Just after lunch, whilst teaching my Search Engine Optimisation course at Book House, we were told to quickly gather together our things and leave the building, as there was a strong smell of gas downstairs.

So I grabbed my memory stick – it has all my passwords on it – and the remaining handouts and left the building with my delegates. I suggested that we go to the Huguenot Graveyard behind Book House and finish the subject we had started looking at. But it was too wet to find anywhere for us to sit. We made it onto the traffic island and were about to go to the East Hill pub to continue, when we were directed to the Steam Bar over the road. We found a little private dining room at the back of the restaurant, removed the glasses and napkins from the tables and carried on.

No computer and no Internet connection.

Now 12 years ago the thought of teaching a course about that most interactive of web services, search engines, without an Internet connection, let alone a computer, would have filled me with horror. But a kind of ‘Blitz spirit’ kicked in amongst the delegates and I. We vowed to carry on. I ‘drew’ my examples in the air. Thankfully the delegates had good imaginations and a lot of experience with using search engines and could imagine my examples and diagrams.

After being accompanied by gentle folk music for half an hour the music was turned off and we offered tea, coffee and biscuits. Thanks to the kindness of the staff at The Steam Bar I carried on and successfully finished teaching for the rest of the afternoon. Teaching will never be the same again.

A plug for my partnership with Web Editor Nancy Duin:

The Thing Itself (TTI) is a partnership skilled in web organisation, content, design and training. We specialise in:

• expert critiques of websites, to identify why they may not be achieving their aims and how this can be put right
• training in website writing, editing and structure tailored to each client’s needs
• combined critique and training that enables clients to identify where their websites are going wrong and quickly get their staff trained to rectify this.

We are also hugely experienced in writing, editing and designing websites that work, and can help clients focus on their users through scenarios and personas.

In addition, clients come to us for the creation and maintenance of email newsletters and for training in and consultancy on search engine marketing. Finally, we have on tap an impressive array of expertise in all areas of website creation – editorial, technical, aesthetic – to meet all our clients’ needs.

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