Eurovision Song Contest – do you or don’t you watch? The big question

Last night, I attended a really interesting debate at the Swedish Embassy hosted by the Ambassador of Sweden, Ms Nicola Clase, headed ‘Rebranding Eurovision – Should Britain Sing Along’.

I wasn’t sure what to expect as I signed up to attend, one of the perks of being a member of Editorial Intelligence but it was a great fun night out.

It was interesting to know that over 60 million watch the Eurovision Song Contest, however not many admit to watching it – so do you or don’t you?   Well, all will be revealed on Sunday when the BBC announce the viewing figures, as it’s this Saturday.

For me, the Eurovision song contest brings back memories of school as it was one of the highlights of the year.  Why you may ask?   Well as a boarder, we got to stay up later however it was not till my last year, that I managed to see the whole programme.  After that I would not necessarily stay in to watch it, however it must be said that Saturday night viewing has much to be desired and can be rather dull so, if I was not working it would be on in the background.

The panel for last night was made up of Fraser Nelson who is the Editor of the Spectator and he seemed to be very clued up on the whole history of Eurovision and a fan.   Last night he was in fact celebrating his 40^th birthday so we all sang for him led by Katrina.  He  the moderator for the evening and was very good.

On the panel was Katrina, of Katrina and the Waves.   She won the Eurovision for England in 1997 with ‘Love Shine a Light’ in Dublin, a song she had written and put in the bottom draw for such an event.

The general feeling from the panel was that as a nation we needed to take more pride in the song/artist we put forward as England had created some amazing pop artists.  We needed to get past the fact that as the BBC puts in money (+/- £200,000) we should automatically be included.   We should also not look at it as ‘Euro trash’.

Then we had Svante Stockselius former head of Song Contests at EBU and from Sweden and he was fascinating, as in Sweden they really make an event of Eurovision.  They build it up with a taking a road show around the country and getting the public on their side.   If we can do that with The Voice and X Factor even though they are IVT shows surely the BBC entertainment department could get excited again?

And lastly, we had Kevin Bishop Ex-BBC, who was relatively quiet but agreed we need to re-brand it for England and start to take pride and gave a comparison to sport events.

So, will Bonnie Tyler get ‘nil points’ with let’s hope not?

Last year we came 2nd from the bottom so fingers crossed we can better that.

So, will you be watching BBC 1 on Saturday night, 18th May at 8pm for Eurovision in Malmo?

I will.

They say dreaming is fun but daydreaming at 40 is great fun too

 

Mr.Daydream is about a little boy called Jack but, it could have been written about any child at school.   In fact my school reports always had the words ‘day dreamer and lack of concentration’ featuring heavily.

Jack was in a history class on a hot summer’s day when he met Mr Daydream and went off on an amazing adventure to Africa, Wild West, Australia and the North Pole.

My school days are well over, but I still find myself daydreaming, as I sit at my desk looking out of the window, or while travelling on the bus in traffic.

Daydreaming I believe is similar to dreaming both of which are healthy for a balance in life.   It can take you out of the now momentarily and you can be relaxed and lost in thoughts.

How does daydreaming work for me in business, well I have goals and aspirations to achieve and hurdles to overcome and, I believe with some imagination like Jack and his adventure with Mr. Daydream and the big yellow bird anything can be achieved.

Daydreaming when you hit over forty, sadly is not the same as at school but it has been a life saver for allowing me to zone in and out of a moment and most importantly keep me grounded and in touch with the ‘real me’.

Thank you again Roger Hargreaves.

Is there such a thing as Mr. Nobody? No, but you can feel like it sometimes.

Having a business mentor is great, and highly recommended when you find yourself at a crossroads in your businesses vision.

And, it is with them that I have recently been reconnected with the ‘Mr Men Collection‘ as part of my personal development.  So, I have been enjoying reading the books again and reacquainting myself with the various 49 characters.

As I have said before, each story has an underlying message and today for me it is ‘Mr. Nobody’.

