Hi! I'm Telana Simpson, and I'm trading one matchstick for offices. I started this project on 12 June 2006, and will be trading items up until I get offices. Do you want an exclusive party with rock band WONDERboom, my latest item up for trade? Send me an email (onematchstick@gmail.com) or give me a buzz or sms on +27837302979 to make your offer. When I get my offices, I'll be contributing some space to mentoring a start-up entrepreneurial enterprise. I'm in Jozi, South Africa, and will go anywhere in South Africa to make the trade- I'll even consider anywhere in the world if the trade is right!
PS- watch the movie about my story here. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, read this 2 pager that explains my story so far. It'll make a light bulb turn on- promise!

     
matchstick > green pen > Rodrigus > THE Books > First Sighting Wine > Holiday in Utopia > R3000 Cash > Balloon Safari >
Party with DJ Al > 375 Springleap.com T-Shirts > WONDERboom "Rock the House" Experience > ?

Make me an offer for the
WONDERboom Experience now!
Current Offers here
.

How big an office do I want?

The more I talk about the onematchstick office space, the more the image in my mind becomes clear. 

There's something about talking through with someone about what is in your thoughts that brings not only energy to it, but clarity and focus.  And it's similar to why I find coaching so powerful - being asked the right questions and then hearing your voice answer them, is powerful stuff for change and creation.

And today, I got to gain clarity from meeting up with Stacey and have her ask me a heap of questions on what I envision the onematchstick office to look like, and what it will be used for.

I love Yarn Bombing! 

Stacey is one of the most curious and creative people I have had the pleasure of meeting through this onematchstick journey. We traded one of her Story Scarves for one of my Springleap T-shirts in a three-way trade, and have been friends ever since.  Recently I joined her in a yarn bomb flashmob in Soweto for one billion rising, and was so moved by the messages of the girls doing the dancing.

one billion rising

And so I was delighted when she contacted me after my last blog and shared that she had more talents I didn't know about.  I learnt that Stacey has some architectural tendencies and a touch of interior design flare.  Just enough of the kind of knowledge to ask me the right questions and decipher my little doodle of the ideal space for the onematchstick office, which I did recently while admiring Mr Darcy in “Pride and Prejudice” when I was babysitting for my friend.

Through Stacey's questions and our colour coded calculations, we now know the ideal amount of space that I would like for the onematchstick office.  And the magic number is:
220m2

Now, to find someone with 220mof space willing to trade with me for the "Rock the House" with WONDERboom offer, or something else that I can then trade backwards to the rock concert.

220 Metres Squared

posted by Telana @ 8:44:00 PM, , links to this post


Desperately seeking an Architect


So the pause button is off on onematchstick and this trading story is in play mode again, and things are starting to move and happen!  But more on that soon.

For now, I need to take an Architect out for a coffee, or even dinner. And soon!

Remember my strategy of burning the matchstick from both ends? We'll it's working, and I keep getting asked how many square meters of office space I want.

Only thing is I have no concept or experience with "square meters" when it comes to physical space, and so need a bit of guidance or advice. (I'm far more familiar with the inner space of our minds and emotions!)  I have the image in my mind of my ideal onematchstick office, but how to translate that into the amount of actual space I would need, is where I get a bit stuck.

Hence, I'm looking for an architect who would be able to ask me the right questions, and then just give me a sense of how I answer what must be the most asked question that I get from burning the matchstick at both ends: "How much space do you want, Telana?"

So, do you know an architect – or are you the one - who'd enjoy the best red velvet cupcake in Jozi with some coffee sometime really soon?  Or maybe you would prefer one of Jozi's best korma curries and naan?  Whatever your palate desires, I'd so appreciate a bit of your time and expertise.

Please get in touch with me ASAP!
Thank you
From a very motivated and excited 'matchstick girl

posted by Telana @ 11:55:00 AM, , links to this post


I'm looking for a Hostess

While I’m still on the lookout for that Man having a mid-life crisis, and for that Lover, I’m also going to start looking for a Hostess!

She’s someone who loves to throw a party, and enjoys the company of her guests.  She tends to see life as a miracle worth celebrating, and any excuse to rejoice is an occasion to send out invitations, organise scrumptious snacks, pop a bottle or two of bubbly and say “Here’s to Life! Cheers!”

She’s also very creative, and enjoys the process of thinking up themes, finding unusual table decorations, or some form of talent to entertain.

And so, have I got some talent (they’re good looking too!) to entertain this Hostess and her guests!

Here’s a glimpse of them:

WONDERboom "Rock the House" Experience

So, are you the Hostess I’m looking for?  Could you imagine having these Rockstars come play their gig at your house, with all the lighting and sound needed, and even a DJ to keep the party rocking till the wee hours of the morning?  Would this be an experience worth raising your glass and saying “Cheers!” to?

If so, get in touch, and let’s find a way to trade so that you can host the “Rock the House” experience with WONDERboom!

posted by Telana @ 10:14:00 PM, , links to this post


I’m looking for a Lover...

