Wow! The January Open House was a great time!  Thanks to everyone who stopped by.  It was great to see everyone and catch up.

For those of you who missed out, I understand the weather was rather terrible that evening.  But, you missed out on some pretty spectacular fun.  Josh, from Bluebird Ice Cream, scooped out some incredible ice cream for everyone to try.  He very quickly ran out of the vegan coconut mint chocolate chip and there was a good reason why.  I had no idea vegan ice cream could be so fantastic!  The Stumptown ice cream and the snickerdoodle were also really delicious and it was all finished off by the time the night came to a close.    Mychal Richardson’s photography was a great conversation piece and had many people quietly going from one photo to the next reading about how each individual pictured fought for their rights.  I think we all came away inspired.  See more of his work on his website or stop by and check them out!

A big thanks must also go to Andy Aupperlee of Explosion 5000.  He took over the Green Room and shot portraits of our Open House attendees and their New Years Resolutions.  The results are rather amazing and you should make sure to read about it on his website and look at his Flickr page.

A big thanks to all of you who could come out.  Hopefully see you all at our next Open House!

Thanks to Flickr user Sukanto Debnath for use of the above photo through the Creative Commons License

It’s January so that means it’s time for our January Open House!  Fitting, right?  Well, we are really excited for this month’s open house on January 14th from 6 PM to 9 PM when we’ll open our doors to the wholecommunity to celebrate art, coworking and each other.

What: January Open House

When: Thursday, January 14th from 6 PM-9 PM

Where: Office Nomads- 1617 Boylston Ave, Second Floor

Food and Drink: We’ve got the goods, just bring your pint glass!

We are proud to be part of Capitol Hill Art Walk again this month and are featuring the beautiful photography of Mychal Richardson of Lost Photography.  His show, “Faces of Washington” was created for the ACLU and includes seventeen 36″ by 36″ black and white portraits of courageous individuals from all across Washington State who fought for their rights and the rights of others.  It is an inspiring show and one not to be missed.

Something we are very excited about is the opportunity to be part of the art!  Andy Aupperlee of Explosion 5000 will be here taking photos of you and your New Years Resolutions.  Andy is really excited to have some fun with these photography so bring a big smile and your creativity to be expressed in the photobooth.  At the same time, we have partnered with a couple local businesses in an effort to tempt you away from some of those New Years Resolutions. Ice cream from Bluebird Ice Cream and beer from Elysian Brewing always are incredibly delicious and will both be here.  Make sure your bring a sweet tooth and your pint glass!

The only thing that could make the Open House any greater would be you!  We hope you can join us and bring along your great friends and family.  What better way to celebrate winter, photography and the neighborhood than with our community?  We look forward to seeing you!

Coworking continues growing in popularity, and demonstrates it’s “darlingness” in the press this past week with some great national coverage!  Coworking hit the big time in the Wall Street Journal as well as on NPR this week, featuring several spaces throughout the country.  Check out some of these excerpts and click on the links for full articles:

From the Wall Street Journal, New Year’s Eve Edition (with one minor error included – we do not have closed-door offices available):

For those who lack a conventional office, shared, or “coworking,” spaces promise to solve some of the dilemmas of working alone. These facilities provide environments where professional nomads can work in relative quiet and even socialize around the coffee pot, or copier.

…Both coworking spaces we tried in the techie Northwest were bigger. Seattle’s Office Nomads, located in youthful and artistic Capitol Hill, can accommodate several dozen workers with its mix of closed-door offices, open desks and lounge areas. Office Nomads didn’t require a reservation and won’t charge for the first visit. Office Nomads was well-lit, with abundant plugs and desk options.

Coworkers—as well as the site’s founders—introduced themselves and offered help. We weren’t sure if we visited on a particularly friendly day or if this was the norm. Office Nomads appeared to place an emphasis on creating a community for its members; there was a “State of the Nomads” monthly meeting at midday. A bulletin board listed in-house social options as well as visiting speakers slated to appear, and also featured quirky photos and fun facts about members. Office Nomads also offered the most extensive weekday hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

And today, our friends at New Work City were featured on NPR’s Morning Edition!

