Our Man Inside http://ourmaninside.com Social Technology & Digital Story Making Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:32:55 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 40 at 40 http://ourmaninside.com/2012/02/03/40-at-40/ http://ourmaninside.com/2012/02/03/40-at-40/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:20:02 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/?p=907 I’m 40 today.  When I was a kid I thought that I’d feel like an old man at this age but I don’t. I still feel like a kid. Like another version of that same kid that found it impossible to visualise what life would be like this far into the future.

Now I’m here and understand a little more of the world, I can see there are so many things I may never understand. And that’s ok. If I could go back and tell that little boy something it would be.. Face your fears, tell those you love that you love them, learn how to be less selfish as soon as possible, and don’t worry, no matter what happens you’ll never forget how to have fun… Oh and don’t expect jetpacks any time soon.

I’m no less hungry for life now, than I was then. I still want to know more, to learn more, to see more. I feel like I’ve been playing a game my whole life and the fun bit is learning. The harsher lessons not so much, but after time you realise that to feel and understand the the highs you need to take a datum from the lows.

I don’t want life to stop being fun. Even when I grow cynical I’d like to be playful with it. To remember that some of the most important lessons I’ve learn’t have come from the most traumatic times. Some of the best stories too.

I guess that’s one of the reasons I created a list of new things I’d like to experience this year. If I can fit in 40 new experiences between February 2012 and Feb 2013, it will not only be a year to remember, it will certainly be one of my best. If I can share some of these things with friends and family then even better.

Below I have a list of more than 40 things. Some silly, some probably difficult without stacks of cash or time, or both. But all do-able and I’ll choose 40 from this bucket list as I move through the year.

If you feel like you want to experience some of these things with me, let me know. Maybe you do this kind of stuff all the time and can help me explore new sports, past-times, food stuffs or cultural idiosyncrasies.

Either way, lets have fun.

____________________________

Here is my list (in no particular order.) I’ll edit as I go through the year. Adding names and linking the content created as the experiences happen.

Go to a village pub dressed as a Stormtrooper The Star Wars kind.  (DONE 4/2/12) Thanks to @PaulOz for the loan of the suit.

Eat Ukrainian (in a Ukrainian restaurant.)

Paraglide

Learn how to bake the perfect loaf (with @Tom_Herbert_)

Drive a modern electric car

Roast my own coffee (possibly with @Ilicco or @ChristianHambly)

Go Bell Ringing (possibly with Alex Foster)

Fly in a microlight

Spend time in a sensory deprivation tank

Deploy a flood barrier (with @Britt_W)

Book a karaoke booth (with help from @Marthalanefox & @LuckyVoice?)

Kitesurf (possibly with @175viatribunali)

Timber Rafting

Some kind of Cowboy experience. (not Brokeback Mountain.)

A snowshoe hike.

Explore the west coast of Scotland in a powered rib

Ride in a submarine

Try Morris Dancing (possibly with @ChristianHambly)

Have my portrait painted (with @PaulOz)

Spend a night alone in a haunted house

Fly in a hot air balloon

Go deep sea fishing (possibly with with @ChristianHambly)

Invent a cocktail

Get a Tattoo

Compile a list of achievements.

Celebrate St Patricks Day in Ireland (Possibly with @AgaKreglewska and Residence.ie)

Learn to hot wire a car

Drive a tank (possibly with with @Greenape)

Have a go at blacksmithing

Ride out to the Ace Cafe for pie (10th June for Triumphs 110 anniversary. With @SimFin)

Attend a Sci-Fi Convention (Booked on the 5th of May)

Volo dell’Angelo (Flight of the Angels)

Visit a Cider Bar (possibly with with @Jamesmb)

Help man a lifeboat

Visit the Triumph Motorcycle factory

Brew my own beer in a micro brewery (With Draycott Brewery)

Learn to play Poker with a professional (arranged by @Ilicco)

Ride the tallest/fastest roller coaster in the UK

Load up a motorbike and go camping

Get a tailor made suit

See the Aurora Borealis

Travel on the Orient Express (Booked)

Learn about audio and acoustics in relation to field recording.

Write a letter to someone I admire and respect.

Spend an entire day offline reading a novel

Volunteer for a day

Spend a night in an Occupy camp

Learn Beekeeping

Make something on a 3d printer

Learn how to Yodel (perhaps with @elevate_dan)

Go Tobogganing (perhaps with @elevate_dan)

Go Bat Watching

Blend my own whisky

The Storify showing how this list came about is linked here: Storify.com/documentally/40-at-40

]]> http://ourmaninside.com/2012/02/03/40-at-40/feed/rss2/ 15 Richard Stallman Talks http://ourmaninside.com/2011/12/07/richard-stallman-talks/ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/12/07/richard-stallman-talks/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:01:09 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/?p=900

Recently I got to see Richard Stallman talk in London. He was the guest of the Open Rights Group and the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

I have his talk and the Q&A that followed embedded and linked below. First though are my initial impressions recorded at the end of the night.

(Skip to the three embeds & ogg links below if you want to hear Richard Stallman’s talk.)

