Final thoughts...

I will never ever ever forget this experience! It was INCREDIBLE!! I had SO much fun and joining the Ernie, Mandy and Taiter every morning was awesome! I enjoyed being on the radio more then I thought...and it did help to get compliments from people..hehehe. Maybe a future career??...who knows!! But it was encouraging nonetheless cause you never know what you sound like to others. So the feedback was definitely encouraging. Some challenges were tough...and others were just fun...but all played a role in getting me a bit more out of my shell which is exactly the reason I applied for this contest. As I was doing the contest, people kept asking me how much money I was at...but I was so focused on just doing the challenges and living in the moment and anticipating the next challenge that my only focus was to do every challenge. I remember leaving the hockey game and telling myself out loud in the car "I just sang O'Canada at a hockey game in front of thousands of people!" and laughing out loud hysterically. Or looking at my picture in the paper and asking myself "Is that really me?" and thinking that I looked beautiful.

Now all these challenges have brought incredible joy to my life is so many ways...because although I am doing this for myself and my son...I can't believe how many people have responded with such wonderful, heartfelt and genuine messages of encouragement, support and PRIDE! People who have never met me are saying they are proud of me. They are saying that I have inspired them. That is...there is no word to describe how that makes me feel. Just overwhelmed as I have tears in my eyes writing this because that has definitely been the BEST part of this experience. To know that I have impacted someone's life is a precious gift to me and impact my life tenfold.

I have SO many people to thank...EVERYONE really. But here's a list anyways...

People at C103...Taiter (yes, I have put his name first!), Mandy, Ernie, Sara, Adam, Paul, Brad, Heidi, Cathy, Margie, Heidi, Dan...and the rest of the crew!
My son, mother, father, brother.
Friends!! Lucy, Isabelle, Sylvie, Charlie
Neighbours...Dianne and Karine
All the girls at Chez Tiago Daycare
Everyone who spread my dance video like wildfire! It was amazing!
Champlain Mall & Sobeys
Moncton Wildcats
All those I crank called...not mentioning who...but you know who you are!
Magnetic Hill Zoo and good ol' Rosie.
ALL the people who helped get signatures and signed (and to Old Triangle, Igloo, City Grill, Navigators)
EVERYONE at my work!!! Pearl you rock!
Daniel St Louis :-) (Xiomara at Sears who did my makeup!!)
Jokers Comedy Club
Foiled Again - hairdresser keeping Taiter on track when shaving my head!

And EVERYONE who listened in and followed my crazy adventures as The Chosen One! You support was amazing and felt deep in my heart! THANK YOU!

You have all made this something I will ALWAYS appreciate and never forget!

I am a new person. You can't put a price on that.

IDENTITY

What is it about hair that has us women all in a tuffle? What is truly our attachment to our hair? We dye it, curl it, straightened it, cut it in all sorts of styles, put it up, leave it down, half way up, crimped, plain, styled, hairspray, gel, antifrizz product, smelly shampoo, expensive shampoo, pomade, mousse and the list goes on. Some women wouldn't hesitate to shave their heads for money, but SO MANY women wouldn't even consider it...EVER! So what is our attachment to hair? For men, some are attached, others not so much. Some men embrace their baldness, others cringe at it. But seriously look at the fact that people in the world, such as these men and people who have treatments for their cancer, in which situation they just can't help it. How do they deal with it? Do they just say, it's the treatment, no big deal, it will grow back...or does part of them suffer because of it. What is my identity with my hair? A few years ago I decided to stop dying it because I could no longer find a good reason to spend the money to do it...if I go grey, I will embrace it! I will choose to love the color of my hair...and just get nice haircuts that I love. But this challenge asked me to go to a new level...shave it all off. I was shocked, and immediately thought about how long it would take to grow to a decent stylable length. (answer: MONTHS! lol) but then I got to thinking, it's just hair and it is my last challenge to $10 000. Now, since I got the weekend to think about it...this gave people ample opportunity to bombard me with questions and comments...which were all very much appreciated. And it just gave me more reasons to go through with it...and it became so much more then just the final challenge and $2000...it became a message.

Essentially, hair is just hair. I'm still myself, I'm still a woman..and you know what? It grows back...and I'm sexy as hell!!! :-)

Backwards St Patty's Day!

I am not a person who enjoys looking silly...I may act silly with my friends and family at times..but looking silly doesn't usually jive with me. Walking backwards? Wearing a bunch of silly St Patty's stuff? I felt uncomfortable until we go to visit the Old Triangle...and even then, I had the most gear on! LOL and I was walking backwards! lol double stares!

