To make this easier I will apply fictional names to my friends, ex-girlfriends, co-workers, etc. so I do not have to keep explaining each one.
Well I am sorry to say that last night I slipped up. David and I were walking through our local mall, Sears to be specific. David is one of the two friends who is aware of my lifestyle change, the other being Tim. David and I saw two very pretty girls and he smiled and told me to go say hi. I laughed and kept walking, realizing after a few steps that he had stopped. He looked at me and said, "Do it". To which I instinctively responded, "No". What you need to know about me is that I am not that guy, normally. I do not walk up to strange women to just strike up conversation.
David simply nodded and we kept walking. I could sense his disappointment. I suppose up to last night I had just assumed that I was the only person who even cared about this. But I just realized, David cared, he wanted me to succeed in this. We stopped and grabbed an Icee and I left him and went to Wal-Mart. As I walked around, I thought about my failure and how I could make it up. Then it struck me.
I hopped in my car and rushed to go see David. I told him that I had come up with a suitable punishment and means to ensure that I cannot say "No" to that request again. If he tells me to go talk to a woman and I hesitate or say no, he has every right and my blessing to go introduce me against my will. I am not allowed to complain or deny him the right to do this. This will force me to be more outgoing and open, whether I like it or not.
Also I am now collecting Icee points from Mrs. Field's, at David's suggestion. Sigh.
Say yes today!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Well that was interesting....
So I was out today, spending some time with friends when the one kind of person in my life that I didn't want to see while in a state of yes, an ex-girlfriend. An ex-girlfriend without closure no less. All she did was walk straight up to me and say, "I have some of your stuff at my place, can you come get it soon?"....sigh, "Yes". Granted I do want my stuff back, but, well we will see.
In a bit more positive developments, a random friend that I haven't hung out with if well over 6 months called me up today, apparently he saw me driving and realized we hadn't talked in awhile. Normally I probably would have chatted and then called it good, but thanks to the power of yes we will be spending some time together this week, I will let you know how it goes.
By the way, this blog is a yes. I meant to make mention of this last time. One of my friends that I told about this suggested that I blog about it, so here I am.
As far as what I have lined up for today, well not too much. I have to day off from work, all that I know is that I will be hanging out with the guys tonight. Probably have a few drinks, play some blackjack, typical guy stuff.
Say Yes to today.
American Yes Man.
In a bit more positive developments, a random friend that I haven't hung out with if well over 6 months called me up today, apparently he saw me driving and realized we hadn't talked in awhile. Normally I probably would have chatted and then called it good, but thanks to the power of yes we will be spending some time together this week, I will let you know how it goes.
By the way, this blog is a yes. I meant to make mention of this last time. One of my friends that I told about this suggested that I blog about it, so here I am.
As far as what I have lined up for today, well not too much. I have to day off from work, all that I know is that I will be hanging out with the guys tonight. Probably have a few drinks, play some blackjack, typical guy stuff.
Say Yes to today.
American Yes Man.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
In the beginning, there was the word....
And that word is "Yes". I recently finished the book "Yes Man" by Danny Wallace, and he ended the book with a suggestion... to say yes more. I have decided to follow in his footsteps and say yes to every opportunity, offer, invitation, and favor made to me in my day to day life. I make that clarification because well, to put it bluntly, I am poor. Not in the sense that I live on the streets, I live in a nice enough place and have a steady job, but I do not have enough to accept every internet offer thrown my way.
But, moving along, I will be documenting my experiences here for the world to see and for you all to judge and comment upon. I will be attempting to finish out the year by following the "Yes Manifesto" (taken from Danny Wallace's book) which states:
I, American Yes Man, being of sound mind and body, do hereby with this manifesto for my life. I swear I will be more open to opportunity. I swear I will live my life, taking every available chance given to me. I swear I will say yes to every favor, request, suggestion, and invitation-the little things that come my way every day.
I swear henceforth I will say yes when I would have said no..
I will do whatever I can to achieve yes. But people who know I'm the Yes Man are not allowing to tell other people or take advantage of my situation.
This will continue until New Year's Eve of the year (2009).
Though I must make two amendments to this:
1. Anyone who knows me only as the "American Yes Man" and not in my day to day life is eligible to be said no to, not that I will always say no, but if you live on the other side of the world and ask me to visit...well I just cannot afford that.
2.Although I will try my hardest to make it work, any request that conflicts with my work and cannot be rescheduled must also be denied, the purpose of this isn't to get fired.
Well there are the ground rules for you all to hold me accountable to. Now, I started this last week and have already had some pretty fun experiences thus far.
