LAKE DISTRICT MEET MR SHY YETI...

Hello folks and folkettes,

...And so we reach the holiday that I've been looking forward to for the last few weeks... This is basically going to be a diary of what I got up to once I got to Keswick; what I saw and what and filmed and wrote about, but first I am also proud to be able to announce that during my week away we have passed the 10,000 hit mark on the MRSHYYETI Youtube profile... YAY!!!

Before we move on to my Lake District diary I promised to post the links to 3 old videos from 2008 that have previously only been available on Vimeo. They're still on that site, but most of my viewing traffic comes through Youtube these days, so I feel that these old poems need to find a home somewhere where they're more likely to be viewed, especially as some of the shorter pieces that I've loaded have ended up having some of the highest ratings. Sometimes people have only enough time for a bite-sized chunk of yeti poetics! That's fair enough...

Anyway, the poems that I have just loaded are DAREDEVIL, GOOD HUG and THINGS AIN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE (PT 1):

DAREDEVIL which can be viewed on Youtube at: http://youtu.be/5K77B1OpCfs

GOOD HUG which can be viewed on Youtube at: http://youtu.be/IVUL8jzVrcY

THINGS AIN'T WHAT... (PT 1) which can be viewed at: http://youtu.be/58mvrbk5NlA

These three poems are especially daft verse from my 2002/2003 collection published on lulu.com as THIRD AND 4TH TIME LUCKY - a compilation of my 3rd and 4th books: available at lulu.com/content/212786, but due out soon in 10th anniversary editions. This video was recorded on Sunday 28th September 2008 and has only previously been available on Vimeo. Camera: Kirk R. The copyright of this poem and film belongs to Paul Chandler 2002-2012.

When I can find the original videos for the very first films that I put on Vimeo in Summer 2008 then I'll also make those available on Youtube. I'll get searching for those soon...

Wednesday 1st August:

I headed off to the Lake District today, but started by posting the Youtube version of my old poem LITTLE PIG, one of my favourites - with any luck this will give it a bit of a wider audience. Anyway, off I went and it all went pretty smoothly; I took an earlier connection to Basingstoke via Woking and changed with plenty of time in good ole Birmingham where I went to University back in the day; 1992-1995 at Uni and then another six months into 1996 for my first job. During the journey I wasn't really in the mood for writing or reading and was saved from utter boredom by catching up with some excellent podcast episodes from the awesome people at: www.hysteria-lives.co.uk Once I reached Penrith I caught the bus, passing through Keswick and finally reached  my destination; the village of Braithwaite. Unfortunately by the time I arrived it was raining, but there was still time to pop to the local store and I took a few shots around the village, but wouldn't let the rain get the better of me - oh no! I set off for a little walk before dinner, my own master as my friends aren't due to arrive until Friday evening. I know the area well, having visited  5 or 6 times since the early 90s. Anyway, out I went and recorded a location version of EXIT PURSUED BY A YETI, even though it was rainy and muddy and I fell over! It was just great to be back and I took time to try and learn all the lines for this piece so I could read them directly to camera. Filming also featured a cameo by an old Sutton Park cast-member by way of a sub-plot; but you'll have to wait and see about that when the episodes are edited! It's really very silly...

Thursday 2nd August:

This morning I released my 2008 video for the poem MY MOMENT IS NOW which used to only be on Vimeo, but is now on Youtube too. After that I headed out to film, around mid-morning, after a spot of editing and a little work on the forthcoming Mouse Of Commons short story collection. From Braithwaite I walked into Keswick and took the boat at around 1 out on Derwentwater to Lodore Falls where I did a bit of filming for one of the new SHY YETI ON LOCATION episodes. After this I walked around the lake quite a way, recording new poem THE BEAST OF FRIENDS which appears in my new scriptbook of the same name, due out next month. Whilst I walked I listened to more horror podcasts and then took the boat back from Low Brandelhow. Once back in Keswick I had some delicious icecream, Rhubarb and Custard flavour and a white chocolate and raspberry flavour with Oreo bits in it! Fancy, aye!?! There was a bit of a queue for the fish and chip shop - but I waited as one has to in these circumstances... Needs must! Anyway I achieved my goal eventually and then ate my dinner on the walk back to Braithwaite. Once home I went for a swim and then popped online to write this and once I return to Oak Cottage I plan to drink some nice Swedish fruit cider and watch a horror film! Yay!!!

Friday 3rd August:

I had a quiet morning in on Friday, the weather wasn't awful but it wasn't great either and so I worked on a couple of my book projects (ARE WE THERE, YETI!? and TALES FROM THE MCWHISKERS' ARCHIVE) and made sure that all my photos and films from the holiday so far were safely back up. I had planned to go walking after lunch, but my old school friend, Paul H, who was due later in the day called to say that he was a lot closer to Keswick than expected and so he'd be arriving around 2pm. This meant we had a lot more time to go out and about and so we took a little drive to three lakes - chiefly Loweswater where I recorded the first verse of my poem THE BLACK-EYED GROWL and then on to Borrowdale where I recorded the second and third verses. Paul H offered to take the camera and did a good job and then we headed on to Buttermere, however there was nowhere handy to film and so we drove on a bit further into the valley to record the final verse of that piece. I had to compete over a helicopter that was travelling from a farm in Buttermere to the top of a nearby mountain and back to drop off fencing materials (we think!) This meant having to film the verse quickly when it was furthest away from us or else it managed to drown me out! After this we headed home, went swimming, out for dinner and then I did a little more work on the edited of SHY YETI BOTTLES SUMMER once Paul H had turned in. All in all a pretty good day!


Saturday 4th August:

Paul H was staying up in Braithwaite until Sunday - so was still around on Saturday morning with the helpful addition of his car! Saturday was also the arrival day of another "cameraman" in the form of flatmate Calum! The weather in the morning was okay, although it would become rather changeable by the afternoon. Paul and I went off in the direction of the Bowderstone just outside Keswick where I read my poem I SHOULD NEVER up on the stone itself (eeeks!) and also another piece called YOU DON'T EXIST on the way back to the car park! We then headed off to Penrith to pick up Calum, but ended up having time to have a coffee and for me to read an old poem of mine called WHO CARES? in Penrith Castle grounds. After lunch (Mmmm steak sandwich!) we dropped Calum back in Braithwaite as he wasn't feeling well and then headed for Keswick. The weather wasn't so good by this stage, but I did endulge myself with a yummy ice cream (pink grapefruit sorbet and raspberry ripple!) Paul and I then headed for the lake, via a cup of tea and walked along the headland again back to Friar's Crag, which is where the photo above was taken. It suddenly became very quiet - which gave me another chance to read a poem at short notice and so I choose old favourite MY DOG IN A DRESS. On the way home we popped up to Castlerigg stone circle, which was too busy for reading a poem at, but I did film a few shots and a brief farewell speech to end this particular series! I'm not sure how many episodes I'll have enough footage for, as yet. After that a swim, delicious pizza at STRADA (but not the chain version!) back in Keswick, fruit cider at The Royal Oak opposite our cottage and... well, here I am! Time for bed soon, but perhaps a little editing before I retire... Of course!

