I realised something. The twitter me, and this the ranting rambling no-mates blog me, aren't that comfortable that my real live friends could read it.
It's bad enough having a boss that's on twitter, and workmates on FaceBook.
What do I have to hide? Well I'm not sure, perhaps the real me, the insecure me? Or perhaps the frivolous me, the unfunny me, the me that is just me to me.
I can't imagine any of my colleagues reading this, I can't imagine them reading. I can't imagine them twittering, although a couple of them do have accounts, they are passive observers.
I'm down with that. There is far to much 'me' in the twitterverse and a lot of me in here. I've bagged a few people cryptically and openly on both.
Am I afraid that I'd end with no mates? I'm not that sure I have more than a handful anyway.
A life just as ordinary. Wherein I drink beer, and write badly
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Getting Carried Away aways
But only with my idea that I'd write an entry a day, perhaps that can wait for the new year when I may just give it a crack.
The end of the year always brings some new hopes and some dashed ones. I'm really not looking forward to having to be nice for so long with people I'd rather not be with, but you can't pick family can you ?
I worked out how much I might get paid, and then I realised that I don't understand that either anymore. The carrot does not look so big in nibble sized bits.
So next year then, or more this year when I indulge my good intentions.
Perhaps as well as something daily or an honest attempt at I should go for
Or just write it as I see it, the Interweb is full of memes
The end of the year always brings some new hopes and some dashed ones. I'm really not looking forward to having to be nice for so long with people I'd rather not be with, but you can't pick family can you ?
I worked out how much I might get paid, and then I realised that I don't understand that either anymore. The carrot does not look so big in nibble sized bits.
So next year then, or more this year when I indulge my good intentions.
Perhaps as well as something daily or an honest attempt at I should go for
- An audience, be proud of this, we can all be popular if the daily newspapers indulge people
- Content, we can all be popular if we bag stuff right?
- Get a high horse subject- become a radical!
Or just write it as I see it, the Interweb is full of memes
Monday, December 20, 2010
Keeping it a secret
I realised something. The twitter me, and this the ranting rambling no-mates blog me, aren't that comfortable that my real live friends could read it.
It's bad enough having a boss that's on twitter, and workmates on FaceBook.
What do I have to hide? Well I'm not sure, perhaps the real me, the insecure me? Or perhaps the frivolous me, the unfunny me, the me that is just me to me.
I can't imagine any of my colleagues reading this, I can't imagine them reading. I can't imagine them twittering, although a couple of them do have accounts, they are passive observers.
I'm down with that. There is far to much 'me' in the twitterverse and a lot of me in here. I've bagged a few people cryptically and openly on both.
Am I afraid that I'd end with no mates? I'm not that sure I have more than a handful anyway.
It's bad enough having a boss that's on twitter, and workmates on FaceBook.
What do I have to hide? Well I'm not sure, perhaps the real me, the insecure me? Or perhaps the frivolous me, the unfunny me, the me that is just me to me.
I can't imagine any of my colleagues reading this, I can't imagine them reading. I can't imagine them twittering, although a couple of them do have accounts, they are passive observers.
I'm down with that. There is far to much 'me' in the twitterverse and a lot of me in here. I've bagged a few people cryptically and openly on both.
Am I afraid that I'd end with no mates? I'm not that sure I have more than a handful anyway.
Getting Carried Away aways
But only with my idea that I'd write an entry a day, perhaps that can wait for the new year when I may just give it a crack.
The end of the year always brings some new hopes and some dashed ones. I'm really not looking forward to having to be nice for so long with people I'd rather not be with, but you can't pick family can you ?
I worked out how much I might get paid, and then I realised that I don't understand that either anymore. The carrot does not look so big in nibble sized bits.
So next year then, or more this year when I indulge my good intentions.
Perhaps as well as something daily or an honest attempt at I should go for
1. An audience, be proud of this, we can all be popular if the daily newspapers indulge people
2. Content, we can all be popular if we bag stuff right?
3. Get a high horse subject- become a radical!
Or just write it as I see it, the Interweb is full of memes
The end of the year always brings some new hopes and some dashed ones. I'm really not looking forward to having to be nice for so long with people I'd rather not be with, but you can't pick family can you ?
I worked out how much I might get paid, and then I realised that I don't understand that either anymore. The carrot does not look so big in nibble sized bits.
So next year then, or more this year when I indulge my good intentions.
Perhaps as well as something daily or an honest attempt at I should go for
1. An audience, be proud of this, we can all be popular if the daily newspapers indulge people
2. Content, we can all be popular if we bag stuff right?
3. Get a high horse subject- become a radical!
Or just write it as I see it, the Interweb is full of memes
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Miffed - why I should stop reading the newspapers
1) Pike river mine goes into receivership. Seems that the Union and Labour expect there to be continuous and ongoing employment for those that are about to lose their jobs. Lose their jobs because there is no mine to go to, no work to be done, nothing to do, there is no work, it's closed until further notice.
There is anger being expressed that the redundancies are being capped and may not include "performance bonuses" - when you've stopped laughing remember that the mine is 2 years behind production forecasts.
at $18,700 a payout isn't enough to keep you in furs and caviar but it is a nice parachute #justsaying
(2) #justsaying Hamiltron figures out the V8 costs about 3 times the expected amount. What return on investment were they expecting? This kind of folly is a pure expense. There is no ROI to the council. There is for some brief benefit to some people sure, but not to the ratepayer.
I'm picking they are dead happy that they stole this from under the nose of Auckland now.
(3) Oprah. Who really cares about this in NZ? It's a tour of Australia, probably funded by Tourism Australia should I care to go investigate. Why are we fawning over this? #justsaying
(4) Paul Henry will not go away- well he has and probably is happy, but the media will not let it go, today he's front and center again as the most popular video. C'mon everyone let's all watch him say "Dickshit" again, and point out the "lady has a mustache", not the "retard" one but the Greenpeace one. #justsaying
(5) Mob members weep. Yep that could happen, in public, yep. Not saying they are heartless but this isn't the image they have or portray as good fine upstanding law abiding citizens. #justsaying
(6) Sonny Bill Williams boxing shock - WTF -shock for who? Why? Care factor = low #justsaying
(7) Wikileaks. I really still don't get this. #justsaying
(8) Retail sales take a beating except The biggest rise in October was seen in supermarket and grocery stores, up 4.2 per cent ($58 million). Man's gotta eat is all I'm saying on this. Oh that and really Captain Obvious since food prices tumble all the time.
(9) Brings be to the price of Milk. What's up with that? There should be legislated price capping for milk - I know it can be sold overseas, and farmers are always first in queue for hand out when we have our annual seasonal drought/flood/drought/flood. Give some back. #justsaying
There is anger being expressed that the redundancies are being capped and may not include "performance bonuses" - when you've stopped laughing remember that the mine is 2 years behind production forecasts.
at $18,700 a payout isn't enough to keep you in furs and caviar but it is a nice parachute #justsaying
(2) #justsaying Hamiltron figures out the V8 costs about 3 times the expected amount. What return on investment were they expecting? This kind of folly is a pure expense. There is no ROI to the council. There is for some brief benefit to some people sure, but not to the ratepayer.
I'm picking they are dead happy that they stole this from under the nose of Auckland now.
(3) Oprah. Who really cares about this in NZ? It's a tour of Australia, probably funded by Tourism Australia should I care to go investigate. Why are we fawning over this? #justsaying
(4) Paul Henry will not go away- well he has and probably is happy, but the media will not let it go, today he's front and center again as the most popular video. C'mon everyone let's all watch him say "Dickshit" again, and point out the "lady has a mustache", not the "retard" one but the Greenpeace one. #justsaying
(5) Mob members weep. Yep that could happen, in public, yep. Not saying they are heartless but this isn't the image they have or portray as good fine upstanding law abiding citizens. #justsaying
(6) Sonny Bill Williams boxing shock - WTF -shock for who? Why? Care factor = low #justsaying
(7) Wikileaks. I really still don't get this. #justsaying
(8) Retail sales take a beating except The biggest rise in October was seen in supermarket and grocery stores, up 4.2 per cent ($58 million). Man's gotta eat is all I'm saying on this. Oh that and really Captain Obvious since food prices tumble all the time.
(9) Brings be to the price of Milk. What's up with that? There should be legislated price capping for milk - I know it can be sold overseas, and farmers are always first in queue for hand out when we have our annual seasonal drought/flood/drought/flood. Give some back. #justsaying
Christmas Cheer
In corporate world this becomes a couple of things
- The customer party - where we open our cheque book, book a venue and ply the punters with drinking and nibbles for a few hours in the summer evening.
The customers party - where we go along and partake of their drinks and nibbles for a bit
The sending of gift baskets - how else would the world stock of quince paste ever get used? All manner of foul and disgusting things wrapped in tinsel - tinned cheese FFS.
The calendar. Varying sizes and shapes. This seems to be bi-annual, one year none, the next six or seven. Some are even gasped at in awe due to them being the size of small hoardings.
'Thank you' lunches, sort of like the old days but without the drinking, and only 90 minutes long and not all afternoon - although I guess it depends who or where you work.
and cake. Cake appears sometimes, this year it migh still be biscuits, but they still arrive.
Bonus this year I got a gift box of a vendor badged tie and cuff-links - for those special occasions - I think I may have been #4 on the list as #1-3 didn't want them.
It's hard in the #cubefarm with the lollies and pastries, this year the speedo's are going to be tighty, tightier than usual
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Miffed - why I should stop reading the newspapers
(1) Pike river mine goes into receivership. Seems that the Union and Labour expect there to be continuous and ongoing employment for those that are about to lose their jobs. Lose their jobs because there is no mine to go to, no work to be done, nothing to do, there is no work, it's closed until further notice.
There is anger being expressed that the redundancies are being capped and may not include "performance bonuses" - when you've stopped laughing remember that the mine is 2 years behind production forecasts.
at $18,700 a payout isn't enough to keep you in furs and caviar but it is a nice parachute #justsaying
(2) #justsaying Hamiltron figures out the V8 costs about 3 times the expected amount. What return on investment were they expecting? This kind of folly is a pure expense. There is no ROI to the council. There is for some brief benefit to some people sure, but not to the ratepayer.
I'm picking they are dead happy that they stole this from under the nose of Auckland now.
(3) Oprah. Who really cares about this in NZ? It's a tour of Australia, probably funded by Tourism Australia should I care to go investigate. Why are we fawning over this? #justsaying
(4) Paul Henry will not go away- well he has and probably is happy, but the media will not let it go, today he's front and center again as the most popular video. C'mon everyone let's all watch him say "Dickshit" again, and point out the "lady has a mustache", not the "retard" one but the Greenpeace one. #justsaying
(5) Mob members weep. Yep that could happen, in public, yep. Not saying they are heartless but this isn't the image they have or portray as good fine upstanding law abiding citizens. #justsaying
(6) Sonny Bill Williams boxing shock - WTF -shock for who? Why? Care factor = low #justsaying
(7) Wikileaks. I really still don't get this. #justsaying
(8) Retail sales take a beating except The biggest rise in October was seen in supermarket and grocery stores, up 4.2 per cent ($58 million). Man's gotta eat is all I'm saying on this. Oh that and really Captain Obvious since food prices tumble all the time.
(9) Brings be to the price of Milk. What's up with that? There should be legislated price capping for milk - I know it can be sold overseas, and farmers are always first in queue for hand out when we have our annual seasonal drought/flood/drought/flood. Give some back. #justsaying
There is anger being expressed that the redundancies are being capped and may not include "performance bonuses" - when you've stopped laughing remember that the mine is 2 years behind production forecasts.
at $18,700 a payout isn't enough to keep you in furs and caviar but it is a nice parachute #justsaying
(2) #justsaying Hamiltron figures out the V8 costs about 3 times the expected amount. What return on investment were they expecting? This kind of folly is a pure expense. There is no ROI to the council. There is for some brief benefit to some people sure, but not to the ratepayer.
I'm picking they are dead happy that they stole this from under the nose of Auckland now.
(3) Oprah. Who really cares about this in NZ? It's a tour of Australia, probably funded by Tourism Australia should I care to go investigate. Why are we fawning over this? #justsaying
(4) Paul Henry will not go away- well he has and probably is happy, but the media will not let it go, today he's front and center again as the most popular video. C'mon everyone let's all watch him say "Dickshit" again, and point out the "lady has a mustache", not the "retard" one but the Greenpeace one. #justsaying
(5) Mob members weep. Yep that could happen, in public, yep. Not saying they are heartless but this isn't the image they have or portray as good fine upstanding law abiding citizens. #justsaying
(6) Sonny Bill Williams boxing shock - WTF -shock for who? Why? Care factor = low #justsaying
(7) Wikileaks. I really still don't get this. #justsaying
(8) Retail sales take a beating except The biggest rise in October was seen in supermarket and grocery stores, up 4.2 per cent ($58 million). Man's gotta eat is all I'm saying on this. Oh that and really Captain Obvious since food prices tumble all the time.
(9) Brings be to the price of Milk. What's up with that? There should be legislated price capping for milk - I know it can be sold overseas, and farmers are always first in queue for hand out when we have our annual seasonal drought/flood/drought/flood. Give some back. #justsaying
Christmas Cheer
In corporate world this becomes a couple of things
1. The customer party - where we open our cheque book, book a venue and ply the punters with drinking and nibbles for a few hours in the summer evening.
2. The customers party - where we go along and partake of their drinks and nibbles for a bit
The sending of gift baskets - how else would the world stock of quince paste ever get used? All manner of foul and disgusting things wrapped in tinsel - tinned cheese FFS.
The calendar. Varying sizes and shapes. This seems to be bi-annual, one year none, the next six or seven. Some are even gasped at in awe due to them being the size of small hoardings.
'Thank you' lunches, sort of like the old days but without the drinking, and only 90 minutes long and not all afternoon - although I guess it depends who or where you work.
and cake. Cake appears sometimes, this year it migh still be biscuits, but they still arrive.
Bonus this year I got a gift box of a vendor badged tie and cuff-links - for those special occassions - I think I may have been #4 on the list as #1-3 didn't want them.
