MISSION: Help the Animals. PLEASE.

See this handsome boy? His name is Myles. And that puppy? Ooooh, Secret Agent L just wants to smooch his slobbery little face! This photo makes her very, very happy. Do you know what else makes Secret Agent L happy? Kindness to not only people, but ANIMALS as well. Big time. (Secret Agent L's not a vegetarian for nothin', you know.)

Secret Agent L's darling friend Melissa told her about her little brother Myles' great love for and super quest to help the animals of the Maryland ASPCA. Talk about heart-melting! Since funds are pretty tight here at the Secret Agent L project, helping others outside of the project is a great way right now to keep the spirit of kindness going.

If you have a love for animals, if you want to see that they are protected, loved, and valued--as they should be--won't you consider making a donation to help support Myles and the Maryland ASPCA? Any amount--even $5 (the typical cost for a Secret Agent L mission)--is greatly appreciated. What a beautiful way to celebrate a young boy's love for animals and desire to make a difference in the world through kindness.

BUT WAIT! That's not all!

Secret Agent L's other lovely friend, Angela, recently informed Pittsburgh about an absolute atrocity that occurred at a local animal shelter. A bunch of jerks broke into the shelter one night and stole $500 worth of heating oil, which has forced the employees and animals to work and live in freezing conditions. (Remember that time Pittsburgh got over 2' of snow dumped on it? Oh, wait. That was this past weekend. Hmm. Bet that makes for some pretty cold temperatures.)

UN. BELIEVE. ABLE.

Angela is raising money through her blog to donate--every cent--to the shelter so that these animals and their caretakers at the shelter can be warm again. PLEASE, dear readers, consider donating to this cause as well. Even $5! Would you consider giving up your Starbucks tomorrow to help freezing, unadopted animals today? There are only three days left to donate, so please look into your heart and see if you can find a way to help.

"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men."
--St. Francis of Assisi

THANK YOU!!!

MISSION: Snowpocalypse 2010.

Hello, All!

Secret Agent L here. For those of you living in the Mid-Atlantic, you know what I'm talking about. Snow, snow, and more snow. Mother Nature has made it rather difficult for me and my Affiliated Agents to get around and complete some missions, and it doesn't look like it's going to let up, as weather reports indicate another--yes, another--snow storm will be arriving starting Tuesday morning. Needless to say, I haven't left Command Central since Friday. But I did get an email from an Affiliated Agent who informed me that he's got something planned and is going to try to get out there soon, regardless of the weather. That's what I like to hear!

Late Friday night, I decided to go out into the beginning of the storm to take some pictures. There's something so peaceful about snow. It was nearly midnight, and I couldn't help myself from just standing in the middle of the street and breathing it all in. There were people out walking, enjoying it just as I was. And we all said hello to each other, which made me feel that much more connected to the people in my neighborhood. This snowstorm has bonded us. I love it.

For your viewing pleasure, I present to you some photos from outside Command Central:

two neighbors enjoying a snowy, late-night walk

a secret agent hand, catching snowflakes


secret agent toes, snuggled and warm

secret agent snow angel

secret agent love note...just for you

Please check on your neighbors, families, and friends to make sure they have food, power, and heat. Secret Agent Boyfriend actually went without power for more than a day, and still others in the Pittsburgh area might be without power until Wednesday. I ask that you please extend any kindness you can to those around you during this time. Grab an extra shovel, share some of your sidewalk salt. Even saying hello and talking to those you see walking down the street, to show that you're in it with them, is an act of kindness.

Stay warm, everyone. And, most importantly, stay safe. We're in for more!

xoxo,

S.A.L.

MISSION: Super Saturday at the Library.

Secret Agent L was giddy with delight over Pittsburgh's weather today, and she took full advantage of that beautiful weather by completing several missions!

One thing you might not know about SAL is that she's a self-proclaimed geek. She reads like it's her job. In fact, she currently has 5 books on her nightstand, all of which she's activily reading. (Yes, ladies and gentlemen, she's that good.) And she looooves a library, folks. Like, a lot.

So she thought it'd be fun to do some missions today at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library, both of which are right across the street from one another. Tres convenient, n'est ce pas?

Missions #1 and #2: Carnegie Public Library of Pittsburgh, Oakland neighborhood.

Location: In the stacks and in the ladies' restroom.

Date: Saturday, 23 January 2010.

Time: 2:08 p.m. to 2:47 p.m.

For those of you not familiar with the Carnegie Library, it's gorgeous.


It's located right in Schenley Plaza, which sits right between the Carnegie Library and Hillman Library.


It's huge:


And it even has its own dinosaur guard, lovingly named Dippy the Diplodocus:

Secret Agent L started out with some inspirational cards...

...which she left in various places in the fiction stacks...

...and the mental health stacks:

These are just a few of the cards she left. She had them in the pocket of her Secret Agent Coat and just kept pulling them out and leaving them everywhere.

Next up, Secret Agent L decided to leave a little bit of fun encouragment for an unsuspecting friend. Who doesn't love magnetic poetry?

And Secret Agent L left the giftie in her favorite of all places to leave gifties, the ladies' room:

After the Carnegie Library, Secret Agent L zipped on over to Hillman Library across the street:

MISSIONS #3 and #4: University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library, Oakland neighborhood.

Date: Saturday, 23 January 2010.