Regardless, it was a simple and fun challenge...GO GREEN!

Small dip in the...FREEZING DUNK TANK!

One of my biggest regrets was not joining the group of youth I was working with in Vancouver when they decided to do the polar bear swim at the beach on January 1st in 2004. There was a big group of them, and there were thousands of people at the beach, many of which were in costumes! SO entertaining. Instead of participating, i was the photographer. I played it safe. Didn't take the "plunge"! hahaha...and after mentioning it when meeting with the Breakfast Club, I quickly realized they just might make me do it...and there you go!

The whole point of this jump is the adrenaline rush and the sense of renewal...start of fresh for the new year ahead. Well, I guess I was going to do my dunk on March 16th instead...much better weather! hahaha As we visited the tank, I noticed how much snow Ernie so graciously added to the water. (Boy was I glad there were NO REAL JELLYFISH!!!) I felt the water and chills went through my entire body...but I also realized I had to do it. No more regrets...just jump! So I did. And it was cold as all hell..but it was AWESOME. LOL...I was so tired from a rough night up with my son, but this got my day off perfectly! So happy I got to do this...even though it was incredibly cold! :-) Cause really, the only thing holding me back was going to feel cold and it really wasn't that bad...so worth it!

Itsy bitsy Rosie...I THINK NOT!

So I did this contest to face some fears and insecurities...and this was definitely a fear. Not only was it a spider, but a Tarantula no less! When I saw Bernie from the Magnetic Hill Zoo take out that creepy crawly creature out of the box...it totally freaked me out. And where did I run to..Taiter!! LOL...who was more scared then I was!! Not too bright on my part eh?


So I was trying to rationalize this in my head...I have clothing on...not like it weighs a lot so I'll hardly feel it...and chances are, he won't crawl fast up my body..well, at least I hoped not. Maybe it would feel that I was uncomfortable and be unsure itself. So before I knew it, the couch was out and ready for me to get on...and Rosie was being placed on my leg. I get shivers just thinking of it...yuck! Just feeling it go up on my body...ever so slightly...then when it got on my shirt, I didn't feel it so I felt the need to look where it was at...but next thing I knew it was over. 103 seconds really went by fast...but I felt spider on my leg all day...LOL


Still don't like spiders...but I'm that much closer to my goal

Is your refrigerator running?

It's true...I have never prank called anyone in my life. So doing it on Monday felt VERY unnatural. I was so uncomfortable, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to pull it off. But I did it...and it didn't quite turn out how I thought it would...but I got a few chuckles and SUPER helpful paint department employees so thanks to them for being such good sports!


I ain't no Jerky Boys...but I did it! LOL

HAHAHA...to be or not to be funny...

I am the worst at remembering jokes. Unless I heard it numerous times, it doesn't stick...ever! So knowing that I had to go in front of people and tell 5 minutes worth of jokes...not cool. When I sang O'Canada, I knew the song already...all I had to do was sing it and get it over with. But this!...this was different. This was content AND delivery. I had to work that day, do some homework AND get my act done for the show. Sorry Ernie, but I wasn't going to memorize this stuff...not going to happen! I racked my brain all day trying to figure out what to do...my dad had suggestions, ppl at work had ideas...but I really felt like it had to be something from me...and because I am so proud of being a woman and that this contest has made me even prouder of being myself...and because it was international woman's day on Tuesday, I figured I'd go with a bit of PRO-WOMAN content. 


I walk into Jokers and it's close to empty. YIKES!! Now, not sure about all of you, but the less people, the less chances you get laughs..so I was hoping for lots of people...so the postponed the show for a bit and a few more ppl start trickling in...finally a decent crowd. I was sooo nervous that I couldn't even focus on conversations that people wanted to have with me. I was trying to focus on how I wanted to start and changed my mind about a million times. I had my cue cards ready...I knew what joke I wanted to end with...I was just gonna GET'ER DONE!


AND I DID!! I got up on stage and started talking and felt a bit less nervous...i got some laughs and it felt even better...maybe not everything I said made sense but I didn't care...finally the last joke...a few more laughs and lots of applause! YAY! It was finally over! I was calm again and relieved. 5 minutes flew by...mission accomplished! 


It's a lot of pressure to make people laugh...especially when you have to create that context and content. Comedians are kinda like funny storytellers. Am I a comedian, HELL NO! but am I happy to have done this, HELL YES! LOL


On to the next...and final week!