Richard Stallman’s talk
Part One
Part Two
Part Three (Q & A)

If you need these audio clips in OGG right click and download from here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

 

__________________________

I had recorded this audio as a second thought and would like to thank Mark Cotton for cleaning, editing, dissecting and converting the files to OGG. He really knows his audio. I’d recommend him to anyone who needs audio services.

Thanks to the Open Rights Group for hosting the night and if you care considering joining to assist them with their good work please OpenRightsGroup.org/join.

Any/all of the content on this page is free to use under the CC license attribution noncommercial share alike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]> http://ourmaninside.com/2011/12/07/richard-stallman-talks/feed/rss2/ 1 The Do Lectures (Revisited in Audio) http://ourmaninside.com/2011/12/06/the-do-lectures-revisited-in-audio/ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/12/06/the-do-lectures-revisited-in-audio/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:41:18 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/?p=898

This five part mini series of Audioboo’s were compiled, edited and enhanced with music by Mark Cotton aka @MCFontaine You can find out more about Mark here: http://about.me/mcfontaine

I blogged about the Do Lectures in detail after I attended in September 2011. You can get more detail here: ourmaninside/do-lectures

For a glimpse into some of the moments and conversations please take a few moments to listen below.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five
 

..and here are a few images from my Flickr stream

If you would like to subscribe to my Audioboo’s in iTunes please CLICK HERE

]]> http://ourmaninside.com/2011/12/06/the-do-lectures-revisited-in-audio/feed/rss2/ 0 The London Conference on Cyberspace http://ourmaninside.com/2011/11/03/the-london-conference-on-cyberspace/ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/11/03/the-london-conference-on-cyberspace/#comments Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:41:53 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/2011/11/03/the-london-conference-on-cyberspace/ ]]> http://ourmaninside.com/2011/11/03/the-london-conference-on-cyberspace/feed/rss2/ 0 Reinventing The Conference http://ourmaninside.com/2011/10/28/reinventing-the-conference/ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/10/28/reinventing-the-conference/#comments Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:36:14 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/?p=890

Thinking Digital does the conference model really well. It’s a humane accessible version of TED. Small enough to be friendly, big enough to attract the innovators looking for and sharing new ideas.

The Do Lectures do something amazing between a campfire chat and an intimate mini festival. It’s still the most amazing ticketed event I’ve been to and I feel would be extremely difficult to emulate if you were ‘in it for the money’.

SXSW Interactive calls itself a festival but feels to me like the bloated physical manifestation of Facebook. I love the festival model but when it grows for the sole intention to create more profit it becomes monstrously corporate at the expense of heart and soul. If it’s participants can’t see the added value because nothing stands out as amazing on a menu of mediocre. Then it’s just a shanty town of billboards, populated by the bewildered.

If I was going to create something right now, I’d do something similar to the Elevate festival. Set in Graz, Austria, events were ran in all kinds of places from community spaces to the caverns of a hollowed out mountain.

It would start after a lazy breakfast, late enough for conversations and epicurean enjoyment of a shared meal. With more panels than stand up speakers, the audience could see who could talk around their field and not just about their field. A hefty chunk of panel time was given to the floor with statements encouraged as much as questions. The audience switching effortlessly from voyeur to participant.

After the political, environmental & musical discourse came the DJ’s and bands filling laser lit carved rock walls inside the mountain. The music, conversations and partying continued till dawn.

Once again the spaces either side of the timetabled events held immense value. The panels and talks merely catalysing the social side.

We naturally connect with those around us. It doesn’t need to be timetabled in. In fact some people loath the pressured expectation that in between sips of coffee you will be reciting your LinkedIn profile to whomever you can corner or collar in those precious 15 minutes.

I’m not saying the conference model is dead, I just think there is room for more of the intimate festival feel. Less herding from room to room, more of a flow around the attractions.

If you’re looking at assembling a quick and easy gathering of people in order to impart information in a day, then maybe the standard conference model is still for you. Although longevity in the conversations and connections is where I feel value lies.

If you want the ideas planted in the panels and talks to germinate within in your participants minds, let them socialise organically. Take the time to make the space.

Why have a flash of inspiration when it can strobe.

 

]]> http://ourmaninside.com/2011/10/28/reinventing-the-conference/feed/rss2/ 5 Scottevest and the trip of your life http://ourmaninside.com/2011/10/20/scottevest-and-the-trip-of-your-life/ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/10/20/scottevest-and-the-trip-of-your-life/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:20:13 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/?p=873
Here is a competition I couldn’t ignore. A $10,000 pot from Scottevest for one lucky person to take the trip of their lifetime and document as they go. I never enter competitions and could easily talk my way out of winning this one by saying I feel I’ve been to most of the countries I’ve ever wanted to visit. I spent 10 years doing just that.

That said. I love adventure.

And I also love travel. Be it by train, by bike, by foot or by boat. It’s the people I meet along the way. The people and their stories.

So what would I do with $10,000. Well I wouldn’t blow it all on one trip. I’d pick out a few of the worlds festivals I’ve always wanted to go to and visit them. I may have been to most of the places I ever dreamed of.. but i’ve not travelled to a fraction of the amazing events and festivals that go on around the world.

