Stuff I've Won

For Damething

Peanuts: My Mom guessed how many peanuts were in a shop window (we helped so I claim an assist). She got tickets to see "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown", a cast album and well, peanuts. It was an important moment in my young life because I figured out that there are, indeed, some things in life that are free.

Basketball Pool Number 1: I won enough money to buy a recumbent stationary bike, which made a useful clothes holder.

Basketball Pool Number 2: I won enough money to have a set of golf clubs made for me. Those I've definitely used.

The PEI Putter: Years ago I was going to work in Prince Edward Island for a few weeks and while looking at a tourism website, entered a drawing for a putter. I won. Picked it up personally. Didn't help my putting at all but it looks cool.

A Trip To Italy: Technically it wasn't a contest that I entered (it was a work thing), but I got to go because the guy that did originally win it decided to quit his job (and his trip) at the last minute. We went to Florence for four nights. I brought my friend Fishbeck because he's the only person I know that could actually go to Italy with five days notice. It was an awesome trip.

Tennis Open Trip: Not long after I moved to New Zealand, I realised that I should enter as many contests as possible because, hey, there were only 3.5 million people and about 3.49 million didn't believe that anyone actually won contests. So, I bought some beer, filled out the entry form and got a call a few weeks later that I won. We flew to Auckland, had 7 nights at a fancy schmancy B&B, had tickets to a tennis open, $1500 spending money, a dinner cruise and a Mercedes to drive for a week.

Pasta Pot: I won a pasta pot. Not sexy, but I won it.

$100 Bar Tab: I won it. In a bar. Shouted many people drinks.

Trip to Sydney: The travel agency that my employer used had a Christmas drinks function every year and gave away prizes. The first prize was airfare for two to Sydney. As you can probably guess, I won. The airline even upgraded us to Business Class. Our flight out of Sydney was delayed several hours so we were forced to sit in this posh lounge and drink champagne all morning. Tragic.

I've won lots of other little things that I can't really remember - cookbooks, free yogurt, stuff like that.

So, Damething, happy now??