AUGUST 2008

CREDIT CRUNCH

Normally the studio dies at this time of year but we are getting some bookings which is good for the bank.

I have 2 orders for new websites, one a sculptor and the other for an art printing press service.

We have mixed results with our various work experience people. At least one is showing signs of becoming a proper photographer which is rather pleasant. Teaching bright kids is no effort.

I have decided that I am becoming a 'grumpy old man' as so many things I see on the news/TV/posters irritate me. How is it that we all have to be politically correct, but so many people expect me to treat them differently to how they treat me?

What happend to manners and common courtesy ?

JULY 2008

DISASTER

This month has seen the date being set for our now famous Small Picture and other Works show to be the last week in Nov. It maybe called 30cm !

My disaster was to overwrite a customer's database, 10000 plus lines of invoices all with the same serial number, content, date and value !!

Fortunately the customer kept a paper record - so we have managed to punch back in most of what was lost.

Yes we make backups every night to a variety of disks. The particular disk had a blown fuse and no way of telling us so.

Another valuable lesson learned - gong to make customers keep a backup too especially on Content Managed sites - which is most of them.

JUNE 2008

SHOP.COM AND POPCORN.CO.UK - conspirators

This month is all about the joys of internet shopping - a mixed bag.

Two years back we bought a natty corkscrew in NZ. It finally bit the dust but we decided it was the best one yet.

So on May the 18th, I trawled the net to find a local supplier. I was rewarded by a site called shop.com. The order was processed by popcorn.co.uk whose relationship with shop.com is not clear.

I ordered the corkscrew for £45 and waited until 3rd June for delivery which seemed a long time.

Having unwrapped the parcel, the unit delivered was a £8.99 common screw.

I emailed the supplier and asked for the correct unit to be shipped quoting all the relevant detail.

I was sent a mail which gave me a link to an RMA form and a set of rules which contraven local laws.

The supplier requires me to return the incorrect and unwanted, unordered goods. This is not required by UK law.

Further the supplier refuses to ship the correct goods until receiving the wrong ones back.

I am now faced with kissing £45 goodbye or giving in to some sinister outfit who are blackmailing me into doing their trade their way.

PLEASE buy from someone else.

UPDATE

The screw finally arrived on June 20th, over a month after the order

The postage refund cheque a day later

The RMA routine is a triple handshake - something only a company wanting to keep one at bay would do - and the form is one of the worst I have ever been asked to fill out

They keep asking for the same data over and over when they have it on the original order - unbelievable.

MARCH 2008
My lovely assistant Malin goes back to Sweden this month after 3 months of being first class

AND she is throwing a leaving party to which I am invited

To help me demonstrate what I can do with websites I have re-built www.cefn-mawr.com as a tool for selling my skills

I have finished another website - if you are trying to sell your house goto www.WorkHomes4Sale.co.uk

FEBUARY 2008
I did a 2 hr 250 slide lecture at NEWI for the local National Trust

You can see the slides and a short pre-talk demo at LiveAtWork.co.uk

We also shot a new sculpture by Jas Davdson which is now on show in Milan

I built a new demo website for talking customers through web features when planning to build a site for them

JANUARY 2008
The BAKERY studio is getting busier again after the holiday

We are in the planning stages for Open Studios in June

The Swedish work experience photographer is now settled in and working hard most days

I got my 2 latest trumpets delivered from the USA

Grand daughter Rowan was christened this month