Flirtoproson?

Last week I heard on the radio that there is a new drug called "Flirtoproson". This new drug is supposed to help people to learn how to flirt "better." It also aids in detecting genuine sexual interest over platonic interest.
I thought this was absolutely ridiculous, but super interesting. I googled like crazy, and all I can find is this video...




Now, obviously this is a spoof and all in good fun, but does Flirtoproson actually exist? When I listened to them discuss it on Curve 94.3 it sounded legit, and they were asking people if they would use it and so on and so forth..
I went onto the Curve 94.3 website and saw that there was a blogpost made about Flirtoproson. But the blogpost doesn't clarify anything, it's just shows the same video that I have posted here.

I need to know the truth! Does anyone know anything about this? Were there any actual medical statements made or anything?

And, if it does exist, do you think anyone will use it? Is it really that important to know how to flirt "better"? I don't feel like it would enrich my life to enhance my flirting skills, but some may feel otherwise.

Also, what constitutes good flirting anyway? Everyone has their own style, and some people don't even flirt at all and they seem to be getting by ok.

So basically this is half-ridiculous, half-fabulous, and fully weird.

-Christa "I ♥ Flirtoproson" Campbell

To Section 1.. As we near the end.....

Friends....We are rapidly approaching the final weeks of our Section 1 time together. Pretty soon we will be shuffled around, and our worlds as we know them will be turned upside down. We will cry daily for one another's company and pass eachother in the halls with a knowing glance. That glance will say, "yes, I miss you, and I yearn for your embrace."

Ok, so maybe it won't be that terrible. I am sure we will make some awesome new friends, and life will go on.

But if we're all being honest here, it will be somewhat sad. We have all become close in the brief time we have spent together, laughing (always laughing), almost crying from a failing grade in ANYTHING, talking at lunch (I especially enjoy when someone "goes there" and pushes the comfort boundaries of the conversation), working together to accomplish what seem like impossible group projects, and just generally being awesome together!

So....I am using this post as a tribute to all you fabulous folk. I appreciate you all very much, and have thoroughly enjoyed our times together these past couple of months :)

Scroll down and find your name, I have written something heartwarming about all of you. I tried to do it alphabetically...

Christa- You are the best. I really enjoy your humour, and you brighten my day...LOL.

Eman- You have a heart of gold. Keep Smiling.

Neil- You're too damn smart for your own good. You'll be a great journalist someday.

JB- You infamous fellow. I love your mysterious ways, and you're fun.

Mike Choi- You are a hilarious character. I enjoy the french braid.

Karleigh- From high school to here, you know I love you. Were gonna kill it in PR next year, I cant wait!

Chris- You have the wisdom of the ages..haha j/k..kind of...Super nice guy, always smiling, treats everyone like gold. Radio tech genius.

Steve- What a gentleman, and you don't look half bad either! haha.

Lennie- Oh girl, you're too stylish for your own good, and pretty, and smart, and the list could go on and on. Love you lots!

Michael- Always happy, don't you ever get in a bad mood?!

Jen H.- You always have intelligent feedback in class. I also appreciate your honesty during lunchtime chats.

Amanda- Such a smarty pants. You have a great personality and sunny disposition!

Berea- Beyonce! Bootay! You got the cutest little dimples! Master at Ad/Graphic Design. I appreciate all that you do! Love you lots hun :)

Tiffany- I've liked you since we had chilled at the Kings Head on Orientation. You have a radio voice!

Tammy- Obviously she's gonna be on like CNN or something!

Melissa- You are so cute and small, and such a sweetheart. I love our boy talks!

Lisa- (not alphabetical but you belong beside Melissa!)- I also love our boy talks, but girl you don't listen to me! I love that you're always laughing!

Keith- Guy who can kick it with the girls. You're awesome, for real. Good times always had, I cant stop laughing!!

Brietta- Very outspoken and articulate. Leads 8am classroom discussions when were all half asleep! Thanks for taking one for the team, every monday and friday!

Sam- Friendly and inviting. I don't think I've ever heard a mean word come out of your mouth!

Jen. T.- Quiet and reserved. But claims to be super weird once you get to know her...I cant wait to see just how weird you can be...!

Tom- I dont know where you are half the time, and you have to start coming out with us! Its making me sad!

John- Oh props to you for putting up with all of us kids. I know it must be tough sometimes, but you never let it show....!

J. Wlliamez- Are there any words?! Everyone loves you. For too many reasons to fit in this one post. Stay awesome.


K, if I missed anyone, I suck. But I don't think I did.

