NORTHERN PLANNER

I’m going away for awhile. Nothing  major, it’s just time for a blogging holiday. We’re away over Easter anyway, I’ve got tons to do but it’s more than that.

This blog is nearly a year old, and it’s very different to how it started. Some of that is good –  it’s less naive, it doesn’t recycle other planner’s work as much- some not so good. Maybe it’s a bit too full of itself, maybe I’m just plain bad at writing (spelling and grammar for sure), maybe it’s too much about me, and not enough about what I’m interested in (maybe I should navel gaze less). But when I’m enjoying reading other people’s stuff far more than writing my own, it’s time to back off for a while. Sorry if it sounds self important (too much of what I write does that already), it’s not meant to, just honest I hope.

So I won’t be posting until after Easter. I’ll still be lurking on other people’s blogs though, commenting more too. See you soon.

Right, I’m about 1 hour away from a pretty big presentation (I’d prefer to call it a conversation since ‘presentation’ means ‘one way’). A month’s work is either going to go up in smoke or totally refresh their business. Am I nervous? I most certainly am.

I hate presentations, but I kind of love them too. I hate having to stand up on front of people and talk (so I usually try and get out of it by not presenting at all, and just chatting). But I kind of like that fear too, I need it. Being bothered helps as well.

I’ve been told that  I get away with stuff because I look like I care, people like the enthusiasm. They’ve gone with things thanks to how I say it, not what I’ve said. That’s why I’ll do everything I can to make sure we’re doing the right thing – if I didn’t believe in it, I’d fall to pieces.

I used to swim. A lot. I used to compete. I was never that good in time trials and unimportant races, but I used to smash my best times in the big ones. Quite simply, I needed to be terrified to perform well. Presentations are a bit like that for me. While I envy the confident ones, for me, fear is good.

One of my less auspicious claims to fame is eating spaghetti bolognese as an evening meal –  for three months in succession. I was student, I needed fuel for swimming and other stuff, and beer came first. yes, no one knows more about this meal than I, every variation was explored in the quest for the perfect spag bol.

But I’ve moved on, time is no excuse. There’s hundreds of meals that take twenty minutes to make from scratch. It’s easy – it just takes a little practice and a bit of effort.

But it would seem that quite a few people disagree,  as this article suggests. The average Briton will eat 2,960 portions of spaghetti in their lifetime – or every day for eight years. Has Jamie Oliver and co revolutionised the British palatte? Not likely.

I’m pretty good at one or two things. I can swim well, touch my nose with my tongue and stuff. So why on earth am I such a complete fool in othere areas? Why is it I can hold any number of conflicting ideas in my head, yet I’m also an absent minded feeb?

Take this morning for instance. I managed to lock my car keys in my little brum brum. How stupid can you get? I’ve lost a couple of precious hours slogging home and back to get the spares, time I can ill afford at the moment. Laugh all you want, it will be nothing compared to the abuse I’ve already endured. While we’re at it, why am I blogging instead of making up for lost time?

PS, Famous Rob’s reporting back on The Future of Marketing Conference.

I’m horrifyingly busy at the moment, which is good of course since I like what I do. For example, I spent yesterday morning writing about coffee, tea and a nice place to chat – this was supposed to be work. It’s come at the right time since I’ve got a buggered neck from sleeping funny, and being immersed in the million things I’m up to takes my mind of the pain, not to mention the shame of walking around like Frankestein’s monster.

While I can’t post as much as Iike, I’ve got to mention that I’m really looking forward to the Interesting Conference. Not only will it be, well interesting, it’s going to be wonderful to meet all these blogging people I’ve never met who I feel I know. And for the record, I think Faris should organise a special pub event.

By the way, Marcus has written some sobering stuff from the heart. It’s well worth a read.

Anyone dare post about Sir Sorrell? I don’t.

So it was the Northern Planning excursion to Manchester last Thursday. Gemma, Rob, Simon and JamesB all made it, along with some new faces from Love and Chris. Somehow I managed to not take a single picture of anyone, sorry about that.

Yet I did get shot of the tinnies I shared with JamesB on the train from Sheffield. The girl opposite looked in disgust –  until we offered her one. Felt like a student again.

We were too busy buying booze and sandwiches to purchase a ticket prior to boarding the train. The conductor didn’t seem too pleased with us, only James’ innocent lost boy act (while swigging the beer he’d obviously had to time to queue for)persuaded him to sell us a ticket and not add a fine too. 

The night itself was fun. Somehow I managed to only talk to a few people, and didn’t get a chance to check what girly drinks Rob Mortimer imbibed. Simon attoned for his bill dodging last time by giving Rob and I a Box less Ordinary, replete with Yorkshire Tea Cake and the famous velvet book.

Simon has since mentioned he struggled to stay awake on train home, as did I, it was relief to arrive in Leeds. The heavy petting students in the carriage helped keep me awake, as did some sozzled texts from JamesB. Sounds like he and Mortimer had lots to talk about on the train.

Looking forward gto the next one, maybe in Sheffield? Look what you’ve started Russell.

A much needed day to get to get to grips with lots of stuff flying around at the moment. The next few weeks will be a bit busy, it’s good to take some time out and really think, as opposed to do. Can’t resists a quick nod towards last night’sfun in Manchester:

• Tinnies on the train with JamesB who thinks Manchester’s seedy in a good way.
• Yorkhite Teacake from Simon, to make up for bill-dodging last time.
• ..and a ‘Life Less Ordinary’ book.
• Got a little bit boozed and texted all sorts of drivel to Twitter.
• Rob eschewed Cointreau

More next week. Bye.

Some interesting stuff on pretesting here. I warn you though, it’s Millward Brown. They may not be popular in some circles, but how do you know you’re right if you never listen to another view.

With that in mind, I watched The Great Global Warming Swindle last night. I believed that humans were affecting the climate before, and on balance I am now, but it was useful to see some counter arguments.  This article suggests that most film’s arguments are based on debunked data, but there are still some points that need answering. If anyone can point to some more information, I’d appreciate it.

The ever wise Scamp is setting us all straight on the directors issue. Some useful comments already, go look and say what you think. This kind of thing makes me love blogging even more, you don’t get away with being wrong, or saying something in the wrong way for very long, and plenty of people are kind enough to show you why. I’ll repay the favour if he ever decides to post about ..er..tea.