Saturday, January 31, 2004
Fantastic day today.
Taught some basic accounting skills to a chap and his eldest son who we are helping get started in business.
It's great when you can see the light go on in their eyes when they figure it out.
Then I played with Erin - made her some butterfly wings. Here's some pics.
After lunch we watched the womans final of the Australian Open.
Kim Clijsters got beaten in a fascinating match where she fought valiantly but Justine Henin-Hardenne was too good for her in the end. The intensity level of both players went up several times.
Following that we went off to the local beach - a man made lagoon at the real beach - where I went nuts with the camera.
Check all the pictures here.
Had a thought about Paris Hilton yesterday. There have been any number of spam emails rocking into my inbox telling me I can see a home video of Paris with her boyfriend a la Pamela Anderson. Having never heard of anybody who has actually seen this supposed footage, and not seeing any news items about the Hiltons sueing the purveyors of such dubious material I had thought it must just be more XXX spam using a celebrity figure. However a recent TV ad on here in Australia starts off with (not quoted correctly but close enough) "Want to see Paris in a position she's never been in before?" The ad is actually an ad for a new reality TV show due to air here soon called the simple life where Paris and some other girl called Nicole (who are both obviously ditzy spoilt brats) are sent to work on a real farm.
So my thought was (having never heard of Paris Hilton before the spam emails started turning up) that maybe the whole big thing about the home video was just a publicity stunt to get her name into the limelight before the TV show. Maybe I'm just too cynical...
Taught some basic accounting skills to a chap and his eldest son who we are helping get started in business.
It's great when you can see the light go on in their eyes when they figure it out.
Then I played with Erin - made her some butterfly wings. Here's some pics.
After lunch we watched the womans final of the Australian Open.
Kim Clijsters got beaten in a fascinating match where she fought valiantly but Justine Henin-Hardenne was too good for her in the end. The intensity level of both players went up several times.
Following that we went off to the local beach - a man made lagoon at the real beach - where I went nuts with the camera.
Check all the pictures here.
Had a thought about Paris Hilton yesterday. There have been any number of spam emails rocking into my inbox telling me I can see a home video of Paris with her boyfriend a la Pamela Anderson. Having never heard of anybody who has actually seen this supposed footage, and not seeing any news items about the Hiltons sueing the purveyors of such dubious material I had thought it must just be more XXX spam using a celebrity figure. However a recent TV ad on here in Australia starts off with (not quoted correctly but close enough) "Want to see Paris in a position she's never been in before?" The ad is actually an ad for a new reality TV show due to air here soon called the simple life where Paris and some other girl called Nicole (who are both obviously ditzy spoilt brats) are sent to work on a real farm.
So my thought was (having never heard of Paris Hilton before the spam emails started turning up) that maybe the whole big thing about the home video was just a publicity stunt to get her name into the limelight before the TV show. Maybe I'm just too cynical...
Friday, January 30, 2004
Ok here are some diverse web sites I've cruised thru lately.
Save the Hubble
Check out this WILD sound installation in a vehicle. Follow the links for more photos.
Cadence Ambulance
Rupert Sheldrake
Cool Wallpaper
Save the Hubble
Check out this WILD sound installation in a vehicle. Follow the links for more photos.
Cadence Ambulance
Rupert Sheldrake
Cool Wallpaper
What a great day!
The kids are fantastic today. They woke up in a great mood and have played well and consequently Judith is happy - happy wife = happy life!
They are making me a fantastic dinner - can't wait.
Will post more exciting stuff later tonight.
The kids are fantastic today. They woke up in a great mood and have played well and consequently Judith is happy - happy wife = happy life!
They are making me a fantastic dinner - can't wait.
Will post more exciting stuff later tonight.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
I've really stuffed up my predictions on this side of the draw. Andre Agassai just got beaten by Marat Safin in a 5 set thriller.
Awesome game!
Awesome game!
What a fun night!
I got home last night around 6 to find trhe power had been out since about 5pm and the UPS which powers the server had run out of battery. It usually is fine for a 5-10 minute outage which is the norm but this time apprently trees on the lines meant a longer delay than normal. According to the news reports 90,000 homes were without power. So we have been using candles, torches and a lantern. We even used a gas cooker to boil water for a cuppa!.
I got home last night around 6 to find trhe power had been out since about 5pm and the UPS which powers the server had run out of battery. It usually is fine for a 5-10 minute outage which is the norm but this time apprently trees on the lines meant a longer delay than normal. According to the news reports 90,000 homes were without power. So we have been using candles, torches and a lantern. We even used a gas cooker to boil water for a cuppa!.
Back online at last!
12 hours of blackout - due to trees fallen on power lines in a local thunderstorm
Sorry about the interruption to service!
More later
12 hours of blackout - due to trees fallen on power lines in a local thunderstorm
Sorry about the interruption to service!
More later
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Wow - what a game. I must say I certainly didn't expect this match to go against my prediction. This was I thought one of my safer bets. A couple of unforced errors in the 5th set handed the match to Safin. After Andy won the tiebreak to take the 4th set to tie it at 2-2 I thought he had the momentum he neeeded to take it all the way - but not to be. So Safin is in and through to the semi Vs Agassai. I still pick Agassai to win though.
Agassai won - so I've got one right so far
Roddick is down at the moment - but I reckon he will get there.
Tiebreaker in the 4th set and he needs to win to take it to the 5th set
Go Andy!
Roddick is down at the moment - but I reckon he will get there.
Tiebreaker in the 4th set and he needs to win to take it to the 5th set
Go Andy!
