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.
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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.
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.
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 | |||
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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.
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. 🙂 | |||
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“ | I’ve tears of laughter at the Tory hating, Bronte loving, fantasist comedian at the #dolectures | |||
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“ | 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. | |||
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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. | |||
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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.
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 | |||
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“ | Attendees here feeling warm at the thought their ticket money allows all the talks here to be shared free with the world #dolectures | |||
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I loved the way that even when glamping everyone has that ‘roughing it’ look.
I really enjoyed listening to Tom Fishburne talk. One of the few marketeers that has me hanging on his every word.
“ | Real life friendship > Internet friendship, but real life + Internet friendship > real life friendship. #dolectures | |||
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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.
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.
“ | What’s your story? ..yes its a simple question but did you ask it to yourself recently? #dolectures | |||
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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.
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 | |||
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I bumped into Biologist Colin Tudge while walking up a hill. I love meeting huge minded professionals who can explain things to me simply.
“ | Just learned a great deal from Colin Tudge about farming and how it should be http://t.co/bUrINDqC #dolectures | |||
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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. | |||
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“ | Listening to @greenape talk at #dolectures he’s a funny guy when he’s not snoring. | |||
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“ | More great food wine and conversation. Just like a normal Friday but in Wales. | |||
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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 | |||
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“ | 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. | |||
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“ | I woke with new knowledge themed around whisky & saunas. Not the best combination. #dolectures | |||
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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. | |||
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“ | 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. | |||
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“ | At what age were you when you felt like you finally knew who you were? When you got to know yourself? #dolectures | |||
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“ | 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 | |||
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“ | If you run a conference & have not seen how the #DoLectures do it. You are not doing your job properly. | |||
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“ | Up to now some passionate speakers at the #dolectures have made me teary. Chido Guvera’s story has made me cry. | |||
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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. | |||
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“ | An impassioned, honest, humble and inspiring talk from surf film maker Micky Smith an epic do’er #dolectures | |||
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“ | Dark Side Of The Lens.. http://vimeo.com/14074949 Watch It. #dolectures | |||
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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.
“ | Fun to see @smithsam accidentally start the bidding on a poster for £25,000 #dolectures | |||
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“ | Watching Gruff Rhys and his various musical gadgets at #dolectures | |||
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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.
“ | Sad to be leaving the #dolectures looking forward to reflecting on this time. | |||
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“ | Civic Economy is a macro model of people empowerment. Redistribution of wealth through the micro enterprises within a society. #DoLectures | |||
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“ | “If I only scrape a living, at least it’s a living worth scraping.” Micky Smith #dolectures | |||
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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.
“ | 550 miles later. I’m home. Massive thanks to the #DoLectures for having me. | |||
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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 | |||
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“ | @DoLectures = massively necessary life-changing anti mind fuck. | |||
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“ | 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). | |||
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“ | @DoLectures thanks for a great night. Awesome conversations with awesome people. Ideas + energy = change | |||
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“ | Amazing time @dolectures. Planning re-entry to normal life after the most exhilarating time ever. Big thanks to everyone who made it special | |||
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“ | Thanks to the #dolectures massive for yet another incredible, mind bendingly brain fizzing 5 days. Good to make new friends @Documentally | |||
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“ | Had an incredibly good time @DoLectures #DoLectures!!! It was everything I thought it would be and 1000% more! | |||
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“ | #dolectures = utopia | |||
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“ | 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! | |||
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“ | @DoLectures was amazing beyond words. My hair smells like campfire, boots splattered with mud, my head & heart full of ideas and inspiration | |||
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“ | Congratulations to @DoLectures what an awesome event. #Wales should be very proud. | |||
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“ | 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 | |||
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“ | Re-emerging from 5 days at @DoLectures in the forest in Wales. Inspirational and rewarding. | |||
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“ | If the @DoLectures was set in outer space it would be called a Jedi Convention. That’s a fact. #dolectures | |||
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“ | I have some serious sleep to catch up on after the #DoLectures. Resuming abnormal service tomorrow. | |||
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“ | It”s going to take a few days to recalibrate after attending the @DoLectures in Wales. | |||
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I agree. My recalibration though will be taken from a new datum.
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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
..and the original Storify is linked here: http://storify.com/documentally/the-do-lectures
Brilliant Christain and many thanks for making all the effort that went into it
Chhers
Carlo
@175viatribunali