Serge the Concierge

Feeling Stuck at Work, join Breakout for Quick NY Sessions and Breath of Fresh Air

Everything cannot be scripted otherwise you miss the surprises.

This initiative landed on my radar a couple of days ago while I was meandering on the web.

In short, Breakout is there to provide 'an Escape from the Office' in a festival of sorts 'that aims to return creative work back to the streets of New York' and running from September 17 to October 16.'

Think of them as a combination, coworking, getting things done and learning sessions.

On Tuesday, September 22, they will provide people reporting on the OneWebDay New York Celebration in Washington Square Park with wireless access (courtesy of NYCwireless) as well as printers in the Breakout tent (from 12 Noon to 2 PM).

You might also be interested in their Future of Mobile Work session on Thursday, September 24 to explore "the future of mobile work practices, discuss the tools (current and future), places and organizational policies to support mobile work. Who are the right workers, and what are the activities that could (or should) take place in collaborative work environments? How can corporate organizations learn from the existing (and growing) community of NYC coworkers?"

Location: 60 Wall Street Atrium (from 12 Noon to 2 PM)

Want to get fueled with fresh ideas to start the day, an Introduction to Ethnography on Friday, September 25th (9 Am to 10:15 AM) on Madison Square South Plaza with students in the Innovation course in the Design and Management department at Parsons New School for Design, "will discuss the importance of understanding people and their behavior as part of the innovation process and conduct on-site ethnographic research."

Will morning commuters cooperate?

Reservation required for each session (except OneWebDay)

New York shows its creativity for Monday Work Etiquette # 108

Previously: How Do I Fare on the Gross National Happiness Index?

I will not Blame Drew's Cancer for Almost Missing Philly's Blame a Thon on September 9

I will not Blame Drew's Cancer for almost letting Philadelphia's Blame-A-Thon pass me by.

I should have mentioned Blame-A-Thon yesterday as the first part run from midnight last night to 12 noon on September 9 at Indy Hall (one of the happening CoWorking spaces).

Blame-A-Thon is not all about blaming and partying, proceeds from this Blame-A-Thon go to Livestrong for cancer, you know the foundation from a 2 wheel rider.

There is still time left for you to join the fray at the North Star Bar which has a full line up until closing time.

You can Buy Tickets Online for $15 or pay $20 at the Door.

If you cannot make it to city of brotherly love, you can participate through their Raffle Grab online raffle or Donate Directly via Livestrong.

Not sure about the Taco Bell connection though, where does it fit in the health factor?

Good Deeds, nice effort girls and guys...

Treat your Creative Self to Free Coworking Fridays at Lab 24/7 in Brooklyn

Getting a slice of Jelly in my e-mail this morning, I noticed that the next Jelly NY Session was taking place at a new space Lab 24/7 in Brooklyn.

What the space is about in their own words:

"Lab 24/7 incubates creative projects and events for fun, profit and community service. The Lab has a space in the cellar of an old Brooklyn brownstone where we meet up, jump off and occassionally cowork."

Need to take a break from your routine and some human interaction, Lab 24/7 has Coworking Fridays and best of all it's FREE.

WHEN: Most Friday's (join the list for updates)
WHERE: 247 Stuyvesant Ave, @ Putnam, BK (click for directions)
HAPPY: Happy Hour from 5:30-ish - 7:00-ish

From the look of it, seems like Lab 24/7 has a strong Food connection including with Senegal, not sure why and an artist/fundraising take, the Kimchi Pancake Project and a Cooklyn Improv (see below).

As for the Jelly Session on July 10, it will feature,Todd Sunstead, one of the authors of I'm Outta Here (a book on coworking) amongst others.

All you have to do is Take the A Train

Bring your Pink Slip, Get a Free Month at Office Nomads (Seattle)...Dogs Welcome

Rather than sit at home filled with gloom, perspire and spend the day with people who might even inspire you with free office space to boot.

