Into the future

I’m reluctant to look back, because there’s so much to look back upon. It’s not just the end of the year, it’s the end of the decade, the end of half my life. Although that’s bad because it reminds me I’ll be old in six weeks time. But good because hopefully now you’ve read that you’ll be thinking about what presents to buy me.

Anyway, so much has happened. Of course it has, 3653 days is a long time, and I couldn’t have foreseen any of it. I was too young in 2000 to say, this is what I want, this is how it will happen. I guess I had my sights on at university and I’ve got there. But everything that’s happen in between has been, well, things that happened.

They’ve been a wealth of experiences, some that I engineered, others that I’ve had to deal with. I won’t forget singing Defying Gravity with a headset mic in Cairns, that was magical. Or the calm I felt knowing he was at peace. That too was magical, just in a different way. They’ve both weaved into my very fabric, my ‘me-ness’. And I can’t leave them behind, I’ll carry them with me into the future.

That future lies elsewhere though. That’s what I’ve learnt this year and this decade. You can’t be afraid to move on and uncover new experiences when the time comes. You’ll know when that time is, it’s when you’ve done all you want, all you need, all you can in one place and moving on is natural.

That’s how I want to go into the next decade. It’s not about ‘New Year, new me’ because, well, I’m quite happy we me at the moment. It’s about saying ‘let’s enjoy living’. I don’t need to have a grand plan for where I want to be in 2020, I just want to wake up to even more experiences and opportunities, and just be happy, so I can feel even richer in my life. It feels great knowing I will make it happen.

'Be the change you want to see in the world'

I wake up far too often just mad at the world. Actually, that's a lie but, well, I liked it as an opening sentence. Really, I go to bed far too often just mad at the world. Mad at this person, mad at that person, family, friends, colleagues, strangers, people I don't even know and never will do. I just get myself so worked up, even upset, all because I feel helpless, I turn myself into a victim of other people's actions.

Now I think it's right to get upset, although it's nothing I've ever been that good at. I wish I could just stop and cry things away instead of vexing out an holding on to the bad things. Anyway, we should get upset sometimes, it's a natural thing to do. But I guess I think there's always a risk of it being too selfish. That may sound harsh, but I don't know a better way to phrase it, as we are all guilty of it. Too often we, I, victimise myself and it is no good when it reaches such an extent.

What I need to do is stop and say, you know what, this is what I think is good way to live my life. Not a good way to live my life and my life alone, but a way to live a life on Earth. It is a shared planet and I cannot separate our actions from other people's lives. I need to 'be the change you want to see in the world'. I can't just go around thinking 'Oh this would be nice... but I'm too selfish to do that'. I can't just stay in bed and feel wronged. I can't just sit back and do nothing.

I'll fail on the way. I'll mess up and please myself instead. Or I'll get screwed over. But I believe that people do learn from others. It might not be instant, and maybe I won't get unscrewed (not the best word). I still think that person will one day think, I need to do something nice. It may seem naive but it is what I believe.

I can't control the world (although it would be frickin' awesome if I could). Even better though is knowing the world can't control me. In that gap is a chance to change the world. I don't want it to slip away from me.

Action 43: Hug someone

There's not a lot I want to say about hugs. They're a simple act that any of is can do anywhere, anytime that everyone understands. It doesn't involve knowing the troubles someone is going through, it just says I care. I care and I'm here when you need a hug, when you need a shoulder, when you need a cuppa, when you need a friend.

Don't stop and wait for someone to ask for a hug. Give a hug when you. Give a hug when they're happy and you're happy. Give a hug whenever you want, because it's bound to be appreciated and make people feel better, make the world feel better.

My inspiration

This past year has been incredible, I really don't think there's any better word to describe it. Incredible doesn't have to always be good and it hasn't always been good. There's been so many times thinking, I'm not sure if I can do this and times when I've thought this would be so much easier if he was still here.

