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BS: Best thing you've ever won!!

15 Mar 01 - 07:19 AM (#418047)
Subject: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Firecat

I just had a go on the umbrella game that the Travel and Tourism lot are running, and won a BIG bag of jelly beans!!

I've also won a Blue Peter badge and a trophy for being on the winning Brownie Guide quiz team in 1993.

What have other people won, and what for?


15 Mar 01 - 07:30 AM (#418049)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: GUEST,Fibula Mattock

Hmmm, mostly things when I was a kid.
A book token for a dinosaur drawing.
Multiple book tokens for multiple school prize days.
A "Hardest Working Dancer" prize in my Irish Dancing class feis (let's face it - I was shite and they felt sorry for me - and I knew that at the time, but still spent 6 or so years at it).
Lots of quiz prizes - even better, lots of drink won as pub quiz prizes, including a Cuervo Gold T-shirt in a chilli-eating competition at one of the pub quizzes.
Not much else, as I never enter competitions that aren't pub quizzes, for no reason except I never get round to it. My mum's always winning things though - and my Granda has to be one of the best - he always backs a winner.


15 Mar 01 - 07:33 AM (#418051)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Firecat

Lucky him!!!

You've not done too bad yourself though, have you?!?


15 Mar 01 - 07:35 AM (#418052)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: GUEST,Fibula Mattock

Well, the pub quiz booty was good, but I don't have the luck my mum and Granda seem to have. Do you think some people are naturally lucky than others, or do they just enter more competitions and up their chances? Oh, and how did you get the jellybeans??? Nice!!


15 Mar 01 - 12:28 PM (#418239)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Deckman

The BEST thing I EVER won is the heart of my bride Judy. We'll be celebrating our 6th anniversery in April. CHEERS


15 Mar 01 - 12:31 PM (#418244)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: GUEST

Sweet deckman. Sure beats my "basket of cheer". But when I was a kid I won a transister radio when they first came out and was the envy of the neighborhood. That was pretty neat.


15 Mar 01 - 12:37 PM (#418246)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Matt_R

When I was 11, I won a bicycle in a nationwide contest. You had to draw a picture of something that made your state special. I used markers and paint to create a picture of the Savannah River Boat Race (high-power speed boat race that was an annual event when I lived in Augusta, Georgia). There were only 2 winner, a boy and a girl. You shoulda seen my shock when I came around the front of the house with a hose to clean the birdbath, and there was this bike!!

When I was 13, I won a $250 Savings bond in an AT&T Olympic Poster contest back for the '92 Olympics. I got 2nd place in my area and age group. I still have the newspaper article they did on me when I won! Lol!!

I haven't won anything since then! I must be getting OLD!!!


15 Mar 01 - 12:50 PM (#418257)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: nutty

£20 for coming third in a singer songwriter competition at a local folk festival ..... it was the first time I had ever entered anything like that ..... in fact my friends entered me in the competition and made sure I turned up


15 Mar 01 - 12:59 PM (#418265)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Mrrzy

I won a hat once, which I collect anyway, but I cannot rememember which hat, or when, or why... and whenever I do door prize things, the person sitting BEHIND me always wins. This has happened 5 out of 5 times, over the course of many years... I wish I could sit behind myself, somehow!


15 Mar 01 - 01:00 PM (#418268)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Mr Red

My divorce - or was that a present?


15 Mar 01 - 01:03 PM (#418274)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Kim C

My father-in-law enters contests as a hobby. Ten years ago he won a Carnival cruise, which he gave to me and Mister for our honeymoon. Very nice! He won another cruise, on which he took my brother-in-law, and a trip to England, on which he took another of our friends that he sort of "adopted." Sometimes he actually enters our names, and once in awhile a package will come to the door with goodies in it. One time we got some t-shirts, and another time I got one of those really nice makeup cases with folding trays & stuff. It had a bunch of Cover Girl booty in it but since I'm a Mary Kay gal I had to get rid of it.

I have won several small jewelry prizes & other cool trinkets for Mary Kay sales. When I was in high school I won a local piano competition and got a shopping spree at the sheet music store.

