10 More Random Acts of Kindness

1. At the pub, buy the table next to yours some crisps.
2. Give a disposable camera to a group of people you see having fun.
3. Give a tramp a harmonica.
4. Say "bless you" when someone sneezes.
5. Send a nice text message to someone you never text.
6. Phone an elderly relative and talk to them for a minimum of ten minutes.
7. Take a coffee to a busy recepcionist.
8. Ask more questions than you answer.
9. Buy an incredibly cheap flight on-line and give it to a friend. (A return flight, preferably!)
10. Ask someone for their autograph.

With thanks to

The Karma Army

for the tips!

Being more Creative

This year has been a real struggle for me, a challenge to hold on to my convictions and confidence. So I enjoyed these tips from a very quirky website called www.gapingvoid.com (“cartoons drawn on the back of business cards” ) on how to be more creative:

1. Ignore everybody.
2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to change the world.
3. Put the hours in.
4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being “discovered” by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.
5. You are responsible for your own experience.
6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.
7. Keep your day job.
8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.
9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.
10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.
11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.
12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.
13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.
14. Dying young is overrated.
15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.
16. The world is changing.
17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.
18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.
19. Sing in your own voice.
20. The choice of media is irrelevant.
21. Selling out is harder than it looks.
22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.
23. Worrying about “Commercial vs. Artistic” is a complete waste of time.
24. Dont worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.
25. You have to find your own schtick.
26. Write from the heart.
27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.
28. Power is never given. Power is taken.
29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.
30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.
31. Remain frugal.

BBC 6Music

After being on Radio 4's Midweek programme last week I get the chance to funk-up (I said 'funk') my image tomorrow when I am interviewed on the Breakfast show of BBC 6Music, a digital/on-line station of eclectic, new and quality music. Listen to 6Music here.

Climate Change certificate

This is to show that my book has so far produced almost a tonne of evil Carbon Dioxide and that I have offset it with www.climatecare.org . Simple to do and important, no?

Two inspiring charities

www.theforgivenessproject.com

Last week I met Phyllis Rodriguez, a lady whose son died in the Twin Towers on 9/11.
Now she has befriended the mother of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only terrorist convicted for the attacks. Her positivity is inspiring.

www.roomtoread.org

I also met John Wood last week. J

ohn Wood launched Room to Read after a trek through Nepal. He visited several local schools and was amazed by the warmth and enthusiasm of the students and teachers, but also saddened by the shocking lack of resources. Driven to help, John quit his senior executive position with Microsoft and built a global team to work with rural villages to build sustainable solutions to their educational challenges.