Latest Deed

Some people might say I’m promiscuous... something of a free woman... there are worse words for it, but I won’t use them here in polite company.

But...I have renounced my wayward habits.

I AM IN LOVE... for REAL and FOREVER this time.

My affairs started off with the big book store chains as a impressionable teen. They gave me a soft oversized arm chairs and vanilla lattes to fuel my late night exam cram sessions. I had endless loves to chose from... drama, mystery, childrens or cookbooks. I was seduced and I loved every minute of it.

But my tastes and desires became more curious in university, preferring the independent types... the older ones... those with a story to tell and secrets to reveal.

Leaving school and out in the real world on my own, I became more practical. Time and money was an issue, but I always needed it. I’d take it where I could get it... libraries, used stores, airports, any place would do as long as they had my fix. Occasionally I’d go corporate and let Amazon work their magic. It didn’t matter.

But not now... not ever again. I’ve found my ONE TRUE LOVE. A love to take me through the good times and bad, for better or for worse, one that will actually make ME a better person and even make the world a better place.  It is love at first sight.

I have renounced my lurid affairs with “other” booksellers... used, new, chains, internet, independent... and I pledge my love and give my hand to BETTER WORLD BOOKS.

What kind of bookseller could make a junkie so loyal, you ask?  

One that makes me feel empowered, important and a part of something bigger.

Better World Books is a online bookseller with a mission to create a better world, one book at a time.

Some of my favorite words all in the same sentence... CREATE A BETTER WORLD through BOOKs!!!  Ahh... music to my ears.

There are so many ways Better World Books is using books to promote literacy - through collection of used books, to donating a book for every book sold, to supporting literacy and education programs like Room to Read, Books for Africa and Invisible Children (all groups we HEART big time).  Better World Books is a GoodieDo hero through and through and now our one true bookseller love.

I never really boasted about my former affairs, but here are some super accomplishments from my true love:

• Donated over 5 MILLION BOOKS
• Raised over US$10 MILLION for LITERACY programs
• Reduced landfill waste through recycling or reusing over 70 MILLION POUNDS of BOOKS
• Offset 23,000 LBS of CARBON through their carbon offset program

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Ever thought about how life would be if you couldn't read?  Maybe something like this...

Vhae uoy veer ouhtgth obaut woh file ouwld eb fi ouy cldoun't dear?

You wouldn't be able to waste time on Facebook, read the news, delete the spam from your email...hell even read your email, or drive or take a bus because you couldn't read the signs.  HOW WOULD YOU LIVE?! 

What if your children never got an education and never learned how to read?

You'd feel pretty crap, probably. You'd give yourself the worst parent of the decade award, I bet. You'd also be a social outcast for letting it happen. Life would be a dead end for both you and your kids. You might think - LIFE SUCKS.

Well, for an estimated 796 million people in the world, life IS that hard because they cannot read or write. 

That's one in every five adults. 

Most of these people are living in developing countries and 2/3 of them are women.

BUT... if a woman in a developing country does learn to read, her children are 50% more likely to survive past the age of 5.  

AND... a girl living in Africa that received an education is 3 times - READ IT - 3 times!!! less likely to contract HIV.

Those girls that stay in school are more likely to receive higher wages, have healthier children and live longer... and the same for her children and grandchildren.  

Literacy and education improve the quality and length of life for poor communities around the world and is a key to growth and prosperity for developing countries. 

This past month UNSECO and the international community celebrated International Literacy Day. In honor of this day, the powerhouse education non-profit, Room to Read, launched a month long campaign to ensure that all children around the world learn to read. 

There is only ONE DAY LEFT in the campaign for you to help children have a chance at a better future.  

Here are some EASY things that you can do to help:

1. Invest in literacy by making a small donation. Even a little bit helps because your donation will be matched by Better World Books!

2. Educate yourself by watching this video. 

3. Spread the word. Tweet for #Literacy this message: 

Hwat wdulo hte lrodw kolo lkei fi ouy ocldu otn erda? Noigmeths kile stih. #RTforLiteracy (Each RT=$1 to @RoomtoRead) http://bit.ly/ILD2011 

For every tweet Random House will donate $1 to Room to Read's literacy programs.

4.  Start your own campaign to raise money for Room to Read. Run a marathon, host an event or come up with your own creative idea. Here are some ideas on how to get started.