Sunday 5th August:

Today was Paul H's last day up in the Lakes with us - but we still managed to get a lot done... I actually didn't sleep too well and after an early bath (where I got an idea for a story which I really must note down!) I was up and about on a walk around Braithwaite by about 7am, returning to a point that overlooks the village which I'd not had a chance to revisit yet on this visit. The weather was okay and there were some strangely low-floating clouds about - however it was very damp as it had been raining over night. All the same I still had time to record a poem, a new one called MR MOSQUITO. I returned home by about 7.45, cooked breakfast for the boys and we then went out to explore Ullswater, including an interesting trip up waterfall. Despite the rain I got some good photos and footage for one of the future Lake-themed episodes; at the moment it looks like I'm aiming for 3 or 4 episodes, not quite sure yet...



After lunch in Windermere we headed towards Grasmere and walked around Rydal Water by the lake where I managed to film one of my older poems, FURRY FROM THE DEEP, which has never had a video before. Paul H headed off after this, at around 4pm and I did a little editing work! I've been very carefully backing up everything I've filmed - so paws crossed everything should get home safely! Other than that I also continued editing - before bed and...


Monday 6th August:

...First thing when I woke up too... The weather didn't look too promising today at first, but Calum and I took a track that I've walked before that starts in Braithwaite and just goes up to an old mine workings and back; you can go further but I never have. The clouds were low and it wasn't ideal - but I managed to read my old poem "IT", which is another collected from my SHY YETI RULES OK compilation.

In the afternoon I filmed some inserts to resolve the odd subplot about the puppet and the green blobby monster that I had started earlier in the week and then we headed up on of the hills; by which point the weather was much better. It rather looks like I'll have enough footage for 4 episodes set in the Lakes and so I finished the third episode and began the 4th by reading a piece called THE KING OF RHYME, the first of two poems that I plan to read which are poems about poets or poetry.

We decided against the round walk as it was pretty steep and came back the same way that we'd come. I did a similar walk to this on one of my other trips up here, although I'm not quite sure which one it was now - sometime in the late 90s or early 00s. After a swim Calum and I headed out for dinner to the Coledale Inn http://www.coledale-inn.co.uk/ and ate probably the best meal I had all week; garlic mushrooms (loads of them!) and a yummy pork steak with peppercorn sauces and vegetables. A good way to end a day... Although we did also pop to The Royal Oak opposite our cottage and I did a little more editing before sleeps.

Tuesday 7th August:

Another day of busy filming - our last full day up here. After a little editing over breakfast Calum and I headed back to Keswick - pretty much doing similar things to when I explored Keswick last Thursday. We took the boat around the lake again, but this time disembarked at High Brandelhow where I ate my lunch and fed the ducks and one cute seagull who I rather took a shine to. We then walked between High Brandelhow and Nichol End and I recorded videos for NEVER TRUST A SKINNY FISH AND CHIP MAN and JOHN, I'M ONLY RHYMING before catching the boat back to Keswick.

Back in the town we had ice cream - this time I choose Pistachio and Lemon Merigne. We also stopped for a pint of Unicorn (!) and I completed the only poem that I've really worked on in any detail during this trip - one inspired by my niece which is entitled SHAVING WEREWOLVES, which I think I might keep aside for Halloween.

Having finished this Calum and I had fish and chips and ate it on the same fallen tree trunk as I did back on Thursday. Between Portinscale village and Braithwaite, Calum took over as cameraman and filmed me reading another recent poem, MURDERING THAT SONG - which will probably end up being the last poem in the video. The last main bit of filming today was done in the swimming pool at Braitwaite when nobody was around and is basically me doing some links for one of the four episodes filmed up here, including some kind of bizarre pool-based yeti dance... underwater. Well, almost. I expect I'll do a little editing before bed and in the morning, well - there won't be time for much at all, I'm afraid! It's been a great trip... So good to be back in the Keswick area after more than five years. I'll be back. Oh yes... And today when I checked the MRSHYYETI Youtube account we'd hit 10,033 views! So, thank you everyone!

Wednesday 8th August:

I only had time for a quick mention that we were leaving and to do a link that will probably lead into MURDERING THAT SONG appearing on screen, even though it was actually filmed the previous day! The journey home went fine and all the footage was safely backed up - I'm expecting to reach these episodes about late September / early October as I am currently focusing on 3 other episodes that are already filmed, including SHY YETI BOTTLES SUMMER 1 - the other two episodes being THE EPISODE WITHOUT A THEME and BOTTLES SUMMER 2, but I'm not completely sure when I'll be editing those last two. There'll be another live show in early September and one other in mid November - not to mention hopefully two European jaunts - 1 in early October and 1 over my birthday the following month . More details on those when I have more news; still - that makes plenty of films for me to work on between now and Christmas. I'm still aiming to post another three Vimeo videos before the end of the holiday, not to mention the "lost" Hollywood episode which is all ready to be posted as soon as I'm back from holiday.

That's it now about the Lake District trip, but I can definitely promise plenty of photo galleries coming up from this trip once I start editing the episodes themselves, but you'll have to wait a while yet... Next week we will cover the period from my return from the Lakes, through my visit to Broadstairs for the folk festival where I'll hopefully get a chance to make another video and to read open-mike at some stage, until my return home again on Wednesday 15th August.

So... There we go! I hope you enjoyed this week's post - more soon!

Yeti hugs,

Paul xx

This post and its contents are Copyright Paul Chandler 2012.

THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS ARRIVE FOR MR YETI...

Howdy folks and folkettes,

Nice, aye!? This is the cover for the script book for the first series of THE BEAST OF FRIENDS, which should be out at the start of September and is being released as part of my 20th anniversary of SUTTON PARK. There should also be a new SUTTON PARK episode up around that time, as well - maybe two!

This week I'm going to continue with the diary of what I've been up to - writing about what's gone on between Monday 23rd July until the end of the month, which just happens to be the day that I usually post on here! It's also the day before I head to The Lakes - so next week's post will be all about that and probably won't get posted until late Wednesday or early Thursday.

I'm going start by sharing details on the live video that I loaded up late last week:

SHY YETI'S INTER-WEB / BLOG BONANZA SHOW - 2 is the second video from my recent Poetry Cafe show on Friday 8th June 2012 and includes poems by myself and the fantastic John Smallshaw, my special guest of the night. My poems include: CRASHING BORES, NEVER STEAL ANOTHER MAN'S RHUBARB, A CURE FOR ALL KNOWN ILLS, I WANT THEM TO SEE ME (ON TOP OF THE POPS) and THE CREATIVE GNU - not to mention a little limerick!  John's poems include: THE FUNFAIR and two others... Thanks to The Poetry Cafe, to all who came along to raise money for MS TRUST and special thanks to Dominic McCauley for filming events! Music is by Luca. This film is Copyright the performers, 2012. There may be more footage from both these May and June shows released later in the year, so watch this space!

Youtube: http://youtu.be/cFzjsavCbNA

Vimeo: This video may not be loaded on Vimeo until after my holidays, but it will be available by late August 2012.

...And so on to this week's diary...

Monday 23rd July 2012

I was only in work half a day today, but started by loading up the latest live video from June's BLOG BONANZA SHOW and got some poster's ready for September's SHY YETI GOES WILD AT THE POETRY CAFE show, so that I could drop it off at The Poetry Cafe itself later in the day. I was off to a meeting late morning, but had the afternoon booked off for Dominic's birthday. As well as all the cake and ice cream eating we filmed some introduction scenes and a yeti hand-jive for one of the September live episodes. The weather was gorgeous, so hopefully there will be a little summery weather to recall once the year is done! It may feel quite a way off until the next show; over a month - but what with being off work for three weeks I've started to prepare already. John S is certainly onboard and I've pretty much decided the line-up of poems that I want to read on the night; the first half being animal poems from SHY YETI GOES WILD and the 2nd half being pieces from ARE WE THERE, YETI!? The charity is also decided as The London Zoological Society, which fits the theme of the night, as well as being a good cause in the memory of  somebody special.

