The MasterCard Moment? Not Really...

MasterCard has a pretty good marketing thing going with their "Priceless" campaign, so much so that last weekend the following was going through my mind when a snapped this photo:

Kneepads for 2 volleyball playing daughters - $50

Court shoes for 2 volleyball playing daughters - $300

Gas and meals for 10 volleyball tournaments - $1,300

Two regional volleyball championship banners – PRICELESS!!

Yes those really are my two volleyball playing teenage daughters, yes their teams really did win both of these championship banners and yes I really am their super proud father (as my bio highlights). 

Unfortunately for MasterCard only their marketing efforts are what I use, not their card. 

One tournament left for each of the girls this fall, both of their teams are competing in the Provincial Finals. Wouldn't it be nice to have the same photo with Provincial Champions banners next month?

One Week to the Big Game

It is only one week away. Seven days. Where will you be?

The annual ritual that is Super Bowl Sunday lands seven days from now, February 5^th. It is the day that grown men will collide and crash in to each other with the purpose being to get an oval shaped pigskin ball across a line to score points. The team with the most points wins the Lombardi Trophy, which bears no resemblance to a bowl.

But that is really just the sideshow…

Super Bowl Sunday is all about entertainment. Many people tune in just for the halftime show, this year’s features Madonna. Past years have featured artists such as the Rolling Stones, Prince, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Bruce Spingsteen, the Black Eyed Peas and who could for get Janet Jackson.

Then there are the commercials, everyone wants to see the commercials. Super Bowl advertising is where creative license is let loose and companies pay huge amounts for 30 seconds of airtime. In my opinion last year’s big winner was the VW spot with a young Darth Vader, Brand Bowl gave the nod to the Chrysler ad Imported from Detroit featuring Eminem. Big brands compete just as hard for attention with these commercials as the players on the field do for the Super Bowl.

The brands however get immediate reaction to their spot via social media, positive or negative, and know if they have a winner. The players have to play 60 minutes to determine their outcome.

This year’s game, if anyone is interested, is being played in Indianapolis by the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. It is a rematch of the 2008 championship when the Giants stunned New England and handed them their only lose of the year. My guess is that will serve as motivation for the New England squad this year.

Are there any Colts fans out there looking forward to seeing the Patriots logo painted on the Colts home field as much as I am?

A Different Year Means A Different City…

I don’t mean to alarm anyone with the title of this post, it is all about the past and has very little to do with the future. Not that I need to have a safe harbor statement here however for any of you reading this be assured that the following is in no way indicative of future events and any decisions you make should not be made on the basis of any forward looking statements…

Previous posts of mine have alluded to the fact that I have lived in a few different cities over the past few years and that my mobility is a facet of my life that I consider a bit unique. Couple this with the fact that yet another year is winding down to a close it has started me thinking about what 2012 will bring and reflecting on what 2011 has meant to me.

When I looked back at 2011 it was clear that it was not only interesting but was also a year of much learning and growth. With this gratitude I thought about years further back and a pattern started to emerge, I have been in a different city for New Years each of the past four years. Not just “in” different cities but actually “living in” different cities!

In 2008 I was living in Lower Onslow Nova Scotia, which is where I had called home for the previous 11 years. It might not be a good idea to look it up on a map since it is a small community located less than 10km outside of Truro (which can be found on most maps).

The following year saw me ring in the New Year in our nation’s capital, Ottawa Ontario. My journey to Ottawa happened with a promotion in the summer prior and I really thought I was going to be there for the long haul. Given the title of this post provides a hint that this was not to be, as 2009 was the only New Year that I rang in there.

Late 2009 was when I took a huge leap of faith and relocated to Halifax Nova Scotia. I changed jobs, companies, industries and cities just in time to celebrate the new year at the Grand Parade in Halifax. It was definitely a bit of a homecoming, my alma mater (Dalhousie University) is in Halifax and I still had many friends there. Once again I believed I was going to be there for a while, I had a great apartment in the heart of downtown. I lived there for only 5 months.

As this year ends and the next year begins I will be in Saint John New Brunswick. It is my fourth city in four years. My intention is the same as in the past three years so I will be here again next year at this time. Saint John is a port city and has very a busy harbor, I haven’t heard of any issues so I assume it is also a safe harbor :)