It's hard in the #cubefarm with the lollies and pastries, this year the speedo's are going to be tighty, tightier than usual
1. The customer party - where we open our cheque book, book a venue and ply the punters with drinking and nibbles for a few hours in the summer evening.
2. The customers party - where we go along and partake of their drinks and nibbles for a bit
The sending of gift baskets - how else would the world stock of quince paste ever get used? All manner of foul and disgusting things wrapped in tinsel - tinned cheese FFS.
The calendar. Varying sizes and shapes. This seems to be bi-annual, one year none, the next six or seven. Some are even gasped at in awe due to them being the size of small hoardings.
'Thank you' lunches, sort of like the old days but without the drinking, and only 90 minutes long and not all afternoon - although I guess it depends who or where you work.
and cake. Cake appears sometimes, this year it migh still be biscuits, but they still arrive.
Bonus this year I got a gift box of a vendor badged tie and cuff-links - for those special occassions - I think I may have been #4 on the list as #1-3 didn't want them.
It's hard in the #cubefarm with the lollies and pastries, this year the speedo's are going to be tighty, tightier than usual
SecretSanta'ing it up
Pretty much up for any interesting idea that does not cost the earth and basically remains anonymous.
#nztwittersecretsanta is then all those, interesting, cheap and anonymous.
Trouble is that you send something and there are a couple of outcomes
1.Recipient gets the gift and posts a thank you which is either (a)profuse or (b)polite
2.Recipient gets the gift and nothing - de nada, zilch, zip, which means either (a) they hate it or (b) they didn't get it.
Trouble ensues of course when they don't tweet about anything much, and when they do it's not about #nztwittersecretsanta.
The dilemma remains then - send again or guts it out ?
#nztwittersecretsanta is then all those, interesting, cheap and anonymous.
Trouble is that you send something and there are a couple of outcomes
1.Recipient gets the gift and posts a thank you which is either (a)profuse or (b)polite
2.Recipient gets the gift and nothing - de nada, zilch, zip, which means either (a) they hate it or (b) they didn't get it.
Trouble ensues of course when they don't tweet about anything much, and when they do it's not about #nztwittersecretsanta.
The dilemma remains then - send again or guts it out ?
Monday, December 13, 2010
SecretSanta'ing it up
Pretty much up for any interesting idea that does not cost the earth and basically remains anonymous.
#nztwittersecretsanta is then all those, interesting, cheap and anonymous.
Trouble is that you send something and there are a couple of outcomes
1.Recipient gets the gift and posts a thank you which is either (a)profuse or (b)polite
2.Recipient gets the gift and nothing - de nada, zilch, zip, which means either (a) they hate it or (b) they didn't get it.
Trouble ensues of course when they don't tweet about anything much, and when they do it's not about #nztwittersecretsanta.
The dilemma remains then - send again or guts it out ?
#nztwittersecretsanta is then all those, interesting, cheap and anonymous.
Trouble is that you send something and there are a couple of outcomes
1.Recipient gets the gift and posts a thank you which is either (a)profuse or (b)polite
2.Recipient gets the gift and nothing - de nada, zilch, zip, which means either (a) they hate it or (b) they didn't get it.
Trouble ensues of course when they don't tweet about anything much, and when they do it's not about #nztwittersecretsanta.
The dilemma remains then - send again or guts it out ?
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Bigging it up
Ms16 has finished school for the yet, and is merrily hanging out like a "gangsta" - her words not mine.
Then she drops onto us that she's going to a party, on a Tuesday. "It's alcohol free' and not a lot of people will be going.
Firstly "alcohol free" was a bit worrying that this caveat had to be put on the event, although I do recall as a 16 year old going to party with a bottle of Bacardi - but that's another story altogether.
But wait, there's more. "Can I have a couple of my friends around before we go for a couple of 'drinks'"?
What to do?
We gave in, said yes, but her friends had to bring their own drink, I don't want to become the "easy" parent.
And we fed them. And made sure they weren't driving.
As a side note, MS16 is about 5' 6" - or thereabouts give or take - and I think she's tall. Her friend must have been 6 foot, but not gangly and ungainly. It's fair to say that tall women somehow intimidate me - but that's my phobia not yours.
Then she drops onto us that she's going to a party, on a Tuesday. "It's alcohol free' and not a lot of people will be going.
Firstly "alcohol free" was a bit worrying that this caveat had to be put on the event, although I do recall as a 16 year old going to party with a bottle of Bacardi - but that's another story altogether.
But wait, there's more. "Can I have a couple of my friends around before we go for a couple of 'drinks'"?
What to do?
We gave in, said yes, but her friends had to bring their own drink, I don't want to become the "easy" parent.
And we fed them. And made sure they weren't driving.
As a side note, MS16 is about 5' 6" - or thereabouts give or take - and I think she's tall. Her friend must have been 6 foot, but not gangly and ungainly. It's fair to say that tall women somehow intimidate me - but that's my phobia not yours.
Outrage as a defence
A feminist friend of mine constantly bangs on about how outraged she is about almost everything.
You can't pick anything she says as repeat it back to her since this then is just an attack.
Yet she is by her own admission insecure and unsure about many things.
Everything "sexualises" or "denigrates" women.
I'd stop caring but as a friend she's ok, I just wouldn't go to her for advice
You can't pick anything she says as repeat it back to her since this then is just an attack.
Yet she is by her own admission insecure and unsure about many things.
Everything "sexualises" or "denigrates" women.
I'd stop caring but as a friend she's ok, I just wouldn't go to her for advice
Bigging it up
Ms16 has finished school for the yet, and is merrily hanging out like a "gangsta" - her words not mine.
Then she drops onto us that she's going to a party, on a Tuesday. "It's alcohol free' and not a lot of people will be going.
Firstly "alcohol free" was a bit worrying that this caveat had to be put on the event, although I do recall as a 16 year old going to party with a bottle of Bacardi - but that's another story altogether.
But wait, there's more. "Can I have a couple of my friends around before we go for a couple of 'drinks'"?
What to do?
We gave in, said yes, but her friends had to bring their own drink, I don't want to become the "easy" parent.
And we fed them. And made sure they weren't driving.
As a side note, MS16 is about 5' 6" - or thereabouts give or take - and I think she's tall. Her friend must have been 6 foot, but not gangly and ungainly. It's fair to say that tall women somehow intimidate me - but that's my phobia not yours.
Then she drops onto us that she's going to a party, on a Tuesday. "It's alcohol free' and not a lot of people will be going.
Firstly "alcohol free" was a bit worrying that this caveat had to be put on the event, although I do recall as a 16 year old going to party with a bottle of Bacardi - but that's another story altogether.
But wait, there's more. "Can I have a couple of my friends around before we go for a couple of 'drinks'"?
What to do?
We gave in, said yes, but her friends had to bring their own drink, I don't want to become the "easy" parent.
And we fed them. And made sure they weren't driving.
As a side note, MS16 is about 5' 6" - or thereabouts give or take - and I think she's tall. Her friend must have been 6 foot, but not gangly and ungainly. It's fair to say that tall women somehow intimidate me - but that's my phobia not yours.
Outrage as a defence
A feminist friend of mine constantly bangs on about how outraged she is about almost everything.
You can't pick anything she says as repeat it back to her since this then is just an attack.
Yet she is by her own admission insecure and unsure about many things.
Everything "sexualises" or "denigrates" women.
I'd stop caring but as a friend she's ok, I just wouldn't go to her for advice
You can't pick anything she says as repeat it back to her since this then is just an attack.
Yet she is by her own admission insecure and unsure about many things.
Everything "sexualises" or "denigrates" women.
I'd stop caring but as a friend she's ok, I just wouldn't go to her for advice
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Things to belive in - Part one the First
I've been listening to a number of skeptical podcasts, that is podcasts that have a skeptical look at things. I'd recommend the Righteous Indignation podcasts, they've been interviewing 'believers' in a very sympathetic way.
Anyways. Thing is. Climate change. Again.
I don't believe it's a man-made thing. I still believe this. I believe in climate change, it's obvious, or seems obvious with age. Seasons are later then I remember as a child, and summer seems to last longer into the new year. So it seems.
What troubles me still is the 'man made' bit. I've blogged a bit on this before, so this is not a new position for me.
Where do I sit then when people want to throw out labels such as 'climate change denier'. Skeptical podcasters do this, somehow they've elevated themselves to label makers. Of course I side with them about Homeopathy, Psychics and UFOlogists, but they are just different thinkers.
But "denier" gets my heckles up in an angry way. I don't deny it, I just deny that man did it.
I don't believe man went to the moon either. Just don't believe they had the technology.
I don't believe that there was a gunman on the grassy knoll, that Dianna was assassinated or that Lizards are the true rulers of the planet.
I believe that injections for vaccination are good things, I don't believe that fluoride in the water is a good thing - mass medication seems wrong, like putting folic acid in bread for the tiny number of pregnant women that have a deficiency - just seems wrong in an overkill way.
I don't believe in God, Heaven or Hell (I do capitalize just in case :-) )
Anyways. Thing is. Climate change. Again.
I don't believe it's a man-made thing. I still believe this. I believe in climate change, it's obvious, or seems obvious with age. Seasons are later then I remember as a child, and summer seems to last longer into the new year. So it seems.
What troubles me still is the 'man made' bit. I've blogged a bit on this before, so this is not a new position for me.
Where do I sit then when people want to throw out labels such as 'climate change denier'. Skeptical podcasters do this, somehow they've elevated themselves to label makers. Of course I side with them about Homeopathy, Psychics and UFOlogists, but they are just different thinkers.
But "denier" gets my heckles up in an angry way. I don't deny it, I just deny that man did it.
I don't believe man went to the moon either. Just don't believe they had the technology.
I don't believe that there was a gunman on the grassy knoll, that Dianna was assassinated or that Lizards are the true rulers of the planet.
I believe that injections for vaccination are good things, I don't believe that fluoride in the water is a good thing - mass medication seems wrong, like putting folic acid in bread for the tiny number of pregnant women that have a deficiency - just seems wrong in an overkill way.
I don't believe in God, Heaven or Hell (I do capitalize just in case :-) )
Monday, November 29, 2010
Things to belive in - Part one the First
I've been listening to a number of skeptical podcasts, that is podcasts that have a skeptical look at things. I'd recommend the Righteous Indignation podcasts, they've been interviewing 'believers' in a very sympathetic way.
Anyways. Thing is. Climate change. Again.
I don't believe it's a man-made thing. I still believe this. I believe in climate change, it's obvious, or seems obvious with age. Seasons are later then I remember as a child, and summer seems to last longer into the new year. So it seems.
What troubles me still is the 'man made' bit. I've blogged a bit on this before, so this is not a new position for me.
Where do I sit then when people want to throw out labels such as 'climate change denier'. Skeptical podcasters do this, somehow they've elevated themselves to label makers. Of course I side with them about Homeopathy, Psychics and UFOlogists, but they are just different thinkers.
But "denier" gets my heckles up in an angry way. I don't deny it, I just deny that man did it.
I don't believe man went to the moon either. Just don't believe they had the technology.
I don't believe that there was a gunman on the grassy knoll, that Dianna was assassinated or that Lizards are the true rulers of the planet.
I believe that injections for vaccination are good things, I don't believe that fluoride in the water is a good thing - mass medication seems wrong, like putting folic acid in bread for the tiny number of pregnant women that have a deficiency - just seems wrong in an overkill way.
I don't believe in God, Heaven or Hell (I do capitalize just in case :-) )
Anyways. Thing is. Climate change. Again.
I don't believe it's a man-made thing. I still believe this. I believe in climate change, it's obvious, or seems obvious with age. Seasons are later then I remember as a child, and summer seems to last longer into the new year. So it seems.
What troubles me still is the 'man made' bit. I've blogged a bit on this before, so this is not a new position for me.
Where do I sit then when people want to throw out labels such as 'climate change denier'. Skeptical podcasters do this, somehow they've elevated themselves to label makers. Of course I side with them about Homeopathy, Psychics and UFOlogists, but they are just different thinkers.
But "denier" gets my heckles up in an angry way. I don't deny it, I just deny that man did it.
I don't believe man went to the moon either. Just don't believe they had the technology.
I don't believe that there was a gunman on the grassy knoll, that Dianna was assassinated or that Lizards are the true rulers of the planet.
I believe that injections for vaccination are good things, I don't believe that fluoride in the water is a good thing - mass medication seems wrong, like putting folic acid in bread for the tiny number of pregnant women that have a deficiency - just seems wrong in an overkill way.
I don't believe in God, Heaven or Hell (I do capitalize just in case :-) )
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Driving Miss Daisy
Ms16 was so excited that she demanded I take her for a driving lesson in the car.
You can go miles in such a short space of time that it felt like we'd driven half of the city.
We came to a hill, and previously I'd been pointing out that 60 wasn't 50 - the speed limit, so we attack the hill - at 45ish, and it gets steeper,
we get slower,
I encourage pressing on the accelerator,
a little harder
a little harder
and then it kicks down a gear (as automatics do), and MS16 Screams and takes her foot off the accelerator.
Seems it's never done that before.
You can go miles in such a short space of time that it felt like we'd driven half of the city.
We came to a hill, and previously I'd been pointing out that 60 wasn't 50 - the speed limit, so we attack the hill - at 45ish, and it gets steeper,
we get slower,
I encourage pressing on the accelerator,
a little harder
a little harder
and then it kicks down a gear (as automatics do), and MS16 Screams and takes her foot off the accelerator.
Seems it's never done that before.
Driving Miss Daisy
Ms16 was so excited that she demanded I take her for a driving lesson in the car.
You can go miles in such a short space of time that it felt like we'd driven half of the city.
We came to a hill, and previously I'd been pointing out that 60 wasn't 50 - the speed limit, so we attack the hill - at 45ish, and it gets steeper,
we get slower,
I encourage pressing on the accelerator,
a little harder
a little harder
and then it kicks down a gear (as automatics do), and MS16 Screams and takes her foot off the accelerator.
Seems it's never done that before.
You can go miles in such a short space of time that it felt like we'd driven half of the city.
