Here’s a treat for you!

http://www.gamedesign.jp/flash/chatnoir/chatnoir.html

SPECIALS IN THE WEBSTORE – For customers in Australia only! Go to http://shop.sorted.net.au

boot inserts pack $25 pack of 4 pairs
ONLY 4 PACKS LEFT SOLD OUT

knee boot boxes $30 pack of 2
ONLY 4 PACKS LEFT

10 pack clear shoe boxes $55
ONLY 1 PACKS LEFT

BOOKDARTS
Pack of 20, $5
ONLY  5 packs left

LET’S HAGGLE (book)
was $17, now $8
ONLY 4 left

Everyone loves a break and what better way to relax than have someone else take care of the hotel bill?

I know many of you are self employed or run a small business.  Dynamic Business have just launched their 2009 reader survey and they want as many SME owners and decision makers as possible to complete it. There’s a chance of winning a $3,000 hotel voucher. It’s only a short quiz… took me a few minutes.

If you win the voucher, and you heard about the comp here, do let me know!  Exciting!

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/perth-student-finds-13-million-lotto-ticket-in-drawer-20090528-boh1.html

I don’t think so.  I think being organised liberates our creative urges!  I love this quote: “Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work.” Gustave Flaubert.

What do you reckon?

I’ve had a ball at the recent NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) 21st Annual conference.  Over 700 delegates travelled from all over the world to Orlando, Florida.   Picture here are my colleagues in the Ask the Organizer panel, from left: Cara Brook, Lauren Halagarda, Sandy Wright, Amy Trager , Monica Ricci (moderator), Lissanne Oliver, Joshua Zerkel , Eileen Koff.  The Ask the Organizer panel is one of the most popular sessions.

My colleagues all have specific expertise, skills or experience. A couple of examples are:

• Amy, who at 25 is a member of NAPO’s Golden Circle (signifying veteran status) and has never worked in any other role other than Professional Organising.  She is the new generation – how exciting!
• Lauren, who specialises in organising with technology.

The “Ask the Organizer”panel is one of the most popular sessions at the conference and was held on the morning of the first day.   It’s designed to have as many questions from the audience answered in a two hour timeframe.  We apparently set a new record – 28 questions!  Questions came from Professional Organisers old and new, and covered everything from liasing with clients to working with the media.

I scored a DVD and watched it back today – so what did i learn as a viewer?  There was a lot of valuable information, so much so that you might want your own copy ($20 USD + shipping).  You can purchase one here .

Me on the NAPO Ask the Organizer panel 2009

A few of the things I learned/was reminded of:

• don’t reinvent the wheel
• keep it simple and
• communicate well.

All good guidelines no matter what your profession or perspective!

Have you heard of The Digital Detox Challenge?  www.adbusters.org say this:

Computer screens, iPods, TVs, phones and the dozens of other devices we’re cybernetically attached to are so pervasive that we can’t escape them. We live them, we breath them, we need them … Or do we? On Monday, April 20, Adbusters challenges you to do the unthinkable: unplug. Say good-bye to Twitter and Facebook. Turn off your TV, iPhone and Xbox. Reconnect with the natural world and the people around you. You’ll be amazed at how the magic creeps back into your life. Go to www.adbusters.org for inspiration, articles, videos, posters and more. Next Monday, don’t be afraid and don’t find excuses … take the plunge and see what happens.

Adbusters do some stuff I’m a fan of: Buy Nothing Day and their awesome Gift Exemption Voucher (featured in my newsletter more than once!).

I would love to do the Digital Detox Challenge but I can’t turn my computer off for a week as I run a business.  But what I will do is limit my use to ONLY between 9-6 Monday to Friday.  That will be a challenge in itself!  Same goes for my phone.  And the TV can stay off (not so challenging!)

Take a peek at this person’s experience… definitely worth the read.  Look out for:

1. The sinking ship analogy – hilarious!
2. fractalisation of stuff – soooooo true

Will you join me in the challenge?  Or is it an impossible concept for you?

All that old stuff you have lying about – make it useful!  Here’s two great projects:

1.  The Victoria & Albert museum in London has a Wedding Dresses fashion project you can contribute to by submitting your wedding photos, or someone elses, from Victorian times to the current day.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/things-to-do/wedding-fashion/home

I love this pic for the simplicity of attire and the fact that the couple look so young it’s possible they needed their parents permission.

The images are organised by decade but quite frankly, there are nowhere near enough pics from the 80’s (has the evidence been destroyed perhaps?!)  This 80’s wedding is worth checking out though! I remember that look well!

Why not contribute your own wedding pics?  When did you last check out the album anyway?  Dust it off and enjoy the memories!

2.  Another great project is thanks to Australia Post’s 200 year anniversary.  It’s the PERFECT reason to revisit the letters you have stuck in a box up the top of your wardrobe.  Australia Post are looking for letters to or from an Australia to contribute to the Letters of a Nation Project. It could be documenting an event – war, sporting moment, political event or plain everyday life.  I’m sure you have some great stuff tucked away!

All the details are here at the Australia Post website. It’s worth a play with the dragable timeline too – lots of visual fun!
Here’s a dramatic example from 1975. It’s an angry mother’s letter to Sir John Kerr, in protest of Gough Witlam’s dismissal she is returning a Christmas Card sent to her daughter.

I’ve been on the road again, helping folk all over Australia get organised.  This time, I was in Perth.  On the flight over, I managed to leave my favourite cardi on board.  no worries, I rang the airline and it was located so all I had to do was fetch it before boarding my flight home to Melbourne this afternoon.
Well, the guy at Virgin’s “Baggage Blues” couldn’t seem to find it… and after looking for a while, I told him I’d better board my flight.  He asked me to wait a sec while he grabbed a female member of staff to see if she could help.  She located the cardigan within 30 seconds.

Where was it?  It was in the bin clearly labelled “Items to be collected”.

Crikey, did he have a “boys look” or what?!