Neil Pasricha describes himself as a "boring guy with a nine-to-five job," but let me tell you - he is much, much more. Neil is humble and incredibly kind, and despite being "just a normal guy" he landed himself a book deal after his blog, 1,000 Awesome Things, quickly caught fire after starting in June of 2008.
I am so thrilled to celebrate the launch of Neil's book this week - and happy to announce that Neil will send one lucky commenter an autographed copy! Just share an awesome thing with us in the comments and we'll pick a winner at random. **Update: this contest is now over - congrats to Eve from South Korea who won!**
About The Book of Awesome:
In Neil's own words, "Over the past year the website grew into a warm place where people around the world came to curl up under a blanket and think about the small joys we often overlook. With so much sad news and bad news pouring down upon us, it's fun to stop for a minute and share a universal high five with humanity." Don't you just want to find Neil and hug him?! I do. That endearing spirit, mixed with his great sense of humor and appreciation for the small things in life, makes Neil an absolutely AWESOME guy, and the same holds true for this book.
Some of my favorite "Awesome Things" from the book: Each one has a page of heartfelt, funny, well-written description and commentary
- When cashiers open up new checkout lines at the grocery store
- When you get the milk-to-cereal ratio just right
- Picking the perfect nacho off someone else's plate
- Fixing electronics by smacking them
- Tripping and realizing no one saw you
- The universal fry-sharing policy
- The sound of scissors cutting construction paper
- The smell of rain on a hot sidewalk
- Nailing a parallel parking spot on the first try
- Laughing so hard you start crying...or make no sound at all
- The sound of ice cubes cracking in a drink
- That one square in the waffle that is the most loaded with butter and syrup
- The Parking Lot Pull Through
- Getting something with actual handwriting in the mail
- Building an amazing couch-cushion fort
- Squeezing through a door as it's shutting without touching it
- When you spill something on your shirt and it doesn't leave a stain (my friends all know I'm a hot mess)
- Watching your odometer click over a major milestone
- Using Rock, Paper, Scissors to settle anything (that one is for you, Elisa!)
- A long hug when you really need it
And finally, I'd like to add one of my own:
- Seeing an AWESOME guy with a 9-5 job get a book deal from a blog that brings smiles to so many people's faces every day. Congrats Neil!
How to Win a Copy of 1,000 Awesome Things:
Please join me and Neil in adding to the awesome! To enter to win an autographed copy of the book, leave a comment with one of your own awesome things by the end of the day on Sunday. I'll pick a winner via Random.org early next week, then Neil will send you a signed copy of his book. **Update: this contest is now over - congrats to Eve from South Korea who won!**
You can also purchase The Book of Awesome on Amazon (a great gift, and it's currently 50% off!) and follow Neil on Twitter.
Click here (or press play below) to watch the book trailer - I loved this!