They have Guerilla in Scotland!

How much fun is this! A guerilla campaign to launch a new Radio Station. Guitar Stands were placed around Glasgow City Centre inviting people to help themselves to an air guitar!

Agency: The Bridge, Glasgow
Creative Director: Jonathan d'Aguilar
Copywriter: Gregor Stevenson
Art Director: Simon Parker

Ugly brood grows one, maybe two, stronger

Bop N' Beep love to do everything together.Be it an argument over snacks, which movie to see, or what color race car not to drive, they always see things quite differently from one another. Bop gets along really well with Ox (they see things X to X) while Beep happens to think Wedgehead really knows his stuff (just stuffm you know). So hey, are Bop N' Beep really attached to each other, or are they just really good pals? They got each other's backs Jack! Now they just need you to play referee.

Creature

By far one of the most beautiful books I have seen of late. Beautifully photographed, designed and written. It is a look at animals as you have never seen before.

Andrew Zuckerman is the photographer of this amazing book. I just got it yesterday, after Christmas day shopping with my sister, with gift cards received.

Click on the title link to see video of the production, the people behind the book, animal handlers and lots of behind the scenes.

Happy Boxing Day!

And for your reference. . .a template!

Mele Kalikimaka

As the song goes. . .

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you from the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun will shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas to you

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you from the land where palm trees sway

Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun will shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas to you

Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun will shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas to you

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you from the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun will shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way to say Merry Christmas
Merry Merry Christmas to you
Merry Merry Christmas to you

My parents got a Christmas Tree this year!

This is the FIRST time in my life that they have done so. Here are the stats!
• It is a beautiful Blue Spruce;
• It is approximately 75' tall;
• The ceilings in the house are approximately 9' high;
• It will NOT fit in the front door;
• It needs a little pruning!

All kidding aside! This is what my parents woke up to Sunday morning. Their neighbors' 40+ year old tree came crashing down to the ground Saturday night/Sunday morning in a wind storm!

The good news is, my parents huge pine tree seems to have deflected the tree from hitting the house and suffered the breakage of two or three solid branches. Good thing as if the tree fell in its path, it would have hit my parent's house and created much damage. As it is, it simply lies across their front yard. We cut a path through the tree so they can walk straight out their front door!

The police tape is for safety. When the tree was uprooted, very shallow root ball, it pulled up a power line to the neighbors outside lamp. And the tree is lying across the sidewalk. But is makes it look all CSI!

Today is NOT my parent's anniversary!

Every year my mother does not expect a call from me on their anniversary. That is because I usually call the next day, the 21st, to say happy anniversary. Their anniversary is the 20th.

Yesterday, I looked at the calender, saw the day, and said to myself, their anniversary is tomorrow. Today I woke up and realized it was the 21st, and then said, their anniversary was yesterday, so I called and wished my mother a happy belated anniversary.

Why? I do this every year! I believe it started many years ago when my mother told me their anniversary was the 21st so that I would miss it and not buy them a gift. I do not understand why, but as I was a child, I went along with it. I gave them a gift that year on the 21st and was told the anniversary was the 20th. Ever since then I go through this 20th/21st debate.

Fortunately, my parents expect this, so when I do not call on the 20th, they patiently wait for the call on the 21st. Last year I actually got it right to everyone's surprise!

Happy 48th Anniversary!

Seven Swans a Swimming!

Today is the 7th day leading to Christmas, seven swans a swimming. I am giving Lisa gifts according to the song this year. Today she received one of the most unique gifts I ever gave, a 75" long inflatable swan perfect for tubing on the river at camp!

Not everyone can give or receive such a gift. But when the two connect it is PERFECT!

If Lisa wants to share her other gifts, hopefully she will post them!

Sex is fun again!

If you're gonna do ads for something like condoms, then you better do something different to stand out (no pun intended!).

Ogilvy and Mather Singapore did just that! Take the Karma Sutra, the wonder of balloon animals and what do y ou get? A new, fun print campaign for Durex that is getting noticed. They say that bars are losing the posters as fast as they are put up. There is the mixed message of the complexity of pose v. "ease-of-use" ad message. Regardless, a fun playful ad that brings fun back into the bedroom!

Client: Durex
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Singapore
CD: Paul Anderson
AD: Elyn Wong
CW: Jo Collins

A Charlie Brown Christmas!

While at the HOW conference, I received a small pine tree in the conference bag. I brought it home, planted it, watched it grow for a short time and then slowly wither away!

I couldn't bring myself to throw it away so it stayed in it's pot on the porch all year! Well, here came Chritsmas and what a treat to actually have my very own Charlie Brown Christmas tree! I am hoping the neighbors help decorate it too.

BINGO!

The other day while playing Scrabbulous I did something I never did before!

TRAINEES! An 8-letter word (built of the E in DOTE) across 2 triple word scores using all 7 letters for a total of 131 points for the word! BINGO!

Friends and Glass

One of the last gifts I got for Hannukah was a Calico ball (U from yesterday's post). I really love glass, colored glass, clear glass, cut glass, I have even blown glass. So this was quite a nice and thoughtful gift.

