photo shoot at Ham House

well a week or so ago (17/03) Siobhan, Megan, Edd and myself all popped along to ham house to do a photo shoot for the posters for our dear event. unfortunately it was only us four and i had initially worries about the photo looking empty, but Garry was fantastic and managed to round up five of people who work at ham house to help us, and he even joined in himself. he even joked that they should have their meetings like that as they talked about more important things while posing for the photo then they normally do in actual sit down meetings!
the photo itself took place around the back of the house as a magazine shoot was happening at the front of the house. cheeky gits!
bright colours were the name of the game as well and luckily the sun showed itself long enough to help with that, just enough before it started to rain again!
all in all it was a very fun and quick experience and hopefully when we do it again more of our group can join in and laugh about in a very natural photo shoot!
thanks to Christine too for making it possibly in the first place!

little message after...

in that little message completely forgot to say how well the meeting went today. a little bit of going round and round but generally it was splendidly productive, especially at the end!
the Mexican night seems like its going to be a great laugh, but we need to come up with some extra things that we can sell to make that all important cash! maybe we could do pin the tail on the donkey, and it was mentioned that we could have BBQ. posters will be going out soon, and everyone is invited!
the photo for the poster for ham house was suppose to take place last friday (12th march), but an underwhelming response ie no response, meant it had to be cancelled. thank you and sorry to siobhan for trying to sort that out. you are doing fabulously and this wednesday we'll make the photo come to life. be there at 12.30 for the close up!...well no but still i'm looking forward to it!
new format for meetings will be tried on next thursdays meeting, i kow they tend to take forever but i like to get all what the groups are doing written down in my book, however i will be trying to get this process shortened to half an hour, possibly 45 mins. but i need everyone else during that time to shhh themselves and keep questions till i have finished with that group. the rest of the time will be filled with brainstorming and PRODUCTIVE what nots! lovely. anyway, ciao for now. see you all thursday!

panic?

i have to be honest in this blog, but i know i need to appear calm as i feel a certain responsibility within the group as the 'chair', but honesty needs to come forward at some point, even if it is so i can show a variation of emotions in this blog!
sometimes i feel like I'm drowning in this all. i know i am not alone in this feeling especially as its third year. but there are moments where i look at what i need to do and for a short while its like i cannot breathe. i get panic attacks anyway, but only once in a while. and its like a mini one of those, where i can't see the woods for the trees. though after that initial 'AH!' moment i can start again.
i say this, not to make people panic themselves, but to reassure them. we all have our 'moments', its just how we hide it and the clarity that can come from the panic haze.
panic by all means, but when that's over we can all see not only what is on the last but how we can achieve it. i still believe we can pull this off, because at the end of the day its all about fecking team work! we are doing well, and even though i may have days when i feel suffocated i know i have a great team to pull me through.
at the end of the day it can be done, and we'll have silly organised fun doing it!

Well the walk around Ham House yesterday was a good refreshing thing to do and those who went agreed that it should be done again soon with everyone. I definitely forgot the main lawn section was so big! But it was nice to start placing things, even if it was in our heads.
Also took a little stroll down by the river to take a look at the man who lives a 100% recycled life. Pretty amazing looking at his home on the river and the boat behind which we all believed to be an actual garden. Impressive!
The Thai was good fun as well, it wasn't like an official meeting and it was lovely! The food was delicious and the company was entertaining, so thanks for that.

Meetings bore, design team thanks & Lund's spreadsheet cleverness

last weeks meeting (Thursday 25Th Feb) seemed to be a hard one. lots of talking over each other and private conversations, i understand that everyone wants their say but if we talk over one another we're not going to get anywhere. its important we listen to each other as someone may have a point that will solve all our problems and be a eureka moment!
also i have to apologise if I'm not always doing a great job as the 'Chair' of the meetings. i know that sometimes members think someone is talking too long or we are going around in circles but i only stop a person if i feel that the rest of the group are getting fed up- in a nice way of course!
in terms of the length of the meetings they are stretching into long hours, which can be a bit annoying i guess, but this is a big event and we need the time now to talk about these things otherwise the actual day will come and something will happen which we're not prepared for. its good to be bored in long meetings now than scared and unorganised on 'The Day'!
however, saying all that i think that everyone is doing a stella job as usual. the design team are brilliant on their Thursday 'show and tell' slot. the rest of us, me included, need to remember to bring in materials if we're asked and everyone should really stay and join in. it does seem that the meeting is over when we start to make things as its more fun and informal but its not fair if everyone were to disappear when the design team are kindly showing us what they've done.
Also mention to Charlotte and her quite epic, very impressive and brilliantly fantastical spreadsheet! it is quite something and i highly recommend that everyone takes a look. even if you don't have anything to put on it just take a look to calm yourselves if your worried about not contacting groups. not many people have got back to us but we are doing the leg work. well done Charlotte. good stuff!

talking about mingling, am very excited about the Thai tonight (monday 1st March) in Ham's Fox and Duck(?). its going to be more of an informal meeting i think and the looking around of the grounds at Ham House again will be a nice refresher. excited, just excited!