Don't waste time and do it today in honor of International Literacy Day and all of the struggling mothers and children out there that need your help. 

Thanks for doing your GOOD deed today!

P.S. Its so easy to just do one of the things above! Don't be lazy!

P.P.S. If you want to start a fundraising campaign, contact us at GoodieDo and we can help you spread the word and raise additional funds!

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Are you raising money or running a non profit and asking for donations?

Is your strategy currently PAYING OFF?

Sally Hogshead author of 'Fascinate: Unlocking the 7 triggers of influence, persuasion, and captivation'  writes about 

LUST, 

MYSTIQUE, 

ALARM, 

PRESTIGE, 

POWER, 

VICE 

TRUST

as being the 7 key elements to being MEMORABLE. She outlines with many examples how experiences in life are chosen by us because of these seven underlying triggers, which we are often unaware of.

You know that feeling when you come across something FASCINATING and you are left lingering for MORE......?

There's something you just cant put your finger ON,  you have to see it AGAIN!

It's like an itch that won't go away. 

The more you itch it, the more you WANT TO ITCH IT!

In this book Sally answers the question 'Are beautiful people STILL more attractive with the lights OFF?' The answer to this is YES they smell better......

apparently: 'through scent, we can unconsciously detect gene makeup in other people.'

She goes on to explain the psychological reasoning behind shoe fetishes and provides an extremely useful self evaluation critique of how fascinating your company, brand or product is. 

This book is extremely useful for any who would like their story retold. From this you will understand how large companies such as Coca Cola create a lasting impression.

If you would like to FIND OUT how to:

• recruit supporters of your cause by the truckload because you are just SOOOO fascinating
• get others to buy products that you love and support
• WOW people and create a lasting impression 

THEN

1) click HERE and find the new fascinating YOU or buy it for that person or company in your life you find BOOOOOORING!!!

2) Then click add to basket (They even have FREEEE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!!!) and whammo you will finally understand why you just have to have Chinese fried noodles every Friday night for dinner.

P.S This is why I LOVE using products which have a great story behind them, retelling that story is just SOOO FASCINATING, not to mention FUN!

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Child rearing in any form is a super feat for parents. Only now being a parent of 2.5 year old Chloe and 10 month old Jude can I understand a little of what being a parent is all about. Good Golly a definite paradigm shift occurred at the birth of our first child. Seeing that a parallel world exists between those with children and those without, without ever knowing such a world existed. 

The Continuum Concept is a must read for parents who no longer want to follow societies rules about child rearing and would like to try the path of least resistance. Believing in the innate nature of the child to be one that will make the right decision for itself in most circumstances. 

Author Jean Liedloff lived for two and half years with natives in the South American jungle. While deep within the forests and within the Indian communities she noted the peacefulness of all tribe inhabitants. In this book shares her observations of the psychology of South American jungle Indian's child rearing practices. She relates these practices to innate human nature which is often lost or forgotten in todays fast paced societies. 

I found the Continuum Concept initially a heavy read, but after working through the first few chapters found it to be an invaluable parenting read and have changed some of my learned parenting behaviors for more win- win and less confrontational outcomes or reactions.

I must say a big thank you on behalf of my children to my husband's beloved mother for the gift of this book. 

If you are already a parent, or thinking about a family and believe in the innate parenting skills human nature has provided us but are a bit cloudy from your own upbringing and all of the incoming messages from today's modern world THEN I highly recommend reading this book. Your children and their children will love you for it.

Buy it here 

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No Impact Man, by Colin Beavan, is a hilarious and thought provoking account of one New York family's yearlong journey into ultra-environmentalism. The book's subtitle says it all, "The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process." The story begins with the reasons why Beavan decided to head down this path towing an 18 month old daughter in diapers and a shopaholic wife. A lot of people immediately identify with Beavan as he explains his thought process - he was always complaining about the problems of the world, but really he was doing nothing about them.  And so we join him and his family through a year of extreme changes including forgoing toilet paper and reducing waste, turning off the electricity at home, using only human powered transport (no taxis, buses or subways), eating locally, and using cloth diapers among others. He started off trying to save the planet, but gets so much personal value from the exercise when he realizes that less really is more: when you don't watch TV at night, you actually talk to your family and catch up with your friends; when you eat locally you get so much more connected to your community; and when you volunteer and become a voice, you really do inspire people to make positive change as well. 

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