We came to a hill, and previously I'd been pointing out that 60 wasn't 50 - the speed limit, so we attack the hill - at 45ish, and it gets steeper,
we get slower,
I encourage pressing on the accelerator,
a little harder
a little harder
and then it kicks down a gear (as automatics do), and MS16 Screams and takes her foot off the accelerator.
Seems it's never done that before.
Subway Mystery pick
Just saying.
We have a monthly meeting where out of the goodness of their heart they buy subway sandwiches for us. So we get to pick from the extensive menu.
Last month my Chicken Fillet turned up as a vegetarian pattie!
This week it turned up as Chicken Fillet but without cheese.
It was free, I'm not complaining, but they did charge for it.
We have a monthly meeting where out of the goodness of their heart they buy subway sandwiches for us. So we get to pick from the extensive menu.
Last month my Chicken Fillet turned up as a vegetarian pattie!
This week it turned up as Chicken Fillet but without cheese.
It was free, I'm not complaining, but they did charge for it.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Subway Mystery pick
Just saying.
We have a monthly meeting where out of the goodness of their heart they buy subway sandwiches for us. So we get to pick from the extensive menu.
Last month my Chicken Fillet turned up as a vegetarian pattie!
This week it turned up as Chicken Fillet but without cheese.
It was free, I'm not complaining, but they did charge for it.
We have a monthly meeting where out of the goodness of their heart they buy subway sandwiches for us. So we get to pick from the extensive menu.
Last month my Chicken Fillet turned up as a vegetarian pattie!
This week it turned up as Chicken Fillet but without cheese.
It was free, I'm not complaining, but they did charge for it.
The Birds and the bees.
It's that time, actually it's past that time, when as a father you have to face up to the fact that your daughter is in fact sexually mature.
Not that I think she is active. Blind Faith
But I think we're on safe ground to assume not. Anyways, it's that kind of thinking that gets you to thinking that hey she's confident, pretty and outgoing. It's summer, and with it are beaches, sun-tans and hanging around the beach. Standard summer fayre.
But it's easier to blog about the conversation I had with Mrs. Pdubyah than the conversation actually was.
It was Mrs.P that mentioned she thought Ms16 was turning out to be fairly pretty, and after I agreed for the reasons I mentioned above there was an uncomfortable silence.
"So" I ventured "You've spoken to her about contraception then"
uncomfortable silence
"They do that sort of thing in school" was the mumbled reply
So clearly it's not a comfortable subject and one which we need to address at some point in the next couple of days, since I've clearly made good my bet which allows a greater measure of freedom and self-determination. Not that for one minute that I'm worried or concerned or one of 'those' parents that molly coddle, cosset and protect their children.
Sex is after all sex. Unwanted babies are however generally unwanted.
Not that I think she is active. Blind Faith
But I think we're on safe ground to assume not. Anyways, it's that kind of thinking that gets you to thinking that hey she's confident, pretty and outgoing. It's summer, and with it are beaches, sun-tans and hanging around the beach. Standard summer fayre.
But it's easier to blog about the conversation I had with Mrs. Pdubyah than the conversation actually was.
It was Mrs.P that mentioned she thought Ms16 was turning out to be fairly pretty, and after I agreed for the reasons I mentioned above there was an uncomfortable silence.
"So" I ventured "You've spoken to her about contraception then"
uncomfortable silence
"They do that sort of thing in school" was the mumbled reply
So clearly it's not a comfortable subject and one which we need to address at some point in the next couple of days, since I've clearly made good my bet which allows a greater measure of freedom and self-determination. Not that for one minute that I'm worried or concerned or one of 'those' parents that molly coddle, cosset and protect their children.
Sex is after all sex. Unwanted babies are however generally unwanted.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Birds and the bees.
It's that time, actually it's past that time, when as a father you have to face up to the fact that your daughter is in fact sexually mature.
Not that I think she is active. *Blind Faith*
But I think we're on safe ground to assume not. Anyways, it's that kind of thinking that gets you to thinking that hey she's confident, pretty and outgoing. It's summer, and with it are beaches, sun-tans and hanging around the beach. Standard summer fayre.
But it's easier to blog about the conversation I had with Mrs. Pdubyah than the conversation actually was.
It was Mrs.P that mentioned she thought Ms16 was turning out to be fairly pretty, and after I agreed for the reasons I mentioned above there was an uncomfortable silence.
"So" I ventured "You've spoken to her about contraception then"
uncomfortable silence
"They do that sort of thing in school" was the mumbled reply
So clearly it's not a comfortable subject and one which we need to address at some point in the next couple of days, since I've clearly made good my bet which allows a greater measure of freedom and self-determination. Not that for one minute that I'm worried or concerned or one of 'those' parents that molly coddle, cosset and protect their children.
Sex is after all sex. Unwanted babies are however generally unwanted.
Not that I think she is active. *Blind Faith*
But I think we're on safe ground to assume not. Anyways, it's that kind of thinking that gets you to thinking that hey she's confident, pretty and outgoing. It's summer, and with it are beaches, sun-tans and hanging around the beach. Standard summer fayre.
But it's easier to blog about the conversation I had with Mrs. Pdubyah than the conversation actually was.
It was Mrs.P that mentioned she thought Ms16 was turning out to be fairly pretty, and after I agreed for the reasons I mentioned above there was an uncomfortable silence.
"So" I ventured "You've spoken to her about contraception then"
uncomfortable silence
"They do that sort of thing in school" was the mumbled reply
So clearly it's not a comfortable subject and one which we need to address at some point in the next couple of days, since I've clearly made good my bet which allows a greater measure of freedom and self-determination. Not that for one minute that I'm worried or concerned or one of 'those' parents that molly coddle, cosset and protect their children.
Sex is after all sex. Unwanted babies are however generally unwanted.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
I Made good my bet
I had, on reflection, a rather daft bet with Ms16 (then 15) about her ability to score a goal in hockey. As a "back" I was confident that I'd manage to win that.
The payback? Well foolishly "score and you get a car" - since at the time she wanted to learn to drive, and well it seemed a safe bet that I couldn't lose. Her team of much senior players, some black-sticks, and some very good quality players, meant that there was no chance, no chance in hell, of her being in a position to score.
Until the tail end of the season and coach, for no reason that I can fathom decides to put her on as a forward. Might have been teenage legs and run for everything.
So she scores, her first senior goal, and I'm not kidding that at least 20 people turn to me and say "ooh that's just cost you" Seems like a lot of people were in on the bet!
Not the coach though she was as happy and surprised as anyone.
So I got some reward for the weeks of watching - seeing Ms score a senior goal, she got the car.
The car being the lost and found one, which we pick up on the weekend. It's a nanna mobile and is ideal.
oh and for the record Ms scored the following week for her School team. good things come in pairs
The payback? Well foolishly "score and you get a car" - since at the time she wanted to learn to drive, and well it seemed a safe bet that I couldn't lose. Her team of much senior players, some black-sticks, and some very good quality players, meant that there was no chance, no chance in hell, of her being in a position to score.Until the tail end of the season and coach, for no reason that I can fathom decides to put her on as a forward. Might have been teenage legs and run for everything.
So she scores, her first senior goal, and I'm not kidding that at least 20 people turn to me and say "ooh that's just cost you" Seems like a lot of people were in on the bet!
Not the coach though she was as happy and surprised as anyone.
So I got some reward for the weeks of watching - seeing Ms score a senior goal, she got the car.
The car being the lost and found one, which we pick up on the weekend. It's a nanna mobile and is ideal.
oh and for the record Ms scored the following week for her School team. good things come in pairs
I Made good my bet
I had, on reflection, a rather daft bet with Ms16 (then 15) about her ability to score a goal in hockey. As a "back" I was confident that I'd manage to win that.
The payback? Well foolishly "score and you get a car" - since at the time she wanted to learn to drive, and well it seemed a safe bet that I couldn't lose. Her team of much senior players, some black-sticks, and some very good quality players, meant that there was no chance, no chance in hell, of her being in a position to score.
Until the tail end of the season and coach, for no reason that I can fathom decides to put her on as a forward. Might have been teenage legs and run for everything.
So she scores, her first senior goal, and I'm not kidding that at least 20 people turn to me and say "ooh that's just cost you" Seems like a lot of people were in on the bet!
Not the coach though she was as happy and surprised as anyone.
So I got some reward for the weeks of watching - seeing Ms score a senior goal, she got the car.
The car being the lost and found one, which we pick up on the weekend. It's a nanna mobile and is ideal.
oh and for the record Ms scored the following week for her School team. good things come in pairs
The payback? Well foolishly "score and you get a car" - since at the time she wanted to learn to drive, and well it seemed a safe bet that I couldn't lose. Her team of much senior players, some black-sticks, and some very good quality players, meant that there was no chance, no chance in hell, of her being in a position to score.
Until the tail end of the season and coach, for no reason that I can fathom decides to put her on as a forward. Might have been teenage legs and run for everything.
So she scores, her first senior goal, and I'm not kidding that at least 20 people turn to me and say "ooh that's just cost you" Seems like a lot of people were in on the bet!
Not the coach though she was as happy and surprised as anyone.
So I got some reward for the weeks of watching - seeing Ms score a senior goal, she got the car.
The car being the lost and found one, which we pick up on the weekend. It's a nanna mobile and is ideal.
oh and for the record Ms scored the following week for her School team. good things come in pairs
Chasing the technology tail
Well so an I-Pad is just frippery then, unless I find one for say $600, and you know that's not going to happen any side of soon.
So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, as if I have money burning a hole in my pocket is perhaps and aPad, which is a 7" Android based tablet. Problem with that is that it's 7", and not an I-Pad. IT is cheap though, but at, say, $300, it's kind of nearly like half the price of an I-Pad,
So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, is perhaps and Android phone. Voda have one for $199 or DSE for $175. The problem with that of course is I have a work based BlackBerry that I use. It's not like I have friends or anything. So one of those would be sort of interesting and the a handbag filler for the wife.
I am then in a quandary as to what to spend money on, it's not like I need to or want to, but it's technology and I appear to be addicted to it.
So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, as if I have money burning a hole in my pocket is perhaps and aPad, which is a 7" Android based tablet. Problem with that is that it's 7", and not an I-Pad. IT is cheap though, but at, say, $300, it's kind of nearly like half the price of an I-Pad,
So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, is perhaps and Android phone. Voda have one for $199 or DSE for $175. The problem with that of course is I have a work based BlackBerry that I use. It's not like I have friends or anything. So one of those would be sort of interesting and the a handbag filler for the wife.
I am then in a quandary as to what to spend money on, it's not like I need to or want to, but it's technology and I appear to be addicted to it.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Chasing the technology tail
Well so an I-Pad is just frippery then, unless I find one for say $600, and you know that's not going to happen any side of soon.
So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, as if I have money burning a hole in my pocket is perhaps and aPad, which is a 7" Android based tablet. Problem with that is that it's 7", and not an I-Pad. IT is cheap though, but at, say, $300, it's kind of nearly like half the price of an I-Pad,
So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, is perhaps and Android phone. Voda have one for $199 or DSE for $175. The problem with that of course is I have a work based BlackBerry that I use. It's not like I have friends or anything. So one of those would be sort of interesting and the a handbag filler for the wife.
I am then in a quandary as to what to spend money on, it's not like I need to or want to, but it's technology and I appear to be addicted to it.
So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, as if I have money burning a hole in my pocket is perhaps and aPad, which is a 7" Android based tablet. Problem with that is that it's 7", and not an I-Pad. IT is cheap though, but at, say, $300, it's kind of nearly like half the price of an I-Pad,
So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, is perhaps and Android phone. Voda have one for $199 or DSE for $175. The problem with that of course is I have a work based BlackBerry that I use. It's not like I have friends or anything. So one of those would be sort of interesting and the a handbag filler for the wife.
I am then in a quandary as to what to spend money on, it's not like I need to or want to, but it's technology and I appear to be addicted to it.
To IPad or Not
I don't need one, who does really.
Despite the pricing overseas - converted at a current rate- is cheaper than here - I'm reluctant to buy one that's imported, and I'm reluctant to buy second hand to save $50.00, and I'm still reluctant to spend the best part of a grand for the privilege of owning a house toy - who'd be seen dead with one outside ?
I've however been looking out for one, and Apple are pretty rigid on pricing, I know this because I've had dealing with them before, and their model is all back-end rebate on volumes for the reseller.
Strikes me though that there should be a number available on trade-me for instance at reasonable price. Wrong.
One person is even trying to sell them at a premium still. Most are unwanted prizes and gifts. Lots are brought overseas and now being flicked off.
Despite the pricing overseas - converted at a current rate- is cheaper than here - I'm reluctant to buy one that's imported, and I'm reluctant to buy second hand to save $50.00, and I'm still reluctant to spend the best part of a grand for the privilege of owning a house toy - who'd be seen dead with one outside ?
Friday, November 12, 2010
To IPad or Not
I don't need one, who does really.
I've however been looking out for one, and Apple are pretty rigid on pricing, I know this because I've had dealing with them before, and their model is all back-end rebate on volumes for the reseller.
Strikes me though that there should be a number available on trade-me for instance at reasonable price. Wrong.
One person is even trying to sell them at a premium still. Most are unwanted prizes and gifts. Lots are brought overseas and now being flicked off.
Despite the pricing overseas - converted at a current rate- is cheaper than here - I'm reluctant to buy one that's imported, and I'm reluctant to buy second hand to save $50.00, and I'm still reluctant to spend the best part of a grand for the privilege of owning a house toy - who'd be seen dead with one outside ?
Sporting your life vicariously
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Image by Luther College Photos via Flickr"]
[/caption]As you may know I'm big on supporting my children in their endeavours, particularly sporting ones.
Ms16 plays a mean game of field hockey, and it's between seasons now so all she has on is an 8-a-side thing and a social league thing, so we're down to 3 visits a week to the turf (one of for a sporting academy thing).
Making sure that it's important to have the best (we can afford) equipment we notice that the hockey shoppe has a sale on, so a chance to buy a new stick at a reasonable price, even if it's exactly the same as the one you have now it's still a lot cheaper than a '11 model. Makes sense.
