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11.25.10

Pay It Forward

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Guest blogger; Mythical Best Award administrator; YouTube Vlogger Nanalew

This week the giving of the Mythical Best Award stems from something that happened to me in the drive-thru at Tim Hortons. My mom and I were at the magic talking box ordering our drinks (for the record mine’s a medium Iced Capp with extra cream) and my mom told the lady that she would like to give two dollars to the person behind us to buy a coffee. The lady said that was fine, and we drove up to the window, got our drinks, left the extra two dollars, and drove away.

Of course I asked my mom why she had decided to buy coffee for a complete stranger. I was surprised to hear her tell me that it had happened to her on two previous occasions and she was merely “paying it forward”. Apparently my dad was quite shocked the first time it happened with him in the car, and I definitely don’t blame him. How often do we do random acts of kindness just because? I think it’s safe to say that “not often enough” is the general consensus on that one.

This week I’d like to give the Mythical Best Award to my mom for paying it forward. I’d like to give it to the two people who bought her coffee without wanting anything in return, and I’d like to give it to every person who’s ever tried “paying it forward”.

I see kind people.

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November 12th was official Pay It Forward Day in my city. Does your city do a similar “acts of kindness” day? Have you or someone you know ever done something selfless just to make someone else’s day? Let me know in the comments!

As always you can nominate someone for the Mythical Best Award by sending us a message

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Posted in Mythical Best Award | 15 Comments »

11.11.10

My, My, Movember!

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Guest blogger; Mythical Best Award administrator; YouTube Vlogger Nanalew

Happy Movember, Mythical Beasts!

For those of you who have somehow escaped the madness that is Moustache Month, here’s a brief synopsis. Every year since 2003, November has transformed into Movember, a time when thousands of men, young and old, refuse to shave their upper lips. Now, many of the participants have no idea where Movember started (Australia) or what it is supposed to accomplish (they just want an excuse to grow a Magnum ‘stache), but most of the Movemberites realize that they are raising awareness for prostate cancer in a way that makes Tom Selleck proud.

Sound ridiculous? Well, it’s meant to. The whole point of the Movember is to raise money in a whimsical way, which seems to be working considering the fact that the Movember Foundation of Canada raised forty-two million dollars last year all on its own. Multiply this number by the five other countries that have joined the movement and you’ve got some substantial cash.

Personally, I’m all for Movember. It doesn’t negatively affect me and it gives men a way to raise millions of dollars to combat prostate cancer. If Movember starts asking me to grow a moustache, well, then we’ll have a problem.

Yeah, you wish you had my awesome 'stache.

But! As it currently stands, I am facially hairless (thank goodness) and I am giving this week’s Mythical Best Award to everyone participating in Movember this year. Whether you realize you’re raising awareness or not, you’re helping the cause. So good on you.

Are you or someone you know participating in Movember this year? Let me know in the comments. I’m really interested in hearing who knew about this and who didn’t. Until I read up on it, I only knew it involved moustaches.

Also, if you are participating in Movember, attach a photo of your glorious ‘stache and send it to me by sending us a message and I’ll post the most dashing ‘stache in a few weeks. I might even give you the Mythical Best Award. Just saying’.

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Posted in Mythical Best Award | 9 Comments »

11.4.10

Kindness & Kostumes

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Guest blogger; Mythical Best Award administrator; YouTube Vlogger Nanalew

Holla, Mythical Beasts!

Now, I know that Halloween has just passed, but I couldn’t let the opportunity to write a themed post slip by me.  So without further ado, this week’s Mythical Best Award winner is none other than Claire Ash of South Tyneside.

Claire is a twenty-seven year old mother of three who has recently followed in her own mother’s footsteps this Halloween by decorating her house to the extreme. Claire, however, has put her own spin on the festivities by accepting donations for Sweet Dreams Our Angels, a charity that gives memorial boxes to grieving parents, in exchange for a tour of her “haunted mansion”.

“I just thought it was a very good and important cause, and if I could help just a little bit then it would help the charity out,” she says. Well, on behalf of the Mythical Beasts, I say good on ya, Claire!

On a personal note, I’m one of those people who doesn’t really celebrate Halloween. I’m too old for trick or treating; and seeing as avoiding the party and bar scene has more or less turned into an occupation for me, “Halloween” as a holiday doesn’t excite me very much. HOWEVER, Halloween redeems itself because of one simple reason: when else can you buy fog machines, mustaches, wigs, and costumes without people giving you a ten foot berth? Every October I get to stock up on video props for the entire year, and I get to do so completely un-judged. And for that, I love you, Halloween.

