Time to down tools…

So it’s Friday, almost 9pm. December 9. Time to down tools, and call it quits for the weekend. And knowing that the next few weeks can be taken at a much “slower” pace is a great feeling. Because my poor little Macbook Pro has taken a bit of a beating over the last month or so. The hours it’s pulled, the speed at which I’ve forced it to complete tasks – it’s strange, but I swear that it’s looking forward to this break almost more than I am!

So today we’ve tied up quite a few loose ends. Finished off a couple of weekly updates, brainstormed possible projects for the new year (iPhone apps, sponsorship deals, etc etc) and started the painful and what appears to be time consuming process of resolving an AdSense issue with a non-linked Google Apps account. But still an’ all, things seem to be winding down. Which is great. Finally!

My plan is to also close up the office until the New Year. I’ve been a schoolie too long to not continue working over the holidays, but I’ll be working behind the scenes with it all. So don’t expect my next post until Jan 3, when I’ll be back with a vengence, but until then, may you all have a wonderful Christmas season with loved ones near and far, and thank you, my dearest readers, for being part of my 2011. And I look forward to sharing 2012 with you as well. So until next time, adieu!

Winding down

Holidays are so close now, I can smell them. Can you? And it’s getting harder and harder to set up meetings with people, because their offices are all closing up. Last Friday, I tried calling Grace Lutheran College, only to find that I’d missed them by a day. Couldn’t even leave a message until the office returns again mid-January! Oh well, never mind.
On the other hand, it’s great knowing that campaigns that have been set in motion should happen even while offices are closed. I’m happy about that.
And it’s good to finish up the daily Facebook and twitter updates, say a virtual “Farewell” from the schools to their school communities, and see the immensely positive feedback in return.

Speaking of next year…

Today was a great day. In between checking out the absolutely fantastic posters that arrived from Middleton’s printing, ready for the St Paul’s Morayfield Shopping Centre holiday campaign, and organizing the St James December advertising spots in the Hervey Bay Independent, I finally met, f2f, the one and only Derek Bartels, Head of ICT at LEQ.
And the upshot of that meeting is that not only might I be presenting a Professional Development session for LEQ Principals and Business Managers, week 4 or 5 of Term One 2012, but that I’ve also been invited to be a part of the LEQ’s Digital Strategy Committee. Pretty cool stuff!

Incredi-busy

Did you ever have one of those days where you’ve been too busy to turn around, let alone sit and think and write a barely-sensible blog post? Well, yesterday was one such day – and it’s only now, at gone 2pm the day after, that I have enough time to stop, breathe, and reflect on the day’s happenings…

Which were pitching. (And yes, that’s “pitching” with a “p”.) Pitching prospective new clients, shaking hands, speaking, and in the midst of it, interviewing teachers for Weekly updates, getting and relaying bad news about the presses over at Academy Photography (Australia) and the effects this will have on the St Paul’s yearbook, and clarifying advertising the St James Lutheran College advertising brief with people at the Fraser Coast Chronicle. Phew!

And it didn’t stop at COB either. I was on the phone with one staff member until the late hours, and then meeting again with another prospective staff member this morning (who accepted the position; so a HUGE welcome to Jenny Venier – hard worker extraordinaire; I truly hope that you enjoy the experience of working here at Bloxham Marketing!) so it’s only now, after yet more phone calls from John Bastoni at Academy (yet another press down; and he sounds like he’s at breaking point) and to printers from various organisations, that I can sit. And breathe. Yay!

Free publicity? Excellent! Clothing decisions? Not so great.

Each Friday by midday, I submit a ‘weekly update’ to local newspapers. Each is a 200-odd word article, with photo, on a newsworthy event that has happened in the life of the client each week. Sometimes the paper/s run with it, sometimes they don’t. But you gotta love it when it happens! So thanks, Glasshouse Country News, for your 30 November publication of my St Paul’s story last week!

Also, I’ve been invited to a Casino Christmas party. Never been to one of those before! And it’s also the first time I’ve received an invitation the Sunshine Coast Daily, as one of their “valued partners”. (Early this year, Peter Slipper MP and his wife Inge, invited me to a cocktail evening where the Hon Bronwyn Bishop was the guest of honour, however other commitments meant I had to decline.)

So. What to wear? The perennial question. And do I gamble? Your thoughts?

Bliss.

I am so in love with my job. Seriously! The infinite variety, the new experiences daily, the problem solving, the thrill of the chase, the adrenalin of tight deadlines and hold-your-breath moments when you’ve done as much as you can do and now the success is out of your hands, and the incredible sense of accomplishment and achievement. (Being appreciated is always good, too!)

Wow. How blessed am I! I truly truly truly love my job!