I’d pick a selection.. music, art, food, literature, there are so many out there. I’d probably ask for recommendations form my online places and then report my findings back using audio, video, geo and photos to share the stories I find.

What would be the trip of your life? (mp3)

Obviously.. without a sack of cash sat on my desk this is just a pipe dream. Still. It’s nice to dream.

What kind of trip(s) would you do with $10,000 to spend?

]]> http://ourmaninside.com/2011/10/20/scottevest-and-the-trip-of-your-life/feed/rss2/ 11 Location Based Apps for the Homeless http://ourmaninside.com/2011/10/10/location-based-apps-for-the-homeless/ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/10/10/location-based-apps-for-the-homeless/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:36:55 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/?p=867 During the 90′s I spent a lot of time ‘roughing it’ and wandering Europe. I’d walk between France, Switzerland and Germany sleeping under the stars and making money where I could. If you’ve ever read Narcissus and Goldmund  by Hesse you’ll get the idea.

I starting writing a book called the ‘Blaggers Guid To The World’. I never finished it. At the time I felt I could easily justify some of my money making and free travel methods I was exploring but now.. written down.. they don’t look entirely ethical, so the book sits half finished in a tatty notebook.

My social network at the time lived in the same leather bound notebook. The pages were split into countries and under each country heading were listed names, addresses and phone numbers. Most of the travellers I met on the road would exchange details with me. No emails or mobile numbers.  Just an address & home number that if you rang and someone answered, you could be sure of a bed for the night as you travelled through.

There was an unwritten code of mutual assistance for anyone wanting to follow a nomadic way of life. We were the voluntary homeless, the student tramps on a never ending year out, Backpackers without an itinerary.

The noticeboards at youth hostels would give you the latest local information. Even where you could eat, shower and sleep for free. I soon learn’t that marinas offered a comfortable night under an upturned boat and occasionally had unlocked warm showers for shivering windsurfers.. or me.

Markets and Hari Krishna temples always had free food and in Italy I could be sure to feast on salami, bread and cheese should I wander into a church looking hungry. Yes I’d have to listen to a religious sales pitch but that was a small price to pay for such luxurious tastes.

At one point on my travels I met a guy on the run form the French Foreign Legion. On a short overnight boat trip, I listened to his acquired wisdom and he gave me half the contents of my unfinished book. He scrawled out some symbols into my notebook and told me to keep an eye out for chalked of stone scratched graffiti.

Years later I found out this was an almost identical code to American Hobo signs.

I took to carrying a chalky stone in my pocket and adding the relevant marks where I could. I liked the idea that if spotted, the owner could remove it but also that with time it would fade. A fresh mark meant a recent update and fresh news.

Today, many people still don’t get location based social networking but we have very similar features to those above in apps like Foursquare and Gowalla.

If I had the time, energy and know-how I’d build an app based on the above system used in Hobo Graffiti. I’d also also include some of the more known Wardriving symbols that also used to be spotted on our streets in order to highlight open Wifi. I am not sure the newly digitally equipped Hobo would be ready for the WorkSnug kind of interface but something smart and simple.. Why not?

Of course there are more than a few location apps showing available hotspots, power points etc. But as more people travel with technology or shun our normal static lifestyles, how about an app aimed at the travellers, the voluntarily homeless?  One that does not necessarily conform to societies norms.

I can’t imagine how my 10 years exploring the world would have looked should I have had a smart phone in my pocket. As it stands I’m quite glad I trod the analogue path.

But should I ever do it again, these kinds of apps would certainly travel with me. Along with my digitised and leather bound social networks.

]]> http://ourmaninside.com/2011/10/10/location-based-apps-for-the-homeless/feed/rss2/ 0 Teen Tech – ‘Inspiring Tomorrow’s Innovators’ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/09/28/teen-tech-inspiring-tomorrows-innovators/ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/09/28/teen-tech-inspiring-tomorrows-innovators/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:51:10 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/?p=863
I was invited by @MaggiePhilbin to attend a Teen Tech event in Tonbridge, Kent. A one day event to help young teenagers see the career possibilities in Science, Engineering and Technology.

For an outline of what Teen Tech is all about. Take a look at the site..  TeenTechEvent.com

I did a quick search and saw the beginnings of a conversation.

“ Heading for#teentech Kent. You can follow the experiences of 300 teenagers and 140 scientists,engineers and technologists on @teentechevent
maggiephilbin
September 26, 2011
“ Just off to Kent to set up for Teentech tomorrow to promote engineering and science to school leavers with @maggiephilbin @teentechevent
PESPerformance
September 26, 2011
“ Heading for#teentech Kent. You can follow the experiences of 300 teenagers and 140 scientists,engineers and technologists on @teentechevent
maggiephilbin
September 26, 2011

I arrived late the night before in Tonbridge and grabbed a chat with Maggie.

