Polar ice caps are melting, pirates are storming the seas, wars are heating up around the world, and the stock market is in a deep freeze.
Dude, it’s getting pretty ugly out there.
If you’re like me, sometimes you think about putting on boots and a raincoat, battening down the hatches, and hiding under the bed. If you’re like me, the only reason you haven’t yet is because you don’t know what hatches are, you’ve never battened anything before, and boots are pretty expensive.
Now, we started up 1000 Awesome Things a few months back as a tiny getaway from this everyday. It’s just a brief escape from the downpour of bad news and sad news raining upon us, and I’m just some guy trying to remind myself of the simple things in life. Together we help create a place where unemployment figures, gun crimes, and rising sea levels sit backseat to wearing underwear just out of the dryer, the other side of the pillow, and old, dangerous playground equipment.
This week some nice folks sitting in lawn chairs and sipping lemonade down at the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences truck stop decided to nominate us for a Webby Award in the category of Best Blog – Culture/Personal. It was an extremely surprising and humbling gesture, and so I just wanted to stop for a day to say thanks.
Because honestly, getting recognized for doing something you love is a great feeling. Whether it’s a friendly ass-slap from the third base coach after your big home run, the long and loud applause from your grandparents after your screechy clarinet solo, or a simple “I had a great time” comment from someone you had a great time with too, well that’s what it’s all about.
So today I say thanks, everybody.
Thanks for reading, thanks for commenting, thanks for submitting ideas. Thanks for raising this barn, thanks for voting this blog up, and thanks for being a community of fun-loving, eyes-to-skies optimists. Since regardless of race, taste, home country, or pant size, the eggheads at Wikipedia say 99.9% of our DNA is the same, we’re all living together on this spinning, blue rock trucking along on the same bumpy ride.
And I guess I just want to say it’s great trucking along with all of you.
Thank you so much for being
AWESOME!
(UPDATE: We won the Webby Award for Best Blog!)
“Now, we started up 1000 Awesome Things a few months back…”
And look how it’s grown. :)
so happy to hear this blog won! can’t think of a more awesome blog to have done so. thanks for always bringing a smile to mine, and countless other faces, neil!
yay for being recognised! I think you TOTALLY deserve it! In a world of big huge businessy things, I’m so glad you’re put the spotlight back on simple joys! :D Congrats!
It not what we look but what we see. You decide to see beauty in ugly. Congrats! We all can do our part in our best way. :)
Congratulations!!! you deserve the best as everyday you improve a lots of people,s life with dairy habits or ordinary issues which are become in marvelous ideas!!! Thank you for each “awesome”, thank you to exist!
It’s always wonderful to get acknowledgement for what you would do even when nobody else is looking. Great job! Great blog!!
You’ve been recognized a lot since you first wrote this post. Again, congrats on the award.
You know how I feel! But does everyone else?!* While I thought I had no reason left to live and the people in it were all done with me, my spirit was broken. I was literally dieing. I said a final little prayer for me, if there was a flicker left to burn, if I had one more chance to really live, if there was any hope, if God would show me the way. Within 1 day while picking through hospital reading material, I discovered an article about Neil Pasricha and 1000 Awesome Things in Canada’s reader’s digest. I joined the inet for the blog and gradually the little flicker was ignited into a flame. In isolation, the people here extended friendship. In darkness I found light. Although the wee things were what had always kept me going, some would scoff at me for such and here there was a beauty being created; a new world and community giving permission!!! I got to hear how others perceived, had many belly laughs, found hope and saw how to look for even more! Like hearing a stranger fart in public, is really funny and awesome. We’re all human, Getting through it! And I took the time one day to lay out on the grass and listen to a monarch butterfly drink nectar…something I hadn’t done since childhood. I slowed down to feel the earth move under my feet, again. I feel things in my bones! I found people who did care, kindred spirit friends as well as many reasons to carry on. I dug into other on line studies; discovered many awakening’s going on beyond the little world I was living in; expanded my horizons and was not isolated anymore. Awesomeland opened many doors! Through healing, my spirit awakened to and embrace essence with conviction. I’ve even found my way into a new career with horses to help others heal and ignite their lives! Your blog helped me walk out of a history and into a new life, I thought only others were worthy of living.
You deserve many awards, Neil. How you ever wrote with such poignancy for 4 years, no matter what you were going through in your personal life, is complete and utter devotion of human kindness, in every sense. Your realness, ebb and flow from sensitive through all the raw emotions~ you are awemazing! For the buttefly effect you have created…for every life that can and will in turn save another… for all the lives you have saved; the intergenerational, positive impact this holds… I hope you know and feel as proud as you should. This is a really big deal, Neil! Thank you with all my heart. spirit and soul! Truly, Wendy
That was beautiful Wendy. Glad you’re here in Awesomeland with us. Wouldn’t be the same without you.
Thanks for sharing your big heart, joy, love, mommy-hood and smiley world:)
Aw, thanks for giving me someone to share it with! :)
Brought a tear to my eye, Wendy. :’)
Well said, Wendy!
I’m so glad you’re here, Wendy! So glad, in fact, I’ve chosen a youtube clip for you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOqyygAQSX0 (OK, so I don’t know how to link them like the pros, but I tried…LOL!)
Just like a pro you are, in my eyes~ thank you and ditto!
*I’ve got one more awesome thing to add, for now… You, Mary and I are like the coolest, hippest and grooviest cats of our time on this block. I say, it’s been a real Blast fom the Past, (Brendon Frasier style), reminiscing and rocking on with y’all here in Awesomeland! Thank you:)
:)
I loved reading your books. I love your website, and look forward to your daily awesomes. You help people who are stressed out realize that there are many things to be thankful for. Whether it is the sun shining after a dark night or the site of a rainbow after a thunderstorm. You, Neil are awesome. Thank you for waking people up to see the world as it should be. You are well deserved for all the recognitions you receive. Congratulations.
A well deserved webby…..it is indeed AWESOME!
Well done on winning those awards Neil! You’re a really good writer, and I love how you describe stuff.
I’m glad you won–don’t spend it all in one place!
Thank you.
Just back here to defend ma’ boots: Not all boots are expensive. Especially if you’re patient, say a little prayer and then you find the $100 pair you loved but held out in faith for, at the thrift shop for five bucks or less as a matter of fact! I caught the line and returned to add something awesome, Ma’ boots are not always expensive at all! Hallelujah!