MISSION: Happiest of Holidays to You!

Hi, everyone! Secret Agent L here. With Christmas just a few days away, I wanted to take a moment and wish all of you a very happy, blessed, and peaceful Holiday Season, no matter what you celebrate this time of year--Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, etc. I'm hoping that during this season you will choose peace, kindness, and love in all your thoughts and words and actions.

I'm feeling particularly blessed and enveloped in the spirit of the season, and I want you to know that these past 5 months with the Secret Agent L project have felt like Christmas each day. Thank you for your interest in and support of this project, for your kind words, for your willingness to contribute through your actions (big love to my Affiliated Agents!) and for your extreme generosity in sharing your financial resources.

I love you all. I rully, rully do.

In the comments section, I hope you'll let me know what you and your loved ones are doing this holiday season to promote kindness, peace, and love, anonymous or not!

Blessings of peace and love to each of you!

xoxo,

Secret Agent L

MISSION: Squirrel Hill Neighborhood Saturday

Secret Agent L had a rough go of it on today's missions. She'd originally planned for four--two of which included stuff for the dudes out there--but when Number Two fell ill and Number One Male Affiliated Agent had other obligations, Secret Agent L needed to do her best solo. Guys, please accept her apologies. She promises that she'll get some stuff out there for you soon!

Alas, she still managed to leave a couple of things for some unsuspecting Pittsburghers. And two missions is better than no missions, right?

For those of you unfamiliar with Pittsburgh, the Squirrel Hill neighborhood is a wonderful place filled with shops, restaurants, and cafes. It's also home to our city's largest population of Jewish residents. So, in honor of Hanukkah, I felt it only fitting to perform today's mission in this lovely neighborhood.

MISSION #1: Asian-inspired purse

Date: Saturday, 12 December 2009

Location: Squirrel Hill neighborhood, Pittsburgh. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Squirrel Hill branch) women's restroom.

Time: 2:17 p.m.

Secret Agent L always feels weird taking pictures in bathrooms, especially when the entrances to those bathrooms don't have doors!

Luckily, there wasn't anyone else in there, so she was able to leave this lovely goody for the next gal.

MISSION #2: Peace Notepad

Date: Saturday, 12 December 2009

Location: Entrance to Sixth Presbyterian Church, corner of Forbes and Murray Avenues, Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh

Time: 3:27 p.m.

This time of year is the perfect time to remind everyone about the importance of peace. Heaven knows we need more of it on this planet.

More missions to come in the next week! Keep your eyes peeled!

And HAPPY HANUKKAH!!

MISSION: Thank you!

This is so exciting! Thank you, Boring Pittsburgh!

xoxo,
Secret Agent L

MISSION: Show Some Compassion.

I think the word kindness is interchangeable with the word compassion. This video gave me goosebumps and made my eyes leak a little.



For more information and to become a part of this beautiful movement, go here.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone!

MISSION: Super Saturday Secret Agent-y-ness.

First, let me say a big thank you to everyone's encouragement over the past week or so as I let you all know my fears about losing steam with this project. Your emails and blog comments really made a difference.

Which leads me to:

Super Saturday!

Date: Saturday, 21 November 2009

Location: University of Pittsburgh campus, Oakland, Pittsburgh, PA

Time: 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

My Number Two and I were quite busy on Saturday afternoon, making drops all over Pitt's campus. Talk about FUN!

First: Bubbles.

I mean, really. How can you not feel good when you have a bottle of bubbles in your hand? Instant happiness, people.

We left the bubbles on a ledge outside of a popular ice cream shoppe on campus:

And I'm thrilled to say that the recipient of the bubbles sent us an email to say thanks: "I just found some bubbles you left near the Hillman Library. I was in the most sour mood ever. I was on my way back to work, dreading bringing my current nastiness to the work place. your gift totally brightened my day. I thank you and my fellow workers definitely thank you.

"Thanks for spreading the love. "

Thank YOU!

Next up: Search-a-Word puzzle and pencil!

Sometimes, when you're just sittin' around, say, on a bus, you can get pretty bored. Well, we decided to fix that!

