Wednesday, January 24, 2007

I'm Not A Gerbil, Let Me Out!


My birthday is coming up in a few weeks and I got a package in the mail yesterday. In it was a lovely tin of tea and a fabulous day planner with amazingly funny pictures of dogs on every page. And the uncanny thing about this package, was that I have never met the guy who instigated this gift, nor the guy who sent it to me.
Some guy in Indonesia did a trade with some guy in Dowagiac Michigan, and a truck pulled up to my gate and I got a package… “Happy Birthday Scott!” it said on a card.
I MEAN, HOW COOL WAS THAT?
I used to travel much and make connections and meet people and find friends in unexpected places. I have friends that don’t speak my language, who, through hand gestures and good will, have touched my heart and vice versa. I have friends I have very little in common with yet we find a mutual admiration and can share a smile and a laugh.
I followed an impulse and clicked a link awhile back and met a guy named Nevins who had started a quiet little website for himself where he offered to barter his computer skills for whatever you had to put on the table.
His whole philosophy revolved around doing creative things and helping people on the internet in the process.
Sort of a nerdy cyber Superhero, helping little old ladies across the web page and mysteriously popping in and out of people’s lives, just in the nick of time…
When I met Nevins, I was in the market for a banner. I knew what I wanted-- something a little different from every one else’s. I didn’t want it pretty. I didn’t want it DEEP.
I wanted it GOOFY.
And Nevins helped me get that.
He managed to understand what I was trying to convey and used his photo-shop to help me get it. He helped me add the extra column I wanted and gave me the look I have now. It’s not HIS look, but the look I wanted. He listened. He laughed. He placed Kudu horns on my dogs the way I wanted and put a giant travel bug chasing a jeep and a Waldo hiding in the giant letters… (Did you notice the Waldo?)
Nevins has a website that comes up if you click my banner. He is trying to do some good, make some friends, and make a little cash if he can. (The internet, in Indonesia, is not cheap)
So this post is about thanking Nevins for the wonderfully thoughtful birthday gift he bartered his services for. It is also a bit of light selling, something I don’t do as a rule but Nevins deserves the shilling…
Check out his web page. Leave him a word or two. Get to know this nice young man who is aspiring to simply do good deeds and make people happy.
I give him two thumbs up…

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't you love mail? And surprises in the mail make it better. Excluding surprise bills of course. It's nice to have friends all over the world. I think we have a few common Aussie ones!

slaghammer said...

Your post reminds me of a friend who has received cookies in the mail every Christmas for the last eight years. Based on the notes that come with the cookies, it appears the family responsible for baking, wrapping, and sending the tasty little morsels believe they are related to him in some way. They are mistaken; he has no idea who they are. My friend hopes they continue to send cookies for the rest of his life. I’m pretty sure he’s going to hell, and when I say hell I mean Fresno California.

whimsical brainpan said...

Will do... Oh and in case I forget later on Happy Birthday!

Lynnea said...

Internet mavericks rock!

I've often enjoyed peering at your banner because there are many things to discover there. I especially like the climber on the crack of the hot air balloon.

Anonymous said...

Just so you know, I'm not a little old lady... I do, however, admit to needing help across a web page

Crazy Working Mom said...

He helped me too...he's great! :)
I agree with you, two thumbs WAY up!

CS said...

I'll check that out - maybe he can solve my side-bar pop-out link dilemma.

And I love surprises. I have sent people thinsg anonymously, just because I think its fun.

Capricorn Cringe said...

Nevins is awesome. I have a little tribute to him on my blog but he deserves more (it was late and I was tired). I found a template and figured out how i wanted to change it and he did it all. You're right, he IS a super hero :)

Lizza said...

That banner is so cool. If those are the facets of your personality, I'm dizzy already. :-)

Strangers who do good deeds, bless 'em. May the circle of kindness never stop.

Unknown said...

I loved what he designed for Esereth. I wish she'd use it!

*Dragging myself back to bed now*