The coolest thing, though, was when I was five years old. It was Easter Sunday, and Mom & Dad, my brother & I, and some family friends went to the Holiday Inn after church for Easter brunch. They were giving away white rabbits. They called several tickets and I won a little plastic bunny, but no Real Bunny, and I really really wanted a Real Bunny. The man calling the tickets came over and talked to my Dad for a few minutes, then a little while later he called another ticket... and... the numbers matched! I was going to have a Real White Bunny! Daddy's friend Buck said I should name him Lucky.

We took Lucky home in a cardboard box, where he stayed for just a little while until Daddy built him a nice hutch in the backyard, complete with a bunny bed.

I found out later that my dad and the Ticket Man rigged it so I could have a bunny. But so what. Lucky got a good home and was well cared for, and I believe he lived to the ripe old bunny age of about 5 or 6.


15 Mar 01 - 01:11 PM (#418283)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: SINSULL

OOOPS. Lost my cookie. I was the "Guest" above.
Hey Matt - you won my heart. Does that count?


15 Mar 01 - 01:32 PM (#418292)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: GUEST,Melani

My daughter won an "Addy" doll from the American Girls Collection. For them that don't know, this consists of seven different 16" dolls (currently, they're always developing new ones) which are historically accurate representations of nine-year-old girls from different periods of American history. Addy is the 1863 version, an escaped slave living with her mom and sisters in Philadelphia, hoping the rest of the family survives the war. Each doll has six books about her adventures, and complete sets of incredibly well-made doll stuff for each adventure, attractively priced in $20 or so subgroups. The dolls themselves sell for a little over $100. I didn't actually win it myself, but she lets me play with it.


15 Mar 01 - 02:02 PM (#418319)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: mousethief

T-shirt that said "1984" in the same year, from a contest which consisted of taking a test on "doublespeak."

Alex


15 Mar 01 - 02:12 PM (#418329)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: SINSULL

I love the American Girl dolls. When my niece was little I used to buy her clothes to match the dolls' wardrobes. She now recycles them for school plays and the like. They even have furniture.


15 Mar 01 - 02:13 PM (#418331)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Cobble

I entered a compitition at the supermarket and won two nights B&B and dinner for two in a 5* hotel . Three room suite. fourposter bed and CHAMPERS. would have cost £1000!! Had a great weekend.

The following week at the same shop I won a very large Polar Bear holding a cola bottle.

Mrs C


15 Mar 01 - 02:20 PM (#418337)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: SINSULL

Someplace in Florida keeps telling me I've won a free vacation. But they want $10 for the phone call to verify my reservations.


15 Mar 01 - 02:28 PM (#418343)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: harpmolly

$750 and both First Prize Vocal and Grand Prize Overall in Hawaii's Brown Bags To Stardom (statewide high school talent contest) in 1993. It wouldn't have been half so cool, except the contest was HEAVILY weighted towards the Honolulu kids and I, being a sweet little Maui girl, happened to be the very first contestant from the Outer Islands to win. Mwa ha ha ha!

Molly


15 Mar 01 - 02:36 PM (#418347)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Matt_R

Awww Sinsull, you done made my eyes tear up!


15 Mar 01 - 02:39 PM (#418350)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Justa Picker

- a new couch in a charity draw

- 3 sets of Martin strings for writing Chris Martin a thank you letter on a custom instrument I'd received

- The musical respect of my peers.


15 Mar 01 - 02:42 PM (#418353)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Liz the Squeak

We won a holiday in the Med, but he in his wisdom couldn't be arsed to go and listen to the spiel about it, so never collected.

LTS


15 Mar 01 - 02:52 PM (#418368)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Benjamin

I just won my second straight "Outstanding Jury Performance" today for a performance of Dowland on the classical guitar at school.

Other than that, I've won a free rug shampooing from some carpet cleaning company.

BMW


15 Mar 01 - 02:58 PM (#418376)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Jon Freeman

A 4 CD set of early (20's-30s) recordings of Irish-American performers called Farewell To Ireland. It was a competition in Folk Roots. The question was to name the Chicago based police officer who produced a famous collection of Irish tunes (or something like that).

Jon


15 Mar 01 - 06:00 PM (#418590)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: gnu

I won a free mambership to the Mudcat Cafe. All I had to do was buy a $cdn2000 computer, get an extra phone line, and sign a contract for $25 a month for internet services. I think it was a heck of a deal !!!!

gnu


15 Mar 01 - 06:06 PM (#418596)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Nemesis

Well, apart from 4th prize in a pavement artist competition 20 years ago, the best thing I ever won was on Saturday when we won 100 quid in a "talent show" - which will just about cover the costs of our first night club opening here in Worthing, Sussex, on April 6th!! Yippee!!!