Location: In the stacks, in the stairwell, and in the ladies' room.

Time: 2:58 p.m. to 3:35 p.m.

She made a stop in the stairwell between the third and fourth floors...

...and left a little inspiration card on the railing:

Despite the lovely weather outside, there were still a lot of students inside the library. This makes Secret Agent L happy, though, because it means they're studying and working hard. So, in order to be as sneaky as possible, she had to act fast, making quick drops within the stacks, and, of course, in the ladies' rooms.

A sweet little gift from one of Secret Agent L's favorite companies:

After that one, she had to hurry out of the ladies' room because there was only one stall, and if someone had come in, that person would've seen Secret Agent L and known that she'd left the gift! So Secret Agent L didn't even wash her hands in the sink because she had to be so sneaky and fast. Good thing she's always prepared and carries some hand sanitizer in her Secret Agent kit. Phew! Germs avoided!

A standard giftie in Secret Agent L's trunk-o-fun includes these cool notepads:

They'd be great for writing down assignments or reminders for study sessions.

Secret Agent L left a bunch of inspirational cards all over Hillman, too. Students work hard, and they get stressed, so a little bit of love from Secret Agent L couldn't hurt, right? Secret Agent L was in college and graduate school, so she gets it. Totally.

All in all, a productive afternoon filled with kindness and day-brightening. Just the way Secret Agent L likes it.

MISSION: A Quick Update

Thank you all for your continued support of the Secret Agent L project. Things have been kind of quiet around Command Central for a while, especially as a result of the situation in Haiti. My heart has been extremely heavy as a result, and I've spent much time praying and thinking of ways to help (as I'm sure most of you have been doing as well).

I decided to take some of the money that you kind souls have donated towards the Secret Agent L project and donate it to the relief efforts in Haiti. I made the donation tonight during the Hope for Haiti telethon, and while I didn't get through via the phone, and, thus, didn't get to talk to Julia Roberts or Matt Damon, I did manage to make an online contribution on "our" behalf. It is my hope that you will find this use of some of the Secret Agent L funds appropriate.

I'm happy to say, though, that missions will resume this weekend, as I spent the majority of tonight prepping for Super Secret Saturday. I'm looking forward to extending my heart and hands to the Pittsburgh area again, especially after the difficult recent days.

Blessings to each of you, and please continue to give, to pray (if you choose), and to extend your own hearts and hands to those around you.

The Most Love Ever,
Secret Agent L

MISSION: Haiti needs us.

Friends, Haiti needs us. I'm sure you're all aware of the terrible devastation our fellow humans are now experiencing as a result of the horrific earthquake that hit on Tuesday. It is our responsibility to help. We must act now.

I'm going to be putting off missions here in Pittsburgh until further notice in order to focus my efforts on the needs of our Haitian brothers and sisters. And I will ask my Affiliated Agents to please do the same.

In the meantime, I am imploring you, from the bottom of my heart, to please be as generous as you can at this time. If you feel comfortable donating funds to the Secret Agent L project in the name of Relief for Haiti, you have my word that I will be forwarding those funds to appropriate agencies. If you don't want to donate through the Secret Agent L project, please consider donating through one of these other agencies.

If everyone reading this donated $10, imagine the good we could do. Imagine how we could help save people's lives.

I hope your heart will be moved by this post from Pittsburgh blogger and local celebrity Virginia Montanez.

Please pray. Please donate. Please.

In love and friendship,
Secret Agent L.

(image from here)

MISSION: A heart full of grace.

Friends, it is my great hope and prayer that this is the year you decide to serve. To turn to your fellow man and ask him how you can help him, what kindess you can extend to him, what hand you can reach out to him to lift him up.

In this month in which we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I ask you to serve. In kindness, in love, and with a heart full of grace.

MISSION: For the dudes.

Hello 2010! Time for giving!

Secret Agent L and her Secret Agent Boyfriend wasted no time in starting the new year off with kindness. Today, she and her S.A.B. went to the new Settler's Ridge shopping complex out in Robinson Township, here in Pittsburgh. The specific store? REI.



Today's missions?

Totally for the dudes.

So many of the Secret Agent L missions ultimately end up with a bit of a feminine twist. But that's going to change in 2010. And it started today.

MISSION #1: Sit and Solve Puzzle Book

Date: Friday, 1 January 2010

Time: 5:29 p.m.

Location: REI Outdoor Store, men's restroom

What guy doesn't spend, um, a significant amount of time "taking care of business?" And since said guy is usually in there for, um, awhile, maybe he could be productive at the same time.

Well, that's what Secret Agent Boyfriend thinks, anyway.

Hence, puzzles.

MISSION #2: "His Life" men's journal from Compendium

Date: Friday, 1 January 2010

Time: 5:38 p.m.

Location: REI Outdoor Store, 2nd floor, Men's Clothing

Now, you may think it seems weird--a journal for dudes. Don't dudes just sit around, drinking beer, watching sports, and, um, scratching?

The answer is no. Secret Agent L knows of and believes in men who find value in expression, in writing down their ideas, thoughts, and goals.

Wouldn't it be cool for a dude to find this journal to take with him on a camping trip? To use for documenting his travels? Or even to use in meetings when ideas pop into his head?

Dudes, we love you. And we want to express kindness to you, too. Now go out there and spread some of your own. Secret Agent L is high-fiving and slapping you on the butt as she congratulates you.