I recently had an awesome interaction with a fellow banking customer at my local chain. I had just finished donating blood and needed to cash a check that I recently received. As I was approaching the glass doors, an older gentleman crossed my path and simply stated, “Good afternoon, young man.” Here is how our conversation continued:
Eric: “Good morning, sir. How are you today?”
Bank Man: “Well, I’m actually not too good. None of the ATMs are working that I go to. It makes me want to switch banks.”
E: “I totally understand that. If that happened to me, I would want to put my money in a bank that had working equipment. Hopefully this ATM is different.”
BM: “I hope so, too. You know, you’re a first class kinda guy. You just turned my day around.”
E: “I enjoyed talking to you, too and I am glad I turned things around for you. Have a good day!”
BM: “You too.”
As I continued into the bank, I couldn’t help but smile. Just by listening to this man, I played a part in turning his day around. Believe it or not, empathy can truly turn a conversation around. You don’t need to get results or do anything, just listen and empathize.
This conversation made me start thinking: What if we all empathized with the bigger picture in mind? Would our daily interactions lead to better moods? Would we become servants and not selfish?
Random Encounter Challenge: Try empathizing and listening to someone today that you encounter, whether it’s a stranger or the person in the cube across from you at work. See if it increases the value of your interaction and your relationship with that person.
Did you take the challenge? If so, how did it work out? Have you empathized in the past? What results did you see? Tell us below in the comments!
eric Home, Random Thoughts
There are some great deals today! Here they are…
eBay
- 0.38ct Pave Loop Diamond and White Gold Cross Pendant
- Durabrand Progressive Scan DVD Player – Refurbished
- Makita 9910X 3in x 18in Belt Sander w/ 6 Belts
- Okidata C5500n Color LED Printer – Refurbished
Target
- Pirates of the Caribbean Journal w/ Sparrow – Black
- Dolce & Gabbana Dark Blue Designer Dark Blue Sunglasses
- XOXO Tri-Fold Womens Wallet – Blue
- 8 x 10 Picture / Photo Frame, Bordeaux Burl
- Cute Options White Smocked Peasant Top With Embroidery
If you’d like to order any of these deals, hurry! They don’t last long!
eric Deals/Deal Sites, Home
I’m not usually someone who plugs events or gatherings but this one is pretty extraordinary…
“Ally (Jarkiewicz) was diagnosed with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) at 6 months of age. HLH is a blood disorder that affects 1.2 in 1,000,000 children. On 3/3/09 Ally began chemotherapy. She began her 8-day conditioning (chemo & other drugs) on 6/10 and had a bone marrow transplant on 6/18. Please pray for engraftment & a quick recovery for her.” – Ally’s CaringBridge website
Although I do not know them personally, The Jarkiewicz family is a family who is strong and who has a group of supportive and selfless people in their lives. 
Ally’s parents, Dan and Beth, have dedicated their lives at this point to the survival of their daughter and have had the help of many people to get them through. Whether it is delivering food, making a scrapbook, or covering work shifts, the Jarkiewicz family has an extraordinary circle of friends and others who are touched by their story. Well, now anyone interested in helping them out can help in a tangible way.
On August 13, the Nottingham Square Chick-Fil-A (White Marsh, MD) is hosting a Spirit Night for the family. Basically, you can print out this flyer or just remember their last name and order some food from Chick-Fil-A. A portion of your proceeds will go toward the Jarkiewicz family. Have plans that night? Don’t worry because you can use the flyer or drop their name at anytime during the day – from open to close.
As I mentioned, the Jarkiewicz family has a pretty powerful network of individuals who are on their side. The event has caught so much attention on Facebook that nearly 250 people have confirmed that they will be stopping by Chick-Fil-A that day to support and donate. If you’d like to confirm that you’ll be stopping by to show support that day, simply select “Attending” at the event’s Facebook page (but you don’t have to confirm on Facebook in order to stop by). Also, if you’d like to make a separate donation, contact Stacey here.