15 Mar 01 - 06:07 PM (#418597)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Spud Murphy

I won a medal from the American Legion for winning the Amador County Oratorical Contest when I was in the eigth grade.

Spud


15 Mar 01 - 06:11 PM (#418603)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: tiggerdooley

First thing I ever won was an arm wrestle with my dad when I was four. (Somehow, I think he let me win.) The winner got to be 'The Boss', so when I'm being a stroppy little madam, I have to remind him that I still hold that title.
I was also a phone contestant on 'The Big Breakfast' (UK TV show) and won a VIP trip to the Reading Festival. I got to hang out in the VIP bar, had free VIP camping, a free tent, a hat and some expensive hiking boots!! Don't remember much else about that weekend......

Oh yeah, and my band won a songwriting competition and got a free day in a recording studio.

Never won a prize from a Coke ringpull though.....


15 Mar 01 - 06:12 PM (#418605)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: mousethief

My daughter won a pinata in a coloring contest. (couldn't figure out how to do the enya-thingee sorry)


15 Mar 01 - 06:22 PM (#418614)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Bedubya

Won a fancy 10 speed bicycle in a raffle once....

It was stolen a week later....

Found a twenty-dollar bill on the sidewalk once....

Lost twenty dollars a week later....

Won my wife's love fifteen years ago....

It's still around.


15 Mar 01 - 06:25 PM (#418616)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Bedubya

Question:

Does anybody really ever win those fancy guitars that they purport to give away at Guitar Player and Acoustic Guitar magazines?

bwl


15 Mar 01 - 06:28 PM (#418619)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: harpmolly

P.S. The second coolest thing about winning Brown Bags was that, when I did the radio interview afterwards, I sang a few bars of my song and someone called in and asked if I was Lea Salonga! Hot damn!

(For those of you who have escaped theatre-geekdom, Lea Salonga is something of a musical theatre goddess. She's young, beautiful and VERY talented. :) I'll take that compliment ANY day.)

M


15 Mar 01 - 06:29 PM (#418620)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Bill D

I won a HEAVY flashlight in drawing once when I wa sin 6th grade..(used two big dry-cell batteries)...

but I guess the big deal was 'winning' into the 2nd round of the National Merit Scholarship test when I was in high school..(1957...the 2nd year it existed...no practice sessions, no booklets...just a test) What did I win? Well, it got me an invitation the Harvard Club luncheon in my home town, and the only Filet Mignon I ever ate! (nope, I did NOT win a scholarship in the 2nd round)


15 Mar 01 - 06:38 PM (#418622)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: mousethief

Oh. I was Rotary Youth of the Month my senior year in High School. I think I got to eat a meal. But I had to rent a suit to wear, so it was something of a wash.


15 Mar 01 - 07:53 PM (#418671)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: ddw

Things that I've worked for, the Pacific Air Force Talent Contest (Folk/Country category) in 1965 and several in-house writing awards at newspapers I've worked for.

Things that I've just bought tickets for: Five numbers on the 6/49 draw three times (about $2,300 Cdn each time),
Five number on the Encore once ($1,000 Cdn)
Numerous four-number wins (about $65 each time)
At one event at the Press Club I won a neat sweatshirt, two tickets to a play by the Stratford Festival players and something else — can't remember what it was.
A Cort Earth 100 guitar that was raffled off by our Folk Society — it's the guitar I play most often now
Numerous turkeys, bottles of booze and other things in in-house raffles, sports pools and other fundraisers at work.

One of the times I won with five numbers on the 6/49, I was one digit (I had a 14 and the drawn number was 15) from $16 million.

david


15 Mar 01 - 08:03 PM (#418682)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Bugsy

I've never really WON anything of great value, but took went to a wife swapping party the other day and had a bit of a win. I swapped her for a bottle of gin!

Cheers

Bugsy


15 Mar 01 - 08:22 PM (#418691)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Little Hawk

A chance to reincarnate as Marlene Dietrich on an alternate reality timeline (parallel universe).

Still looking forward to it...

