Twit on Tour is a finalist in a competition that could win me a $10k prize pack – including Cash, Holiday and a leg of Ham among other things!

What would winning this mean to me? Well to put it bluntly – Everything. Debt free, and allow me to experience things I haven’t in my life. This would also secure the fuel required to do Twit on Tour smarter this year.

The competition is about promoting Timaru, my home town. A video was recorded and the goal is simple – Most views wins. I’m up against community groups and businesses so I’m really the under dog in this one and what I need from you is simple – Share EVERYWHERE. Twit On Tour was founded on the basis that one person can make a difference and what I need now is for everyone to spare a few minutes to help me out.

The link to my video is here – http://vimeo.com/62818298

All you need to do is copy that link and encourage your friends, family, pets, foes ANYBODY to share the living hell outta this. If you’re on Twitter, Tweet it! Facebook – Facebook it! Myspace – myspace it! hell if you have an old account on bebo get on there and Beeb it!!

There’s no votes it’s won purely judged on views. So just share that link!!

Winning this would dramatically change mine and my families life and all it takes is a few minutes! I really appreciate all the fire power I can get on this one and I really need it. The competition finishes May the 3rd.

Please Share Everywhere

- Gus

PS – Twitontour 2.0 announcement will take place at close of competition

Shit no its not! WE WILL DO THIS AGAIN NEXT YEAR! But better, bigger and smarter

Yeah my ambitious goal of $25,000.00 wasn’t even touched, I didn’t even take out a coveted Man of Movember title, but its more important to look at what was achieved

What Was Achieved?

- I actually made it From Timaru to Invercargill then up-to Auckland relying on Twitter users to look after me! (and back again)

- I was the first person to take Movember around NZ and what a way to do it! The amount of awareness created from this is huge!

We raised a fair bit of cash! highest on the leaderboard without any corporate sponsorship or Charitable trust donations. In fact over the last 2 Movember campaigns I have raised close to $12,000.00!!

What Have I Learnt about Social Media?

Now that is a story in itself! All I’ll say for now is – You all underestimate the power of what you type in 140 characters! and no ones character should be judged on their tweets!

2013 Bigger, Better but more importantly SMARTER

I’m committed to bringing the fight against Men’s cancers and mental health issues to the road again next year! The blueprint created from this year is too big to let it die and the causes are far to important not to do this again but it will have to be smarter. One of the few problems this year is that I held my baby too close and was too afraid to ask for help to see this hit the next level but not anymore. Smarter will also involve been better prepared, as some of you may know a lot of this was done on unpaid leave, food and some petrol costs have left me in a not so great position leading up-to Christmas, The burn of this will ensure I do this better next year.

Mo Title? Mo Worries!

I may still be without my first Man of Movember Title, but undoubtedly this makes up for it – Our Flag

Thank You

My personal thanks goes out to Movember NZ, Rob Dunne, John McBeth, TomMO, Richard Brown, My Sponsors, Megan Miller, The Timaru Herald. Without the support of this group of people here Twit On Tour/MoBro On The Go would have still been just an untested great idea and my Movember vision would have never taken off.

To the Tweeple – I appreciated every single tweet of support and every single retweet and to those who met me, homed me, looked after me I am so grateful!

Special mention to the Mother and Son (sorry I have forgotten your names) That offered to get me from Christchurch to Palmerston Norths grand finale the next day for another shot at a title – Your kindness Mo’s no bounds! (I turned down due to the turn around time)

Final Thoughts

The crosses in the back on this ute represent how many men we lost last year to suicide(405), MORE than our road toll, one in two men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. I wont stop until it changes, I promise you that!