Walk like a man

So Thursday's challenge was to dress like a guy and do guy things. So I met up with Adam and Paul (C103 SUPER employees!!!) at the mall and attempted to do what guys do...cause of course, I don't have a clue what they do. So I borrowed some guy clothes, gave myself a "shadow" look of a goatee and headed to the mall. I felt uncomfortable and avoided eye contact most of the time...but I did get a few weird looks. I think some people are afraid of staring...but some people stared because they saw a guy with a camera following me and wondered what the heck was going on.

I'm not an actress by no means...so this was definitely out of my bubble..but it allowed me to get creative and have some fun...and besides, we got a funny video out of it! :-)

Dancin for that YouTube hits!

So...not too crazy about performing in front of a video camera..nope, really not. I know I know...you are asking yourself, she would pose mostly nude for the newspaper but is second guessing this?? See, with the pic I trust the photographer to take many pics, it's not live, it captures a moment. On camera...its ongoing moments LOL. That and I sometimes question my ability to be spontaneous with my creativity like that. I LOVE to dance...but nothing choreographed...or filmed for that matter. So I felt put on the spot and just did whatever came to me...with a little help from Sara of course. It was fun and silly...and I would do it again...and better!!! lol

As for the 1000 hits...I was completely BLOW AWAY by the domino effect!! Right now it has over 8000 hits!!! that is AMAZING!! A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who watched it and shared it with their FB friends and more...the support was overwhelming yet again! you guys ROCK!!!

thanks AGAIN for your incredible support!!! I couldn't do it without you!

I wanna bang on the drum all day!!!

Okay so sitting by myself outside playing a djembe I haven't played in years...in the cold...waiting for people to toss me some change...not so appealing. But doing it to raise some cash for a great cause like Youth QUEST Central (www.myrinc.com)...ABSOLUTELY!

I had a fantastic cheering squad consisting of Denise and Annie from YQC...along with my parents who were awesome of course and my 9 month pregnant best friend Lucy! How can I go wrong with a team like that?!?! It was a bit chilly but thankfully the wonderfully warm sun was out and keeping us warm! Cars were driving by..some stopped to give money. One woman along gave $40!!!! We got a lot of honking and it was great to have Sara with the C103 cruiser there too. People from across the street in the Blue Cross building were watching...and I'm sure we got some curious ones from City Hall too. Main goal...get money and raise awareness about an outreach program that is doing great things for our homeless youth in our city. If you want to donate food, clothes, sporting goods, movies, video games, blankets, shoes..pretty much anything...give them a call or drop by in the afternoon...869-6355 or 199 St George Street (Old Fire Hall between Robinson and Lutz)

THANK YOU to all who donated and who put up with my drumming...LOL..I'll work on it!!

LIVE ON THE AIR!

Just had the awesome opportunity of having my very own radio show for 2 hours tonight...unfortunately, didn't have too much ready to talk about...but thanks to ADAM..everything went oh so smoothly! (thanks Adam!!) I have to admit, I was nervous! he was giving me the initial countdown and I felt my heart racing and the armpits sweating...but after about 30 minutes or so...it was cool. Loved answering the phone and getting the live feedback on Facebook...could I see myself doing this as a career???....perhaps! I truly enjoyed it! I mean, how can you not like listening to good tunes, talking once in a while being silly, talking to callers and takin it all in!? Two hours just flew by!

Was this a challenge? Definitely! Did I love it? Absolutely! Would I do it again? ANYTIME! :-)

1031 Signatures and beyond...

So 1031 is a big number...but not when you have all the support and teamwork from your friends, family and co-workers!! When I heard the challenge...I didn't know what to think. Sure it was a challenge, but how will thsi change my life? What impact could it possibly have just to get signatures? Well, I sure found out quickly the true impact of this challenge.

As soon as I got out of the radio station, I started texting people to see if they would help. It was my day off and I had planned on spending it with my son since I haven't spent as much time with his as I usually do in the past week. I quickly found out that my co-worker Pearl was on a mission and was talking about the contest and my challenges to everyone along with getting their signatures. My best friend Isabelle did an AMAZING job at getting over 300 signatures for me...and so many more helped out. The support was INCREDIBLE!!! I couldn't believe it! People went out of their way to help me conquer this challenge. I can't describe the feeling. But I would have never guessed what was coming next...

