What a weekend!

Yep, it’s been amazing. I’ve spent just about the whole of it on my own, in the office, staring at a computer screen! And now, at three o’clock on Sunday afternoon, I’m suffering from withdrawal symptoms. Where is the rest of the world, not to mention my own children?! I’m missing them. I feel as if I’ve disappeared into some kind of strange, silent ‘twilight zone’ - can’t even work out how to get the radio on for company! It reminds me of when I was little. Occasionally we’d find ourselves the only car on a country road, or something like that, and I’d feel like we could be the very last people left on the planet. Perhaps that’s it … perhaps I’m the only person left?! Or just the only person mad enough to be working on a weekend!

Anyway, part of the reason why I’m in here now is because I was at the Prowess conference during the week. I have to say, it was great! And not just because I actually got two whole nights of undisturbed sleep, which was heaven in itself! The whole thing was very well organised, full of interesting people doing interesting work. There were some really inspirational speakers and I was fired up in particular by:

• Margaret Heffernan, author of ‘How she does it’, telling the story of Carol Latham and other women entrepreneurs who’ve done great things in their own way

• Nell Merlino talking about the ‘Make mine a million $ business’ campaign she’s started in the States

• Josephine Fairley, founder of Green & Blacks chocolate and now owner of Judges all-organic bakery and the Wellington Square Natural Health Centre in Hastings

There was also a great presentation on marketing to women, which made the point that it’s not enough to just ‘think pink’! Slightly worrying when my stand at the conference had pink mats, pink tulips, a liberal scattering of pink business cards and a bowl of pinky-red cherries! I’d like to believe that, behind all that, I’d instinctively and unconsciously understood the way to a woman’s heart, but who really knows? I did get some positive feedback though, and the cherries went down well! Let’s see what happens at One Life next weekend.

Things are hotting up …

Counting down … and counting the cost!

Got my official joining instructions for the Prowess conference this morning, including an invite to a champagne reception. All sounds very glam … but of course sent me into a blind panic over what to wear! It could have been fine if I’d just placed that big Next Directory order the other night … but, after an hour of filling my online basket, I suddenly remembered that I’m supposed to be anti-consumerism and cancelled the whole thing! Talk about a moment of madness … especially as I’m having one of my fat phases and can’t fit into most of my wardrobe. Hey ho, there are more important things than what you look like. Or so some people say (generally the ones who aren’t looking great!).

Anyway, on a more businesslike note, I’ve been really busy getting the various bits and pieces sorted out for Prowess and then One Life a few days later. I now know why I never went into event organising. I keep waking up in a cold sweat, remembering things that I’d completely forgotten … or not even considered at all! Who’d have thought that there was so much involved in just having a simple stand? And who’d have expected it to cost so much?! I’m referring here to One Life, where every single light bulb and electric socket costs extra. And I don’t think it’s for environmental reasons!

Got to get home now as I’m seeing precious little of my little ones as it is, and am going to be away for a couple of nights at the conference next week. All I can say is, I hope they grow up seeing me as a positive role model of a mum, rather than just being miffed that I wasn’t always there! Time will tell …