A week

So, in a week, there's this election. I don't know if you heard about it.

I am tired of negativity, as I usually am by now. I am tired of complaining about what's wrong. I am tired of being mad every time the other guy says something about my guy I don't like. I am tired of being irritated that people seem so mean.

I am tired of being self-righteous, and if you know me, it takes a lot to get me tired of that.

So, here's my pledge: I am going to spend at least 15 minutes each day between now and Tuesday doing something positive to bring about the specific things I want in the world.
I challenge you to do the same, if you're in that same place I am.

Here are the first few ideas I thought of:

• Register.
• Vote.
• Give money to causes.
• Pray.
• Learn about who you want to win your local elections.
• Volunteer to make phone calls or do data entry or knock on doors, and not just for the presidential candidates.
• Break bread with people who feed your soul.
• Bite your tongue and listen for a minute to someone who disagrees with you.
• Give money to someone who asks for it.
• Propose.
• Delete that negative e-mail.
• Read to someone else's kids.

Use the comments to add your own suggestions, regardless of your politics, your issues, how empowered you feel. I know some of you are journalists and therefore are bound not to display bias. How can you make the change you want without displaying bias?

I'll also update this post daily with a journal of my change-making activity. Come back and see what you think.

We've got a week.

Update 10/31: So, clearly, I am crappy at this update-every-day business. But that does not mean I have slacked off. Some of what I've done: prayed, deleted e-mails without reading them, refused to view what is apparently the funniest video ever, made plans to spend time with kids, made plans to spend time with friends, made plans to spend time alone, disengaged from needlessly negative conversations.
I also talked to my mother last night about my grandmother and her politics. There's one issue (really, just about only one issue) that Granny and I agreed on politically, though we were very close. I wanted some background from my mother on Granny's feelings on the subject, and what she'd done about it. Turns out, she was passionate about volunteering for one organization that still exists, and that I also like. So today, I gave it some money in her memory, and signed up to also volunteer.
And I steered some folks who need something positive to read, with no attacking, here. I am not Asian, but otherwise, I could have written that piece, except that I wouldn't have done it as well. Warning: It is decidedly partisan and pro-Obama, so folks who aren't interested in that particular brand of positivity can skip it.