Big Thing's Poppin'...Mauler and Rush Almighty - The Aftermath...

Good Day Good Day Everyone, hope you all have been well. I just wanted to give a little update of all the fabulous things I have been busy with since the completion of my journey with Mauler and Rush Almighty. I must say, I was slightly worried after we wrapped it all up. With all the overwhelming things that went on during those 3 weeks I figured my life couldn't get much more exciting, what was I going to do now? I really wanted to keep the momentum going, so I had to do some drastic things to keep 2009 "The year of Holly"!

Now its very easy to take $25, 000 and live it up like a gong show. I could have easily taken the money, quit my job, partied like a rock star, shop till I dropped and spoiled myself recklessly. But the whole point of this experience was to change my life for the better. Now 25 G's is a lot of money, but not really when you think about it, I could probably spend it in less then 24 hours if I really wanted to; so I had to do some hardcore brainstorming to make the most out of this money. So I had to consider how I could make even more crazy memories and experiences, but also not put myself in the hole again.

The responsible part of me said "Pay off your bills!!!!", and yes....I intend on getting myself out of debt. And how good does it feel to not have those ridiculous monthly payments looming over my head any more, my God it feels so good. Next, I needed to plan for my future, so I intend on taking a nice huge chunk of my hard earned cash to store away in GIC's and RRSP's, etc. HOW BORING, right? Moving on to the more interesting stuff...I believe I've earned a little R&R, so I spent Valentines Day @ the Spa getting pampered, so fabulous!

Some Girlfriends and I decided to hit up LAS VEGAS during Spring Break in March, which normally I would never have considered, but hey, you only live once! I don't plan on gambling all my winnings away, but I promised myself I would walk up to the Roulette Table and throw down on black; purely out of Respect for the Almighty Mauler and Rush, to whom none of this would have been possible.

I have always wanted to travel the world, something that has proved to be very difficult due to conflicting schedules of friends and family; plus my finances never seemed to be in order. I want to travel around Europe - see the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Coliseum in Rome, The Acropolis in Greece; It always felt like it would just be a dream, until now. Why should I have to wait for someone else to fulfill my dreams? If I kept postponing the things I wanted to do until someone could do them with me, I would never get to do the things I've dreamed of, and that's a regret I couldn't live with. So on a whim, I booked a Flight to Paris in the Spring. I have decided I will backpack Europe for 2 months by myself....such a scary thought!! But If I could survive a Day-to-day Scare-fest from Mauler and Rush Almighty for 3 weeks, Why couldn't I do this? Now this one is huge, but If I could come back from that experience in once piece, I could do absolutely anything. And that's what 2009 is for me, the year of empowerment.

So with the budget of $25, 000 I've managed to become debt free, plan for my future, Live a little, and Gain some amazing life stories; Something I couldn't be any more grateful for! It has only been 2 weeks since the competition ended, but I feel like a brand new person. Not like the person I was 4 years ago (which I always thought I would kill to have that girl back)...but a brand new person, with new hopes, new dreams. I feel stronger each and everyday because I realize I have so much to look forward to. I've wasted so much time living in regret, wishing I could turn back time, and not being thankful for the amazing things I already possessed.

I don't want people to think I'm bragging, or rubbing my good fortune in everyone's face. I really just want to share the possibilities of living your best life with anyone who wants to listen. Because the reality of it all is that we are all our own worst enemy. We should never underestimate the power we have to change ourselves, at times it seems impossible, but just take baby steps, and day-by-day you'll get there. I have so much more I need to accomplish, and fears I still need to overcome, but I know that I'm the only one who can get me there. No more excuses. No more regrets!

The final blurb...

OK, so it would seem the adventure has come to an end...so crazy, the past 3 weeks have just come and gone incredibly fast. Lets break down the 15 tasks...

Task # 1 - (Value: $1,000) "Cut the fat" and trim my facebook page from over 400 friends to 20.
Task # 2 - (Value: $500): Convince a stranger to have dinner with me.
Task # 3 - (Value: 1,000): Swim with Alligators at Little Ray's Reptile Zoo.
Task # 4 - (Value: $1,000): Take a $1,000 to the Casino and bet it all on Black or Red
Task # 5 - (Value: $3,000): Get 899 signatures supporting that 'Holly is Awesome!'
Task # 6 - (Value $1,000): Busking for $89 in 89 minutes.
Task # 7 - (Value $1,500): Give blood.
Task # 8 - (Value $1,000): 'Burn' everything my ex-boyfriend ever gave me, and start fresh.
Task # 9 - (Value $2,000): Perform stand-up for 2 minutes at Absolute Comedy.
Task # 10 - (Value $5,000): Pose nearly nude in a photo shoot, with the image appearing in Monday's Ottawa Sun.
Task # 11 - (Value $500): Enjoy my day and bask in my photograph.
Task # 12 - (Value $1,000): Belly Dancing.
Task # 13 - (Value $1,000): Take a Polar Bear Dip.
Task # 14 - (Value $1,000): A live solo broadcast from Cornerstone Bar Grill and Bar.
Task # 15 - (Value $5,000): Lie detector test.

AND I CAME OUT ALIVE!!! And to be perfectly honest, there were moments where I really thought I wouldn't come out of this in one piece. I have felt completely un-easy, nervous, and un-comfortable each and everyday, but it was probably the best thing I have ever put myself through. I gave up on myself a long time ago, and I thought I wouldn't ever be able to get my old self back, but you'd be surprised what a random Radio contest could do to a persons life.

Mauler and Rush have changed my life, now its my turn to take it from here. Its hard to explain the impact that this entire thing has made on me. Not only do I have a new found love and appreciation for the City I reside in (because the people are absolutely rockin'!!!) but I also have a new found love and appreciation for me. I get to look back on the past 3 weeks and say....holy crap....I actually did all of those things!!! And that, is just the beginning, because I plan to take it even further.

Please pardon the upcoming Dr. Phil moment, it happens after you go through something like this, just go with it...

The saying is true...What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger...Never have any regrets....You can do anything you put your mind to....The Key to a happy life is living, and living hard!! And most important of all - Live your Plan 'A', on any level. Make it a lower case 'a' if you have to, but live your Plan 'A'...anything else belittles the importance of life. Mauler and Rush, Jenny and Josie have helped me realize these things, and its my goal to stay strong, move forward, and be awesome any way I can. All the corniness is sometimes necessary, so please bare with me.