An excellent piece of music from the Airdrawndagger album
[Now Playing: Sasha - Immortal (04:55)]
Monday, January 26, 2004
Well that was easy!
I now have Haloscan providing my comments for me!
I now have Haloscan providing my comments for me!
Lleyton lost - an awesome match though. The score was 4-6 6-3 6-0 6-4
Can't wait for the quarter finals now. Now the Australians are gone I really hope that Agassai can make it through to the final. It would be great if he could win too.
I am going to make a call on the match results from here on
Quarters
Roddick in Roddick Vs Safin
Agassai in Agassai Vs Grosjean
Ferrero in Arazi Vs Ferrero
Federer in Nalbandian Vs Federer
Semis
Agassai in Roddick Vs Agassai
Federer in Ferrero Vs Federer
Final
Agassai to beat Federer
Post your comments on my predictions - add yours if you dare!
Can't wait for the quarter finals now. Now the Australians are gone I really hope that Agassai can make it through to the final. It would be great if he could win too.
I am going to make a call on the match results from here on
Quarters
Roddick in Roddick Vs Safin
Agassai in Agassai Vs Grosjean
Ferrero in Arazi Vs Ferrero
Federer in Nalbandian Vs Federer
Semis
Agassai in Roddick Vs Agassai
Federer in Ferrero Vs Federer
Final
Agassai to beat Federer
Post your comments on my predictions - add yours if you dare!
This is an awesome mind puzzle game. Try the hard one - go on I dare ya!
Light Brigade
Hewitt is serving at deuce - 2 games each in the 4th set - 2 sets to 1 to Federer. Go Lleyton!
Light Brigade
Hewitt is serving at deuce - 2 games each in the 4th set - 2 sets to 1 to Federer. Go Lleyton!
I am watching the Tennis - Federer Vs Hewitt.
At the same time I am using my laptop to remotely control my pc, check and write emails and news posts, update web pages and chat to my developer online.
Current score is Hewitt-Federer 6-4, 3-6, 0-3 with Federer serving 40-40
It is an awesome game
[Now Playing: Claude Challe - Mambo Craze (de-phazz feat. pat appleton) (04:20)]
This weeks Blogger Idol theme is Freedom
Before I wrote my post I viewed the others that were there, in total 16. I especially liked John Carnes and Tim's at Challies.com simply because I agree with them.
I enjoyed Amanda at Lypton Village's Photo Journal as well. Very Aussie and very good photography. I have to give marks for the novel concept behind Al at Shouting into the Void for his very well written piece of fiction. Some deep thoughts there.
Heres my go. I am going to take two approaches. Mostly because I have the freedom to take as many approaches as I like as this is my blog and you are only reading it!. In fact if I take more than two approaches I can not be held irresponsible. In fact I shall take as many approaches as I choose, or don't choose. In fact now I think about it I don't think theres going to be any approach, just a big bang! How the hell was a plane crashing into a building an attack on my ability to write this - or any of the other bloggers mentioned above and on the blogger idol page, to write what they have chosen. Of course if they had been in the tower at the point of impact then it might have made it a bit tricky. Now before you get all shirty remember a couple of things. 1) I have the freedom to write what I like here and 2) I in no way mean any disrespect to the memory of those who perished in the attack on the twin towers of the WTC on 11/9/2001. (Yes I live in Australia and I have the freedom to write my dates round the right way! Or the way we do over here anyway.) Back to the attack. I may be out on a limb here but I don't ascribe to the rhetoric that "Freedom" was attacked. Sure America was attacked - and people lost lives, but how can you attack freedom? Freedom is an abstract concept. It exists in the mind. It may be regulated in legal process as some of the other blogger's post have testified using the concept that rules that define boundaries can create a freedom of sorts as existing within those boundaries. An anarchist would probably define freedom as the absence of all boundaries and rules. I don't know for sure having never yet met an anarchist who was a "pure" anarchist. Meaning some one who really believed that last statement and practised it.
Lets go another direction for a minute. Imagine you are in an infinite vacuum. You have the ability to travel on any vector for an infinite amount of time and change vector an inifinte number of times. Are you free? Completely? I don't know the answer - maybe there's an abstract mathematician out there who can answer that one.
Now this is starting to get past the point of where I was going. But I have the freedom to do that to.
You also have the freedom to reply and comment (sorry no comments set up yet - am exploring how to do that at the moment) so email me and I will post your email and my response - I shall not edit it so feel free to express yourself how you like!
Here is a series of pictures of my littlest one, Erin, playing in the dog's water bucket.
At nearly 2 1/4 she is such a precocious kid. She just knows how funny she looks squashed into the bucket and with the water splashing on her so she hams it up for the camera no end.
She is nearly out of the tantrums - due to the ignore them process we have studiously followed. It can be hard sometimes but about two months ago she suddenly got the message that screaming got her nowhere. Suddenly her vocabulary is starting to extend also. She is now capable of asking for stuff and being understood most of the time. Her standard response of NO to everything is slowly decreasing as she starts to realise she can communicate by actually saying other things. Of course being 2 this doesn't happen all the time and her emotions often get the best of her.
On another note, man am I blessed having a wife who is a fantastic cook!
At nearly 2 1/4 she is such a precocious kid. She just knows how funny she looks squashed into the bucket and with the water splashing on her so she hams it up for the camera no end.