Come out to support this awesome cause!
eric Home, Random Thoughts
Here are today’s daily deals from eBay and Target. If you find something you like, get it fast because these deals don’t last for very long!
eBay
- Mizco Power Charging Station – 2 USB & 4 A/C Stations
- Netgear WGR614 4-Port Wireless G Router -Refurbished
- HP 02 Vivera Color Ink Cartridge Set – Bulk Packaged
- Dell V305 All-In-One Inkjet Photo Printer
Target
- Holmes HL1261H Robot Desk Lamp
- Rocket Dog Zipper Patent Ladies Loafers
- Retro Green Alarm Clock
- 5 x 7 Picture / Photo Frame, Bordeaux Burl
eric Deals/Deal Sites, Home
I just wanted to catch everyone up to speed on some exciting updates for the website. Here goes!
Love the Locals – A Resounding Success: The “Love the Locals” series was a great three part series that was a success. I had to cut the series short due to some changes to my schedule but the series will be returning next month with four new local businesses to support. If you have any suggestions for businesses, feel free to email me or leave a comment on this post.
Your Input: Believe it or not, your input has played a key role in the development of this site. Whether you have approached me personally or via Facebook or email, any input you have given has really helped me out. That being said, I’m going to continue on with the “Ask the Readers” posts on this site and on Facebook because your feedback has helped me out a lot. So, carry on with the feedback!
All Time High: I’m proud to announce that this website is seeing it’s greatest growth right now according to two stat programs that I use to keep track of the site’s progress. I’ll be doing some additional research to capture additional data but wanted to let everyone know of the steady progress and growth the site has seen recently. Thanks for all of your support!
eric Home, Random Thoughts
I have recently stumbled upon Target’s Daily Deals section so I will be highlighting both eBay Daily Deals and Target Daily Deals on a regular basis. Here are the deals for today:
eBay
- Book Light (2-pack)
- 17in Laptop Case
- Danika Patrick Autographed Mini Helmet
- 7in Digital Picture Frame
Target
- Dearskin Journal (Brown)
- Vertex Black Driver – 10.5
- Dolce & Gabbana Tortoise Sunglasses
- Quilted Handbag (Brown)
- PING Hat (Yellow)
If you’d interested in these deals, act fast because they won’t last very long!
eric Deals/Deal Sites, Home
I’ll admit, I was a little behind on my RSS feeds this week but I still was able to catch some good deals. Here they are…
- American Eagle is offering free shipping on all of their jeans. Simply order the jeans online and you will receive no charge for shipping. No coupon code is required. Deal ends August 4.
- For four days only, receive 30% off in-store purchases at Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic. Print out this coupon and present it at the register. If you would like to use it multiple times, you can. Offer expires August 2.
- Barnes and Noble is offering many DVDs at half off, including seasons of Mad Men and Weeds. Don’t worry; there is plenty to choose from.
eric Deals/Deal Sites, Home
Today’s eBay Daily Deals features a great selection of items, including McAfee Total Protection 2009 and a refurbished JVC DVD Player/Recorder. Both are great deals! If you’d like to check out the other deals featured today, check out the eBay Daily Deals page. You can also sign up for daily email alerts at the page.
eric Deals/Deal Sites, Home
My girlfriend just informed me of a Redbox code that she received in her email today. Apparently, if you enter the code 5TNNT42, you will receive one night free. I’m not sure if this code is unique to her account only but it’s worth a try! Make sure to return your DVDs by 9:00PM the next evening to avoid any charges. Enjoy!
eric Deals/Deal Sites, Home
Just a reminder that today is National Cheesecake Day! If you’d like to celebrate this sweet day (literally), then head over to The Cheesecake Factory and get a slice of cheesecake for half off (Take out orders are not eligible for this discount). Enjoy!
eric Deals/Deal Sites, Home