- LH


15 Mar 01 - 08:40 PM (#418699)
Subject: Best thing I've won!!
From: Clinton Hammond

For 2 years in a row, a few years ago, I won "Best Actor" In the Quonta Theatre Fest in Northern Ontario... One as Michael Hegarty in Brian Friels "The Freedom Of The City" and then next year in the title role in George F. Walker's "Zastrozzi: The Master Of Discipline"...

Is that win,or earn?

;-)


15 Mar 01 - 09:39 PM (#418734)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: David Coffin

The funniest thing I ever won (14th-caller-on-the-radio-no-skill-required) was free tickets to a free Carol King concert at Central Park. Whoa. I was ten.

David.


15 Mar 01 - 10:12 PM (#418754)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Nancy King

Most fun thing I ever won was a darts game. In 1997 I went on Tom and Lyn Lewis' canal-boating expedition to the Warwick Folk Festival. It was a fabulous trip, and the night after the Festival we spent the evening at a canalside pub where we played darts. That means Tom, Lyn and Pam encouraged a bunch of North Americans of widely varying skill levels, and tried to explain the bizarre scoring system (at a certain point you start counting DOWN, and games end up with a need for an exact no-more-no-less score to win). I was at a low skill level, but was having a fine time. I knew which tiny little sliver of dartboard I needed to hit, and it seemed pretty much impossible. "Just think of it as [insert ex-husband's name here]! You can't miss!" urged Tom. So I threw the thing and to my astonishment it hit just right! The place went wild, of course, and Tom crowed, "I'm gonna give up music and take up coachin' darts!"

Cheers, Nancy


15 Mar 01 - 10:32 PM (#418765)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Bill D

LOLOL....amazing what inspiration will do, Nancy!


15 Mar 01 - 11:18 PM (#418793)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: hesperis

What, LH, you never won a hamster?


16 Mar 01 - 02:33 AM (#418875)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: roopoo

A sack of taters in a school raffle, and my ram's head poker in a raffle at a ceilidh run by Holmfirth folk club a number of years ago.

I had always wanted a ram's head poker since I saw a blacksmith making them at a craft festival some years previously. I had gone to perform at the interval with my morris side and, of course, bought tickets. The first 2 out belonged to our lot, mine being second. It was a "pick-your-own-prize" raffle, so all the way to the table I badgered my friend, whose ticket was the first out, till she said, "Ok, ok, I'll take the gin!" He is the most marvellous fire-iron and will break through any clinker or big lumps of coal. Not only that, he is one of the nicest ram's head pokers I have seen. The guy who made him is/was a member of the folk club, and if anyone happens to know him, please tell him from me that over 10 years down the line he is still cherished and well-used. Not only that, he's a good weapon too, I would think.

Andrea


16 Mar 01 - 02:37 AM (#418877)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: tiggerdooley

Prize suggestion for future ceilidh raffles: Winner gets a poker-headed ram!


16 Mar 01 - 04:55 PM (#419413)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Hawker

My Husband!
HONEST! I wentr to his band's dance whilst on holiday, he was asked to pick a raffle ticket by the organiser
And as they say
The rest is history
still together and still happy
Lucy


19 Mar 01 - 01:39 AM (#420711)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Art Thieme

My main guitar, a Martin D-76 bicentennial limited edition instrument, was one I won in a raffle at the Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago.

Art Thieme


19 Mar 01 - 05:35 AM (#420739)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler

Won? Winning? This is a strange concept. Well, I did have one 12-1 winner at Ascot 2 years ago on my annual visit, which was a rare occurance...and I got this job at the NYCFTTS for only twenty cents and ten box tops. 'm not sure what the first prize was...
RtS


19 Mar 01 - 06:49 AM (#420752)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: BlueJay

I won a nice point and shoot camera once. But my best bit of luck has to be finding The Mudcat Cafe. I just finished reading Big Mick's post. Incredible!


19 Mar 01 - 09:41 AM (#420810)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Firecat

I got another prize on Friday! I entered a "Name The Teddy" competition at the same time as I won the jelly beans, and won the teddy!! His name is Harry and he's ever so cuddly!! I was the first person to have a go as well! Talk about lucky!!