To all the amazing people I've met along the way, and all the wonderful words of encouragement from the people of Ottawa who have been following my journey, I need to thank you. You guys have done more for me then you'll ever know. When I felt like I was going to Wuss out, I just had to realize there were people watching, and that they didn't want me to fail myself. I owe you all a debt of gratitude, you are all amazing beautiful people!!

To my friends and family who have been there for me each and everyday, I love you, and I thank God everyday you all are a part of my life.

And Last, the Almighty and their disciples...you kicked my ass into shape and gave me the wake up call I needed. I love ya, I'll miss ya, and I'm honoured to have been a part of this whole thing!!

FINAL TASK - Come Clean!!!

Now when I hear Lie Detector Test, I immediately think of Maury Povich or Jerry Springer...right? The drama starter of all drama starters, what are they trying to do to me? A lot of things can go wrong with just 5 questions so I wasn't at all calm about the tiny number. Now I thought I had been quite open already with the Almighty, but apparently it wasn't enough, now they wanted to test my integrity and come clean with myself.

I have often thought of Ottawa as a boring city with nothing exciting to ever do...in the past 3 weeks i have swam with alligators, dropped a grand on black, did stand up comedy, and now, am doing a polygraph test...I have been proved wrong, because apparently with some creativity you can find absolutely anything to do no matter how weird or random.

Its Saturday morning, and I expect this task to just be a quick in and out, 5 questions can't take that long can they? Now it seems like I'm always wrong when I try to plan ahead these past 3 weeks, so why would this task be any different? It took me 2 hours to complete the test. Not only did Mr. Coulter (fabulous gentlemen) ask me The Almighty 5 questions multiple times, but he had a list of his own. All of the questions were very personal, thought provoking, and somewhat emotional. I have never talked about myself so much in such a short time, absolutely every topic was on the table and there was nothing I could hide.

Question # 1 - Are you holding out in hopes that you and Dave (my ex) will get back together? Yes, the truth.

Question # 2 - Do you have a crush on anyone else who is not Dave? No, the truth.

Question # 3 - Do you wish your Biological Father was a part of your life? No, a lie.

This one is tricky, and needs to be approached lightly. I do not know my biological father, he decided when I was a baby that he was not man enough to take responsibility for his child, and took the cowards way out; he left my mother by herself to raise what he helped to produce. Now I am 24 years old, and I have never heard from him. Now in a sense this is a blessing in disguise, because I am all the stronger for it. Don't get me wrong, I spent a portion of my life wondering what it was that I had done wrong to make him not want to be my father. Was I too much to handle? Was I not pretty enough? All of these things were just excuses that I kept making for him, but now, the excuses are over. I used to think my life would be different if only I had my father there, problematic times growing up would have been avoided if he was there to protect me. But each and everyday I grew stronger, I found ways to protect myself from people who might come and go from my life. I guess you could say I found ways to push people away before they could leave on their own, a ridiculous defence mechanism I created to help shield myself from the pain of abandonment. It took my years to realize that these petty games don't work, and that the people and relationships in my life were the most important things, and that I needed them more anything.

I know now that my father leaving is not my fault, nor my mothers, rather he is just a poor excuse for a man. I often think of what I would say to him if I ever met him, how I could make him feel the pain he has caused to so many. The truth of it all is, I'm not the one with the issues, rather it is him. Any man who can be so heartless, thoughtless and careless doesn't deserve to be a part of my life, and it is his loss more than it is mine. I have many things on my life to be thankful for, and things are only going to get better, as for my so-called-father, he can bite the dust and stay hidden. You are nothing more then DNA to me. Yes, I often wonder about the 'What Ifs' - But the best thing you could ever do for me, is stay away, my life is better off without you.

Question # 4 - Are you Happy? Yes - a lie.

I don't think there is anyone out there who is truly content with their standing in life, rather it is a working progress that people need to address on a daily basis. I figured I would be a happy person because I walk around with a smile, I'm bubbly, charismatic, friendly....but no. Internally I am constantly fighting with myself over my fears and self consciousness. I am not depressed, I just know I'm not living up to my potential, and that doesn't make me happy.

Question # 5 - Have Mauler and Rush Almighty done all they can do for you in this Contest? Yes, the truth.

To be continued....

Task # 14 - Hey Mr. DJ!!

Now at this point it seems like the remaining tasks are going to be huge...I stopped trying to guess what each one could be at the beginning of week 3 just to I could try and remain sane, it is impossible to even try. Each and ever one of these tasks are so left field, so hard to determine, but so on the money when it comes to making me overcome particular fears.

Today I need to air my own show, live at the Cornerstone Bar & Grill and Bar....just hearing it made my heart sink a little. I've become accustom to just going with the flow over the past 14 days, so on the outside it seemed like I wasn't at all nervous, that is nowhere close to the truth. It is one thing to sit in a studio where there is ample quite quite so you can hear you're own thoughts...but LIVE on location, where there are people, live music, and me with nothing but a Mic and an ear piece for a couple hours, is enough to make anyone freak.

I am not one of those people who thinks working on the radio is an easy Job. Being at the station everyday you get to see how all the magic happens on air, and it has so many parts to making a small segment I don't know how I'm going to come out of this one alive.

So I needed to get to the station after work, the whole day people were asking me what I planned on saying one air, but really, who can plan for that? I figured I would just show up and it would all flow (don't get me wrong I totally figured I would crash & burn), all I needed to do was talk here and there no matter what the subject, just talk. Turns out when you're talking to yourself the conversations aren't really that interesting.

Kenny B was already at the restaurant doing his thing when I walked in, he handed me a bunch of papers with artists and song titles and told me to go nuts.....These papers were the playlists with the schedules of when I was supposed to talk and for how long, when the Traffic Report and Weather was supposed to happen, a list of all commercials...pretty much everything I SHOULD need to get through this. Only problem is, I didn't know how to follow it :s

Thankfully Josie and some friends showed up for some moral support (although distracting), and gave me the boost I needed to get through my first piece. Each and every time I was on air my heart stopped beating, there were so many things to distract me I found it hard to strike up topics to use...to the point I started talking about the faux pas of eating raw garlic :(

Each and every piece got easier and easier, all the amazing phone calls I was getting at the station kept the adrenaline running. I started to realize people didn't expect me to rock the show, but just to make it out in one piece and all the stronger for it. It must be said all those words of encouragement touched my heart, I can't believe how amazing and supportive all the Hotties of Ottawa are...the absolute best listeners a girl could ask for!!