First, two request came to my phone about a half-hour after my life altering decision. But, because some of my friends may read this I will keep the details sparse, no point if all my friends are aware of my project. But I will say that I probably would not have gone to this under normal circumstances, I had just gotten off work and wanted nothing more than to go to bed. But, I ended up having a great time with some people I had not seen in quite sometime.
The second request was from a band, asking me to come support them at a concert almost an hour away Friday night. It is important to note that I had never heard this band perform before, nor did really have the gas money to drive there and back, and spend money at the bar they would be playing at. Fast Forward to Friday and there I am, in a country bar beer in hand. Turns out this concert ended up being a high school reunion of sorts, seeing a few people I had not seen in years. I had work the next day, so I was finally asked "Don't you have work, you should get to bed," by a concerned friend realizing it was 3:45am and I had an hour drive ahead of me. I had been asked far too many times, "You want another drink?" "Should we get a shot?" and "There is a party after the concert, you want to come?" I smiled at every chance to say yes, including the pretty girl asking me to dance (what you need to realize is that I don't dance...much less dry hump in public, but a yes is yes and I am sure all of my high school friends now see me as a rather dirty, but lucky, man).
Aside from those two yeses, I have had plenty of little ones. Like going grocery shopping with a good friend, letting someone borrow my car (that is one of the scariest request given to me), and dead-lifting a handicap sign out of the ground (that request was made by one of the two friends who know about my new mindset...he thought it would be funny until I somehow managed to do it, I was even surprise and then horrified as we set it back in the ground and realized it was, at best, going to be knocked over by a breeze.)
Well that was week one, I will try to update you all on every big yes moment. Farewell, I am off to meet some friends that I have not seen in a few months (I am rather reclusive as of late). Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think.
But, moving along, I will be documenting my experiences here for the world to see and for you all to judge and comment upon. I will be attempting to finish out the year by following the "Yes Manifesto" (taken from Danny Wallace's book) which states:
I, American Yes Man, being of sound mind and body, do hereby with this manifesto for my life. I swear I will be more open to opportunity. I swear I will live my life, taking every available chance given to me. I swear I will say yes to every favor, request, suggestion, and invitation-the little things that come my way every day.
I swear henceforth I will say yes when I would have said no..
I will do whatever I can to achieve yes. But people who know I'm the Yes Man are not allowing to tell other people or take advantage of my situation.
This will continue until New Year's Eve of the year (2009).
Though I must make two amendments to this:
1. Anyone who knows me only as the "American Yes Man" and not in my day to day life is eligible to be said no to, not that I will always say no, but if you live on the other side of the world and ask me to visit...well I just cannot afford that.
2.Although I will try my hardest to make it work, any request that conflicts with my work and cannot be rescheduled must also be denied, the purpose of this isn't to get fired.
Well there are the ground rules for you all to hold me accountable to. Now, I started this last week and have already had some pretty fun experiences thus far.
First, two request came to my phone about a half-hour after my life altering decision. But, because some of my friends may read this I will keep the details sparse, no point if all my friends are aware of my project. But I will say that I probably would not have gone to this under normal circumstances, I had just gotten off work and wanted nothing more than to go to bed. But, I ended up having a great time with some people I had not seen in quite sometime.
The second request was from a band, asking me to come support them at a concert almost an hour away Friday night. It is important to note that I had never heard this band perform before, nor did really have the gas money to drive there and back, and spend money at the bar they would be playing at. Fast Forward to Friday and there I am, in a country bar beer in hand. Turns out this concert ended up being a high school reunion of sorts, seeing a few people I had not seen in years. I had work the next day, so I was finally asked "Don't you have work, you should get to bed," by a concerned friend realizing it was 3:45am and I had an hour drive ahead of me. I had been asked far too many times, "You want another drink?" "Should we get a shot?" and "There is a party after the concert, you want to come?" I smiled at every chance to say yes, including the pretty girl asking me to dance (what you need to realize is that I don't dance...much less dry hump in public, but a yes is yes and I am sure all of my high school friends now see me as a rather dirty, but lucky, man).
Aside from those two yeses, I have had plenty of little ones. Like going grocery shopping with a good friend, letting someone borrow my car (that is one of the scariest request given to me), and dead-lifting a handicap sign out of the ground (that request was made by one of the two friends who know about my new mindset...he thought it would be funny until I somehow managed to do it, I was even surprise and then horrified as we set it back in the ground and realized it was, at best, going to be knocked over by a breeze.)
Well that was week one, I will try to update you all on every big yes moment. Farewell, I am off to meet some friends that I have not seen in a few months (I am rather reclusive as of late). Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think.
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