Giving out a new one

If you've been keeping up on the DX scene you've been seeing activity on a couple of new DXCC-qualifying entities in Montenegro and Swains Island. The operators working those crews are having the thrill of "giving out a new one" every minute they are on the air.
While these small DXpeditions I'm organizing can't really be compared to those huge efforts, I've also had the pleasure of giving out a new one, in this case a new IOTA numbered island. There have been many contacts that have thanked me on the air for NA-148 and have since followed up with QSL cards and requests. Since fewer than 25% of the participants in the IOTA program have the Boston Harbor Islands in their logs, I'm not surprised by the response, but it is still gratifying.
Email just arrived telling me my QSL cards from QSLworks should be here by Friday. I can't wait to see them! Plus, I'll be able to turn around some of those requests that have been piling up over the summer. If you've got a QSL card in to me for NA-148, it won't be long now!
This might not be the same level of prestige as activating DXCC's most wanted, but even activating an island on the IOTA list that is mildly rare can bring that same thrill from giving out a new one. When the fellow on the other end of the QSO is excited to hear from you, you can't help but feel good about it.
So, check down the list on the IOTA site. See if there are islands you might want to visit and operate from. These islands need not be expensive, exotic, or even far away. Perhaps something along the California coast or in Maine could be considered. You could even combine your DXpedition with your next family vacation. Even if the IOTA site says 50% of the participants have the island logged (which would make it far from "rare"), half don't have it confirmed and that other half would be grateful to hear from you. Perhaps you could soon be the one giving out that new one!