2 and a 1/2 hours and on air fumble after fumble just flew by. I was already in the home stretch and needed to make my extro....This was actually such an awesome task! I know I wasn't the most amazing thing to listen to, but the fact I actually ran my own show felt pretty stellar! Huge thanks to Julio, the producer of all producers!!! You rocked my ear the whole night!!!! Also need to say thanks to my amazing friends for coming, and sending all those amazing texts of encouragement throughout the show. Josie and Kenny...thanks for the laughs! Love you Ottawa!

Task # 13 - Take the Plunge

So the temperature Outside on this particular task is -20 something, and the idea is to jump into freezing cold water to get a feeling of rejuvenation!! How Mauler and Rush come up with these tasks I'll never know, I definitely need to take a mental note and remember to ask about the Method to their madness. Anyhow, this one sounded fairly simple, insane, but simple. I guess you could say I was a little too confident walking out of the studio that morning.

Lunch time - I needed to get out of the office to stretch my legs and get a little bit of fresh air.....wrong move! It was so bloody cold outside I couldn't even begin to comprehend how I was supposed to jump into water. I was all bundled up with an extremely warm winter coat, hat, mitts and scarf, but I still wanted to die it was so damn cold!! I started getting phone calls and texts from concerned individuals telling me it wasn't worth my safety or health to do the Polar bear dip...All of these combined factors really made me feel nervous, and I started to re-think my quick response to go ahead with it.

4:00 pm @ Baxter Conservatory in Kars.

I know people do this type of thing for fun, but really, to me, this doesn't sound like it could be any type of fun, just a heart attack in a 3 x 3 hole in the ice. I drive up only to see the ambulance ready and waiting to revive me once my heart stops, such a fabulous feeling knowing that if you're ever going to get hurt, now would be the time. The audience today was a big one - Mauler, Josie and Jenny came out as well as my parents and Charlie, the freaking had begun.

The Paramedic (comedian - J.P) took all my vitals to ensure I was physically able to take the dip and then came the walk of shame... about 50 yards or so from the ambulance to the actual dipping hole. Did I mention I was doing this dressed in soccer shorts, a t-shirt and yellow crocs? Amazing! I walk up to the designated area and the adrenaline started pumping like crazy. Jenny made a suggestion to just dunk right away, not to slip in or I'd turn and run, so that was the plan I chose to stick with. It took me about 20 seconds....and in the hole I went......FREEEEEEEEEEZING!!!!!!! Words can't describe the feeling I had in the water, but the second I got out all I felt was pain. The feeling of 20 or so people slapping me all over my legs at the same time as well as numbness at my feet made the walk back to the ambulance almost unbearable. I have never felt so cold before in my life, I felt it everywhere, like my blood was made of ice.

If I wasn't rejuvenated after past tasks, you can bet your top dollar I was now, I felt like I took a shot of 3 triple espressos, and I felt alive!! I see why they chose this challenge - I need to take the plunge, take the risk, just jump in - You need to RISK big to WIN big!!

Task # 12 - Shake your Junk

First off I need to break down the events leading up to my Belly Dancing debut....In my girlfriends car (Loredana) on the drive-up we heard the commercial discussing the "If you seek Amy" Britney controversy...I've heard this commercial several times already, and I really thought people were nuts. I had spent the last month or so thinking this song was about Britney having feelings for a girl named Amy, and that people were making a huge deal over her making reference to Lesbianism....Man, could I have been any more wrong?? The sheer amusement my friend had over my stupidity just made it classic, even though she was laughing at me, It made me like the song that much more. TEAM BRITNEY!!

6:00 pm - Hopewell School on Bank Street.

I decided to bring a few friends with me to enjoy this new experience, and what an experience it was. I've spent a majority of my life laughing at this particular type of dance, and it turns out karma was planning to pay me back - It was so difficult to get with the program. Our instructor was an absolute sweetheart who took the time to really get to know each of us, and slowly introduce us to the art of Belly Dancing. She started out slowly, giving us ample opportunity to think it was all a joke, then she took it up a notch and really made us work. I started to sweat, and found it difficult to keep up, but I was still having fun. It was almost like playing dress-up, the instructor brought a whole bunch of the veil type pieces of material that we could be free flowing with - overall, a great workout and an awesome experience.

I'm beginning to learn the more you step out of your comfort zone and the regular routine most of us have all become accustom to, the more experience and zest for life you get in return. Awesome Task!!

Task # 11 - Enjoy Your Monday!!

Monday is probably the hardest day of the week for most people...The weekend is over and you have 5 days of torture ahead until the next weekend comes. Suffice to say I was not looking forward to this particular Monday, because of the whole Ottawa Sun issue with my derrière all over page 12. I was quite nervous even though I'm coming into the home stretch, it hasn't gotten easier coming in everyday worried what Mauler and Rush have in stored for me day to day, I'm constantly a ball of nerves, this girl totally needs to de-stress.

I walked into the Studio prepping myself for the worst, only to get the best news ever....A day to just ENJOY!! Who would of thought, I totally thought I was being played, like there was an underlying factor they were keeping secret, but no, genuinely they just wanted me to enjoy my day; make time for myself and chill out. Its amazing what 2 weeks of constant walking on egg shells can do to a person, because I had like 20 different things in mind that I wanted to do, it was so exciting to plan how I would go about making the day all about me. We women tend to let ourselves go by the waste side, forgetting to just enjoy the little things in life, splurge on ourselves and just feel good.

Everyone was absolutely amazing about the nearly nude photo shoot, my primary concern was that I'd be walking around work and it would be awkward because everyone saw me almost in the gitch ("Gitch" meaning almost buck - compliments of Josie), but I walked out un-scathed and somewhat feeling more confident because of all the wonderful compliments and words of encouragement. I am so blown away by how awesome people are, before this whole contest I had the idea that people were generally dinks all the time, but no, they are generally great!

It has been absolutely forever since I got my hair done last, so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to go all out. I found this great salon on the internet called 'Pierino Scarfo' in Bells Corners and got an appt. with no hassle. The weather was great and sunny, it was like this day was meant to be enjoyed. My new stylist Natasha was unreal, she was young, pretty and knew everything about what I wanted done. She took her time and made me feel great (head massage almost put me to sleep it felt so great), and the end result was oober fantastic, I walked out feeling like a million bucks.

I met my Mom and Grandparents for dinner and caught them up on all the unreal adventures I've been doing daily throughout this contest (they don't listen to the radio much. The look on my Grandma's face was classic, and she was so excited to hear about everything I have been doing. Its been tiresome repeating the same stories over and over again, but when I told her it was like telling it for the very first time.