Having traipsed to the shoppe on a weekend to try out some new(old) sticks we get a shrug and an "I don't know". Something is afoot,
Seems that there is a new kid in town - www.toahockey.com - a couple of kiwi blokes who are trying to break into the market with a small range of sticks, and MS16 has a friend that uses one and loves it - hey even the block in the hockey shoppe whispers to us that they are great and he has one - but would get sacked if the boss heard him say so.
So Ms16 arranges with them to try out one. And guess what - the one they put up is their best one, which is "ok". But worse! they take it away and are "gripping" properly for her - clearly they've discussed her preference.
At $349 there had better be wriggle room - after all this is a this year model and not an '11, and it will be nice to have something that players she knows, and international level, are advising her and telling her what's what. You never know they may suggest the cheaper one
- I'm not holding my breath.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Sporting your life vicariously
As you may know I'm big on supporting my children in their endeavours, particularly sporting ones.
Ms16 plays a mean game of field hockey, and it's between seasons now so all she has on is an 8-a-side thing and a social league thing, so we're down to 3 visits a week to the turf (one of for a sporting academy thing).
Making sure that it's important to have the best (we can afford) equipment we notice that the hockey shoppe has a sale on, so a chance to buy a new stick at a reasonable price, even if it's exactly the same as the one you have now it's still a lot cheaper than a '11 model. Makes sense.
Having traipsed to the shoppe on a weekend to try out some new(old) sticks we get a shrug and an "I don't know". Something is afoot,
Seems that there is a new kid in town - www.toahockey.com - a couple of kiwi blokes who are trying to break into the market with a small range of sticks, and MS16 has a friend that uses one and loves it - hey even the block in the hockey shoppe whispers to us that they are great and he has one - but would get sacked if the boss heard him say so.
So Ms16 arranges with them to try out one. And guess what - the one they put up is their best one, which is "ok". But worse! they take it away and are "gripping" properly for her - clearly they've discussed her preference.
At $349 there had better be wriggle room - after all this is a this year model and not an '11, and it will be nice to have something that players she knows, and international level, are advising her and telling her what's what. You never know they may suggest the cheaper one
- I'm not holding my breath.
In the land of the lost
Long story long - Close friends of ours have a few domestic issues.
These mainly are the youngest daughter - 15 - not getting the direct attention she needs.
Lots of indirect attention - but sometime money can't fix it all.
In context of a kind the mother died a year or so ago, but at no point were the children much more than accessories.
The oldest daughter has been fobbed off by money as a substitute - she is more worldly than the youngest - who clearly felt the loss of a mother very keenly and with no real guidance has gone off the rails
In one of the money things the oldest was brought a newer car - replacing the other one that was brought for her. The idea being youngest could learn to drive and assert her independance. But it was never got around to, other things more important were always cropping up.
Daugther plays up somewhat including absenteeism from school, leading to a change of school after claims of bullying.
But this was never going to end well, and a second stint of running away from home (we'll gloss over the first time) and surprise she skulks around one day, gets into the house and makes off with "her" car.
The police do their thing and she's stopped, makes up some story to cover the event, and ends up in care, (lets gloss over that).
A lot of weeks past and I bring up the subject of the car - like "where is it". Well after a few more weeks I declare my interest in buying it for my own daughter (I have an outstanding bet I need to pay off).
I ring the police - who tell me to ring the towing company - who tell me they don't have it. The local council dont have it, it's not been towed for no warrant and no reggo. It's missing in action.
I call the social worker - google is great - and he can't tell me where it is - can't legally and he doesn't know - I'm sure he would have if he could. It's missing in action
So it's parked by the road somewhere or up a driveway and fat chance of ever getting it back unless by some miracle it's being driven or someone gets a warrant and rego you'd think.
And then I had occasion to drive by the local cop-shop - on the way to the new food place that I mention in another post. And I spied a car in the car park - on a whim I drove through the public car park at the front of the cop-shop - and lo! the car, parked in carpark 13. Has been for weeks and weeks.
No one thought to report it as being abandoned - it's hidden then in plain sight.
Getting it back however is going to be tricky - they have the key and the person responsible may be on holiday. Still at least we know where it is and that if we can get the key and get it home I can pay off my bet :-)
These mainly are the youngest daughter - 15 - not getting the direct attention she needs.
Lots of indirect attention - but sometime money can't fix it all.
In context of a kind the mother died a year or so ago, but at no point were the children much more than accessories.
The oldest daughter has been fobbed off by money as a substitute - she is more worldly than the youngest - who clearly felt the loss of a mother very keenly and with no real guidance has gone off the rails
In one of the money things the oldest was brought a newer car - replacing the other one that was brought for her. The idea being youngest could learn to drive and assert her independance. But it was never got around to, other things more important were always cropping up.
Daugther plays up somewhat including absenteeism from school, leading to a change of school after claims of bullying.
But this was never going to end well, and a second stint of running away from home (we'll gloss over the first time) and surprise she skulks around one day, gets into the house and makes off with "her" car.
The police do their thing and she's stopped, makes up some story to cover the event, and ends up in care, (lets gloss over that).
A lot of weeks past and I bring up the subject of the car - like "where is it". Well after a few more weeks I declare my interest in buying it for my own daughter (I have an outstanding bet I need to pay off).
I ring the police - who tell me to ring the towing company - who tell me they don't have it. The local council dont have it, it's not been towed for no warrant and no reggo. It's missing in action.
I call the social worker - google is great - and he can't tell me where it is - can't legally and he doesn't know - I'm sure he would have if he could. It's missing in action
So it's parked by the road somewhere or up a driveway and fat chance of ever getting it back unless by some miracle it's being driven or someone gets a warrant and rego you'd think.
And then I had occasion to drive by the local cop-shop - on the way to the new food place that I mention in another post. And I spied a car in the car park - on a whim I drove through the public car park at the front of the cop-shop - and lo! the car, parked in carpark 13. Has been for weeks and weeks.
No one thought to report it as being abandoned - it's hidden then in plain sight.
Getting it back however is going to be tricky - they have the key and the person responsible may be on holiday. Still at least we know where it is and that if we can get the key and get it home I can pay off my bet :-)
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
In the land of the lost
Long story long - Close friends of ours have a few domestic issues.
These mainly are the youngest daughter - 15 - not getting the direct attention she needs.
Lots of indirect attention - but sometime money can't fix it all.
In context of a kind the mother died a year or so ago, but at no point were the children much more than accessories.
The oldest daughter has been fobbed off by money as a substitute - she is more worldly than the youngest - who clearly felt the loss of a mother very keenly and with no real guidance has gone off the rails
In one of the money things the oldest was brought a newer car - replacing the other one that was brought for her. The idea being youngest could learn to drive and assert her independance. But it was never got around to, other things more important were always cropping up.
Daugther plays up somewhat including absenteeism from school, leading to a change of school after claims of bullying.
But this was never going to end well, and a second stint of running away from home (we'll gloss over the first time) and surprise she skulks around one day, gets into the house and makes off with "her" car.
The police do their thing and she's stopped, makes up some story to cover the event, and ends up in care, (lets gloss over that).
A lot of weeks past and I bring up the subject of the car - like "where is it". Well after a few more weeks I declare my interest in buying it for my own daughter (I have an outstanding bet I need to pay off).
I ring the police - who tell me to ring the towing company - who tell me they don't have it. The local council dont have it, it's not been towed for no warrant and no reggo. It's missing in action.
I call the social worker - google is great - and he can't tell me where it is - can't legally and he doesn't know - I'm sure he would have if he could. It's missing in action
So it's parked by the road somewhere or up a driveway and fat chance of ever getting it back unless by some miracle it's being driven or someone gets a warrant and rego you'd think.
And then I had occasion to drive by the local cop-shop - on the way to the new food place that I mention in another post. And I spied a car in the car park - on a whim I drove through the public car park at the front of the cop-shop - and lo! the car, parked in carpark 13. Has been for weeks and weeks.
No one thought to report it as being abandoned - it's hidden then in plain sight.
Getting it back however is going to be tricky - they have the key and the person responsible may be on holiday. Still at least we know where it is and that if we can get the key and get it home I can pay off my bet :-)
These mainly are the youngest daughter - 15 - not getting the direct attention she needs.
Lots of indirect attention - but sometime money can't fix it all.
In context of a kind the mother died a year or so ago, but at no point were the children much more than accessories.
The oldest daughter has been fobbed off by money as a substitute - she is more worldly than the youngest - who clearly felt the loss of a mother very keenly and with no real guidance has gone off the rails
In one of the money things the oldest was brought a newer car - replacing the other one that was brought for her. The idea being youngest could learn to drive and assert her independance. But it was never got around to, other things more important were always cropping up.
Daugther plays up somewhat including absenteeism from school, leading to a change of school after claims of bullying.
But this was never going to end well, and a second stint of running away from home (we'll gloss over the first time) and surprise she skulks around one day, gets into the house and makes off with "her" car.
The police do their thing and she's stopped, makes up some story to cover the event, and ends up in care, (lets gloss over that).
A lot of weeks past and I bring up the subject of the car - like "where is it". Well after a few more weeks I declare my interest in buying it for my own daughter (I have an outstanding bet I need to pay off).
I ring the police - who tell me to ring the towing company - who tell me they don't have it. The local council dont have it, it's not been towed for no warrant and no reggo. It's missing in action.
I call the social worker - google is great - and he can't tell me where it is - can't legally and he doesn't know - I'm sure he would have if he could. It's missing in action
So it's parked by the road somewhere or up a driveway and fat chance of ever getting it back unless by some miracle it's being driven or someone gets a warrant and rego you'd think.
And then I had occasion to drive by the local cop-shop - on the way to the new food place that I mention in another post. And I spied a car in the car park - on a whim I drove through the public car park at the front of the cop-shop - and lo! the car, parked in carpark 13. Has been for weeks and weeks.
No one thought to report it as being abandoned - it's hidden then in plain sight.
Getting it back however is going to be tricky - they have the key and the person responsible may be on holiday. Still at least we know where it is and that if we can get the key and get it home I can pay off my bet :-)
Food pretention
There is a new FARO store near me, it's an up-market deli place, lots of imported stuff - not the usual imported stuff this is from exotic places and all packaged nicely.
It's ideal if you want something specific for a meal, or something that you'd not see in your local super-market - which lets face it can offer some spectacularly good things. My local Foottown for instance has things like Ostrich and Crokogator steaks. So for some spices and herbs, particular oils and essential ingredients this is a good bet.
However - the parking on the weekend is non-existent - use the park and ride next door and gasp walk.
And inside is full of food twats. "Daaaarling look!!! Pomegranets" , and to the girl at the cheese-counter "is that from southern france" and "Daaaaarling gluten free wraps!!", and "Daaaaarling 'authentic' bread'
I did notice however that they had a range of flavoured ciders like honey and ginger - who knows what kind of party that would be useful at.
I think I'll go in on a weekday next time and then I can be center of attention not Claude and Sharonda from Carribean Drive.
It's ideal if you want something specific for a meal, or something that you'd not see in your local super-market - which lets face it can offer some spectacularly good things. My local Foottown for instance has things like Ostrich and Crokogator steaks. So for some spices and herbs, particular oils and essential ingredients this is a good bet.
However - the parking on the weekend is non-existent - use the park and ride next door and gasp walk.
And inside is full of food twats. "Daaaarling look!!! Pomegranets" , and to the girl at the cheese-counter "is that from southern france" and "Daaaaarling gluten free wraps!!", and "Daaaaarling 'authentic' bread'
I did notice however that they had a range of flavoured ciders like honey and ginger - who knows what kind of party that would be useful at.
I think I'll go in on a weekday next time and then I can be center of attention not Claude and Sharonda from Carribean Drive.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Weighing it up or the 30 days of less of me
Weight creeps up on you. Well it crept up on me that's for sure.
I think I know why though, It's the weekend. It's the drinking and snacking. It's the chocolate treat. It's the Ice-cream with the strawberries. It's the bag of chips that you had to have - the ones with the exotic flavour - or perhaps just the cheese and onion ones.
Mostly it's the late night eating - and then to bed. And then the slow day the next day.
It's a lack of will power and immediacy.
So I'm going to give body for November a crack - this is like body for Tuesday but for the month. And you never know I might like it.
I'm embarrassed by my rotundness and am only prepared to admit to loss of weight, not the start weight. But lets say it "only" crept upto 3 digits and scares me, I'm more a double-digit kind of guy.
Updates infrequently. - hey this could be like the 30 days of me thing-
I think I know why though, It's the weekend. It's the drinking and snacking. It's the chocolate treat. It's the Ice-cream with the strawberries. It's the bag of chips that you had to have - the ones with the exotic flavour - or perhaps just the cheese and onion ones.
Mostly it's the late night eating - and then to bed. And then the slow day the next day.
It's a lack of will power and immediacy.
So I'm going to give body for November a crack - this is like body for Tuesday but for the month. And you never know I might like it.
I'm embarrassed by my rotundness and am only prepared to admit to loss of weight, not the start weight. But lets say it "only" crept upto 3 digits and scares me, I'm more a double-digit kind of guy.
Updates infrequently. - hey this could be like the 30 days of me thing-
Food pretention
There is a new FARO store near me, it's an up-market deli place, lots of imported stuff - not the usual imported stuff this is from exotic places and all packaged nicely.
It's ideal if you want something specific for a meal, or something that you'd not see in your local super-market - which lets face it can offer some spectacularly good things. My local Foottown for instance has things like Ostrich and Crokogator steaks. So for some spices and herbs, particular oils and essential ingredients this is a good bet.
However - the parking on the weekend is non-existant - use the park and ride next door and *gasp* walk.
And inside is full of food twats. "Daaaarling look!!! Pomegranets" , and to the girl at the cheese-counter "is that from southern france" and "Daaaaarling gluten free wraps!!", and "Daaaaarling 'authentic' bread'
I did notice however that they had a range of flavoured ciders like honey and ginger - who knows what kind of party that would be useful at.
