Not a complete list. Impressive nonetheless

Back last May, the public radio show Marketplace ran a piece about coworking. They visited some coworkers in New York City, had a good time with the whole, “why don’t you want to work at home” thing and that was that. I was thrilled since I love that show, but it didn’t go very deep. This week, they did another which makes me even happier. Coworking on Marketplace twice in about six months? We’re a full-fledged trend now.

This piece is much the same as the other one, which I must admit makes it a bit strange. There’s not much new in it, other than the space they visit (North Carolina’s Creative Coworking). Instead, it’s full of the same kind of confusion on the part of the reporter about why people would want to come to an office (she talks about corporate offices populated by “people wishing they could work in their underwear,” for example. She should talk to Chris.) and quotes from coworkers who explaining the sense of isolation and frustration we’ve all felt when confronted with another day spent with just our cats for company.

One bit that’s new this time is the mention of the recession and how it might actually help coworking spaces to thrive. In a down economy, the reporter points out, office space that costs less might be very attractive to those who have their own. Goes along with the theory that in a down economy, entreprenurs are likely to thrive.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, coworking and those of us doing it are well positioned to make it through this recession with flying colors. It may be a bit nerve wracking right now, but I’m pretty sure we’ll be fine when it’s all over because we have each other to lean on and fertile environments that generate tons of marketable, sustainable ideas.

That whiteboard is right here in our office. The picture was taken by our friend Matt Westervelt who added it to our Office Nomads Flickr pool. If you have any shots from here you’d like to add, please do! Tag them with OfficeNomads

When David Schmader wrote Last Days at Office Nomads, he made some friends.

No, we’re not closing, but I got ya with that headline, didn’t I? Actually, once again, this week’s Last Days column in The Stranger is all about Office Nomads. Just like last year, Jacob and Susan bought the right to have the column be about whatever they wanted in The Stranger’s annual Strangercrombie auction. As always, it’s an honor to be a part of what I think is the best part of The Stranger.

While the winning bid was lower than last year, the value was even higher because this time Last Days’ author, David Schmader, had experience with ON, letting him see the difference between last year and this year (huge). Better yet, he had a ton of Nomads to feature in the column and included us in its creation. Each day last week when he was working here, David shared some possible topics for this week’s edition and asked for comments on each. It was a ton of fun to see the sausage being made, so to speak. From videos of babies eating lemons to stories about people watching bestiality porn (see Wednesday’s entry) in public places to the opportunity and abortion donuts (See Thursday) to wax poetic on President Obama’s Inauguration and the recession, it was a completely unique and entertaining experience. Plus, we got to ask him questions about his world-renowned Showgirls commentary.

Once again, thank you to David Schmader for the awesome coverage, to The Stranger for the opportunity and to all of you for reading and passing around the column.

Like most of the rest of the nation yesterday, the Office Nomads community celebrated the inauguration of President Barack Obama. (I still like writing that.) As we did on election night, we invited our extended communities to share this historic moment together. After all, as Jacob said through tears the night Obama won, the kind of change President Obama is leading us toward is the kind that starts with small groups of people, “and that’s exactly what we have here: a community.”

When I walked in, shortly before 9 am our time, there was a crowd of about 30 people gathered in the cafe space in the back of the office watching the proceedings and celebrating with mimosas, donuts and various breakfast noshes. I hurried out of my bike clothes, not wanting to miss the moment and made it out in time to sit at the front of the group to watch the swearing in followed by his speech. Looking out over the relatively small group around me, I was struck by how tightly knit it was. On one couch was Gabriel cuddled with his wife Jill. On the L-shaped leather couch, a crowd of Nomads sat near each other, sharing the moment. On the floor at the foot of the TV was Piper who has done some design work with Jacob and Susan–and her four-year old daughter, sharing an occasion that will likely change the world her daughter will grow up in.

It was the warmest moment I’d had in a long time.

For much of the rest of the day, there was a sense of excitement and optimism in the office. A group of people I don’t know camped out on the floor of the kitchen and held an impromptu meeting. I’m not sure what it was about, but it sounded like a new venture with some social change aspect to it. Throughout the day, various Nomads plopped down in front of the TV to watch the parade or the news and chat about it all. Connections were formed and strengthened as the festivities in Washington. D.C carried on and I think President Obama would have been pleased to see it all. Those of us in the coworking movement, those of us who are independent workers and entreprenuers, we are a huige part of the change that America is going to go through, and I think President Obama recognizes that. It was a thrill to celebrate for him, and with him, yesterday with such a strong and positive community.

What a crowd we had!

