So THAT’S what the
“8=======D~~~~~~~ :V =^.^= +<;) 8==D~~~~ ( . Y . )
=^.^= 8====D~~ (_o_)”
meant.
wait, who does that third one belong to?
(for those not fluent in ascii, it’s an orgy – one guy in the face, the pope in the boobs, and a third in the butt. there are cats because someone left the door open, and they came in to see what was going on.)
For some reason I was convinced that Wednesday was the 23rd, not Tuesday – even though I specifically said multiple times that I’d draw the pin winners on Tuesday the 23rd. I am not so smart. Cute as all hell, but definitely not smart.
So! Without further ado, here are the winners of the Delicious Juice Dot Com Pin and Toy Giveaway:
.. I feel bad for being late with the draw (even though I’m fairly certain no one cares), so I’ll go two further:
I will email all the winners to collect contact information, and get your prizes sent out this week!
Hooray for free stuff! Thanks for playing along!
oh dear.
My accreditation came a little late – it took me longer than anticipated to work up the $1.12 laminating cost – but I am finally ready to rock the world on behalf of the True North Media House:
social reporter and number one mascot reporting for duty
I’d like to see Quatchi, Miga and Sumi try THIS!
It’s hard to make friends, especially when you’re trying. Friendship is a lot like romance, and all the stupid clichés applied to love can work here too – especially the one about it coming when you’re not looking for it. You can tell I’m about to get serious here, because I didn’t even pause to make the outstanding joke about the dangers of coming when you’re not looking.
I’ve gone through long periods of my life without any close friends, and I know how much it sucks. It’s difficult to break into a circle of people who are already close, and when you add a heaping bucket of social anxiety to the mix, it’s surprising that some people can end up forging friendships at all.
If anything, I’m living proof that it can be done. I had a few friends in Calgary, but certainly no one close. Fast forward a few years to Vancouver – there’s a dozen people that immediately come to mind when I think “friend!”, and I adore them and love spending time with them (and hope they feel the same way about me). I didn’t actively sit down and say “okay, I’m going to make some friends now” – but I did, and they are awesome.
Sometimes you have to feel people out to get a good sense of the kind of person they are. I’ve been lucky – my initial instinct of “invite everyone to come out and play” has only bitten me in the ass once or twice, and it hasn’t done much to dampen my natural exuberance. I live to have fun, and I want to share the good times with as many people as I can reach. Honestly, I’m incredibly shy by nature but once I open up, there’s no stopping me. I try to be generous with everything I have to give – love, time, boobs – and it really, really gets under my skin when I’m accused of something otherwise.
I don’t normally like to drag dirty laundry of this nature out for all to see, but I’m upset and need to get something off my ample chest so you get a bit of backstory:
Last week I had made a reservation for 10 people to go to the Irish Heather and enjoy a fancy meal. I figured seating for 10 would be enough, but I both miscalculated AND let my standard MO of “invite everyone!” overrule the headcount. As a result, my 10 seats were snapped up quickly, and there were others that still needed inviting.
Maybe I should have just increased the reservation myself, but I decided to gently love two birds with one hug and instead Facebook the event so I could a) remind those coming under my 10 seats, and b) inform additional people I wanted to invite so they could make the necessary arrangements. I didn’t need to do this: if I was content with just my 9 closest friends, I would have emailed them all and left it at that. I didn’t want others to feel left out though, so I went out of my way to invite and inform so they could come along.
Apparently, that wasn’t good enough.
Drama exploded all over the place, and it got in my hair and my eyes and on my clothes. People were furious and hurt that they weren’t in my Top Ten, causing vivid flashbacks to MySpace and high school. Messages were flung across every medium available, and passive aggressive statements came flying in like Missile Command. “It’s funny that people are amused by my hurt feelings; that sure says ‘friendship’” “Feelings are bad! Friendship should only ever be fun!” “My bad for thinking we were friends AT ALL” “I demand respect! I have feelings! I’m a human boy, just like you!!” “it’s so hard to make friends. They want superficial or they already have too many “friends” and no room for more.”
