Feel good with Thank You Too

Date

Saturday, 05 January, 2008

Content In 2004, I collaborated with talented sound designer, Hugo Verweij, from The Netherlands, on an animated art piece for the long standing and respected Born Magazine. Born is an online experimental venue marrying literary arts and interactive media. We never met, but stayed in touch with the odd email.

Book

Well, he's just launched a new project with Joachim Baan, called "Thank You Too" which begins with a booklet of 30 cards (which you can buy), each with a message printed on them. I contributed to these messages a few months ago, but I've no idea yet, whether any were chosen. Below are a few of these, but the last two are from the "Thank You Too" website:

You made me think again. Thank you.
You idiot. Thank you.
You stopped smoking. Thank you.
You understand me. Thank you.
You rock. Thank you.

I love the way you turn the page. Thank you.
You are beautiful. Thank you.

You might have got the gist of it by now. With the project, they want to make people feel good, and to smile. You can be the bearer of good feelings by leaving the cards in a book in the library or bookstore, in someone's bag or mailbox.

I thought I'd mention this, because it's a nice idea. Not in a wide world-changing sense, but in your own personal world, with your friends and the strangers you come across daily.

I remember coming across something almost similar - a blind dating web service where you pay for printed cards bearing your id, and you can give these cards to people you like. If they like you, they can go online and contact you with your id via this service.

With "Thank You Too", the recipients can't contact you, but this isn't the point. They're more subtler and unselfish and can still make someone's day (Unless they included "You idiot" from my suggestions!).

It must be the cold, wet and windy weather we're currently receiving here in London, but its one place I think that could really do with these cards. Maybe its not "tube-etiquette" to make eye contact with other travellers, but a card drop here and there could brighten someone's day. Or a few minutes at the very least - the weather can be relentless sometimes.

If it sounds like a good idea to you, you can find out more on ThankYouToo.org. You can also get postcard editions and a stamp.

Update : I just found the photo above on Hugo's site and realised that they did use at least one of my suggestions - you can see it on that card as "You saved my life. Thank you." (How dramatic!) Anyway, I thought I'd also include Hugo and Joachim's website links:

Hugo Verweij - Other side of silence
Joachim Baan - Another Company

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