She is nearly out of the tantrums - due to the ignore them process we have studiously followed. It can be hard sometimes but about two months ago she suddenly got the message that screaming got her nowhere. Suddenly her vocabulary is starting to extend also. She is now capable of asking for stuff and being understood most of the time. Her standard response of NO to everything is slowly decreasing as she starts to realise she can communicate by actually saying other things. Of course being 2 this doesn't happen all the time and her emotions often get the best of her.
On another note, man am I blessed having a wife who is a fantastic cook!
Interview a blogger!
The Blog Interview Rules
1 Leave me a comment asking to be interviewed.
2 I'll respond, asking you five questions.
3 Update your blog with my five questions and your answers.
4 Include this explanation.
5 Ask other people your own five questions if requested.
I asked Al at Shouting into the Void to send me 5 questions and he has.
Here are the 5 questions he sent me and my answers.
1. You wake up and realize you've swapped brains with your pet for a day (or
child / friend if you have no pet). What do you do? What does your pet do?
Hi Reginald here. Where has my master been - how come I've been put outside in this big old bird aviary. Sure its a big improvement on the cage he had me in before and I can't crap on his kitchen floor anymore but I miss him. He used to take me out and play with me most days and now he only comes by to change my food and water when he remembers. We used to cuddle under his shirt and we used to get drunk together - but then he stopped drinking and started being more responsible and slowly he played with me less and less. - WELL now the tables are turned and I'm the one outside the cage! I'm going to give him this piece of fruit - 1 day before it goes mouldy - and whistle at him and see how it feels like to not be able to understand me when I tell him I love him at the top of my voice and can you please come and play with me.
(For the record Reginald is my Nanday Conure.)
For my part I would have just picked a fight with the budgie in the same aviary, shat on the floor, cracked some seeds and then whistled loudly enough to upset the neighbours!
2. As a child you are frequently asked what you want to be when you grow up.
Given unlimited means, would you choose to do that job/fantasy now? Why or
why not?
I would definitely be a deep sea diver - using a bathyscape - to explore the ocean depths and find new creatures way down at the bottom of the deepest parts of the ocean. I remember reading with great fascination the story of a diver who descended to the deepest part of the ocean - after several attempts - and I re-read this story over and over. I also remember reading a story about undersea dwellings - similar to the movie the abyss - where people live at extreme depth for periods of time and even try breathing liquid. I think I would develop that city under the sea with unlimited resources at my disposal.
3. If you lived the story of Peter Pan, which character would you be and
why?
I can honestly say I have never read the story of Peter Pan or seen the movie. I know there is a Pirate named Captain Hook and a fairy called Peter Pan who doesn't want to grow up and another fairy called Twinkletoes or something.
I cant say as I would want to be any of them.
4. You can choose one power: being able to fly, hold your breath
indefinately, or lift amazing amounts of weight. Which is your choice, why,
and what do you do with your new power?
I am tempted to say hold my breath indefinately because that would help the answer to question 2 out. However my real answer is to be able to fly - I presume this is unassisted by mechanical or other means. From my earliest memories I have had dreams of flying - sometimes just hovering above my house or out in the street or over my school etc, sometimes falling, sometimes just being able to fly. Mostly however the dreams are about having to fly to escape something and the panic in the dream as you can't figure out how to fly and then - sometimes after waking up in a cold sweat - the repeat of the dream where this time - just like in Douglas Adam's A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - something just catches your attention at the right moment and distracts you and the next thing you know you are flying. That used to happen to me long before I read that book - weird huh! If I could fly now I would keep the power secret and use it to find out stuff in secret government installations and write conspiracy theories with dodgy black and white grainy photos and sell them to all the suckers in the world who believe that the governments are covering up alien conspiracies.
5. You actually get to be the preverbial fly-on-the-wall. Choose any place
and time (current or historical). What wall do you choose, and what do you
see and hear that nobody knew about that event until you spilled the beans
about it?
I would like to have been hiding in the house on the night Dr David Kelly went for his "walk" and committed suicide. Of course I would have found that his walk was assisted by the black suits carrying his already dead body killed with the secret drug that breaks down into water in the body after death. I would have either revealed this information to the Mossad and then changed names and identities or else printed it a la Salmon Rushdie and gone into hiding but too publicly to be quietly killed off - don't forget I could change back into a fly when the black suits came to visit me!
Ask me to send you questions and I will post a link to your blog here when you post the answers up.
The Blog Interview Rules
1 Leave me a comment asking to be interviewed.
2 I'll respond, asking you five questions.
3 Update your blog with my five questions and your answers.
4 Include this explanation.
5 Ask other people your own five questions if requested.
I asked Al at Shouting into the Void to send me 5 questions and he has.
Here are the 5 questions he sent me and my answers.
1. You wake up and realize you've swapped brains with your pet for a day (or
child / friend if you have no pet). What do you do? What does your pet do?
Hi Reginald here. Where has my master been - how come I've been put outside in this big old bird aviary. Sure its a big improvement on the cage he had me in before and I can't crap on his kitchen floor anymore but I miss him. He used to take me out and play with me most days and now he only comes by to change my food and water when he remembers. We used to cuddle under his shirt and we used to get drunk together - but then he stopped drinking and started being more responsible and slowly he played with me less and less. - WELL now the tables are turned and I'm the one outside the cage! I'm going to give him this piece of fruit - 1 day before it goes mouldy - and whistle at him and see how it feels like to not be able to understand me when I tell him I love him at the top of my voice and can you please come and play with me.
(For the record Reginald is my Nanday Conure.)
For my part I would have just picked a fight with the budgie in the same aviary, shat on the floor, cracked some seeds and then whistled loudly enough to upset the neighbours!