Do you guys use Halloween as an excuse to stock up on YouTube props? Please tell me in the comments that I’m not the only one.

And as always you can nominate someone for the Mythical Best Award by sending us a message.

See you Beasts next week!

- Shawna

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Posted in Mythical Best Award | 7 Comments »

10.28.10

Best Dog Ever

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Guest blogger; Mythical Best Award administrator; YouTube Vlogger Nanalew

So the last several weeks of presenting the Mythical Best Award have been pretty run of the mill. Those winners did great things for the world and are genuinely making a difference. But this week the award is going to someone a little different.

Meet the Ukranian Parkour Dog.

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Okay. So now I’m going to assume you’ve watched it. And all I can say is HOW AMAZING IS THAT!? The video is pure awesome. It is whimsical and intense and just unreal. The fact that an animal can do that at all just makes my heart glow. Maybe all those movies weren’t lying after all. Maybe Lassie really CAN save little Timmy from the well.

I think what intrigues me the most is seeing the ingenuity of both people and animals in this scenario. The owners of that dog had to think, “Hey, let’s do something awesome and train Bowser to scale buildings.” and the dog had to be capable of jumping and sliding and diving like a canine Spiderman.

So why does this dog get the award this week? He gets it because he reminds us that ingenuity, creativity, and fun can always blow peoples’ minds. We shouldn’t box ourselves in according to what people have done before. Branch out. Be different. Teach your dog parkour. Win the Mythical Best Award. Just don’t stop trying to reinvent the norm.

Let me know in the comments what crazy things you’ve seen an animal do. Is there something more mind blowing than the parkour dog? Because right now he takes the cake for me.

As always we love to read your submissions for this award. You can nominate someone by sending us a message.

See you Beasts next week!

- Shawna

Posted in Archived Posts, Mythical Best Award | 20 Comments »

10.21.10

Bunnies Know Best

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Guest blogger; Mythical Best Award administrator; YouTube Vlogger Nanalew

I am excited to say that this week’s Mythical Best Award is being given to one of our very own Beast’s nominees, Ally R. Thanks to Tylar (Tylwyth Teg) for letting me know about this amazing individual through the Mythical Best email. (Also, I’m doubly excited to tell her story because any excuse I get to fill this post with pictures of bunnehs and pigs is a good one.) Let the cuteness roll!

Her name is Ally Rhoades. She is a wife, a mother, a full time daycare provider, and the saviour of hundreds of furry things. Ally runs the 4 Lil Pigs and Buns (Guinea Pig & Rabbit Rescue) operation, started in St. Petersburg, FL. Normally when one thinks of animal rescue, they think of warehouse-like structures filled to the rafters with cages and psychotic, abused creatures; but Ally has taken this stereotype and thrown it right out the warehouse window. Her organization runs solely out of the homes of volunteers, and has spanned several cities in the great state of Florida.

4 Lil Pigs and Buns is an organization that focuses on the fostering, rehabilitation, and adopting of abandoned, unwanted, or abused guinea pigs and bunnies. It may sound a little extreme to say an animal needs “rehabilitation and fostering” but it’s actually quite the opposite. Animals that have lived in a less than desirable or abusive situation need to learn how to interact with humans in a healthy way, and this is where fostering comes in. Ally’s website states that to foster one of their animals, you must commit to spending time with it daily. Through quality time, the animals readjust to healthy environments and have better temperaments to be adopted by someone who doesn’t have the skill to rehabilitate an animal themselves.

SO MUCH BUNNEH!

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Tylar, our Mythical Best submitter, told me about how kind and passionate Ally is concerning these animals and the people who help them. Not only does she work full time at her daycare job (from 7am to 1am every day), she still finds time both to manage 4 Lil Pigs and Buns AND meet with new foster and adoptive parents to educate them about the proper care of their furry creatures. Anyone who will give up their only day off in a week to acquaint someone with bunnies will always get my Mythical Best Vote. So here’s to you, Ally Rhoades! Wear your Mythical Best badge loud and proud.

If you want to help Ally’s 4 Lil Pigs and Buns by donating, fostering, or adopting, you can check out her website here.

And as always, we love to hear from you! You can nominate your own Mythical Best candidate by sending us a message

Have any of you Beasts had any experience with animal shelters or bunnies and guinea pigs? Let us know in the comments. The more fuzzeh discussion, the better, in my opinion.

I’m going to hug my dog now.

- Shawna

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Posted in Mythical Best Award | 7 Comments »

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