Heres’ a video of the Journey (I may or may not have borrowed the song from another video)

So for your chance to win a years worth of shaving tools, Simply hit the tweet button to share and add a comment to this post of what was your highlight of Twit On Tour/MoBro On The Go 2012 – I want to hear them because its all a blur too me! haha

I have made no secret of the fact I kind of feel like I have let you all down,  a few logistical problems along the way and a few roadblocks that I cannot write about *yet*

As the last few donations come in I cannot hold off those big $5k donations others are getting from corporate giants, I gave it everything I could to keep this ” for the people, by the people”

Its Time we make some loud noise and try rope in any last minute donations we can! So I ask You all that have supported me, dig into those couches, Tweet those “celebs”  and shamelessly ask for those RT’s.

Why? because this means too much to me to out (this year) not swinging! I shared my story of my battles of depression and why Movember is my Xmas

I founded twitontour and I want to see my baby reap some of the success it deserves. With your help I am the first person to take Movember across NZ and im still in the top 5 of the leaderboards without any “Big” dollars donations.

I travelled NZ relying on twitter,  I got the Movember logo tattooed on me and I gave this one hell of of a shot, This time i really need you guys to help get this Twit into number 1!

RT?

The Road for $25k has begun! I have put everything I can into making this as good as I possibly can!! I will do everything I can to make this memorable!!

Give a little or a lot, It all makes a big difference! > www.mobro.co/twitontour  and follow that Mo Space for daily updates and pictures

See you good people on the road! We got this!

12 days out, Yes… 12 short days… 

WOW!, typing that makes the reality of what needs to be achieved and what WILL be achieved somewhat daunting! However.. I’m still standing, I’m still breathing and most importantly - I’m still smiling. The biggest month of my life is looming and despite some things not been quite ready or sorted, I Am Ready. I cant wait to hit the road and see what challenges face me as I travel around relying only on twitters good will to (hopefully)  see me right.

This week I worked out a *rough* road map, Keep in mind this is subject to change dependant on where YOU send me! Have a look over it, start thinking about what you want to see this twit attempt and do for your donations! Oh and donations are open! Check out my page here

12 days… Hold onto your seats because together we are all going to make a huge difference

The last week has brought good news, bad news and well news – the first news was this article published in the Timaru Herald here and to have a snippet of my story published like that was incredibly liberating, it was like a giant monkey of my back!. With this article circulating I was blown away with everyones kind words and support and encouragement.

A Timaru fundraising group called silver linings who auction off 2nd hand goods and donate the $$ to charities pledged $200.00 to Mervs fuel fund!! I’d recommend all locals to join this group as what they do there is something very special.

On Thursday night it was off to the Buck Shelford night that we had arranged, Buck spoke to the Timaru audience for about an hour about his battles with cancer and his weight issues with John McBeth as guest MC. John and I spoke about TwitOnTour and hope to have some good news coming this week! It was a great informative evening.

Buck and John talking about the nuts and bolts of men’s health on stage

I had an idea a month or so ago about taking a flag for everyone to sign their twitter handles on it and fly it when I hit Auckland…. Well Thanks to Adams Flags  they have kindly donated the Flag!! Its little things like that, that will make this journey incredibly unique.

I’m not going lie this last 10days has been incredibly challenging almost to the point I was going to pull the pin on it all, but this is bigger than me, this NEEDS to be done and to all that have suffered from the things that ill raise $$ to help fight, I promise you that I’ll leave everything on the road to bring home the big money and to share my story to as many as possible in hope to see some kind of change.

Still heaps to sort so I hope my next post is full of exciting news!

oh and here’s a video

9 months ago this journey began for me and in less than 4 weeks I leave the comfort of my couch to travel around New Zealand (you all know I haven’t travelled really anywhere before right? IM GONNA GET SOOO LOST!) These next few weeks will fly by as I scramble to get enough petrol and prepare to ensure that this is the best thing I have ever done.

This week brought the launch of this years Movembers site! check out my profile here www.mobro.co/twitontour  (get in a few sneaky early donations if you want too )

Yesterday I visited an art studio Artistic Avenue They have donated 70 tile canvases that the community is coming together to paint Mo’s and famous Mo people on,  I cannot stress how humbling and how inspiring it was to see this project. They will be auctioned off during Movember with proceeds going to my donation fund.