2. As a child you are frequently asked what you want to be when you grow up.
Given unlimited means, would you choose to do that job/fantasy now? Why or
why not?
I would definitely be a deep sea diver - using a bathyscape - to explore the ocean depths and find new creatures way down at the bottom of the deepest parts of the ocean. I remember reading with great fascination the story of a diver who descended to the deepest part of the ocean - after several attempts - and I re-read this story over and over. I also remember reading a story about undersea dwellings - similar to the movie the abyss - where people live at extreme depth for periods of time and even try breathing liquid. I think I would develop that city under the sea with unlimited resources at my disposal.
3. If you lived the story of Peter Pan, which character would you be and
why?
I can honestly say I have never read the story of Peter Pan or seen the movie. I know there is a Pirate named Captain Hook and a fairy called Peter Pan who doesn't want to grow up and another fairy called Twinkletoes or something.
I cant say as I would want to be any of them.
4. You can choose one power: being able to fly, hold your breath
indefinately, or lift amazing amounts of weight. Which is your choice, why,
and what do you do with your new power?
I am tempted to say hold my breath indefinately because that would help the answer to question 2 out. However my real answer is to be able to fly - I presume this is unassisted by mechanical or other means. From my earliest memories I have had dreams of flying - sometimes just hovering above my house or out in the street or over my school etc, sometimes falling, sometimes just being able to fly. Mostly however the dreams are about having to fly to escape something and the panic in the dream as you can't figure out how to fly and then - sometimes after waking up in a cold sweat - the repeat of the dream where this time - just like in Douglas Adam's A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - something just catches your attention at the right moment and distracts you and the next thing you know you are flying. That used to happen to me long before I read that book - weird huh! If I could fly now I would keep the power secret and use it to find out stuff in secret government installations and write conspiracy theories with dodgy black and white grainy photos and sell them to all the suckers in the world who believe that the governments are covering up alien conspiracies.
5. You actually get to be the preverbial fly-on-the-wall. Choose any place
and time (current or historical). What wall do you choose, and what do you
see and hear that nobody knew about that event until you spilled the beans
about it?
I would like to have been hiding in the house on the night Dr David Kelly went for his "walk" and committed suicide. Of course I would have found that his walk was assisted by the black suits carrying his already dead body killed with the secret drug that breaks down into water in the body after death. I would have either revealed this information to the Mossad and then changed names and identities or else printed it a la Salmon Rushdie and gone into hiding but too publicly to be quietly killed off - don't forget I could change back into a fly when the black suits came to visit me!
Ask me to send you questions and I will post a link to your blog here when you post the answers up.
In the 80's
In the 80's I finished school, started a degree, failed law, economics and organisation management, learnt to play basketball, got into the sub 20 minutes for 5km runs, grew my hair long enough to perm!, started drinking, got a drivers licence and my first 2 cars, crashed them both and also my parents car once, started racing mountain bikes, moved to a city (from a country town), had several girlfriends, started my triathlon career, passed grade 8 in classical violin studies, started a full time job and was terminated from the same job, first started using excel, first went to the movies, first listened to rock music and was hooked on Dire Straits, U2 and Sky, learnt to play squash, learnt to sail a flying Dutchman, preached in a church, learnt to program a computer, nearly went hang gliding and bungee jumping, went flatting for the first time, sold herbalife and ate mexcian food for the first time.
I have great stories about all these events - ask me if you are interested.
This post has been created for blogger idol
In the 80's I finished school, started a degree, failed law, economics and organisation management, learnt to play basketball, got into the sub 20 minutes for 5km runs, grew my hair long enough to perm!, started drinking, got a drivers licence and my first 2 cars, crashed them both and also my parents car once, started racing mountain bikes, moved to a city (from a country town), had several girlfriends, started my triathlon career, passed grade 8 in classical violin studies, started a full time job and was terminated from the same job, first started using excel, first went to the movies, first listened to rock music and was hooked on Dire Straits, U2 and Sky, learnt to play squash, learnt to sail a flying Dutchman, preached in a church, learnt to program a computer, nearly went hang gliding and bungee jumping, went flatting for the first time, sold herbalife and ate mexcian food for the first time.
I have great stories about all these events - ask me if you are interested.
This post has been created for blogger idol
[Now Playing: John Digweed - Live From Massive Utrecht (01:05:07)]
LivingRoom >> A space for Life: Blogger Idol - Week 1 This is an interesting idea.
Check it out
I shall post my week 1 soon.
Check it out
I shall post my week 1 soon.
Sunday, January 25, 2004
this is a test
[Now Playing: Michael W. Smith - This Is Your Time (04:28)]
Interestingly enough a search on Google for Tramol finds this web site as the 7th listed site out of 95.
They are certainly the best pain killers I have ever taken - with the possible exception of pethidine (sp?).
However Google gets some interesting results
I notice that if you go to www.google.com address that it resolves the country you are in. If you then click "go to google.com" you get the whole world and the link becomes go to "Google Australia" for me. So for those of you who didn't get the same results as I did I now understand why.
Here are the less interesting results.
If I search the whole web for "spy journal" I can't find it
If I search from the Australian google.com I can't find it.
If I search from the Australian google.com and choose web pages in Australia I find it listed at the top of the "Society > Government > Intelligence" section!
If I go to the Canada site (I don't know how to select that but I can go from a link to it) then I can't find it.
Anyway that's all very narcissistic!
What's of more interest is my fascination with blogs! Since starting this on the 23/11/03 I have read a lot of other blogs. There are political commentaries, war journals etc, personal stuff, community groups etc.
