From The Contest Queen

The past few days have been extremely busy.  This is the first chance I have had to blog between all the travelling, shopping, schmoozing, selling and winning.

Early Thursday morning we left Oshawa to head down to the convention.  After a few unscheduled stops and a beautiful scenic fall drive, we arrived at our hotel at 9pm.

No sleeping in late for us.  Friday morning, after our favourite breakfast at Cracker Barrel, we were off to run errands.  We had to buy a prize donation for Saturday night’s banquet, souvenirs, donations for that evening’s Hershey Bonanza and CHOCOLATE!  On our way to Chocolate World we passed a street sign that I just had to stop and photograph.

When we got back to the hotel we had just enough time to set up my vendor table before the convention officially started.  After dinner the Meet and Greet began with an Ice Cream Social.  After mixing and mingling the Hershey Bonanza began.  Neither Craig nor I won a basket full of chocolate themed goodies.

Then Let’s Sweep a Deal began.  Those dressed as a prize they won were eligible to win extra prizes.  Somehow I forgot reading about the costumes in my convention information packet, so we didn’t pack anything fun to wear.

Craig won some CDs in the evening’s regular draws. WOO HOO!

The best part of the evening for me was finally meeting Sandra Grauschopf of Contests.About.com.  (You can read her version of the evening’s events on her blog.)

I recently wrote about the adventures around getting my new Blackberry.  The short version is, I asked the Universe for a free BlackBerry Curve and through my impatience I paid $75 for one.

Today, I opened the mail to discover a $0 BlackBerry upgrade offer from my wireless service provider.  I was a bit upset.  I had wheedled them for months to give me a phone for free to no avail.  Right after I pay for the phone they offer me what I had asked for all along!  I called them and explained my frustration.  The representative I spoke to understood my frustration.  She promptly removed the charge off my bill.

I was amazed.  That was so easy.

I got exactly what I originally asked for.  I got a BlackBerry Curve for free.  Since I now had the BlackBerry in my possession, I had released my attachment (and desperation) to the phone allowing the Universe to bring me the balance of my request.

So, the lessons I was reminded of today were:
1) trust what you ask for will be given.
2) be patient.  The Universe has perfect timing.  It just may not be your timing.
3) it may not all come at once.
4) release your attachment to your request.
5) allow, your request to manifest in your life.

What life lessons do you need to periodically review?

I just read a really good post by marketing guru Seth Godin titled Making It Real.  His intention was to get business people clear about their marketing message so their future product or service would appear to be coming soon, not some vague point in the future.

His message, works for everything.  How many times do we say, “I want more money.” and when the Universe leaves us a penny on the ground in front of us we are ungrateful?  Didn’t you just get what you asked for?  Oh, you wanted hundreds, thousands, millions.  You were not specific so the Universe responded with what it thought was the appropriate physical manifestation.

What’s on your Winning Wish List?
A trip. Where?  For how long?  For how many?  All inclusive?  Spending money?
A car. What make?  Model?  Colour?
Cash. How much?

Bring that future prize to you, now.  Be specific!

OK, I’ll be more specific too.  I want to be a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, before December 1, 2008.  That guest spot will lead to: 1) over 100,000 books sold in the US before December 1, 2009 along with 2) a permanent, well-paid role as her “Sweepstakes Queen” - just picture me with a big gold crown, a furred purple cape, an Ellen t-shirt, jeans and my lucky four-leaf clover sneakers - showing up at her sweepstakes winner’s homes handing out prizes and aiding her with in-studio promotions.  And as Joe Vitale would say, this or something better!  Why stand in the way if the Universe has a better plan?

From October 16th until October 19th Craig and I will be in Hershey PA attending the 3rd Annual Northeast Mini Sweepstakes Convention.  I am looking forward to going because many fun and exciting things will be happening; we will see many sweeping buddies, we are both speaking, I have a vendor table featuring some new products, we have time to visit Chocolate World - YUMMY! - etc.

Today as I was reading the RSS feeds from the blogs subscribe to, I discovered Joe Vitale was coming to Toronto for a book signing.  WOO HOO!  (If you have been a reader of my newsletters and blogs you would know Joe Vitale is one of my favourite inspirational and motivational authors.)

As I kept reading, I realized the book signing was on Saturday October 18th and I was going to be off on my own adventure.  It figures!  I go and he comes.

Then the thought occured, the Universe must have another plan for me, us.  It is not the right time for me to meet Joe Vitale and visa versa.  I wonder when it will be…

So, if you live in the Toronto area, and want to meet Joe, go to his book signing (and please let me know how it went!).

I found this really cool website/program to assist individuals and small businesses run simple online sweepstakes: Contest Machine.

I thought I would try it out here:

Who can enter? Anyone.

How does one enter? Filling out the Contest Machine entry form. One entry per person please.

When does it end? The contest closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on Friday October 10th.

The prize? A bottle of I AM LUCKY Essential Roll-on Oil 10ml.

The draw? Contest Machine has a built in random draw program to select the winner.

I would also appreciate some feedback.  Please submit a comment and let me know what you think if the Contest Machine entry widget.

GOOD LUCK!!

How do you feel about telemarketers?  Most of us find them annoying, but compaines wouldn’t use them if not one bought from that sales method.

The United States has had a Do Not Call registry for years.  You can register both home and mobile phones.  It then becomes against the law for companies to call you one month after you sign-up. Yesterday, Canada finally launched a Do Not Call registry. Like the US, sign-up any number you wish.