Monday nights are ritualistic....The Batchelor...O Jason, he's such a cutey!! I got together with all my ladies to gossip about all the Femme fatales on the show....poor Stephanie, she's such a doll, YOU WILL FIND LOVE AGAIN SOMEDAY!! I went to bed feeling really content, today was stellar...and when this contest is done, I will definitely make more time for myself to just enjoy. Thanks Almighty!!

Task # 10 - The Doozy of All Doozies!!! Strip Down!

SHOCKING!! Words can't really do justice on how I felt about this particular task. Each and every one has been challenging in its own way, but my god, this one just Boomeranged all pre-conceptions I may have had about this Contest. I understand the point of this whole thing is to change my life, but each one seems to be getting harder and harder, and my stomach is taking a toll.

As soon as Mauler and Rush said the Words "Pose in the Ottawa Sun...nearly nude.." my immediate internal reaction was HELLLLL NO!! Of course I instinctively thought of the Sunshine girl (really...who didn't?), and not to say the girls who pose for that aren't beautiful, but there isn't a chance in hell I would be caught dead posing for that. The photo that was used an as example clearly wasn't anyone even remotely close to my body image, she was about 6 ft. tall, legs up to the Ying Yang, and probably weighing the size of my left leg....and they want to replicate it. Someone is taking crazy pills, and it wasn't me.

I've become a real Pro when is comes to hiding my body, little tricks here and there that help make the harsh realities of life a little easier, but it has become exhausting. As most women go through everyday, I've spent a majority of my life second guessing myself, and my appearance, all because I cared too much about what other people think. Its really sad, because even the most beautiful of women are self-conscious...what has this world come to? We've put these un-realistic standards of beauty on a pedestal that can never be reached, and it just makes us feel like failures on a daily basis purely because we are constantly trying to be someone that we aren't. It makes me want to cry, because I love who I am, and I've let the expectations of others rule my life for far too long, and really, I'm just sick of it.

I decided to do this challenge because I am tired of hiding, I am tired of pretending that I don't exist and that I should just hide away hoping no one will take notice. I wanted to show everyone that YES, I am curvy, NO I'm not 110 lbs when wet, and that I have a lot more to offer then the junk in my trunk. People constantly use how they look in a mirror to define who they are, and I've lived by that piece of BULL for way too long. I don't want to be hung up on a number to define my self worth, because I am worth more than that.

It was very liberating to say all of these things, now I just needed to put it all into practice. My favorite girls in the World came with me to the station Friday after work to support me in this endeavor, once again, the push I needed to succeed. I got all dolled up by Rush's lovely wife, she did my hair and makeup (the woman has the largest collection on MAC Makeup I have seen to date, she even beat Saima ;) ).

Jenny and Josie, probably the sweetest most encouraging ladies ever, stripped down with me to help kick the nervousness during the photo shoot. Once the clothes came off, I had nothing else to bear but my soul, no turning back at this point, it was now or never!

It took so much for me to let go, and bear it all for everyone to see, definitely the hardest challenge to date; but the principal behind it was worth it all. I don't consider myself a Role Model of any kind, but a big part of me wanted to just show all the small/petite/curvy/large beautiful women out there that you don't need to be a size 2 to live a happy full-filling life. We can't be ashamed of who we are, we need to make the best of what we were given; We need to start putting ourselves first, stop making excuses or you'll be doing it for the rest of your life. If you need to pose nearly nude to realize these words are nothing but true, then I suggest doing just that!

TASK # 8 - Light a Match and let it all go...

Sorry guys, forgot to blurb about this one...brain fart.

I need to set the record straight, I'll keep it short and sweet - I do not hate my Ex!! This task was a very emotional one, purely because I do not hold any bitterness or resentment towards my ex in any way. We ended things because we both needed to put ourselves first, to go off and find ways to fulfill ourselves. We had been on and off together since I was 16, we've been through so much together growing up, and there came a time when we felt it was more convenient to just stay together then to go our separate ways and figure things out. Suffice to say, feelings are still there, but we needed to end things to put ourselves first, and if we ended up together in the future, it would be because we were certain that's where we both wanted to be, and not due to obligation.

I didn't know how to look at this task, But I definitely knew how it looked to everyone else. I've heard of these cleansing ceremonies before, you see them in movies and TV, where crazy angry woman decide to gather up any and all items that remind them of their exes and just set it ablaze. My ex is still a part of my life, so I looked at this as being dis-respectful to him, and that's not something I was willing to do. Throughout the day I kept thinking of how other people would feel about this, him, his family and friends, and then I realized, I'm constantly living and making decisions surrounding how other people feel. And it was driving me crazy.

This task was not about my ex, or anyone for that matter other then me. This was about cleansing me and my spirit, about letting go of the past, and having a fresh start. This was not about erasing my ex from memory, because memories aren't in things. And if we were to someday decide it was worth giving it another shot, it would be a clean slate, new beginning, a time to make new memories.

Jenny and Josie came over to my place, and helped go through all of my memories for the past 7 years - there was a lot to sort through! Going through some of these things brought up some emotions, but they were things that needed to be confronted. I am one of those people that carries a lot of baggage in the sense that I always felt I needed this little mementos for absolutely ever occasion to prove how special they were, realistically, I couldn't remember half of what it was all for. Lighting the match actually felt good, it was hard, but uplifting. Its the kind of symbolism that really strikes a cord, its a new day ladies and gents, I'm only going up from here!!!

Task # 9 - Show your Funny Side!!

Holy Heart stopper Batman!!!! Stand up Comedy?? Never a fortay of mine, and probably the worst most awkward, gut wrenching task Mauler and Rush have thrown at me yet. This is definitely going to put me to the test. Not so much the speaking in public aspect, but more so the trying to make people laugh part. It is so difficult, especially with strangers.



I spent most of the morning making myself sick, if you haven't noticed already, I'm my own worst enemy. I kept picturing myself getting into an argument with a Heckler, and just totally bombing. 2 minutes started to feel more and more like it was an hour. I would occasionally snap in and out of reality telling myself it was only 2 minutes, to just relax and chill out, to think of the opportunity. But no, that soon faded and the worst case scenario kept reappearing. My guts felt like they crept into my chest and my hearts new home was in my stomach, nothing I did to prepare myself felt right.



As per usual, I got the daily affirmation from encouraging individuals, however, none of it sat well. How did I manage to get this insecure? I got a little emotional thinking about it all, and how 4-5 years ago I would have done something like this just for kicks, to say I did it and walk away a winner. Nothing I could do was helping the fear go away. I even contemplated not going through with it all. I came close about 3-4 times to calling it quits because I literally felt like my heart couldn't take it.