Tuesday 24th July 2012

Today began with a little more editing on the "Lost" Hollywood video and whilst at work I moved a lot closer to completing episode 3 of the second series of THE BEAST OF FRIENDS, whilst working out which will be the next Mouse Of Commons book that I prioritise once TALES FROM THE MCWHISKERS' ARCHIVE is published in September. I am currently working on the sequel to THE COUNTER-CLOCKWISE CONUNDRUM, but I don't think that's going to be ready by 2013, so I aim to work on a novella and some short stories - three of which I wrote back in 2007/2008. It'll either be called FIVE TAILS ARE BETTER THAN ONE or THREE TAILS ARE BETTER THAN ONE... depending how many stories are included! Other than this I also worked on proofing ARE WE THERE, YETI!? but with the end of term at college coming I'm not feeling my most motivated - I just want to get on holiday as soon as possible. Hopefully I can type up some of the short stories and poems that are waiting to be typed whilst I'm off - and get on with doing some editing for the 20th anniversary episode(s) of SUTTON PARK.

Wednesday 25th July 2012

Tuesday finished with a little more "Lost" Hollywood editing - and Wednesday began pretty much the same way. This time next week I'll be heading to The Lake District - so I'm beginning to get excited about going away and have started putting aside a few poems that I've not recorded videos for. Which reminds me, as of yesterday I began to narrow down my selection of poems for the September show. Even when I scale it down to roughly 20 poems per half I always find that's too many - but it's better to be prepared! This time the first half is going to be mainly animal poems - whilst the second half is pieces from ARE WE THERE, YETI!?, but I'm also trying to read a fair few new poems as well, to give them their live debuts! During the day today I did a few bits of tweaking on a number of the 10th anniversary editions of my earlier poetry collections; the next one out is THIRD TIME LUCKY in October - the first time it's been available on Lulu.com as a single volume. Today I also received my first copies of THE BEAST OF FRIENDS - Series 1 in paperback and very nice they look too. Along with working on any changes that my mum has suggested on the new Mouse short story collection today, I also as good as completed the third script of BEAST..., Series 2. That should be done by tomorrow.

Thursday 26th July 2012

I stayed up until about 1.30 am working on the Hollywood video - it's coming together nicely and I'm up to the end titles; although it still looks less like it was filmed in Hollywood and more like it was filmed in a quarry in Surrey on a rather dull, overcast day! When I got a chance today I continued tweaking various projects - finishing that third BEAST 2 script and also working on a new poem called THE MAN-EATER OF SURREY GREEN. My original aim was to post the new live video on Friday, my last day in work for 3 weeks, however I made it available on Thursday - and Facebooked about it the same night!

Friday 27th July 2012

My last day at work for aaaaaaaages!! HOOOOOOORAH! I started by Tweeting about the new video as Twitter had been down Thursday night due to Olympic overload or somesuch. During the day I did further work on the third script of BEAST 2 and worked on plans for the 4th episode - as well as typing the new poem and working on corrections that my mum had sent me for the Mouse book. In the evening I copied footage from my hard-drive to make up SHY YETI BOTTLES SUMMER and also material for the forthcoming 20th anniversary episodes of SUTTON PARK; both projects that I'll be working on when I'm in the Lakes. Whilst going through my back up drives I decided to load up 3 of my 2008 Vimeo only poems onto Youtube where they may get a bigger audience. I'll be making these available before I go to the Lakes, but will post the links in next week's post.

Saturday 28th July 2012

Not a lot planned for today, however I did decide to start posting those three old Vimeo films that I loaded on Youtube yesterday. I choose to post DAREDEVIL and will probably post the other two on Sunday and Monday before I leave for the lakes. I also worked further on the Hollywood video, I've taken a slight step back in getting it finished in the cause of making it a better finished film. I added photos from the period of the trip that the video comes from, something I had neglected to do until this point - I think it'll look all the better for it In the evening I headed out with DM and some other friends for a night of dancing in Vauxhall - I even managed to film a little bit too... You'll probably see the results at some stage!

Sunday 29th July 2012


Well, we did stay out until about 2, so technically most of the filming took place on Sunday! Just! I shot a few little nightclub scenes with friends and even managed a yeti dance on the streets. This footage will probably end up as the introduction to my first Lake District episode! Once home I made old video GOOD HUG available on Youtube and also completed SHY YETI'S "LOST" HOLLYWOOD VIDEO; it's also already loaded up - and appears to have done so without a glitch, so I rather doubt that I'll be able to wait until the 20th August to release it, but we'll see... I'm still in two minds at the moment!

Monday 30th July 2012

Today was the first proper day of my holiday and I began by posting the third of the three Vimeo videos that I loaded up the other day; this one being THINGS AIN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE )(PT 1) I'd stayed up quite late doing the information on the Hollywood video and am still considering whether to post it first thing on Wednesday morning before I head off on holiday or whether to leave it until my return. Anyway, I didn't spend all Monday indoors, oh no...  Calum and I headed for Arundel and walked along the river from Ford; also revisiting some of the parkland around the castle. Originally I had planned to record just one poem today - and maybe another on Tuesday. However, the weather was good, so I decided that actually I might record a sequel to my - as yet unedited, but next to be completed - episode SHY YETI BOTTLES SUMMER. In the end I recorded two stories MIST YOU and AUTUMN'S COMING and a poem - WAKE-UP CALL and will probably work to completing this episode tomorrow. All these pieces coming from my collection NOT AS SHY AS I WAS which won't be out for a while yet. All this and I also loaded up 6 more Vimeo videos from June 2008 which I intend to release over the next few weeks - but more about that in future posts...

Tuesday 31st July 2012

The first thing I did today was to post one of the Vimeo videos that Owen C and I recorded back in Summer 2008; I choose THE BALLAD OF A GO-GO BEAR and advertised it on both Facebook and Twitter. DM and I went to Weybridge around lunchbreak and although the weather wasn't as good as on Monday we managed to film plenty of footage to complete SHY YETI BOTTLES SUMMER 2, including reading a poem called AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM - lots of little sketches and, of course, a yeti dance. Otherwise I have just been working on editing the first episode of this series and packing for the Lakes trip, where I'll be heading tomorrow morning.

So, that's it for now... Next time - as I mentioned before, I'll be posting a little later in the week, with a review of what I've been up to during my time in the Lake District...

To finish with I thought I'd share with you that BEAST OF FRIENDS poem that I wrote to go with the new book. I'm holding the scriptbook back and releasing it, hopefully, at the same time as the new Mouse book and ARE WE THERE, YETI!? at the start of September. But here's the poem - which doesn't actually have a great deal to do with the series other than sharing a title with it!

More soon...

Yeti hugs,

Paul xx

PS At time of posting we had reached 9616 hits on the MRSHYYETI Youtube profile - so I am hoping by the time I return I can announce that we've passed that 10,000 mark a good 5 months earlier than I ever expected. Thanks again to everyone who has ever watched one of the videos there!

THE BEAST OF FRIENDS (A POEM)

Oh, the BEST of friends they were!

