OMG - Nirvana

I was watching Breakfast in the background this week and heard an item talking about an opportunity to meet like-minded people doing charity work.  You probably saw it, or heard about it too.  Retrospectively I've discovered that an impressive PR campaign had it in all the local papers and more. The organisation is called m.a.d. woman. Obviously the name appealed to me so I paid attention. So glad I did.

m.a.d. stands for making a difference.  Set up by Melina Schamroth, an expat Kiwi living in Australia, it started with a goal of finding her a boyfriend.  Well, actually not as simple as that, but it's a very appealing story.  Melina started a dating / volunteer organisation where single people could meet with like-minds, and do some good while they were about it.  Look the story is widely documented so google it if you want to know more.  Bottom line, I went to the event and had the most fun in years!

The purpose of this event was to support Lifewise, an NZ organisation that looks after at-risk people,  I meet some terrific women, had a good old barny, and left feeling really excited about being able to give back.  Even better, I was given a "pay it forward" kind of card that states "you've been touched by a random act of m.a.d." and encourages the recipient to randomly make a difference for someone else. I left my first one at my gym with enough cash for the gym's Christmas party or whatever they decided to do.

I'll blog about it again, but meantime seizing the day is definitely a great thing. Specially when it's m.a.d.!.

Recommendations: Opportunities like this are golden!  I had a brilliant night, met some wonderful people and felt like I'd made a bit of a difference. There were probably 50 or more women there and we had a great time.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
There's little better than a night out with the girls and this was just like that, albeit that I didn't know the "girls" before I went.  Genuinely good fun, with the bonus of driving home sober, and satisfied that the world was slightly better for my effort.  Good stuff!

Lessons learned: I am so glad I took the opportunity. I can tell you that if you thought about it, and didn't go, you missed out! I realise being single gives me more freedom than many others have.  I don't need to hold myself back from things that look fun - they probably are!  This one was!!! And if it hadn't been, I could have left.

PS - if you want to see the dating aspect of things NZ side, you need to let them know you're keen.  As a charity, they're only going to come back if there's enough demand to justify the spend.  Fair enough. Sign up at mad woman now! If not for yourself, do it for me.  I could do with a m.a.d.man ;-)