I have come to far and done far too much to chicken out now, how would it look? Not that I'm doing this contest for anyone other then myself, but I find myself getting all sorts of support from complete strangers, people I've never met who want me to succeed. If anything these people are also driving me, motivating me to want better for myself. If people I don't know want good things for me, why don't I want good things for myself? Its a revelation that helped give me the push I needed to put myself out there and attempt the seemingly impossible...Stand up Comedy!!



8:00 pm Thursday, January 29th @ Absolute Comedy - Preston Street.
Okay, so the show is sold out and the pressure is really on. I was able to bring my best girls with me for support (Lore, Filo, Marina, Saima and Jen....love u!!), they promised they would laugh no matter how hard I bombed, and every single person I met; I made make the same promise. There were about 12-15 people from the Station who came to support me (meant the world) and root me on. All of the staff ensured me it wasn't going to be as bad as I thought, but Hey, I wasn't hearing it, I was convinced I would die of premature heart failure the second I stepped on stage. Let me paint you a picture, the battle of Normandy in France, World War II....yeah well that felt like it was happening in my stomach, weird?



"I'd like to Welcome Holly to the stage...." Here I go, its all or nothing at this point. As soon as the spot lights hit me and the Mic was in my hand, it felt like a weight was lifted. I focused primarily on the sounds of my friends cheering me on, I knew they'd be there no matter what happened, and really, its only 2 minutes...suck it up and go for it.


2 minutes later....It was all over....It went by so fast, I couldn't believe it, AAAmazing! I got a few laughs here and there, which helped keep some of my pride. But most of all I was surprised I kept it together, and that it wasn't as horrible as I thought. Everyone was so nice, no Boo's or hisses, totally unreal. Mauler and Rush hit the stage to explain what just went down to the audience, and I just thought, man these guys are so awesome. The fact that they are doing this for me, totally blows my mind. I would never do any of these insane tasks on my own, and they (not to mention Jenni and Miss Josie) have helped me in ways they could never know!! Now hopefully I'll get some sleep before Fridays task, I'm losing my mind trying to figure out what it could be!!

Task # 7 - Needle Assault!!!

Ok so people might think that a fear of needles is an absolute joke, but I would love to just have them walk in my shoes and feel the fear the extremely sharp and pointy things bring on. Its unreal, and hard to explain, but the thought of a needle is enough to make me lightheaded, dizzy, and sick to my stomach. The sight of it turns my insides out, I start to feel extremely cold and stiff, and at any moment you could probably bank on the fact I may hit the floor.



I don't know where this fear came from, but I did have this one traumatizing moment as a child - I needed to get a booster shot or something (which I didn't want), So I got pinned down by the Doctor, my mom and an assistant as I cried and squirmed. To this day I can't look at a needle without feeling uneasy.



The benefits that come from donating blood totally outweigh the negatives, so I just decided I needed to suck it up, bite the bullet, and deal with the fact that my fears can't control my life anymore. Throughout the day it felt like I was carrying a bowling ball in the pit of my stomach. People tried giving their friendly advice, but it didn't help to make the nerves go away. I'm one of those worst case scenario type of people; I see the glass half empty. It's a drag, but the fact people have put up with it thus far, shows maybe its time to just let it all go, no more baggage.



Its 3:30 pm @ 1575 Carling Avenue - Canadian Blood Services Clinic.
Rush is there ready and waiting for me with his big smile, as though I wasn't walking into another traumatic ordeal. I felt slightly lightheaded, but the place was packed, so I just had to snap out of it, I didn't want to make a scene. The finger prick to test my Iron level was not a good start, it hurt...a lot, but I kept it inside. Then comes the most awkward conversation you may ever have with a person, the pre-donating questionnaire all applicants must endure. "Have you ever paid for sex from a person who may or may not have had sex with a monkey carrying the HIV/AIDS virus??" Obviously I'm embellishing quite a bit, but the questions were just as weird. I give them points for being very thorough with their screening process.



All the nurses and staff were amazing, extremely kind and gentle. I explained my fear to just about anyone who would listen because I wanted to make sure they took me seriously. I'm sure I wasn't the first person with a fear of needles and I won't be the last, but even still, they were all very empathetic and made sure they took good care. It felt like I was there forever, Rush was already finished donating his blood before I even took a seat in the comfy Lazy-Boy. My nurse made sure that she explained everything before she did it, but her one mistake was allowing me to see the MASSIVE needle before she put it in, oh dear my head started feeling like it was a thousand pounds. I turned my head, and I felt the sharpest pain surge through me.....then and there I dropped 1/3 of the "F" bomb. Apologies to everyone who heard it, I just couldn't help myself.



My arm was covered with paper towels so that I couldn't see what was going on; it really helped that I had someone there to talk to; Thanks Rush, you helped dull the pain and fear. This is definitely something I could not do alone, moral support is always a plus.



Before I knew it, it was all over, THANK THE ALMIGHTY!! Turns out my blood goes to newborn babies in need, which felt very gratifying. I kind of feel bad that I've been so selfish, this is definitely something I will have to do again; there are so many people in need, and if I can help by putting my stupid fear to the side again, I will. Almost Halfway done!!

Task # 6 - Go Busking :s

I have never in my wildest of day dreaming ever imagined myself on the side of a street in the dead of a Canadian winter, in freezing temperatures, performing for money. I have no real talent that people would pay me for, so I have no clue how I plan to pull this one off. I'm finding these tasks where I rely on other people very challenging, and a tad on the humiliating side. I know people BUSK for a living, and make good money doing so, but knowing I need to pull off $89 in 89 minutes is gut wrenching.



I spent the majority of my morning trying to figure out what my talent could be, and how I could convince people I was somewhat good at it, all in good fun. I can't carry a tune, I'm not a good dancer, I do not play any instruments (man I sound awesome!!), so what's my deal going to be? Catherine was helping me brainstorm, and she came up with the fabulous idea to draw caricatures (for me, that means drawing stick men), and hope people would take pity on me in this extreme situation. BINGO, I think I could pull that one off, and maybe draw some bunny rabbits here and there for those animal lovers.



I figured if I did this thing on my lunch break, I'd be able to get a better audience. If I did it after work, people would just be rushing to go home and wouldn't give me the time of day, and what could be worse then singing and dancing on the side of the street for money? Doing it and not getting paid!!!! On my way out, a friend from work handed me a neon pink jump rope as a Plan B. Without really thinking it through I took it with me, a decision I would soon regret.