New Work City is part of a trend that started a handful of years ago on the West Coast. Newly mobile tech workers with laptops liked their freedom but still missed the human interaction they got from going to an office. So they formed meet-up groups: casual, once-a-week deals at different locations — sometimes even people’s living rooms. Today, Bacigalupo says more and more people are working independently — either by choice, a layoff or both.

“The same way that [during] the last century work shifted from blue collar to white collar,” Bacigalupo says, “I think we’ll be seeing in this century, we’re going to be moving away from the idea of a centralized Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-5 workplace, and we’ll be moving much more in this direction. People will work when they want where they want.”

All in all, quite a week for coworking.  As usual, if you’ve been meaning to get yourself out to a coworking space but somehow haven’t managed to, there has never been a better time than the present.  Make yourself a 2010 resolution to get more work done and have a better time doing it and get out to your local coworking space.  Find the one near you at the Coworking Wiki.

Ron Theis

Website: http://www.ridic.com

Member Since: April 2008

Type of Member: Resident

Ron felt as if working from home was working for him although it also felt like it was pulling him in two directions.  His work as Lead Game Designer for Ridiculous Software, Inc. had him focused on the creation of new applications for Sidekick phones and IPhones.  It had him at his computer designing and then writing code for different applications.  At the same time he was always aware of his wife working as a stay-at-home mom with their one-year-old daughter, Addison, who was also in the house.  His fingers would be typing but his mind was aware of laughter floating in from the other room and he wanted to be there to play.  If she cried, he wanted to be there to comfort her.  Working at home was not working at all.

Ron found Office Nomads and, with it, a place where he could work with less distraction.  Before, he said, “…my one-year-old daughter did not understand why Daddy could not play right now.”  Now, he goes home in the evening and can focus on his family.

An additional perk to spending 9-5 at Office Nomads is that Ron has found a great mix of people who can be fantastic resources.  He sits in a cluster with two other Nomads in a similar industry.  Also, when he has questions about topics such as web development, there is usually somebody in the space who can help him.  “These are committed people,” Ron explained.  “They have everything together.”  He finds that that helps him and makes him love this space even more.

His wife and daughter love Office Nomads, too.  Addison loves to run around and play with Cortez, one of the resident pooches, when they come in to check on Ron.  The whole family comes out to the open houses to catch up with the other Nomads and just have fun.  As a whole, the Theis family loves Office Nomads which is fine by us because we love them, too!

Greg Wyckoff

http://www.gregwyckoff.com

Member Since: October 2009

Type of Member: Resident

Greg makes the longest trek every day to come to Office Nomads.  He makes the journey from Edmonds to Seattle on the the Sounder train, followed by a  ride through Seattle in the Metro Bus Tunnel. After about an hour of reading, thinking, working and a little exercise, he arrives at ON ready for the day.  Greg sought out Office Nomads to transition from being a stay-at-home dad and part-time web developer to a being a full-time Software Requirements Analyst. It was very difficult to separate his personal time from his professional time, and he knew he needed to move the work elsewhere.  Greg found Office Nomads and found somewhere he can “be productive without being part of the machine.”  His fondness for the space and the collection of people here are what get him out the door in the morning to start the commute.

Greg lights up when you ask him about Office Nomads. “Office Nomads provides the ‘missing pieces’ for independent professionals. The perceived opportunity of working independently motivates many to break out of the traditional 9-5 office job. There are many benefits to working “on your own,” but it seems that the impact of the energy that comes from interacting with other interesting, lateral thinking, motivated individuals is often overlooked or underestimated. Office Nomads is a unique space that provides an inspiring blend of independence and interaction.”

When he does finally make it to Office Nomads, he settles in and gets down to business.  With more than 10 years of IT experience, Greg recently started working as an independent consultant for organizations looking to  improve their operations through the use of software.  He systematically analyzes  business objectives and maps processes, looking for opportunities to apply software to increase efficiency and capacity.  Greg offers recommendations for software solutions and also manages the execution of projects.