“ And so TeenTech Kent is now set up and ready for the morning.what incredible technology is ready for kent yongsters!
EBPKent
September 26, 2011
The morning for me started with breakfast and then a short walk to the Riverside Centre.
First thing you saw on the way in was a glass fountain where ideas and inventions would be posted throughout the day.

I got to have a few quick chats in and around the exhibits before the mass of teenagers flooded the space. There was certainly some interesting tech in the room.

The 3D screen on the LG was impressive but not as much as split channel viewing from an unmodified 3D TV being shown off by the @BBCGreenRoom

RoboChallenge, a small family business had in my opinion the most impressive looking display. Cars, robots and a bike I couldn’t talk about much. ;o)

The local University had some interesting exhibits to play with. Pushbike powered generators and thermal imaging cameras to name a couple.

QR codes appeared to be dotted everywhere. In the halls, corridors, corners and even the toilets. Will next year’s events be playing with near field communication?

Above is my new QR code made by @RichardMackney

I was quite excited to see the Skeleton Bob Simulator. One of only two in the world.

I got to have a go myself. Luckily there is no footage. I was crap. It was harder than it looked and I spent most of my time in a tree. Great experience though.
“ I have found a quiet corner (behind a locked door) to hide from the knowledge hungry teenagers at #teentech
Documentally
September 27, 2011

There was so much energy in the rooms I was glad to escape for a few moments to update a couple of blogs.

 

I wasn’t the only one with a momentary escape plan.

“ Wiped out by enthusiasm of students at #teentech in Kent. Tweeting from loo -only place I can go without being bombared by keen questions
maggiephilbin
September 27, 2011
In a glass cubicle, students were using locally developed software that’s now used worldwide to create e-fits of suspects involved in crime.
The kids were read a description to assemble and it was amazing how similar everyone’s results were.

The guys on the Samsung stand had some cool mobile and TV tech to show off. They also gave a hint at the future of Smart TV.

..and the fountain of ideas kept on growing.

There was so much to see and document. I didn’t even scrape the surface of what was going on in all the corners.

The kids and their teachers absorbed everything the industry geeks could throw at them. There seemed to be just the right balance between sat down thinking and hands on experimenting.
It was mostly the latter.
When I walked in, the “Fountain of ideas’ was empty apart from a QR code hinting towards the day’s activities. Towards the end of the day it was crammed with post-it notes, all holding ideas, inventions and innovations from the minds of the teenagers attending.
From voice activated toilets to metal detecting phones. There was also an unhealthy smattering of jetpack related inventions floating round.
Who knows.. Perhaps one of these guys will go on to develop the first commercially available commuter jetpack. Looking at the ideas falling out of their minds and into the conversations at the Teen Tech Event, I wouldn’t be surprised if when they do, it has lasers on it.
“ I need four arms & eight cameras. What’s that saying about working with children & animals? #TeenTech
Documentally
September 27, 2011

It was great to see the teachers as enthralled and excited as the kids. I heard one teacher squeal with excitement watching the Skeleton Bob Simulator.

Upstairs the teenagers were inventing and marketing app ideas.

More great ideas were followed by rewards and prizes for those that impressed the judges.

 

Maggie Philbin appeared to have more energy than the teenagers in the final wrap up. They had certainly been mentally and physically tested over the day. As we all had.

“ And finally, Best App at #teentech went to I Forgot My Glasses – enter your prescription, and it magnifies text accordingly.
daveaddey
September 27, 2011
“ Happy to see the inventor of the Beard Hoover get an award. #TeenTech
Documentally
September 27, 2011
The feedback system in place had the attendees voting via remote devices and the results projected on the large screen in the main hall.

It was obvious to see that the opinions of Scientists and Engineers as well as the perceived importance of Maths had massively changed from the not that impressed to the positive.

Kent based Cummins had played a large part in the day and sounded like they’d been inspired just as much as the kids.

Dave Addey’s team from Agant working with Alyson Fielding had won over so many minds with their App inventing session.

“ Wrapping up here in Kent. Heading north soon.
Documentally
September 27, 2011

Personally I thoroughly enjoyed the day. In a way I wish I’d spoken to more kids ‘on the record’. The ones I did get to chat with during the whirlwind of activities said they’d love this kind of thing to happen every month. “It’s like 30 fields trips in a day” said a young lad obviously impressed.

I don’t remember ever getting this kind of exposure to the people behind science and technology when I was at school. We had work experience in out final year but that seemed too little to late.
In regards to science, technology and engineering, quite a few young minds left a little more enlightened at the end of the day. It was a great day for them as well as for industry.
Teen Tech is a CIC. Their tagline on the website is ‘Inspiring Tomorrow’s Innovators’.
On the day I spent with them, they certainly achieved that.
If you feel like you can do the same. Please let them know.

I’m @Documentally on twitter

]]> http://ourmaninside.com/2011/09/28/teen-tech-inspiring-tomorrows-innovators/feed/rss2/ 0 The Do Lectures http://ourmaninside.com/2011/09/21/the-do-lectures/ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/09/21/the-do-lectures/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:24:22 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/?p=848 For me the Do Lectures hasn’t just broken the conference mould. It’s turned it outside in. Diverse, inclusive, unbranded, organic, fluid, honest.