We all have what some people would call dark days, when you feel alone and invisible and this is why the story of Mr.Nobody resonated with me.

Last year, I had a couple of knocks to my confidence in my professional capacity as a result of a couple of difficult clients and while reading this book to my godson, something that Mr. Happy said really hit home with me ~ ‘I know I used to be somebody, but I can’t remember who, or what, or where or when!’

So, in the book Mr. Happy took Mr.Nobody home and off to see the Wizard where he was cured and he quickly realised the underlying message that ‘everybody’s a SOMEBODY!’.

Now for me, Mr. Happy was my friends who never judged me and were my rock to give me that lift I needed to pick myself up and dust off the past and look to the future.  So who was my Wizard, well that was a mixture of my mentor, and me realizing I could learn from the ‘Who, where, what and when’ and be a stronger person professionally.

So, never think you are alone and invisible as I did, because we all fail at times but putting up our hands and addressing it, means we can learn from it with support from colleagues.

Thanks Roger Hargreaves and for creating Mr.Nobody as everybody is a somebody.

How twelve Mr Men characters reflect in your business

On Monday of this week, I had my mentoring session with Celia Champion of Painless Business, and my homework is to look at a series of twelve of the forty six Mr Men characters and identify where they fit or, don’t as the case may be, within my business, SJD Events for 2013.

For me, 2013 is all about ‘new beginnings’ so this was a perfect challenge to be set.

So let me introduce you to the Mr Men characters in question.

• Mr Daydream
• Mr Small
• Mr Messy
• Mr Forgetful
• Mr Lazy
• Mr Worry
• Mr Perfect
• Mr Brave
• Mr Happy
• Mr Grumpy
• Mr No
• Mr Busy

Where did I start, as the twelve chosen all had a place/role within my vision / challenges for 2013, and some were hurdles to overcome.

So, I will share a couple with you and they are:

Mr Messy

I pride myself as very organized which is why I do my job as a Wedding and Party Planner, but if I had to look at this character and analyse it, I would say that ‘messy’ is about being out of sorts.  So, with this is in mind I consider this character to relate to my new flat and office move which turned everything upside down but I do see the light at the end of the tunnel and within the next month or so that should all be sorted.

Mr Perfect

Well aren’t we all perfect!

For me, this year it is all about communication and establishing what clients and suppliers think of the services that SJD Events offer and if they match their requirements?   So, it is going to be about building new relationships which compliment my offerings with people with the same values and vision.

And

Mr No

Something that I say in the mirror every morning to myself, and have been for about two years.   Understanding that saying no, is not about being negative if said in the right way and that is what my challenge is.

So, if I say ‘no’, I should not need to justify that decision but sadly one does when people are not used to hearing it.

However, to date saying no has not lost me a client, or a supplier or, even a friend, in fact with the word no, I believe comes respect.

So, now I have my twelve Mr Men characters and the challenges associated with them for 2013 stuck around my office and I may even have to look at the other 34.

Also, while baby sitting the other night I found Mr Small, and had a real giggle, as even though they are children’s books they all have an underlying message and this one is all about finding the perfect job.

So, if this has given you some intrique into which characters you can use to help grow your business then for more information on the 46 characters within the Mr Men series check out www.themistermen.co.uk.

My prayers are about to be answered with ‘Creating Space’ by Niki Schäfer

It’s funny, as almost four years ago I was given a couple of names of people who I should meet and it was only in September last year that our paths finally crossed.   That’s Niki Schäfer of Dwell-Being, an interior designer based in Henley on Thames.

When we met for a coffee in Carluccio’s in South Kensington back in September we had an instant click.   As we were both extremely passionate about what we did and the end result was important for us.  By that, I mean when our clients say ‘thank you, I could not have done that without you’.  We also have the same morals, values and visions for our businesses which I believe is key when you forge associations.