Greg’s path to his current job is a unique, starting with working on his family’s farm in the Yakima Valley.  He says he has always been geek at heart.  Working on the farm, was involved with several data collection projects: Yield projections, pest monitoring pesticide application tracking, horticultural activity tracking, etc.  After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Geology at Whitman College, he spent some time in Germany working for a hop grower/processor where his inner geek and farming roots really melded together. Listening to his story of his time in Germany and work history, it’s interesting how those summers working on the family farm really were the foundation for the work he does today.

Outside of Office Nomads, Greg makes sure to spend quality time with his wife and two kids.  Weekends often include trips to the pumpkin patch, adventures to the zoo or maybe a father-daughter outing to the climbing gym. It’s fun talking with Greg because there is more than meets the eye: He always seems to have an interest or story you wouldn’t expect.  To say the least, he’s a great addition to Office Nomads.

December is here and you know what that means… It’s the season for giving. This year, Office Nomads is in such a giving mood that we want to give you presents and maybe even help make your holiday shopping a bit easier.

For the month of December, come check out Office Nomads and if you like what you experience, take your pick of one of two great specials:

• Now through the end of the year, new members who sign up at the Regular or Resident level can choose to pay just $100 for the first month or enjoy the third month for free!
• OR if you’re feeling like getting in on the giving too, anyone who signs up for a Basic membership in December gets a free month of basic membership to give to a friend or colleague.

Remember, everyone who works at Office Nomads gets

• High-speed 10Mbps internet access
• Wireless (wifi) or wired networking
• Use of three conference rooms
• Basic print/fax/scan
• Coffee/tea
• Free notary services
• Great company!

And membership at any one of our levels brings even more benefits including access to exclusive members-only events at Office Nomads.

So if you’ve been thinking that working at home just isn’t working for you, this is a great time of year to try out coworking at Office Nomads!

For more information, drop on by the office or send us an e-mail at info@officenomads.com.

(Thanks to flickr user fazen for use of this photo under the Creative Commons license.)

Trevor Smith

http://trevor.smith.name

Member Since: April 2009

Type of Member: Resident

Trevor’s work is about helping creative individuals realize their visions.  “In general, I help people who have ideas about doing something interesting with technology.”  Sometimes that means working with an artist or with a biologist.  They all find Trevor to help them manage software development, helping find material for fabrication, etc.  “These people always have 4000 more ideas that they can’t do and that is where I fit in.”

One such project is to do the software infrastructure for a robot that will be installed in the San José Airport.  The robot will be able to react to the people, lights, the flights landing and many other factors surrounding it.  He is also building software for an installation that will be pillars covered in LEDs and his software will make the patterns in the lights.  Trevor has been a part of a diverse range of projects and his website does a great job a cataloguing them, from the robot to the websites.

Trevor is a one-man operation based in Office Nomads. Here he pours his creative energy into his projects without the distractions he found while working from home. “Raw productivity almost doubled when I came here.”  He sticks around until his daughter’s school, which is only down the street, let’s out and then they grab the bus to the door of his house.  At home he finds that he doesn’t have his own art because, he says,” All my creativity goes into helping other people solve their problems.”  He does, though, have the time to train for a half marathon he will be doing in January.  Trevor’s sister has challenged him to the Key West half marathon and, turns out, Trevor is willing to get competitive if it’s an excuse to go to Key West in January.   The Nomads will be rooting for him.

George Divoky

Website: http://www.cooperisland.org

http://blogs.discovery.com/cooper-island/

Member Since: April 2009

Type of Member: Regular

In 1975 George started going to the northern end of the Americas to study black guillemots, an arctic seabird.  The study initially began after discovering some of their nests on Cooper Island which was a rare setting for these cavity nesters.  Excited by the find, he began spending his summers studying the birds with a focus on their breeding.  As the study continued over the years it became apparent that the habits of the birds were changing and this was happening as a result of climate change.  What used to be 200 fledglings a year is dwindling to single digits as food becomes scarce and other animals move onto Cooper looking for food and impacting guillemot eggs and chicks.  The black guillemot population is hurt most by either becoming dinner for polar bears, or getting pushed aside by encroaching puffins.  George shakes his head, “The birds are trying to raise their young.  They did it in the past, the climate is changing, and now they can’t.”  Sadly, these seabirds have become a clear indicator of climate change and as it gets worse for them, “things are getting worse and worse globally”.