Soon after my arrival I realised as a participant that this is not just a ride. It’s not something people are paying to see. This is an investment in yourself and others. A rollercoaster with a steering wheel everyone can get their hands on.

…………………………………..

I was invited to attend The Do Lectures. In a quiet corner of West Wales it’s a tiny event that’s not a conference, not a festival, more a meeting of minds where everyone is a speaker and listener combined. It’s inspiration has been emanating from it’s tented setting for the last four years and continuously from the minds of the attendees as they visit and return to their respective countries.

Day 1

After a 4 & a half hour drive, I was welcomed to fforest camp like an old friend. And yet I’d never been before.

 

Our bags were taken to our accommodation and we were in turn picked up in loaned Honda hybrids.

As soon as i was dropped off I went for a wander to get my bearings.

The venue was a massive double teepee. Everything seemed rwell designed and thought out.

I took a peek of the inside before anything kicked off.

I wasn’t expecting much of a 3G connection and was in fact told I could have a ‘lift to the internet’ at the end of every day. It turned out that my 3 MiFi combined with a small solar panel, was more than enough to enable me to share some of the conversations and experiences.

“ Checking out bandwidth.. Not bad on a three MiFi. @ The Do Lectures http://gowal.la/p/hHqw #photo
Documentally
September 14, 2011

Another teepee, slightly smaller this time, with a stove and chill out area was going to be home for the next 5 days. It had adventure written all over it. Unfortunately if sleep was written on it, it was too small to see. Little did I know how involved the next few days would be.

The view was out across a crescent of participants tents.

The whole setting was beautiful. Tucked away in a wooded valley, you felt immediately relaxed when you entered fforest camp. A space that spidered throughout the woods to beautiful campsites nooks and cranny’s.

So many places to rest, chat, think, explore.

I got to see a lot of the single room pub over the next few days. It’s quality local real ales, bottled and from the keg were never to blame for my slightly fuzzy mornings. The blame for that would go to the Welsh whisky that came afterwards.

The amazing staff were Ninja-like in how they worked and as a result hard to spot because they were laughing and joking with all of us. Unless you were being handed a plate of delicious food from someone in a fforest t-shirt, everyone looked like they were there to enjoy themselves.

The event was kicked off with lots of laughing as we were entertained in the main tent by @JosieLong

“ The comedienne at #dolectures has said ‘Hello Nerd Camp!’ ..that’s us then. :)
Documentally
September 14, 2011
“ I’ve tears of laughter at the Tory hating, Bronte loving, fantasist comedian at the #dolectures
Documentally
September 14, 2011
“ Sat at a camp fire at the #dolectures listening to Chailo sim’s first ever unplugged set. It’s a bit like a Glastonbury moment but in Wales.
Documentally
September 14, 2011

My first musical experience at ‘Do’ was from the band Chailo Sim (on twitter as @IAmReplete) who played a wonderful little unplugged set which bled into a shared jam with whoever wanted to join in.

Over the following days Nayfe and I became good friends and shared more than a decent wine or two. Wine that he always seemed to magic out of some hidden alcove.

“ Back at basecamp. In the teepee listening @greenape @Tom_Herbert_ talk #breadporn.
Documentally
September 14, 2011

When it was time to head to my Teepee I found two really interesting albeit slightly noisy tentmates. I later found out that it was @Greenape with the epic snoring talent. A talent that I vowed to at least match.

Day 2

The following morning and even with his epic bed hair, I recognized Tom as ‘that baker off the TV’ and we had a chat about bread related stuff as well as the quality of Mark’s snoring.

Breakfast was a great start to the social side of the day. Fruit, eggs, fresh granola and chunky toast set in a really intimate space that nurtured excited conversations.

“ Chatting with @Nayfe from @iamreplete over breakfast. #dolectures
Documentally
September 15, 2011
“ Attendees here feeling warm at the thought their ticket money allows all the talks here to be shared free with the world #dolectures
Documentally
September 15, 2011

I loved the way that even when glamping everyone has that ‘roughing it’ look.

I still liked sneaking off for a hot shower so my aroma would not offend anyone at dinner.
That said, those that knew how to dress for a party really shone amongst those looking for functional, or at the very least, clean clothing.

I really enjoyed listening to Tom Fishburne talk. One of the few marketeers that has me hanging on his every word.

He’s really and artist though. Disguised as a Marketoonist.
“ Real life friendship > Internet friendship, but real life + Internet friendship > real life friendship. #dolectures
Documentally
September 15, 2011
The Feral Choir had everyone regardless of singing skills, free our voices from where ever it is we lock them away.

It was hard to explain what those at fforest camp were experiencing. Although I tried through twitter and the snippets of audio. And then there were the times I liked to throw out a curve ball.

There was no way I could explain the concept of a ferrel choir in 140 characters. And throwing out a vide just got me a load of WTF’s in response.. http://www.keek.com/!AOdaaab
All I will say is it was incredibly cathartic and is something i have taken to doing at random moments. Mostly when alone.

