deserves its recent Webby Award; life really is awesome after all.” – The Guardian

“1000 Awesome Things is the #1 awesome website.” – Frank Warren, PostSecret

“Laugh out loud. You feel like you’ve thought of these things a thousand times but just haven’t stopped to write them down.” – BBC South America

“A lovingly beautiful blog. It’s like being a three- or four-year-old and looking at the world for the first time again. Read it and you’ll feel good about being human.” – Jim Hedger, Host of Webcology, Webmaster radio

“Unrelentingly optimistic without being sappy. It’s less about awesome things than it is about seeing the awesomeness of the everyday.” – The Toronto Star

“Cool Site of the Day!” – The Kim Komando Show, #1 Weekend Talk Radio Show in the US

“One of the Top 100 Blogs of 2010.” – PC Mag

“One of the Top 100 Web sites of 2009.” – PC Mag

“One of the Top 50 Blogs of 2009.” – PC Mag

“Given the hectic nature of our lives, it’s easy to overlook the little things that make it all worthwhile. Thank goodness we’ve got this new site to remind us of life’s small pleasures. They’re just getting started with the list but we’ve already identified a few favorites including that pile of assorted beers left in your fridge after a party, locking people out of the car and pretending to drive away, and finding money you didn’t even know you lost. – The Record (San Joaquin County Daily Newspaper)

“A simple but brilliant idea.” Fox News

“… the most optimistic, sunny blog online. You have to test your cynicism against this affirmation of all things and see if you can actually  handle it.” – CBC Radio

Sleeping in your own bed after a long trip, being able to carry all the groceries from the car in one swoop, that miracle of science when the amount of toilet paper left on the toll is the exact amount you need – these are just some of the quietly awesome things in life at 1000 Awesome Things.” – Mental Floss

“Best of 2009.” All My Faves

“1000 Awesome Things should put itself on the list of 1000 Awesome Things. I’d hit it.” – Cheezburger Ben Huh, I Can Has Cheezburger? & FAIL Blog

“1000 Awesome Things is where the modern world stops to smell the roses.” – Ben Mercer, CFRB 1010

“Reading your blog always brings a smile to my face & I feel like I am talking to you.” – Email from author’s mother, January 12, 2009

“One of the best Pop Culture Blogs on the Internet.” – Make Five, “The Best Pop Culture Blogs”

“1000 Awesome Things is a case study on how to create an amazing contribution to the blogosphere. ” – Wikinomics, “How to build an amazing blog”

“1000 Awesome Things is absolute, pure joy.” – Q107, Calgary, Alberta, “The Terri and Patti Show”

“There’s something riveting about 1000 Awesome Things that makes you want to keep coming back. Aside from the great humor, it reminds you of the little things in life, and how awesome they can be.” – Zen Habits, Leo Babauta

“Internet humor is basically pissing all over things just for the sake of pissing on them, even if they don’t particularly deserve it. Fake outrage gets a little wearisome. 1000 Awesome Things, on the other hand, is taking the road less traveled and showing that loving things can be just as funny as hating them.” – Man vs. Clown!, Peter Lynn

And now for the legal stuff: Use of this website is for personal, non-commercial purposes. Any other use is expressly forbidden. The authors of this website own all content together with any comments and suggestions, including those sent in by electronic means. Users choosing to make any suggestions or comments thereby release any rights to them. The authors are free to use, adapt or ignore any suggestions and are not required to acknowledge them in any form.

605 thoughts to “About”

  1. Nice, I’ll keep dropping back. BroccoFlower, experienced it for the first time 2 weeks ago, smells and tastes like Cauliflower.

  2. Great idea for a blog, Neil! I’m really excited about… WAIT A SECOND! Weekday’s only? What in the crap!

    I’d already market March 17, 2011 on my calendar, and was all excited to check back then to see what #1 is, but now I find out I’ll have to wait until April 20, 2012? What about holidays, Neil? Are you going to take those off too? Factoring in New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labo(u)r Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Boxing Day, I’m going to have to wait until May 31, 2012 to find out what #1 is.

    Plus, that’s going to be 2 days after my 32nd birthday, so I’m sure I’ll be wallowing in self-pity about getting old, and probably won’t even check back in.

    That’s it – I’m stopping here. Finding lost money is the last awesome thing I’ll ever read about.

    Good bye, Neil, and good luck.

    NOT AWESOME!

