Ugh cold!

present ideas... rude or not, discuss

i can never work out if its considered rude, but considerate at the same time, to let other people know, that when the birthday is around the corner, these are the things you may be thinking about buying anyway, and would make a great gift.... oh well

• family guy dvd's... starting from series 1.... going to build up the entire back catalog ... there is a 7 series box set, but that would be over doing it... maybe series 1-6 (ebay.com.au or ezydvd.com.au)
• ipod nano 'sock' ... each stop the new player from getting scratched
• an ipod shuffle - mine died... happy with the "old" type to be honest. nano is JUST too big to jog with....
•  new aston martin vantage... be quick only 700 made... just kidding.. but phwore...

Yuck seaweed

Appaulling storms which have ruined several volleyball courts, and subsequently caused todays tournament to be cancelled, brought a stack of ugly seaweed!

Crap weather time todo all the chores outstanding for many months ...

Finally some chill time on the beach

A frantic number of weeks, doing 1.5 jobs, missing the morning before work time that seems to have disappeared, turning into early bus rides to north sydney. Luckily a few cycle in have kept me sane but not quite the same as breakfast at a cafe catching the ferry and strolling into work at 0930.....
So today, Sunday down the beach. A warm sunny day. Finally. Some beach volleyball, before alas, having to hit the laptop later this arvo.
The only problem...... The shark alarm has just gone off. Seems its a bit of a regular occurance over this summer. Another attack this morning. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/01/2504173.htm?section=australia readers will be glad ocean swims have been distinctly less regular!

First POETS of 2009 a great success despite the credit crunch

numbers were limited for the inaugural 2009 POETS lunch (P!ss Off Early Tomorrow is Saturday). The location, Machiavelli's in the city. A normally highly austere location for local business men , to become the start of a fairly gregarious afternoon of frivolity. From planning a month before where the bullish responses over beers led to original bookings for 15 people, the final 6 turned up to enjoy some absolutely superb Italian food, the John Dorey special of worthy mention.

Unfortunately the 6th, the German living Kiwi, Andy, had a rare slip in German efficiency had his flights changed to arrived the morning after the big event. Thus, a small fluffy kiwi bird was given the Andy title and well received by not only the local staff who proceeded to not only try and serve him Veal Parmaggiana (sp?), but almost responded to request for a bowl of bird seed.  

Unbeknownst to the lunching buddies, Andy was to provide a whole evening of entertainment at the Ivy, Establishment, the Dolphin, but alas not Manly Wharf.... couldn't get in, far too drunk by then! The local inhabitants of the various locations, responding incredibly well to ensure that "Andy" had fun, despite his actual lack of presence...

all photo evidence here.... http://picasaweb.google.com/ben.forrest/POETSFeb2008# 

Open air cinema!

A wonderful idea, especially when its not raining! A cinema screen on the water. Amazing backdrop. Pretty good food. The movie...... Not bad either "yes man"

This is what happens when you accidentlt leave a can of coke in the freezer!

What a difference a week or two makes

A few weeks ago we were all basking in a massive heat wave. Down south as many will have seen Victoria was ablaze. Now. Well now it feels like winter. Jeans and raib jackets are the order of the morning, not strolling down for a dip in boardies at 7am in the summer morning heat.
Still at least its not snowing I guess!

I thought this was cute

friend / business partners cat peering over at us whilst we worked!

Manly-shelly

no not a butch girl name michelle, but my regular swim from Manly Beach to Shelley beach. Well when i say regular, I mean regular in summer, and usually when I can find some mugs to do it with me. Someone asked me how far it was, I really had no idea (well its between 500-900m or so), so thought i'd just find out via the power of google maps. So here it is... problem, you can't drag the walking router into the sea, which is kinda reasonable i guess, but you get the idea.  This morning was pretty grey, 20degrees, a bit of northerly swell, so not a great a swim, but very clear, lots of fishies.... didn't see the family of young bronzer whaler sharks however....

