Congratulations on reaching Total Shoe Actualization.

AWESOME!

— Email message —

“Hi Neil! I got my book of awesome in the mail last week. It is fun to read and it smells like a book should. Thanks!” – Avi

Photo from: here

It’s like a mirage.

You see that distant Do Nothing day coming up on the horizon of your kitchen calendar. You stare at its white squarey blankess beckoning you closer and closer and closer. Time moves forward, days march on, and still nothing gets planned on that beautifully perfect patch of nothingness. No homework, no dinner dates, no sports practices, no visiting mates. It’s just you and you sharing a nice peaceful moment of alone time.

When you’re lucky enough to score a Do Nothing day, do yourself a favor and do nothing. Give your brain a break and slip into easy bliss of lying in crumpled sheets, taking a long bath, and ordering out for dinner. Ditch the guilt while you swing in a hammock, cuddle with your cat, or curl up on the couch in front of the TV.

Once in a while it’s good to enjoy a completely unproductive daydreamy day with a slow smile and no worries.

You earned it.

AWESOME!

Thank you for making The Book of Awesome a #1 bestseller!

Sign up to receive a daily dose of awesome in your email.

— Email message —

Photo from: here and here

You don’t want to sit next to me on an airplane.

Chances are good I’ll start drooling on your shoulder, accidentally crank your headset volume, or chat your ear off with boring anecdotes while you attempt to stare dreamily at cloudscapes out the window. Yes, you’ll politely nod and smile while I go on for half an hour about my terrible cell phone plan or the bloating I’ve been feeling lately. Honestly, if you end up sitting beside me on a plane I’ve got just one thing to say to you: Sorry.

Nobody can Party Save you now.

Now, I’ve only seen one successful strategy for avoiding the torture that is My Company. I took a flight recently where the woman next to me cocooned herself into a sensory deprivation chamber of headphones, blankets, and earplugs as soon as we sat down. She no doubt sensed my impending chat attack and defended against it immediately, even elbow-snagging the armrest for good measure.

Since the two of us happened to be sitting in the Emergency Exit row, I therefore became solely responsible for busting the door open if our plane crash landed. Yes, the flight attendant coached me on emergency moves and I nodded with steely eyes and firm lips while Snoozy Samantha snored on beside me.

After the plane took off I sat back in my chair feeling like the hero of the flight. After all, it could all come down to me. Sure, the harsh, unforgiving Andes might crunch our plane but they would never crunch my spirit.

As modest payment for accepting this critical role I scored some extra legroom to stretch out and relax. While everyone else had their knees in their laps, I was free to leg around freely, keeping my muscles warm and ready in case the going got tough.

Now, as if all that wasn’t good enough — the hero status, the legroom, the babes – there’s also one more big perk emergency exit row folks get for sitting there. They get out first.

Yes, when the inflatable slide pops open into the river or the flashing red lights shine a smoky path into the fiery forest, we are the Emergency Exit door kicker-openers …  running out first … leading the way … and saving the day.

AWESOME!

Thanks to your support and votes 1000 Awesome Things is accepting an award for Best Culture Blog today at The Webby Awards in New York City.

— Email message —

“Hi Neil, About twelve years ago I signed up for Big Sisters and was matched with Tiffany, an 11 year old creative spirit. We bonded instantly and spent many hours together doing awesome things. We then lost touch for a couple of years, but Tiff called out of the blue one day and we reconnected like there had never been a gap – (those types of friendships that last years of of space are truly awesome). Tiff has grown into a beautiful young woman and today I watched her graduate from college with tears of pride in my eyes.  I gave her The Book of Awesome as a present, and I tucked comments into the pages that rang true to me. I tucked money into the one about finding money in coat pockets. I added in a few words about how great it was to find money in books as well.” – Sandy

Photos from: here, here, and here

It’s time to get down with the get down…

At the movies! Your arms bearhug fat tubs of popcorn and slippery jumbo drinks as you blindly stumble down the dark aisle. You scan the chattery crowd dotting the red plushy tundra before noticing your friend thirty rows up giving you the two armed wave.