    1. You should at least say thx that he takes time to write something each day of the week! Some people only write once a week! And without Neil there would be no 1000 awesome things. So, Thanks Neil! you are truly AWESOME!! :)

  3. Hey Neil,

    I love the blog!! Great stuff and a nice break from the grind at work. Keep em’ coming.
    Cheers,
    Sharon

  4. This blog is fantastic.
    I like it better than Stuff White People Like. I’ll be checking in here daily, thanks for the humorous outtake; I especially like #997.

  5. You are fucking HILARIOUS. We’ll be checking back for updates often, haha.

    PS Hope you don’t mind we added a link to you. =| Too funny a site to pass up and selfishly keep to ourselves.

  6. Your blog is #1 in wordpress top-blogs ! Congratulations and good luck. I have added your blog to bookmarks and linked it to my blog – cool news. Thanks & Love.

  7. Loved this! Stumbledupon it and read all of them. You should definitely do a blog for that one perfect sunflower seed that you almost never get that makes up for all the sub par ones.

  8. Oh my gosh, this is the funniest blog ever! I love it!!! Keep up the great work. You are very talented and have a great sense of humor.

    I read it on my break at work to give me a laugh for the day and I am now telling all of my co-workers and friends about this blog.

  9. you have one amazing website! I’m learning so many wonderful things I’m wondering why i didn’t know about it before!

    Truely impressed!

  10. This site is amazing! The insight in humor reminds me of my family, and the topics make me greatful for the same things in life.
    Thank you thank you thank you!

  11. HI,
    I just listened to your radio interview with Terry on Q92 and had to check out your site.

    Congratulations!
    It truly is awesome. It will take me a while to go over all the awesome things you have written so far, but I can’t wait.
    You have a fun and interesting site.
    Keep up the good work!

  12. Same here, just heard it on Q92 while at work. Good job. Great way to spend time while im pretending to work. How about sleeping in on saturday after waking up in the morning for work all week? Awesome.

  13. Somehow, I can’t help but to feel that Randy Pausch, in all his sincere and earnest ways, would think this blog you got going here was “awesome” too…

  14. I’d like to add one thought concerning awesome:

    Awesome, is when you go out for a walk in late October (as now)after dark, and the street lights are on, the birds are all asleep, the air is crisp and you can smell the smoke coming out of people’s chimmnies. It’s like you want to put on your jammies and watch t.v. with a soft blanket. Awesome.

  15. I think it’s absolutely AWESOME! when you trek through an absurdly deep puddle in the middle of a rain storm while wearing shin high, water proof boots. Everybody else has to alter their path in order to keep their feet dry (and warm if they aren’t cold already); but not you with the boots. You can walk right on through the deep, cold puddles coming out the other side with your feet just as dry and warm as when you stepped in. Plus it’s fun sloshing through puddles, especially deep ones.

  16. Ha! 1000 awesome things is exactly that. A big fat “ha”!

    And, you can add as many “ha’s” as you like. My personal favorite’s are the ha ha ha’s. And, boy, does 1000 awesome things provide for that.

    Incredible website. Great concept. Laughter for all.

    Thank you!

  17. Damn, bro, you can really write.

    You make me appreciate and reconsider little things in my life.

    And when I talk the things you’ve shown me, people think I’m deep.

  18. I must say I really admire your writing style…somehow you manage to make every post funny, informative, sarcastic, insightful, and just plain AWESOME, all at the same time.

    Thanks for making me appreciate the little things in life even more. Keep up the good work!

  19. -Going outside and expecting it to be cold when in fact it is warm and comforting

    -Newspaper comics, especially the Sunday ones

    -Going into double overtime in the card game ‘War’

    -Winning at Tic-Tac-Toe

    -Brand new socks out of the bag, possibly paired with brand new shoes

    -Glancing up at night and happening to catch a shooting star

    -Fun times on the clock (12:34, 11:11 etc.)

    -Skipping stones on a smooth lake

    -Free grocery store sample day

    What an awesome blog, I’ve read them all so far and really enjoyed the time spent…keep it up man!

  20. Hey, Neil, will you let me know when the book comes out. I’d love to be on the pre-order list. You’ve done a miraculous job here. Think of all the people that don’t have access to a computer but will so enjoy treasuring your words on paper.

    Thanks,
    Vicki

  21. this site is amazing. its so funny. i stumbled it once and i have been coming back to it almost every day. keep up the good work?
    p.s. when is #1?

  22. Idea for an awesome thing: You wake up in the middle of the night and you think “shit I probably have to get up in like 10 minutes” then you look at a clock and see you have like 4 more hours to sleep…. awesome

  23. When you tell someone you like something they have, and then they just give it to you. Happened to me the other day and the first thing I thought was AWESOME and thought of your site.

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