At lunch, in the tea hut, through the shower walls, in the bar, walking through the woods, in the camp.. Oh.. and in the event tent.

So many inspiring stories, on day one at The Do Lectures. I felt like my head was already full.

 

Still I was having too much fun wandering around the fforest camp grounds recording conversations to worry about my brain capacity.

It was great grabbing a moment with Steve Edge. He summed up the Do Lectures pretty well.
“ What’s your story? ..yes its a simple question but did you ask it to yourself recently? #dolectures
Documentally
September 15, 2011
When I first chatted with Chido Govera It was a few stolen words in a tea break. Little did I know how much her talk would move me the following day.
The early evening saw many of us, beer in hand, head to one of many workshops.

Amongst the many workshops I could attend I opted for the one run by my roomy @Tom_Herbert_ The bread making workshop. It was great fun learning about the finer points of baking with sourdough and experimenting with cooking pizza on an open fire.

Tom is a proper geek baker and I was sold on the benefits of the infra-red thermometer, even if to just measure the temperature of peoples beers round the camp fire.
After the baking came another amazing dinner where we made new friends, drank way too much wine and hung out with new found friends.

Day 3

The general hospitality of the night before rendered the morning of day three a little fuzzy. My mouth felt a little furry but I remembered I’d used a reindeer pelt as a pillow.

“ Should I die in a teepee fire my DNA will be inexplicably mixed with that of a reindeer. #dolectures
Documentally
September 16, 2011
After a hearty breakfast I felt ready to face the day and made the most of the live feed that was pipped into the eating area. Here I could listen, compile media and drink gallons of fair trade coffee.

I bumped into Biologist Colin Tudge while walking up a hill. I love meeting huge minded professionals who can explain things to me simply.

Knowing something is one thing. Effectively sharing that information to the uninitiated is something completely different.
“ Just learned a great deal from Colin Tudge about farming and how it should be http://t.co/bUrINDqC #dolectures
Documentally
September 16, 2011
And here is his book.. (Well.. one of many).

I met Caroline Flint on the way to her car, a passionate midwife who had cried during her talk setting off those their to learn.

“ The steady festival like ferrelisation of everyone’s appearance is a great leveller. We’ve amputated vanity from the Do’ers at #dolectures.
Documentally
September 16, 2011
A chat in one of the domes at fforest. I wish i hadn’t seen their rustic luxury I’m sorely tempted to rent one out. And the views were stunning.
Some speakers who were telling stories thought nothing of bringing in their very recent realisations into their talks. Realisations that may only have occurred that morning.
“ Listening to @greenape talk at #dolectures he’s a funny guy when he’s not snoring.
Documentally
September 16, 2011
“ More great food wine and conversation. Just like a normal Friday but in Wales.
Documentally
September 16, 2011

Well not exactly a normal Friday. I don’t think you could find a more inspired and buzzed up group of people in one place. All enjoying each others company, all enjoying the fruits of the land.

 

We didn’t have a bad meal and it was served from smiling staff who knew they were doing us a favour. Locally and naterally grown produce has to be the best.

 

And of course there was the wine.

“ Learning how to Wi-5 off @Hoeken It’s like a high-5 but at a distance over the air. #dolectures
Documentally
September 16, 2011
“ Listening to an amazing Nico-esque Welsh musician I’m told is called Tasmin La Bon. But it’s hard to google/verify for obvious reasons.
Documentally
September 16, 2011
Day 4
The morning followed a nights sleep that may as well have been measured in minutes.
“ I woke with new knowledge themed around whisky & saunas. Not the best combination. #dolectures
Documentally
September 17, 2011

Still, breakfast was too amazing to miss and of course there were more great talks and workshops. I spotted @Hoeken relaxing in a catatonic state in the fforest lodge. Looks like he had not made it to his official bed.

“ Great start to the day at #dolectures lots of attentive but slightly hungover people feeling a communal fuzzyness.
Documentally
September 17, 2011
The Do Lectures knows how to put on a party. From the barbecue, to the bar, to the gig, to the dancing, to the breakout parties that popped up across  the site and finished at breakfast.
After only a couple of days there’s the feeling that 100 people each have 99 new friends.
I don’t totally remember taking the photo of @Tom_Herbert_ above. I do remember having a great time though
“ Great night last night. It ate a little too much into sleep time but worth it. Some folks were up at 5:30 am canoeing.
Documentally
September 17, 2011
The fragility of mind sparked a number of questions.
“ At what age were you when you felt like you finally knew who you were? When you got to know yourself? #dolectures
Documentally
September 17, 2011
“ I think I was 30 when i felt like I knew who i was. It was at the end of 10 years of travel & who I am has changed a lot since. #dolectures
Documentally
September 17, 2011
I was genuinely really impressed with what the Do Lectures had done.
“ If you run a conference & have not seen how the #DoLectures do it. You are not doing your job properly.
Documentally
September 17, 2011
“ Up to now some passionate speakers at the #dolectures have made me teary. Chido Guvera’s story has made me cry.
Documentally
September 17, 2011

This year saw added interest in what we were doing due to the increased conversations happening online. I was asked again and again if ‘Do’ was really as good as the attendees were saying.