Became the BEAST of friends instead –

And always seemed to love a barney;

No matter what their mother’s said…

They were called the beast of friends –

Were always at each other's throats!
You’d hear more irritating bleating –

Than a field of rabid goats!
They always claimed to be good pals –

But with such fury did assert...
Directed squarely at each other –

It's a wonder they weren’t hurt!
With their teeth bared at the ready –

With their claws extended thus...
Were just the beastliest of friends –

Folk just ignored their random fuss!

They were called the beast of friends –

They always swapped a birthday gift...
Despite them being bitter rivals –

Despite their violent boyhood rift!
Oh, each ruck they had it seemed to –

End without an outright winner!
Forever shouting over breakfast –

Scrapping all through tea and dinner!
With their anger at the ready –

They kept on coming back for more!
They were the beastliest of friends –

Yes, they would bellow! Really roar!

They were called the beast of friends –

Folks ducked as fisticuffs were thrown...
Had been at war since they were born;

Although by then were fully grown!
By then were oh-so out of sorts –

And really feeling very cruel!
Stood back-to-back beside a tree –

About to stage a deadly duel!
With their guns cocked at the ready –

With their daggers freely drawn!
Those beastly friends by midnight; dead.
Quite sliced and diced upon the lawn!

They were called the beast of friends –

Their plight continues after death!
In the after-life keeping squabbling;
Even without the aid of breath!
So if you hear some great ta-doo...
Of rusty chains so loudly rattling...
Then it may be those bestest mates;
Now ghosts so busy up and battling!
Sticks and stones there at the ready;
With harsh words full of sarcasm...
Avoid those beastliest of friends –

Avoid their sticky ectoplasm…

Oh, the BEST of friends were they –

Now the BEAST of friends they be!

They enjoy a fight, yes, far too much;
To EVER curtsey or agree!

This post and its contents are Copyright Paul Chandler, 2012.

UPDATING THE RATINGS, YETI DIARY AND ANOTHER NEW VIDEO!!

Hello folks and folkettes,

First up this week, here are all the links and information that you need to know to watch the second episode of SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH. Oh - and the photo this week comes from the cover of my next Mouse Of Commons book, which should be out in September. Nice innit? The bear is, of course, Mr Charlie Grrr... Beargrrian celebrity and all-round greedy guzzling bear... Anyway!

This episode is the second part of a two part SHY YETI ON LOCATION series called SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH. Part Two is called DIAMONDS ARE ALL VERY WELL, BUT PIES TASTE NICER... and is a celebration of all things British, including some of the bad stuff too - in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee! It was filmed in late May and early June around Wimbledon, Salisbury and on the Norfolk Coast. It contains two poems filmed on location, POLITELY ENRAGED and BRITISH SUMMERTIME IS HERE. There is also much silliness, a yeti dance on a deserted beach and lots of gratuitous shots of tea and cake. This episode also stars Mr D McCauley, Mr M Notch, Mr C Williamson and Mr N Goodman and the camera was manned by myself, but also by Calum, Nick and Dominic. Music is by Luca. This film is a Shy Yeti Production and all its contents are Copyright Paul Chandler, 2012. There will be one more live video before the summer break, however we will return in late August for more poetic insanity from all around the world!

Youtube: http://youtu.be/Ib1pHY1cjQQ

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/46288678

I thought I'd start with a bit on what I've been up to this week...

Monday 16th July

As I begin most of my days at the moment, I began Monday by doing a little editing on Part 2 of SHY YETI YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH. I've reached the end title-sequence and the episode is really taking shape and is getting to be closer to the length that I'd like it to be. As for the rest of the day I did some work on BEAST OF FRIENDS, which all but makes this project complete once Dominic has proofed the final 4 pages. Dan also did a good job at proofing a number of short ARE WE THERE, YETI!? pieces.

Tuesday 17th July

A busy day today, as I was off work and so was Dominic and so we headed off in the Bushy Park area near Hampton Court to film what I'd hoped to film on Sunday before the engineering works scuppered our plans. We filmed a number of head-to-head pieces, recorded my new poem BEE-SOTTED, a yeti dance and also began work on recording another poem, THE BEAST OF FRIENDS, which I intend to finish filming at the weekend when out with Calum. I also got a lot of good footage of deer in the Park. In the evening I pretty much finished Part 2 of BEST OF BRITISH and it looks like it's going to be just over 11 minutes long; which is a duration that I'm quite content with.

Wednesday 18th July

Back at work today, so not so much time to write. I did try to get the new video converted before work, but it wasn't quite working - so I left it for later... During lunchbreak I posted Part 1 of BEST OF BRITISH to Vimeo and posted that week's blog; did Dominic's correction for the essay for BEAST - which means that project is now completed and also did a bit of tinkering on a couple of poetry projects. Mum's last correction for TALES FROM THE MCWHISKERS' ARCHIVE had also arrived, so I must work through those over the next week or so - meaning that this project is now almost completed too. In the evening I finally got that project converted and Part 2 was born and moving very swiftly onwards I started selecting poems from all the footage I have left over from my BLOG BONANZA SHOW that John Smallshaw and I did in early June. This is going to be the last video I post before the summer holiday and before I start work on the "lost" Hollywood episode that I've been holding back since November.

Thursday 19th July

Today began, once again, with a little editing before breakfast; selecting the poems to go in the 2nd of the BLOG BONANZA live show videos. I also got the new episode loaded up and advertised on Facebook and Twitter, as well ordering my first copies of BEAST OF FRIENDS from Lulu.com. Dan continued to help me with the editing for ARE WE THERE, YETI!? which is definitely helping with getting this particular book finished - whilst I also worked on what photos were staying and going from that project, to get the page number down from 400 to slightly lower. In the evening I did more work on the second BLOG BONANZA episode - choosing a nice selection of the poems that John and I had read on the night; trying to work out which ones hadn't been posted in the last video - or ever, in any form, if possible. At the moment the video is looking to be about 15 minutes long, but the Poetry Cafe ones usually are a bit longer. I also ended up doing a bit of work on the "LOST" HOLLYWOOD episode - and even carried one of the spare poems from the live video over to use in it. I'm trying to leave the "lost" video to work on over the holidays, but I'm quite excited about getting it finished - possibly because around about now last year I was going out there - so it's nice to be having some kind of Hollywood experience this summer, even vicariously!

Friday 20th July

Today, as usual, I managed a little editing before work - just deciding on the final line-up of what's going to go into the episode. The live episodes are always far quicker to edit than the "on location" episodes, but I still want to make them good and to contain interesting material from both John and I. Otherwise, in the day, I just tweaked a few of my projects and sorted out the hardback version of THE BEAST OF FRIENDS.

Saturday 21st July

I began the day by working on the 2nd BLOG BONANZA video - deciding on the final line-up of poems to go into it; 3 by John Smallshaw and 5 by myself, plus a limerick! In fact I'd pretty much finished the video by the end of the day. The only filming I did today was whilst at my friend Gibson and Mile's house - but all I can say is that it involved introductions for a future episode - but believe me, you'll be impressed! Either that or bemused!

Sunday 22nd July

I set the new live video processing over night and it was ready by the morning; I also did a little work on the Hollywood video ahead of time during the evening. I had planned to save this video for my holiday, but reasoned that there's no harm in starting it now in case I get less time than expected during my break. At any rate I want to work on a Sutton Park episode during my time off and can always move on to one of the Lakes videos once they're filmed. Got out on location today, along the Basingstoke Canal between Ash Vale and Brookwood; filming a newish poem called I AM A JELLYFISH for the EPISODE WITHOUT A THEME. Calum and Dominic came along on this walk - but Dominic did all the filming. Originally I'd planned to complete filming THE BEAST OF FRIENDS, the poem that I'd started to record on Tuesday in Bushy Park - however I couldn't find the script to be able to record it. It turned out that I'd hidden it inside my camera case - but I didn't remember this until I got home! I'll either hold back filming it now for one of the Lakes episodes or record it next weekend if I think the episode is short enough to include four poems. The weather was absolutely lovely on both Saturday and Sunday - finally Summer seems to have arrived - or at least for the next few days. Would be nice if it could last for, at least, some of my vacation - but my last day at work isn't until the 27th! *crosses paws*

...And, as promised, now to the ratings update...