I found a history of web blogs at Rebecca Blood's site and another at blockstar.
So what category does my blog fall into? I don't know yet as it is still being shaped. As the title suggests it's a journal, and a secret look into my life. As the sub title suggests it's not actually secret due to being posted on the public internet. Perhaps most importantly as the subtitle explicitly states this is about my fantastic days. I believe in positive thinking and the power of uplifting ideas. While enjoy the sarcasm and rants and raves some other blogs provide, my intention is to (mostly) show the positive side to life as I experience it. I try and find good in all things, the funny and humorous side to tragedy (without downplaying the reality of it) and have a good laugh at life and my part in it! As with anything else in life that is growing and learning, the blog will develop over time as I develop and learn more.
So I guess this has come across as a very introspective post today - but thas my prerogative I guess. Don't read it if you don't like it!
They are certainly the best pain killers I have ever taken - with the possible exception of pethidine (sp?).
However Google gets some interesting results
I notice that if you go to www.google.com address that it resolves the country you are in. If you then click "go to google.com" you get the whole world and the link becomes go to "Google Australia" for me. So for those of you who didn't get the same results as I did I now understand why.
Here are the less interesting results.
If I search the whole web for "spy journal" I can't find it
If I search from the Australian google.com I can't find it.
If I search from the Australian google.com and choose web pages in Australia I find it listed at the top of the "Society > Government > Intelligence" section!
If I go to the Canada site (I don't know how to select that but I can go from a link to it) then I can't find it.
Anyway that's all very narcissistic!
What's of more interest is my fascination with blogs! Since starting this on the 23/11/03 I have read a lot of other blogs. There are political commentaries, war journals etc, personal stuff, community groups etc.
I found a history of web blogs at Rebecca Blood's site and another at blockstar.
So what category does my blog fall into? I don't know yet as it is still being shaped. As the title suggests it's a journal, and a secret look into my life. As the sub title suggests it's not actually secret due to being posted on the public internet. Perhaps most importantly as the subtitle explicitly states this is about my fantastic days. I believe in positive thinking and the power of uplifting ideas. While enjoy the sarcasm and rants and raves some other blogs provide, my intention is to (mostly) show the positive side to life as I experience it. I try and find good in all things, the funny and humorous side to tragedy (without downplaying the reality of it) and have a good laugh at life and my part in it! As with anything else in life that is growing and learning, the blog will develop over time as I develop and learn more.
So I guess this has come across as a very introspective post today - but thas my prerogative I guess. Don't read it if you don't like it!
Friday, January 23, 2004
What a great day today was!
I got a power of work done after all the fiddly jobs from yesterday were done and out of the way.
Then I went to the doctor to check on my collar bone and I got a medical exemption from wearing seatbelts cos they rub on the shoulder too much. I also showed him a spot that appeared on my chest this morning and guess what - I have ringworm! - Don't ask how I got it and the kids didn't!
Then we went down the coast to see my techie and web developer for a project that he is developing for church for us. Took some friends down in "the bus" because they are helping with the web development and caught up on the story of the mountain climbing they did in New Zealand recently with my father, sister and brother-in-law. The whole story is here (5th of Jan post).
and heres a picture of "the bus" and for those who havent seen it yet , my bike.
I got a power of work done after all the fiddly jobs from yesterday were done and out of the way.
Then I went to the doctor to check on my collar bone and I got a medical exemption from wearing seatbelts cos they rub on the shoulder too much. I also showed him a spot that appeared on my chest this morning and guess what - I have ringworm! - Don't ask how I got it and the kids didn't!
Then we went down the coast to see my techie and web developer for a project that he is developing for church for us. Took some friends down in "the bus" because they are helping with the web development and caught up on the story of the mountain climbing they did in New Zealand recently with my father, sister and brother-in-law. The whole story is here (5th of Jan post).
and heres a picture of "the bus" and for those who havent seen it yet , my bike.
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Today was a massive "to do list" day. I achieved almost everything on my list and had a blast getting stuff done. It seemed as though all these little fiddly jobs all happened on one day. I changed telephone companies, rang an insurance company for a quote, rang numerous other people for things, arranged the next LAN party and sent the email invites out along with updating the web site, updated the company web site to add a new contractor working for us, revised my resume and sent it off to a bunch of agencies I use to procure consulting contracts through, did the GST and paid that, paid numerous other bills and did the accounting for that, wrote a sample web site to take to the developer tomorrow to develop the specs for the actual thing, cut my toenails, filled up the paddling pool and had a swim with the kids, went out with my wife and business partner to promote our Valentines day specials we are running in the Emma Page Jewelry range, fixed my mother-in-laws computer, did a quote for a new client, and updated my blog. (not necessarily in that order.)
Wow!
Are you as out of breath from reading that as I am from writing it? Actually my shoulder is hurting a bit as I type. I am trying to extend the time between taking pain killers so as to slowly wean myself off them. I will take another one shortly though so I can get as pain free sleep as I can.
Well that's all about me - lets talk about you - do you want to see a comment option on my posts. If so email me on tim@millerfamily.biz
I am excited about the responses I have received so far, thank you for reading and your comments are always welcome.
Tell me where you are from and what your blog site is if you have one. Check blogger out if not - they are awesome. (Except that blogger comes up as a spelling error on their spell check! You would have thought they would have added it to the standard dictionary)
After all that - make it a great day wherever you are!
Wow!
