I won't use this page to explain exactly what "Join Me" and the Karma Army are - that is explained perfectly well here.

Oh, alright, seeing as you're too lazy to click on a link...

"Join Me" is a collective (NOT a cult!) that was started by accident when Danny Wallace posted an advert in Loot magazine asking for people to Join Him. Lots of people did, for no really good reason.

Their goal is to promote the simple idea of people being nice to each other, through the actions of their "Karma Army" - they go around performing random acts of kindness to strangers, especially on Fridays ("Good Fridays").

So... Where do I fit into this?... Well, I bought the book detailing the creation of 'Join Me' in Oxford Street, and not 10 minutes later, in another shop, I found signed copies available. Rats.

What do I do? That night I emailed the author, of course....

Dear Danny

I was delighted today to find your book for sale (not that it was hard 
to find) after a recommendation from "Joinee Stafford" from Bath.

However, not more than 10 minutes after purchasing it, I wandered into
Selfridges (not by choice, but for the sake of matrimonial harmony) 
and found your book on sale again,  but this time signed copies signed
by your good self (I assume!). I was very taken by the copy that had 
"Join Me! Damnit!" written within it, but my wife was already wandering
off in search of luggage, so I  had to leave it there.

So, I was starting to think, my unsigned copy now feels somewhat 
inferior, and I was hoping you could help out by signing this book for 
me - in this age of high tech magic - electronically! If you could send 
me a brief email saying something along the lines of "This book has been
officially electronically signed by Danny Wallace", then I can print it
out, stick it into the book and feel all warm and happy that I have a 
signed edition.

Maybe I will have the first electronically-signed copy of your book.
Regardless of this I will, of course, be obliged to send in a passport 
sized photograph and start actually being nice to people.

At this point I should tell you how good your book is, but then I have 
only read the first three chapters so far, they're great but please 
don't spoil the ending!

Many thanks in advance.

Potential Joinee Ralph

ps. Please don't get confused. Ralph is my surname, Jolyon is my first 
name!

That was on the saturday evening. On the Sunday, I kept laughing out loud as I read the book. I tried to explain what it was all about to my wife, but I'm not sure she really understood ("I still don't understand WHY"). I think she was suspicious because Danny Wallace was the co-author of a book Are you Dave Gorman which detailed Danny and Dave's exploits to meet 54 other people around the world also called Dave Gorman (and yes, you do vaguely remember that from a comedy series on BBC2 which was based on these adventures). Well, coming back slowly to my point, I had bought this book at Gatwick Airport as my wife and myself waited to fly to Toronto last year. I started reading the book and could not stop laughing. I tried explaining things in the book to my wife, but she just could not understand why it was funny. More to the point I think, I spent the entire flight reading the book and laughing, while she sat there unable to engage me in conversation.

On Monday, I received an email from "The Leader"!

Hey there

No problem! You must've just missed me in Selfridges! I was there this 
weekend!

*

This copy of Join Me has been electronically signed by the very hands 
of Mr Danny Wallace, the author. And that's true. It's not something 
Jolyon has made up in a desperate attempt to make himself seem more 
interesting, or anything, even though his first name pretty much does 
that job for him. Oh, no. This has been typed by Danny himself. I mean, 
myself. Danny. Not Jolyon. Oh, damn.

*

Cheers fella!

Danny

Wow! Not only do I now have an electronically signed edition of the "Join Me" book, but I have been officially called a "fella" by The Leader himself! No-one has called me "fella" without it sounding slightly sinister and/or odd before. My grand-dad used to refer to me as "Young fella" when I was about 8 but that's not really the same thing.

I have not joined yet. I have been too lazy to get my photograph done. It's Friday today, and I am feeling guilty about not joining, so I have carried out my first act of random kindness regardless.

It's a simple one that you can do too. Have you ever heard someone say they get fed up of the amount of junk faxes they receive at work? Well, did you know if you have a business fax line you can register it with the Fax Preference Service http://www.fpsonline.org.uk and put an end to junk faxes once and for all (it genuinely works - I registered 3 years ago for my company fax and have not had a single junk fax since).

So I registered today on behalf of the person I had heard mention about junk faxes (I had his business card), and I thought, why not register for some of the other people who've given me their cards, or even just search for small companies with fax numbers on their websites who might not like junk faxes.

They'll get letters in the post in a few days time telling them their fax number will no longer receive junk, but they won't know why!


Potential Joinee Ralph - 8 Aug 2003