I automatically get drawn back to that time, one year ago, thinking, what was running through my head, what was I doing at the time, what was I doing the day after, how did I react. I always get too hung up on that kind of thing, I really don't know why. Maybe it's because I worry I didn't do enough, or I didn't feel enough. But I can remember two feelings. First there was the fear, seeing into his eyes, knowing there was nothing that could be done anymore. And then there was the immediate sense of calm when it was over, I just felt this relief descend to me, stillness and peace in the room.

I think why don't I seem to miss him like people expect me to, why aren't I stopping and remembering him. I do, sometimes. I think it's important to stop and remember anyone who's altered our lives, whether they be your Dad or that solider in World War One. But that is only part of remembering - it should have an active component as well, and I hope I honour him in what I do. I finally realised what effort he put into Rotary when I was fundraising earlier this year. I try to match the kindness he showed to everyone, literally everyone. I'm not quite the 'true gentleman' he was yet though. I understand how hard working he was for us and how proud he was of what we achieved.

In that way, he lives in me. It's taken me a year to realise it and I can't even tell him but he's the biggest role model I've ever had. I look up to him more now than anyone. I don't need to be scared of doing things by myself. I didn't need to be scared of coming to uni because he prepared me for it all, he showed me how to live and be happy. I may not have known it, I may not have appreciated it, I didn't even appreciate him always. But I do now, and I'm so grateful he was in my life, so lucky that he was my Dad.

Action 126: Write a letter

I got post today. I really love getting post. That's something I'll hint at even more now by saying my address is HB109.2, University of Warwick. Anyway, today I got post from my Aunt. IT was made even better by the fact that it had money in it. But I was still really excited to get my first bit of post. I always got excited at the thought of post. When I first joined the Youth Council, the fact that I would get regular post was a major selling point to me.

Don't tell me you feel the same. I mean, we get emails a lot and emails are great, texts are great, but it's all done in an instant, it's very easy to do, it's all quite effortless. Writing a letter though, or sending someone a card when they don't expect it is something special. Sending an email when someone doesn't expect it is something special of course, but this is even more special. It's taking part in an art form we've almost forgotten about. It's getting some paper, getting a nice pen, writing nicely, getting an envelope and a stamp and physical posting it. It's a process far more enjoyable, far more active than typing and clicking.

I wrote my first letter from uni on Thursday and I know the recipients appreciated it. That to me is what letter writing is about - adding something special to someone's day, sending them a smile through the post, even if it takes about 7 years to get there because basically the Royal Mail is crap. Despite that, I will send a letter to anyone who wants one and then you might get that little lift to your day I had because you've got post.

Action 17: Try watching less TV

i actually don't watch that much TV. As long as I can watch Ugly Betty, The Choir, The X Factor, Grease: The School Musical, Sonny With A Chance, Wizards of Waverly Place, Hannah Montana, JONAS ... OK so maybe I do watch more mindless Disney shows than I really need to. Well more accurately I do. we all have guilty pleasures though. Anyway, I still think I don't watch so much television. The problem is more being on the computer for too long but that will be dealt with in another action.

TV is good. It helps us relax and I genuinely thinks it can help us get through tough times in our life, which might explain why I was the only person in the country who enjoyed Britannia High. But when you sit down and flick through the channels because there's 'nothing else to do' or when you start planning your day around This Morning and Loose Women (I'll owe up to that one too) maybe it's time to switch off and preferably not turn on the computer instead.


As I go off to uni I will have to watch less TV, seeing as I won't have a TV license. I'll miss Sonny and Selema and all my Disney Channel favourites but I'll get over it, I'll find other tasks to do, like write essays. If that doesn't appeal to you why don't you go for a walk in the park. Or join a choir. Bake a cake. Do some colouring in. Write a letter of complaint. Write a letter of thanks. Read a book. Write a book. Go see a play. Have a kickabout. Go to the pub.

There's so much that can be done in the world. Turn off and turn away otherwise you might miss what else is out there.

Action 36: Take time to listen

I can't just sit there and say "OK so I'm going to listen to eveyone's problems and that's another action done." That would make for a very brief blog entry and wouldn't do the task any justice. Taking the time to listen isn't a tick box exercise. It's not as easy as it sounds, because people can be really quiet and silent at the times they want people to stand out and share their fears and troubles with. And then you've got to listen - not judge, not solve, just listen.