I think I'll go in on a weekday next time and then I can be center of attention not Claude and Sharonda from Carribean Drive.
It's ideal if you want something specific for a meal, or something that you'd not see in your local super-market - which lets face it can offer some spectacularly good things. My local Foottown for instance has things like Ostrich and Crokogator steaks. So for some spices and herbs, particular oils and essential ingredients this is a good bet.
However - the parking on the weekend is non-existant - use the park and ride next door and *gasp* walk.
And inside is full of food twats. "Daaaarling look!!! Pomegranets" , and to the girl at the cheese-counter "is that from southern france" and "Daaaaarling gluten free wraps!!", and "Daaaaarling 'authentic' bread'
I did notice however that they had a range of flavoured ciders like honey and ginger - who knows what kind of party that would be useful at.
I think I'll go in on a weekday next time and then I can be center of attention not Claude and Sharonda from Carribean Drive.
Weighing it up or the 30 days of less of me
Weight creeps up on you. Well it crept up on me thats for sure.
I think I know why though, Its the weekend. It's the drinking and snacking. It's the chocolate treat. Its the Ice-cream with the strawberries. It's the bag of chips that you had to have - the ones with the exotic flavour - or perhaps just the cheese and onion ones.
Mostly it's the late night eating - and then to bed. And then the slow day the next day.
It's a lack of will power and immediacy.
So I'm going to give body for November a crack - this is like body for Tuesday but for the month. And you never know I might like it.
I'm embarrassed by my rotundness and am only prepared to admit to loss of weight, not the start weight. But lets say it "only" crept upto 3 digits and scares me, I'm more a double-digit kind of guy.
Updates infrequently. - hey this could be like the 30 days of me thing-
I think I know why though, Its the weekend. It's the drinking and snacking. It's the chocolate treat. Its the Ice-cream with the strawberries. It's the bag of chips that you had to have - the ones with the exotic flavour - or perhaps just the cheese and onion ones.
Mostly it's the late night eating - and then to bed. And then the slow day the next day.
It's a lack of will power and immediacy.
So I'm going to give body for November a crack - this is like body for Tuesday but for the month. And you never know I might like it.
I'm embarrassed by my rotundness and am only prepared to admit to loss of weight, not the start weight. But lets say it "only" crept upto 3 digits and scares me, I'm more a double-digit kind of guy.
Updates infrequently. - hey this could be like the 30 days of me thing-
Catching up
There is a gap then between that one and this one (posts that is) for no reason other than I haven't.
Since then - 22nd September - and now seems like a life time.
I've been to Eden Park for the League tests. Apart from a weird decision to close the over bridge at Kingsland which prevented me going to the pub pre-game it worked out well.
The bus from Albany to the Stadium was awesome - and free- the longest part of the journey along the torturous road past St.Lukes. I'm sure they'll not fix that before the RWC arrives - I'm not holding my breath.
At the stadium however they need to figure out the method of getting in at which gate, and where and why some of the concession places are there. Clearly for an event of 4 hours there was a need for refreshment, but there are ways to try and minimise over consumption.
For a single event though why sell beer? Who can't go 90 minutes without a beer, or wine? The same people who need blaring music every time the game stops for any reason, just in case we get bored?
And when "we" the crowd get bored what happens - "we" entertain ourselves - with the mexican wave. The throwing things in the air bit is a mystery - but hey they sell beer in plastic bottles that gather around your feet - what else to do with them?
And if beer is such an issue I'd suggest that having staff wandering around selling directly to the crowd from shoulder bags may not be a good idea - host responsibility and all that.
The stadium does look half finished though, 4 stands - all different - I'm sure some of the seats are better than others - but lets put on record that I wouldn't particularly pay hundreds of dollars for one for any event.
Since then - 22nd September - and now seems like a life time.
I've been to Eden Park for the League tests. Apart from a weird decision to close the over bridge at Kingsland which prevented me going to the pub pre-game it worked out well.
The bus from Albany to the Stadium was awesome - and free- the longest part of the journey along the torturous road past St.Lukes. I'm sure they'll not fix that before the RWC arrives - I'm not holding my breath.
At the stadium however they need to figure out the method of getting in at which gate, and where and why some of the concession places are there. Clearly for an event of 4 hours there was a need for refreshment, but there are ways to try and minimise over consumption.
For a single event though why sell beer? Who can't go 90 minutes without a beer, or wine? The same people who need blaring music every time the game stops for any reason, just in case we get bored?
And when "we" the crowd get bored what happens - "we" entertain ourselves - with the mexican wave. The throwing things in the air bit is a mystery - but hey they sell beer in plastic bottles that gather around your feet - what else to do with them?
And if beer is such an issue I'd suggest that having staff wandering around selling directly to the crowd from shoulder bags may not be a good idea - host responsibility and all that.
The stadium does look half finished though, 4 stands - all different - I'm sure some of the seats are better than others - but lets put on record that I wouldn't particularly pay hundreds of dollars for one for any event.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Catching up
There is a gap then between that one and this one (posts thats is) for no reason other than I havn't.
Since then - 22nd September - and now seems like a life time.
I've been to Eden Park for the League tests. Apart from a weird decision to close the overbridge at Kingsland which prevented me going to the pub pre-game it worked out well.
The bus from Albany to the Stadium was awesome - and free- the longest part of the journey along the tourturous road past St.Lukes. I'm sure they'll not fix that before the RWC arrives - I'm not holding my breath.
At the stadium however they need to figure out the method of getting in at which gate, and where and why some of the concession places are there. Clearly for an event of 4 hours there was a need for refreshment, but there are ways to try and minimise over consumption.
For a single event though why sell beer? Who can't go 90 minutes without a beer, or wine? The same people who need blaring music everytime the game stops for any reason, just in case we get bored?
And when "we" the crowd get bored what happens - "we" entertain ourselves - with the mexican wave. The throwing things in the air bit is a mystery - but hey they sell beer in plastic bottles that gather around your feet - what else to do with them?
And if beer is such an issue I'd suggest that having staff wandering around selling directly to the crowd from shoulder bags may not be a good idea - host responsibility and all that.
The stadium does look half finished though, 4 stands - all different - I'm sure some of the seats are better than others - but lets put on record that I wouldn't particulaly pay hunreds of dollars for one for any event.
Since then - 22nd September - and now seems like a life time.
I've been to Eden Park for the League tests. Apart from a weird decision to close the overbridge at Kingsland which prevented me going to the pub pre-game it worked out well.
The bus from Albany to the Stadium was awesome - and free- the longest part of the journey along the tourturous road past St.Lukes. I'm sure they'll not fix that before the RWC arrives - I'm not holding my breath.
At the stadium however they need to figure out the method of getting in at which gate, and where and why some of the concession places are there. Clearly for an event of 4 hours there was a need for refreshment, but there are ways to try and minimise over consumption.
For a single event though why sell beer? Who can't go 90 minutes without a beer, or wine? The same people who need blaring music everytime the game stops for any reason, just in case we get bored?
And when "we" the crowd get bored what happens - "we" entertain ourselves - with the mexican wave. The throwing things in the air bit is a mystery - but hey they sell beer in plastic bottles that gather around your feet - what else to do with them?
And if beer is such an issue I'd suggest that having staff wandering around selling directly to the crowd from shoulder bags may not be a good idea - host responsibility and all that.
The stadium does look half finished though, 4 stands - all different - I'm sure some of the seats are better than others - but lets put on record that I wouldn't particulaly pay hunreds of dollars for one for any event.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Truthing on Twitter
One of my followers is also my boss. This is problematic of course because there are days when all I want to say is how much of a doofus he is. 'cept that he will read it and then it could go badly.
There are peeps I follow that seem to be angry all the time, and it's like a stream of bad-tempered bursts of 140 character railing against the world, everything, men, pets, makes me annoyed because among them there are people I know, and like, in an internetty kind of way.
How important is the number of followers, what vanity is it to outwardly say that all you want really is x number of followers. We can all get those. But it must be quality rather than quantity. Do you think that your whole follower list actually reads your 140 character bursts ? What all of them ? Get on with you .
I could of course address my angst by making yet another twitter account- one which I can be anonymous in, but anonymity is not my strong thing. I'm a serial user of my own name as user-name and blogname places.
And Twitter- is it for marketing or presence ? Who are all these "experts" who actually don't tell you anything or impart knowledge but pass the story from person to person like a parcel of truth. Am I having a pop at SM experts now? I guess I am.
Which leads me to the other bit. Of course I look after an account that is our corporate presence. 'cept my boss thinks that he needs to follows x number of social media experts on our follow list, wherein I go and unfollow most of them as not appropriate. I've got away with it so far.
Social media then, tricky on the field as well as off it. I'll get he hang of it one day.
There are peeps I follow that seem to be angry all the time, and it's like a stream of bad-tempered bursts of 140 character railing against the world, everything, men, pets, makes me annoyed because among them there are people I know, and like, in an internetty kind of way.
How important is the number of followers, what vanity is it to outwardly say that all you want really is x number of followers. We can all get those. But it must be quality rather than quantity. Do you think that your whole follower list actually reads your 140 character bursts ? What all of them ? Get on with you .
I could of course address my angst by making yet another twitter account- one which I can be anonymous in, but anonymity is not my strong thing. I'm a serial user of my own name as user-name and blogname places.
And Twitter- is it for marketing or presence ? Who are all these "experts" who actually don't tell you anything or impart knowledge but pass the story from person to person like a parcel of truth. Am I having a pop at SM experts now? I guess I am.
Which leads me to the other bit. Of course I look after an account that is our corporate presence. 'cept my boss thinks that he needs to follows x number of social media experts on our follow list, wherein I go and unfollow most of them as not appropriate. I've got away with it so far.
Social media then, tricky on the field as well as off it. I'll get he hang of it one day.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Truthing on Twitter
One of my followers is also my boss. This is problematic of course because there are days when all I want to say is how much of a doofus he is. 'cept that he will read it and then it could go badly.
There are peeps I follow that appear to be angry all the time, and it's like a stream of bad-tempered bursts of 140 character railing against the world, everything, men, pets, makes me annoyed because amongst them there are people I know, and like, in an internetty kind of way.
How important is the number of followers, what vanity is it to outwardly say that all you want really is x number of followers. We can all get those. But it must be quality rather than quantity. Do you think that your whole follower list actually reads your 140 character bursts ? What all of them ? Get on with you .
I could of course address my angst by making yet another twitter account- one which I can be anonymous in, but anonymity is not my strong thing. I'm a serial user of my own name as user-name and blogname places.
And Twitter- is it for marketing or presence ? Who are all these "experts" who actually don't tell you anything or impart knowledge but pass the story from person to person like a parcel of truth. Am I having a pop at SM experts now? I guess I am.
Which leads me to the other bit. Of course I look after an account that is our corporate presence. 'cept my boss thinks that he needs to follows x number of social media experts on our follow list, wherein I go and unfollow most of them as not appropriate. I've got away with it so far.
Social media then, tricky on the field as well as off it. I'll get he hang of it one day.
There are peeps I follow that appear to be angry all the time, and it's like a stream of bad-tempered bursts of 140 character railing against the world, everything, men, pets, makes me annoyed because amongst them there are people I know, and like, in an internetty kind of way.
How important is the number of followers, what vanity is it to outwardly say that all you want really is x number of followers. We can all get those. But it must be quality rather than quantity. Do you think that your whole follower list actually reads your 140 character bursts ? What all of them ? Get on with you .
I could of course address my angst by making yet another twitter account- one which I can be anonymous in, but anonymity is not my strong thing. I'm a serial user of my own name as user-name and blogname places.
And Twitter- is it for marketing or presence ? Who are all these "experts" who actually don't tell you anything or impart knowledge but pass the story from person to person like a parcel of truth. Am I having a pop at SM experts now? I guess I am.
Which leads me to the other bit. Of course I look after an account that is our corporate presence. 'cept my boss thinks that he needs to follows x number of social media experts on our follow list, wherein I go and unfollow most of them as not appropriate. I've got away with it so far.
Social media then, tricky on the field as well as off it. I'll get he hang of it one day.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
And in other news - Earthquakes
No one died, at least not as a direct result of the recent quake in Christchurch.
That's about it.
Some building partially fel down, some old ones fell down a bit more and will be demolished and new ones rebuilt.
um, There are human interest stories somewhere in there if we keep asking.
That's about it.
Some building partially fel down, some old ones fell down a bit more and will be demolished and new ones rebuilt.
um, There are human interest stories somewhere in there if we keep asking.
30 Days of Me - All at once :-)
Of course I googled it! But I'd fail on this on or around Day 3. Who thought this up? Teenagers with angst? Why go with the big guns at the beginning - is that to make then come back for more (especially if you didn't know the questions right and on day 4 you find out what habit they have they want to share with you?
Pictures of you and friends. Well I'm not sure I asked permissions of them to post pictures, unless of course they are fellow bloggers (which they are not), and I'm scared of their privacy.
I don't mind being out there, it's not a big deal, but I don't want to compromise my family, not that I am not proud of them, but it is their choice.
So I'm going to pass on this one, but not because there are not 15 interesting things about me, it's because I'm scared that that is all there is
day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
day 2- the meaning behind you blog name
day 3- a picture of you and your friends
day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have
day 5- a picture of somewhere you've been to
day 6- favorite super hero and why
day 7- a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
day 8- short term goals for this month and why
day 9- something you're proud of in the past few days
day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- another picture of you and your friends
day 12- how you found out about blogger and why you have one
day 13- a letter to someone who has hurt you recently
day 14- a picture of you and your family
day 15- put you ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
day 16- another picture of yourself
day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- nicknames you have and why you have them
day 20- someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future
day 21- a picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
day 23- something you crave for a lot
day 24- a letter to your parents
day 25- what I would find in your bag
day 26- what do you think about your friends
day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge
day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?
day 29- in this past month, what have you learned
day 30- you favorite song
Pictures of you and friends. Well I'm not sure I asked permissions of them to post pictures, unless of course they are fellow bloggers (which they are not), and I'm scared of their privacy.
I don't mind being out there, it's not a big deal, but I don't want to compromise my family, not that I am not proud of them, but it is their choice.
