Well, I’m getting there slowly with my Vancouver 2010 Photo Contest! Come on now, I know many of you have Vancouver 2010 gear!  Dress up your cactus, pet, child, spouse or random stranger if you don’t want your photo posted!  (OK, maybe not a random stranger, they don’t take kindly to that, you have to at least know their name ).  Anyhow, thanks to my brother, who is quite fashionably decked out (Air Canada pin for you!) and to Jo-Anne (my “half”).  It’s not ‘official’ Vancouver 2010 gear, but it does say “Whistler” and “2010″ and she was very wonderfully the first submission!!  Originally she didn’t give me permission to use the photo but now she has!  Good on ya Jo-Anne!!  I’ve got an Air Canada Olympic pin saved just for you!!

Tony with his Vancouver 2010 hat and Team Canada Hockey Jersey!! Sweet!

Jo-Anne with her Whistler 2010 gear!!

Thanks to both Tony and Jo-Anne!!  However, that still means I have 3 pins left for this contest!!!  I didn’t think it would be this hard to give things away!  Come on now!!  Join the fun and show me your Vancouver 2010!!  Show me your Red Mittens if you’ve got them already!!  Or your new Olympic Hockey Jersey!  And remember, even if you’re not collecting corporate pins, you can trade the Air Canada pin for something else!!  I started with a Mascot Visa pin this morning, which I traded for a Miga McDonalds pin (quite a large pin), which I traded for a Miga RBC pin!  I’m totally stoked on my Miga RBC pin!!  She will likely even get hidden away now but seriously!!  Pins rock!!  You know you want one!  Send me photos!!  (Hmm… according to pincollectorssite.com, Miga RBC is easier to get that Miga McDonalds, but I guess I’m collecting RBC, and not McDonalds, not a rational decision, but who said pins were rational??!!) .

Miga McDonalds corporate pin - thanks to pincollectorssite.com for the photo.

Miga RBC pin - thanks to pincollectorssite.com for the photo (note, this pin is smaller than the McDonalds one, even if my photos aren't ).

Other news -

I am a member of volweb.ca, a BC volunteering website.  It’s how I got my volunteer position with the 2010 Winter Games Secretariat.  It’s cool, you sign up, write some things about what you’re good at, apply for some positions you’re interested in, and sometimes organisations will contact you if they think you’ll be a good fit.  I mention this because I was offered a position as a “Promotional Volunteer” with the Coca-Cola Pavilion at the LiveCity Yaletown site.  Sounds like a wicked fun thing to do!!  And I would accept if I didn’t already have a full-time job, two Olympic volunteer positions and this blog!!  (Not to mention trying to attend some events and activities myself!).  But if you have some time free, sign up!

Hee hee – Mentioned to my folks about the Coca-Cola Pavilion volunteer position and they said “If you want to make your dad happy, volunteer for Molson Canadian Hockey House instead!”.  This may be true…   MCHH mentioned that they will need a 1000-1200 workforce.  I’m not sure of the application process, but once again, when I hear, I’ll be sure to let you know!

Alright, I’m gonna head to bed.  Just a last comment or two… Did you know that this blog has been posted for 84 days straight??!!  On October 24th, after I post, it will have been 100 days in a row (and 110 days until the Opening Ceremonies)!  That’s a milestone and I plan on celebrating.  OH!  I smell another contest coming on!!  The person that suggests the best way to celebrate this milestone, on Sunday, October 25th, will win (besides an invite of course) a Vancouver 2010 Pin Album (this includes a pin that is restricted to those who buy the album).  Now… ground rules… Your suggestion has to be plausible (for example, I’m not likely to be the first blogger in space, or even a 2010vanfan skydiving and tweeting, or anything like that).  It would be cool if it was something that anyone interested could drop in on, so not too expensive either…  Hmm… I will say, if it gets tricky I may have to draw a name out of a hat.  But I’m going to go with my vague but exciting (I think) contest for now and hope that you’re all feeling creative!!

Vancouver 2010 Pin album! - Your prize for the best '100 days of posting' celebration contest!

Got an idea??  Email me at 2010vanfan@gmail.com, tweet me at @2010vanfan, comment here or post up a thread on my 2010vanfan group on Facebook!  I look forward to hearing from you!!

Well, I got one photo that sort of counts today for my photo contest, but only sort of as I’m not allowed to post it!!  So I’ll start with it tonight…

I want to see your spirit!!  Take a photo of you (or a family member or friend) wearing Vancouver 2010 gear and email it to me at 2010vanfan@gmail.com, the first five people that do will win an Air Canada Olympics pin.  Air Canada very kindly sent me these pins for you guys!  But there are more than 10 of you now, so this is my first contest to give them away and I want you to win!  So take a photo, show me your “Vancouver 2010″!!  I want to give all five of these pins away tomorrow!!

Here’s an example:

See - it isn't so hard, and I even have a cold and look terrible (except for my lovely Team Canada sweater, Vancouver 2010 hat, and Vancouver 2010 ColdFX pins!).

So send in your photo and you could win a pin!  (I will even pay postage, can’t get much better than that!).  And thanks to Air Canada for the pins!

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Other news – there was lots today!

LiveCity Sites Vancouver – A whole bunch more information was released about LiveCity Yaletown (alcohol-free, family-friendly) and LiveCity Downtown (wine and beer will be available).  Both of these locations will be free to enter and feature very big screens to watch all the goings-on!  They’ll be different from each other, but a lot of fun.  I was working on another project tonight (more in a moment) so I haven’t really got much time to discuss the LiveCity sites tonight, but I will try to do so more thoroughly tomorrow!  If you can’t wait, check it out here.

Artist's rendering of the entrance to the LiveCity Yaletown Venue

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Our Paralympic Wheelchair Curling Team has been selected!  Congratulations to skip John Armstrong from Richmond, along with his teammates – third Darryl Neighbour, second Ina Forrest, and lead Sonja Gaudet and coach Joe Rea all from BC.  The Team’s alternate is Bruno Yizek from Calgary.  Good Work!!  We’ll be cheering for you!!

Team Canada's Paralympic Curling Team, winner's of the first-ever World Wheelchair Curling championship - photo by Darryl Dyck, The Canadian Press.

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) unveiled the uniforms that they will be wearing at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games.  They are dark grey and come with a ski jacket, a polar fleece jacket, and an ear-flap hat.  I’ve also heard that they’ll be buying Red Mittens for all 115 members attending the Games!  So far I can’t find any photos, but I will post them if I do.

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And the project that is keeping me up late??  I’m working on a Google Earth map of all the Vancouver 2010 venues, official and non-official (such as National Houses etc).  I’ll be posting the link up for it once I figure out how to do that!  (I know how to email it, but not sure on the posting… can you help??).  However, if you’re curious, and are interested in helping me get it together/corrected, send me an email and I’ll send it to you (2010vanfan@gmail.com, send your photo for my contest at the same time!! ).