“ @sirajdatoo yes I’ve been to hundreds of different conferences in the last 4 years. The best was 5 times better than most but only 50% this.
Documentally
September 17, 2011
“ An impassioned, honest, humble and inspiring talk from surf film maker Micky Smith an epic do’er #dolectures
Documentally
September 17, 2011
Some of the content being shown has jaws dropping all over the room. Micky Smiths work blew people minds.
“ Dark Side Of The Lens.. http://vimeo.com/14074949 Watch It. #dolectures
Documentally
September 17, 2011

Watch this full screen at the very least. With headphones or decent speakers turned up. I dare you not to be inspired.

Now imagine this kind of feeling ebbing and flowing through the talks, the breaks, the casual conversations over a coffee or beer. Round the camp fires and in the woods. For days. You can’t help but be affected. And it pains you that you can’t explain it to anyone that wasn’t there.

 

Yes the talks are available online for free, for anyone to enjoy who wasn’t there. This is made possible those who bought tickets.. by those that were there working. By the speakers talking for free. And their reward is the other 90% of the value that exists outside the main tent, in this amazing space.

I was told the lectures are not only not for profit but actually run at a loss each year. To help to reduce that loss the end of Saturdays’ lectures were punctuated with an auction of unusual, unobtainable or unique items sold to ensure the event can survive another year.

The legend that is Steve Edge was the auctioneer and had lots of fun in the process.
“ Fun to see @smithsam accidentally start the bidding on a poster for £25,000 #dolectures
Documentally
September 17, 2011
After another locally grown epic meal from the fforest camp staff, we made are way up the wooded hill to there the evenings entertainment was beginning.
“ Watching Gruff Rhys and his various musical gadgets at #dolectures
Documentally
September 17, 2011
Gruff Rhys played an intimate, retro gadget filled hilarious set to people sat on bales of hay drinking local Ales, cider and great wine. What’s not to like?
Day 5

2pm seemed like an early night after the last few days and as I was in earshot of my very local woodland sauna, I was aware the party didn’t stop until much later.

In the morning the weather had finally closed in on our little part of Wales.
It fit the mood nicely as the air around the showers in the morning was filled with the somber knowledge that the Do Lectures and everything it has meant to it’s participants was coming to a close later that day.
The mood was only lifted slightly at the anticipation of a couple of final lectures and the Burning Man-esque moments reported to have occured in the night between the sauna and the river
My mood was a little pensive as I knew I had to leave before the last couple of lectures and the farewell lunch.
On the last day of the lectures i bumped into Mickey in the tea hut. We had this chat..
“ Sad to be leaving the #dolectures looking forward to reflecting on this time.
Documentally
September 18, 2011
I was taking so many thoughts, ideas and memories of conversations. Their wisdom rang in my ears..
“ Civic Economy is a macro model of people empowerment. Redistribution of wealth through the micro enterprises within a society. #DoLectures
CatherineErica
September 18, 2011
“ “If I only scrape a living, at least it’s a living worth scraping.” Micky Smith #dolectures
i_am_mr_sedders
September 18, 2011

I said goodbye to some new friends and on heading out of fforest camp walked trough more than a couple of similarly emotional goodbyes as people involving people who were strangers only 4 days ago.

96 hours is a long time to forge these kind of connections when you opt for intense shared experiences over sleep.
The drive home was filled with reflection and plans i’ll be certain to nurture as soon as my mind slips out of overdrive with it’s reward of some much needed sleep.
“ 550 miles later. I’m home. Massive thanks to the #DoLectures for having me.
Documentally
September 18, 2011

I wasn’t alone in my appreciation. This is just a random selection from the steady and still flowing stream of thanks hitting twitter..

“ @DoLectures my ears are ringing, my soul is singing, there’s reindeer hair and straw everywhere. Thank you #PhotosAndScars
Tom_Herbert_
September 18, 2011
“ @DoLectures = massively necessary life-changing anti mind fuck.
nayfe
September 18, 2011
“ Someone once asked me, “Are the #dolectures worth it?” It’s simple: sell your car, go to the #dolectures. It’s worth it (and bikes rule).
CivicSponsor
September 17, 2011
“ @DoLectures thanks for a great night. Awesome conversations with awesome people. Ideas + energy = change
JaneBryngwyn
September 18, 2011
“ Amazing time @dolectures. Planning re-entry to normal life after the most exhilarating time ever. Big thanks to everyone who made it special
tomfarrand
September 18, 2011
“ Thanks to the #dolectures massive for yet another incredible, mind bendingly brain fizzing 5 days. Good to make new friends @Documentally
175viatribunali
September 18, 2011
“ Had an incredibly good time @DoLectures #DoLectures!!! It was everything I thought it would be and 1000% more!
LiviuLica
September 18, 2011
“ #dolectures = utopia
paskq
September 18, 2011
“ Had my mind, body and soul completely blown apart at the @DoLectures an amazing event. As mickey smith would say I am armed with a grin!
searsio
September 18, 2011
“ @DoLectures was amazing beyond words. My hair smells like campfire, boots splattered with mud, my head & heart full of ideas and inspiration
nhu
September 18, 2011
“ Congratulations to @DoLectures what an awesome event. #Wales should be very proud.
RichieTrnr
September 18, 2011
“ The Do Lectures was hands-down the best event I’ve attended in around…oh…30 years or so. Click the hashtag & get a flavor: #DoLectures
lesmckeown
September 18, 2011
“ Re-emerging from 5 days at @DoLectures in the forest in Wales. Inspirational and rewarding.
dwinter
September 18, 2011
“ If the @DoLectures was set in outer space it would be called a Jedi Convention. That’s a fact. #dolectures
searsio
September 19, 2011
“ I have some serious sleep to catch up on after the #DoLectures. Resuming abnormal service tomorrow.
Documentally
September 18, 2011
“ It”s going to take a few days to recalibrate after attending the @DoLectures in Wales.
RSWorks
September 19, 2011

