The Litterbox

Are random acts of kindness considered a form volunteerism? What do you think?

Our definition of the word volunteerism has changed during the course of our MORE-Than-me book project (http://www.more-than-me.com/) Our current way of thinking is that anything that is outside of yourself--"more than me" thinking--can be considered volunteerism. This includes simple acts of kindness.

A recent example of this involved someone in our own family (Eric's cousin) as the recipient of such an act. This story has moved us so much that we want to share this special video with you from the Today Show. Without giving away too much, let's just present the video here and let you watch for yourself. Whether your lives have been touched by autism or not, we think you will be moved.

Enjoy!  --Kelly and Eric

Today Show Video: Teen Athlete Mentors Autistic Boy

You can read more about these two special boys and their families here:

Daily Herald: Jackson Hirsh Friendship Means the World to Both

Daily Herald: Gesture of Friendship Lands St. Charles Students on 'Today'

by Kelly Jo Eldredge

There are four little words I never wanted to hear on my birthday.

How old are you?

No, those aren't the words. They are much more sinister.

Would you mind babysitting?

Bingo.

I should probably start with a disclaimer here. I love babysitting our nieces and nephews. It's fun to spoil them, rile them up, and then give them back to their parents. But on my birthday?

Kelly and I are privileged to live in beautiful Colorado. Scenery of intense grandeur can be found within mere miles of our home near Denver. This is a very spiritual place to live and play, as one feels you can almost reach out and touch heaven from the Colorado High Country.

This article describes our latest adventure-snatched-from-the-jaws-of-disaster involving a mountain. As you know, last year at the top of Mt. Evans, we had issues with wind, Port-o-Lets, and mountain goats. What would happen this year?

Kelly and Eric: Adventure Seekers

Kelly and I have lots of fun together. For example, our weekly date nights are sacred to us. I've lived in Greater Denver about twelve years longer than Kelly, so I am happy to plan and execute most of our adventures due to my familiarity with the local attractions. Kelly calls me her tour guide.

We are always on the lookout for a new restaurant, a new music venue, or a new place to go hiking. I'm usually prepared to the nth degree: reservations, advance tickets, driving directions, parking plan, etc. I'm happy to be the tour guide: I want Kelly to enjoy herself and not worry about logistics. I sure know how to show her a good time.

Some of the fun is even intentional.

Kelly and I are celebrating two years in business with 4 Cats, Ink. We are blessed with the opportunity we have been given to make a difference by using our words to give people a voice. Everyone has a story, and ghostwriting books has been an exciting journey for us so far.

Case in point: we are so proud to collaborate with Kip Moore to bring you the book, Second Chance, about a brave young boy who successfully fought off a grave E. coli infection. It is a touching, emotional story of survival and parents overcoming fear and doubt. Please visit Kip's website (that we helped design) at www.SecondChanceStory.com.

Here is the tally so far:

• Two people
• Two Jeeps
• Four cats
• Five computers
• Eight books
• Two years following one dream

Thanks to all!

You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing.

You can make the best or the worst of it; I hope you make the best of it.

I hope you see things that startle you.

I hope you feel things that you have never felt before.

I hope you meet people with a different point of view.

I hope you live a life you are proud of; and if you find you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

On this adventure, Eric and Kelly keep their record of only going to Denver's Elitch Gardens theme park during thunderstorms intact. This time, however, they got six rides in before the lightning and hail arrived. Luckily, they got drenched at Shipwreck Falls just before the skies opened up. This made them strangely indifferent to getting any more wet, and they calmly strolled to the Fudge Factory while all other patrons stampeded out the gates. They did not visit the photo booth, this time; it did not seem a safe place to be during a lightning storm.

Read about our previous trip to Elitch's, here...

Kelly was quick to point out to Eric that there was a tornado watch in the area once again. Eric countered that the Denver radar map was clear before leaving the house and that the weatherman predicted that showers would be so scattered that "most areas of Denver won't see a drop of rain."

At any rate, they learned several things on this trip: (1) You must depart the Shipwreck Falls unloading area quickly, or else, (2) the Fudge Factory still makes good fudge, and (3) hailstones sound really, really loud on the roof of a Jeep.

One of Elitch's tag lines reads: Not to try our fudge is not to see Elitch's. Eric and Kelly think this should read: Not to be electrocuted is not to see Elitch's, and stop using double negatives.

We have been adding picture shows to some of our posts, primarily in our Adventures category.  We have been adding photos to other posts as well, so be sure to read everything all over again. Enjoy!

The code for the thumbnail viewer comes courtesy of Dynamic Drive.

Kelly and I saw this touching story on CBS Sunday Morning today. We laughed and almost cried with joy at the humorous spirit of the newspaperman, Hal Wright. He was a writer after our own hearts. We love what we do at 4 Cats, Ink: touching people's lives and having fun doing it. We hope when we are ninety years old we still are.

Hal founded the newspaper Sierra Booster in Loyalton, California. Until his death in 2000, he was the paper's only reporter, editor, photographer, salesman, and delivery man. Some of his subscribers were so remote he had to deliver the bi-weekly paper by airplane, dropping each issue out the window as he flew. Some papers hit their intended target still rolled up and intact, while others floated slowly to earth section by section.  That's funny.

That sort of devotion inspires us, and we hope you give 4 Cats, Ink a chance to show you why our company tagline is "Passion on the Page." We think heroes like Hal Wright would be proud of us.

As Hal would say, "4 Cats, Ink: serving your writing needs from now until further notice."