HAHA MEETING 1ST JULY 2010

I have only just found time to publish this blog following today's successful HAHA meeting.

Our speakers today were Wendy Aspland of Smart Cat, and Kate Jackson of Provision TLC.

Wendy and Kate are two independent Personal Development Coaches who come from quite different professional backgrounds. Today, they pooled their knowledge to present a very thought-provoking, fun, interactive talk.

In the exercise they gave us, we all had to stand in a circle around Wendy. Kate then announced what she could see when she looked at Wendy (ie, two eyes, two hands and two feet). As we moved around the group, people saw less of Wendy's eyes, hands and feet and then others saw more as we moved round to those facing her. The point being made here was that the subject remained the same but we all saw different things according to our particular perspectives.

We were then asked to interact with others in the group to complete a questionnaire aimed at finding things in common. This was a great deal of fun, and very useful to the more introverted of the group who aren't quite so comfortable with striking up conversations. They were grateful for the opportunity to 'go up to someone' in this way. Most useful!

Thank you, Kate and Wendy, for a most enjoyable and highly effective presentation!

Summer in my Shack

Well, it looked like summer was here last week! What has happened?

Last week, I was cool and shaded in my wooden office, with the sounds of the birds around me! Today, I am working from the house! Although I know it would still be comfortable, I don't want to get wet running up the garden! Isn't that pathetic?! Still, at least I'm not stuck in a traffic jam on my way to a sweaty, people-packed office (I've done that before, and I didn't like it!).

Guy and the team are currently working on a building project in London, so no Shacks right now, although there are a number of enquiries in the pipeline. It's encouraging to see how many people are switching on the idea of working from home. And, with an office or therapy suite in the garden, they don't need to lose their spare bedroom!

We hope the next Shack we build will be nice and close to home - somewhere within the Midlands, would be nice (Leicestershire or Northamptonshire would be fantastic!). The good thing about this neck of the woods, of course, is that it is commuter belt. All those people trecking all those miles when they could carry out their work just as well (if not better) from the comfort of their own home office. And they money they spend on the building won't disappear (unlike the hundreds of pounds spent of petrol/train fares), but will be an added asset to their homes.

Updates on the Work Shacks front will follow in the near future. Best regards to all.

Successful HAHA meeting

I would like to thank Andrew Seaward of Cocktail Shaker Boys (www.cocktailshakerboys.co.uk) for giving the HAHA members an extremely informative and enjoyable talk about marketing your business free-of-charge using the internet and social networking sites. Andrew used his experience in the marketing industry and applied it to Cocktail Shaker Boys to show how easy and convenient this is.

Andrew has given me the spur I needed to find out more about marketing both Work Shacks and the Harborough Area Homeworking Alliance via such methods. Thank you, Andrew!

More information about the Homeworking Alliance to follow shortly.

HAHA meeting today

Thanks to all who attended today's HAHA meeting - it was yet another hugely enjoyable morning out!

I would also like to thank Julia Trustram Eve and Emily Keal for giving their fascinating presentations.

Emily taught us about the world of pearls (how they are formed, what their values are and how to tell one from another). We got to handle (and buy) some lovely jewellery and, on a personal note, Emily has been kind enough to mend some of my own pearl jewellery. She is clearly very talented! You can learn more about Emily and her work at www.byemilyjane.co.uk.

Julia gave a marvellous presentation on the wonderful world of English wine. Julia has worked in the industry for years and is hugely knowledgeable. I think we all learned a lot about English wine and how well it is selling these days (and how many awards it is winning!). I think a wine-tasting is on the cards for later in the year!

As always, it was great to see everyone and I very much look forward to our next meeting.

Jane.

The latest Shack is complete!

I thought I would let everyone know that the latest addition to the Work Shacks' portfolio is now complete!

The two-office Shack, built in the garden of a rural Leicestershire house, is large, airy and ready to receive its occupants! And, with its own loo, there's no need for anyone to be leaving it until the end of each working day. And it's big, too! In fact, I have lived in smaller spaces (no kidding)!

Guy, knowing how big the Shack needed to be, pushed the size just to within the Planners' limits. So, no Planning Permission required here! A superb bespoke design for considerably less than an extension of equivalent size would have been!

Well, our customers are delighted with their new office and Work Shacks are very proud to have this beautiful garden building in their portfolio.

We look forward to bringing news of our next Shack!

Jane.

HAHA meeting today

I would like to say what a super meeting we had at HAHA today. Our speaker was Steve Bowkett, Hypnotherapist, and he gave an informative and highly enjoyable talk, sharing with us a little about how the therapy works and highlighting this with a couple of case studies.

As well as being a former teacher and the author of children's books and instructive texts, Steve has worked for some time as a Hypnotherapist in the south Leicestershire area. He clearly has a lot of experience and is a great speaker. Thanks, Steve!

Steve can be contacted at steve@bowkett.freeserve.co.uk, or on 01858 565657.

Thanks to all who attended - it's always good to see the Homeworking Alliance members!

Snow, snow, go away!

Well, I hate to be a misery as I really do love snow, but it's all getting a bit much now!

I mean, it's great when you've nothing more urgent to do than to go sledging down a hill on a tea tray, but when you're trying to work outside, it can become a pain!

I'm referring, of course, to Guy's current Work Shack project in Skeffington, Leicestershire. The ground works are underway, but the snow is seriously impeding progress! I believe it's difficult to work on the ground, when you can't actually see it!

However, things are going well with the new garden office. It's pretty much on schedule and Guy is trying to work on the roof in a friend's barn while the snow is about, so we're getting there!

I am tucked up nice and warm in my own garden office. With all this insulation, I believe it's probably warmer in here than it is in the house - in fact, the dogs have opted to join me, so I think it must be the case!

I will check in with more news very soon.

Jane.