MISSION: North Shore Flying Pigs

Now that I've revealed my identity, I'm going to be relying heavily on my amazing Affiliated Agents to help keep the secret part of the project going. Needless to say, I'm still getting loads of emails from wonderful people who want to participate. Affiliated Agent K is one of those people She just completed her first mission this week! Congrats, Affiliated Agent K!

Date: Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Time: 7:00 a.m.

Location: North Shore office building, women's restroom, Pittsburgh, PA

Affiliated Agent K states:

Today, I completed my first mission! I grabbed a cute gift at Pier 1 for $3. It was a tiny glass pig with wings that read "Next time someone tells you to do something that you don't want to do just look at this little guy and laugh," creating the joke of "when pigs fly". I just thought it was something cute for someone to keep on their desk.

I wrapped the gift with the hot pink paper and green ribbon and left my little note along with the Secret Agent L card.

I come into work earlier than most people so I was able to go into the spot to take my photos. I left the gift in the stall of the bathroom for a surprised person to find. Time passed and I checked on the gift a few hours later. It was still there.

A short time later I needed to go wash my hands. I just happened to walk in as my friend and co-worker discovered the gift. She loved it! Luckily, I was able to keep a straight face long enough for her not to suspect anything.

Next time, I think I'll hind it in a place where there isn't a chance of me discovering the finder of the gift!

Well done, Affiliated Agent K! Thanks for making the world a kinder, more smiley place!

MISSION: Chocolate in Spain.

You know what I love? When kindness goes international.

My Affiliated Agent J in Spain came through, as he promised he would.

Date: 16 July 2010

Time: midnight

Location: classroom, Madrid, Spain

Affiliated Agent J's report is as follows:

I am an ESL teacher in Spain now, although next year I will be moving to Budapest. I think that teaching is amazing and you get to learn so much about yourself and another culture. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep spreading random acts of kindness throughout the world!

My first mission was tonight. I am working at a summer camp, and it is tough! The kids are in school from 8:00 - 5:00 PM and receive instructions all in English. Directly following camp, they have sports practice and then stay up until 11:30 at night with mandatory fun activities. Everyone is tired already---the students, the monitors (Spanairds) and the English teachers. I decided that I would hopefully make someone's day a bit brighter.

I bought two huge chocolate bars which were large enough for an entire class or dorm group, and then snuck one into a classroom where the teacher is having a ton of problems with her students and a dorm group located near my room.



Let's hope that they enjoy it and are able to share! Also, if you notice in the second photo, there is a long message in Spanish, sadly English would not work for this country...and I had to remind kids not to eat it if they had allergies. (Always the teacher; I know!)

Affiliated Agent J, well done! I'm happy to report that you're our first male international agent! Keep it up!

MISSION: Mount Veron (a.k.a. We Heart George Washington)

I love when things come full circle. I have Affiliated Agent K to thank for allowing that to happen. When she emailed me and told me she'd completed a mission in Washington, D.C. at Mount Vernon (George Washington's estate and gardens), I almost fell out of my chair.

My mom was there visiting only TWO DAYS after Affiliated Agent K's mission! What a small world!

Date: Saturday, 26 June 2010

Location: Mount Vernon, Washington, D.C.

Time: not specified

Gifts: Two Starbucks Gift Cards

Let's see what Affiliated Agent K experienced!

Well, Secret Agent L, I did it! I completed my first mission.

Last Saturday (6/26) I went to Washington DC for the day to play tourist and I thought, where better to leave my little packages of kindness than Mount Vernon. It was a very hot day and many people there had traveled a great distance.

So I set out with my two little gifts consisting of a 5 dollar Starbucks card in an envelope wrapped in tissue paper (because, really, who doesn’t love unwrapping!)

Once I arrived I realized that this was going to be much trickier than I thought as it was a very crowded attraction and whenever I found what I thought was a good spot, it seemed as though there were too many people around.

I finally settled on a little nook underneath a bust in the education center for my first drop as it was readily visible but not too busy at the time.

I left my second card in the interactive museum area, under one of the question flaps about George Washington. The next person who wondered how many schools are named after George Washington hopefully found a little more than the answer.

After going through the museum, I made sure to walk past the bust where I left the first card, and sure enough… someone found it!!!

What great fun this mission was, I can’t wait to do another!

Thanks so much, Affiliated Agent K! We can't wait to get your next mission's stats!

MISSION: Boring Pittsburgh, Troy Polamalu, and Things That Go VROOM!

{Why yes, that IS Troy Polamalu!}

When my friends at Boring Pittsburgh contacted me and suggested we work on a collaborative mission, I immediately said, "YES!" The more people in the world who want to combine forces for good, the happier this secret agent is.

The collaborative mission began with instructions for me to retrieve the mission materials at a super secret location. I, of course, complied.

exhibit a:

Upon retrieving the "top secret mission materials," I opened the container to find 1) said materials {Hairy Helmets} and 2) a memo from my co-conspirators.

exhibit b:

The memo instructed me to place the contents of the tube on unsuspecting individuals' car attenae. And the only special request indicated in the memo was to include the co-conspirator's logo.

exhibit c:

I love a good mission, and I love collaborating, so the obvious next step was to tell myself,

"Let's do this."

I typed up a happy note for my recipients...

...and made sure to include my co-conspirator's logo, as requested:

Location: Shadyside neighborhood, Pittsburgh, PA

Date: Thursday, 17 June 2010

Time: between 5:43 p.m. and 8:27 p.m.

I gotta admit: messing around with people's cars isn't something I enjoy doing. Which is why this was probably the hardest mission I've completed yet. And in broad daylight? Yikes! I worried about not only being seen but also setting off potential car alarms. Can you imagine that? I can just see the headlines now:

"Secret Agent L Nabbed by Police as She Vandalizes Neighborhood Cars with Steelers Paraphenalia."

Nonetheless, I bucked up and began on Alder Street.

After walking around and looking for cars and trucks that showed the owners' obvious love for the Steelers, I stumbled upon a grey pick-up truck that had a Steelers sticker on the back window.

Target #1 acquired:

Next stop, Shady Avenue and Howe Street:

Target #2 acquired:

Final stop? Shady Avenue and Walnut Street:

Target #3 acquired:

I gotta tell ya, this was a rough mission for more than just the fear I felt because of messing around with people's cars. You'd think, after completing over 100 missions, that I'd remember to WEAR SENSIBLE SHOES.

Needless to say, these--

--were barking by the end of the mission.

But on my way back to Command Central, I ran into a beautiful display of flashing flourescent lights in front of me. Nothing like lightning bugs to remind you just how beautiful this world is, even if your feet hurt.