You guys are all the s**t....MUCH LOVE, CHRISTA

Places to find love

I was watching Sex and the City the other night. But this is pretty typical cause I'll watch it anytime that it's on. Actually the inspiration behind this blog is from Carrie Bradshaw, if that wasn't already very obvious. So back to the issue at hand....the episode where Carrie coaches women on where to find mates was on, and I started thinking about where to find mates in Winnipeg. Now I'm talking about real mates here, not those disposable ones! So where do women in Winnipeg go to meet men? Is it at bars? I hope not cause those guys are skeazy. Is it pubs/lounges? And if so, how do they come about it? Do you just slyly approach a full table of dudes and take your pick? And how awkward is that?! But besides the obvious bars/pubs lounges I brainstormed on some other places to meet a potential mate:

-Work (can at times be quite the scandal)
-School (also quite the scandal)
-The gym (endorphins make you feel sexy)
-The grocery store (good if you're over 30)
-Getting gas ("Oh can you help me with the pump, it's not working for me!)
-Some sort of class (pottery, cooking, sewing, etc.)
-At a concert (one of my personal favourites)
-At swimming lessons (I saw this one on Cosmo TV)
-At a cafe (only for the brave)
-At a sporting event (sister/brothers soccer,baseball,hockey game)
-Bowling! (way easier when it's glow bowling, dim lights work wonders)
-At a shopping mall
-At a restaurant

etc, etc, etc...this could go on for awhile, I think you see where I'm going with this.

Since there are obviously tons of places to meet a potential mate why are there still people finding love online? Now you see where I'm going...I finally got there! I don't comprehend online dating sites/chat forums such as P.O.F. (Plenty of Fish), E-Harmony, and whatever else is out there! And why all the complaints and rationalizations that these are being used cause its "hard to meet someone". I meet "someones" everyday of my life, and sure, I am single, but I bet if I actually wanted a mate I could find one, and without the help of the internet. Also, I'm not just ragging on these dating sites because I think people should go out and meet people in person (ok thats half why) but because these sites are a farce! Thats right, a farce! I have several girlfriends who have been lured into the trap of these sites searching for love and companionship only to find that it does not exist here. These men are not on these sites to find true love, they're just looking for a good time. Thats the truth! They are looking to prey on desperate females, and catch them in their most vulnerable states. When women decide to dive headfirst into these dating sites, it is because they have exhausted all other avenues. These men know that, and they come onto these sites with evil and deceit on the menu.

Anytime a friend has met up with one of these P.O.F. Pervs they suggest "going back to his place", or ask personal questions regarding their current/past sexual experiences. My friends are then sad and disappointed that this one wasn't "Mr. Right". I always tell them, "You can't find Mr. Right when you're all wrong." If you are putting out the message that you're desperate and dying to find love, then Mr. Right will be hella turned off! Would you want to be with someone that is giving off the impression that no one wants to be with them? I sure wouldn't.

So basically I have a couple pointers to take away from today's rant

-There are plenty of places to meet potential mates
-You don't need the internet
-The majority of males on dating sites are perv's
-"Mr. Right won't want you if you're all wrong"

As always I invite criticism and/or agreement/praise. But I'm pretty sure that I'm right and you all know it!

-Christa ;)

My masseuse/My bestfriend?

So.....for those of you who don't know...I am big on massages. They relieve stress and tension, and are very relaxing. I like to switch up my masseuse often. Each one is different, and I like to experience their different techniques. Now, ok....here is my question..I have been wondering what the answer is for awhile now. Why do I always become "besties" with my masseuse?!

This is my scenario....I walk into the room and think to myself, "I am not going to talk to my masseuse, I will lie there and enjoy the peace and quiet." But it never ends up that way.....My masseuse and I always turn into chatty kathy's.....then everytime we are silent it gets awkward and one of us starts up the convo again. I don't know why I can't just lie there and shut up?!

But at the same time, I love making new friends, and for some reason people just feel comfortable telling me their life story. For example, last night, I went for an awesome massage. The girl/woman who massaged me talked the entire time, and not just about anything, but about really personal stuff. But I liked it, it was interesting! So she's telling me about her mother in law...who is evil and hates her. But she pretends to like her. This little old lady is out to get her because she gets her and her husband to go to her house and do chores when she knows their busy. Then she tells me about how her own grandma is evil, and she has a theory that little old ladies from the "old country" (Europe) etc...are all evil because they don't understand the modern day woman. Then we talk about her son, and I guess I must have rudely cut her off or something because she says to me, "oh so you must not want kids hey?". I just laughed.....she was half-right.