Here’s a sneak peek!

I also spoke to the Timaru Herald about my story, Was such a strange (vulnerable?) experience! Looking back to the last 10years of my life, how far I have grown & How much I have changed… The me that you haven’t seen on twitter I guess!! But ill let you wait till the herald comes out with that one and you’ll be able to see for yourself!

Southland our time is quickly approaching… so get those pledges and challenges into @twitontourNZ

I’m ready for this.

Well who would have thought, I sure as hell didnt! We are now 5weeks away from when ill be leaving the comfort of my hometown to take over New Zealand in the Wicked Campers supplied Merv!. Everyday for the last 9months I have thought about this and the amount of effort put in by me and others is not far off becoming an reality!

I look back at the journey and I am blown away, its been alot of hard work and I know I have alot  to go! Im still quite short on raising enough $$ to complete the round trip on fuel alone and that’s causing a few sleepless nights but I do believe that come October 31st I’ll have it pulled together! The last few weeks have been interesting and challenging for me, getting in-front of a camera is incredibly nerv racking and I have complete respect for those who do it everyday! At lunchtime we are off to record a radio advert for Buck Shelfords upcoming visit to discuss men’s health and launch his book here! I’m sure this stuff gets easier and I’m loving the challenge!

As someone who has battled depression most of my adult life and crashed through nearly every man crisis  possible,  its incredibly fulfilling to be taking this fight to the road and taking the beast on!

So with 5weeks to go, Hold onto your seats (I’m trying too!)  we are in for one hell of a journey! Here’s to hitting $25,000.00!

Quick bit of house keeping, I hope to spend a bit of time in next week or so changing a few things around on website to make it easier to see whats going on!.

Also if you have a spare minute you’ll see a big banner along the top of the home page, If you could kindly click there and vote for twitontour as best online fundraising initiative

Quite often im asked “What are your favourite famous moustaches?”  Well here ya go!

5- Hulk Hogan- Yes, The wrestler!. Why? This Mo has stood the test of time (unlike the popularity of professional wrestling). Here you have the 80s, 90s and the present (yes he is still going!)

4- Charlie Chaplin- “The toothbrush” This Mo hasn’t been so popular since about 1939.

3-  The Groucho Marx – A Mo that that you may have worn yourself before!, Inspired the Glasses Mo and Nose combo. Groucho Marx originally just grease-painted a Mo on but then grew his own. 

2 – Tom Selleck – Woman want to be with this Mo and Men want to grow this Mo!. The Man, The Myth, The Magnum PI! 

1- Salvador Dali, This incredible artist and self proclaimed genius really knew how to rock a Mo. Not only did he wear his Mo with pride he knew what every Movember participant knows – They are great for your health!  To Quote the man himself -

“Since I don’t smoke, I decided to grow a mustache – it is better for the health.
However, I always carried a jewel-studded cigarette case in which, instead of tobacco, were carefully placed several mustaches, Adolphe Menjou style. I offered them politely to my friends: “Mustache? Mustache? Mustache?”
Nobody dared to touch them. This was my test regarding the sacred aspect of mustaches.”

Heres a recap of last years-

“The Moe Tattoo at 1k” – Arkane Tattoo kindly donated this when I hit the $1000.00 mark, We flew past this in about 2weeks!

“The Great Shave at 5k” In the dying days of Movember my workplace kindly arranged for me to have my head shaved…. Never again (it might not grow back again!)

And finally what would have been a Moustache waxing that turned into the most painful leg waxing in history! Check out the video below

Now its time to get those thinking caps on! As you know I’ll be travelling around all of New Zealand so there must be plenty of crazy stuff and places of interest that I must do/ visit! This is your time to get your suggestions in! Hit up the comments below with your ideas!!