A few weeks ago I was invited to participate in a bloggers challenge promo. Now, I get a LOT of requests from PR companies and others to try a product / do a review etc, but I very seldom do it because (a) I don't have the time, (b) blogging is a hobby for me, not something I do full time or for a living and (c) I think you would get rather bored with reading product reviews or hearing about all the freebies I got. <--I very seldom accept any because 'freebies' are seldom free - they often come with an expectation that you will punt the product*.
But the invitation I got a few weeks ago interested me enough to say yes. It was from Xbox Kinect and they were challenging five mommy bloggers to use a program called EA Sports Active on the Xbox to get fit and burn calories. They would give each of us a Xbox Kinect and console to use and we had three weeks to follow the program.
GREAT EXCITEMENT!
I said yes to the challenge because there is always room to burn calories, because I've been thinking about getting the Xbox for the kids and lastly because I really like the PR company who did the pitch. They do good work and they 'get' social media.
The cherry on top? The winner would get to keep the Xbox and all the paraphernalia. Woo hoo!
I was up against some pretty formidable competition. Four other mommy bloggers who were each about a hundred years younger than me. Tarts. I tried to get extra points for being aged but they were having none of it.
· Gina Jacobson – @Gnat_J - http://gnatj.com/
· Tertia Albertyn –@Tertia - http://www.tertia.org/
· Diane Long – @RoundUpdates http://blogs.parent24.com/ImpatientLeo
· Angel Conradie - @angelsmind - http://www.angelsmind.co.za/
· Tamaryn Watkins - @emxi - http://www.exmi.co.za/
I learnt a lot from the challenge, but unfortunately none of it was related to the Xbox or the challenge. I failed miserably at it. So miserably that I never got to pass begin. The spirit was willing, the flesh was even willing but unfortunately I just did not have the time to participate. I am really sorry about that because I would have loved to keep the Xbox, it is so much fun! It really is amazing and is certainly the future of gaming, if not the future of exercise at home. Remember those Jane Fonda work out videos? Nothing like that ;-)
I am also sorry because I feel like they could have given another mommy blogger a chance to participate instead of me who said yes initially but then didn't manage to participate. Tertia = BAAAAD.
To make me feel better, you all have to click on the links above and visit the other bloggers in the challenge and read their feedback. And then you have to go out and buy an Xbox.
If you do both of the above, I will post a picture of myself in my leotard and leg warmers doing the exercises in front of the TV. The winner will get a signed copy of my Jane Fonda workout DVD. Or not.
*I did get a freebie the other day - a bottle of Bio-Oil from the lovely people at Bio-Oil. No stalking, no expectations of anything. They just called me up and said "we would like to send you a little something, what is your address". And a few days later there it was - a bottle of Bio Oil. How sweet. For not being a pest - they get a shout out. Bio-Oil is THE best thing you can use for pregnancy, stretch marks and in my case, PIMPLE MARKS on my face. (Hey! Do you think they saw my tweets about my acne outbreak and decided to send me some Bio-Oil..... Clever! Very clever!)
![Medsitters Au pairs](<a href="http://medsitter.com/" title="Medsitters"><img src=" http://www.tertia.org/medsitter.png" /></a> ){kind=link}
LOL! I think I came in a miserable 2nd after you in the fail category :( I got sick 3 days into the challenge and managed to do a sum total of 4 workouts...
On the plus side, I really enjoyed those workouts, I enjoyed being able to do them in my own home, in my pj's (dont judge me!) and being able to swear to my hearts content :)
Posted by: Gina | 27 March 2011 at 08:22 PM
Mwaaaaaaaaahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa... If you could get points for being "old", tart, then I would have had to get extra points for being huge! I think I got pitted against the hottest mommy bloggers they could find on the interwebs!!
Posted by: Angel | 27 March 2011 at 08:38 PM
Done--websites visited, feedback read, X-Box purchased. Where's my picture?!!!!
Posted by: Steve | 28 March 2011 at 05:17 AM
Who won?
Posted by: Happy Troll | 28 March 2011 at 01:42 PM
Yeah who won?
Posted by: Sweepstaker | 29 March 2011 at 08:05 AM
Is the kinect really as much fun as everyone says?
Posted by: Renee | 30 March 2011 at 12:43 AM