Being A Yes Man Leading To Adventure AGAIN!

 

Blowfish Toronto King & Bathurst Exterior

Tonight I came out to Future Shop’s “Speed Dating” event to launch their new phones and tablets for their back to school promos. It was amazing and I’m sure you’ll all be impressed with the knowledge exhibited by the Future Shop employees I met tonight at their respective stores. These folks really knew their stuff and knew it well!

While I was there I met a bunch of cool people and now I am somehow at the Blowfish 8 Year Anniversary Party which is rocking. In case you don’t know – because I didn’t! – Blowfish is a restaurant lounge at King & Bathurst in Toronto. It is, from what I can see on Foursquare, a Japanese style restaurant and lounge and apparently they have some great “mixologists”. I am excited to see where this night takes me because I really have no idea at this juncture.

What’s awesome is that I have now discovered a cool, new place in Toronto that I have never been to before. This party is banging even though it is, according to the bouncers, wrapping up shortly. I am told we might end up at the Drake Hotel on Queen West afterward but only time will tell. Again! This is why I always preach being a Yes Man! You never know where it might take you.

Have you done any Yes Man/Yes Women adventures lately? Where did it lead?

#PostADay2011 Inspiration For Writing A Blog Post

As I continue on into the closing days of the 5th month of the Post A Day 2011 Challenge I have decided another retrospective look at another thing I have learned is in order. People ask me all the time when they hear I am doing this how I find something to write about every single day and I will address that question. Coupled with it, in my mind, is how to conquer writer’s block when it is 10:30PM and you have nothing to write about that day. This is especially true when you just wrote two huge posts for another blog and poured a lot of your creativity and writing ability into them. It is only then you realize that you still have to write a post today for yourself and you have next to nothing to say.

To address the first question I will say that I consume A LOT of media every day. Often times I hear something or see something that spurns some thoughts and I write it down on a piece of paper or even start a draft and put a few notes in which I can develop into a blog post later. As well, remember how I talked about being a “Yes Man“? Well, part of being a Yes Man means that I often go out and have life experiences that give me content to write about. Last night’s post about going to The Guvernment couldn’t have happened without my being a Yes Man. I won’t go into details but suffice it to say that contacts I made going out to other events and functions and even just being out there is what led to my being hooked up by those awesome folks at Ink Entertainment.

Now, what do you do when it’s late and you’ve got nothing? Well, to start with there is the obvious choice of going to one of the blogs written by WordPress for just this purpose – The Daily Post at http://dailypost.wordpress.com/. The point of that blog is, as stated by them:

This is an experiment in blogging motivation from the folks at WordPress.com. We will post every day here with ideas, suggestions and inspiration, hoping it will help you get the most out of your blog.

Sounds good right? The problem with that is when you’re like me and you read a ton of blogs every day you don’t always have time to sit and read what The Daily Post’s suggestion is for that day. As well, more often than not I have not had an issue finding something to write about so I only check that RSS feed in my Google Reader when I need it preferring to keep those ideas in the hopper, so to speak. Currently there are 42 unread posts from The Daily Post which means I haven’t even taken a look at it in over a month, let alone used an idea from it. This means that I would have to start scrolling through all the ideas they mention and think about which of them are the diamond in the rough I would like to post about that day. That takes time and at 10:30 PM I got to start writing already!

Secondly, I read more media! I don’t know if this will work for everyone but it is what I began to do tonight when I started reading other people’s blog posts in my Google Reader. Almost immediately I was hit with the idea that – “Hey, why I don’t I write about what I do when I have NOTHING to write about?” It was as if a light bulb had actually gone on on top of my head (an incandescent not a compact fluorescent…the latter take time to warm up and this was more instantaneous). I think it has something to do with seeing what other people are writing about or maybe it is just taking my mind off the need for creativity spurned creative thoughts. Maybe this whole post is a cop out as a post and I will be ridiculed in the comments below for writing this and expecting all y’all to be satisfied with it. However, I do hope that someone can take something from my findings on what works for me when I am in a bind for something to post about and use it to make their own blog better or find some of their own creativity when they need a boost.

How To Learn Sewing & Have Fun Doing It: #TSSParty by @TheSewingStudio & @ClickFlickCA

The Toronto #TSSParty Students. (Click for full size 2592x1944 Goodness) FROM LEFT: @LorettaLouise, @CorySilver, Denise Wild of @TheSewingStudio, @ClickFlickCa, & @JonGauthier. SITTING: @JennaKellner & me.

On a sunny long weekend Sunday morning in February I dragged myself out of bed to learn something a lot of people learn in Home Ec.* – sewing. This was definitely one of the more “out there” tweetups I had ever been to but in the words of a tweet by JoAllore (@ClickFlickCa) “Trying something diff is rewarding”. As well, my readers already know my “Yes Man” outlook on life so I was off to The Sewing Studio for 10am – ya, there’s a 10am on Sunday mornings…I also though they had cancelled mornings on Sunday until this weekend.

The reason for my outing there, as mentioned above, was a tweetup organized by @ClickFlickCa and @TheSewingStudio‘s owner, Denise Wild, where we sewed our own underwear!