It's a job Samaritans do rather well all the time and although we can't all be Samaritans on the end of a phone line, we can all be samaritans to the people we meet. Just prepare your heart and mind so that you're ready to listen when someone needs you. I've been blessed by so many people doing exactly that for me just this week, and i appreciate it far more than they realise. You can't know how helpful you might be to someone, but you can know you won't be any use if you don't try to listen.

Action 26: Give blood

I wanted this to be a glowing advert to persuade you all to give blood, how it's really not a big deal. luckily it's not quite a horror story about me fainting - I just about managed to avoid it.

I'd already gone on the blood.co.uk website where you can search for local sessions where you can donate, and book appointments to minimise your waiting time. It also has a really good step by step guide through how it all works, from walking through the door on your way in to walking out again, so I knew what to expect. except for the almost fainting, but I'll get to that bit.

After the questions, the registering, the double checking on the questions and my identity, the initial finger prick test, the water and the triple checking on my identity, I was ready. they laid me down on the bed and set everything up and then put a needle into me. It wasn't painful, but I wouldn't say it was pleasant. And then I knew for the next 5 minutes I had this needle in me. but I was doing some calming breathing and you have to open and close your hand so I was doing that too. How the person in the bed opposite was able to read at the same time I don't know.

Anyway as I slowly got up, I was feeling OK. not "Joey Jump" energy levels but I wasn't expecting that. I went over to the refreshments, started eating some crisps, drinking some water, and then I felt worse, and could start seeing black spots. Which I thought would pass but it didn't. So when one of the staff soon asked if I was OK, they quickly put me onto a bed, put my legs up and gave me wet towels. And I felt better. This was while everyone was packing up wanting to go home, so I felt a bit bad for prolonging their exit. Mum came to pick me up so I didn't ever make it to choir, let alone the pub. About an hour later I felt "Joey Jump" better, not that I did one.

I would like to say I'll do it again, because I did actually give blood and survive. And well if not enough people give then the people who need the blood maybe won't survive. Only about 4% of those able to give blood do. Some people might not have a body "that agrees with it" mas one of the nurses said to me, and if I do it again and almost faint again, that will be the end of my donations. But I was the lucky 2% of donors who feels faint afterwards, so you're far more likely to be just fine. Don't let my story put you off something amazing, something like saving a life.

Action 123: Don't start a war

Today is World Peace Day. It's a great idea. Of course I'd say that, becuase I'm a hopeless dreamer holding out for a kind of Disney fairytale world where in less than 90 minutes, everyone turns out happy becuase evil is defeated. But I'm glad I'm not the only dreamer, and there's a great guy called Jeremy Gilley who for the past decade has been running Peace One Day and he mde a rather inspirational film about it that I think you should all watch or pester your Citizenship or PSE teachers to let you all watch.

So today I decided "it's World Peace Day, I'm not going to argue with anyone, I'm not going to start a war." Andd I'll admit I got annoyed at people. One was because I couldn't get in contact with them, so I couldn't speak to them to argue and start a war which is kind of good. The other was Mum, which isn't that surprising becuase we all annoy and get annoyed by our family. I calmed my temper though and told her I was "more than a little annoyed" about the matter.You see, we make 217 decisions a day (and that's a stat I swear I didn't make up but I don't have a source for it) and well we can decide to speak out, and sometimes that's the right thing to do. I'm going to have to write to Waitrose this week because they've stopped serving Sunday roasts. Which is a far bigger deal to me than you could imagine. But most times it's better to be quiet and swallow your tounge and get on with your day.

Today though I want to take the third way. It's all very easy not to start a war, but when you're in one, for whatever reason, it's very easy to drag your feet and stay there. Well this is the moment I lift my feet up and say it's over. I'm sorry, I've said bad things to good perople and bad things about good people. I've clinged onto the actions from the past and turned them into grudges. I've runied friendships that I miss. I surrender, I end the wars. I know I'm not in my Disney world and that won't suddenly make everything OK again, not least becuase the people I really want to read this won't. But if I don't try, if I don't vow to make a change in me then everything becomes static when life's too short to stand still.