At the school assembly! You’re separated from your fourth grade soulmate and only see each other while double-dutching by the portables at recess. But then come student council speeches, music recitals, or a Thanksgiving play and suddenly your hearts spark again at the back of the bleachers.

At the concert! Boots up, you’re bumpily crowdsurfing at the front of the mosh pit. After you crash land on your neck in a dirty puddle of warm beer, your friend yanks you up by the wrist and squeezes you beside her right in front of the stage.

At the rocket ship before blastoff! You slept in and got stuck in highway traffic so now you’re chomping on a fistful of ice cream pellets while Velcroing your aluminum-foil-and-fishbowl getup together in the car. You arrive at the launchpad and race down the thin metal bridges into the ship as the engines fire up… and there’s Cindy! With a windbreaker lying on the window seat beside her.

Yes, when you spot a friend snagging you a prime seat it’s good times, it’s good times. After all, they’re expressing your friendship to the world by deciding twenty minutes of stinkeye is worth making sure you sit together. Now you get to chat, laugh, and love those good times with a close friend.

Buddy, I don’t know what you call that if you don’t call that

AWESOME!

Join us in Vancouver tomorrow or Washington, DC in a few weeks!

— Email message —

“Neil, I’d been going through a rough patch in life. You know, bad day after bad day, glum songs always on my iPod, etc. I made my parents buy me The Book of Awesome and I hate to sound cliché but it totally changed my outlook on life and turned my pessimism into optimism. I started noticing awesome things in life. I noticed that although we have no ‘really really old Tupperware’, we do have old Cool Whip containers. People waving at me from their cars, the smell of gasoline. It’s just made life that much more awesome to me… thank you from a devoted reader.” – Jordan

Photos from: here, here, and here

Thank you for calling.

We are experiencing lower than normal call volumes.

AWESOME!

— Email message —

“I got a call from my husband while I was at work that The Book of Awesome had finally arrived! I got the book the same day I found out I was pregnant! While I was sitting there waiting for the test, I flipped through the book and found a lot of my favorite awesome things. What could be more awesome than that? Baby and The Book of Awesome all in the same day!” ~Bekah….the green square  :-)

Photo from: here

Brother, my closet is stuffed as a scarecrow.

See, I’ve got too many clothes because I keep all my old faves from years gone by. My drawers are packed with tattered jerseys, fraying undies,  and lonely socks praying for their partners to please come home. On top of all that, I’ve got dusty gems I can’t bear to toss — like a shirt I got for being Paperboy of the Month twenty years ago and one my friends made to celebrate a massive TV-watching marathon. Go Team Couch Potato.

Now, despite the junky Grandma’s basement nature of my closet I do sometimes throw on hip waders and slip into the deep to try and fish things outta there. Usually I end up tossing an old pair of crap job shoes and a Genera Hypercolor T-shirt before it eventually happens: I pull out a faded pair of jeans from long, long ago.

My rusty brain suddenly flashes back to Saturday afternoons in the fitting room, the nervous first wash, and all those years this pair was #1 in my rotation. I hold it’s aging smooth-patches-and-lintballs body in my hands and suddenly decide to see if I can slip back into its cozy comfort.

As I close my door, shut my blinds, and yank that second skin up onto my plump, doughy ass I fondly remember rainy concerts, awkward makeout sessions, and dark summer nights in the park. I walk around the room and feel those shredded hems, smooth inside pockets, and all the old creases bending in just the right places.

I feel like I’m warmly welcoming an old friend back into my life.

I feel like I’m finally home.

AWESOME!— Email message —

“Dear Neil, my 8th grade class is currently working on the persuasion California state English learning standards.  As a special treat, I showed them 1000 Awesome Things and they now love it as much as I do.  We decided to create our very own tribute site to persuade others why something in particular is awesome. Check it out! Our site is called: www.30awesomethings.blogspot.com. I attached a photo of our class and I’m holding The Book of Awesome in the back row. Getting all of my students enthusiastic about an assignment, and making learning fun and inspirational is AWESOME!” – Ms. Pasternak

Photos from: here and here

Swipe your dripping paws on those handy leg towels and let’s get back to business, baby.

AWESOME!

Join us in Calgary or Vancouver this week.