Then the conversation turns to her husband, how they met, how old they were,15 (her mother in law hated her then too), how and where they got engaged, their wedding (ceremony and reception, King's Head, super cool), and her other married friends. She tells me about how her friends husband "sucks" and he never does stuff with his kids. Then we "went there" and started talking about how her husband is the only man she's dated/been intimate with, and I told her that I thought that was cute/weird/rare.
So needless to say, we were basically bestfriends by the end of my massage. Now this is only ONE example....but I swear it happens every single time, with different women who massage me.
Cool? Not Cool? I don't know.... I haven't decided yet.........Can anyone tell me if this is normal? If not....then why does it always happen to me?

I must also say that I was a little bit insulted when she didnt ask for my number to hang out sometime......I already knew her life story, and she already saw me half-clothed. It was a bestfriend match made in heaven......Oh well I guess I'll just wait until my next encounter with my "bestie"/masseuse.

Buyer Beware!!

I just finished my first BIG group project! It was for my Advertising class, and it was called Buyer Beware. Essentially the idea behind the project was to find something (a product, service, etc) that could be potentially risky or misleading for consumers, and research it. I ended up being the only female in my group, and worked with three other boys. Oh sorry, MEN! The project ended up being a success. From the moment we chose our topic, I think we all knew it was a good one.

My group chose to investigate "text short codes". Now for those of you who don't know what those are....than too bad. No, no I'm just kidding...they are hard to explain though. Just take a quick look at the short clip below, and you might recognize it as a tv commercial that plays over, and over, and over again while you're trying to watch your favourite show-




So basically a text short code is used when you are purchasing services directly from your cellphone. Typically the ones that are offered are ringtones, wallpapers (dancing bunnies, teddybears, etc), contests, voting options (American idol, DWTS), and some really pointless stuff like horoscopes and "joke of the day."

First we began by deciding who actually uses these services. We unanimously decided that we were all way too smart, and that they must be targeted at younger users. Since the ads are flashy and fun we decided that their target demographic was teenagers, aged 13-17. Technically, these age groups are not supposed to subscribe to these services, but most of them don't know that. The fine print on most of these ads is so small and blurry that it is hard to see if there is even a charge for the services. But a more savvy consumer (us, adults) would know that nothing is free, and we would be wary of texting in for these services.

From there it was decided that we would examine these "text short codes" from several different angles. In order to confirm that this service was legal, Neil contacted the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (they regulate text messaging in the country.) He managed to speak with Marc Choma, the Director of Communications for the CWTA, and was told the following, "There are no unsolicited short code messages. Protection of privacy is mandatory as part of the terms and conditions of leasing a short code." Sure, it sounds like a lot of corporate jargin, but what it basically means is that these services are legal. If the print ad, commercial or online ad has a terms and conditions listed somewhere in the body of the advertisement, than it is good to go. But since these advertisements are so distracting in other areas, the fine print can go unnoticed.

Despite being assured that these services were legal we still wanted to investigate further to see if anyone had experienced any "scam" scenarios with the product. Teammate John looked into some questionable scenarios and found that these "text short codes" can be deceiving. One woman from the UK had a text message sent to her cell phone which read, "I fancy you." Wanting to find out who her mystery man was, she texted back. Little did she know she was subscribing to a text code scam. Her cell phone bill reflected numerous charges from an unknown source, and she ran into some billing issues. When searching through internet references it is evident that this is not an isolated incident.

Group member Emannuel was brave enough to try a couple of these short codes from his own personal cell phone. We needed to try these out first hand to fully understand how they worked. He subscribed to an online quiz to find out who his celebrity love match was, and it turned out be Natalie Portman! The initial cost for the service was a miniscule charge of $1.25. But the next day he got another message from the same service, but this time it was a daily horoscope. The charges would continue at $1.25/day until he texted a number back to opt out of the service. He also subscribed to a billboard advertisement for Curve 94.3 where he could put his vote in for whether he thought that the band Pearl Jam was good or bad. Driving by the billboard the fine print is easily missed, but it does say that each time you vote you will be charged 50 cents. The fine print is located at the very bottom of the billboard in small text. The constant here is that the charges and/or fine prints are misleading.

My job was to get our target demographic to fill out surveys with the following questions:

Have you ever used these services?