Are you as out of breath from reading that as I am from writing it? Actually my shoulder is hurting a bit as I type. I am trying to extend the time between taking pain killers so as to slowly wean myself off them. I will take another one shortly though so I can get as pain free sleep as I can.
Well that's all about me - lets talk about you - do you want to see a comment option on my posts. If so email me on tim@millerfamily.biz
I am excited about the responses I have received so far, thank you for reading and your comments are always welcome.
Tell me where you are from and what your blog site is if you have one. Check blogger out if not - they are awesome. (Except that blogger comes up as a spelling error on their spell check! You would have thought they would have added it to the standard dictionary)
After all that - make it a great day wherever you are!
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Wow!
Do a search on google for spy journal and this web site is no 7 out of 423,000 results!
Try it and see here
Today was great. I had a fantastic lunch with F_. He and I always have great thinking discussions and I get to twist my mind around new concepts and explore things. F_ is very logical and has a very patient way of explaining things. He is a great guy and I really enjoy my lunches with him.
Today we were talking about sibling rivalry and mentoring, how we relate to our siblings and how we can positively influence them with well chosen words and ideas. As my younger siblings are possibly reading this I will mention that I always have their best in mind when I do this.
Often my comments to them are born from frustration at seeing them heading towards the same pitfalls that I have been through and I long to assist them to skip that chapter of their life and get to the good bits!
Sometimes however we seem to need the pain of the problem to grow past it. Growing is painful because it involves expanding our comfort circle. I like to think of it as an ever expanding ripple, the bigger we grow (that is the more pain we experience and learn from) the more we can influence and help other people, and that was the second thing we talked about which is the gifts for ministries that God has given us and how we can help the church with the passion we bring to that ministry.
So today was good. The kids were great tonight after we sorted out a few minor discipline issues. We have all decided that this house will not tolerate "drainos" or people who are winging, negative and sucking the life from others. Rather we will look to the positive and accentuate that. Be happy in all circumstances!
So - "Have a great day and make it great for someone else" as my great mate Glen always says.
Do a search on google for spy journal and this web site is no 7 out of 423,000 results!
Try it and see here
Today was great. I had a fantastic lunch with F_. He and I always have great thinking discussions and I get to twist my mind around new concepts and explore things. F_ is very logical and has a very patient way of explaining things. He is a great guy and I really enjoy my lunches with him.
Today we were talking about sibling rivalry and mentoring, how we relate to our siblings and how we can positively influence them with well chosen words and ideas. As my younger siblings are possibly reading this I will mention that I always have their best in mind when I do this.
Often my comments to them are born from frustration at seeing them heading towards the same pitfalls that I have been through and I long to assist them to skip that chapter of their life and get to the good bits!
Sometimes however we seem to need the pain of the problem to grow past it. Growing is painful because it involves expanding our comfort circle. I like to think of it as an ever expanding ripple, the bigger we grow (that is the more pain we experience and learn from) the more we can influence and help other people, and that was the second thing we talked about which is the gifts for ministries that God has given us and how we can help the church with the passion we bring to that ministry.
So today was good. The kids were great tonight after we sorted out a few minor discipline issues. We have all decided that this house will not tolerate "drainos" or people who are winging, negative and sucking the life from others. Rather we will look to the positive and accentuate that. Be happy in all circumstances!
So - "Have a great day and make it great for someone else" as my great mate Glen always says.
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Monday, January 19, 2004
We went to the southside of the city today for a meeting with a new client - took the family as I had promised the kids a play in a shopping centre that has a massive slide inside it.
As Miranda didn't do any formal schooling today she went to the library while I was at the client and then when we got home she had to do a project of her day.
The following two pictures are of the dragon slide (part imagination part real) and of a cat with the caption "the cat is ded the bog is ded"
It is supposed to say the "cat is red the dog is red" but the r's are backward and look a little like unfinished ds and she confused the d and the b on dog!
We had fun!
As Miranda didn't do any formal schooling today she went to the library while I was at the client and then when we got home she had to do a project of her day.
The following two pictures are of the dragon slide (part imagination part real) and of a cat with the caption "the cat is ded the bog is ded"
It is supposed to say the "cat is red the dog is red" but the r's are backward and look a little like unfinished ds and she confused the d and the b on dog!
We had fun!
Had a weekend of seminars and they were great - heard some fantastic speakers - more details here
Relaxed most of the day - after church I rebuilt a computer for my sister in law, and then after dinner played games with a couple of friends.
Now its bed time - good night!
Relaxed most of the day - after church I rebuilt a computer for my sister in law, and then after dinner played games with a couple of friends.
Now its bed time - good night!
Friday, January 16, 2004
I so relate to the story in the Cynical Tyrant about trying to get to work early - the driving in traffic in Brisbane is the same!
How come days off never work out they way you expected?
I decided to work hard this week for 4 days and then take Friday off.
So Monday I worked from 8-10 in my office, then went to a client and got home at 6 before leaving for a meeting at 7 to get home at 10:30PM
Tuesday I worked for about 2 hours then played Need for Speed Underground for about 4 hours then took the kids to the beach and out for dinner.
Wednesday I left home at 7:30 and got home at 9PM - big day
Thursday I left at 7:30 and finished at my clients by 11AM so I went and had lunch with a friend. During lunch a client from 2 years ago called - just happened to be 200m up the road from the cafe I was in so I went up to meet the new person there who might give me some work later. While I was at the first client the boss of one of my other client's husbands rang up to offer me some work becuase he had heard about me from her husband. That was cool - I shall take her to lunch for a reward!
