Funny Farm and meeting notes from 20th August 2025
Posted by Paul Silver
On the 20th August, eleven freelancers met in the Lord Nelson Inn, Brighton, to chat all things freelancing and tech.
This was the funniest Farm meeting in a long time and I haven’t laughed so much in ages. I don’t know whether it was the mix of people, something in the water (or indeed, beer) whether the summer was lifting the mood, or something else. It was a joy and I’d like to thank everyone who came along.
I’m not able to reflect it in the notes as mood is a difficult thing to capture in topics, especially when I forget to write things down as I’m having too good a time being in conversations than write about them. Some of the topics look a little glum, so maybe some of it was gallows humour. Anyway, this is some of what we talked about:
- Trying to fix AI generated code
- Using Small Language Models for Natural Language Processing
- Chasing work
- Using AR glasses on a train and surprising people
- Sky brings tasty presents
- Using AI to kickstart branding
- Disappointing work levels – Brexit? Trump?
- Pillow talk (by which I mean talk about pillows)
- AI flooding recruitment agencies with job applications
- McDonalds losing money as people can’t afford breakfasts out any more
- Wanting to live in Spain for a simpler life
- Tony Robbins
- Wanting advice from people who’ve been there and done that
- Was Sir John Harvey Jones the start of business as TV entertainment?
- Spain and tourism charges
- Motion sickness in VR
- What are you reading?
- “Lycra is an affront”
- Motorcycling stats