September 24, 2006

Lazy Sundays

Today was the first sunny weekend we've had since last summer. So not to waste this ideal opportunity to increase my risk of skin cancer, we cruised over to Raglan—a small coastal town, famous for its Manu Bay surf break—for a day at the beach. I recently bought a new digital camera that can take DV quality video with sound, a big step up from my previous camera.

Here is a short film I made while testing out the new camera's movie mode ;-) It has been scaled down for posting on the web though. The film is in Windows Media Format, so you'll need a recent version of Windows Media Player to view it. Right-Click on the link below and click "Save As...", enjoy!

Raglan - Sunday Afternoon (Windows Media / 5.3MB)

Great hall locations: Miscellaneous , New Zealand  |  Talked about by: 1 Fraggles

September 3, 2006

Sheep & Starbucks

Hick Farming Town

 A Thousand Words

Sheep on a ute, in the middle of the city, right outside Starbucks... and they say Hamilton isn't a hick farming town.

...I rest my case

Great hall locations: Miscellaneous , New Zealand  |  Talked about by: 0 Fraggles

September 2, 2006

Fast Flowing Waters

When I was young, maybe 7 or 8 years old, my dad and I used to go hiking up near the Coromandel, an area that is both beautiful but bears the scars of the 1870's gold rush. Yet at the time it didn't see it like this, the tunnels and discarded equipment in the middle of forest was a source of excitement and adventure for a small child. A few of the rivers and streams are still polluted from the mining, though fortunately there are many that escaped unscathed and our hikes usually ended in lunch and a swim in a nearby stream.

I seem to be doing so much recently, not that I mind being so busy, but at times it feels a lot like it did swimming in those streams; being pulled along swiftly by the current, little feet not always being able to touch the bottom. Most nights I'm not home to 7 or 8, in fact it seems like I'm never home these days, not that I mind that much as this flat is quite damp over winter.

My business is growing which is both exciting and daunting. I guess it's the realisation that most business owners come to when they have to start hiring people. You're no longer responsible for just yourself and as employer as have a obligation to help your staff grow and move forward in all areas of their lives, not just professionally. I like Richard Branson's approach to business that you have to love what you do, in so you'll hopefully create an environment where people enjoy working. In contrast to the television series The Office, which seems like so many companies I've worked at in the past.

At the moment I'm taking courses on management skills and building high performance teams, the non technical skills of running a business and an area that is all too often neglected. It looks like it's going to be a long road ahead and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little scarred. Nevertheless, this path seems right and who knows, the swimming hole at the end of it might be pretty good.

Great hall locations: Miscellaneous , New Zealand  |  Talked about by: 0 Fraggles

April 3, 2005

Departure Lounge

Air Tahiti

Well not even close... Every year before I head back to the northern hemisphere from our little corner of the south pacific, I start having these dreams about missing my flight. The usual scenario is it's 30 minutes, an hour, whatever to departure and I haven't packed and am nowhere near the airport...

In last night's instalment I end up at the Hawaiian Airlines terminal, but I'm not even going to Hawaii. Some how I'd mixed up Hawaiian with Air Tahiti, and what use would all this French I've been learning be there, they don't even speak French in Hawaii?! After finally arriving at the Air Tahiti terminal, I end up pleading with the attendant to be able to take the next flight, however it's a no go...

I wonder if any of this has anything to do with me watching "Air Crash Investigation" on tv before going to bed, hmmm... maybe. Normally when I fly wear my merino wool sweater and long pants. I think I'll invest in some wool pants too after watching last night's episode.

Shearing Wool from a Sheep

When planes crash they invariability catch fire, since the wings which contain the fuel tanks are almost always damaged. In this episode everyone survived the initial impact, but 80% of them got moderate to serve burns from the resulting fire.

Wool has a natural resistance to burning, a low burning rate and can self-extinguish. Wool has been used in fire fighter uniforms for years; the London Fire Brigade only replaced wool in their uniforms with more modern fabrics as recently as 1989, which gives you some indication of its effectiveness as a fire-retardant.

Surprisingly, the idea of a plane crash doesn't really scare me—since air travel is one of safest forms of transport. However, if I am involved in a crash, I want to be covered head to toe in wool, lol.

Great hall locations: New Zealand , Tahiti , Travel  |  Talked about by: 0 Fraggles