Afternoon Drive with Jeff & Carly

I was the recipient of a random act of kindness the other day.  I got on the elevator of my building with two weeks-worth of recycling (yes, the same elevator that trapped me for 55 minutes - see Nov. 6th blog entry).  A woman was already on the elevator with a smaller load of plastics and paper.  She and I chatted on the elevator ride and outside, where the recycling bins are inconveniently located (other buildings typically keep them in the underground parking garage).  It took her all of three seconds to dispose of her stuff, then instead of saying “goodnight” and heading back inside, she stepped up to my overflowing recycling bag and helped me sort.  It was a cold, blustery evening, so I was particularly appreciative of the assistance.  Although I try to hold doors for people and let them cut in front of me in the grocery line if they only have one item, I probably wouldn’t have helped an able-bodied stranger sort her/his recycling… but I might now.

Have you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness?  Tell us about it in the reply section below.  For creative ideas on how you can pay-it-forward, click here. 

Today’s bonus code, worth 100 points to Jack Nation members, is RANDOMACTSOFKINDNESS.  You have until December 3rd to enter it after logging into your account at www.925jackfm.com.

Have you seen the mascots for the 2010 Olympics?  They were revealed the other day: Sumi, Quatchi and Miga.  If you haven’t seen them yet, check them out here.  They’re based on characters from aboriginal legends and myths, but they kind of look like Japanese anime.  For those of us unfamiliar with the mascots’ folkloric roots, they can be confusing.  Sumi’s wearing a hat that appears to have been constructed out of tin foil for communication with aliens.  What is Miga?  A cross between a penguin, a panda and Alfalfa from the Little Rascals?  And as for Quatchi, I get it - he’s a sasquatch (or a samsquanch, as Bubbles from the Trailer Park Boys would say), but his name rhymes with Crotchy - not good.

Still, they’re cute and cuddly-looking, so you know kids will like them, and that leads to lots of “merch” sales, so organizers and retailers will love them.  Perhaps they’ll draw attention to aboriginal culture, which is a good thing.  So is there a down side?  What do you think of the mascots?  Have your say in the reply section below.  We’ll conduct an informal poll.

MASCOTS is today’s bonus code.  You have until December 1st to log into your Jack Nation account and score 100 points - woo hoo!

Gerome the Giraffe and Rusty the Rooster have been up to no good.  As a result, the CBC museum has lost custody of The Friendly Giant puppets.  The family of the creator of the beloved kids’ show is up in arms that the pair were used in a skit at the Geminis, not only because they didn’t grant their permission, but also because Gerome and Rusty were engaging in very adult activities - smoking, drinking, and doing it like they do on the Discovery Channel.  The daughter of the creator of the show has removed the Giant’s sidekicks from the museum indefinitely, but it appears Casey and Finnegan from Mr. Dressup can still come out to play.  I can only imagine the fun the Geminis might have had with the Tickle Trunk…

What do you think?  Are these puppets from our youth sacred or is the family overreacting?  Have your say in the comments section below.

Here are your afternoon bonus codes for the Jack Nation Points Blowout:

3 p.m. - WINNER

4 p.m. - BUILD

5 p.m. - EXCITEMENT

Each one is worth 1000 points, so don’t forget to enter them before midnight tonight (Tuesday) at www.925jackfm.com.  For the rest of the codes, check out Samantha’s blog. 

I checked out No Country for Old Men on the weekend.  It’s based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning story and is the latest movie from the Coen brothers, the guys who brought us two of my favourites - The Big Lebowski and Fargo.  It’s a good film reminiscent of Fargo - a criminal act spirals out of control, an astute and decent cop is on the case, despite other distractions in life.  The cop in this film is played by Tommy Lee Jones.

So at the end of the movie, and I’m not giving anything away here, his character is describing a dream he had.  At this point, a guy in our row gets up and exits the theatre.  Distracted, I watch him leave… and then the next thing I know, the credits are rolling.  Wha’ happened?  Clearly, the purpose of the dream relates back to the meaning of the movie and I missed it because of buddy.  Great!  Now I have to go back and see it again or wait for it to come out on video.  Has that ever happened to you, where you miss the crucial moment?  Tell me about it in the Comments section below.

And for 100 Jack Nation points, make sure you enter the bonus code MISADVENTURE once you’ve signed you into your account.  It’s valid until November 30th.

I hope I make it to the Grey Cup - not as player (obviously) or a coach or a cheerleader or even as a Rogers Centre spectator - I hope I’m in good enough shape to watch the game on TV from my couch!  See, Samantha and I are heading to the Grey Cup bash at the Convention Centre tonight.  The event is being hosted by the Trailer Park Boys, so you just know it’s going to get ugly.  I can’t wait to share a few rum and Cokes with Julian and maybe some jalapeno (pronounced juh-lap-pen-oh) chips with Ricky.  Then Bubbles and I are going to croon to Hinder’s Lips of an Angel a la Rush’s Closer to the Heart.  Sweet!

The problem with partying on a Friday night, though, is that the drinks hit you hard and fast because you’re tired from the work week, then you need the rest of the weekend to recover and none of your errands or chores get done.  Oh well, when the Bombers trample the Roughriders on Sunday, it will all be worth it.  I just hope I’m awake enough to witness it and not face-down in the French onion dip.  Did one too many cocktails ever cause you to miss an important event?  Please feel free to share your stories (and your shame) in the comment section below.

And don’t forget to enter GREYCUP in the bonus code section of your Jack Nation account.  It’s good until November 30th and scores you numerous touchdowns and field goals worth 100 points collectively!

