I like to be described as a girl with spirit (the spirit I am referring to is vodka!)

I also like to be described as original (I’ve found thought that it isn’t always in a good way, you know the way people are described as question marks? Well there you go!) I found out however that originality is also something that you can be rewarded for, yyippeeee!

I guess writing down my every whim, insecurity and boy drama does count as being somewhat original in my own way, maybe. So when I came across the 2011 Stoli Original Fund campaign I figured I’d spread the word! (After all who doesn’t want to be in with a chance of pocketing $1,000 – show of hands… thought so!)

Do any of you have an original or inspirational idea? Why not unleash your creativity in the original fund competition to be in with a change to win a grand!?

The 2011 Stoli Original Fund rewards genuine originality, whether it’s launching a unique recyclable fashion label, starting a vertical neighbourhood garden, or starting up your own fabulous blog (ahem), as long as it’s original you’re in with a chance to win the cash from the Stoli Original Fund to help realise your dream!  

 How you can get involved:

Over the next five months (May-September 2011), The Stoli Original Fund will give three members of the public the chance to put $1000 each towards their prized, original idea.

Frederick Duarte, Brand Manager, Suntory Australia says: “Stoli is the world’s most original vodka and we want to reward the genuine originality of Australians with the 2011 Stoli Original Fund. We’re excited to uncover some real talent and by offering a platform to showcase original ideas, we hope to help original people unleash their dream idea and turn it into a reality.” 

To enter, entrants must upload to the Stoli Vodka Australia Facebook page an image that captures their original idea, along with a 200 word or less blurb explaining what the original idea is, why it is original, and how a $1000 Stoli Fund could help make it happen. The Stoli team will shortlist the five best and most original ideas of each three rounds and the Facebook community will decide the winner by voting for their favourite – the entry that exemplifies originality, creativity and general genius! To enter and for full details visit http://facebook.com/stolivodkaaustralia

So what are you waiting for? I think my idea will centre around making guys reply girls text messages – never mind the $1,000 Stoli Original Fund prize, I recon I’d be eligible for a Nobel Peace Prize if I invented that! Ha!  

Terms:

• Entries for the first Stoli Original Fund (of three) are now open. ‘Like’ the Stoli Facebook page for more
• Entrants can upload their original idea at http://facebook.com/stolivodkaaustralia
• Entries for the first round close on May 23 with the final winner announced on June 17
• The second round of The Original Fund competition will launch at the end of June 2011
• The third round of The Original Fund competition launches in August 2011
• Unsuccessful applicants are permitted to re-submit the same, or different ideas to each fund search
• Entry is open to residents in Australia over the age of 18 only

“Back in my day”

I was sat around in the office today and my team and I were trying to brainstorm ideas for a survey for one of my clients, now you might be thinking: “why do I give a sh1t, I don’t read your blog to hear about your day job?!” Well normally you’d be right, however on this occasion the topic of the survey was none other than dating! This I have a little lot of experience in.

We were pitching questions relating to Gen Y and how they have a different dating experience to Gen X with the advent of social networking and digital media. I got me to thinking that we never would’ve thought 20 or even 10 years ago that you would have been able to meet someone/ have someone recommended to you and all you need is their full name to find out all there is to know about them. (That is unless they are aware of identity theft, and crazy stalker people so they make themselves invisible online, how dare they!) ha!

I never fail to surprise myself when I meet a guy and find myself wondering if he’s on Facebook, literally before we’ve even swapped numbers! It is quite a sorry state of affairs isn’t it! Even with the advent of text messages 15 years ago, how much easier do kids have it now-a-days ey!?

I remember the death gripping fear that used to come over me when I used to ring up my ex on his… wait for it… house phone! “back in my day…” seriously though it was so much more straight forward back then, we didn’t have to analyse text etiquette – “should I/ shouldn’t I text him?” “Why hasn’t he text me?” “ He’s text me a few times, it’s now ok for me to make the first move!”

What?!

 There was NON of that – for sure there were other issues going on, it wasn’t all plain sailing – more often than not the guy would get caught two-timing for not being very smart and getting caught pashing someone else in a rather public space – rather than inadvertently sending a text to the WRONG girl.

Fast forward to 2011, there is a whole can of worms just waiting to be opened and all you’ve done is said hello!

How many of you have done this when you’ve met a guy and know his full name:

• On Facebook – Check
• Non-private profile – check
• Photo’s of said person – check
• Wall visible – check
• The clincher – mutual friends – check

Cue trawling through pictures of possible ex’s etc etc and you haven’t even been on a date yet! I mean I never do that, just heard of people that do it, that’s all… (The word you’re looking for is anyway…)

Can’t possibly be conducive to a healthy start to a possible relationship can it? It got me to wondering if guys do the same?

Three’s a crowd

Okay I’m in somewhat of a dating dilemma and I can’t decide which the best course of action to take is or which path to turn to. Mainly because in my experience all roads lead to 1 Dumped Avenue, Singleton-ville!

Now let me get this straight, I’m the kind of girl who goes through stages, peaks and troughs, swings and round abouts et al… you catch my drift! I am by no means a man eater, I’ll go though months and months with nothing, not even a glimmer of bloke that throws any interest in my general direction.

Then all of a sudden after a drought (usually about a three month cycle) about three men come at once – there was a saying once about men and buses, you know!

Anywayyyyyy… It just so happens that I seem to be partaking in one of life’s peaks at this moment in time, rather than the Valley of the Trough (or the bottom of my pedestal that I so gallantly climbed to the top of, only to break my stiletto heel, fall to the bottom and land in a big pile of sh1t! It happens apparently!)

On overview, or synopsis if you will, follows:

The lovely Liam is back on the scene – after the bus incident he has still been contacting me to meet up (yeah I still judge him!). He’s been around for two years – we went through the ‘mate zone’ for a year and now I’m still no closer to gauging what we are. I do get the feeling that he wants to talk to me about something serious (due to his lack of desire to attend group functions, requesting we just catch up one-on-one). I have locked him in this weekend, so all shall be revealed, I hope!

Then there’s the guy that I was seeing casually, we touched on my issues with this here. The cute half Maltese, half English Aussie guy, remember? Well we’ve kept in touch and he is still yet to ask me out, not best practice! We’re in the zone where we just meet up on a night out, is there a way out of this zone? Or am I stuck in it forever as a product of my own making?

Then we’re left with Tim, a guy I really hit it off with on my travels over Xmas, he was my NY smooch (nothing else mind!). We stayed up all night on the lake putting the world to right. We also have a lot in common, his Dad’s originally from Liverpool (I went to uni in Liverpool and heart it!) his mum is also a Brit of the Southern variety, she’s from Chelsea. Again he’s an Aussie born and bred, that lives in Sydney! He also has the British banter added for good measure!  He too is yet to ask me out, we have the whole flirting situation happening via e-mail and text, but still nothing, nada, diddley squat!!

So as you can see, yes there are three guys on the ‘potential date’ zone, but none of them have made that step into the ‘date zone’. I believe it is quite scary for some guys, but seriously, I’m getting very bored of waiting to be asked.

Now I need your assistance here, as my judgement is all clouded by the fact that they’re cute,  funny, surfers, rugby players, like a drink, got loadsa mates etc etc I need someone’s view from the outside.

Do I wipe the slate clean and start again with a guy that is willing to take the giant leap for mankind into the (sshhhhhhhhhhhh don’t say it too loud or it might scare them) – ‘date zone’, or do I persevere and let fate run its course, if it’s meant to be it will??