So, as a result we have become friends and I am really excited that she is launching a book just in time for Mother’s Day on Saturday 9^th March.   I do however wish I had this book about three months ago when I purchased my flat, but I can’t wait to get my signed copy at one of the events she is involved in next Saturday in Henley and using it to create my perfect space in my new home.

This is what Niki of Dwell-Being sent over to me to summarise the book so I thought I would share it with you:

Creating Space by Niki Schäfer is a step-by-step guide to how to design a calm, sane, outrageously gorgeous home and family-life.  Inspiring and practical in equal measures it takes you on a journey through the seven spaces of your home creating rooms that work on many levels – aesthetically (outrageously gorgeous), emotionally (calm) and psychologically (sane). This isn’t just another pretty interior design book, Creating Space is a guide to understanding how you and your family think and feel.  And the design tools taught are as much about family dynamics and the wellbeing of your family as they are about the practical side to creating a home.

Niki Schäfer is an interior designer, coach and speaker.  She has written Creating Space to help women who are frustrated with their homes, to understand the surprisingly positive impact their environment can have on their relationships, their esteem and the wellbeing of their family, so that they can create a home that truly reflects their personality and genuinely supports their wonderful, but let’s face it, ridiculously busy lifestyle.

So, if this has wet your appetite and you want to know more or want a copy, then go to Niki’s website and check it out at www.dwell-being.co.uk

The perils of moving home by a wedding planner

Well, as a Wedding and Party Planner, I pride myself in my organisational skills and being a team player, however when you go through the purchasing and moving process for a flat, let me tell you that it is a total mine field and roller coaster.

Why, you may ask well, all I can say is if I do it again I have to toughen up for sure.

Now, I will share my story in an abbreviated version which I hope you’ll enjoy.   From the sleepless nights to more grey hairs, to tears and then laughter.

It all started back in November last year when I had a call from an estate agent and, he said he had the perfect flat.  Now, let’s face it how many times do they say that!

It was a Friday afternoon and off I went to see this lower ground flat which I didn’t want, but I had said I wanted a garden / outside space so had an open mind.    And, it was love at first sight, it was absolutely perfect and it was going to be a new start for me, something that was then confirmed by a medium two days later.

So, I went away that weekend did the sums and re-visited on the Tuesday with a girlfriend, who was a local.  The estate agent knew I was keen, why, well I wear my heart on my sleeve, so that resulted in about ten calls over that period.    On the second visit the owners were at home and I just saw the space again and fell deeper in love as I could see myself there, and it was my friend who asked the questions and brought me back to reality.   My friend’s second opinion confirmed it for me and it was full speed ahead.   The next day, I appointed my solicitors and he was amazing and worth every single penny.   If you want a painless process when it comes to the legal side of things you should definitely consider Farrar & Co at Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Within, two weeks we had exchanged, there was no going back and still only my girlfriend had seen it, to some of my family’s dismay.     During these two weeks, once I had my offer accepted even though we had an exchange date set, the estate agent would call me on average 3 times a day except Sunday’s, and sometimes more when no response from the lawyers so sorry to all my friends who are estate agents that was not good.  At the time, I was also juggling work as I had a wedding going on,  so the additional stress was certainly testing as it was not going to plan, and finally after five menu tastings it was only signed off on the Tuesday with the wedding on the Saturday – so thank goodness for highlights!

When, I put forward a proposal to a client for SJD Events and they agree to appoint me, I send them a contract and then I leave it for ten days or so, and then follow up, if I hounded them like I was, I would lose the work for sure.

I went back to the flat once again to look at the space for ideas but, I walked past the flat at least once or twice a day when I was in the neighbourhood with my godson, as I familiarised myself with what is known as the ‘Chelsea Beach’.

Over the Christmas period, reality was kicking in as I sorted the funds and I was busily shopping in the sales.   Looking for beds was a nightmare as I decided which mattress to have as it had been suggested to look at a Tempur one.  Sadly, on trying it in the shop I felt like I was set in plaster, it was very comfortable but too hot for me.  Then, whether to have a divan with two or four drawer it all got very daunting as, so much choice and I felt really stupid trying out the mattresses in the busy shops, though nobody else seemed to be phased.