Big windy, 2008 pre report

Okay, so I have been very slack with write up, and photos. Writeup has been a time issue, and photos a technical thing. However me Williams has done is proud witn a very amusing set of summaries and some initial photos here http://thebogun.blogspot.com/, more to come .....

Don't see this on the tube!

Life's a bit hectic, but when you see a whale on the morning run into the city, its time to stop and take reflection!

Traffic jam in the harbour!

Sun princess, one hell of a boat, clogged things up a little on the way back on the key cat this evening!

..... Ps reports and photos from the "Big Windy 2008" holiday soon

Docked for the evening!

A whole week at sea, an awesome time in sun and wind. A detailed description to follow, but couldn't resist, 30deg, mega winds, about to hit the town in Hamilton again.... Well it is the saturday!

Oh my god, there are standards that work

As someone who has done many things in the it world over the past 15 years, I seem to be constantly drawn into debates about standards, merits and fall. Victim to lack there of.

So imagine my surprise and elation, when preparing myself mentally to spend an entire day to install a car radio I've just bought, to find out there is an ISO standard for car radio connectors. This of course after I'd spent hours purchasing crimps, connectors, wire and tools expecting to reverse engineer my old cars electrics.

But a joy to be able to unplug this standard this intermediate connector and have the radio just work. Ok so its wasn't quite that easy as the antenna connector is not part of the standard, but almost.

Now if they could just make it so that routing the additional cables didn't remove most of the skin on my hands had fingers, and getting the original radio out require tha apparent complexity of removing not only the full dash board facia but a good chunk of the engine block, then we really have evolved!

Manly back to glam

After weeks of rain back to glam.... Ok not perfect a little wind!

My new place.

So the move went smoothly, if not just a painful experience. It was pouring with rain on the day, which made everything slow and even more painful.
I'd been packing for days, thinking i'd reduced my personal posessions, only to realise yeah i still had stacks. time for the spring clean, after the move, typical. when you come across things in boxes in the garage you'venot touched for a year+, it really is time to cleanse.
Anyhow, remaining packing on Friday, following a hearty breakfast, movers turned up around 1pm and the game was on. I cleaned the rooms post departure of all items, then the bathrooms. We popped over to the new place and i assisted with the unloading and logistics, only to rush off back to original place to finish off bathrooms and await mr steam cleaner. He was late. It was 6:30 before all was done... emergency food from the local burger joint was a ncessary evil, before embarking on the reverse process of unpacking.
The new place is not as modern, and a little smaller. But a different, a more functional layout, allowing social kitchen activity into the lounge, wooden floors, and of course a view. Yes I'm on the beach front. A first. And rather nice.... but unfortunately the waves are currently hindering sleep rather than improving it. that should come with adjustment!
Final unpacking took most of Saturday (also a crap day so no major issue), then poped out with a few friends for food and well deserved relaxation. The downside of 2 days of activities, well behind on work for the week... had to work all day today (sunday). Oh well, its all been worth it!

Moving house is like a box of chocolates....

.... Er no it bloody well isn't its like root canal surgery but without an anisthetic, 20 times longer, and probably more expensive. Been packing for days (and I actually thought I had downsized over the last few years), moving blokes (four Russians who chain smoked in between van visits, but they were really good!) turned up at 1 pm, steam carpet cleaner guy at 530pm..... My new place looks bombed out Iraq, I am just getting some food, first food since breakfast. I think I am about to pass out..... Further details to follow......

Early start but worth it

Very early start for a quick 18 before work! Gary the dentist leaving a bunker after a rather nice approach at the 13th!

I know times are tough but.....

This morning I witnessed a first. I saw an older gentlemen meticulously unrolling the doggy poop bags, ie lots of them, to take off for his own use. I can only presume he either is really being hit hard by the now looming recession, oooh, I said the r word, or does have a huge pack of dogs at home!