Can it be Christmas already?

It seems that Christmas is upon us - the parties have started, carol services enjoyed, most presents bought and wrapped, Christmas cards ... well, still being written - one day I'll actually get them written in time to post and get there in the right year! Reflecting on the mad financial whirl that the end of 2008 has been, I for one am looking forward to 2009 - even if it is tough. I was talking to friends yesterday about previous recessions and if there is one sure thing - it has to get better, maybe not today, or tomorrow or next month, but people still need to live, to work, to eat. I'm looking forward to a few days off, long walks, too much eating and drinking, enjoying my family and friends. Here's to a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Web 2.0 and using the social web for business

This morning I set aside some time to go to a seminar about Web 2.0 and using the social web for business. It was interesting to understand how some of these networks are built and friends of friends become your contacts and so on. I'm a social animal and have friends all over the world but my biggest worry is that with two young children, a business to run and a puppy, I barely have time to keep in touch with the friends that I already have, let alone whole new communities. I received a Christmas card from a friend last week who's announced that it's the last year she's sending out cards - in future she'll be making a charity donation instead. In her case, I see her regularly anyway, so it's not a great problem to me, but I know that if I didn't send Christmas cards to many of my friends, years would go past without them hearing so much as a squeak from me - not because I don't want to be in touch, just that I have no time ... I live in hope that as the children become older and more self-sufficient and I learn to delegate more at work, I might actually get to pay some attention to more of my friends again. I'd hate them to think that I don't value their friendships, because I do, very much.

Meet Freddie!

Meet Freddie, he is the newest member of the family, moved in on Sunday and is entertaining us all with his antics and his adorable face. Freddie is an English springer spaniel puppy of eight weeks old, with all the bounce and fun you'd expect. We're getting to know him and starting his training now!

Keeeep dancing!

Surely I must have blogged at some time between August and now? Where has the time gone to? Credit crunch or not, things are very busy at Nicky Stephen Marketing and my forward thinking clients are certainly not battening down the hatches and doing nothing - quite the opposite - they're looking for innovative solutions to drive their businesses forward (with some budget consciousness of course!). Children are back at school, nights are longer, Halloween and fireworks have passed by without disasters here and we're on the hectic run through to Christmas! Apart from work, the fabulous new Highcross centre has opened in Leicester, so some retail therapy has been a must, we've done a great village fund-raiser to renovate the church and its war memorial and of course Saturday and Sunday evenings have had to involve a bit of cheering on Austin Healey and his dance partner Erin on Strictly Come Dancing. My youngest child announced that he wanted to marry Austin's oldest daughter when he was 3 so loyalty still prevails even though he's not so keen on the idea of marriage to anyone now. We all try to watch at the weekend, keeeeeep on dancing Austin!

Las Vegas Market

Just back from sunny Las Vegas for this Summer's amazing furniture and furnishings market. World Market Center certainly knows how to treat its visitors, glorious weather, great shuttle transport service from the hotels, amazing parties and our very own Rod Stewart show - live. Rod was fantastic - made me proud to be a Brit and is it just me or has he improved with age?! What a showman, what a show - visitors from all around the world had a great time. If you have to work whilst abroad, Las Vegas Market makes it very pleasurable - beats any other furniture show I've been to hands down. Practised my Italian too, thanks to the team at Fiera Milano - buongiorno to you all!

Fabulous Weather

Glorious weather and I'm writing about Air Conditioning Systems and Ventilation Systems from one of my clients Vortice which has a whole range of eco-friendly products. It's only in recent years that I've felt the need to even consider an air-conditioning system, but on days like this my office would definitely benefit - time to investigate I think!

Good experience at Terminal 5

Just had to blog about my experience at Heathrow Terminal 5 on Tuesday. I wasn't flying anywhere, but my client had flown in from the States the day before and was off to Milan that afternoon so meeting at the airport seemed like a good plan. Having watched all the scenes on television about how chaotic it was and how everything was going wrong, the calm, serene terminal that awaited me was a huge surprise ...

Naturally everything's new, so it hasn't really had time to look tired or battered unlike some of those people trying to travel in the first couple of days, but it really did look 'the business'! The staff to visitors ratio was huge, there was someone to greet you when you came out of the car park looking for the lift, there was someone in the lift to press the button, there was someone to tell you which way to go from there and numerous people to ask about those minor questions like where you might get a wireless connection. All in all, my clients checked into their flight, joined me in Carluccios for lunch, where we also had great service and the whole experience was a delight. Don't think I've read anything else positive about Terminal 5 yet, so thought I'd do my bit!