So I'm going to pass on this one, but not because there are not 15 interesting things about me, it's because I'm scared that that is all there is
day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
day 2- the meaning behind you blog name
day 3- a picture of you and your friends
day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have
day 5- a picture of somewhere you've been to
day 6- favorite super hero and why
day 7- a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
day 8- short term goals for this month and why
day 9- something you're proud of in the past few days
day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- another picture of you and your friends
day 12- how you found out about blogger and why you have one
day 13- a letter to someone who has hurt you recently
day 14- a picture of you and your family
day 15- put you ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
day 16- another picture of yourself
day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- nicknames you have and why you have them
day 20- someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future
day 21- a picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
day 23- something you crave for a lot
day 24- a letter to your parents
day 25- what I would find in your bag
day 26- what do you think about your friends
day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge
day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?
day 29- in this past month, what have you learned
day 30- you favorite song
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
And in other news - Earthquakes
No one died, at least not as a direct result of the recent quake in Christchurch.
That's about it.
Some building partially fel down, some old ones fell down a bit more and will be demolished and new ones rebuilt.
um, There are human interest stories somewhere in there if we keep asking.
That's about it.
Some building partially fel down, some old ones fell down a bit more and will be demolished and new ones rebuilt.
um, There are human interest stories somewhere in there if we keep asking.
30 Days of Me - All at once :-)
Of course I googled it! But I'd fail on this on or around Day 3. Who thought this up? Teenagers with angst? Why go with the big guns at the beginning - is that to make then come back for more (especially if you didn't know the questions right and on day 4 you find out what habit they have they want to share with you?
Pictures of you and friends. Well I'm not sure I asked permissions of them to post pictures, unless of course they are fellow bloggers (which they are not), and I'm scared of their privacy.
I don't mind being out there, it's not a big deal, but I don't want to compromise my family, not that I am not proud of them, but it is their choice.
So I'm going to pass on this one, but not because there are not 15 interesting things about me, it's because I'm scared that that is all there is
day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
day 2- the meaning behind you blog name
day 3- a picture of you and your friends
day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have
day 5- a picture of somewhere you've been to
day 6- favorite super hero and why
day 7- a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
day 8- short term goals for this month and why
day 9- something you're proud of in the past few days
day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- another picture of you and your friends
day 12- how you found out about blogger and why you have one
day 13- a letter to someone who has hurt you recently
day 14- a picture of you and your family
day 15- put you ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
day 16- another picture of yourself
day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- nicknames you have and why you have them
day 20- someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future
day 21- a picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
day 23- something you crave for a lot
day 24- a letter to your parents
day 25- what I would find in your bag
day 26- what do you think about your friends
day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge
day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?
day 29- in this past month, what have you learned
day 30- you favorite song
Pictures of you and friends. Well I'm not sure I asked permissions of them to post pictures, unless of course they are fellow bloggers (which they are not), and I'm scared of their privacy.
I don't mind being out there, it's not a big deal, but I don't want to compromise my family, not that I am not proud of them, but it is their choice.
So I'm going to pass on this one, but not because there are not 15 interesting things about me, it's because I'm scared that that is all there is
day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
day 2- the meaning behind you blog name
day 3- a picture of you and your friends
day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have
day 5- a picture of somewhere you've been to
day 6- favorite super hero and why
day 7- a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
day 8- short term goals for this month and why
day 9- something you're proud of in the past few days
day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- another picture of you and your friends
day 12- how you found out about blogger and why you have one
day 13- a letter to someone who has hurt you recently
day 14- a picture of you and your family
day 15- put you ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
day 16- another picture of yourself
day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- nicknames you have and why you have them
day 20- someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future
day 21- a picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
day 23- something you crave for a lot
day 24- a letter to your parents
day 25- what I would find in your bag
day 26- what do you think about your friends
day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge
day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?
day 29- in this past month, what have you learned
day 30- you favorite song
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Athiesm and Man made climate change
I don't believe there is a god. That's pretty much it. I don't have to believe there is one, and I find it hard to reconcile while people have this crushing need to believe there is one, when it is clearly contrary to all the evidence. Then of course we read it through different eyes.
I don't believe in man made climate change. I believe in climate change of course, you'd be daft not to at least grasp that there has been a progression of the seasons, and that there appears to be growing extremes of weather.
Religious types. particularly the Christian types, are pretty much the same as Climate Changists. They both cast you as "unbeliever" thereby labelling you as someone who is counter or contrary the "norm". It is not normal to be a Christian, ask any Buddhist or Muslim for instance.
and man "must be" "has to be" responsible for climate change, no if's but's or maybe's about it. Definitively and absolutely it's man. Man has to be the centre of things, it's what God would have wanted.
I find it unpalatable to be labelled unbeliever, as I would be if I was labelled "unclean" or "underclass" for instance, as I am sure it was unpalatable to be labelled "Jew" in 1940's Germany.
It's somewhat like the Ford/Holden thing that is prevelant in Australia/New Zealand. One side believes without a doubt that one V8 is better than the other. Regardless of any other cars made by them it's just about the name. There is no lucid argument as to why one is better than the other, it's based on personal preference and the winning capabilities of either on race day - in race cars that bear only passing resemblance to the road car version. But you get labelled as "Ford" person or "Holden" person even if you are driving a Mitsubishi - which quite frankly is what most of them do drive. Just illogical.
Just as it's illogical to be distainfull of theists or those that don't actually belive 'man' has broken the planet just based on your own preference.
I don't believe in man made climate change. I believe in climate change of course, you'd be daft not to at least grasp that there has been a progression of the seasons, and that there appears to be growing extremes of weather.
Religious types. particularly the Christian types, are pretty much the same as Climate Changists. They both cast you as "unbeliever" thereby labelling you as someone who is counter or contrary the "norm". It is not normal to be a Christian, ask any Buddhist or Muslim for instance.
and man "must be" "has to be" responsible for climate change, no if's but's or maybe's about it. Definitively and absolutely it's man. Man has to be the centre of things, it's what God would have wanted.
I find it unpalatable to be labelled unbeliever, as I would be if I was labelled "unclean" or "underclass" for instance, as I am sure it was unpalatable to be labelled "Jew" in 1940's Germany.
It's somewhat like the Ford/Holden thing that is prevelant in Australia/New Zealand. One side believes without a doubt that one V8 is better than the other. Regardless of any other cars made by them it's just about the name. There is no lucid argument as to why one is better than the other, it's based on personal preference and the winning capabilities of either on race day - in race cars that bear only passing resemblance to the road car version. But you get labelled as "Ford" person or "Holden" person even if you are driving a Mitsubishi - which quite frankly is what most of them do drive. Just illogical.
Just as it's illogical to be distainfull of theists or those that don't actually belive 'man' has broken the planet just based on your own preference.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Athiesm and Man made climate change
I don't believe there is a god. That's pretty much it. I don't have to believe there is one, and I find it hard to reconcile while people have this crushing need to believe there is one, when it is clearly contrary to all the evidence. Then of course we read it through different eyes.
I don't believe in man made climate change. I believe in climate change of course, you'd be daft not to at least grasp that there has been a progression of the seasons, and that there appears to be growing extremes of weather.
Religious types. particularly the Christian types, are pretty much the same as Climate Changists. They both cast you as "unbeliever" thereby labelling you as someone who is counter or contrary the "norm". It is not normal to be a Christian, ask any Buddhist or Muslim for instance.
and man "must be" "has to be" responsible for climate change, no if's but's or maybe's about it. Definitively and absolutely it's man. Man has to be the centre of things, it's what God would have wanted.
I find it unpalatable to be labelled unbeliever, as I would be if I was labelled "unclean" or "underclass" for instance, as I am sure it was unpalatable to be labelled "Jew" in 1940's Germany.
It's somewhat like the Ford/Holden thing that is prevelant in Australia/New Zealand. One side believes without a doubt that one V8 is better than the other. Regardless of any other cars made by them it's just about the name. There is no lucid argument as to why one is better than the other, it's based on personal preference and the winning capabilities of either on race day - in race cars that bear only passing resemblance to the road car version. But you get labelled as "Ford" person or "Holden" person even if you are driving a Mitsubishi - which quite frankly is what most of them do drive. Just illogical.
Just as it's illogical to be distainfull of theists or those that don't actually belive 'man' has broken the planet just based on your own preference.
I don't believe in man made climate change. I believe in climate change of course, you'd be daft not to at least grasp that there has been a progression of the seasons, and that there appears to be growing extremes of weather.
Religious types. particularly the Christian types, are pretty much the same as Climate Changists. They both cast you as "unbeliever" thereby labelling you as someone who is counter or contrary the "norm". It is not normal to be a Christian, ask any Buddhist or Muslim for instance.
and man "must be" "has to be" responsible for climate change, no if's but's or maybe's about it. Definitively and absolutely it's man. Man has to be the centre of things, it's what God would have wanted.
I find it unpalatable to be labelled unbeliever, as I would be if I was labelled "unclean" or "underclass" for instance, as I am sure it was unpalatable to be labelled "Jew" in 1940's Germany.
It's somewhat like the Ford/Holden thing that is prevelant in Australia/New Zealand. One side believes without a doubt that one V8 is better than the other. Regardless of any other cars made by them it's just about the name. There is no lucid argument as to why one is better than the other, it's based on personal preference and the winning capabilities of either on race day - in race cars that bear only passing resemblance to the road car version. But you get labelled as "Ford" person or "Holden" person even if you are driving a Mitsubishi - which quite frankly is what most of them do drive. Just illogical.
Just as it's illogical to be distainfull of theists or those that don't actually belive 'man' has broken the planet just based on your own preference.
Twitter for Whingers
OMG!
It's safe for me to say this here of course, but I thought twitter was a couple of things.
One for me to ramble and possibly entertain the unwary, two one for me to be entertained by the ramblings of others that I choose to be entertained by.
Three is to gather information by being a follower of a knowledge source, or vendor
and Four to interact with those people in a two-way way.
But crikey there are a couple of New Zealanders who use twitter, and who also have web-site and profess to "blog" that are dead-set out to abuse their freedom by haranguing and blustering on certain New Zealand companies, mostly the telcos.
Now the Telcos have to respond to a whinge and whine, and this somehow is taken to mean that the offensive twittering and whinging and whining can continue. It's just being bombastic. What's more it seems to give those individuals an elevated sense of worth.
Lucky I can unfollow these from my personal account but I have to follow them from our corporate account, and that grates me so it does.
It's safe for me to say this here of course, but I thought twitter was a couple of things.
One for me to ramble and possibly entertain the unwary, two one for me to be entertained by the ramblings of others that I choose to be entertained by.
Three is to gather information by being a follower of a knowledge source, or vendor
and Four to interact with those people in a two-way way.
But crikey there are a couple of New Zealanders who use twitter, and who also have web-site and profess to "blog" that are dead-set out to abuse their freedom by haranguing and blustering on certain New Zealand companies, mostly the telcos.
Now the Telcos have to respond to a whinge and whine, and this somehow is taken to mean that the offensive twittering and whinging and whining can continue. It's just being bombastic. What's more it seems to give those individuals an elevated sense of worth.
Lucky I can unfollow these from my personal account but I have to follow them from our corporate account, and that grates me so it does.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Twitter for Whingers
OMG!
It's safe for me to say this here of course, but I thought twitter was a couple of things.
One for me to ramble and possibly entertain the unwary, two one for me to be entertained by the ramblings of others that I choose to be entertained by.
Three is to gather information by being a follower of a knowledge source, or vendor
and Four to interact with those people in a two-way way.
But crikey there are a couple of New Zealanders who use twitter, and who also have web-site and profess to "blog" that are dead-set out to abuse their freedom by haranguing and blustering on certain New Zealand companies, mostly the telcos.
Now the Telcos have to respond to a whinge and whine, and this somehow is taken to mean that the offensive twittering and whinging and whining can continue. It's just being bombastic. What's more it seems to give those individuals an elevated sense of worth.
Lucky I can unfollow these from my personal account but I have to follow them from our corporate account, and that grates me so it does.
It's safe for me to say this here of course, but I thought twitter was a couple of things.
One for me to ramble and possibly entertain the unwary, two one for me to be entertained by the ramblings of others that I choose to be entertained by.
Three is to gather information by being a follower of a knowledge source, or vendor
and Four to interact with those people in a two-way way.
But crikey there are a couple of New Zealanders who use twitter, and who also have web-site and profess to "blog" that are dead-set out to abuse their freedom by haranguing and blustering on certain New Zealand companies, mostly the telcos.
Now the Telcos have to respond to a whinge and whine, and this somehow is taken to mean that the offensive twittering and whinging and whining can continue. It's just being bombastic. What's more it seems to give those individuals an elevated sense of worth.
Lucky I can unfollow these from my personal account but I have to follow them from our corporate account, and that grates me so it does.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Blogging in 50 words or less.
Is that a "blog" if it's just 50 words on something that annoyed me?
I thought that it had to be something else, better, more insightful, interactive and meaningful, something to provoke thought or discussion.
I get annoyed a lot :-) but to be lead to a "blog" when someone advertised "I just blogged on and then you get 50 words on why their maccas was disgusting today because they had to wait isn't a blog.
That's a whinge isn't it?
I thought that it had to be something else, better, more insightful, interactive and meaningful, something to provoke thought or discussion.
I get annoyed a lot :-) but to be lead to a "blog" when someone advertised "I just blogged on and then you get 50 words on why their maccas was disgusting today because they had to wait isn't a blog.
That's a whinge isn't it?
I got a new car
[caption id="false" align="alignnone" width="320"]
red car[/caption]A red one. A Holden one.
It has more frippery than I can list, including a trip computer, Leather (Heated Seats) and a connector for a MP3 player.
It also apparently has a fuel consumption guide listed as 8.5 Litres per 100 Kms.
HA! I laugh at you. I've managed a 9.4 so far. And I'm not exactly Schumacher - and I'll tell you why.
The OCD part of me wants to (needs to) have some clarity and objective. So when the tip computer says my fuel consumption is 10.2 I need it to be 10.1. Then I need it to be 10.0 and then 9.9 and so on. Currently it is 8.9, and it's also saying I have enough go juice to go 648Kms.
