John Gushue . . . Dot Dot Dot

100 million

I passed the 100-million mark on Empire Avenue, the game-slash-social-network-slash-online-crack that took its name from the well-known street in St. John's.

If only it were real money? 

How'd I do it? Showing up, to paraphrase Woody Allen, and appreciating that compound interest is my friend. I also do some trading every single day, largely through the just-delisted app MyEmpire. (I better back that up in the cloud!) Apart from hitting that sweet milestone, I use EA as a kind of social media lab. I've come to learn an awful lot about different platforms, engagement, reach and so on. 

Give Empire Avenue a Mashable hand

Some of you will know that I've been playing Empire Avenue, the social network/game with St. John's roots, for well over a year. Empire Avenue is in the running for the up-and-coming social media service from Mashable.

You can vote once a day here. 

You can also watch this wee video: 

 

 

 

 

200

I earned this overnight on Empire Avenue. I hope I stay above 200 now that I've made it! 

A year on the Avenue

As some of you know, I've been pretty keen on Empire Avenue (the social network that's also a game that's also a social-media measurement tool) for a while now. 

For a year, to be exact. Friday marked my one-year anniversary on the Avenue, which is a bit of a deal, because you get an achievement like this: 

Like good games, it's all about the badges! It's also about the rewards, and the reward here is that my shares are commission free for the 24-hour period since this got unlocked overnight. 

Empire Avenue, you may have heard, got the inspiration for its name from the street here in St. John's. It was invented by a group of ex-pats, and is headquartered in Edmonton. Its appeal, though, is international, with players from all over the world. It's changed how I think about social media, and indeed what I know about it. 

You can find me here. 

 

I sold everything I had in Chris Pirillo on Empire Avenue

Earlier this evening, I sold my stake of 450 shares in Chris Pirillo on Empire Avenue. Pirillo - I've never met the man, never exchanged an email - is a significant figure int the online world, and he's whip-smart. He has brought a strong, exciting flair to Empire Avenue. Within days of starting, he shot to the top of the leaderboards.

I didn't care for his style of play, though. He invests only in the strongest players, and posts what I consider crass and humiliating messages to would-be investees on how he's watching them and how they must produce at a very high level for him to remain invested.

Fair enough; it's a virtual stock market. But it's more than that; the beauty of Empire Avenue is that it brings together people from all over the world, literally, from every walk of life, in every profession. It's wonderful. (And yes, if you're a local reader, it's named after the Empire Avenue you and I know well; the CEO is a former townie.)

A little while ago tonight, when a fellow player said he had sold all of his Pirillo stock to buy all he could in an exciting new player, I thought, I'm in. And said so. And then another followed, and another.

And look what happened:

I didn't produce this screengrab. I can't, because I've also blocked Chris Pirillo from interacting with me in the game. (This also means, ironically for him, that he will no longer receive the hefty virtual currency I pay out to my investors, including him ... up until a very short time ago. If my suspicions are correct, he's lost some of his top dividend-payers.]

He'll bounce back in spades, I'm sure, and he'll continue to bring lots of players into the game.

Here's the thing. We're playing very different games. Mine involves people, not currency.

UPDATE: A few people have suggested to me through EA and its online forums that I've told people to sell their stake in Pirillo. I want to clarify that: I'm not. Anyone should feel free to invest in him, and he produces the highest rate of dividends in the game. (He is extraordinarily active in social media streams that feed into the EA network.) Moreover, I am quite sure his price will rebound.

This decision is quite simply personal, although I know I am not alone.

Buy is the new like

Attributed to Dups (Duleepa Wijayawardhana, who beat around St. John's lo those many years ago), the CEO of Empire Avenue, comes "Buy is the new like."

It's not just a slogan. It's an ethic, and not just on EA.

Freshly printed here.

 

Way over yonder on the EA blog

I've started a new blog lately, entirely about Empire Avenue, the social network that's a stock market that's a game that's a database that's ... Well, it's a lot of fun, and I've been learning a great deal about social media.

Have a look. The latest post is why I dumped Jane Fonda. (Virtually, that is.)

I'm in a cabal, and not a cabal, but *the* Cabal

On Empire Avenue, that's a bit of a deal. It's an investors' group on the social network-virtual stock market-addictive game, with its members representing many of the top ranks on the EA leaderboards. I was invited to join, and did so yesterday. You can find me on EA here. 

 

The century club on Empire Avenue

I've been having quite a bit of fun - and have been learning quite a lot about social media, connections and any number of subjects - via Empire Avenue, the social network/game/virtual stock market founded by some Newfoundland and Labrador expats. Today was a milestone for me: my value on the exchange passed the 100 mark. There are fewer than 20 players who have been able to pull that one off, so I was pretty chuffed.

You can find me on the Avenue here.

 

An Empire Avenue wink at Halloween

The folks at Empire Avenue made this short video, making fun of Paranormal Activity 2. I'd no doubt find it funnier if I had seen that, but I got a kick out of this anyway.