I decided that I would go out to the bars to get signatures. It's a great way to mingle with people and they are usually in a good mood...and besides, it was the only free time I would have to get signatures. My friend Isabelle and Sylvie joined me and off we went. The experience was beyond anything I could ever imagine. Tons of people had seen the article in the newspaper and were following the contest on the radio. Men and women were complimenting me on the picture, but even more so on how proud I should be of myself. People were praising me above and beyond anything I could have possibly expected. Complete strangers were behind me 100% supporting and encouraging me. I may have only been asking for signatures but got SO MUCH MORE in return.

It was amazing to meet so many wonderful people and feel people's genuine support!!

THANK YOU to all of you who took the time to sign and talk to me and share your thoughts and feelings!! You have all warmed my heart and made me that much more determined to conquer anything that is thrown at me!!

much love to all!!

Empowering

This week so far has been such an awesome experience...but this is definitely the topper! When Mandy announced my daily challenge, the only thing I heard was "people are going to see you naked in the paper".

Like many women, I'm not so crazy about my body. I have a great personality, great skills and a decent looking girl...but my body is a whole different story. I don't like looking at myself naked, and I certainly didn't want others seeing me naked. Hence why the one thing I wouldn't do for this challenge is get naked in public...or is it??

Daniel St-Louis has a wonderful and warm personality. He is very professional and just a bit...silly! hahaha I truly enjoyed his style and professionalism. When I went in to the studio, my attitude was all or nothing and although I was still very conscious of the parts of my body that I'm not so crazy about, I was surprisingly very comfortable. And after going through the photo shoot, it suddenly dawned on me that although this was a positive experience so far, it had yet to be published in the paper for EVERYONE to see! I was nervous to know which picture they would pick and if it would be something that I would feel comfortable with.

I couldn't have been happier with the result. I am beautiful. I am happy. I am proud. My imperfections are perfect and suddenly nothing else matters. I conquered a big fear today...and was rewarded 10 fold. No amount of money can bring me the pride and love I am feeling right now...and it's not about being barely nude in public...it's about embracing who I am inside and out!

The response from everyone has been overwhelming and I feel truly thankful to have had this experience. I love reading all of the responses and feel ALL the love!! Thank you!!!

25 strangers

Challenge today took a few skills. That of convincing and time management because not everyone was going to wait around for me to find 25 people. Arriving at the mall, i was snowing and the parking lot was nowhere from being full. As I walk into the mall and look around the food court, I notice that it is incredibly empty. I begin to worry because if one in 3 people say no, this could end up being a long process! I walk around waiting for Sara to arrive and begin to get worried.

As soon as she arrives I give her my jacket and start approaching (and sometimes surprising!) everyone. Some people say no either because they aren't interested or because they are leaving. some people say yes but can't stay too long...so if they leave, that means I have to find someone to replace them. Surprisingly, only one person asked for a cut of my winnings! Well, lets just say that he got an earful! hahaha...poor guy, but at least he posed for the picture!

Once I got about 20 or so I got them to gather and finally re-counted...21...4 more! ran around a bit more to the closest people...finally 25!!! I felt so rushed because I was so conscious that people were waiting for me and if I lost them, I would have to work even harder at finding people to replace them, and the mall certainly wasn't getting any fuller.

Everyone was such a good sport and about half of them had heard of the contest which made it a bit easier to explain as well.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!!!! You were all awesome! Your contribution was greatly appreciated!

The Anthem

When I heard sing for an audience...I was half okay. But when I heard at the Wildcat's hockey game, that was a whole different story. I've spoken to crowds before, but never this big...and I have never ever ever sung in front of  a crowd before!! And of all songs, the one any Canadian should never screw up!! So the pressure was on! People at work were talking about it constantly and I printed off the words in order to visually get them in my  head...I even sang in the car on my way to pick up my son over and over again. I know the song, and it's only 9 lines long but I still couldn't remember it.

The time comes, I gotta get to the coliseum. I get there, and we sit with the crowd for the first 10 minutes of the first period until it's time to make it down next to the ice. It makes it more real, almost wishing I had a few drinks...of water...before I hit the ice. My throat was so dry, my heart was beating hard and fast, my hands were cold and all I can think of are the words...I can't forget the words. I get on the ice...another thing to worry about, don't fall!! Finally Paul introduces me and hands me the mic...and I start to sing my heart out spotlight on me and all...I get to the french words and hesitate for a split second...but finish with a bang! What a gracious crowd! I didn't hear them sing, but I sure heard them cheer! Thank you!!!

What an experience! I was sooo nervous but it was definitely worth it...on to the next challenge...stay tuned!