... who knows what he wants.

He goes out there and makes things happen, and knows a thing or two about what makes the people in his life happy.

He's been looking for a woman to share his life with, and who's life he wants to witness and be a part of.  He's moved passed the fear of commitment "stage", and knows that his freedom lies in his choices.

And he's ready to choose this woman he's found.  He does not only want to choose her now, but also every day for the rest of his life.

She compliments him, supports him when he needs it and yet challenges him too, just when he needs it.   She's loving, beautiful, and ready to choose him back.

And so it's time to ask her to be his- forever and ever.  And because this is such a significant moment in both their lives, he wants a special, unique and yet grand gesture to accompany the moment.

He also knows her – he knows her well and she loves music.  She enjoys music even more when it's live. And even more when it's a band she's a fan of. 

And he knows she's a fan of WONDERboom.

So what an opportunity it would be to have WONDERBoom rock his house, as he pops the Question.  To this song:


So this Lover and I need to chat.  Are you him? Do you have a friend who is him?

We can work out a trade so he can propose in front of WONDERboom playing at his house, in the "Rock the House" experience I have on offer.

Call me. +27837302979. Let's chat and find a way to trade!

PS- I'm still also looking for a Man having a mid-life crisis.

posted by Telana @ 1:37:00 PM, , links to this post


Burning one matchstick


I was chatting recently with Pepe Marais, who I traded with ages ago, and this conversation got me thinking:

Pepe's tweet

The outcome of my thinking:  Forget about candles. I’m going to burn this matchstick at both ends!

And by that I mean trade up and down. 

I've been trading up from a matchstick, so why not try trade down as well, from the other end, and see if I can meet in the middle?

With my end goal being an office, what if I could find the office now and then the person who will trade with me (for find the person and then the office), and find out what he or she would want for that space?

If I could do that, then I would go to the few people I know of, who want my Rock the House experience with WONDERboom but haven’t yet made me a formal offer, and see if they can offer me what the person who has the office wants.

And then voila! I could succeed!  It might take a few in between trading steps, but hey – burning the matchstick from both ends can only help... Can't it?

So via facebook, twitter and here on my blog I’ll be sharing over the next few weeks more about my dream onematchstick office.  And hoping it’ll help me find the last person I'll trade with, or spark a connection in your mind of someone you know who has premises to offer so you’ll make the introduction.

Cool – here goes...

Burning the matchstick at both ends

(Oh, and I’m going to continue looking for a Man having a mid-life crisis too!)

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posted by Telana @ 9:46:00 PM, , links to this post


I’m looking for a Man...


...who’s having a mid-life crisis and loves rock concerts!

Yes. That’s the criteria. 

And because that’s the criteria, I’ve been reading up about the concept of  “mid-life crisis”. Now I’m convinced even more that some guy who is somewhere in the middle of his life and is having a little wobble from realizing that fact, and so is in transition and wanting to experience more of life, would be interested in my latest “life experience” up for trade.

Wikipedia says he’d be experiencing feelings of searching for “an undefined dream or goal” and have a “desire to achieve a feeling of youthfulness”.  He’d also be behaving in a way that acquires “unusual or expensive items such as motorbikes, boats, clothing, sports cars, jewelry, gadgets, tattoos, piercings, etc.”

So the “Rock the House” experience provides an awesome way to feel like a teenager again, one who’s attending their first rock concert. Only this is even better as you get to go “back stage” any time and hang with the rock stars!  Plus they will come to your after party, and bring the DJ!

What a goal it would be to find a way to trade with me for this opportunity. And, I’m hoping this Man’s always had a secret little dream of having his own rock concert!

Another indication that he’d be a possible candidate for me to trade with is the sign of a mid-life crisis which is that the person plays just to play.  Also he does mischievous things that appear out of character, surprising people who know him. 

WONDERboom "Rock the House" offer

So throwing a rock concert at his home for all his friends, and having such a party till the wee hours of the morning with WONDERboom (who know how to party!), would be such a fit.

So, are you this Man?  Or do you know him?

If so, get in touch with me and make me an offer for the “Rock the House” experience with WONDERboom!

Even if you don’t know what to offer me, but you want this experience to ease through your mid-life crisis – call me (+27837302979)! We’ll find a way to trade!

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posted by Telana @ 4:49:00 PM, , links to this post


Another use of a matchstick


It seems matchsticks can inspire many things.

On my podcast show a few episodes ago, Chris and I chatted with Janet du Preez.  In the lead up to the show going live, I had given Janet one of my matchstick business cards, as my trading story had come up in conversation.

When we got to do a short snippet of a podcast after the main show, we asked Janet, who’s a thought and ideas leader, about what ways she knows to bring to mind fresh and creative ideas.

I laughed when she immediately picked up the matchstick from the desk, and rattled off some great brainstorming techniques… all around a single matchstick.

So another use for a matchstick – besides trading it into an office – is to use it to brainstorm!

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posted by Telana @ 6:53:00 PM, , links to this post