When I got to The Sewing Studio and parked I found I still had time to go get myself a coffee as only @ClickFlickCa & @CorySilver were there. So I walked up to the coffee shop a couple blocks north to get myself a coffee and ran into @LorettaLouise who also was there for a morning “caffeination”. When we got back to The Sewing Studio Denise had everything laid out for us and everyone else quickly arrived and checked in on Foursquare. The rest of the #TSSParty Toronto crew included @JonGauthier and @JennaKellner.

Cutting the fabric into shape.

One of the first things we had to do was pick our fabric and then figure out what size we wanted our boxers to be – even though the option was there to make panties or boxers we decided as a group to all do boxers. The first bit of fabric I cut away from the form looked like a perfect sweatband and I knew that this work was going to be intense so I tied it on my forehead. As you can see I went with the camo fabric.

I wasn't the only one who liked the idea of a sweatband.

I really had no faith in myself as a seamstress (there doesn’t seem to be a difference between the male and female version of the word) and actually somewhat lost faith in the whole process midway through. Were it not for Denise’s bubbly positivity and personality and encouragement I very well might have given up and walked out the door. But in the end it was well worth it as I got an awesome new pair of boxers to replace my old favorite pair of camouflage boxers which recently gave up the ghost after many years of faithful service.

Our only casualties of the day were me and Cory Silver. Cory pinned himself with a needle within the first 20 minutes of us beginning the boxer creation process – serves him right for getting the awesometastic cougar print fabric I wanted for my own boxers, haha. I stubbed my finger when I was trying to take a pin out of my fabric as it was feeding through the sewing machine and I forgot to take my foot off the pedal…the needle and its holder came down again and stubbed my finger and THEN I decided it was a good time to take my foot off the pedal. Oops.

"They Always End Up In My Mouth"

I was amazed at how little it mattered all the mistakes I made while sewing and cutting and serging. Of course, any practiced and educated seamstress will know exactly where to look to see if I did a good job on my boxers. However, to the untrained eye they look pretty darn good. People don’t even believe me when I tell them I made these boxers from scratch. It is something I am now quite proud of but I honestly gotta ask myself if I can ever actually do it again (to be honest, probably not). I assume at the ‘real’ classes The Sewing Studio holds they actually show you how to thread a needle and set up a sewing machine and whatnot. Out ‘class’ was too quick and dirty for all that stuff – we actually almost ran out of time, especially me. I am, what Denise called, ‘meticulous’, so it took me a while to do everything everyone else did quicker, I guess.

All I know is I had tons of fun and encourage you to check out the folks at The Sewing Studio today. I can see this being a great thing to do as a couple (Note To Self: Find girlfriend) especially if you each have the same amount of sewing experience, or lack thereof.

Click for the full size version of this collage (3058x1584)

Maybe I will wear my glorious new boxers next year at the 2012 Toronto No Pants Subway Ride.

Here are the details of The Sewing Studio:

• Website: http://www.lovesewing.com
• Twitter: @TheSewingStudio

• Toronto Phone Number: (416) 901-0758
• Toronto Address: 1225 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4T 1W4 (Link to Google Maps Place Page for this location)

• New York Phone Number: (646) 961-4747
• New York Address: 134 West 29th Street, Suite 804, New York, NY 10001 (Link to Google Maps Place Page for this location)

* I never took Home Ec. as I went to a private, boys only, Jewish Day School and they didn’t see the need for Home Ec. at Eitz Chaim.

I’m Going On The Auction Block For Charity! Tonight @ #LoveAHeart For The Heart & Stroke Foundation

That’s right, you read the title correctly. I am putting myself up for auction tonight in a Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction for Charity as part of Social Media Week Toronto (#SMWTO). The event itself was organized by @Shananigans5 and @AllyLesniak. Ally founded, writes for, and is editor of the popular Toronto blog GirlsOfTO and you can check out GirlsOfTO’s “official” post about the charity auction here.

There is a $5 cover charge for the event all of which goes directly to the Heart & Stroke Foundation – The Hideout is donating the space as well as some live music for the evening. Doors open at 8pm and the first round of bidding begins at 9:30pm (I am the second up on the auction block).

If you would like to follow the hashtag online leading up to, during, and after the event it is #LoveAHeart

As well, most of the event details are up at the Facebook Event Page here: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=184432254921826

The event will be at The Hideout which is at 484 Queen Street West (Toronto) here’s the GoogleMaps place page for it or you can just check out the map and street view below(click to enlarge) for the location as well.

GoogleMaps Map

Google StreetView

Some people have asked me why the heck I am doing this?

• Because it sounds like fun.
• Because it is for a good cause (The Heart & Stroke Foundation).
• Because I’m keeping to my ‘Yes Man’ ideals and it was put forward to me to put myself on auction.
• Because I’m single so I have no girlfriend, wife, or fiancée who may get mildly perturbed by me putting myself up for auction.
• Because you only live once.
• It’ll probably be very amusing (for me and everyone else but probably for different reasons).