Action 120: Give lots of compliments

All too often we criticise, get on our high horse and shout out about everything, like when someone gives you a job to do when you think it should be their responsibility, or your friend starts going out with someone you don't like, or when someone is holding up the traffic, or when its raining and then everything is just rubbish. But it's just all bitching and moaning and gossiping. And that can be far more hurtful than people realise, it brings people right down and it breaks relationships.

So you need to lift people up instead, and that might lift the whole nation up and make the sunshine. Just maybe. The best way to lift people is to say nice things - to give lots of compliments. It's really quite simple. Meet a person - what can you say nice about their outfit? Or their hair? Their bracelet? And BANG, that's one compliment already heading someones way before pleasantries are even over.

And then someone makes you a drink, you like - say well done, that's a lovely cup of tea. Or someone write you a beautiful letter - tell them how grateful you were for it. Even something so small like how someone just walkas around with a smile and a spring in their step. Or as I like to do from time to time, a "Joey Jump". If you like what someone does, they'll love to know you do.

Set a target of 5 compliments to give out a day. That's a tiny tiny almost criminally too small amount of compliments to give when you think of the number of people you probably see in a day. But it's a chance to make 5 people have a brilliant day instead of a bad one, which is something pretty special.

Action 47: Buy a copy of this book for a friend

As great as it is me taking on the actions of the 'Change the World'series of books, and slowly ploughing my way through all 130 of them on this blog, it is rather slow. And you can't appreciate the original creativity of the presentation of each action. So if you had your own copy of the book, you'd be more inspired to do more actions equals bigger and better change made in the world.

I gave one friend a copy of 'Change the World for a Fiver' yesterday, and she'll hopefully take away more from it than just the unusual illustrations for Action 8. The great thing is I have more books to give away, and you can have a copy. Just take it and committ to lifting the actions off the pages into the real world, where they will make a difference.

So if you want a book, if you want to change the world, just ask me. It's thats simple.

Action 31: Turn off the tap whilst brushing your teeth

The great thing about these actions is that they're so varied. Some of them are amazing things to say you've done, like giving blood, which is something I am hopefully going to do over the next few weeks. Although I have to cover my eyes during Casualty whenever a needle appears so I have no idea how I'm going to cope. Some of them are interesting - I enjoyed emailing the Disney Store. But it involved Disney so of course I would. Some of the actions though are, well, they're pretty boring, but simple. And they do actually change the world.

This is one of the simple, boring ones. And this is something I've always done becuase it's just common sense to me. But apparently most people don't do it. If you leave our tap running whilst brushing you teeth, well thats up to 9 litres of water your literally pouring down the sink every minute. Thats over 4 times the amount of water you should drink a day. In fact, if yougot a plumber in and kind of diverted your pipes, and next door's pipes and the whole street's pipes, you could have yourself an olympic size swimming pool in 12 months time. It's such a waste - not just a watse of water that people don't have elsewhere but a waste of money.

So next time you brush your teeth, picture that olympic sized swimming pool at the end of your street, and then you'll realise actually you don't want one on your street because it will be too big. Unless you're super rich and live on a big wide street. In which case you maybe won't want the pool becuase you've already got a perfectly nice one in your back garden. So either way you should turn the tap off.

Action 30: Bake something for a friend

This is so simple. If I ever need to thank a group of people I will always bake them something, because generally the share better than gift vouchers do. So today I needed to thank all the staff at Early Learning Centre for their help with my fundraising. There was no other option but to make flapjacks. I'm now immortalised in a drawing on the staff room wall as 'Joe - the flapjack man'. And that makes me feel special, because it means people appreciate them. Which is good becuase really it's the only thing I can cook apart from scabbled eggs and cheese toastie - what a brilliant menu that would make for Come Dine With Me. And I didn't need to leave my house and go into town and spend ages trying ot find a present, or even spend money really coz I just stole all the ingredients from the kitchen. I even enjoyed it a little.