— Email message —

“So…I heard about this blog from a friend and started following it just a few weeks ago! I told my other friend about it, who also knows that I never get things in the mail at college and I check my mail last week only to find The Book of Awesome in a cardboard box in my mail! I’ve been loving it ever since…”

Couch potatoes of the world, hear my call.

We all know it’s great capping off three crumb-covered hours on the sofa by watching the highlights of the game you just watched. Yes, you lasted through all the timeouts, challenges, and pitching changes, so now’s your chance to relive that Sunday afternoon investment with a quick-clicking slideshow of the best parts.

Also, it’s fun comparing your Sportswatching Skills against the network to see who’s better. Did they show that blown call? Or that big save? What about the funny sign from the crowd? Chalk one up for potato if they missed something big.

Now, the greatest move is when you see the game live and then watch the highlights as soon as you get home. You’ve got a whole new camera angle and can even put both hands on the TV like a kitten to try and find yourself cheering in the crowd.

Yes, you came, you watched, and you saw the highlights.

Nobody can take that away from you.

AWESOME!

— Email message —

“Hey Neil! I am now a broke college student but finally received my first pay cheque of the summer! First thing I bought with the money?.. The Book of Awesome, of course!” – Amberli

Photo from: here

Kids cruise on wobbly bikes, toddlers race on tipsy trikes, and you drift deep into the hot summer night. Swerve and curve on windy roads as darkness slowly falls and stars pop out to reveal a twinkly twilight glow. As you hit the gas and drop your windows the warm beating rush of summer air makes you smile and makes everything else in the world just fade away… fade away… fade away… fade away… fade away…

AWESOME!

— Email message —

“Hi Neil, I just discovered 1000 Awesome Things and it made me incredibly happy. SO happy in fact that I wrote it down as #3274 in my Happy Book. For about a year and a half now, my friends, neighbors, strangers, and I have written down thousands of things that make us happy. Many are inside jokes but some are “whipping out something random from your memory” (#1694) or “sitting in the back seat of a car without the people in front knowing” (#2866). I have the authors sign and date their entries. We all have bad days but looking through my Happy Book reminds me of when we were feeling different and cheers me up. Thank you for the blog and The Book of Awesome!” – Hannah

Photo from: here

The Party Save happens anytime a friend yanks you from a bad party conversation by pulling off a thrilling and daring rescue mission.

Here’s how it all goes down:

Step 1:  The Plan. Say tonight you’re heading to a housewarming, office Christmas party, or New Year’s bash. As you and your date walk into Stranger Conversation Territory it’s important to make that deal up front. You save them, they save you. Don’t forget to shake.

Step 2: The Signal. You’re trapped! When you find yourself listening to neverending vacation stories, getting detailed stock-picking advice, or hearing about someone’s thesis, it’s time to get out. Signal your friend with an eager Smile N’ Raised Eyebrows glance, casual Nodding Head-Tilt beckon, or if absolutely necessary, a booming blood-curdling “Get over here!” scream, like Scorpion in Mortal Kombat.

Step 3: The Save. Here’s the tricky part. Your friend comes over and has two options. First, they can play False Emergency and drag you away while apologizing to the chatty strangers. This is  risky because it could look forced and you’ll need to disappear rather than just talking to someone else. Instead, they can try The Natural, which is where they drop a nice, normal transition into the conversation. “Should we go grab some food?”, “Linda just got here, let’s say hi”, or “Where’s the bathroom?” usually work well.

Remember: when you’re stuck, when you’re stranded, when all you see is gloom, just yell for your brothers and sisters and let them pull you across the room.

AWESOME!

Neil Pasricha and The Book of Awesome will be at the New Hamburg Live Art Festival in Ontario this weekend.

— Email message —

“My best friend discovered your blog and the book of awesome and showed it to me one day at work… and well i’m hooked. We often cross post awesomeness on each other’s Facebook walls and started an awesome things list of our own… I couldn’t help but continue to spread more awesomeness to her with the actual copy of the book but, being in Korea made it a little difficult. I couldn’t buy and deliver it to her personally. HOWEVER, i prevailed. I ordered her a book online and had it wrapped, carded and shipped to her!” – Sarah, Sanbon, South Korea

Photos from: here and here