How to survive a blog conference weekend

Blogging is a funny creature, and at one point or another temptation will hearken for spending a Saturday learning stuff and you may just find yourself sat behind a school desk in your spare time of your own free will. Don't believe me? It's totally true. Ploughing the fields of SEO strategy, photography tips, basic accountancy, a touch of history, social media workshops - all the blogging buzzwords (and occasionally a few of those too).

 
But even after 3 years of being involved in the blogging community, introducing myself into a room of strangers makes me break out in a cold sweat. I've often called my better half 5 minutes before the start of a morning to squeal howIcan'tpossiblydothisbecauseIdon'tknowanyoneandwhyonearthdoIputmyselfthroughthis!?. Luckily he usually calms me down by telling that I'm an idiot, to go for an hour and see how I feel - much like a parent on their child's first day at school. Half an hour later I'm happily playing chatting away and get the 'told you so' text of support and vindication.

Back walking through the school corridors...

Over the years I've made myself push through the barrier, and been helped by a few tips from friends when faced with a room of 150 smiling faces. In reality, I guess a lot of these apply to the professional world too (except possibly the snacks, play that one by air)

Fields Cafe - Clapham Common brunch review

Brunch has become a way of life in London. With friends living, working and partying in completely random boroughs spread over this great behemoth, arranging a proper sit down and catch up over a brew can be interesting. And that's just finding a date we can all do.

One who won't really leave Zone One without the lure of doughnuts or the offer of a sausage sizzle date in New Zealand. One nominated a Kiwi despite never having set foot in our humble country and currently learning to be a Brit (even though sorely lacking on the tea equipment front). One who will happily travel anywhere she can park (aka nowhere in Central London) and has been known to drive for 3 hours to Gloucestershire just to buy chocolate cake.

Friday figments and photos: Marrakech

Marrakech, oh Marrakech.

I already want to return.

8 Things I will never do before I die

I adore having goals. They're perfect rainy day guides, helpful when wanting a direction in life and just plain amusing; but Holly's post on '8 things I will never do before I die' tickled my fancy. Call it an anti-bucket list.

1. Resist taking photos of foreign cats.
Yes, I have an addiction and I can't help it.

2. Enjoy wearing shoes
Much to the consternation of my British workmates, whatever instruments of torture I've strapped to my feet are discarded the milisecond it's possible. At the altar I kicked off my sensible heels whilst speaking my vows (only to panic as we were instructed to turn around and walk down the aisle as man and wife but I couldn't find them...)

18, going on 30 - countries that is

Growing up in New Zealand, one of the farthest countries away from just about everything (or as Mr Kiwi put it' once you fly out from Australia, it feels as though you're flying off the edge of the world) it seems like an unimaginable dream to be able to pop over to another country for lunch (in our case, Paris that is!).

Someone's very wise Dad (I'm not sure who, my memory is getting incredibly bad) quite rightly pointed out that we're the first generation who can take full advantage of travelling. No kids, fairly good jobs, good transport infastructure and a yearning to explore. Over the years I've been privileged to travel to a few so far, but cheers to hopefully a few more!

(And they say Kiwis can't fly!)

1. New Zealand - the land of my forefathers, and one of my dearest homes. It totally counts.