For all the ladies who would like to bid on me tonight and need to know more details here they are:

• All bidding starts at $25.
• Cash only & in person only for bidding
• I will be in the 1st round of Bachelors & Bachelorettes beginning at 9:30pm. I am the second person up for auction after the lovely @gujessie (Jessie Gu).
• Highest male & female bidders will each receive a Nella Bella bag (handbag for the ladies and a duffle bag for the gents) as well as a $100 each from Sleeman to spend at The Hideout.
• Highest bid of the night wins a pair of Leafs Tickets.

In the GirlsOfTO Official #LoveAHeart post mentioned above here’s my bio:

Not to be confused with the sexually ambivalent son of Eugene Levy, Dan is a twitter rockstar, a friend to everyone and one of the cutest boys on our list. Bid high and fast.

In his “Love A Heart Auction: Bachelor Buyers Guide“ one of the other bachelors, @ZachBussey, wrote this about me:

“Dan’s a well known guy in Toronto’s Social Media scene. Probably one of the friendliest guys you’ll meet. You’ll catch him at basically every tweetup ever. Sells for $85″

Actually, Zach wrote a couple blog posts about the upcoming auction. One of them was “Love A Heart Auction: Speaketh the Auctionees” posted yesterday and found here. He asked us to answer some questions…I sort of didn’t so I’ll answer them here and I posted them in the comments on Zach’s blog post.

1. How much do you think you’ll go for? I honestly have no idea. In a ‘Buyer’s Guide’ post that Zach Bussey wrote earlier (linked below) he said he thought I’d go for $85 so I will stick with that. It seems like a decent amount and I hope I can live up to that hype.
2. Your best physical quality? My orthodontist will be proud to hear me say, my smile (I used to have a small overbite).
3. Your best skill? Being social: Getting along with people, finding the good in everyone and liking them for it, and maintaining connections with people.
4. Out of the 9 others, who do you deem your biggest competition? I haven’t given it any thought. I don’t think any of us really compete with anyone else because we are all very different people with different styles and personalities.
5. Succinctly, make your pitch for the event why people should bid on you? Because I’m a nice guy; I like to enjoy life; my mom always tells me I’m a great person and her favorite 3rd son; and I love a good, witty conversation.
6. And in one word, describe me (Zach Bussey): Sens-fan (Zach is from Ottawa)

Zach’s two other blog posts were:

• “Love A Heart Auction: Bachelorette Buyers Guide” which you can find here.
• “Love A Heart Auction: Bachelor Buyers Guide” which you can find here (I posted his description of me above and linked to the post there too).

I guess we will see if I live up to the hype.

Wish me luck!!!

Be A ‘Yes Man’!

You may remember this movie, you may not. The movie was a Jim Carrey movie from 2008 called ‘Yes Man‘ and the basic premise is that Jim Carrey’s character makes an agreement to say yes to everything he is asked. The results of this are amazing for Jim Carrey’s character as his life moves in fantastic new directions and he experiences things he never thought possible beforehand. I just saw this movie this weekend and it really spoke to me and I especially thought of it today.

‘”The world’s a playground. You know that when you are a kid, but somewhere along the way everyone forgets it.” I think it is so key that none of us ever forgets this.’

People have asked me numerous times over the past little while. “How am always doing so much cool stuff?” and “Where do I find out about all this awesome stuff?” and here is my secret…I have for many years been a “Yes Man”. I don’t say yes to everything offered to me obviously because that would just be ridiculous. But I do my utmost to try to experience life to the fullest and experience everything I can and eat as many servings as I can from the buffet of life. Obviously, it doesn’t always end up being the coolest thing in the world that I go to or participate in but the experiences I have are always worth it in my opinion. One line from Zooey Deschanel’s  character Allison really spoke to me “The world’s a playground. You know that when you are a kid, but somewhere along the way everyone forgets it.” I think it is so key that none of us ever forgets this.

But then I get the people who ask me the questions I mention above and tell me to let them know next time I am going to be doing something cool and then refuse to come out when I tell them about stuff going on. A couple of months later they will invariably again ask me how I find out about cool stuff & to invite them out/tell them about it. Now why would I do that? You already feigned interest in going out and enjoying the cornucopia of spectacles that our world has to offer and when faced with the opportunity to come enjoy them with me you refused time after time. How about the next time you hear about something YOU invite ME! I have a whole bunch of ‘naysaying friends’ whom I love individually in their own ways but who refuse to come out. Like one friend who I invited out to the Yelp Elite Event she spent 45 minutes arguing with me about whether or not she would ride public transit to get to the event or how she was going to get there. She wanted me to come pick her up (she lives north of me), drive her downtown, not drink the whole night (where there’s an open bar) all so I could have the privilege of her company at an awesome event I am invited to and wanted her to enjoy with me. I ended up hanging out with friends I only met in the past couple of months via Twitter – as I mentioned in a different previous post here meeting people on Twitter in Toronto changed my personal life.

They are the “do-ers”.

They are the “Yes Men (and Women)”.

They are the ones who, like Zooey Deschanel’s Allison, still haven’t forgotten that the world is our playground.

I am glad to be one of them.