Homage to Jackie

The first blog I ever found, read, and commented on was Jackie's TV Blog (please click on that and give her a visit -- she's got a great group of commenters too). She reviews all kinds of TV shows and even live blogs some of them, and has a hearty group of commenters who go there every day to chat with each other while they comment on the topic du jour TV and Jackie's many other writing gigs (which she gives us links to). It's highly entertaining when reality shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Bachleor and Dancing With the Stars are on, but there are many other things she writes about. It's hard to aptly describe the true vibe of her blog. You just have to "tune in" and see for yourself.

Over the holidays and into this month TV has been hibernating. In-between the shows that Jackie posts on -- and the forums she creates for her followers, who are in withdrawls from Project Runway, Dexter and Nip Tuck and loyally stick around -- she will post about her life and the things she finds on her famous photo stomps around town.

Known for her unique wit and humor, she throws in some surprising things... Months ago, she posted a picture of a decorative Kale plant that is on her way to work. She photographed it again as it continued to bloom, and again in the first snow, then after the snow to show it survived.

It's funny how something like that can make a person a little... well... invested in such a thing. Sure enough, when I was last in NYC, I came out of the subway and was greeted by a bed of decorative kale. I had to take a picture, chuckling to myself. Any other time I probably would not have even noticed, or if I had, would never have stopped to take a picture of it.

Then another poster, Sizzie, completely by coincidence commented on Jackie's blog that we each should take pix of kale and use them as our avitar's when we post comments there. You seen, I am not the only one who has Kale on the brain.



















It may seem inconsequential, even completely unimportant. But to me this is a great little illustration of the ripple effect. Or the butterfly effect if you prefer.

Never forget the power your smallest, most random acts have to influence others, whether it's over a picture of a plant or a smile or act of kindness, a choice to do the right thing when no one would ever know or it really doesn't seem important. This is also the case with things that aren't so positive.

What you do (including when you do nothing, which is an action too), affects the world and other people in ways you might not readily see -- but it happens just the same. I find that rather cool. The interesting part is that we hold the absolute power and utter freedom to make the choice, in each and every moment.

But then, I would be telling you something you already know, deep down.

Today I'm just here to show you the kale.