I had one of those “movie moments” last night.  You know, it’s an embarrassing moment that’s so camera friendly, you’d almost think you were in a scene from a movie.

I was on my way to an annual alumnae dinner, so I was wearing a plaid skirt and high-heeled boots.  I was also carrying two bags of donations for a women’s shelter, one of the philanthropies supported by my group.  I was strutting along the Toronto PATH to the event, pretty happy that I had managed to keep my hair dry despite the rainy weather.  I heard the sound before I saw the disaster or felt the change in weight.  One of the paper bags was soaked through due to the rain and tore wide open - perfume, nail-polish, mascara rolling around on the tile floor.  I looked around to assess the damage, hoping I was on “Candid Camera” - no such luck.  Thankfully, a very helpful young woman and an older gentleman helped me retrieve the items… and my dignity.  At least I wasn’t walking with a cute guy and tampons fell out of my bag - oh wait, that happened, too, in university.  Sigh.  What are your movie moments?  I’d love to hear them.  Misery loves company and all that.

Here are the afternoon bonus codes for the Princess Margaret Cash and Cars Lottery.  Check out Samantha’s blog for the ones from earlier in the day:

3 p.m. - aston

4 p.m. - research

5 p.m. - escape

You have until midnight tonight (Thursday) to enter them in the bonus code section of your Jack Nation account.  Good luck!!!

We had to get our new work pass cards today, which meant a new photograph as well.  Now, when your old picture is awful, you’ll happily surrender the obsolete card, but if you were particularly attached to the old photo, i.e. it’s as close to Christie Brinkley as you’ll ever look, it takes coaching and coaxing and sometimes threat of dismissal to pry it from your cold, dead lanyard.  (Okay, fire me, but can I keep the pass card?)

Luckily, I’m attending an event this evening, so I had an excuse to dress up.  I even wore a babooshka* on my way to work to protect my hair from the rain.  Desperate times call for desperate measures!  The good news is that my efforts paid off.  I liked the old photo - taken in the summer when I had some colour and was wearing a pretty blouse - but the new picture is just as good.  It’s a closer shot and my hair has some bounce.  So now I only have to wait another three years before I can replace my horrible health card photo.

I’d love to hear about the photos you’re attached to - driver’s licence, library card, mug shot?  Feel free to leave me a comment!

Carly? Is that you? Nah, it’s Christie.

For 100 Jack Nation points, enter PICTUREDAY in the bonus code section of your account.  It’s valid until November 28th.

* I just learned that “babooshka”, which means Russian head scarf, is now slang for “show us your boobs”.  When did that happen?

So today we had a Jack Nation points blowout, which means we were giving you a new on air bonus code every hour between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.  Each code you enter in your account at www.925jackfm.com before midnight tonight (Tuesday) scores you 1000 points!  We want to help you out, though, so if you missed any codes between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., check out Samantha’s blog.  Here are the ones from the afternoon shift:

3 p.m. - NATION

4 p.m. - SPEED

5 p.m. - PRIZES

Another way to score thousands of points is to click on “Events” under “Earn Jack Nation Points”.  You’ll see it as soon as you log into your account.  There are new opportunities from Uptown Communications and Livingwell.ca., including 100 points each just for checking out their respective websites.  Happy Points Collecting!

On Friday, I promised I’d let you know how my bus trip turned out, so here’s the scoop.

When I boarded the coach in T.O. 15 minutes prior to departure, there was only a handful of people on the bus.  Expecting to have two seats to myself, I sat near the front - better view, nowhere near the washroom, quick exit once you’ve reached your destination.  What I didn’t realize is that particular bus also stops at Scarborough Town Centre, where a plethora of people came aboard.  As a seasoned bus traveller, I should have known that when passengers get on a crowded bus, they panic and grab the first empty seat they see, which tends to be the closest to the front.  A young guy with a big backpack and a nasty cold sat next to me.  He was coughing up a lung and snorting back snot the whole way.  I guess he’s never heard of Neo Citran.  When he finally fell asleep, he started to lean into my personal space, which meant I had my face pressed up the window the entire trip.

Let this be a lesson to you, kiddies.  When faced with deciding between studying theatre or law at university, follow the almighty dollar (worth about $1.02 U.S. at last check).  You may be as bored as hell, but at least you’ll have enough cash to fly first class anywhere you want.

Thanks to everyone who shared their motor coach stories.  Today’s bonus code is FIRSTCLASS.  It’s worth 100 points to members of the Jack Nation and is valid until November 26th.

This weekend, I’m travelling to Ottawa by bus.  You gotta love the bus.  It’s cheap.  It offers frequent departure times.  You don’t have to commit to the aforementioned departure times - leave whenever you want.  (Actually, it sounds like the perfect relationship - cheap, frequent departures, no commitment…)  And then of course there are the characters you meet on the bus.  I almost never get two seats to myself.  Someone always sits with me because I don’t take up much room and I don’t smell (at least, I don’t think do).  I did have a smelly guy crowd me out once - not good.  I’ve also had a strange child fall asleep in my lap.  That was after she told me there were too many purse ads in my magazine.  And speaking of purses, someone tried to steal my 89 year-old grandmother’s bag at a bus rest stop.  She’s my grandma, so you know how that story ends - not good for the would-be thief. :)  Hopefully, this trip will be uneventful.  Bye for now, my coach - make that my motor coach - awaits!

I’d love to hear your bus stories.  Please feel free to pass them along.  Your bonus code, worth 100 Jack Nation points, is STINKYBUS.  It’s valid until November 23rd.