George’s summers are spent tallying, weighing and compiling other necessary data.  When he returns to Seattle he comes back to us at Office Nomads where he analyzes the data, does outreach regarding climate change and works to acquire funding for his research and NGO.  After being alone for 3 months, a home office with nobody else around is incredibly unappealing.  He finds calm when surrounded by other people.  “An extended period of isolation does not give you mental peace,” George said. “It makes you uncomfortable.”  At Office Nomads George has the opportunity to be part of the constantly buzzing community here and find the inner calm he misses on the island.

George can easily snag the title of “Coolest Nomad”.  His stories of island life and of his work are rather fascinating, so much so that Darcy Frey wrote a cover story in New York Times Magazine about him.  David Letterman found him just as awesome and had George on his show to talk.  And anyone who can recommend headphones and at the same talk about chasing off polar bears with a shot gun is cooler than just about everyone else in the room.

It seems to be a hot week for community input here in Seattle.  Throughout the week, we’ve seen community input being gathered at venues such as design review sessions on Capitol Hill, the open-source transition process for Mayor-Elect Mike McGinn, and even here at Office Nomads with Tuesday’s “State of the Nomads” meeting.

What each of these opportunities provides is a chance for members of a community to weigh in and help guide the direction of the community they are a part of.  As opposed to more traditional business models which try to anticipate the needs or desires of a market, community input enables a business, a nonprofit, a governmental body, or any other organization to truly map their offerings to what the community desires.

This was the second time we held a State of the Nomads gathering at Office Nomads, and it was another success for our community.  Members had a chance to hear how Office Nomads was doing as a business, what initiatives we were currently working on, and then weigh in their opinions and concerns on all aspects of Nomadic life.  This is a critical aspect to how we want Office Nomads to continue growing and thriving – with the community instead of in front of it.

Community input is more than just watching activity on a blog or a Facebook page.  It requires time.  Patience.  Solid listening skills. It is, as Tara Hunt would say, about turning the bullhorn around.  Community input is the cornerstone of building anything that is meant to serve a community need.  Whether for a building, a service, or an entire government office, community input allows for the voices of the community to be heard.  But as Steve, one of our Office Nomads members said at State of the Nomads, “you have to participate in what is made available to you.” Couldn’t have said it better myself, Steve.

So get out there in your community and start letting your voice be heard.  You might be surprised at how receptive those your speaking to are to your needs.

(Thanks to Flickr User Audin for providing this photo “Holy Feedback!” as part of the Creative Commons license.)

Susan Cope Evans

Website: http://www.officenomads.com

Member Since: The Start of Time

Type of Member: She wears the pants.

Tacked up to the wall by the phone booth, there are two large pieces of paper covered pen and pencils scribbles.  Together the smattering of sentences and half thoughts are the foundations of Office Nomads.  The headings are “Who We Are”, “What We Do”, and “What We Stand For”.  Susan and Jacob put that together over two years ago and, following our 2^nd Birthday Party, it’s still there and ringing true.

Susan spends her days at Office Nomads encouraging the space to grow into what she and Jacob had hoped it could become. Sitting there, she enjoys watching how ideas tossed out by members then get feedback from others, including diverse points of view from an urban planner, a couple of web designers, a publisher and others.  “The way we view things is very different, unique.  I don’t think I knew how powerful that could be or how rewarding.”

She set out to create a “platform on which a coworking community could grow” and can’t believe how well it has taken off, especially in the personal relationships people have grown.  “I hoped we would all get along and members would like each other.  I didn’t expect them to go to each other’s weddings and help each other move. “

“It just knocks me over sometimes,” Susan admits. “Holy crap! It’s buzzing way more than it used to.  [The atmosphere] has gotten warmer.”  From here she has her sights set on encouraging other coworking spaces in Seattle. She wants to help them get off the ground and be a support system for whomever is creating a new collaborative space, be it offices, kitchens, workshops, etc.  “I want to see more of these spaces around the city.  They are vital to urban sustainability, as far as I’m concerned.”