Just bring your Pink Slip to Office Nomads, a coworking space in Seattle and take advantage of their Pink Slip Special which goes as follows:

"We hope we’re wrong, but chances are you or someone you know recently lost a job. We understand your plight from experience: In one fell swoop you’ve lost your income and the office space and community you rely on day-to-day. Well, we want you to know that losing a job doesn’t have to mean spending days trapped at home alone. Whether you’re job searching or using your new-found freedom to finally dig into that awesome business idea, Office Nomads has space in our tight-knit community for you. The best part? Because we know how tough it can be, we’ll get you started for free.

For a limited time, first-time visitors to Office Nomads who show proof they were laid off can get a free one month daily-drop-in membership - a $375 value! You’ll get a desk and free high-speed Internet access, and be a part of a strong, fun office community again."

Two things that stand out on their Membership page, they welcome dogs and they are not afraid of the competition as they list other coworking spaces in the Seattle area.

To conclude, Susan Evans of Office Nomads and 4 co-conspirators will dive deep into coworking and innovation in Regional Whuffie Building: Attracting Innovation to Your City at South by Southwest Interactive in Austin (Sunday, March 15, 3:30 pm)

Positive vibrations for Monday Work Etiquette #80

Previously: Can't Get Enough! Book Lovers at Work sign up for the Six Book Challenge

Related: LaidOffCamp, New York, San Francisco...BarCamp for the Out of Work or Underemployed?

LaidOffCamp, New York, San Francisco...BarCamp for the Out of Work or Underemployed?

Sign of the times, wikis and tech tools come to the rescue of those in need of work.

The always in the know of all things New York, Nichelle Stephens, put LaidOffCamp New York, a BarCamp for the Out of Work or Underemployed on my radar.

Their wiki page states that "it is an ad-hoc gathering of unemployed and non traditionally employed people (including grassroots organizers, entrepreneurs and startups) who want to share ideas and learn from each other. At LaidOffCamp, attendees will discuss topics in sessions that may include: living on an extreme budget, building your personal brand, how to be a freelance consultant and more. New York's first LaidOffCamp will occur in April or May 2009. You do NOT have to be unemployed".

LaidOffCamp was founded in January 2009 by Chris Hutchins.

The first get together is taking place on March 3rd in San Francisco.

Besides New York and San Francisco, similar groups exist in San Diego, Detroit, LA, Seattle, Fort Collins, Chicago...

At least in 2009 there are now Free or Cheap tools to organize events or/and support groups, a plus...

Related: Is Being Invisible at Work a Good Way to Survive the Axe?

From Coworking to Cohousing as a Sustainable Way of Life

Is Cohousing a way to reduce our wasteful ways and also to recover a sense of community?

If the plan offered by Alex Marshall a journalist and senior fellow at the Regional Plan Association named Brooklyn Cohousing works it might enable some of us to make progress in that direction.

They are not going back to the communes of hippies days.

Each of the 30 or so families will have their own living space while being able to share communal spaces such as a kitchen and dining area.

They plan (I quote) "to share resources & interests (for example share child care, cook together some weekly community meals, share tools, garden together etc) while each having our own fully equipped apartments, a balance between privacy and community."

There will be efforts as well to be energy efficient. The details are still being worked out it seems from what Alex Marshall shared in his Living Together interview on the Brian Lehrer Show (December 23, 2008). This New York venture should open in 2010.

Other practitioners in the US such as Cambridge Cohousing (Massachussets) show they did not leave their sense of humor at the door with CoHo Comics.

Some go back to the farm like Cobb Hill Cohousing in Hartland (Vermont).

Ideas for 2009 on Green Day # 58

Last week: With this Lunch Kit, Your Kid Schoolmates will be Green with Envy

Related: Opening a Restaurant: Build a Community Around it First: Elements In Washington DC

Wish You Were Here, Shift in Lisbon, Not Your Average Conference, Oct 15-17

When I read that Stephanie Booth was speaking at Shift, I thought I had to find out what the Shift was all about.

