Jómsborg the New: Veizla 2004

The Veizla is the annual dinner of Jómsborg the New, and also marks the inauguration of a new Reeve and Companions. There will be a mead reception with puzzles and the annual Jómsphoto, followed by dinner (during which people will be asked to answer the Reeve's challenge - see below), followed by port and more mead, and the traditional announcement of the new Reeve and Companions. Afterwards we will retire to 155 Gilbert Road for further merriment.

If you intend to take part, and have not yet said so, you must e-mail soc-cusfs at lists dot cam dot ac dot uk., by 6pm on Friday 11th. Please say whether you want a vegetarian or omnivorous meal, and whether you want alcohol or not. There is a limit of 35 places.

The mead reception starts at 6:30pm (note the slightly changed time) and dinner at 7:30. There will be Jómsvikingar in the porters' lodge at 6:30ish. If you're late, we will be found drinking mead in the walkway and surrounding gardens - follow the main corridor from the porters' lodge until you reach the outdoor part and we will be somewhere nearby (look for the orange scarves). If you're really late we will be in the Council Room for dinner (ask the porters for directions).

The finalised omnivorous menu is as follows (this has changed from the provisional menu previously published):

• duck and orange pate
• chicken supreme, mushrooms and tarragon sauce
• raspberry brûlée tart

The vegetarian menu is as yet unfixed; if you want a vegetarian dinner then please e-mail soc-cusfs at lists dot cam dot ac dot uk. to let us know what your food dislikes are, so that the New Hall Catering Dept can invent something which avoids them.

The dress code is black tie or fancy dress.

The total cost will be £25 for drinkers, £15 for non-drinkers. Make cheques payable to CUSFS and send them to Helen Cousins at Newnham College (CB3 9DF) or bring them along to the dinner itself.

There is also a challenge!

"For the amusement and entertainment of the Reeve and assembled company, you are requested to prepare a poem on a subject of interest to Jómsborg (suggested themes being the virtues of mead, how much you would really love to invade Norway, why we are all going to Valhalla, what makes a really good book... but whatever you like really). The Reeve would much prefer that this poem is in a recognised poetic form; here is a handy list of such things (and yes it includes free verse and *yes* that would be a cop-out, so ner.)

"Extra mead for anyone managing to write a sestina or villanelle including the Jómsborg motto 'Eigi Eru Enn Allir Jómsvikingar Dauðir' ('Not Yet Are All the Jómsvikings Dead'). Extra extra mead for anyone who makes the Reeve laugh."