Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Penny For My Thoughts

I found a penny on the street today.  At first I passed it by, but I walked a few steps back to retrieve it.  Why?  Let me share a brief tale.

Recently I read a book by Peter Shankman (Can We Do That?! Outrageous PR Stunts That Work - And Why Your Company Needs Them).  The book wasn't really in my wheel house, and for the life of me I can't remember why I bought it...oh, I remember, but I won't say why in this post.  Anyway.  I read the book twice.  It's about PR stunts, but what makes it relevant to me is that it's all about creativity.  How do you come up with creative ideas for PR stunts.  Part of the book said to do something different.  I don't care how many books you read on doing things different, you forget.  The routine takes over and you just do it.  I'm a little ashamed that with my new creative bent vis-a-vis my new writing career I got into a rut, but there it is.

So in the book is the advice to do something new, specifically getting off at a different subway stop.  I did the same thing yesterday, but the driving rain had my creative butt right back at a stop where I could get to work halfway dry.  Mission was not accomplished.  So I did it again today and ran into one of my old colleagues.  He and I were talking about my great life and his new political career.  Guess what?!  He is looking for a speech writer!  One of the dreams I have is to be the poet laureate like Maya Angelou was for the Clinton administration.  So teaming up with politics is right up there on my list.  So we keep talking and his birthday is coming up.  The big 4-0.  Well, also as a part of the book Peter gives this example of how he created a great bday party.  So I tell this guy how he can hook up the party with sponsors, local venues, and freebies!  He can tie everything into the community and get his voters out while getting his name out and then celebrating his birthday!  How cool...and just from changing my subway stop!  Oh, and reading the book, and hooking up with Rene who took me to Disney Social Media Moms where I heard Peter speak.  LOL  It goes way back.

So as I was beaming from all of that, I walk to my job which is on Wall Street.  As I'm walking I see this bright, shiny new penny.  Now I usually pic them up, but today I kind of passed it by.  I don't know why. The reason I pick them up is because it is a sign to the universe that you want the small things; that you take the gift no matter what it is.  I read that in a book, too.  And did you know Donald Trump collects pennies that he finds?  Yup!  Well, today while riding my high...I found this penny in front of TRUMP TOWER!  Whoo hoo!  That's why I had to pick it up.  I came out of my stupor for about ten seconds and realized what this penny actually meant TO ME.  It was just serendipitous.

And then to top off the day...and you can't get higher than this...I found in my inbox the Groupon for today was skydiving!  I'm afraid of heights, but I've always wanted to go.  I've heard so much about how if you jump from a plane everything else becomes easier in life.  You make quicker decisions because what decision is more critical than when your feet leave a plane and there is no jetway on the other side!  LOL  Whoa.  I can't believe it, but I did it.  And this may have been the first "major" purchase I had since I started working that I didn't have to even check my account or where money even had to be a consideration.  Life sure is getting better.

I just want to put out there that I don't believe in lucky pennies, but I do believe in symbolic memorabilia.  I'll try to keep that penny, but it doesn't matter.  The fact that I have one from in front of the Trump Tower on such a great day was enough.  (Oh, and the fact that I have two seconds to write about this the same day is a topper.)