With it came a little card that explained:

Calico Ball - This beautiful hand blown glass window ornament is traditional, known as a symbol of friendship. It sparkles in the light the way a good friend brings sparkle to your life. The colors swirl and mingle across the surface of the ball enhancing each other just as the talents and varied personalities of your friends bring color to your life. This ball has intriguing ripples and ridges making it a delight to touch as well as behold. Just like friends, no two are alike.

One could also add that like glass, friendships could be fragile too and need to be cared for.

I have it hanging underneath a light in my living room where it adds a warm glow every evening.

Hannukah Loot '07

I wish I could remember the order I received these in, but I can't!

But here is the list of loot received this year from a Hannukah elf. Yes! We have elves too!

A - Vanilla extract from Mexico
B - Mexican mask
C - Candle carver (turn apples into votive holders) and candy cane votives
D - Dip mixes
E - Bird seed ornaments
F - Monogrammed box
G - ASL paper clips
H - CD holder
I - USB desk lamp
J - Azteca Dunny
K - Pocket sized sudoku
L - Peach preserves from the Syracuse Farmers Market
M - Winegums (Mmmm! winegums)
N - Paperwhite bulbs
O - M&M mini lunch box
P - Monogrammed note cards
Q - Snowflake bath confetti (Lisa claims guys use it too!)
R - Syracuse Soapworks citrus soap
S - Scrabble Word-A-Day calender
T - iPod sock
U - Calico ball (more on that in another post)

ASL Final Expressive video

I just finished my final expressive video for my ASL class.

Here is what I learned!

What do you think was said? Post it and in a few days I will tell you the story!

Ho! Ho! Hostess!

Another holiday season, another Hostess Cake!

This year's Hostess cake took 24 Twinkies, 20 Suzy Q's, 30 Ho Ho's, four cans of Betty Crocker Chocolate Frosting, and four snowballs to make a Hostess Wreath!

O', as in Organic, Christmas Tree!

A quick disclaimer: I am not a scrooge! I love giving gifts and celebrating the season! Hell, if my cat would let me I would have a live tree. Instead I celebrate with my artificial tree. I love a natural tree, the smell, the natural beauty of it and all. That being said. . .

A neighbor of mine was telling us about their weekend plans. To the ooh's and aah's of some, he told us they are going to get a Christmas tree this weekend. . .AN ORGANIC CHRISTMAS TREE! They are going to jump in their Jeep Cherokee, drive 80 miles out to the country, cut down a tree; strap it to the roof and drive back another 80 miles.

Where do I start?! First off, aren't all trees by nature of being a tree ORGANIC? Yeah I know, tree farms use toxic pesticides to grow bigger better trees, but that is what people want.

I have also heard many times that the best way to be organic is to do so local! You have to consider your carbon footprint when buying organic. If the organic food you are buying is shipped in from California, consider all the resources being used to deliver that "better for the world" product to your table? It is considerable, from packing to shipping to marketing etc. Buying locally grown organics saves all of that and is truly better for the world in the end.

This Norman Rockwellian outing is loaded with bad things for the environment all in the name of being ORGANIC. Let's start with the less than fuel efficient vehicle. A quick Google shows an average MPG to be 16, 10 gallons of fossil fuel. On the Annual Greenhouse Gas Emmissions scale of 16.2/worse to 3.5/best it rates 11.4

At season's end, is that ORGANIC tree going to be composted properly? Every strand of tinsel removed meticulously so as not to add to the earth non-biodegradable materials? Or will it be out at the trash with all the wrapping paper, ribbons and packing materials destined to a landfill. How sad that would be an ORGANIC tree left to rot in a toxic landfill.

And lastly, would the best way to have an ORGANIC tree be to leave it growing in the earth where it can do the best for the environment? Cleaning the air, being a home and resource for all sorts of nature, removing airborn pollultants? The trees in all the tree lots have been cut down. If they do not sell they go to waste. The tree had to die for nothing! I say buy a tree that has been cut already. Why waste one of nature's creatures?

I think the best organic tree is an artificial one! Families have done this for years and typically keep and use the same tree year after year after year! That's my kind of organic tree. Leave the living ones alone to do their job in the world.

Shampoo collection addition - The Paramount

The week after being in Two Rivers, WI, I was in New York to see Cirque Du Soleil's Wintuk show.

The Paramount hotel, an Ian Shrager hotel, was where I stayed. It was the smallest room I have ever stayed! Well appointed and wonderfully functional and a wonderfully whimsical design of the rooms. The lobby is amazing and like many of his other designs.

Was surprised there was not a name/label on the toiletries! Two soaps, of the same, just different sizes, and a shower cap!

Shampoo collection addition - Lighthouse Inn

October brought to additions to the family, well hotel shampoo collection!

I found myself staying at the Lighthouse Inn, located in Two Rivers, WI during my workshop at Hamilton Woodtype.

They seem to be generic hotel products. The room was charming, I even had a lake view!