Then I finally got home at about 4PM
Today was supposed to be a day off, but already I have had to do 2 hours of accounting work for my business and then received an email and a phone call from another client asking me to redo some work because they changed their mind on what they wanted. This is good because it is now way more complicated and will cost them more. I will do that next week.
So now I have finally finished work for today and I can have the rest of the aftenoon off to play with the kids. Hurray
On another note - the Belly Blog lady has finally had the baby - hurray for her!
I decided to work hard this week for 4 days and then take Friday off.
So Monday I worked from 8-10 in my office, then went to a client and got home at 6 before leaving for a meeting at 7 to get home at 10:30PM
Tuesday I worked for about 2 hours then played Need for Speed Underground for about 4 hours then took the kids to the beach and out for dinner.
Wednesday I left home at 7:30 and got home at 9PM - big day
Thursday I left at 7:30 and finished at my clients by 11AM so I went and had lunch with a friend. During lunch a client from 2 years ago called - just happened to be 200m up the road from the cafe I was in so I went up to meet the new person there who might give me some work later. While I was at the first client the boss of one of my other client's husbands rang up to offer me some work becuase he had heard about me from her husband. That was cool - I shall take her to lunch for a reward!
Then I finally got home at about 4PM
Today was supposed to be a day off, but already I have had to do 2 hours of accounting work for my business and then received an email and a phone call from another client asking me to redo some work because they changed their mind on what they wanted. This is good because it is now way more complicated and will cost them more. I will do that next week.
So now I have finally finished work for today and I can have the rest of the aftenoon off to play with the kids. Hurray
On another note - the Belly Blog lady has finally had the baby - hurray for her!
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
I've been accepted onto a panel of voters to weed out nominated weblogs for prizes in different categories - there are some very interesting ones out there. Some that made me laugh are listed in my blog links - check them out!
Three cheers for Tramol 50mg SR (Slow Release) Now that is a pain killer!
I have been taking these since Saturday night - less frequently than I could because they work so well.
I have a lovely yellow bruise all down the side of my chest from my collar bone to my breast. Don't think it will show up in a photo though. If it goes purple I will definitely photograph it for the site.
No blog activity for the last couple of days because we had a 30 hour LAN (Computer gaming). 6PM Friday through to midnight Saturday.
We had 29 people come for the LAN and we had fun. Played battlefield 1942 (Desert Combat mod), C&C Generals, Nascar 2000, Need for Speed, Rally Masters, Soldier of Fortune 2, Unreal Tournament and others. The weather was even nice for us as we were in a non air-conditioned building. Had all the doors and windows open all night and the fans going and it was quite pleasant.
Belly blog is so well written. I sympathise with the lady who is now past her due date. I hope Judith doesn't have this happen to her. Read it to find out!
Today I woke up with a stiff neck and right shoulder and a very sharply painful collar bone - hangovers from the crash, but the tramol I took half an hour ago is really starting to do its thing. Soon I will be "pain free"!
Well today I have to do a bit of work for a client at home while Jude takes the kids to childcare and then goes to the shops for the weekly trip. Miranda has mummy time on this day and is very helpful to Mum. This afternoon we are taking a trip down to the lagoon. I will do some sea creatures exploration with Miranda for schooling. She started back yesterday because we will take some time off when the new baby arrives. We home school using the ACE program. The flexibility of that program is fantastic. I really don't know how Miranda would have coped with a 'normal' school. She just can concentrate on things for long periods of time - her brain is just growing so fast and she is so excitedly learning stuff.
She gets a lot done in a short burst of time and then gets bored and wants to move onto the next thing. A bit liker her Dad I think
Well that's it for now - have to go and do some work :(
I have been taking these since Saturday night - less frequently than I could because they work so well.
I have a lovely yellow bruise all down the side of my chest from my collar bone to my breast. Don't think it will show up in a photo though. If it goes purple I will definitely photograph it for the site.
No blog activity for the last couple of days because we had a 30 hour LAN (Computer gaming). 6PM Friday through to midnight Saturday.
We had 29 people come for the LAN and we had fun. Played battlefield 1942 (Desert Combat mod), C&C Generals, Nascar 2000, Need for Speed, Rally Masters, Soldier of Fortune 2, Unreal Tournament and others. The weather was even nice for us as we were in a non air-conditioned building. Had all the doors and windows open all night and the fans going and it was quite pleasant.
Belly blog is so well written. I sympathise with the lady who is now past her due date. I hope Judith doesn't have this happen to her. Read it to find out!
Today I woke up with a stiff neck and right shoulder and a very sharply painful collar bone - hangovers from the crash, but the tramol I took half an hour ago is really starting to do its thing. Soon I will be "pain free"!
Well today I have to do a bit of work for a client at home while Jude takes the kids to childcare and then goes to the shops for the weekly trip. Miranda has mummy time on this day and is very helpful to Mum. This afternoon we are taking a trip down to the lagoon. I will do some sea creatures exploration with Miranda for schooling. She started back yesterday because we will take some time off when the new baby arrives. We home school using the ACE program. The flexibility of that program is fantastic. I really don't know how Miranda would have coped with a 'normal' school. She just can concentrate on things for long periods of time - her brain is just growing so fast and she is so excitedly learning stuff.
She gets a lot done in a short burst of time and then gets bored and wants to move onto the next thing. A bit liker her Dad I think
Well that's it for now - have to go and do some work :(
Thursday, January 08, 2004
Another hot and sticky day. Had a cool thunderstorm this arvo - except the power went out twice - so all the pcs except the server on the ups and the laptop needed restarting - twice - and the fish tank pumps needed restarting too!