So its 12:00 pm at Elgin + Sparks Street - and it feels like its -30. My hands and feet are already tingling in pain and I haven't even started yet. My friend Jess made me a sign to wear so that people who listen to The New Hot 89-9 would be able to spot me, her brilliant plan worked, because the people started stopping and it was time to put on the show. Check out the humiliation @ http://www.thehottube.ca/contestdetails.asp?cid=71



I drew, I sang, and I even jumped rope 89 times. As humiliating as it felt, I actually had a good time. The people were way more generous then I could ever anticipate, maybe they felt my pain (considering the weather) and took pity on me. 50 minutes roll by and Kristen from the Hot Street Team lets me know she thinks I've hit the marker! We head over to the nearest Timmies to count our change and small bills....A whopping $147 in 50 minutes, holy cow, I think I'm in the wrong business!! We probably had more, but we took all the nickels, dimes and pennies and dropped it in the Timmies Kiddy Camp box.



I need to thank everyone who came out to support me yesterday, you all were absolutely amazing and you made this task less of a chore and more of an experience!!

Task # 5 - Help Make me feel Awesome!!

Ok, so is this one of those things that is supposed to increase my self confidence... I hope so...


The purpose of this task is to get 899 signatures of people who might think I'm awesome, or wonderful - out about in the streets of Ottawa. I came into work Friday morning only to be met with bombardment; Everyone was calling, texting, walking into my cube, I couldn't wrap my head around it. It seems everyone at work had finally heard about the contest, and wanted to know all the details, some of which I didn't even know myself. I figured the work place would be a great place to start. I have about 100 or so people in the office at any given time so why not? OBVIOUSLY of all the days to take vacation, everyone seemed to be missing, go figure! The panic started setting in slightly.

***
I needed to hit places with large numbers of people. Luckily The New Hot 89.9 was having their 90's Throwback party @ Parliament Ultra Club; lots of people, so I figured lots of signatures. The place was absolutely PACKED! Maestro Fresh was so amazing, definitely one of the highlights of my night. It was so hard getting around and getting signatures, but I managed to walk out with a huge chunk. I met some really cool people, and some hilarious ones too! I'd like to shout out to the group I met on my way out who gave me an extremely hard time for their signatures. You were hilarious, and you definitely made me work for it.

I went to St. Laurent Mall with a group of friends on Saturday. The foot traffic there was better then I expected, and we managed to spread out covering lots of territory. People were coming up to me because they recognized the station logo and knew why I was there. I heard about a hundred or so times that people wished they were in the contest, so that just made me work that much harder. I feel very fortunate to be able to do this, and I can't take it for granted because there are people who would die for this kind of opportunity. Big thanks to Hesna (hope I spelt that correctly ;). Hesna worked in the mall and offered her help. It was great because she knew absolutely everyone, and walked around with us for about 45 minutes or so introducing us to all of her friends.



Then came the downer of the day; when St. Laurent Mall security decided it was time to give us the boot. Apparently we were soliciting (even though we weren't asking for money, just trying to prove my awesomeness). I tried joking around asking them for their signatures, but that didn't fly.


I obviously couldn't complete this task all on my own, so I had to recruit the Almighty Chosen entourage to help me out. A HUGE THANKS to everyone that helped me by signing, and an even BIGGER THANKS to all my friends and family who came out to help me get the signatures. Mom, Bruce, Dave, Aunt Julie, Adamo, Marina, Saima, Sophia, Filomena, (Lore, u were there in spirit - feel better), Jen, Fred, Kelly, Catherine, Rose, Kelvin, and Kevin + Sarah, I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Task # 4 - Just Let it Ride...

So this one is an interesting one, take a $1,000 from your could be $25,000 and just drop it down on your choice of Red or Black @ the Roulette table.....I'm sorry, say that again? You want me to throw away money??? Seriously? I had to let that one sink in, because the idea just sounds crazy! That's like a whole pay check for some people! Let alone gambling is completely foreign to me. I don't understand the reason behind it, because in the end, I've always learnt, the house always wins. That being said Mauler and Rush Almighty did tell me to trust them and explained that this task is supposed to teach me to take the odd risk in life (I really haven't taken many up until this point).

When the task was announced immediately "Black" came to mind, and I knew I couldn't sway, because you gotta stick to your initial instinct otherwise it would be bad luck. I met Mauler at the Casino at around 6:30om. Beautiful place, very attractive decor, I can see why some people might want to be here 24/7.

We decide to feel out the roulette tables. I wanted to pick the write one because it was do-or-die. I chose one with not too many people, and I cashed in. Two $500 chips were handed to me, and I stuck to my initial plan and went black. As soon as I placed the chips on the table I couldn't feel my feet anymore. My heart was beating out of my chest. I shoved my face into my scarf and waited for that little ball to stop. There was dead silence then Mauler said...."Holly.....YOU WON!!!" OH SNAP, I WON!!!!! I freaked my freak and just let out a couple good screams, I needed to get the tension out.

So I banked my $1000 for my task, plus another $1000!!! INSANITY!!! Holy snap, I almost couldn't contain myself! Then Mauler asked me if I'd be willing to throw down my winnings to try and double up. Tough one... I thought about it and decided 'Ah hell, GO BIG OR GO HOME!' I drop $500 on Black AGAIN, and to make it more interesting Mauler put down $100 of his own money to prove he had the faith. The little ball went around and around and I had to put my face in my scarf again because I couldn't bear to look. BOOM, I WON AGAIN!! I could not believe it!!! I was really walking out of here with $2500??? O YES!

The crowds started to form, because obviously I was creating a scene with my spazzing and jumping around. So I knew it was time to bolt. I walked away feeling 10 feet tall, and filled with such a rush. I threw down $1000 on black, and am all the better for it. Still in shock over it.

Task # 3 - Risk your Life..and Swim with the Behemoth Monsters...

Every Morning since this whole thing started, I wake up feeling as though I'm getting ready to walk into some trouble. And that's never an easy thing to deal with. I'm frazzled, nervous, and all over-the-map, I can't say yet that giving all control away to the Almighty was as easy as it sounded. Every day is just as hard as the first. Its only task # 3, and already I feel like the lack of sleep is getting to me, what do they have in store for me now?

"Holly...what are your fears? Like what are you really afraid of?" I dunno, sharks, needles, creepy crawly stuff, things that can eat me, not really anything I have to deal with in O-town......DEAD WRONG...AGAIN!!!

Task # 3, Swimming with Alligators. I don't know why, but the second I heard that my heart dropped into my stomach, and my eyes started feeling watery. I thought I could hold it in, but you know that feeling when your on the brink of crying, you try and hold it in; and the moment someone spots it and calls you out, down come the waterfalls.