Anyway thank goodness for reliable John Lewis and visiting on a Tuesday morning at 10am when the department was empty.

Then, should  I buy a sofa before I move in and thank goodness I went for no, as not only could I be faced with some issues of getting it in the front door and down the stairs, I also felt I needed to get a feel for the place first.  Then, the question of the position of the TV should it be free standing, on an arm from the book shelves or above the fire place – so many choices.

But, shopping for your own home is so much fun.  I do however need to slow down and remember ‘Rome was not built in a day’,  this being my new saying rather than ‘no pain, no gain’.

The packing process wasn’t my strong point and nobody could believe I was so relaxed, but that isn’t how I would have put it.   I had all the boxes but just hadn’t packed a thing and I was getting the flat in 4 days’ time, so the clock was ticking.   I knew that I work better under pressure or certainly the case with my weddings, so it would be a case of open a bottle of red, put on a good CD and just go for it, and that is exactly what I did and it was all done within two evenings.

The day of completion was approaching and the sleepless nights were getting worse, it was excitement but also nerves and I was leaving over fifteen years of memories but it was all about new beginnings and I see that now.

The morning of completion came and at 11am on Wednesday 30^th January, off I went to my new place to see it before getting the keys officially.   Well, to say that I had a ‘melt down’ was a minor statement as I stood with the estate agent, I had to fight back the tears when I spoke to my solicitor and left thinking what the hell I have I done but it was too late.

I had expectations and was therefore really disappointed but in hind sight this might have been an overreaction but when you have built up a relationship and you play by the rules, you hope rightly or wrongly they do too.    I believe that we should take a leaf out of the Europeans books and that the when you sell a flat/house it should be professionally cleaned and be spotless.   Sadly, the first room I went into was the kitchen and as I opened the oven there was the burnt bits from Sunday lunch, the fridge had literally only been emptied – ok a bottle of champagne was left and the hob was grim.   So, I then saw everything through hazy eyes.  However, after I had cried, breathed and taken myself out of the space and went back it wasn’t that bad but again ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’.

Thank goodness for another dear friend, Sandra Levinson of Calabash who had a team in to clean it within 24 hours and that was prefect, so if you ever need a reliable, professional team then Calabash are the ones.

I am now just over a week into having my new place and now that 90% of the boxes are unpacked, the intercom is fixed and quotes have been received for the unforeseen glitch in the master bedroom that I have to accept, it is all coming together.

So, now to look to the ‘new beginnings’ and I really can’t wait till the summer to use the garden but firstly I off to have another dye up to hide the extra grey hairs.  Then it is fill the fridge with food rather than beer and wine which I had for my dear friends who have been helping me.   In fact I could not have done this without my best friend and her amazing husband, so thank you.

Let’s hope if I ever write about moving again it is easier and that I have learnt a lesson – ‘I need to toughen up’.

To ‘new beginnings’ and realising ‘Rome was not built in day’ not that it will be easy for me as an event planner but I do like a challenge.

 

A great new find in Simon Drew Designs

On a recent trip to Henley on Thames, I stumbled across Simon Drew’s shop and it was stunning and such a lovely lady worked there.   I was overwhelmed by all the choice and for over half an hour, I went through the cards, prints and magnets, it was like being in a sweet shop when I was a child, so much to choose from.

I had needed a gift to cheer up a friend which I picked up and also managed to walk out with a few other little pieces and will be back for sure.

And after visiting the website I have found three perfect images for my new office.

To the Wedding

Wedding Diagram

Happy Anniversary

There are so many but also found some great ones called ‘Inebriation’ and these I have ear marked for some friends, so you’ll have to wait and see who you are.

Check out the website www.simondrew.co.uk.