Can 'thinking time' be sold as part of a project?

As I sit here finishing up the tail end of a long, intense and fast-paced project, it occurs to me that we really didn't have enough thinking time on it. I mean time to *really* think about design alternatives, think through implications of our design decisions, bounce ideas off third parties etc. The sort of time that bears inspirational fruit. The sort of time that creates 'eureka!' moments. Sigh.

In the end we ended up spending more time documenting our decisions for the client's benefit than really thinking through them. This is such a shame, and a risk to the client and our overall solution. Why can't we sell thinking time? Why can't clients accept that it is a fundamental and necessary component of design? Project plan, Schmoject plan. If a client could sit in on one of our 'war rooms' at work, see the number of post-its, sketches, printouts, and random scribbles etc. on the walls, floor and desks they might realise the value of this sort of thinking time and cough up the cash for it. Maybe.

Feeling mildly rejected (on Facebook)

Is it dumb to feel a bit rejected when you find out someone's removed you as a friend, even if you didn't particularly like him and thought he was a wanker? I just happened to look this guy up on a whim, and lo and behold, he was no longer in my friends list. And then I looked a little further and found an ex, and some of his friends, who used to be my friends.... who haven't added me as a friend.... sigh.

Erk. Facebook can be great in so many ways, but can also leave you feeling a bit socially excluded at times. Darn, I should just be happy with the 220+ friends I have, shouldn't I?

The charity 'click'

More and more organisations and people are jumping on the 'click to give' bandwagon. This is where you can click on a button online, or even download a small text file, and by doing do, donate sponsorship money to a cause. I think it's great - it's so easy, and so accessible. Everyone should be giving in this vein. I now subscribe to The Hunger Site which also links off to sites for Breast Cancer, Child Literacy etc., Project Download, where a girl is trying to raise money for medical treatment, and Freerice.com where you can even improve your vocabulary and spelling while clicking to give. If everybody did this every day, imagine what a difference we could all make.