So, if you are tired of getting calls for every home improvement service under-the-sun during dinner, register today!

It will also cutback on disappointment in your life.  You will have much less excitement immediately followed by a deflating feeling once you realise the person on the phone isn’t notifying you of a win, but promoting an unwanted product or service.

If you do win a prize, the contest management company will call you even if you are registered in either country, because they are not contacting you unsolicited.  You agreed to be notified by phone once you agreed to the entry rules.

Almost two months ago I interviewed Helene Hadsell on my radio show.  After our interview I decided to focus my energy on specific prizes and goals.  The prizes I chose for myself and family were: a new car, a romantic trip, a family trip, a home and backyard makeover, a big screen LCD HDTV, a BlackBerry Curve and a Wii.  I also stated I wanted to be a guest on Ellen.

I decided it would be easier to attract the smallest prize first.  (Why I don’t know, because as per The Secret, it is just as easy to attract a million dollars as it is a cup of coffee.)  At any rate, I found myself getting very impatient, and I’ll even go so far as to say anxious, that the BlackBerry didn’t practically materialize in front of me.

I tried various methods to bring one to me quickly; entered contests, looked at spending loyalty reward points from several different programs, and calling my wireless service provider to inquire about an upgrade price.

Several weeks went by and still no BlackBerry.  I was still entering the contests, I didn’t have enough points in any program to get a BlackBerry, and I tried my wireless provider again.

Last week, as I had yet to win a BlackBerry, I thought I would try my wireless provider one last time.  This time, instead of being quoted full, or even half, price, I was quoted $75.  That sounded reasonable to me.  I upgraded.

During the upgrading process I discovered they were having a data package special; 6GB for $30 per month.  (Until now data rates for smartphones in Canada have been very high and disproportionate to comparable plans around the world.)  Had I waited until after September 30th, the same package would be $100 per month.

Was my impatience a part of my manifesting a BlackBerry because the Universe knew an inexpensive upgrade with an inexpensive monthly plan was better than a free phone with a expensive plan?  Plus, in the box, I had a coupon for a free 2GB memory card and a GelaSkin!

I did not know, or see, this “perfect package” until after it occurred.  I believe in pronoia, that the world in conspiring for me.  Trust that all is well, it will be and is.  That the Universe will not only bring you what you ask for, but if you allow, you can get something even better.

What are you asking the Universe for?  Always be specific when asking for what you want and be open to receive something better!

If you are wondering, “Why did Carolyn so desperately want a BlackBerry in the first place?”  I see myself doing quite a bit of travel in the near future and I felt a BlackBerry would keep me connected, in a much better way, than the cellphone I had.  Now, not only can receive calls and text messages, but I have my entire address book with me, access to email, I can surf the web when required, plus use the BlackBerry as a portable modem.

Have you ever felt like the last person on earth to jump on the bandwagon? Pick-up on the latest trend, fashion or fad?

Well, I finally bought Eckhart Tolle’s book A New Earth.  (It’s been on the New York Times best seller list for 34 weeks and is currently number 1.)

I am halfway though chapter four.  I LOVE this book (I highly recommend it!) as I have had a great number of AHA moments.  So I wondered, why I had not picked it up before now?

A few answers came to me.  Better late than never.  When the student is ready the teacher appears.  There is no time like the present.  (I think the last one is most apropos, as Eckhart teaches about being in the now, now is all there is.)  I was finally ready to hear his message, and to integrate it into my being, my truth.

So it’s OK not to be first.  It’s even OK to be last.  As long as you are learning.

I am also enjoying the chapter-by-chapter archived classes on Oprah’s website hosted by both Oprah and Eckhart.  I am watching each one after I read the chapter.  I have yet to do the workbooks.  For me, this book deserves a second reading.  Like a movie you see more than once, I think I will learn something new with each review.

The more balanced we are as human beings, the more good we can allow into our lives, including prizes!

Usually contests that request some form of CGM (Consumer Generated Media) such as a picture, video or essay, garner a far fewer entries than a contest that asks the entrant to submit a simple form.

We Canadians are passionate about our hockey.  The Canada’s Hockey Anthem Challenge received more than 14,000 entries!  They had to have over 100 judges from Canada’s music industry narrow the selection down to five semi-finalists.

Each night, starting September 29th, The Hour will feature one of the semi-finalists.  Then on October 4th we get to vote on our favourite.  That will narrow the selection down to two finalists.  On October 9th we get to vote for the winner.

After reviewing the rules there is no prize for voting (unless new rules are uploaded October 4th) but knowing how passionate we are about hockey, we Canadians will happily vote anyway.

(I am really interested to see how this one turns out, considering the original fiasco that required the CBC to obtain a new anthem in the first place.)

Have you ever heard of six degrees of seperation?  It’s the small world phenomenon which states we are only, up to, six people away from knowing each person on the planet.  A game was even created in the early ’90s showing how every film actor was only six degrees away from Kevin Bacon.

This is my second post on my Ellen campaign.  What I want to know is, who do you know that can help me become a guest on The Ellen Degeneres Show?  Are you one, two or three degrees away from Ellen?

Also, there are many roads to Rome, or in this case Ellen.  The path to Ellen may be via Leno or Letterman.  So, of you are a full six degrees away from Ellen, who are you only one or two degrees away from? Rachel Ray?  Conan O’Brien?  Regis Philbin?  Jimmy Kimmel?

Please email me directly if you think you can help.

THANK YOU!