Fib, I got the jelly beans on an umbrella game. If you got a blue tip on your cocktail umbrella you won a little prize, if you had a red tip you won a big prize and if you got a plain tip you didn't win any thing. I got a red tip! You could actually choose your prize, and seeing as all the rest were Easter eggs and I'm not overly keen on chocolate, I went for the jelly beans. I was very popular on Thursday afternoon!!


19 Mar 01 - 10:02 AM (#420815)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: John Hardly

bedubya,

If you are still around,
My friend just emailed me yesterday to tell me he won the three Lasido guitars in the Acoustic Guitar/Lasido giveaway. He should be recieving them soon.

At an Indy 500 party when I was a kid, I reached in the hat of 33 drivers for the betting pool, and pulled out 1st and 2nd place. They didn't invite me to the party the next year.

JH


19 Mar 01 - 11:58 AM (#420897)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Naemanson

Winning... an alien concept. I can't say I haven't ever won anything but when I pick up the raffle ticket, open the soda bottle, or anything else I can guarantee that I have aquired the one that will not win.

BUT! In the raffle of life I have to say I won the greatest of prizes. I have the two best kids on this planet, bar none. The rest of my life may be in the toilet but those kids are my prize.


19 Mar 01 - 10:33 PM (#421268)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: CamiSu

Brett, My husband says he can understand that, even if he would take issue with you, since our kids are pretty wonderful, too. And one of them sent me here.

I won some art prizes once upon a time. And yes, I won my husband's heart some 27 years ago. And he insists I keep it!

CamiSu


20 Mar 01 - 12:17 PM (#421635)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Naemanson

I apologize to all the misguided parents who think their children are the best on Earth but I'm afraid those are the facts! *BG*


21 Mar 01 - 09:54 AM (#422338)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Firecat

CamiSu, that is really sweet!! I wish my boyfriend was like that!


06 Sep 01 - 11:15 AM (#543416)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull

I won 2,652 pounds on the horses, I have also had a few smallwins on the National Lottery.


06 Sep 01 - 02:47 PM (#543597)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: mooman

Seems like I'm the only one who's never won anything!

Perhaps I'll snatch the winner sometime during the second half!

mooman


06 Sep 01 - 03:19 PM (#543623)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Deda

This looks like an old thread, but I'm game.

I won my husband, married 5 years (his kids are in their 30s, mine in their 20s).

Won a spelling bee at Squirrel Island, Maine some years ago, prize was a bookmark shaped like a squirrel and a blue ribbon which hangs in my bedroom.

I once won $60 in the state lottery twice within about 10 days. Never happened again, and I've spent more than I won on tickets since, trying to strike again. I've heard that there are two things that keep a person gambling -- one is losing and the other is winning.


06 Sep 01 - 03:52 PM (#543669)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Lyrical Lady

When I was 40, I won third place in the Vancouver Is. Performing Arts Festival. Can't remember what I sang, but I do remember I was the oldest competitor! Won big in the lottery once ...the best thing that I've won to date is the love and repect of my children ...my dearest treasures!

LL


07 Sep 01 - 07:06 AM (#544310)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Michael in Swansea

The Encyclopedia Brittanica in a telephone competition run by MENSA back in 1985. Had to buy a bookcase to put them in, that cost £360.

Mike


07 Sep 01 - 12:59 PM (#544548)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: Diva

Singing competions.....loads (not boasting..just been singing for over 20 years) Edinburgh Crystal bowl (Penicuik Folk Festival)and twice at the ballad day at 'Mucthy.... £100....second time I shared it with Karine Polwart....yes really!!!!!!. Ohh Micca said he'd won a cup once.....hehehehheehhee aww bless it IS his first and he'll always remember it.

Diva


07 Sep 01 - 01:53 PM (#544592)
Subject: RE: BS: Best thing you've ever won!!
From: SINSULL

a WIN/LOSE. ny lOTTERY USED TO BE WINNABLE WITH 5 NUMBERS PLUS THE SUPPLEMENTARY. i HAD HEART FAILURE WHEN i DID JUST THAT. tHE CLERK AT THE STORE HAD A VERY HARD TIME EXPLAINING TO ME THAT THEY HAD CHANGED THE RULES THE WEEK BEFORE AND SUPPLEMENTARY DIDN'T COUNT FOR FIRST PRIZE. i DID WIN ABOUT $2000 BUT ALWAYS THOUGHT OF IT AS LOSING A FEW MILLION.
dAMN cAPSLOCK!