Random Acts of Kindness and PEEPS!

I have not died!  The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy and blogging had to wait.  I had a speaking engagement in La Jolla - so cool - you will hear about that soon - I even visited a nut farm while I was there.  I know - who the hell goes to San Diego and visits a nut farm?  I say - who doesn't?

I also am trying to recover from my arch enemy, the Naked Cowboy, announcing that he plans to run for President.  First he sues Mars, now this?  What an idiot.  Call me crazy, but I want my President to wear pants.  (or a skirt - but clothing, dammit!)

Back to business.

Even though I'm a motivational speaker and typically happy person, I get the blues sometimes.  I don't trust people who say they never do.  Just like I don't trust people who don't like to eat.  Suspicious, very suspicious.

Anyway, fall is the time of year that I always think it would be so cool to have a sweetheart.  You know - someone to go to the fair with, someone to watch football with, someone to snuggle up with.  And don't even get me started on the holidays!  So this weekend, as the first crisp fall weather rolled in, I was feeling a little blue.

I stumbled downstairs to get the paper - and what did I see on my porch?  A box from Just Born!  How do my candy buddies know?  I was so excited!!  There was a sweet (no pun intended) note from Cindy Glick - my fabulous factory tour guide.  Look at the note card:

Bwah, ha, ha!!  In the note she said "You may remember the tour you took of the Just Born candy factory."  Remember?  That was one of the highlights of my life!  Yeah, I've seen the Great Barrier Reef, Ayers Rock, the Grand Canyon, a nut farm - whatever.  Seeing those Peeps made was the coolest - hands down.  And when Cindy let me have one hot off the line?  Woohoo!  Remember?  I'll never forget!

Anyway, she sent me some of their new and amazing chocolate Peeps!  Look what she sent me:

There are 24 Peeps in each of those boxes.  I'm not alone anymore!!!  Woohoo!!  I can't tell you how nice it was to know Cindy was thinking about me.

She sent a box of dark chocolate covered marshmallow pumpkins:

Okay, he looks a little like a pig, but he's still better than a blob!

The dark chocolate ones are my favs - the darker chocolate seems to offset the sweetness of the marshmallow better.  Even if you don't like Peeps, I think you should try these.  The chocolate takes it to a whole new level.  And if you like Peeps, you'll REALLY like these!

I picked up a couple of milk chocolate covered pumpkins to show you:

This one looks mysterious. 

Love the bright orange color - and look at all that marshmallow!  When it comes to marshmallow, Just Born doesn't mess around.  I've seen these at most drugstores and some convenience stores if you're trying to find them.  The Easter chocolate covered chicks sold out fast, so you might want to get one of these babies now!

And look at these - dark chocolate covered MINT flavored marshmallow Christmas trees:

And milk chocolate:

Here they are side by side - and they will stand up on their own.  In case you want to build a holiday forest to surround your holiday gingerbread houses. 

Dark chocolate autopsy (whoa - that is some serious green, right?):

Milk chocolate autopsy:

These are different in that they have a mint flavor.  I wasn't as crazy about the mint - I like the non-mint flavor better.  This tasted a little toothpasty to me.  But when these come out, I'd love to hear what you all think.  I'm not a huge mint lover, so I might be wrong here.  Let me know.

Simple things can make a big difference to other people.  After a REALLY bad date the other night, I went by Walmart to get chocolate for an upcoming seminar (and to feel better by looking at Halloween candy).  I was walking in and a young man passed me and said "Super fine" and he was talking to me!  He made my night.  (I also had a flashback to the 70's, but what the hell.)

Recently I had lunch with my good friend Don Johnson and he brought me a Time magazine printed right around my birthday (not to give away how old it is but the original price was 35 cents).  He didn't have to do that - but it was really sweet.  I forget that other people are thinking of me and that I'm not alone.

It's so easy to do something random and kind - here are some ideas I'm going to try over the next few months (chances are other people might be feeling kind of blue too this time of year):

Post something nice on someone's wall on Facebook.

Pay a stranger a sincere compliment.

Give someone an unexpected gift - it doesn't have to be expensive - it could a a wildflower you picked for them.

Leave a nice tip for a service person - better yet, tip someone who never expects it.

Be open - talk to a stranger rather than listening to your iPod or talking on your phone. 

Give someone candy!

You'd be surprised how much a simple act of kindness could mean to someone.

More Halloween to come!!!!!!!!!!!!