I drive 30-odd kms to work and the same 30-odd kms home. Mostly in heavy traffic on the motorway. Alarmingly the fuel consumption at idle is horrific (I base this on the way the L per 100km figure keeps getting bigger, not on any scientific basis.
As I get nearer empty the chances of me getting the current 8.9 figure down -as an average to 8.5 diminishes - woe is me - this is stressful.
Still as I ponder this whilst sitting in my comfy warm heated leather seats I wonder how in earth they get to an urban cycle figure of 8.5 which seems improbable. Short journeys - such as I take on the weekend - seem to be very punishing, lots of stop signs and car-parks.
The only thing I can think of then is to go the long way to get the magic 8.5 figure - which means leaving earlier and spending more on petrol overall.
I may just give up.
BUT on the other hand it does have a connector for my MP3 - just a simple thing not a flash usb one, but I'm working on it. This has allowed me to listen again to some goodly music in the car. Which in the last week has included things like Gary Numan, Siouxie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Stranglers, Sex Pistols and other stuff like Massive Attack, Gorillaz, Pheonix Foundation and Fat Freddy's Drop.
Not all of this music is memorable or indeed much good, but I remember a goodly amount of the words so that must make them classics right ?
So there I am comfy in the aforementioned heated leather seats singing away - which is awesome but not as legendary as singing on the bus. I must be a sight to behold to the travellers - but I figured out if you wear a blue-tooth ear thingy you can at least pretend you're on the phone :-)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Blogging in 50 words or less.
Is that a "blog" if it's just 50 words on something that annoyed me?
I thought that it had to be something else, better, more insightfull, interactive and meaningfull, something to provoke thought or discussion.
I get annoyed a lot :-) but to be lead to a "blog" when someone advertisesd "I just blogged onand then you get 50 words on why their maccas was disgusting today because they had to wait isn't a blog.
That's a whinge isn't it?
I thought that it had to be something else, better, more insightfull, interactive and meaningfull, something to provoke thought or discussion.
I get annoyed a lot :-) but to be lead to a "blog" when someone advertisesd "I just blogged on
That's a whinge isn't it?
I got a new car
It has more frippery than I can list, including a trip computer, Leather (Heated Seats) and a connector for a MP3 player.
It also apparently has a fuel consumption guide listed as 8.5 Litres per 100 Kms.
HA! I laugh at you. I've managed a 9.4 so far. And I'm not exactly Schumacher - and I'll tell you why.
The OCD part of me wants to (needs to) have some clarity and objective. So when the tip computer says my fuel consumption is 10.2 I need it to be 10.1. Then I need it to be 10.0 and then 9.9 and so on. Currently it is 8.9, and it's also saying I have enough go juice to go 648Kms.
I drive 30-odd kms to work and the same 30-odd kms home. Mostly in heavy traffic on the motorway. Alarmingly the fuel consumption at idle is horrific (I base this on the way the L per 100km figure keeps getting bigger, not on any scientific basis.
As I get nearer empty the chances of me getting the current 8.9 figure down -as an average to 8.5 diminishes - woe is me - this is stressful.
Still as I ponder this whilst sitting in my comfy warm heated leather seats I wonder how in earth they get to an urban cycle figure of 8.5 which seems improbable. Short journeys - such as I take on the weekend - seem to be very punishing, lots of stop signs and car-parks.
The only thing I can think of then is to go the long way to get the magic 8.5 figure - which means leaving earlier and spending more on petrol overall.
I may just give up.
BUT on the other hand it does have a connector for my MP3 - just a simple thing not a flash usb one, but I'm working on it. This has allowed me to listen again to some goodly music in the car. Which in the last week has included things like Gary Numan, Siouxie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Stranglers, Sex Pistols and other stuff like Massive Attack, Gorillaz, Pheonix Foundation and Fat Freddy's Drop.
Not all of this music is memorable or indeed much good, but I remember a goodly amount of the words so that must make them classics right ?
So there I am comfy in the aforementioned heated leather seats singing away - which is awesome but not as legendary as singing on the bus. I must be a sight to behold to the travellers - but I figured out if you wear a blue-tooth ear thingy you can at least pretend you're on the phone :-)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Social Media - Only for the masses
I'm lucky to have a Manager that is keen on Social Media, and allows me some leeway in discovering and investigating the whole Social Media construct.
The corporate 'We' - have a Twitter Account, a Face-Book presence and a Blog Page at Square-Space, and a LinkedIn group.
What I'm coming to realise is, is that this stuff is ok, but it really is useful if you are in a business or service that is frequented by the end-user type. That is to say it's not useful for a distributor company, such as the one I work for, that is in essence representing brands that already have their own Social Media presence.
For example? Air NZ and the Air Points Fairy is held to be one of the big NZ success stories. How would this go, or would be as successful if it was a service being offered by say Flight Shop (just to name a name).
Telecom and Vodafone and Microsoft have a twitter presence in NZ too.
I've yet to see a success story, or a way to be successful story, for a company such as the one I work for.
Sure we can become a twitter presence and present information as it comes to hand to the market- but garnering followers for information that may already be available from the source appears to be the the missing bit that no one can offer up a solution for.
Many twitter"experts" are quick to offer the same pithy advice on twittering, that is you have to be in to win, listen and interact. What they fail to tell you is how to connect to the audience, especially if you are not the company directly responsible for the product being commented on.
Sure twitter is good and closing down or interacting with complaints/complainers, but given that we have interactive (real people) contact with those likely to complain then our twitter presence appears to be just lip service, for us anyway.
Recently out Australian parent company ran a daily twitter based comp, that frankly had #fail all over it. Basically because the "build it and they will come" ethos does not apply, or did not materialise.
Very generalised I know, I bet dollars to cents that there are niche distributor type business to business companies that are successful - these I would pick though are seen as brands in their own right, and not being representatives for the goods or service they offer.
What I am saying is that Business-to-Business type Social Media is a different game to the Business-to-End User customer one. And I can't find a play book for the B2B model.
The corporate 'We' - have a Twitter Account, a Face-Book presence and a Blog Page at Square-Space, and a LinkedIn group.
What I'm coming to realise is, is that this stuff is ok, but it really is useful if you are in a business or service that is frequented by the end-user type. That is to say it's not useful for a distributor company, such as the one I work for, that is in essence representing brands that already have their own Social Media presence.
For example? Air NZ and the Air Points Fairy is held to be one of the big NZ success stories. How would this go, or would be as successful if it was a service being offered by say Flight Shop (just to name a name).
Telecom and Vodafone and Microsoft have a twitter presence in NZ too.
I've yet to see a success story, or a way to be successful story, for a company such as the one I work for.
Sure we can become a twitter presence and present information as it comes to hand to the market- but garnering followers for information that may already be available from the source appears to be the the missing bit that no one can offer up a solution for.
Many twitter"experts" are quick to offer the same pithy advice on twittering, that is you have to be in to win, listen and interact. What they fail to tell you is how to connect to the audience, especially if you are not the company directly responsible for the product being commented on.
Sure twitter is good and closing down or interacting with complaints/complainers, but given that we have interactive (real people) contact with those likely to complain then our twitter presence appears to be just lip service, for us anyway.
Recently out Australian parent company ran a daily twitter based comp, that frankly had #fail all over it. Basically because the "build it and they will come" ethos does not apply, or did not materialise.
Very generalised I know, I bet dollars to cents that there are niche distributor type business to business companies that are successful - these I would pick though are seen as brands in their own right, and not being representatives for the goods or service they offer.
What I am saying is that Business-to-Business type Social Media is a different game to the Business-to-End User customer one. And I can't find a play book for the B2B model.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
More than my jobsworth
I've always been a fan of encouraging people to know as much about their particular job as possible. Firstly to get them to understand what they are doing, and what effect it has on them and others, Secondly because it makes the job more enjoyable. If you understand what you are doing, why you are doing and why what you do does what it does then you have a better understanding and ability to change things.
So it comes as a disappointment that a long time staff person is really struggling to understand the basics of what they do. They are reaching for a promotion to take on more responsibility and to be a "player" however it's clear they are pretty clueless.
So then for him doing this new stuff means a lot of people who can do this stuff are doing the stuff for him, and that means they are back to pushing a button and waiting for a response. Clueless as to how A gets to B.
And they ask four different people the same question.
And yes this bothers me, because despite the rhetoric and always promoting themselves they are a disappointment to me. Setting themselves aside as not needing any mentoring/training/motivation and talking up their always being early (and yet not doing anything) they are a clock-watcher.
We call then Levi. as in 5:01
What's possibly worse is that they work in a square of "my job" and that anything else is a chore, believing that seniority grants them immunity or respect from criticism.
I'm glad they are not on my team. I'm mifffed that they will want an inordinate amount of my team's time, well heck they will want a lot of time from everyone and I am so looking forward to the day when one of two things happen. Either they have to work late to resolve something, or they find someone else to do the work as part of a core responsibility set. Oh and I know that the demands for equipment are pending "now I'm doing X I need Y"
Bring it.
I also find that this is a bit unlike me, then I justify it by saying that there are doers and sayers. I know what I think I am and I know what I think they are not.
So it comes as a disappointment that a long time staff person is really struggling to understand the basics of what they do. They are reaching for a promotion to take on more responsibility and to be a "player" however it's clear they are pretty clueless.
So then for him doing this new stuff means a lot of people who can do this stuff are doing the stuff for him, and that means they are back to pushing a button and waiting for a response. Clueless as to how A gets to B.
And they ask four different people the same question.
And yes this bothers me, because despite the rhetoric and always promoting themselves they are a disappointment to me. Setting themselves aside as not needing any mentoring/training/motivation and talking up their always being early (and yet not doing anything) they are a clock-watcher.
We call then Levi. as in 5:01
What's possibly worse is that they work in a square of "my job" and that anything else is a chore, believing that seniority grants them immunity or respect from criticism.
I'm glad they are not on my team. I'm mifffed that they will want an inordinate amount of my team's time, well heck they will want a lot of time from everyone and I am so looking forward to the day when one of two things happen. Either they have to work late to resolve something, or they find someone else to do the work as part of a core responsibility set. Oh and I know that the demands for equipment are pending "now I'm doing X I need Y"
Bring it.
I also find that this is a bit unlike me, then I justify it by saying that there are doers and sayers. I know what I think I am and I know what I think they are not.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
More than my jobsworth
I've always been a fan of encouraging people to know as much about their particular job as possible. Firstly to get them to understand what they are doing, and what effect it has on them and others, Secondly because it makes the job more enjoyable. If you understand what you are doing, why you are doing and why what you do does what it does then you have a better understanding and ability to change things.
So it comes as a disappointment that a long time staff person is really struggling to understand the basics of what they do. They are reaching for a promotion to take on more responsibility and to be a "player" however it's clear they are pretty clueless.
So then for him doing this new stuff means a lot of people who can do this stuff are doing the stuff for him, and that means they are back to pushing a button and waiting for a response. Clueless as to how A gets to B.
And they ask four different people the same question.
And yes this bothers me, because despite the rhetoric and always promoting themselves they are a disappointment to me. Setting themselves aside as not needing any mentoring/training/motivation and talking up their always being early (and yet not doing anything) they are a clock-watcher.
We call then Levi. as in 5:01
What's possibly worse is that they work in a square of "my job" and that anything else is a chore, believing that seniority grants them immunity or respect from criticism.
I'm glad they are not on my team. I'm mifffed that they will want an inordinate amount of my team's time, well heck they will want a lot of time from everyone and I am so looking forward to the day when one of two things happen. Either they have to work late to resolve something, or they find someone else to do the work as part of a core responsibility set. Oh and I know that the demands for equipment are pending "now I'm doing X I need Y"
Bring it.
I also find that this is a bit unlike me, then I justify it by saying that there are doers and sayers. I know what I think I am and I know what I think they are not.
So it comes as a disappointment that a long time staff person is really struggling to understand the basics of what they do. They are reaching for a promotion to take on more responsibility and to be a "player" however it's clear they are pretty clueless.
So then for him doing this new stuff means a lot of people who can do this stuff are doing the stuff for him, and that means they are back to pushing a button and waiting for a response. Clueless as to how A gets to B.
And they ask four different people the same question.
And yes this bothers me, because despite the rhetoric and always promoting themselves they are a disappointment to me. Setting themselves aside as not needing any mentoring/training/motivation and talking up their always being early (and yet not doing anything) they are a clock-watcher.
We call then Levi. as in 5:01
What's possibly worse is that they work in a square of "my job" and that anything else is a chore, believing that seniority grants them immunity or respect from criticism.
I'm glad they are not on my team. I'm mifffed that they will want an inordinate amount of my team's time, well heck they will want a lot of time from everyone and I am so looking forward to the day when one of two things happen. Either they have to work late to resolve something, or they find someone else to do the work as part of a core responsibility set. Oh and I know that the demands for equipment are pending "now I'm doing X I need Y"
Bring it.
I also find that this is a bit unlike me, then I justify it by saying that there are doers and sayers. I know what I think I am and I know what I think they are not.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Changing Places
We live in a nice community of a hundred or so similarly designed and coloured houses, but as time does you have to make some maintenance steps
As its a plaster sided house we had to have the small cracks repaired, it's not a leaky house, but the fact is that the construction style does not suit New Zealand with it's harsher sun and Cooler winters.
So the plaster man came, and alarmed us all with his angle-grinder, and just by the number he found that we'd not noticed. The house then looked a bit patch-work and would have frightened the neighbours to all heck - leaky home syndrome being what it is and that. The house opposite who is having some similar work done the chap used a glue gun!! I know what I'd rather pay for.
Then the house washer came, water blasting his way around the roof and the walls
Then the painter. And do you know how hard it is to choose a paint. Like I said each of the houses are a similar design and colouring, so you really feel obliged to kind of stick near that same scheme.
