Mike's Bloggity Blog

If you are like me, it’s around this time of year that you get accidently drunk more than any other time of year. Meeting a friend for a drink or dropping by the library usually ends up with you having to take a cab home, which in turn ends up getting pretty expensive.

So it’s nice to see that companies like Telus have decided to take pity on my dwindling pocket book by offering free cabs!  Yeah, you read that right. Free. Cabs.  Starting this weekend, a fleet of TELUS branded taxis will storm the streets of Calgary offering free rides and phone calls to anyone–whether they are last minute shoppers or holiday party-goers. From December 18 to December 25, ten TELUS branded taxis will cruise Calgary’s downtown between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Whether it’s to the store around the corner or to a festive evening out, Calgarians will have the opportunity to take advantage of this perk from TELUS. En route, passengers will also be offered a free holiday call anywhere in North America.

The TELUS taxi’s are driving into other cities across Canada including; Vancouver , Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto and Montreal to bring a helping hand to shoppers across Canada.  I have a call in to see if these cabs will drive me to Vancouver, Edmonton or Montreal, stand by for details.

I’ve never really heard of a promotion like this, very cool and very festive.  Now who wants some egg nog?

Wow!  Is this it?  Is this really the last day of Gift A Day Giveaway?  Holy Ebenezer Scrooge I think it is!  Wow.  I’m going to be kinda sad, it’s been really fun.  I guess I kinda understand why Ellen and Oprah do it every year….on a smaller scale.

For those of you who have been playing along for the past two weeks, I’m guessing you didn’t even read that last sentance.  You’re like, “Just get to the prize!!!!!”  Which if you ask me, is what Christmas is all really about.

For the last day of Bloggity Gifts,  McDonald’s Canada is offering up a $50 gift card! The McDonald’s Card is a fast and convenient way to enjoy the great taste of McDonald’s and to share it with loved ones! Hey, anything that means that I might be able to get a McLobster any faster is completely okay by me!

How to Win:
Two ways to enter, each one will get you an entry to a maximum of two entries per gift!  All entries must be received by Sunday, December 19th at Noon/MST

1) Leave me a comment telling me what’s your favourite thing to get at McDonalds.  And yes, even though it’s not on the menu, the Deluxe pizza totally counts as an answer.

2) Tweet “I’m going to win a McDonald’s Gift Card from @mcd_canada and @mikesbloggity. http://ow.ly/3rj2V  #bloggitygifts”

Gift A Day Rules:
1) Gotta live in Canada.
2) Two entries per contest.
3) I can’t guarantee prizes will arrive by Christmas.

Don’t forget to enter all the Gift A Day Give-A-Ways!
Giveaway #1: 2011 Microsoft Office for Mac
Giveaway #2: Degrassi Prize Pack
Giveaway #3:The Music of Glee (Four discs!)
Giveaway #4: Subscription to Film Movement
Giveaway #5: Sony Ericsson Phone and Bluetooth Headset!
Giveaway #6: Nestlé Noir Holiday Prize Pack
Giveaway #7: Netflix Membership
Giveaway #8: Smartbox Gift Cards
Giveaway #9: Harper Collins Canada Prize Pack!
Giveaway #10: Flip Ultra HD Video Camera
Giveaway #11: 4,000 Scene Points!
Giveaway #12: Marc Jacobs BANG cologne!
Giveaway #13: $50 McDonalds Gift Card!

Let’s be honest, I don’t know much about cologne.  I actually didn’t really even know that it was for guys until a few years ago.  Deodorant, I get.  Cologne?  Yeah, I never really understood it.  But like I said, that was a few years ago.

Since then, it’s not like I wear it everyday but every now and then, when I’m feeling fancy, I like to give myself a spray or two.  And I’m guessing that if you are a guy or have a guy in your life, you probably wish you did too.   So that is why today’s giveaway is so perfect.  It’s a full bottle of Marc Jacobs new cologne called BANG!  Talk about the perfect gift for someone who may be hitting the town on New Years Eve!

How to Win:
Two ways to enter, each one will get you an entry to a maximum of two entries per gift!  All entries must be received by Sunday, December 19th at Noon/MST

1) I’m feeling a little creative today, so post a little poem about why you want to get your hands on a bottle of Marc Jacobs new cologne!

2) Tweet “I’m going to win a bottle of Marc Jacobs cologne BANG from @mikesbloggity. http://ow.ly/3qU5p
#bloggitygifts”

Gift A Day Rules:
1) Gotta live in Canada.
2) Two entries per contest.
3) I can’t guarantee prizes will arrive by Christmas.

Don’t forget to enter all the Gift A Day Give-A-Ways!
Giveaway #1: 2011 Microsoft Office for Mac
Giveaway #2: Degrassi Prize Pack
Giveaway #3:The Music of Glee (Four discs!)
Giveaway #4: Subscription to Film Movement
Giveaway #5: Sony Ericsson Phone and Bluetooth Headset!
Giveaway #6: Nestlé Noir Holiday Prize Pack
Giveaway #7: Netflix Membership
Giveaway #8: Smartbox Gift Cards
Giveaway #9: Harper Collins Canada Prize Pack!
Giveaway #10: Flip Ultra HD Video Camera
Giveaway #11: 4,000 Scene Points!
Giveaway #12: Marc Jacobs BANG cologne!
Giveaway #13: $50 McDonalds Gift Card!