Seeing as I was just getting to KNOW this person, the thinly veiled attacks about how I’m a terrible friend and horrible person are a little over the top. I hate confrontation as much as anyone, but sometimes things get so crazy that Something Must Be Done – and that’s where I am right now. I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but here’s my advice on how to make friends in a handy bullet point format:
This turned out longer than I intended it to, and my hands are very cold. All I’m trying to say is that all friendships had to start from somewhere, and if you just be yourself, the relationships will make themselves known. Declaring yourself an instant friend and then running amok because people don’t respond to your passive aggressive comments and/or don’t behave the way you deem they should is the fastest, bestest way to ensure that people choose NOT to include you in things and instead discuss amongst themselves the levels of crazy being sprayed all over the place.
I tried, and you declared it to be not good enough. You’re not my mother, so I am done.
Against my usual judgment (the one that keeps me at home most nights), I decided to suck up my fear of people and go to the Yahoo/Flickr party in Yaletown this evening.
It turned out to be a night full of new experiences, in more ways than one:
I’m glad I decided to go to the party – it was so much fun! I hadn’t been to Yaletown yet during the Olympics and was surprised at how alive it was – as I was leaving the party, the Coke truck came rolling through and I ended up with some free Coke Zero to go along with all my neat Flickr swag. The Olympic fun just keeps on happening! Hopefully I’ll find another party or two to crash before it’s all over; I could really get used to free lobster and also Catherine’s boobs.
parties: fun!
First they were up in arms because the Olympics were coming.
Then they were up in arms because the Olympics were here.
Even though they don’t even care, they’re up in arms because of a fence.
People are freaking the fuck out because the city closed all liquor stores early on Friday and Saturday nights, and are enforcing the “no drinking in public” rule; calling Vancouver the “No Fun City” and other clever names. Never mind that the entire month of February is one massive party for everyone even if you don’t set foot into a single sporting venue; never mind that there are free concerts and activities every single day; never mind that the weather has been spectacular and spirits are higher than I’ve ever seen them. Let’s forget all about that, and instead focus on the fact that we can’t get DRUNK and therefore what’s the point of even HAVING an Olympics.
Did I miss the press conference where being drunk was a mandatory precursor to having fun?
LIGHTEN THE FUCK UP, PEOPLE. If you can’t have fun without alcohol, then you’ve got bigger problems to address. Maybe some of us would rather go to an event and not have to worry about facing a drunken mob of vomiting, ridiculous assholes. Maybe some of us would rather not see you pissing on buildings or in the middle of the street. Maybe we’d rather not deal with the staggering senses of entitlement that alcohol abuse seems to gives you. Maybe we’d like to walk down the street without that prickling sense of fear when you see the rowdy screaming gang at the end of the block – are they friendly drunks? Will they harass me? Rape me? Frighten my children? Puke on my shoes? Where’s the nearest escape route if things get out of hand?
I know some people are perfectly able to have a drink or two and still conduct their business in a sensible manner. These aren’t the people the police are trying to stop – it’s those that don’t know when to stop, don’t know how to act like human beings, don’t know that getting blinding drunk and making an ass of yourself isn’t a requirement of having fun. Do you honestly think that the stopping the sale of alcohol is because no one knows how to have a good time and we’re all lame sticks in the mud with even bigger sticks up our asses? That isn’t the POINT – the point is that some people don’t know how to have fun without going too fucking far, and EVERYONE is entitled to have fun – not just the idiots who binge drink because it’s oh-so hilarious.
Get the fuck over yourselves and grow up.
.. Fox and Lola (the person, not my scooter), front and center!
You are the winners of the Delicious Juice Dot Mitten contest, and will be the delighted (I hope) recipient of a pair of the coveted Vancouver 2010 Olympic Red Mittens and a set of Delicious Juice Dot Com pins!
Thanks to everyone who entered, and if you didn’t win don’t worry – I’ll be drawing for 3 sets of pins (two Apple Store sets and one PETA Olympic Shame) and a random mascot toy later this week (so you should go enter the draw, if you haven’t already).
I’m having so much fun during these Games – more than I ever thought – that I’m tickled a quite literal pink to be able to share even this tiny piece with my internets. Yay!