So I'm probably going to regret saying this now, I think I'm already regretting it as I type. But, if you want me to bake you something, I will. I can't promise it will be amazing or even tasty, but it will be made with care and love and I think they're pretty good ingredients. So if you want me to bake you something, just tell me what and it may take me some time, but I will do it.

Action 97: Say thanks

Today was a good day. Apart from the bit where I had to go to Canvey. but even that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'm even still up beat despite morrison's not having the DVD I wanted in stock. And making that's because I'm an amazing person. Or maybe it's because I spent quite a bit of the day saying thank you.

Now my hand and arm may have started hurting pretty much as soon as I started writing, but I thought it was worth taking some time out (not that I have anything to take it 'out' of at the moment, except for catching up on The X Factor) and doing hand written letters for some people who really helped me out. And it may have been 7, even 8 weeks ago that they helped me but it's never too late to thank people, and it's never inappropriate to say. Unless it's sarcastic. Which I do way to often.

So I am going to say another thank you now. Which actually reminds me of when I was watching Loose Women earlier, but hopefully this will be a lot less, well, loose. Thank you to everyone who reads this and everything else I write. I never say it, because I never think there's even an audince out there until someone 'likes' what I've written. And even then I shamefully don't say thanks. So that's why I'm saying it now, because the support people offer me in Youth Council, choir, fundraising, my writing, just anything I do, well it really is humbling and I really do appreciate it. A lot actually.

Action 20: Find out how your money is invested

Now in "Change the World for a Fiver" (the first of three books that this and all other actions are taken from) it wants you to ask your pension provider "Can you ensure that my investments don't harm the planet or hurt my fellow man?". I don't have a pension fund, I doubt any of us under 20 have one. So I got a bit more individual with this action.

Disney Store now charge 5p for a plastic bag. Not that I ever get one, because I always have my reuseable Disney bag with me. Marks and Spencer do the same for food bags these days and saw it said all money went to Gronudworks Environment Charity. So I thought to myself, I love Disney, I need to email them just to check I love their policy on plastic bags.

And three working days later I got a reply, although she was a girl called Chloe not a guy called Mickey. But she said: "1p from every bag sold is donated to 'The Woodland Trust' charity and I would also like to stress that no profite is made from the sale of these bags." And she was happy to hear I take my bag with me everywhere.

So pick something you bought, something you've invested in to think about how much you paid for it and where that money goes. It may be a banana or a CD or finding out more about a charity donation you made or where some of your tax goes. But just do a teeny bit of research and try and get some idea about it. And when you find out you don't like it, then that's the time to tell people you don't and why you don't and that you're taking your business elsewhere.

Superstar

I always want to make sense of life, and ‘find myself’. I know I have dreams. Big dreams, I want to have a best-selling autobiography and turn it into a sitcom and a musical and star in it and also host a chat show and have a TV show called ‘Don’t Knock It Til You’ve Tried It’ and do a thousand other things. But I’ve got to admit that it’s fantasy. It would be great if it happened but I need to set some smaller goals first.

Except there’s only one goal – to change the world. Even if it can’t be through singing my soul out on the West End stage, we all should make a positive impact on the places and people around us. There’s so much tragedy that takes place in the lives of our neighbours, our colleagues, our friends that if no-one tries to make a change then the misery will just keep on seeping in.

By standing up, saying “I want to make a difference, I want to be different” you become a better person. Compliment people, hold the door open, turn the TV off, smile, listening to someone’s problems, just do small things that equal a big impact.

It’s these small changes that I’ll take with me to University. Because I’ll be honest, I’m quite scared about going. Well more like a lot scared., But I know it’s the right time - I’d had an amazing 8 years at Westcliff and I feel happy to move on because I know I’ve made a change Which sounds terribly big headed, but I just know.

