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The Woodies have a blog. It’s a kind of collective. Not sure we’re about to start a revolution baby, but we might kindle a small debate or two and perhaps raise a smile. Anyway, rather than just blogging corporate Woodreed by fielding our top Woodie (as so many other companies seem to do in a thinly veiled attempt at impressing with their profundity), we wanted all our individual voices to be heard. An agency’s most valuable assets are its people after all. Everyone’s got something to say here and with us everyone’s ideas and opinions matter.

Each week someone different will be blogging. It's mostly about stuff that rocks our world as well as the flipside – the things that just don't cut it with us. We'll blog about inside and outside – inside this glorious industry where we work and outside in the real world.
It's a bit of an experiment, so go with us on this one.

Hope you enjoy.

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Wear sunscreen

Below is the essay of Mary Schmich published in the Chicago Tribune  in 1997. Although I would like to say I know this essay as intimately as I do because of this publication, it is infact because of the Quindon Tarver song that was released by Baz Luhrman for which I can credit knowing these words as I do. When I am having a bad day, if you see past the rubbish song, the sentiment of the essay always inspires.


“Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young” written by Mary Schmich 

Inside every adult lurks a graduation speaker dying to get out, some world-weary pundit eager to pontificate on life to young people who’d rather be Rollerblading. Most of us, alas, will never be invited to sow our words of wisdom among an audience of caps and gowns, but there’s no reason we can’t entertain ourselves by composing a Guide to Life for Graduates.

I encourage anyone over 26 to try this and thank you for indulging my attempt.

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’97:

- Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

- Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they’ve faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

- Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday.

- Do one thing every day that scares you.
- Sing.
- Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts. Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
- Floss.
- Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and, in the end, it’s only with yourself.
- Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
- Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.
- Stretch.
- Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t.
- Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You’ll miss them when they’re gone.
- Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else’s.
- Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.
- Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.
- Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
- Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.
- Get to know your parents. You never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They’re your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
- Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.
- Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
- Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
- Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you’ll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.
- Respect your elders.
- Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.
- Don’t mess too much with your hair or by the time you’re 40 it will look 85.
- Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.


Photos taken from Posterous

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Is it a bird, is it a plane???

No it's Felix Baumgartner as he attempts to skydive from the edge of space.

Baumgartner is one of the world's most celebrated B.A.S.E. jumpers and extreme athletes.
 
At around 1.30 p.m. UK time today Baumgartner will attempt to skydive from an altitude of 36,576 meters. The jump will take place above Roswell, New Mexico and Baumgartner is attempting to become the first human to break the sound barrier unaided by a vehicle. After

The highest skydive record is held by retired US Air Force Col Joe Kittinger,  who lept from a balloon at an altitude of 31.3km in August 1960. He is also part of Baumgartner's team and will be the only voice to talk to him over the radio during the ascent and descent.

Good luck Felix I hope you are successful (I can't even begin to imagine how you are feeling as you look down at earth)



To watch the event live please go to www.redbullstratos.com

Thursday 4 October 2012

A little inspiration

Saturday was Layla’s day, around 200 people rallied around some wonderful friends whose daughter has sadly been diagnosed with a very rare form of leukemia; she is believed to be the only child in the UK with this type. At two and a half years old the amount of treatment they can give Layla at any one time means it will last 2 years. The amount of volunteers, donations and money spent on the day was phenomenal, over £12,000 was raised for the Royal Marsden Hospital who are caring for this little star.

Since being diagnosed Layla has taken everything thrown at her in her stride, she is an amazing, inspirational, brave little girl. And no matter what she always has a smile on her face. Inspiration to us all.