I agree. My recalibration though will be taken from a new datum.

 …………………………………..

If you want to see who some of the attendees of the 2011 Do Lectures see my list:

http://twitter.com/#!/list/Documentally/doers

If i have missed you please let me know @Documentally

There is a wealth of information in the videos from past events.. http://www.dolectures.com/

..and the original Storify is linked here: http://storify.com/documentally/the-do-lectures

]]> http://ourmaninside.com/2011/09/21/the-do-lectures/feed/rss2/ 4 Reinventing Communication & Protecting Community http://ourmaninside.com/2011/08/22/reinventing-communication-protecting-community/ http://ourmaninside.com/2011/08/22/reinventing-communication-protecting-community/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:31:32 +0000 Documentally http://ourmaninside.com/?p=843

An eavesdropping dog in Brazil

For me a community is not tied to a geographical area. It’s more an area of common life. I live across a number of communities.  Family, friends, work, and a number of geeky tech loving groups who exist both on the web and in physical space.

Some hold a fellowship of solidarity and trust. Others merely contain a group of peope who share a common interest. Either way these communities are really important to me.

Anthony P. Cohen argues that communities are best approached as ‘communities of meaning’. In other words, ‘”community” plays a crucial symbolic role in generating people’s sense of belonging’.

I feel it’s this sense of belonging that’s missing from areas in society. And without this we are unable to build a feeling of self, of individuality.

Whether we like it or not capitalism permeates everything we do. Creativity is often styfled as production is privately owned and operated for profit. We are too far down that road to do anything about it. Still, there is no reason why we can’t create communities freely sharing our own thoughts, dreams and aspirations. A shield or filter as an antidote to the bombardment we are subjected to as the advertisers tell us how they think we should live.

The problem is, that most community spaces now cropping up have little to do with freedom of expression. They are controlled environments where the participants are leeched of all shared knowledge, where their interactions and connections are studied at a minute level.

CCTV near Orwell's grave

If I arranged to meet with friends on my village green only to find that our every move was monitored and recorded, conversations archived and our home addresses logged.. I’d most certainly go and find somewhere a little more relaxed to chat. If in addition to this we were bombarded with suggestions of what someone thought we should spend our hard earned cash on… I’d probably leave never to return.

That is if there was somewhere to leave to.

We forget that Facebook and Google are advertising companies providing a communication infrastructure. Google plus is not a social network. We are the ones being sociable in the networks. It’s easy to forget this and our amnesia suits them just fine.

I’m aware of this. But only sometimes. It’s far too easy to get sucked in because that’s where my ‘friends’ are.

My networks exists cross platform. But for how much longer?

I won’t go into my gripes with Google+ following in the footsteps of Facebook and dictating how we should be conversing and what we should call ourselves. Making out they are doing us a favour by giving us four days grace to ‘fix’ our accounts should we rather use our nicknames in our posts. There are more than enough people making a noise around this to show it’s Google who are in fact broken.

I am now formulating a backup plan. An escape route. A quiet place where I can chat with friends in as close as I can find to privacy. Whatever that is.

This will probably sound terribly extreme to someone just floating along quite happily. I’d just like more options. I’m bored of the taste of ready meals and fancy something wholesome. Besides, I back up my data, why not back up my communication channels.

Masonic Lodge in Rugby

I’m not looking to create a secret society. I’m looking for an open system. Not owned or exclusive but shared worldwide. Perhaps a version of Status.net that in an emergency could work even if the internet is turned off. Yes you heard me. Perhaps a mesh-networked bluetooth affair or something using the D-star transmitters dotted around the world. There are options. It just has to be imagined.

And with this I’d like improved email to match.

I feel if i really want to regain control over the way I communicate online I need to ditch GMail. I’ll go for something with encryption. Something that gives me a red page when I am writing to someone not using encryption. It’s not because I have secrets. It’s because not everything I say in a personal email is for sale.

Decentralised, secure, mobile, social… What would you want?

I’m guessing what I want doesn’t exist yet. If not we should make it.

Who’s in?

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