And even if I do silly things like leave my keys in the door overnight, go out to clubs without ID, don’t know how to cook and the like, I’ve got to go in faith that none of those silly things will kill me and I will make a big impact. And if I can make others happy I know I’ll be happy too.

As I go I’ve got to let go of the past and keep moving forward, I’ve got to get closure on some parts of my life, big parts of my life, big people in my life. But I take the memories of them into my future. A world changer doesn’t let the past drag him down, he lets it build him up become that superstar shining to make a difference.

That’s me and that’s you. If we all respond to that call to make a difference then the change to the world is incredible, the change to me as an individual is big enough to get closer to working it all out and finding out who I am.

Action 59: Praise people

Yesterday was a good day. The sun was shining down on Early Learning Centre as we held a mini prize giving ceremony for the winner and runners-up of our Design A Superhero competition. The Carnival Queen came and did the presentations, my fellow team members came and clapped and the Echo photographer took a photo. Best of our Jake, our winner, couldn't stop smiling. He was so happy. I hope he's enjoying his new bubble machine. In fact that makes me think where my bubble machine is.

The presentation was therefore about praising children for their creative designs and giving them certificates to prove it. What I didn't do then was give enough praise to the people who made it happen. Thank you to my team mates forcoming and standing outside ELC basically for 5 minutes clapping - their enthusiasm and dedication to our fundriaisng and my crackpot ideas is brilliant. thank you to the Early Learning Centre - their generosity in letting us come and do our own thing under the ELC name, with ELC products was perfect. Most importantly, thank you to everyone who came up with ideas - suggesting let's get the Carnival Queen to come along (which was the Carnival Queen herself), saying let's go outside and do this, thinking this is how I'm going to change the world.

We need to say thank you to people more often. Not just 'thank you for serving me in a shop', but 'thank you for that idea' or 'that's inspried thinking' or just 'i like your passion'. We need to make everyone feel valued becuase you know what, everyone is valued and everyone deserves praise. And it's free. To truely appreciate what someone does for you is to make their day and to continue inspiring them.

"Once you start to spread it, baby if you let it, love will comes right on back to you."

Action 60: Remember people's names

I have a weird memory. I guess everyone does. I can usually remember what days of the week things happened on. Even if I can't really remember the event all that well, I can remember the day. And I remember the unimportant things, how I felt at the points leading up to the heart-stopping moments of ym life then I actually do about those moments. I vaguely remember going to Walt Disney World when I was 3. I met roger rabbit and I've seen the photo to prove it. Except in my memory, I ran past these two big grass lawns and the rest of the scene was completey deserted and I gave him this massive hug. It took me a few years to realise maybe that was somethingI stole from the souvenir video.

I do try and remember as much as I can, especially when it comes to people. It's bad when you're standing around, avoiding talking to someone directly because you know you can't remember their name, which has happened to me, alot. And then when they've left I have to turn to the person next to me and ask what their name is. And that way I can be that bit friendlier, not make that person feel unimpressionable coz I didn't know there name. and you can smile at them next time you see them. When they're down the aisles at Tesco helping their mother with the shopping and playing the 'Bet I'll see more people I know then you do' game, you'll help them win. Well that's how I feel, although I don't actually know anyone else who plays that game.

I always hate it when people forget things I tell them as well. Even if I told it to you 18 months ago. In which case perhaps I should rename this entry 'Remember people's names and everything Joey says to you.'

Action 3: Fit at least one energy-saving light bulb

I've just finished re-decorating my bedroom. By which I mean I've just finished having my bedroom re-decorated, seeing as the only thing I did for it was adjust the height of my shleves on the DVD and CD towers and bookcase. I couldn't even put my letter tray together straight. And I guess most of the decision were made by Mum andI together - I'm pretty rubbish at making decisions. I was even tempted to get the desk at Ikea called Jonas because, well because it was called Jonas.

One thing I decided on all by myself though was fitting energy-saving light bulbs, which was easy enough when Mum was paying for everything. But it's a win-win situation, in the long term. Yes the cost of buying an energy-saving bulb is more than buying one of those boring old fashioned ones, but they last longer so you don't have to buy so many bulbs so it saves around £40 in its life time. And imagine if you fitted all your rooms with energy-saving lightbulbs. It would make you that little bit richer and the world that little bit greener.