RATINGS FROM YETI VIDEOS – AS OF 23/07/2012


1st A YETI BACK IN HOLLYWOOD – PART 1 = 224 views
2nd SHY YETI ON LOCATION IN DORSET = 217 views
3rd SHY YETI'S VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL = 201 views
4th TOO LATE – A SHORT STORY= 199 views
5th SHY YETI GOES TO HOLLYWOOD = 197 views
6th SHY YETI IN A SECRET LOCATION = 184 views
7th A YETI IN WINTER = 181 views
8th BALLAD OF A GO-GO BEAR = 179 views
9th SHY YETI AT THE COBALT CAFÉ = 164 views
10th OUT AND ABOUT WITH SHY YETI = 162 views
11th SHY YETI LIVE - 06/03/2010 = 157 views
=12th I AM NEVER INVITED TO ORGIES = 152 views
=12th YETI DANCE A-GO-GO... = 152 views
14th SHY'S SNOW SPECTACULAR = 148 views
15th YETI HUNT U.S.A – PART 1 = 141 views
16th UNGRATEFUL VALENTINE = 140 views
17th SHY YETI TALKS = 137 views
18th A YETI BACK IN HOLLYWOOD – PART 4 = 136 views
=19th YETI HUNT U.S.A – PART 3 = 135 views
=19th A YETI ON RADIO WEY = 135 views
21st SHY YETI OUT IN THE COUNTRY = 132 views
22nd SHY YETI RETURNS TO THE COBALT CAFE = 131 views
=23rd SHY YETI VERSUS AUTUMN – PART 1 = 129 views
=23rd SHY YETI LIVE – 02/04/2011 = 129 views
=25th SHY YETI WELCOMES SPRING = 127 views
=25th AN EVENING WITH SHY YETI... = 127 views
=27th A TALE OF 2 CITIES, 1 YETI - 1 = 125 views
=27th SHY YETI OUT IN THE NEW FOREST = 125 views
=27th A YETI BACK IN HOLLYWOOD – PART 3 = 125 views
=27th YETI HUNT U.S.A. – PART 5 = 125 views
31st ROCK ‘N’ ROLLERCOASTER SHOW - 1 = 124 views
=32nd YETI HUNT U.S.A – PART 2 = 123 views
=32nd A DEVIL WITHOUT HORNS – A POEM = 123 views
=34th A YETI IN PARIS – PART 1= 122 views
=34th SHY YETI’S MINI EUROPEAN TOUR 2011 – PART 2 = 122 views
=34th JUNK/FOOD GIG 1 = 122 views
=34th SOMETHING TO CHEW ON – A SHORT STORY= 122 views
=34th SHY YETI BACK ON RADIO WEY – PART 2 = 122 views
=34th ANOTHER EVENING WITH SHY YETI… = 122 views
40th A YETI BACK IN HOLLYWOOD – PART 2 = 120 views
=41st BEWARE OF THE VAMPIRE COWS!!! = 119 views
=41st SHY YETI LIVE - 06/03/2010 (2) = 119 views
=43rd SHY YETI LIVE – 22/11/2010 – LIVE REVIVED = 117 views
=43rd SHY YETI ON LOCATION IN DORSET (OUT-TAKES) = 117 views
=45th YETI HUNT U.S.A – PART 7 = 116 views
=45th A YETI IN PARIS – PART 2 = 116 views
=47th SHY YETI’S INTER-WEB/BLOG BONANZA - 1 = 115 views
=47th A TALE OF 2 CITIES, 1 YETI - 2 = 115 views
=47th SHY YETI GOES BUSHY = 115 views
=47th SHY YETI LIVE – 22/11/2010 – PART 1 = 115 views
51st YETI HUNT U.S.A. – PART 4 = 114 views
=52nd ROCK ‘N’ ROLLERCOASTER SHOW - 2 = 112 views
=52nd SHY YETI GOES WILD = 112 views
=54th SHY YETI TAKES (A TRIP) TO BATH = 111 views
=54th SHY YETI VERSUS AUTUMN – PART 2 = 111 views
=54th SHY YETI BACK ON RADIO WEY – PART 1 = 111 views
=54th SHY YETI IN A SECRET LOCATION (OUT-TAKES) = 111 views
58th YETI HUNT U.S.A – PART 8 = 110 views
=59th SHY YETI’S MINI EUROPEAN TOUR 2011 – PART 1 = 109 views
=59th YETI HUNT U.S.A. – PART 6 = 109 views
=61st SHY YETI ON RADIO FOR VALENTINE’S = 108 views
=61st A PERFECT MATCH = 108 views
63rd JUNK/FOOD GIG 2 = 107 views
=64th SHY YETI LIVE – 22/11/2010 – PART 3 = 105 views
=64th SHY YETI LIVE – 22/11/2010 – PART 2 = 105 views
66th YETI SPAGHETTI = 102 views
67th SHY YETI GOES WILD ON THE RADIO - 1 = 91 views
68th YOU CRAMP MY STYLE = 76 views
69th YETI SPAGHETTI (OUT-TAKES) = 65 views
70th LITTLE PIG = 64 views
71st SHY YETI GOES WILD - 2 = 60 views
=72nd MY MOMENT IS NOW = 58 views
=72nd PICCADILLY CIRCUS = 58 views
74th THEY WARNED ME... = 48 views
75th CRASHTESTBOYFRIEND = 47 views
76th SHY YETI’S BEST OF BRITISH - 1 = 43 views
77th SHY YETI GOES WILD ON THE RADIO - 2 = 42 views
78th SHY YETI’S BEST OF BRITISH - 2 = 40 views
79th SHY YETI LIVE - 18/11/2008 = 41 views
80th MY DOG IN A DRESS = 37 views
=81st THE TRUE LIGHT = 35 views
=81st THINGS AIN'T... = 35 views
83rd GOOD HUG = 30 views
=84th DAREDEVIL = 26 views
=84th THE SORRY TALE... = 26 views
86th RECKLESSLY = 24 views
87th A VOICE IN HIS HEAD = 21 views

Please Note: I have removed all videos that have no relevance to poetry, which is mainly the SUTTON PARK episodes - some of these rank as the highest rated films that I've done - but I thought it was easier to simply focus of the poetry films. It is heartening to see that there are already half a dozen or so episodes released in 2012 that are already in the overall Top 40.

Some further facts and figures before I head off - the youtube channel has now passed it's 9000th hit, infat it's closer to 9100 and also by the time this is posted, this blog will have reached its 7000th view. So, it's not just me reading this waffle after all; who knew!?! :)

As I've mentioned about 100 times now, by the time of next week's post I will be on holiday - in fact I'm not back in work until Monday 20th August, so this is effectively my end of term post; however I should have that live video from our June Poetry Cafe show, up by the end of this week and I am intending on posting on a weekly basis if at all possible; in fact I'm already working on next week's diary...

