The naming of things is a difficult matter

I’ve been pondering recently – why do we have ‘shorthand’ names for some places and people but not for others? At work, for example we have The Coffee Man, Sandwich Man (or occasionally Sandwich Lady), Sewing Lady and CityLink Man. Then there’s The Book People, who have cut out the middle man and handily named … Continue reading The naming of things is a difficult matter

A finely tuned moving machine

I’m guessing that 100 people (about half the office) have moved desks in the last 48 hours.  We shuffle around so often that it’s a finely tuned machine.  The blue packing crates arrive, the skip and recycling bins are filled, the moving muscle shifts furniture and IT switch everyone’s phones and computers round overnight. This … Continue reading A finely tuned moving machine

Big Thinking, Big Price Tag

I got an email today reminding me about the forthcoming APG Battle of Big Thinking.  It boasts an amazing line up of speakers and everyone I know who has been to a Big Thinking event before has raved about it. There’s just one problem – the cost.  Its not a good time to be asking … Continue reading Big Thinking, Big Price Tag

on Fun Buses and office furnishings

Sorry for the absence of posts in the last week, I’ve been flat-out pitching.  Which involved visiting yet another conveniently located client 4 ½ hours drive away. We did travel in the Fun Bus though so the journey home went by quite quickly thanks to chick flicks on DVD and back issues of Heat magazine. … Continue reading on Fun Buses and office furnishings

How To Survive In Business

As we tried to get our key cards to work in yet another soulless business hotel earlier this week, it struck researcher Louise and I that what recent graduates really need is a post-grad course on How To Survive in Business, i.e. the stuff they never teach you at Uni but you need to know … Continue reading How To Survive In Business

In search of missing stuff

I seem to have spent a large chunk of this week charging round the office hunting down missing books, scalpels, calculators etc.  Which has reminded me of the Allan Ahlberg poem ‘Scissors’, which I’ve adapted here for agency use: Scalpels don’t lose themselves, Melt away, or explode. Scalpels have not got Legs of their own … Continue reading In search of missing stuff