And the TYRCTWW 2011 Winner is.... (envelope please)
"Chicken Blight" by Tina Caputo!
Thanks to everyone who entered, and to everyone who voted!
(Needless to say, stay tuned for more Twisted Fun coming soon!)
twisted oak winery
yet another place to post *%#&@!
Voting Opens for Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week!
The Twisted Judges have made their decisions and now it is your turn to vote for your favorite TYRCTWW entry. Just visit the following link to vote:
If you are mobile-y inclined, here is the iPhone & Android compatible page:
Voting ends April 11th!
(Euphoric rubber chicken tossing photo by Lynn Hirth)
Yes, We Have No...
We have great news for you! You don't need a dinosaur, just a rubber chicken!
(yet another random vintage photo)
How Not to Enter Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week
1. He's sitting in the Boss' chair.
2. He's not smoking in the designated smoking area (which is usually next to the freeway.)
3. That chicken doesn't look very rubbery.
Can you spot any other problems? Remember to enter by March 30th!
(random vintage photo found randomly)
Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week FAQ #4
Q: I don't have a job, what do I do?
A: As the song says "Get a haircut, and get a real job!" If that doesn't work, or you are retired, or you are hairless, it's time for plan B. Here are some Helpful (Twisted) Hints:
- Borrow a job: I'm not suggesting you pretend to be someone else and go to their job - I think they tried that on "I Love Lucy" and Lucy got in big trouble. But you could just visit a friend and have some surprise rubber chicken fun.
- Charity work: Do you volunteer for some good cause? Take your rubber chicken the next time you volunteer and make it an even better cause.
- Go hunting: For a job, we mean. And take your rubber chicken with you. Some of our best entries in past years have been built around the job hunt (see above).
- Stay at home Mom or Dad? Most important job in the world! (No really!) Take your rubber chicken along during your parental activities, you might be amazed at how useful a rubber chicken can be.
- Or, just do something. Really. We're just looking for funny pictures of rubber chickens.
Remember, the deadline for entering TYRCTWW is March 30th!
(photo by 2008 TYRCTWW finalist John Potter)
Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week FAQ #3
Q: I don't have rubber chicken! What do I do? Oh, the humanity!
A: Don't panic! Sit down and I'll explain. Rubber chickens are a common pet toy (why shouldn't Fido also have a laugh now and then?) and are available wherever pet supplies are sold - even at Tar-jay and W-W-W-Walmart.
Or, you can order an original recipe Twisted Oak rubber chicken here, just $6.95 postpaid.
There are a few valid excuses for not entering TYRCTWW, but lack of personal rubber poultry just isn't one of them.
(photo by 2010 TYRCTWW finalist Brad Taylor)
Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week FAQ #2
Q: What is the best way to submit my photos or video?
A: I must have your email address to award a prize, so naturally the best way is by email to tastingroom@twistedoak.com. Attach the file(s) to the email, and send more than one email if you need to.
You may of course instead post your pictures to Facebook, You Tube, Flickr, or whatever tickles your fancy (but please, don't send pictures of you tickling your fancy with a rubber chicken) (unless of course it's your job to tickle fancies with a rubber chicken) (you know, something like that could go viral) (just saying).
But wherever you do put your stuff, please send me an email pointing me at it. I don't want to miss your entry!
(photo by 2010 TYRCTWW finalist Lori Hoffman)
Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week FAQ #1
Q: My rubber chicken is already at work! Should I bring it home?
A: Absolutely not. Clearly your rubber chicken has already been integrated into your workaday routine. Show us how your Rubber Chicken Friday helps you in your workplace!
(photo by 2010 finalist Allyson Griffie)
Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week 2011!
Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week starts now and ends March 30th. Yes, we know that isn't really a week. Heck, it's not even a fortnight. We just want to give you plenty of time to find a job (or borrow a friend's job) and come up with an entry. Really. Plenty of time.
Ready to go? Just a few simple rules:
- Go to work, and take your rubber chicken with you. (This seems obvious, doesn't it?)
- The rubber chicken(s) (you may take more than one) must be made of some rubber-like compound (does it stretch a little? bingo!) and must look like a chicken (absolutely no *%#&@! duckies!) It does not have to be a Twisted Oak Original Recipe Rubber Chicken.
- Take pictures or video of your rubber chicken at work. Pro tip: One good picture is more likely to win than 50 average pictures. Please just send your best. (We also reserve the right to select a few of your many for the voting.) Another hint: FOCUS!
- Send us your high resolution photo(s) or video (email tastingroom@twistedoak.com), or post them up someplace and send us an email telling us where they are. (Hint: if you post them, make sure they are publicly accessible! You may even choose to post them on the wall of the Twisted Oak Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/twistedoak)
- You have until March 30th to send us your entry. We will acknowledge your entry. If you don't hear back from us in a day or two, panic.
- Fabulous prizes will be awarded as compensation for the best photos and videos submitted. The Twisted Judges will select a number of semifinalists, and a winner will be chosen by public vote. If there is a tie in the final voting the winner will be chosen by Twisted Oak Winery staff. Hey, it could happen.
- Submissions will be judged for humor, originality, humor, creativity, humor, and technique. Did we mention humor?
- You must be 21 years or older to enter.
- By sending your photos or videos to Twisted Oak, you agree to let us publish them on our various and sundry web sites and publish them in any printed matter. We don't expect this permission to be exclusive, and we can't and won't transfer that permission to anyone else without asking you first. And when we do publish your photos and/or videos, we will always give you full credit. That's forever.
- Twisted Oak Winery reserves the right to disqualify any entry that does not meet the spirit of the event, is a no-no where you live, or does not follow the rules. We also reserve the right to disqualify any votes that are determined to constitute ballot stuffing. Play nice!
- Twisted Oak Winery is not responsible for any loss of employment that may result from your efforts. However, Twisted Oak Winery is also not responsible for any promotions or pay raises you might receive. That's all yours, baby!
And the prizes? All qualified entries will receive a $10 MasterCluck gift card, which can be used to order wine online at twistedoak.com. Finalists will receive a $75 MasterCluck gift card, and the winning entry will receive a $250 MasterCluck gift card!
Questions? Email tastingroom@twistedoak.com(2010 winning photo by Liz Pope, USAF)
I can't take your case! It's too sensitive!
The other day I was playing around with a new Google thing called Ngram - where you can search all of the words in the 5 million books they have scanned and put online.
My friend Tom pointed out to me that the search is case sensitive - he pointed out that "Bourbon" gives a different result than "bourbon". Of course, "Bourbon" will give you all sorts of references to both booze and boozed up monarchs.
So, how about "wine" and "Wine"?
As you can see, something profound happened in the mid-1700's. Wine went from being "Wine" to instead being just plain "wine". The graph shows such a profound switch I wonder what happened? Maybe Ben Franklin had something to do with it?
What's your theory?