I'll leave you with a new poem - one that goes with the photos from last week's post and which I've filmed a video for which should hopefully be up in the autumn; but you'll have to wait a little while longer before that becomes available...

Yeti hugs,

Paul xx

SOMETHING'S UP WITH ROCKY LOBSTER


Something's up with Rocky Lobster…
He's as pink as pink could be…
Which suggests that he's been cooked…
But still he walks beneath the sea…
There's something odd 'bout that crustacean;
I have heard the sailor's say…
If t'was living as is normal –
Then he would be an ashy grey…
Oh, but Rocky stalks the seabed –
With a zombie's swaying gait…
Out in search of startled seahorses –
Behind the shells he lays in wait…
With the groan of the undead –
With his mandibles all swishy…
All the crabs know something's wrong…
Something quite odd - and very fishy!

Something's up with Rocky Lobster…
I really think he's pretty dead…
I just do not think he knows it…
He isn't blushing, yet he's red.
Which in a lobster is a bad thing…
No, it suggests that he's been boiled…
That the life's been steamed right out him…
That his ambition's have been foiled…
And yet Rocky staggers onwards…
Hunting hungry for his food –
He simply wants to eat their brains out –
He's quite deceased yet in a mood…
Rocky scavenges for victims –
He isn't someone you'd ignore…
That zombie lobster's coming for you –
To snap you right between his claw!

Something's up with Rocky Lobster…
Don't let him get you in his pincer –
Still he's moving pretty slowly –
He's such an underwater mincer…
He's such an oceanic terrorist –
He's such a menace from the deep…
Why won't he pack it in now, really…
Even the mermaids cannot sleep…
“What can we do 'bout Rocky Lobster?
He's really set to make his mark…
Last week he even came off best –
In a vicious set-to with a shark!”
There was just one thing to do 'bout Rocky…
He thought he was the great “I am…”
Well, they all lured him to the Coral –
And now he's trapped inside a clam...



SOMETHING'S UP WITH ROCKY LOBSTER comes from the book NOT AS SHY AS I WAS, due out late 2012, early 2013. This post and its contents are Copyright Paul Chandler 2012.

A DIARY OF A YETI AND ROCKY LOBSTER PHOTOS!

Hello folks and folkettes,

Seeing as we are hurriedly nearing the third week of July, with only a week or so more to go before my annual leave it probably about time for you to meet Rocky Lobster, star of my forthcoming SHY YETI BOTTLES SUMMER video.

Before we continued, I have some other news... The first episode of SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH is up and ready to view; so here's some details and the necessary links:

SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH is the first part of Shy Yeti's celebration of all things British, including some of the bad stuff too - in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It was filmed in late May and early June around Norfolk and Surrey and contains two poems filmed on location, REVOLUTION ON THE 8.15 and KISS ME QUICK and one piece, JEALOUSY DID HIM NO GOOD that was filmed at my ROCK 'N' ROLLERCOASTER SHOW at The Poetry Cafe, London on Saturday 5th May 2012. There is also much silliness, a yeti dance and lots of gratuitous shots of tea and cake. The 2nd part of this two part series will be up before the end of the month. This episode also briefly stars Mr Calum Williamson who also acts as cameraman, alongside myself. The live footage was filmed by Mr Dominic McCauley. Music is by Luca. This film is a Shy Yeti Production, its contents are Copyright Paul Chandler, 2012.

Youtube: http://youtu.be/CijtVmzLgM0

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/45960355

I also thought I'd give you a look into exactly what I've been up to in a diary-stylee this week - which is probably how I'll be blogging throughout my time off in August anyway.

Monday 9th July:

Up at 5.45a.m. for work and before breakfast I managed a few minutes editing on SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH - PART 1 which is currently around 12 minutes long and entering its 2nd edit. I also worked on the covers of both TALES FROM THE MCWHISKERS' ARCHIVES and put the finishing touches to the cover for the next book I'm about to discuss, THE BEAST OF FRIENDS... During lunch I focussed mostly on the script-book for this project, doing finally proof changes on Script 5. Dominic has been acting as my proofreader on this one. My friend Dan Hodges also did some proofreading on pieces called AMNESIA and BEE BUSINESS from ARE WE THERE, YETI!? I also did a little bit of work on a couple of Mouse books and on some of my 10th anniversary re-issues of my early poetry collections, the next one, due out in November, being THIRD TIME LUCKY. In the evening I continued editing, although had a few crashes with the software - all the same, I'm getting nearer completion! Dominic also completed proof-reading Script 7 of BEAST OF FRIENDS, so only one more script to go!

Tuesday 10th July:

I started Tuesday with a bit more editing before breakfast - every little bit helps; in fact I've now pretty much reached the end titles of the new episode. Still, a long way to go yet! Once in work I loaded up the Vimeo version of my previous episode SHY YETI GOES WILD... ON THE RADIO!!! PART 2, the links of which I posted last week - but you might as well have it again: https://vimeo.com/45491552

Other than posting this week's blog I also tinkered with the cover pages and put the finishing touches to Script 6 and 7 of THE BEAST OF FRIENDS, not to mention writing some lines for Series 2 and some paragraphs for a future Mouse Of Commons novel. I pretty much did a bit of everything that I'm working on and Dan H continued to help with the proofing for ARE WE THERE, YETI!? It's a long book, almost 400 page and 100 poems/stories, but we're getting there, slowly! After work I continued working on the latest video - deciding that part 1 was probably going to be too short, so I took the opportunity to add a poem that I'd not previously posted from my ROCK 'N' ROLLERCOASTER SHOW at The Poetry Cafe in early May 2012.

Wednesday 11th July:

Today, along with working on the other projects and pretty much putting the finishing touches to the first proper edit of of the next yeti film, I also managed to complete two new prose pieces. One is called A YOUNG HEAD ON OLD SHOULDERS and it's a pretty autobiographical piece - sort of looking back aged 38 and a bit and wondering how you got to be where you are now; but in a good way! It's also a call to never completely grow up and a reflection that when I was a teenager I was a bit of an old head on young shoulders, but how I now feel like I'm going in reverse as I get older; but on my own terms. The second piece is called WHEN TODAY'S MODERN ARTISTS ARE NO LONGER MODERN and it's all about wondering how today's modern art will fit in with the Old Masters in a 100 years time and also proposes that almost anyone with a bit of imagination could probably fill an art gallery should somebody decide give sponsorship to the tune of a million quid! Both of these pieces will probably end up in my NOT AS SHY AS I WAS collection, which I expect to be out late this year or early next.

My evening was spent putting the finishing touches to the new yeti video - titles, music etc and it came in at exactly ten minutes, which is kind of nice after the last few episodes have been slightly longer. During the day I was musing a bit about adding the live poem to the SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITAIN episode as far as whether the poem that I chose fitting the theme. The poem's called JEALOUSY DID HIM NO GOOD and I've never posted it online, until now. It's about a jealous man resenting everything - although that's not an exclusively British trait there is certainly a bit of a history of the Brits liking to moan - so I guess this poem does fit the episode after all!

Thursday 12th July:

The new episode was all ready to go when it suddenly occurred to me that Dominic deserved a credit as he actually filmed the footage from the Poetry Cafe. Thankfully it didn't take a lot of work to alter that - just changing the credits on the master project and reprocessing it! All done... Stranded at home a boiler malfunction (no, that's not a euphemism!) I tried to load up the video here, but came up against the usual problems that I have with my internet speed at home. So, it'll be debuting on Friday... Today, I also began work on  part 2 of SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH - I think it'll be a pretty easy edit and there are a few very silly bits by the seaside and lots of out-takes from what I filmed with Nick Goodman in Salisbury in mid-June.