And now, for no reason whatsoever, here are some large fish!
koi koi koi!
After another incredible Sunday full of fun, I am exhausted – too tired to think and definitely too tired to draw for the mitten winners. My site was down for a couple hours earlier this week due to a WordPress explosion, so I’m using that as an excuse to extend the draw for half a day – I will pick two winners for some red mittens tomorrow morning and announce them in my next update.
So clearly, if you haven’t entered the draw yet, you really really ought to. Go now! NOW! Winning stuff is awesome!
i love fun times
I keep hearing reports that “the last shipment EVER” of items are arriving/have arrived at the Bay/Olympic Superstore. I don’t know how accurate this is, because the Olympics are barely half over – so take it with a grain of salt. Just in case you were wondering, though:
Yesterday’s Experience Day was a smashing success. I met Shan at BC Hydro’s Power Smart Village at noon, and throughout the day we were joined by others – Reilly and Miranda, then Josh, then Ed, then Renee. We held fast to our rule of “no standing in line”, but still managed to see a lot of great stuff. The Plaza of Nations behind the Edgewater Casino was especially great – the day was gorgeous, there’s an open-air market like a small version of the Richmond Night Market, and an army of inukshuk have been built along the seawall. The area of framed by Science World/Russia House, the Cambie Bridge, and Athlete’s Village across the water – it’s one of the most spectacular spots in the city, and a fabulous place to hang out and people watch.
fisheye'd!
We ended up on Robson Street later that night, but I had to call it quits around 8pm – my feet are angry at the best of times, and the fact that I had spent 8 hours wandering around town had not gone unnoticed. I was in a lot of pain, but I had so much fun I hadn’t really minded until I hit the wall. As a result, we weren’t downtown when Jon Montgomery won his gold medal in Men’s Skeleton – but we got to watch it at home and cheer along.
I don’t know what’s happening tonight, but it’s going to be something. I’m also trying to find out what the Team Canada stock levels are like at Oakridge and Metrotown – will update when I find out.
Pictures from yesterday are up on Flickr, and don’t forget: I’ll be drawing for mittens tomorrow night and for other goodies on Tuesday, so you should enter the draw by commenting on the posts linked to the right!
Tomorrow night: Long Table Series dinner at the Irish Heather, just in time to be in Gastown for the end of the Canada vs. USA hockey game. It’s gonna be epic, no matter the result!
2010 was an inside job
true north huge and on the side of a building
Yesterday HBC announced that the Olympic Superstore – the one I haven’t yet been able to get into because of my aversion to lineups and crowds – will be open 24 hours a day for the last three days of the Olympics. Look for me at 3am on Saturday the 27th, trying to buy a black Canada hoodie! As a little bit nauseating as all this crass consumerism is, it’s also kind of fun for the sheer insanity of it all. I wish the store was open 24/7 throughout the entire games – I do not doubt that they would do enough business in the wee hours of the morning to justify the extra manpower. Also, I don’t want to wait for a week before I go shopping at 3am. Patience: not a virtue.
I’ve decided that today is Experience Day – I am going to go experience some of the craziness going on downtown. I really want to check out BC Hydro’s Power Smart Village, and the Vancouver Art Gallery is FREE for the duration of the Olympics so that is a definite must do. Tonight I want to throw myself into the crowds on Robson Street to see what all the fuss is about, and maybe see if I can’t hunt down the mysterious forces handing out the elusive Jesus pin – I’ve only seen it once, but it’s a large white pin with Jesus fish in the Olympic colours. It apparently comes on a card that tells you all about how Jesus died so our athletes could win gold medals, or something. I want it strictly for the hilarity factor, much like the PETA pin – I’ll enjoy anything, as long as it’s subversive in some way.
I have to do some work before I can go out and have fun – this fascinating documentation on donut router policies is not going to write itself – but I am completely excited for the good times I plan to have today. If I can wrangle any interesting swag, I will add it to my giveaway pile – so don’t forget to enter the draws below! Spread the word, too – I’m tired of spamming Twitter with my links. Do it for me, please. :)
pretend it's one week ago and this picture is leaked
delicious juice dot com 