We left this little gem on a sitting area near a popular bus stop on Forbes Avenue. Who wouldn't enjoy some quality Word Time while riding along on a bus?

Third: Happy note pad.

We stopped in the Law School for this one. We hoped it would remind future lawyers of the benefit of "Doing Good."

And guess what? A woman who found this little treat also emailed us to let us know! "I wanted to thank you so much for your kindness! I've been feeling a bit down (money problems, job problems, a cat with cancer) and was in a funk today when I took a smoke break from work just a few minutes ago. I work (on the weekends) at the Pitt Law School Library. I went downstairs, and went to pick up the Pitt News to read while smoking when a little color caught my eye. And there was your card, your inspirational message, and a note pad.

"I'll be sure to pass on the goodness. I'm also going to blog about it on Monday and post a link to your blog as well.

"You brightened my day and for that I say Thank You!"

You brightened our day as well!

Fourth on the List: Reporter Pad.

I love Pitt's student union. It's fancy. When you enter from Forbes Avenue, you walk into a major dining area. Since it was Saturday, and it was before Thanksgiving week, it was pretty empty. But students will return soon enough. And, hopefully, someone will find this if they haven't already.

Fifth and Final: Courage journal.

Life can be hard. Sometimes you need a little courage just to get through the day. And we hope that whoever found this journal at the Red Oak Cafe on Forbes Avenue will find the courage he or she needs to deal with whatever it is that gets handed to them.

Someone found one of the last two gifts, but we don't know which one. We just received an email with the following message from a gentleman who wants to help out, and that made us smile so big: "I would love to help out with your project. I found a gift you left yesterday and it brought so much joy to my day. I would love to help out in anyway I can."

Over the next few days, we'll be responding to the many emails and comments you all have left recently. Please know how much your support, interest, and kind words mean!

And we'll be back soon with more missions!

MISSION: Vacation

Affiliated Agent V has been busy. Unfortunately, it hasn't all been with super secret, super awesome missions done on behalf of Secret Agent L. Being a full-time student, a college department worker, a volunteer, a writer, a dog-owner, a girlfriend, a friend, a sometimes sick in winter girl, and a social networking queen, there is little time for much else. This includes taking time to relax and regroup. But recently, a birthday vacation meant "SLOW DOWN!" 

A much needed road trip, even though sick, allowed for reflection, relaxation, and a few mission drops. 

DATE: 11/15/09

TIME: 12:30 pm

LOCATION: Mammoth Cave, KY

Word searches, puzzles, and games are great on a road trip. Long car drives require a pencil and a crossword puzzle. For those who travel without, finding these things along the way provides a great respite from the miles and miles of tree-laden countryside. 

Near Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, there are few places to pull over in hopes of finding something to read on a drive through the area. Mammoth Cave is the world's longest cave system and this area of Kentucky is home to numerous smaller caves. 

Sand Cave in Cave City, KY in one such cave. Off the beaten path and closed to visitors, Sand Cave holds history that many come to experience, at least, as much as can be from the historical markers at the front entrance.  And for those unable to carve their initials in a nearby tree, this souvenir will hopefully provide a nice reminder of their visit. 

Losing Steam

The future of the Secret Agent L project is on shaky ground. Part of me feels it may have run its course. But part of me feels it still has the potential to become even greater. But I cannot do it alone anymore.

I no longer have the financial capabilities to complete the missions.

My Affiliated Agents are no longer participating.

I cannot carry this project alone on my own shoulders anymore.

Perhaps it was a passing fling: exciting at first, everyone on board, and then the reality of the actualy upkeep set in--not just to me, but to those who wanted to participate.

I've been in touch with an amazing contact at one of the biggest non-profits here in the city, and he has graciously (and I do mean GRACIOUSLY) offered to help guide me and point me in the right direction to make this project even better than I could have imagined. But I fear that it's going to be too much for me to carry alone.

I realize that we're all busy, our lives often composed of obligations, other interests, other responsibilities other than those we hold in our hearts.

I'm just not sure how to juggle it all anymore.