Friday 13th July:

Happy Friday 13th!!

I began the day with a little editing of part 2 of SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH and also, once in a better location internet-wise, loaded up part 1, which this time loaded first time... I also did quite a bit of Part 2 in the evening after work - but currently have over 25 minutes of footage for that episode - so there's still a long way to go yet.

What can I tell you about Part 2?

Well, at the moment - unless I decide to add any further live footage - it contains two poems, one - POLITELY ENRAGED, filmed in Wimbledon with Dominic and Mauro making cameos and the other filmed in Salisbury, partly in my parent's garden - partly in the Cathedral Close where I used to go to school and partly at Nick G's house. This second poem is a proper "on location" version of my new-ish piece BRITISH SUMMERTIME IS HERE!! which I first debuted on Radio Wey at the start of June and also at my Poetry Cafe gig a week later. The video for this poem was a co-directed by myself and Nick G.

As for other projects, Dominic finished off the 8th and final script of BEAST OF FRIENDS last night and so I made all the necessary changes and now all we have left to proof is the little behind-the-scenes essay on the first series - and then it's done! Dan H has also been doing a fine job at proofing bits and pieces of ARE WE THERE, YETI!?! and I also had a brief discussion with my mum who is currently proofreading the last couple of stories of TALES FROM THE MCWHISKERS' ARCHIVE and is hoping to get those back to me next week - meaning that hopefully all three of the new books will be ready for release at the start of September, just before my next POETRY CAFE show.

Saturday 14th July:

Today I was out and about with Calum in the Syon Park and Richmond area of London; I did film a little bit for a new episode that is provisionally entitled THE EPISODE WITH NO THEME, although it was mainly introductions as the weather wasn't so great and it was very wet under foot. The poem I began to film is one that I've only recently rediscovered from my LOVESONGS FOR THE BITTER AND TWISTED collection from 2004, whilst working ahead on the 10th anniversary edition of this book. It's called WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM? and it's one I'll definitely record and probably perform live at some stage. I also wrote a new poem today, inspired by something that Calum said to me after I'd almost been attacked by a bee in Surbiton. The finished poem is very silly, but called BEE-SOTTED. As for part 2 of SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITAIN, I'm doing very well with this and have currently got it down to just under seventeen minutes.

Sunday 15th July:

...And so we come to the end of this particular yeti week...

This morning I finished the changes on my GLAMOUR, AT ALL TIMES poem - that I typed on Friday and did corrections on whilst out and about on Saturday. The original plan of going to Hampton Court and Bushy Park went out the window because of engineering works on the trains - although we might get down that way on Tuesday as I have a day off. Instead, Dominic and I nipped down the road and filmed the end of WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM? by the river, not to mention a silly head-to-head sketch. Useless fact #1... When this episode is eventually edited, if you look carefully you may notice one particular difference between the first verse and the other five and that is that I had a haircut and beard-trim between the two filming sessions! Part 2 of BEST OF BRITAIN is also doing well and as I sign off on this it's down to just under 13 and a half minutes and I've still the credits and out-takes to do; with a bit of luck it'll be finished and posted by the end of the week.

Anyway, as promised here are some of thos photos of Dominic, Rocky and I from our SHY YETI BOTTLES SUMMER episode, which I'm saving for September/October time.

We're approaching 9000 hits on the profile - at the moment about 150 off that amount, but hopefully by next week's post we'll be well past it and who knows by the end of August we might have reached 10,000 hits... Hoorah!

Next week I'll post the Rocky Lobster poem which goes with these photos and finally update you on those ratings, as we stand - every video that I have posted on Youtube up until those posted in mid-June have already gained over 100 hits, which is a big change since I last blogged the ratings.

More soon!

Yeti hugs,

Paul xx

This post and its contents are Copyright Paul Chandler 2012.

BEHIND THE SCENES ON SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH...

Hi folks and folkettes,

This week I'm going to share with you a few photos from my SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH episode which I hope ys have ready in the next week or so - well, at least part one of it! With a bit of luck both parts will be ready before I head off for my Summer holidays, but more about that in a bit...

Firstly however, I have another episode ready to post - the second of two videos from my last visit to Radio Wey at the start of June 2012, which includes five more poems and is 12 and a half minutes long. Here's the details of what's going on in it and all the links you need to watch it...

SHY YETI GOES WILD... ON THE RADIO!!! PART 2 is the second of two videos from my trip to Radio Wey on Saturday 2nd June. This time I came equipped with animal poems from my SHY YETI GOES WILD compilation - and one or two more. This second video includes the poems: RHYMES BEARS STEAL PIES FOR, A LITTLE MOUSE, BRITISH SUMMERTIME IS HERE, DO SHEEP MIGRATE? and A FLEA TEA PARTY... All poetting by: Paul Chandler (a.k.a. Shy Yeti)  DJ: Tim Mitchell... Camera: Dominic McCauley and Paul Chandler. Music: Luca...  Big thanks to Tim Mitchell, Dominic McCauley, Radio Wey and all the animals that agreed to appear. All footage, poems and additional content of this video belong to Paul Chandler and Tim Mitchell, 2012. A Shy Yeti Production, 2012. There will be more videos later this month...

Youtube: http://youtu.be/3SoofextX3c

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/45491552

SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH, which I just finished down in Salisbury was filmed between Thursday 31st May and Saturday 15th June 2012. Originally I had intended it to be a single episode, but when downloaded the footage I found that I had over an hour's worth of poems, sketches and photos and so decided to split the episode in two; exactly what bits will appear where yet I've not decided. However, it seems like the best decision, given that the SHY YETI GOES WILD videos only had 45 minutes worth of footage and they were hard enough to cut down to the required length. My TALE OF TWO CITIES, 1 YETI 2 parter had about as much footage filmed for it; so 2 episodes seems about right! Why not, aye!?

There were a number of locations used during the filming of this episode, various places on the Norfolk coast, Salisbury and also Wimbledon Common. I'll say no more for now, but here are a few behind-the-scenes photos, as promised...

I forgot to mention last week that filming has been continuing on my SHY YETI BOTTLES SUMMER video, which I intend to put aside until September or October. On Saturday 30th June I recorded another poem for this episode I AM SICK (BUT DO I WANNA BE CURED), along the riverside and University Parks of Oxford. My cameraman was Dominic McCauley and that now means we have three poems already recorded for that episode. I rounded off the filming of the episode on Sunday 8th July along the Wey Navigation in Surrey, once again with Dominic as my cameraman. All that was required to complete this edition was a yeti dance and a little silliness between the two of us about "bottling summer"; so I guess it's pretty much finished... Still, as I've said - I'm keeping this one under-wraps for the autumn - not like that it feels like we've had a summer. Ironically the weather was good every time I went out to film on this one - even if it then began to rain only minutes later!

Meanwhile, elsewhere... Once the BEST OF BRITAIN episodes are edited I intend to move on to either another live video from the BLOG BONANZA show or start work on my "lost" Hollywood episode which I recorded in Los Angeles back in mid-November 2011; although I am intending to keep that one as a bit of a project to work on whilst I'm up in the Lake District at the start of August.

Next week, I'll be introducing you to a lobster named Rocky who makes his debut in the SHY YETI BOTTLES SUMMER episode and I'll hopefully have some good news about what books will be out and ready by the end of August, not to mention there should be a new episode of something to post!