Ever tried getting dressed with one arm when it is so hot your clothes are sticking to you? That's awkward!
Well my office is a sauna even at this time of night so I am going back into the airconditioned house to get some more codeine in me.
Ever tried getting dressed with one arm when it is so hot your clothes are sticking to you? That's awkward!
Well my office is a sauna even at this time of night so I am going back into the airconditioned house to get some more codeine in me.
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
Resting and recovering
Last night's sleep was broken and painful - thank goodness for drugs. I like the "floaty" feeling!
Today was seriously hot - 36 degrees at the highest. Obviously I did no cycling today.
We went to see Bang today - a drum group doing a choreographed routine in the shopping centre.
While there we had a browse through Supre - a great place to shop.
Last night's sleep was broken and painful - thank goodness for drugs. I like the "floaty" feeling!
Today was seriously hot - 36 degrees at the highest. Obviously I did no cycling today.
We went to see Bang today - a drum group doing a choreographed routine in the shopping centre.
While there we had a browse through Supre - a great place to shop.
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
ouch!
Todays cycle turned into a trip to the doctors, the xray place and the chemist shop for repairs
I have added another bone to the list of bones I have broken.
photos attached...
List of broken bones
My left collar bone (mountain biking today)
Right lower leg - fibula and tibula - twice (soccer both times - now fixed with a steel rod and 2 screws)
My radius and ulnar - lower left arm (jumping from a tree)
My 4th metatarsil - second to last bone in my left hand (motorcycle accident)
My left little finger - bone closest to hand (snow-skiing)
My right little toe (kicking door post on way through doorway)
My right thumb - bone closest to wrist (motor cycle accident -different to the other accident)
List of cracked bones
Right jaw (assualted)
Left eye socket (different assault from jaw)
right eyebrow bone (same asssault as eye socket)
Lowest left rib (aussie rules football)
List of dislocated joints
Both ankles - too many times to count (mostly from soccer and basketball)
Right shoulder (mountain bike accident (not today))
Left hip (motorcycle accident - where I broke my thumb)
Right little finger (basketball)
List of tendon damage
Right achilles (basketball)
Left hamstring (aussie rules football)
and that's just what I can remember...
Todays cycle turned into a trip to the doctors, the xray place and the chemist shop for repairs
I have added another bone to the list of bones I have broken.
photos attached...
List of broken bones
My left collar bone (mountain biking today)
Right lower leg - fibula and tibula - twice (soccer both times - now fixed with a steel rod and 2 screws)
My radius and ulnar - lower left arm (jumping from a tree)
My 4th metatarsil - second to last bone in my left hand (motorcycle accident)
My left little finger - bone closest to hand (snow-skiing)
My right little toe (kicking door post on way through doorway)
My right thumb - bone closest to wrist (motor cycle accident -different to the other accident)
List of cracked bones
Right jaw (assualted)
Left eye socket (different assault from jaw)
right eyebrow bone (same asssault as eye socket)
Lowest left rib (aussie rules football)
List of dislocated joints
Both ankles - too many times to count (mostly from soccer and basketball)
Right shoulder (mountain bike accident (not today))
Left hip (motorcycle accident - where I broke my thumb)
Right little finger (basketball)
List of tendon damage
Right achilles (basketball)
Left hamstring (aussie rules football)
and that's just what I can remember...
Monday, January 05, 2004
I am still here - just been busy.
Little bro has been up and we been doing stuff like playing cards, talking loudly at night time in order to keep others awake (sorry) riding the motorbike and playing with the nieces (his - my daughters). Jono also has a hand puppet called Jeff. The kids call them Uncle Jeff and Aunty Jono - go figure!
Seaworld was fun - as usual - Jono came with his friend's sister Esther who is 10. Miranda actually went on the rollercoaster this time - she LOVED it and wanted to do it again but we had no time left - so next time I can see that all we will do is go round and round and up and down and corkscrew!
The humidity is back - it has been disgustingly sticky. Today is cooler because of clouds - only 28 degrees and 78% humidity as I write. ...Did I mention I hate humidity...
Jude has a pregnant jaw - at least it hurts becuase she is pregnant - this doesn't not tend to create happy wife - hence the NO MORE BABIES phrase has been heard several times recently. 8 weeks to go and counting!
Little bro has been up and we been doing stuff like playing cards, talking loudly at night time in order to keep others awake (sorry) riding the motorbike and playing with the nieces (his - my daughters). Jono also has a hand puppet called Jeff. The kids call them Uncle Jeff and Aunty Jono - go figure!
Seaworld was fun - as usual - Jono came with his friend's sister Esther who is 10. Miranda actually went on the rollercoaster this time - she LOVED it and wanted to do it again but we had no time left - so next time I can see that all we will do is go round and round and up and down and corkscrew!
The humidity is back - it has been disgustingly sticky. Today is cooler because of clouds - only 28 degrees and 78% humidity as I write. ...Did I mention I hate humidity...
Jude has a pregnant jaw - at least it hurts becuase she is pregnant - this doesn't not tend to create happy wife - hence the NO MORE BABIES phrase has been heard several times recently. 8 weeks to go and counting!
Thursday, January 01, 2004
My butt is healing - its new years day and the humidity has finally dropped below 50%!
I built a set of shelves for my daughters room yesterday. DIY Dad!
We are going to Seaworld on Friday - yippee!
I built a set of shelves for my daughters room yesterday. DIY Dad!
We are going to Seaworld on Friday - yippee!
