I'm trying to think

Remember, an Elk isn't just for Christmas...

...if you're lucky there'll be some left over for boxing day. Altogether now, "On the first day of christmas my girlfriend gave to me a small can of processed Elk meat."

Eli went to the Finnish Church yesterday with her Finnish friend Maria. It must be the only Church in the country with a sauna (click English at the top and then click Services in the menu.) In this menu you'll also find a link to their Christmas Bazaar, which is where Eli had been.

She came back with Pickled Herring, Pilchards, Cheese and of course Elk Meat. Christmas really has come early in the Baylis-Beaumont household.

But seriously, what a great thing - why do only Finnish people know about this? Forget the implications about why are expat communities stronger than native communities? Or what the Church of England can learn from this? I just want a go in the Sauna.

Surely, there must be loads of places like this all over London that we are missing out on - does the Polish church in Kings Cross have a Vodka Bar in the basement we don't know about? Multi-culturalism has a lot to offer, let's all get out there this Christmas and mix it up - get your presents from your local community and give the West End a miss.

Dog Racing

We had a work outing to Wimbledon dogs a few weeks back, I found this picture on my phone and it reminded me of how utterly fleeced we all got by the likes of the guys in the picture. The favourite never won, and the dog that no one backed romped home. I'm sure it was just coincidence and had nothing to do with which trap they were put in or how much they'd eaten 2 minutes before walking onto the track.

Eli's latest painting

Here it is, Eli's latest painting. It's taken pride of place on our living room wall. It's great to see her moving out of her comfort zone and pursuing ideas she's had for some time. You can really see the progress she's making and I can't wait to see the abstract work she's planning next.

Latest work

Here's a site for Sony PSP I've been concepting and writing for the past few weeks. I'm quite pleased with it, the scripts are funny in places, it's nice to play with and you actually learn something about the PSP without realising you're being taught stuff. Hope you like it.

How to be interesting by Russell Davies

Love this from Russell Davies - How to be interesting. He's such a clever clogs. I'm going to print it out and stick it everywhere. Thanks Russell.

Will Haiku for booze

I thought it would be fun to run a little Haiku competition in the creative department at Agency Republic. With a bottle of vodka as the main prize, here are the results:-

Bertrand wins a bottle of Vodka for his suitably French existential ramblings. Well done.

The Future scares me,
The Past tries to catch me up,
So I miss the now.

Gemma wins a can of Heinz Tomato Soup for her dense Scotch broth of a Haiku (a woman in her condition can’t drink vodka either.)

Nothing more than lick
Spittle. Deliver liver.
Poltroon of verbage.

George is in third place with his charming off the cuff Haiku. A chocolate bar will wing its way to him.

It needs the set up to give it context:-

Robin: I didn't realise but the flash platform user group thing is happening tonight and not tomorrow if anyone's planning on going

Jon: What a shame, I can’t make tonight…

George:

so sarcastic jon
but neither can I, sorry.
oh look a haiku

3 from Carl. A forth place commendation for effort

along the right lines
with oyster, travel, autumn
just shy of a drink

a blog captures our
words for alcohol me me!
still no season, though

random bollocks these
haikus, you know; really they
don't quite span or scan

The best of the rest:

Abe:

A whole department
whoring language in faint hope
of cheap alcohol

Jon:

Fuck it, they can fuck
Right fucking off, fucking fucks
A sample from Carl

Bertrand:

Pigeons are ugly
Nobody likes flying rats
Except old people

Katie:

vodka is a friend
makes you funny and clever
and lose your wallet

Abe:

armed with a spreadsheet
her fascist fingers dictate
our every move.

James:

First line sets it up
Second line exaggerates
Bit limited no?

Juice drink experience

I've had this photo on my phone for a week or so and I still don't know what it means - "Juice Drink Experience." I take it that it's not real fruit juice so it can't be described as "Fruit Juice." So why can't it just be a "Fruit Drink" or even "Fruit Flavoured Juice." Where is the experience in all of this? It reminds me of Mark Earls book Welcome to the Creative Age - Bananas, Business and the Death of Marketing - where he basically says that much of marketing is a complete waste of time. When you think that Cape employed a food scientist, writer and designer and they best they could come up with is this - we've gone wrong somewhere along the line. Either that or you can just have a chuckle, take a picture and move along.