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Giapo Secret Santa - put a smile on Starship Children's faces!

Starship Children's Hospital seemed the best place to start. There are a lot of children there who need more smiles in their lives. 

At the end of October I met Jessica Sullivan and Samantha Binks from the Starship Foundation, and we came up with the idea of Secret Santa Givers. On November 28th we launched the programme, and we would love you to be part of it!

It's simple to be a Secret Santa Giver. There are three ways to do it:

1. Bring a $35 value toy gift and so we can put it in the gift net strung up in our windows.
2. Donate $35 in store to go towards Christmas presents for the children, and as a thank you from the children, you'll receive a voucher for five free waffle cones. 
3. Be a virtual Secret Santa! Visit our Givealittle page (https://www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/giveachildasmile )

These kids deserve something special this Christmas, so your $35 will buy presents. The waffle cones are genuinely a gift to you, Giapo is supporting this cause up to $10,000. 

We're also looking for Secret Santa Ambassadors to help us enroll more Secret Santa Givers. Just ask in store for more details. 

We'll be delivering the presents on Tuesday, December 22nd. Would you like to come with us? Just think how good it would be to see the smiles on those children's faces. 

We want to make the world a better place. This is a start!

Posted by

Gianpaolo Grazioli
Founder of Giapo
The Genuine Italian Gelato company now with the spinning wheel.
Follow us on Twitter @gpgrazioli | @giapo
Follow us on Facebook facebook.com/giapogelato

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Generate a new identity?

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Back Behind the Reins

It's been awhile since I've looked at the world from a place of self confidence. This isn't to say that everything about my particular situation is comfortable, or even enjoyable, but that is the point: I am now able to handle the things that bring me discomfort and aren't the most fun things to do. I've spent most of my life trying to live in the shadow of self resentment brought on by outside forces that are out of my control. Nobody can control other people and tell them what to do, or how to live their life, and I don't intend to sit on my ass and let other people's choices in how to deal with things ruin mine. It's about damn time I stood up and wasn't afraid to say my piece, and if you aren't used to that, that is just too bad. When we don't use our voices for so long it is difficult for others to realize that their is a human being nearby.

I've been attending a class devoted to anxiety and stress, and it has taught me an interesting take on life: everyone is average. This isn't to say there are no differences, or that one person won't be more successful than others, but that the players on the field are of shockingly similar stature than we would often care to admit. There is a perception of better-than and less-than existing amongst people, in both directions that such an equation can go in. We are all human, we all have needs, wants, and desires, and they all make us do good and bad things. But when it comes to how we treat others and ourselves, putting anyone on a pedestal or in a pit causes troubled ways of thinking. Stand shoulder to shoulder with people in your mind and you will find it a lot easier to treat them better and they will hopefully return the favor. If they don't, than you have to call into question whether they see themselves on the same level as you, and if that goes on long enough, there is nothing you can do but to walk away.

I'm going to stand up for myself. When someone makes me feel bad, I'm going to call them out on it. Nobody should be made to feel inferior, because that is not friendship or love. That is misguided superiority. We are all guilty of it at some point, but if we can discuss our issues, forgive and try to move on, it goes a lot further and makes more sense than to never talk about the issues between us. That just leads to burning bridges from both ends, which is not something anyone enjoys. We all make mistakes, we all give off impressions, but the more people let those rule how they treat others, the less they will realize about themselves.

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Omaha Organic Blueberries @giapo

Yesterday I went to Omaha to meet with our supplier of organic bluberries and strawberries.  It was an awesome experience, we learnt many things about crops and berries and did not have ideas. Farmer Rob was a great host.. I will be posting a video of the day including our informative interview with Rob our farmer and then me handpicking some fabulous blueberries, promptly turned into a fabulous giapo when I was back at the shop.

ciao gianpaolo.

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giapo chocolate day

This 20th of October, next Tuesday our dream will come true.

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And the perfect trifecta to the holistic family of addictions...

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I'm Goin' on a Beck Trek!

I lOVE the Glenn Beck Program on Fox News! I know he's a nutso-burger, but he's one of the most sincere, genuine people I've ever seen on television. No matter what you think of his political views, whether you agree with him or not, it's refreshing to see someone standing up for what he believes. It helps that I'm a Libertarian, but I actually don't agree with him on quite a few issues, as I tend to be more of a liberal Libertarian, and he's more of a conservative Libertarian.

Starting today, I'm going on a "Beck Trek." It's not a real trek through the mountains or anything (I mostly just like the name because it rhymes and roles off the tongue nicely). It's more of a metaphorical trek. I'll basically be following the show, and posting what I think about it every day, starting today. I don't have time to watch the show here at 2pm (Pacific time), so I'll be Tivoing it and posting my notes later. I will also be following the various websites he has set up, and posting some of the funnier clips from the show as well.

I'm mainly doing this for myself, as I think it will be fun, but hopefully there will be a few others out there who will enjoy following me on my trek as well. Enjoy! :)

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