Action 76: Use one of these email signatures

I've been using my email signature for a few months now. It's from Ghandi - 'Be the change you want to see in the world.' It's a great little quote - it makes people just stop and think for a few seconds. Well I hope that's what it does, because I want an email signature that does that. And since I started using it on my emails, the Leigh Times commented about how I was 'living my motto'. Not that I can take credit for saying it, but I guess I was happy that they thought it isn't just a meaningless automated line at the bottom of my emails, it means something to me.

And that's what it should be - not a random phrase you heard once, but a quote or a saying that's stuck with you. One line that will be a three-second thinker for your contacts. And that can look pretty in different colours and fonts and the like. The We Are What We Do website has a few suggestions, and links to websites advising you how to set up a signature, which I had to follow because I had no idea how to do one.

Action 33: Recycle your books

When I was younger I used to have so many books in my bedroom. And I guess it was how I passed the time. There wasn't any Sky or any internet or Wiis in my house. Just books, or a piano I couldn't play terribly well. So books were the best option. I have this great pop-up book about some crazy guy and all the mice he has that was given to me at my Christening. And I had this set of little Kingfisher encyclopedia books I got from Mum and Dad one birthday. Best of all though was my complete set of Mr. Men books. They still have to be my all time favourite series of books I guess. I loved them so much that I even got given a brand new perfect set one birthday not so long ago.

So I didn't need my well loved copies anymore, I didn't need the Kingfisher encyclopedia, I didn't need dozens of other books anymore. So some of the more educational ones went to my little cousins. And some of the others went to charity shops. And the Mr Men books went to a new baby. And it makes me really happy knowing that little boy is going to get the same love out of those crazy people that I did.

Action 101: Make someone smile

I'm quite a smiley person. I think my Mr Happy pajamas reflect that. And I have Tigger ones and he makes me smile just as much. But the point of this action is not to make myself smile but someone else. Well that's ewasy enough, I can just be my quirky self. I do some weird things - chomp quite loudly on my PomBears, do a 'Joey-Jump' halfway across the room so anyone downstairs would think the ceiling was about to cave in, walk down the street singing along to the Disney songs on my iPod.

The way I'm really enjoying making people smile at the moment though is by spending a couple of afternoons a week doing 'playtime' sessions at the Early Learning Centre. It's great seeing the children look at all the different pens and crayons and stuff I've got out for them to use. And then they explode their creativity onto the paper I give them. And smile. Although one did have a tantrum when she left the other day. But her mother caused that not me. The sad truth is for a few of them, they don't have the pens and the paper and other basic tools to do colouring in at home, which make that smile even more lovely. What makes i even more special is they're all strangers. And they make me smile too. Like the Dad who suggested his son called his superhero 'Sea Man' because it would be funny.

You see 300 people a day, so that's 300 smiles to give away. And it doesn't need to be done through Joey-Jumps or Design a Superhero competitions. It just starts with you smiling, and just maybe that person will smile back. I know I would. Just don't wear a Mr Happy grin all day long becuase I've tried it and it really does ache after a while.

Action 122: Don't charge your phone overnight

I love my BlackBerry. I really do. all my phones beforehand were pretty rubbish. But this is brilliant - I get my emails and my Facebook updates and can listen to my Sister Act soundtrack all in my pocket. What I hate though is when it blinks green and orange at me - low battery. Urgh. If only it could run on solar energy, now then I'd love it even more.

Still it doesn't take long to charge it up. Roughly 2 hours later and it's ready to go. So I could easily charge it at my desk at work or when I'm getting ready in the mornings (which does take me quite a long time). What I don't need to do is charge it overnight. Once it's charged, if it's still plugged in it's wasted energy, wasted energy that doesn't just fdrain the earth of its resources but drains your wallet of money as well. In fact it drains the nation's wallet of £47 million a year.