That's it for now, more soon!

Yeti hugs,

Paul xx



The post is Copyright Paul Chandler, 2012.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF SHY YETI GOES WILD - TWO!!

Hello folks and folkettes!

This week I'm posting a few photos from behind the scenes on the one of the episodes I was busy working on during my week off at the end of May and early June. These photos will make up the episodes SHY YETI GOES WILD 2 which is also now ready to view - so before we go any further, here are all the links that you need to know and a bit about the new film:

SHY YETI GOES WILD - TWO!! is the sequel to SHY YETI GOES WILD!! Who knew!?! It was filmed during May 2012 in various locations around London and Surrey and contains three poems and two yeti dances. The poems included are: A WASP IN A WIG, COLIN THE CUSTARD EATING SPIDER and THE STAND-UP CHAMELEON; there are also a fair few silly attempts at animal-related limericks. Special guests include Dominic McCauley and Calum WIlliamson. Music by Luca. All poems and content of this film are Copyright Paul Chandler 2012. SHY YETI GOES WILD - TWO!! is a Shy Yeti Production.

Youtube: http://youtu.be/cE3HYQ5_Mlg

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/45116718

Please note: The Vimeo version of this film is a slightly under ten minute edit compared to the original which is almost 15 minutes, however it retains all the poems and yeti dancing, losing only some of the views, some out-takes and a small percentage of the additional silliness... involving a werewolf! Ahem.

Next week we'll be looking at the other show filmed during my May/June holiday, my SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH episode...

Over the next few weeks we'll also be looking at some of what you can expect from my forthcoming Summer holiday - which, I can assure you will definitely involve the recording of some new SHY YETI ON LOCATION episodes for late Summer / early Autumn, not to mention an opportunity to edit the 2nd of 2011's two "lost" episodes...

Anyway, here's that poem as promised - a live version appears last up in my recent INTERWEB/BLOG BONANZA show video: http://youtu.be/3RwIHwomio4 I still consider this version still a draft version - as until the book is published I reserve the right to change any element of the piece that I fancy! (But in this case I probably won't!)

More soon - yeti hugs,

Paul xx

BRITISH SUMMERTIME IS HERE


British Summertime is here!

The wind is in the trees…

There’s mist upon the ocean –

And there’s raindrops in the breeze!

The ducks have their umbrellas out –

The swans are swanning off…

All the scarecrows have pneumonia –

Or at least a nagging cough!

There’s a chance of sleet, this evening…

So, you’ll need to wear a coat!

There’s a flood forecast for Friday…

So, I’d buy yourself a boat!


Summertime’s hard to predict –

What weather may arise?

Any chance of warmth, unlikely.

But could we cope with that surprise?


British Summertime is here!

The grass is frozen solid…

The birds are skating on the ice –

But they are looking slightly squalid…

All the garden gnomes are striking –

They’ll emigrate to cosy climes –

All the gold fish look so glum…

They’re harking back to finer times…

To days when Summer holidays –

Guaranteed a little fun;

And lotion was applied –

To give protection from the sun…


Now Summertime’s hard to predict –

What weather be occurring?

If the clouds begin to swirl;

Then a tsunami may be stirring!


British Summertime is here!

But so is hail and thunder…

Fish and chips and mushy peas –

Bus-stops to shelter under…

The puddles grow, the tourists scream –

Their sunhats have gone floppy!

Down on the farm, knee-deep in mud.

Even the pigs are getting stroppy!

Those on the beach got washed away –

And floated out to sea…

They lost all their belongings –

And the gulls ate their cream tea!


Summertime’s just a non-starter…

Will the weather find its feet?

You’re gonna have to wait ‘til Winter…

To earn yourselves a little heat!


British summertime is here…

There’s a blizzard round the corner…

We are not too keen about it –

And nor’s the flora and the fauna!

We’d just like a little sunshine –

Just to have a little bask…

Just to get ourselves a tan!

I mean, is it much too much to ask…

For the rain to just stop falling?

For the fog to just dissolve?

Why can’t the weather get it right,

For once?

Why can’t the seasons just evolve!?


Summertime’s quite hard to gauge…

Just get out there, don’t delay!?

You’re either hot or freezing cold…

Have a happy holiday!!

This post and its contents are Copyright Paul Chandler, 2012.

ANNOUNCING A "WILD" RADIO WEY VIDEO!

Hello,

Some of you may recall that I "appeared" on Radio Wey again a few weeks back, Saturday 2nd June to be exact! It's always great to broadcast with my friend, Tim Mitchell, whose show it is - but even more of a privilege this time as he came out of retirement to do a show, as he's not been doing a regular slot since he became a dad for the second time, earlier this year. Of course, when I say "appeared" some would presume that I meant "was heard" on the radio - but as readers may know I always record whatever poems or stories that I read on Radio Wey - and this time was no exception...

As I mentioned at the time, ever since my last visit to the station in early February for Valentine's Day I have been planning my next trip and had decided that I'd like to do a show about animals and pets and therefore read a lot of my animal poems. In fact, this is how the compilation and videos SHY YETI GOES WILD originally came about.

There was enough footage for me to edit together two full episodes - there are links to the first one below, but I'll save the second one until next month and get editing SHY YETI GOES WILD 2 first... I'm hoping that all three of these episodes will be available before I go on Summer holiday at the end of July! In fact SHY YETI GOES WILD 2 is doing pretty well and should definitely be up by next week as I've already completed a first edit of it, which only needs to be edited down a little. Of course, once those films are ready I'll be off filming some new episodes; up in the Lake District and back down in Broadstairs to name just two of the locations that I'll be visiting... More nearer the time!!

Anyway, here's the details of that first WILD Radio Wey episode...

The first of two videos from my trip to Radio Wey on Saturday 2nd June. This time I came equipped with animal poems from my SHY YETI GOES WILD compilation - and one or two more. This first video includes the poems: BECOMING MORE CAT-LIKE, THE SORRY TALE OF FRED THE DINOSAUR, RABBITS DON'T REALLY LIKE LETTUCE, THINGS AIN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE - PART 1, WHY DON'T DRAGONS CLEAN THEIR TEETH and READY, TEDDY, GO... All poetting by: Paul Chandler (a.k.a. Shy Yeti)  DJ: Tim Mitchell... Camera: Dominic McCauley and Paul Chandler. Music: Luca...  Big thanks to Tim Mitchell, Dominic McCauley, Radio Wey and all the animals that agreed to appear. All footage, poems and additional content of this video belong to Paul Chandler and Tim Mitchell, 2012. A Shy Yeti Production, 2012. Video two will be loaded next month!

Youtube link: http://youtu.be/umte00suPyg

Vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/44714823

You will probably notice when watching that I rather race through READY, TEDDY, GO... That's because I was battling to get the poem read before the 9 O'clock news kicked in! I just about managed it without cocking up too many lines! Anyway, just so you know! I don't usually read quite that quickly!

Next week I have some more photos to share with you from the filming of both SHY YETI GOES WILD 2 and SHY YETI'S BEST OF BRITISH... which I worked on in late May during my time off! .

Anyway, that's it for now...

Yeti hugs,

Paul xx

PS Just to let you know - we just reached our 8000th hit on the MRSHYYETI Youtube profile this weekend, just gone! Thanks again to everybody who's been watching! I do intend to update the ratings in the next few weeks, before I go on leave at the very latest! Honestly!!

This post is Copyright Paul Chandler 2012.