It’s no secret that Being Erica is probably on it’s last legs.  While bloggers like myself have done everything they can to promote the show, the ratings just never showed.  So as Erin Karpluk wraps up her third season as Erica Strange, it might not be a bad idea to start preparing your goodbyes.

BUT there is some good news.  Of course, this news being interpreted as “good” totally depends on the eye of the beholder. According to Variety, ABC is currently developing an American version of Being Erica.  The article says that Maggie Friedman (“Eastwick”) will write the U.S. version and exec produce. David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, who head up Toronto-based Temple Street Prods., which produces the original series, will also exec produce.

While I’m excited that the show will still see life in some form or another, I think it’s weird that they are re-making a show that already does quite well on American airwaves on SOAPNET.  I guess this is what fans of the original ‘The Office’ felt like!

There’s no word on casting but for the execs at ABC, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Erin Karpluk made Being Erica. You know what to do.  (That, or cast in Grey’s Anatomy.)

Let’s get right to the point, if you don’t have a SCENE rewards card then you are missing out.  Not only does it get you free movies, you can also get a ton of gifts for the entertainment or movie lovers on your list. So if you have the Scene points but not the cash, you get can get a lot of of your shopping done online at Scene.ca

Which brings me to today’s Gift A Day Giveaway!

Starting at 1,000 SCENE points you can choose from over 25,000 DVDs and Blu-Rays, you can give an old classic or the latest new release.  You can also download movies for as little as 500 SCENE points.  Not to sound too much like a commercial, I’ve had mine for a few years and have loved getting into movies for free.

Today’s Gift A Day giveaway is 4000 points!  Yes!  That is a lot of points!  It is worth almost $50.  Mmmmmm movies!

How to Win:
Two ways to enter, each one will get you an entry to a maximum of two entries per gift!  All entries must be received by Sunday, December 19th at Noon/MST

1) Head on over to the Cineplex store website and let me know what movie you are going to buy or rent first with all your new found scene points!

2) Tweet “I’m going to win 4,000 @scenecard points from @mikesbloggity. http://ow.ly/3q6WH #bloggitygifts”

Gift A Day Rules:
1) Gotta live in Canada.
2) Two entries per contest.
3) I can’t guarantee prizes will arrive by Christmas.

Don’t forget to enter all the Gift A Day Give-A-Ways!
Giveaway #1: 2011 Microsoft Office for Mac
Giveaway #2: Degrassi Prize Pack
Giveaway #3:The Music of Glee (Four discs!)
Giveaway #4: Subscription to Film Movement
Giveaway #5: Sony Ericsson Phone and Bluetooth Headset!
Giveaway #6: Nestlé Noir Holiday Prize Pack
Giveaway #7: Netflix Membership
Giveaway #8: Smartbox Gift Cards
Giveaway #9: Harper Collins Canada Prize Pack!
Giveaway #10: Flip Ultra HD Video Camera
Giveaway #11: 4,000 Scene Points!
Giveaway #12: Marc Jacobs BANG cologne!
Giveaway #13: $50 McDonalds Gift Card!

Looking for an easy way to give back this holiday season?  I’m pretty sure it doesn’t get an easier this! Take a listen to Christmas Wish At The End Of The Bar by The Vanishers featuring Ginger St. James. It’s pretty much the anti-Silent Night.  If you like it, download it and voila you just donated all the proceeds to The Hamilton Food Share program.  Yup, downloading music is the new way of spreading holiday in more ways than just one!

Click here to download the great tune!

Earlier this afternoon, I walked though The Core (a mall in downtown Calgary) and saw a bunch of people standing around waiting for something.  I was with a friend who asked, ‘Why are all these people standing around?’  I told her that there was going to be a flashmob in a few minutes and kept walking.  She was confused, ‘Aren’t flashmobs supposed to be surprises?’ My response: “Exactly.”

While I admire the hard work that probably goes into organizing a Flashmob, I’m wondering if the annoying new trend can PLEASE go away…at least for a little bit?  If people are standing around with cameras, while warming up their dance moves, while dozens of people are just standing around, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of a FLASH-mob.  When there are flash-floods, it’s not like the water makes a general announcement, ‘Hey citizens of low lying areas, I’m about to wash away your houses and probably kill a bunch of you, just thought you should know.’  I mean really at some point, these dance numbers are just that, dance numbers.  And that’s not a bad thing.  I’m totally cool with people dancing in public, all the power to you.  Thanks to over saturation, unless it is pulled off to perfection, any flashmob now seems like it was organized by our parents for our twelve birthday.

In the past few months, Calgary has been subjected to flashmob, after flashmob, after flashmob (okay, the last one is pretty cool) and no one seems to be noticing that they simply don’t hold the impact they did last year. We’re a fast moving society, can’t those in the PR biz find new ways to engage us?