So when your BlackBerry is blinking green and orange at you just before you go to bed, theres three options you could take

1. Plug in immediately and watse money and energy while you snooze
2. Plug in immediately but set your alarm for 2 hours time to unplug
3. Put it on standby if you can or realise it will survive the night so you'll just plug it in in the morning

I know which option I prefer.

Action 15: Register online as an organ donor

This is a super easy action, even easier than decling plastics bags. And it won't just change the world and save the planet, it will save a life too. 90% of people support it but only 18% have actually signed up as an organ donor.

Well I can testify it really is really easy to do. Takes like 2 minutes. 2 minutes isn't alot to potentially be a life saver. OK maybe 3 - 2 minutes to do the registraion online and an extra minute to tell your Mum and Dad about the wonderful thing you did, just so they know that if the day comes when they're asked what you would have wanted, they know.

So why don't you do it now. all you have to do is click here to visit the UK Transplant website and then you're already halfway there. Also you get a nice litte letter in the post a week or so after, which is good anyway coz I always like getting post. And this is amazing post because you open it and and think "Oh yeah, thats the amazing thing I did a few days ago" and you give a little smile :)

1. Decline plastic bags whenever possible

This was a nice easy action to start my world changing ways with. In fact I almost didn't buy something. But then I relaised this is me and I was on the High Street, I was bound to buy something. Except it wasn't the birthday card that I really do need to buy for Monday. And my Sister Act soundtrack did arrive from hmv.com today so really I didn't need to buy anything. But I did. It's a nice little book called Top 10 of Britain. And it was half price, that was the main selling point. And when I got to the till I said, 'No, I don't need a plastic bag, I don't want to add another 1 to the 10 billion used every year in Britain' although only the first bit (word) was out loud.

I have no need to ever get a new plastic bag ever again really. I have my 'special' bags from the musicals I've seen and from foreign visits. And then I have my big ole Disney Store reuseable bag, which really is good to use for my trips to the Disney Store, especially becuase they do charge 5p for plastic bags in there now. It's great, you really can see the effort they're making in reducing packaging. For me it's just another reason to love the Disney Store :)

Anyway, if we all used one less bag a year, well that would be 60 million less plastic bags. I think I'd notice the difference. And thats 60 million x 500 years we don't have to wait for them to decompose. And then one can become two, and two can become three and we can change the world! So I urge you to think, I'll put a bag in my pocket before I go out. Or buy a reuseable bag. Even if it isn't a fun Disney Store one.

Change the World

I got a bit emotional this week. Although I get emotinal most weeks. But I was emotional this week because it was my last day at work, and I was getting all reflective and thinking, what difference have I actually made, who will remember me yadda yadda - I didn't want to leave Westcliff as if I had never been there. I know I don't udnerstand life one bit but I know that it's not about leaving everything exactly as it was once you're gone.

The good thing is on my last day I realised I had made some difference, some positive difference. someone called me a role model and I was, I still am, so honoured by it. And then the more I think about it, the more I realise it's not just an honour but it's a responsilbity as well. If someone's going to look up to me well then I should make sure they've got something good to look up to, which reminds me I really should shave soon. As in like now.

Anyway, I bought this book a few months ago, called Change the World for a Fiver, and it has 50 differet actions to do. Little actions we can all do to make the world a better place, to make us all something good to look up to. And although I've done a few of them (and the ones in the two sequels) there's no way I've done all 130 in the series. So that's what i'm going to do, one action a day = a lot of good 4 months down the line. And me tracking my progres son here = alot of people getting bored and thinking oh dear, why is Joe doing this, is anyone actually reading it. But also maybe I can inspire others to go and do little actions to change our world.

See I think the world is a pretty good place, it will only take little actions, little thoughts, little considerations to make it a brilliant place. Or, we could just turn it into Walt Disney Globe. But even I might get a bit bored of that. So we'll stay with the original idea then.

http://www.wearewhatwedo.org publish Change the World for a Fiver. Their website lists all 130 actions across their 3 books, and lets you sign up and keep track of your progress.