I know, I'm a baby, trust me, I'm not proud of it. This has to be the most challenging thing I have ever attempted, and its shaking my core. I get to work only to be met with this...

Thanks Chris, really, I OWE YOU ONE!!!! Everyone seems to think I'll be okay, that I have nothing to fear. I was assured over and over how they were only Tiny little babies, their mouths would be taped, I was in the clear, have no fear.....AGAIN...VERY WRONG!!

Just when I'm about to head over to my doom, I get a phone call from Mr. Kenny B himself. I figured he might just wanna try and calm me down, rumor has it he has done this himself already. No no no, he decides he would like to see me squirm, commenting on their large fierce size, how they might enjoy someone of my flavor, thanks Kenny! Reminder...you're on my list!!

It must be said, the staff at Little Rays were absolute Pro's. They made me feel so comfortable (prior to the death tank), answering any and all questions (yes there were many) that I had. Even when I started spazzing out and crying like a baby AGAIN they were very assuring I would be okay, and that even if something went wrong, I would be set for life because of the reliability insurance they had. So if I lost a leg, at least I could buy a state-of-the-art new one to replace it.

Let me paint you a little picture, a tank the size of a Childs bedroom holding the massiveness of 2 Behemoth Monsters, one weighting in at approx. 500+ lbs, and the other at 300+ lbs. No their mouths weren't taped, and yes, I had absolutely every reason in the world to be scared. I slowly dipped myself into the tank, making sure I was stuck like glue to the trainer. I was watching my back like crazy thinking that at any moment I was going to have to wrestle for my life. There was a small audience forming, watching me panic and squirm. I attempted to stay as calm as I possibly could, but how could anyone?? This was absolutely insane, I cannot believe I'm doing this, it kept running through my head over and over, why me?

And to make things worse, I somehow managed to get talked into touching the killing machines, holding them both in my hands was the most scary, petrifying thing I have ever done, but when all was said and done it had to be the most amazing experience ever. I walked away feeling like I had just conquered the world. The adrenaline was still pumping for hours. Yes, I may have freaked out, yes, I almost walked away and didn't conquer my fear. But it must be said, that If I didn't complete this challenge, I didn't deserve to be in this contest. I can't believe I swam with Alligators, insanity, and I love it!

Task # 2 - Stalk a Stranger and Convince them your'e worth Having a Meal with...

Its Tuesday Morning, I finally feel a little relaxed over my completion of the Facebook fiasco. For some reason I thought that maybe this whole experience wouldn't be that bad?? If they keep giving me tasks like this, that money is as good as mine!! Dude, was I ever wrong. Here comes shell shock # 2!!! Convince a Complete Stranger to have dinner with me! K, this has to be a joke, who in their right mind would want to take the time out of their day to sit down with a complete random and eat a meal? This sounds almost impossible, and my stomach is in complete knots.

Possibly one of the most uncomfortable tasks I could have imagined, because of the fact - I never thought in a million years it would be something I would do, or even accomplish. What could I possibly say to someone that wouldn't make me sound like a complete creep? Hi, You don't know me, BUT, wanna have dinner? I played over a few scenarios in my head that I could maybe try out, for instance, finding an elderly lady carrying some packages. Maybe I could offer to help her carry them, then maybe ease into buying her a meal, that could work right? Or play the damsel in distress, find a tough looking guy, tell him a I have this weirdo following me. Maybe I could ask him to keep me company until my friend arrived, and as a thank you I'd buy him a meal?? Wow, talk about feeling like a creeper!

Finally there's a light at the end of the tunnel, friends (thanks to Catherine and Harlem) shot out the idea of a New Years Resolution. Approach a stranger, and let them know it was your resolution to get out into the world and meet new people in different/random ways. SHOTGUN! Totally do-able....in theory. Now Holly, put it into practice!!

St. Laurent Shopping Center - Food Court @ 5:00 pm.

The pressure is on, and even though absolutely no one is paying attention, I feel like the whole world is watching me. My hands are shaking and its time to find myself a victim. I begin to cruise the food court, I wanted to be able to feel around, see who the potentials were, and get it all over with as fast as possible. Victim # 1 - An Older gentleman by himself, looking at the Tim Horton's menu. I figured this could work, so I stood beside him, tried to make eye contact, then said hello. The man had a look of pure disgust on his face, and walked away slowly...FINE! Movin' on to Victim # 2 - A lone female checking out the A&W/ Harvey's menu (can't really remember), so I stood beside her. I needed an ice breaker so I asked her if she had put her order in, once again, dirty look with the reply "I'm waiting for my boyfriend!". Yikes! Okay, I'm not packing heat!

Victim # 3 - Third time is obviously a charm, that and the fact that I will not take no for an answer. This has got to get done! I start looking for the longest line in the food court, and there it is, Subway. Luck of the draw is that there is a single dude waiting in the back texting on his phone. I walk up behind him, make sure he hasn't ordered yet and that he is by himself. HERE GOES NOTHING.....I tell him about my so called resolution, and that I would like to purchase his meal for him. He seemed hesitant, saying no, that I didn't have to, but I tried to stay persistent. In the end he gave in, and we sat down. It was so obvious we were both very uncomfortable, but all in all, it wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be.

I walked away un-scathed, my pride was still somewhat in tact, and with a possible new friend. I can't say this would be something I would do regularly, but at least I know I'm capable, and who can say they convinced a complete stranger to have dinner within 5 minutes? I CAN!!

The Big Day...Task # 1...

Today is the big day, what's in store? I have absolutely no idea. The first day of Mauler & Rush Almighty has officially started, and its time to receive my first task.



I take a deep breath as I wait for them to drop the bomb...fortunately for me, they decide to ease me into it. My Task was to "Shed the Fat" as Mauler would say. To take my 457 Facebook friends, and cut it down to 20!!! 20??? Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to do that? It almost sounds ridiculous, but afterwards when you reflect on it, I needed to come to the realization....I am not defined by the amount of Friends I have on Facebook. Pure and simple.



It was a tedious task, deleting 437 people. My hands felt cramped, and my wrists started to ache. I almost thought it wouldn't get done in time because some people just wouldn't delete no matter how many times I hit that little X, like Facebook was trying to make the task just that much more difficult. In the back of my mind, I kept thinking of the drama that would come out of this. That I would have to deal with the backlash of people taking it personally or something, PEOPLE, it was self preservation!!