Realizing that it took place in Lisbon (Portugal), I wish I made it there.
This event or conference keeps it human. You are not lost in the crowd.

The theme this year is "that technology is breaking up with it's digital boundaries and it's becoming a vital part of a lot of the things we do and interact with in our daily lives and will try to cover the role and impact of technology in such different fields as: Education, History, Genetics, Economics, Acessibility, Transportation, Mobile Technologies, User Experience, Energy and Architecture, Art and Open Technologies."

Pedro Custódio, one of the organizers informed me that the event takes place at the International Fair Meeting Centre "Parque das Nações", in the most recently renovated area of town, laid down by the River Tagus shoreline. There is a Shopping Center nearby and loads of nice bars and restaurants it's an entire new district by the river, which means plenty of restaurants/bars/hotels and shopping, plus it's very well located next to one of the biggest stations (train, subway, metro and buses) in
Lisbon. Amazingly not nearly expensive as other places in the city, Pedro says.

Maybe I will make it there next year!

Related: Blasting Air Conditioning at Web 2.0 Expo NY Got me Nursing a Cold

E-Mail as the New Addiction, Peter Bauer cuts the Umbilical Cord

How do you treat an addiction?
Do you go cold turkey or do you wean it out progressively.

Self confessed e-mail addict Peter Bauer of Mimecast, an e-mail management company tells Joia Shillingford in Living without e-mail (FT, Digital Business, October 8) how he plans to go cold turkey at least for a week...and see what happens.

I wonder if e-mail is actually more of an addiction for the older crowd.
Amongst the 20 something I know, text messaging might be the culprit.

Could be read to the sound of Love is like a cigarette (Kip Hanrahan version)

Related: A Declaration of Independence from E-Mail by Luis Suarez

Don't Stay at Jobs that Suck: Advice from a Gen Yer

Trying to put her finger on what could be perceived as instability in the constant job hopping of some younger workers, Sacha Chua looks at the Cons and Pros of sticking with a job in Why Gen Y Won't Stay in Jobs that Suck.

Her perspective on the issue is that "when work-life balance is important and career plans are chaotic, it just doesn't pay to work at jobs that suck".

Besides the want or need to have some kind of health benefits another reason given for staying put was/is an aspiration to build a career.

Sacha offers that "it used to be that you would "pay your dues" in a boring, thankless job, eventually rising in the ranks and gaining a cushy position. Not any more. After rampant downsizing (I mean, "right-sizing", or "resource actions", as IBM likes to call it), the failure of even supposedly rock-solid institutions (hello, Fannie Mae!), and the un-cushy-izing of formerly cushy positions such as partners in law firms (who are now subject to the threat of de-equitization) is it any wonder why many people–Gen Y, especially, as we're making these entry-level decisions–no longer believe in long-term career planning and in paying your dues in a thankless position?"

She cites Lesson 1 of Johnny Bunko: There is No Plan.

Another valuable point she makes is that "your employer pays you, but you ultimately work for yourself. You are responsible for developing your own skills, finding your own opportunities, and making the life that you want."

Life and work can be messy.

Thanks to Luis Elsua for pointing to Sacha's words of advice.

Trials and errors for Monday Work Etiquette #57

Previously: Bad Bosses Are Energy Vampires says Steve Miranda

In Touch with the World on OneWebDay 2008

If I had to pick one thing above all to describe how the Internet has changed my life on One Web Day 2008 (September 22), I would say that above all it allows me to Be in Touch with the World.

Beyond all the trivial and silly, it means a world of ideas, a big pot with many hands stirring the soup.
Most of the threads I follow from Monday Work Etiquette and Green Day to Tokyo Thursdays and Consumed to Thrifty were inspired by voices I discovered on the web in places near and far away.

Happy One Web Day 2008!

Related: One Wish for One Web Day 2008 (September 22nd)