Our fifth open house was a wonderful success!  As we mentioned before, this was a highly co-sponsored event with several groups involved:

• It was the Capitol Hill Greendrinks event, bringing together the Capitol Hill environmental community
• Sustainable Capitol Hill was also a co-host, raising funds and getting more folks in the know about their presence on Capitol Hill
• Expeditionary Art showed us that watercolors are not for wimps – Maria’s art created a big buzz around the event and drew lots of well-deserved attention
• Out for Sustainability stepped onto the scene as a new organization at this event.  This awesome crew is committed to connecting LGBT individuals who are committed to sustainability.
• Other fantastic sponsors included Sierra Nevada, Snoqualmie Wines, Pizza Fusion, and Madison Market.  We were so thankful for this excellent team who kept us well hydrated and well fed!

There were a thousand reasons why this event rocked, but one important lesson we were reminded of was how great it is for us to co-host our open houses.  In October we did our first co-sponsored open house and took it to a whole new level in January.  Co-sponsoring events with our open houses create a win for everyone involved – we get to mix communities of folks who may not have met up otherwise and to forge new partnerships in our neighborhood.  We are humbled by the organizations we’ve teamed with so far, and look forward to seeing what will happen at our next open house.  Any suggestions?  Let us know – our next open house will be in April!

Thanks to Maria at Expedtionary art for the image. More of her paintings will be on display at Office Nomads starting Jan. 13.

It’s time for an Open House at Office Nomads again. As with our past events, it’ll be an art opening with some yummy food and drink. Starting next Tuesday, January 13, from 5:30 pm to 8 pm, exquisitely thoughtful watercolors by Seattle artist Maria Coryell-Martin will be on display for the next few months. Her work is really something else. She’s traveled the world (all seven continents) and brought back many visions of landscapes. This show will be focused largely on winter scenes and include, I hope since I’ve been there too, scenes from her travels to Antarctica.

But because we like to keep things interesting here at ON, this Open House is something else altogether. For the first time, we’re partnering with Seattle Greendrinks to host the Capitol Hill Greendrinks. For those not in the know, Seattle Greendrinks is a monthly gathering of sustainability professionals. Normally, it is a city-wide event full of a couple of hundred folks all chatting, drinking and eating and raising money for a different nonprofit. But once every few months, they break the event out into smaller based in neighborhoods around the city and raise money for themselves.

We’ve been feverishly planning this event and it promises to be a great one. We’ll have donated beer from Sierra Nevada and Snoqualmie wine as well as pizza from Pizza Fusion and some other snacks. There’s also going to be some crafty opportunities thanks to Sustainable Capitol Hill and, of course, opportunities to help support Seattle Greendrinks by buying a commemartive Seattle Greendrinks pint glass. (They’re super cool and work well for beer!) Best part, if this neighborhood raises the most money, the next time Seattle Greendrinks breaks out into neighborhoods, it gets the free beer again!

So come on down, check out some amazing art, celebrate the start of 2009 with Office Nomads, have a drink, eat some food and get to know the movers and shakers in Capitol Hill’s sustainability scene.

If this doesn't say Happy New Year, coworking style, I don't know what does!

The New Year’s holiday always brings lots of predictions and lists: The top this, the best that and the coming trends. Personally, I think these kinds of lists are a little silly because, with a few exceptions (such as the one I helped put together for Sustainable Industries) they tend to be off the mark or i just don’t agree with them.

But, with the massive growth of coworking around the world (I just read about the first coworking space in Urugay today), and the economic downturn, I think it’s safe to say that 2009 is poised to be the year of the coworker. I’m not alone either.

For example, Thomas Fey, senior futurist (what a great title) at The Davinci Insititue thinks coworking is going to be a big part of 2009. He just doesn’t know what it’s called:

As I started pulling my notes together for 2009 trends, I instantly became overwhelmed by the sheer volume of changes currently in the works. The number of moving parts seems to exceed the number of stationary parts. All of our markets, systems, and technologies have become incredibly fluid, and much like a floating vessel, we are heading to parts unknown

Number three on his list of 2009 trends is “The Coming ‘Empire of One’” which he says will grow out of the staggering unemployment numbers we are likely to see thanks to the recession. All of it means, “we will see a strong entrepreneurial push and a realignment of the systems supporting entrepreneurs.” Combine that with trend number four on his list, “Business Colonies,” and I think you see what I am getting at. Someone who has one of the coolest sounding titles ever thinks coworking is where it’s at.

Others think so too. There’s the tech writer in Austin, freeNewsDelivery, and others. Shoot, just take a look at how many coworking spaces there are around the world now.

So, it’s shaping up to be an excitng 2009 in the coworking world and it’s also going to be an amazing one here at Office Nomads too. Jacob sent me a list of all our members for a project I am working on, and both Susan and I noticed how long it has grown. The sheer force of all that energy in this space will surely bring us some amazing happenings. But we’ve got a few in store for you too. So please stay tuned and have a happy and healthy 2009!
I found the picture on the Flickr page of FlyGuy92856. Thank you!