Sarah Parmenter, a web and UI designer.

Steve, thank you.

This was one of those products that stays in your Amazon wish list, and every time you buy a book, it sits just below the bar, winking at you, begging to be bought. I have fought the urge for about 2 months, and I said to myself, as a little goal, that if I made the shortlist for “Designer of the Year” for the .net awards, then I would treat myself to it.

Yesterday was the day I made the shortlist, and to me, just making the list in the first place was amazing, let alone being lucky enough to be one of the final three (along with Mike Kus and Megan Fisher) – so today, I have the gorgeous retro Roberts DAB Radio that I’ve been lusting after.

Thank you to each and every person for your vote, it really means a lot to me, even if I don’t win.

I’ve just had a knock at the door from a lovely UPS man, who handed me a large box from the USA. I open it up to find it’s a box of goodies from my friends at OvenBits, who I’ve been working with the past year on the UI for the web, iPhone & iPad of “Beyond the Shock”. It’s been an absolute blast, we’ve worked seamlessly across continents, even across 2 team members (myself included) getting married and honeymooning – every step of the way it’s been such a pleasure to be a part of such a talented team, and a fantastic work ethic from OvenBits – they were always the one chasing me for invoices, rather than the other way around, which was so refreshing.

Now, I must have said, at some point over the year that I love Snyders Pretzels, I cannot get enough of them when I go to the States, and now, a huge box of my favourite treats has just arrived. Thank you all so much.

I saw this on a completely unrelated blog via Pinterest and thought it would make a change from the normal questions I get asked about the industry.

I’m happiest when… I am indoors, warm, and you hear the pitter patter of rain outside, when my dog tucked up in his bed under my desk, I’m in the company of friends and laughing so hard that my sides hurt, and when I have all the family under one roof.

The best place to be in the summer… I love my parents apartment in Spain, but since I’ve been conferencing for a few years, I haven’t been down there. Anywhere warm enough to not need a cardigan, whether it is in England or abroad, gets my vote.

I could spend the whole day… sketching in the sunshine with my dog at my side, browsing Pinterest for recipes, baking or snuggled on the sofa with a blanket watching trashy tv or reading a geeky book.

I always wanted to be… loved, to be influential enough to make a difference to others not as fortunate as me, and above all, happy and healthy.

Favorite thing about my house… that my Pops (Grandad) helped me to buy it with the inheritance he left me, that one side overlooks the sea and the other overlooks a park, and the fact the office is at the back of the house, far enough away to segregate it from the main living areas.

For inspiration I… browse Pinterest for unrelated media, perhaps photographs that have nice colours that I can pull out, or a design element from an everyday object. I tend to stay off Dribbble for inspiration as it leads to copycat ideas rather than my own.

It’s worth the splurge… a glass of champagne, good furniture that will last you years, Apple hardware, diamonds.

Words I live by… expect nothing, appreciate everything.

Day I’d love to live again… the day I met my husband, I wish I had realised just how significant crossing off other plans were that day, and doing the thing I least wanted to do instead would actually change my life.

Brings out the best in me… a tan, heels, a wonderful client, getting a message from a friend that could be nothing but says they are thinking about you, getting flowers, 7 hours sleep.

Meet Barry, Barry is the owner of Tabor-Jones Ltd a local building company in my area. Barry has slowly been building up his company from scratch over the past two years, through hard work and determination, like all good business owners. Tabor-Jones have just completed our recent kitchen renovation and I’m pleased to report, they firmly brush off the stigma attached to builders, they turned up on time, they cleaned up after themselves, and amongst the chaos, they were a joy to have in the house – they are the type of business that deserves to succeed.

The Problem.
Barry recently moved his telephone line from Utility Warehouse to Sky/BT, in the process, despite telling them how important it was that he retained his telephone number, they have assigned him a brand new one. Between Sky and BT, they are denying to claim responsibility for their actions and instead have offered an “internal investigation” as to why it occurred. An internal investigation doesn’t help a small business that has a telephone number printed on banners, shop fronts, leaflets, and vans. The cost to change a telephone number, aside from lost business and time, is going to run into four figures, or Sky/BT can own up to the mistake, and get someone on the case so that a small business does not have to suffer. This attitude of not dealing with something because it’s outside of a handbook, has got to stop.

Please tweet @BTcare including @taborjonesltd and help get a small business back on its feet.