Not too long after, the msg's started pouring in. People letting me know they heard me on the Radio, and that they completely understood my situation. It felt really good knowing that people were supporting me. Even those who were in my top 20 let me know they would sacrifice their spot if it meant me completing my task. I can't thank them enough, by them doing that, it gave me the push I need to keep going in this process. Feeling the good wishes and motivation from people, some of whom I haven't spoken to in a long time, I thank you.



I have my top 20, but thats not to say the people I deleted are ones I don't care about, I do, just put yourself in my shoes for a minute. I actually feel good. I don't have the temptation of gossip and creeping others pages, and not knowing, can sometimes be a good thing. People don't know my business, and I don't know theirs, so if I was to run into them, then we have something to talk about as opposed to me saying..HEY, saw you did this on Facebook, ugh. 1 down.

How it All Began...

How to begin? A difficult task in itself, primarily because I do not know what I have gotten myself into, and I can't even begin to describe how scared I am. Let me start by telling you how this crazy experience got started.


I have been a loyal consistent listener to Hot 89.9 for many years, and the Morning Hot Tub definitely helped me push through those morning work blues. I've heard them pull off many crazy and exciting contests over the years, but recently, Mauler & Rush announced they would be giving listeners the opportunity of a lifetime. The chance to have their lives changed in drastic ways, for the better. The crazy idea of allowing the dynamic duo to take control of a listeners life, pushing them out of their comfort zone so they can overcome personal demons, and ultimately become a better person at the end of it all.


I'm a 24 year old female, born and raised in Ottawa. I'm not sure if anyone can relate, but lately I've been feeling as though all the excitement, adventure, butterflies, had just dissipated from my life. I had stopped putting myself first, constantly making excuses, procrastination 101 is the story of my life. Rewind about 4 years ago, and the difference between the me then, and the me now, uncanny.


What did I have to lose? All I needed to do was fill out a questionnaire, attach my photo, and send it over. I figured my chances were pretty slim, but what the heck. I randomly received a phone call from the station a few days later saying they received my application, and that they wanted me to come in for an interview, which was a shock. Even still, I figured my chances were still pretty slim, thinking they were calling almost everyone in for interviews. But yet again, what did I have to lose? Right?

Saturday, January 17th, 2009, 11:00 am. Hot 89.9 Radio Station on Antares Road.

I walked into the station, not feeling the least bit nervous, I figured all I had to do was just be open and honest about the lack of excitement in my life, and that would be all. However once I walked into the boardroom, it was 5 against 1, the nerves kicked into high gear. The questions were very in depth, they really wanted to know the inner feelings of their listeners, and I couldn't hold back if I tried. Something about them just made me open up, I told them my dreams, aspirations, fears and regrets. The fact I was opening up to complete strangers was un-real, but the fact they wanted to hear my story made everything come out, things I probably haven't even told my best friends. I left the room feeling a release, as though I had been holding these feelings in forever.


I expected to hear the name of a female I never knew being announced as The Chosen One Monday morning. However, not too long after my interview, a man referring to himself as "The Almighty" called me on my cell phone. Almighty Rush had called to let me know, that they had chosen me, to be the Contestant in Mauler and Rush Almighty. WHAT THE HECK???? ARE YOU SERIOUS????? Shock, disbelief, scared, freaking spastic are some of the ways to describe how I felt at that moment. But the second after he hung up the phone, I sat down thinking, holy hell, am I in trouble? What are they going to make me do?


I will not walk the streets in a bikini, I will not shave my head, I will not get a tattoo, I will not ingest anything that makes me heave. Thoughts such as these kept going through my mind for the rest of the weekend. I couldn't sleep, the anxiety was almost too much to bear. Handing over your life over to complete strangers sounded like it could be fun, until now. Now I was in complete fear. To be continued...

Day 2 - The Task

This morning The Chosen One joined Mauler & Rush Almighty in the New HOT 89-9 Studios to receive her next task to complete.

Holly's task, that she must complete tonight or risk losing $500 from her total prize winnings is:

To have dinner with a stranger. Mauler & Rush Almighty will select the location, and the restaurant, and Holly must introduce herself to a stranger, and invite them and convince them to have dinner with her.

This challenge will help motivate Holly to live her life in the 'Real World' and not behind her computer.

Will she complete today's task successfully? Tune in tomorrow at 7:15am to find out!

The Chosen One - Day 1

Monday morning Holly was given her first task. Currently she has over 300 friends on Facebook, but by Tuesday at 7:15am The Chosen One has to trim her friends down to 20!

Mauler and Rush Almighty asked Holly to do this because they feel she is living life through her computer instead of actually getting out there in the real world and living a real life, with the friends that mean the most to her.

Holly was very anxioius to complete this task, as she was worried about hurting peoples feelings, but after successfully completing the first task, she felt good about it, and saw the meaning behind it.

The penalty if she did not successfully complete this task, was losing $1,000 from her $25,000 prize. Luckily, the challenge was completed, and Holly moves forward in her journey of change!

Introducing Holly - The Chosen One

INTRODUCING HOLLY!

Her journey starts here! If she completes all tasks assigned to her by Mauler & Rush Almighty, and her life is destined to change for the better!

For the next 3 weeks, Hotties will be able to follow the 'CHOSEN ONE'. Join along in Holly's journey to find a better life, follow along as she experiences new and exciting challenges, be there to hear how she reacts, how she feels, and even cheer Holly along. Perhaps her challenges will inspire you to change your own life for the better!

But it's not going to be easy handing her life over to Mauler & Rush Almighty. If the Chosen One is successful, not only will her life change dramatically over the next 3 weeks, Holly will may even take home up to $25,000!

The New HOT 89-9 presentsMAULER & RUSH ALMIGHTY!

Lately, things have not been going your way... Let’s face it – you’re stuck in a rut.And in the back of your mind, you’re wondering if maybe, just maybe, somebody up there doesn’t like you…

Well that’s bull****!Somebody up there thinks you’re AWESOME!

You need your prayers answered by the man upstairs...Or in this case, the men in the studio upstairs: MAULER & RUSH ALMIGHTY!

You could have a total LIFE CHANGING experience if Mauler & Rush Almighty pick you!What's in it for you?Not only will Mauler & Rush Almighty change your life for the better, if you succeed, they will award you with $25,000! Succeed? What do I have to do?What? You didn't think they wouldn't make you work for it did you? Mauler & Rush Almighty want to change the life of one lucky Hottie out there. But in order to do that, the selected Hottie is going to have to hand their life over to them - completely - and successfully complete all of the tasks and challenges that they ask of them. Oh ya - and for every task or challenge not completed, Mauler & Rush Almighty will take money OUT of your grand prize pot of $25,000.