If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you will know that a bunch of local bloggers and marketing types get together each Friday for coffee. From 8am we rock up to Single Origin in Reservoir Street, Surry Hills for some of the best coffee and conversation in the city. In case you were wondering what these coffee mornings are like, here is a video that Tim Longhurst took recently.
Can you identify those in attendance? Ten points for each person you can recognise.
If you happen to be in Sydney and can make it to Surry Hills, it would be great to see you tomorrow morning around 8am. We will be there drinking coffee and discussing ideas.
You are more than welcome to join us — and it is a great chance to meet luminaries such as Katie, Emily, Stig and Gregg (isn't 2008 the year of the blog, Gregg?).
Single Origin Cafe
60-64 Reservoir Street
(Cnr Reservoir Street and Hands Lane)
Surry Hills
OK … I am getting up EXTRA early to make it this week!
Friday, February 2nd at 8 am at …
10 Buck Alley
Cnr of Williams & Bourke
East Sydney
Wow … what a week!
There have been emails galore, some great thinking (and beautiful writing) from Paul, provocative and cool new cars to gawk at, new blogs to read and enjoy, coffee morning around the world and even a touch of halloween.
Speaking of coffee, the Sydney group met again today, this time at Milson’s Point. Great discussion and new faces. Sebastian tells us that he has setup his blog, but is being coy about providing the address. Emily also ran us through a presentation she give in Singapore on Tuesday. It really is nice to meet up with people face to face.
Oh … and some great input on how to kick along the KarmaCredits concept — together with an idea for our first small (very small) project.
No wonder I feel a little blog eyed!
S.
I must admit to feeling rather envious of those who live close enough to be able to make it to Russell’s regular coffee mornings. So I was very pleased to be able to join up with a couple of other locals last Friday.
Blogging can be a very solitary activity … especially in the early days when it is unclear whether anyone is reading your writing (and even then, when you think they are … why are there no comments?). Also, in reading blogs, you begin to build up a sense of the writer without the blindness of meeting — if you are careful, you can read between the lines, get a sense of their history and process of thinking and also see who they respect, admire or (even) dislike. In this way you are able to get a sense of who your blog buddies are before you meet them in person (and hey, sometimes we never get to meet).
It is interesting, that much of what passes for "authenticity" online, is directly based on never having met. I think it is something to do with the way that we listen/read blogs. It is also linked very closely with action — we are judged not ONLY by what we say/write, but by the promises we make and whether we follow through on them. And on the web … it is relatively easy to find out whether you DO as you SAY.
So actually turning up to a coffee morning can be more nerve wracking than making your first comment on Russell’s blog. Well perhaps NOT nerve wracking … but strange. To start with … what do bloggers look like? Then … what will we talk about? Will we all get along? What happens next? Will more people come next time?
As I said here, we did have a pretty good time … some great conversation, some ideas … a little of basic getting to know you. But there were a few suggestions that sounded really good — like performance blogging (thanks to Sebastian) and the challenges of creative teamwork in Sydney (again thanks Sebastian).
NEXT WEEK (3 November) will be the next coffee morning in Sydney — and all are invited to come along. This time I promise to take my own photos (and business cards). I think Vando nominated The Lounge in Milsons Point — I will need to track it down and confirm.