We’re a creative city, instead of just copying everyone else, why don’t we start dancing to our own drummer?

But maybe I’m wrong, have your say:

You what sucks?  My memory.  I can’t remember a darn thing.  Every year my mom says something about the last Christmas and I rarely, if ever, remember what she is talking about.

Which is I love today’s Gift A Day Giveaway!  From our great friends at Best Buy, it is a Flip UltraHD 3rd Generation Video Camera!  If you haven’t ever had a chance to play with one of these mini-cameras, they are probably easier than IPod.  I have an older generation one and it’s so great because there are no wires.  The USB plug is attached to right to the device.  That means no fussing or remembering where you put the cord.  (Remember what I said about remembering?)

The third generation Flip UltraHD video camera features a slimmer design, image stabilization, and combines Flip’s super shoot-and-share simplicity with HD recording that’s better than ever. Power on, record up to 2 hours of HD video, and then pop out the USB arm to connect to your computer and share every moment with your friends and family. This is the definition of a Christmas gift just making sense!

How to Win:
Two ways to enter, each one will get you an entry to a maximum of two entries per gift!  All entries must be received by Sunday, December 19th at Noon/MST

1) In the comment section, tell me what is the first thing you are going to film with your new Flip Ultra HD video camera!
2) Tweet “I’m going to win a Flip Ultra HD video camera from @BBYCanada and @mikesbloggity. http://ow.ly/3pubo
#bloggitygifts”

Gift A Day Rules:
1) Gotta live in Canada.
2) Two entries per contest.
3) I can’t guarantee prizes will arrive by Christmas.

Don’t forget to enter all the Gift A Day Give-A-Ways!
Giveaway #1: 2011 Microsoft Office for Mac
Giveaway #2: Degrassi Prize Pack
Giveaway #3:The Music of Glee (Four discs!)
Giveaway #4: Subscription to Film Movement
Giveaway #5: Sony Ericsson Phone and Bluetooth Headset!
Giveaway #6: Nestlé Noir Holiday Prize Pack
Giveaway #7: Netflix Membership
Giveaway #8: Smartbox Gift Cards
Giveaway #9: Harper Collins Canada Prize Pack!
Giveaway #10: Flip Ultra HD Video Camera
Giveaway #11: 4,000 Scene Points!
Giveaway #12: Marc Jacobs BANG cologne!
Giveaway #13: $50 McDonalds Gift Card!

Today is a big day for both me and Ron James.  But more importantly Ron James (I’ll get to me later.) Today the Canadian funny-guy will attempt to set the world record for the most tweets in a single day – and he’s inviting the world to follow along.  In fact, for every mention of the official hashtag #RonJames on December 15, a non-perishable item will be donated to Food Banks Canada. So if you are on Twitter, you should see if you can tweet #ronjames as much as possible! You can also follow Ron James on his marathon of tweets on his own twitter page at @TheRonJamesShow.

Supported by a crack team of technical specialists, Ron will begin his day at 7:00am and sign off sixteen hours later at 11:00pm.  Both online and on the run, Ron will be hoping to send out at least 500 tweets during the day – that’s nearly one message every 90 seconds that he’s online.  I’m not quite sure that will break the world record because I know some really annoying people on Twitter, who seem to tweet more than that.  But I certainly have my fingers crossed.

Before Ron James started on his search for the world record, I thought I should probably interview him, in what I consider to be a very serious and hard-hitting piece of journalism.

Bloggity: Why Twitter, why the Food Banks Canada?
Ron James: If I’m going to fill cyberspace with the innocuous details of my daily life, I figure I might as well try and do something useful as well.

Bloggity: Who will be your twitter inspirations: Bieber or Gaga?
Ron James: Tough call. You might as well have asked Socrates or Aristotle, Neil Young or Bob Dylan. Talk about Sophie’s Choice.

Bloggity:Why isn’t Kim Campbell on Twitter?
Ron James: Kim Campbell? What’s with the Kim Campbell question? She wasn’t in Sussex long enough to take shower.

Bloggity: What will your 432nd tweet be about?
Ron James: Where’s the Advil? My thumbs are killing me.

Bloggity:What other world records to you hope to break in your life time?
Ron James: I’d like to set the record for most consecutive viewing of Where Eagles Dare by a man in his pajamas.

Special Announcement:

This ladies and gentleman was my 3,000th blog post!  I had plans to do a big retrospective post about what the last 2,999 posts have meant to me and highlight some of my favourites.  But instead, I thought it would be way more cool to just say thanks.  Thanks for checking out the blog, thanks for coming along for the ride and most of all…just thanks. You guys are awesome. If this wasn’t a blast for me, I wouldn’t be able to get this far.  But all your comments, tweets and general interactions make this one of the coolest jobs around.  I’m a pretty lucky guy!  Here’s to 3,000 more!

I could write a whole thesis about why Mike Tompkin’s new music is his best yet, but I don’t really need to.  Check out the video featuring Toronto rapper Shad for yourself and make sure your jaw doesn’t hit the floor  He deserves this success and this video is proof why.