Resene must love us. I think we tried 10-12 colours, and then finally settled on a colour recommendation from the actual painter of a colour called JOSS
With trepidation we agreed and he's painting now, slowly so slowly, up and down his ladder doing the eves and the cedar barge-boards. But the bit he has painted in JOSS seem to be magnificent
Real estate sharks have been popping letters in the mail-box "are we selling" and the little old ladies in the street are stopping him working to discuss the colour. He, the painter, tells one story where in Herne Bay (Auckland) he painted a house in SISAL, the neighbours were very keen to know what color etc etc. Six months later they painted their house the same much to the annoyance of home owner #1. Flattery huh
I don't expect a flood of house painting anytime soon in our street, but who knows
As its a plaster sided house we had to have the small cracks repaired, it's not a leaky house, but the fact is that the construction style does not suit New Zealand with it's harsher sun and Cooler winters.
So the plaster man came, and alarmed us all with his angle-grinder, and just by the number he found that we'd not noticed. The house then looked a bit patch-work and would have frightened the neighbours to all heck - leaky home syndrome being what it is and that. The house opposite who is having some similar work done the chap used a glue gun!! I know what I'd rather pay for.
Then the house washer came, water blasting his way around the roof and the walls
Then the painter. And do you know how hard it is to choose a paint. Like I said each of the houses are a similar design and colouring, so you really feel obliged to kind of stick near that same scheme.
Resene must love us. I think we tried 10-12 colours, and then finally settled on a colour recommendation from the actual painter of a colour called JOSS
With trepidation we agreed and he's painting now, slowly so slowly, up and down his ladder doing the eves and the cedar barge-boards. But the bit he has painted in JOSS seem to be magnificent
Real estate sharks have been popping letters in the mail-box "are we selling" and the little old ladies in the street are stopping him working to discuss the colour. He, the painter, tells one story where in Herne Bay (Auckland) he painted a house in SISAL, the neighbours were very keen to know what color etc etc. Six months later they painted their house the same much to the annoyance of home owner #1. Flattery huh
I don't expect a flood of house painting anytime soon in our street, but who knows
Getting a Hobby
Who hasn't heard their partner telling them "you need to get a hobby".
All the things I think I'd like to do seem to be on the expensive side, and to be honest I don't have the patience to spend 4 hours playing golf.
Mini-me is branching out though , he popped off to one of those weirdo toy shoppes you see in malls and came home with a bag of bits to paint war hammer thingies.
All very well but heck they know how to make margin if a pack of 4 is $71! and they are as big as your thumb. He has given up on WoW though, so small mercies are where you find them.
All the things I think I'd like to do seem to be on the expensive side, and to be honest I don't have the patience to spend 4 hours playing golf.
Mini-me is branching out though , he popped off to one of those weirdo toy shoppes you see in malls and came home with a bag of bits to paint war hammer thingies.
All very well but heck they know how to make margin if a pack of 4 is $71! and they are as big as your thumb. He has given up on WoW though, so small mercies are where you find them.
Keeping up with the kids
It's a bit like living your live vicariously, but there is an awful amount of herding and shepherding going on at the moment with the daughter.
You'll know, or you will now, that she likes field hockey. A lot.
We got through the summer league thing ok, that's where she organised a team herself of her girl-friends and some boy's. They by all accounts finished 3rd, who knows
A short break later and back at school then and now we have
Club Trials
School Team Trials
Under 18 Representative Level Trials
Hockey High Performance Academy
and of course the associated training for each of these
And although they are all only a couple of km's from home the car can almost get there and back on it's own.
But being proud and all that the way it's working out is
Club level - Premier Team - playing now in the Intercity Trophy games , a kind of pre-season thing. ECB are the defending champions. Briar is the youngest in the team, but by no means the least capable.
School Team - Well she is hoping for the A team , who knows with school
Under 18 North Harbour Representative - Of course GirlChild wants to be in the A team - however the coach is an arse. His assitant is fantastic. Coach still an arse. I don't know there will be a problem if she only makes the B team. She is after all only 15.
And all of that means fund-raising, fees, travel and sitting about in various locations watching and clapping politely for the rest of the year.
You'll know, or you will now, that she likes field hockey. A lot.
We got through the summer league thing ok, that's where she organised a team herself of her girl-friends and some boy's. They by all accounts finished 3rd, who knows
A short break later and back at school then and now we have
Club Trials
School Team Trials
Under 18 Representative Level Trials
Hockey High Performance Academy
and of course the associated training for each of these
And although they are all only a couple of km's from home the car can almost get there and back on it's own.
But being proud and all that the way it's working out is
Club level - Premier Team - playing now in the Intercity Trophy games , a kind of pre-season thing. ECB are the defending champions. Briar is the youngest in the team, but by no means the least capable.
School Team - Well she is hoping for the A team , who knows with school
Under 18 North Harbour Representative - Of course GirlChild wants to be in the A team - however the coach is an arse. His assitant is fantastic. Coach still an arse. I don't know there will be a problem if she only makes the B team. She is after all only 15.
And all of that means fund-raising, fees, travel and sitting about in various locations watching and clapping politely for the rest of the year.
Changing Places
We live in a nice community of a a hundred or so similarly designed and coloured houses, but as time does you have to make some maintenance steps
As its a plaster sided house we had to have the small cracks repaired, it's not a leaky house, but the fact is that the construction style does not suit New Zealand with it's harsher sun and Cooler winters.
So the plaster man came, and alarmed us all with his angle grinder, and just by the number he found that we'd not noticed. The house then looked a bit patch-work and would have frightened the neighbours to all heck - leaky home syndrome being what it is and that. The house opposite who is having some similar work done the chap used a glue gun!! I know what I'de rather pay for.
Then the house washer came, water blasting his way around the roof and the walls
Then the painter. And do you know how hard it is to choose a paint. Like I said each of the houses are a similar design and colouring, so you really feel obliged to kind of stick near that same scheme.
Resene must love us. I think we tried 10-12 colours, and then finally settled on a colour recommendation from the actual painter of a colour called JOSS
With trepidation we agreed and he's painting now, slowly so slowly, up and down his ladder doing the eves and the ceder barge-boards. But the bit he has painted in JOSS seem to be magnificent
Real estate sharks have been popping letters in the mail-box "are we selling" and the little old ladies in the street are stopping him working to discuss the colour. He, the painter, tells one story where in Herne Bay (Auckland) he painted a house in SISAL, the neighbours were very keen to know what color etc etc. Six months later they painted their house the same much to the annoyance of home owner #1. Flattery huh
I don't expect a flood of house painting anytime soon in our street, but who knows
As its a plaster sided house we had to have the small cracks repaired, it's not a leaky house, but the fact is that the construction style does not suit New Zealand with it's harsher sun and Cooler winters.
So the plaster man came, and alarmed us all with his angle grinder, and just by the number he found that we'd not noticed. The house then looked a bit patch-work and would have frightened the neighbours to all heck - leaky home syndrome being what it is and that. The house opposite who is having some similar work done the chap used a glue gun!! I know what I'de rather pay for.
Then the house washer came, water blasting his way around the roof and the walls
Then the painter. And do you know how hard it is to choose a paint. Like I said each of the houses are a similar design and colouring, so you really feel obliged to kind of stick near that same scheme.
Resene must love us. I think we tried 10-12 colours, and then finally settled on a colour recommendation from the actual painter of a colour called JOSS
With trepidation we agreed and he's painting now, slowly so slowly, up and down his ladder doing the eves and the ceder barge-boards. But the bit he has painted in JOSS seem to be magnificent
Real estate sharks have been popping letters in the mail-box "are we selling" and the little old ladies in the street are stopping him working to discuss the colour. He, the painter, tells one story where in Herne Bay (Auckland) he painted a house in SISAL, the neighbours were very keen to know what color etc etc. Six months later they painted their house the same much to the annoyance of home owner #1. Flattery huh
I don't expect a flood of house painting anytime soon in our street, but who knows
Getting a Hobby
Who hasn't heard their partner telling them "you need to get a hobby".
All the things I think I'd like to do seem to be on the expensive side, and to be honest I don't have the patience to spend 4 hours playing golf.
Mini-me is branching out though , he popped off to one of those weirdo toy shoppes you see in malls and came home with a bag of bits to paint war hammer thingies.
All very well but heck they know how to make margin if a pack of 4 is $71! and they are as big as your thumb. He has given up on WoW though, so small mercies are where you find them.
All the things I think I'd like to do seem to be on the expensive side, and to be honest I don't have the patience to spend 4 hours playing golf.
Mini-me is branching out though , he popped off to one of those weirdo toy shoppes you see in malls and came home with a bag of bits to paint war hammer thingies.
All very well but heck they know how to make margin if a pack of 4 is $71! and they are as big as your thumb. He has given up on WoW though, so small mercies are where you find them.
Keeping up with the kids
It's a bit like living your live vicariously, but there is an awful amount of herding and shepherding going on at the moment with the daughter.
You'll know, or you will now, that she likes field hockey. A lot.
We got through the summer league thing ok, that's where she organised a team herself of her girl-friends and some boy's. They by all accounts finished 3rd, who knows
A short break later and back at school then and now we have
Club Trials
School Team Trials
Under 18 Representative Level Trials
Hockey High Performance Academy
and of course the associated training for each of these
And although they are all only a couple of km's from home the car can almost get there and back on it's own.
But being proud and all that the way it's working out is
Club level - Premier Team - playing now in the Intercity Trophy games , a kind of pre-season thing. ECB are the defending champions. Briar is the youngest in the team, but by no means the least capable.
School Team - Well she is hoping for the A team , who knows with school
Under 18 North Harbour Representative - Of course Briar wants to be in the A team - however the coach is an arse. His assitant is fantastic. Coach still an arse. I don't know there will be a problem if she only makes the B team. She is after all only 15.
And all of that means fund-raising, fees, travel and sitting about in various locations watching and clapping politely for the rest of the year.
You'll know, or you will now, that she likes field hockey. A lot.
We got through the summer league thing ok, that's where she organised a team herself of her girl-friends and some boy's. They by all accounts finished 3rd, who knows
A short break later and back at school then and now we have
Club Trials
School Team Trials
Under 18 Representative Level Trials
Hockey High Performance Academy
and of course the associated training for each of these
And although they are all only a couple of km's from home the car can almost get there and back on it's own.
But being proud and all that the way it's working out is
Club level - Premier Team - playing now in the Intercity Trophy games , a kind of pre-season thing. ECB are the defending champions. Briar is the youngest in the team, but by no means the least capable.
School Team - Well she is hoping for the A team , who knows with school
Under 18 North Harbour Representative - Of course Briar wants to be in the A team - however the coach is an arse. His assitant is fantastic. Coach still an arse. I don't know there will be a problem if she only makes the B team. She is after all only 15.
And all of that means fund-raising, fees, travel and sitting about in various locations watching and clapping politely for the rest of the year.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Social Media - Only for the masses
I'm lucky to have a Manager that is keen on Social Media, and allows me some leeway in discovering and investigating the whole Social Media construct.
We - as a company - have a Twitter Account, a Face-Book presence and a Blog Page at Square-Space.
What I'm coming to realise is, is that this stuff is ok, but it really is useful if you are in a business or service that is frequented by the end-user type. That is to say it's not useful for a distributor company, such as the one I work for, that is in essence representing brands that already have their own Social Media presence.
For example? Air NZ and the Air Points Fairy is held to be one of the big NZ success stories. How would this go, or would be as successful if it was a service being offered by say Flight Shop (just to name a name).
Telecom and Vodafone and Microsoft have a twitter presence in NZ too.
I've yet to see a success story, or a way to be successful story, for a company such as the one I work for.
Sure we can become a twitter presence and present information as it comes to hand to the market- but garnering followers for information that may already be available from the source appears to be the the missing bit that no one can offer up a solution for.
Many twitter"experts" are quick to offer the same pithy advice on twittering, that is you have to be in to win, listen and interact. What they fail to tell you is how to connect to the audience, especially if you are not the company directly responsible for the product being commented on.
Sure twitter is good and closing down or interacting with complaints/complainers, but given that we have interactive (real people) contact with those likely to complain then our twitter presence appears to be just lip service, for us anyway.
Recently out Australian parent company ran a daily twitter based comp, that frankly had #fail all over it. Basically because the "build it and they will come" ethos does not apply, or did not materialise.
Very generalised I know, I bet dollars to cents that there are niche distributor type business to business companies that are successful - these I would pick though are seen as brands in their own right, and not being representatives for the goods or service they offer.
What I am saying is that Business-to-Business type Social Media is a different game to the Business-to-End User customer one. And I can't find a play book for the B2B model.
We - as a company - have a Twitter Account, a Face-Book presence and a Blog Page at Square-Space.
What I'm coming to realise is, is that this stuff is ok, but it really is useful if you are in a business or service that is frequented by the end-user type. That is to say it's not useful for a distributor company, such as the one I work for, that is in essence representing brands that already have their own Social Media presence.
For example? Air NZ and the Air Points Fairy is held to be one of the big NZ success stories. How would this go, or would be as successful if it was a service being offered by say Flight Shop (just to name a name).
Telecom and Vodafone and Microsoft have a twitter presence in NZ too.
I've yet to see a success story, or a way to be successful story, for a company such as the one I work for.
Sure we can become a twitter presence and present information as it comes to hand to the market- but garnering followers for information that may already be available from the source appears to be the the missing bit that no one can offer up a solution for.
Many twitter"experts" are quick to offer the same pithy advice on twittering, that is you have to be in to win, listen and interact. What they fail to tell you is how to connect to the audience, especially if you are not the company directly responsible for the product being commented on.
Sure twitter is good and closing down or interacting with complaints/complainers, but given that we have interactive (real people) contact with those likely to complain then our twitter presence appears to be just lip service, for us anyway.
Recently out Australian parent company ran a daily twitter based comp, that frankly had #fail all over it. Basically because the "build it and they will come" ethos does not apply, or did not materialise.
Very generalised I know, I bet dollars to cents that there are niche distributor type business to business companies that are successful - these I would pick though are seen as brands in their own right, and not being representatives for the goods or service they offer.
What I am saying is that Business-to-Business type Social Media is a different game to the Business-to-End User customer one. And I can't find a play book for the B2B model.
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