Is there a charge for these services?

How old must you be to use the services?

Do you read the fine print of the ad? What does it say?

Any experiences, good or bad, with the service?

As you can see these are pretty standard questions, and having the target demographic fill out the surveys would give us a good grasp of their knowledge of the service, and if they are using it.
But since we don't have any teenage friends, I was went about trying to get clearance into high schools. I thought it would be easy, I would walk in there with my surveys, speak with the principal and get into a class, hand them out, and leave. Apparently I was wrong. These teenagers were nearly impossible to reach. Every school I contacted (there were about 15-20) told me I needed to get in contact with the school Superintendent. Now these guys are also impossible to reach, as they were either, "out of town", "out of the office," or "in a meeting." I guess they have no knowledge of customer service, or don't have to practice it cause they work for a school division and not a McDonalds (not saying you get good service at McDonalds, but I needed a comparable!).

I had to scrap that idea, and instead decided to use a more underhanded approach to the whole thing. From what I've seen with my fellow classmates projects, this was pretty standard. I gave the survey to my sister, her boyfriend and my cousin. Their ages are 13, 14 and 16. They got 50 surveys filled out and some interesting statistics were generated from their findings:

• 35 out of 50 do not read fine print
  
• 17 out of 50 said you had to be 18 or older to use the service. From those 17, 10 of them had used it anyway.
  
• 20 out of 50 answered "no" when asked if there is a charge for the service.
• 21 out of 50 have subscribed to the service. (some of them had several times)
  

As you can plainly see, the target demographic does use the service. On top of that, they have minimal knowledge of it's monetary implications.

!!! WARNING!!!

As a final disclaimer, and as you can probably already see for yourselves, text short codes are misleading. Not always, but most of the time. If you are ever unsure of what you are subscribing to, just don't press the numbers on that cell phone! For you teenagers, you don't want to get in trouble from your parents so if your name isnt the one on your phone contract, do not subscribe. Your parents could end up forking out A LOT of money if text short code services are improperly used, and you will be grounded! Right Mom, and Dad?

In all seriousness, feel free to use the service, we can't stop you, but consider yourselves warned.....

What an Inspiration!

I am always inspired (and hopeful for my future) when I get the opportunity to meet successful, independent and intelligent women. I am impressed when a woman can be successful professionally, and have a career that she is proud of. After all, we are not only here to make babies and get married.

I am grateful to have been in the presence of one such woman at a Red River College presentation on October 8th. There are seminars held for our CreComm program every Thursday, but this particular presentation was especially memorable. Our guest speakers' name was Jackie Shymanski, and she spoke of a career which many of us only dream of. She got her start in TV and Radio, and landed her "dream job" at CKY several years later. A woman of many aspirations, she moved on to a career as a "fireman" for CNN. She was stationed as a Journalist to cover news in war-torn countries, and as a result her life was in danger more than once.

She has since returned to her hometown of Winnipeg. She is working on a book on the Middle East, and a documentary on the psychology of aging. While my classmates and I sat in awe of her accomplishments, she plainly stated that she "just never gave up". When she had a goal she went for it. She also said to work in this profession you "have to have balls", and "not be afraid of change." It was so inspiring to see someone who has done all the things that she has, and it gave me a lot of hope for my future as a professional. She concluded her speech with a quote that I won't soon forget, "Try different things, figure out what it is you really want to do and pursue it, PURSUE, PURSUE, PURSUE!".

It was an honor to hear your story, and I'm sure I speak for everyone in that room when I say you are a true inspiration!

Thankyou Jackie

(I also appreciate your honest response at the end of the presentation to my very blunt question. I will always keep that advice in the back of my mind!)

Matchmaker Extraordinaire?

Sooo....I have heard about this upcoming IPP thing.....don't really understand what it is, but that hasn't stopped me from preparing for it! I have decided that I will start a matchmaking service for my fellow schoolmates! Lonely twenty somethings will come running to me, begging me to find them a soulmate. Well, thats how I am seeing it in my head anyways! I figure my honest and brutal approach to love and romance might actually work in "setting people up". I am a great judge of character, and I have single friends, both male and female. I would also feel very accomplished if one of the couples actually got married or something....? Cool right?! The reason I am posting this is because I really really really need to know if anyone else (besides myself) thinks that this could work, and if there is even a market for it. Picture "E-Harmony" without the cheese, and with the ability to meet in person prior to being set up....hhhhmmm sounds pretty harmless right?