marc.vic.max.elliot

Hi everyone

Whilst my broadband speed leaves a lot to be desired (approx 700K down/650K up) it’s a whole load better than 56K up/down!

So what’s happened?  Well I’ve just finished my first week at my new job and so far so good.  To be honest it’s been mostly meetings and so I haven’t done a lot of “real” work but I think it will be at least a couple of months before I’m even vaguely productive as there is so much to learn….. I’ve also been told that I’m off to Melbourne for three days next week and then off to the US for two weeks early next month! Poor Vic

In photography related news the Wellington Flickr Exhibition is coming along nicely it seems.  I have had this image chosen to be exhibited and even better they are allowing us to put our prints up for sale.  The price will really only cover the costs but it would be my first sale (as long as someone likes it enough to shell out eighty bucks!)

I also had a fun night with my mate rico last week and we went into the city to do some moonlit photography.  Unfortunately the night clouded over so we just had a bit of a play around.  A bit into the night I remembered a technique called Painting with light where a dark scene is illuminated using a small light source like a mini-flashlight or flash as if it was a paintbrush to light the subject while the shutter remains open during a timed exposure.  In my case it was a 30 second exposure and the area at the front of the photo was pitch black when viewed with the naked eye.  It took four illuminations of my external flash as I walked around in front of the camera to get this shot.

You can also have fun by getting someone else to illuminate you as you walk around

I think that’s it for now – everyone here is well and the weather’s been lovely (unlike poor Gina **waves**)

We are, unfortunately, still in the molasses-like land that is dial-up.  Surfing has been kept to a minimum ‘cos it ties up the damn phone line and email is sporadic.  My telecommunications provider tells me that all the ports have been given away but that they “may be able to work something out” Grrrrrr

On the other hand I am in the process of having a bit of fun in becoming involved in a photographic exhibition run by some flickr users based here in Wellington.  We have all got together and created the Wellington flickr exhibition group and are holding an exhibition at one of the theaters in town.  I’ll let you know how I get on…….

I was playing around taking shots of the boys today and liked this crop.

See ya

Long time no speak!

One reason why is the fact that when I resigned from Dell (I’m on gardening leave at the moment) to go to NetApp I needed to cancel my home office line and transfer my ADSL connection to our home line.  I gave Telecom two weeks notice and after the connection didn’t come up at the time given I entered into a round of trouble shooting.  Only at this stage was I told there was an issue with the number of connections and/or equipment at the exchange and that they had given the ports originally allocated to me away and that I might have to wait until the end of June before I could be reconnected.

I have spoken to 8 different people at Telecom so far and am waiting on a phone call from a member of the broadband management team.  As my new role will be mostly based from home (as was the Dell one) I absolutely cannot wait 6 months for broadband.

The next stage is to contact my lawyer and see a) why Telecom didn’t tell me there may be an issue prior to disconnecting my old line when I had explained the situation to them and b) why, when my area works to a 5-10 year development plan, is the primary telecommunications provider so far behind in the provisioning of exchanges/lines.

Until then it’s all dial up baby…………. 

Christmas and New Year are gone for another year and I can, at last, take a breath.

Christmas day itself was manic with far too much driving involved and we are planning making some changes for next year (but are unsure what form they’ll take) In saying that the boys enjoyed themselves and got spoiled rotten by everyone again.

New Years was spent at home with just Vic and I and we celebrated the time with pizza and Bollinger

There are a dozen or so photo’s form the last week in this Christmas Flickr album

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Work’s crazy, home is crazy, the kids are crazy!

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We went and saw Elton John live in concert last night.

He was OK………

It’s been a while since the last update and a number of things have happened.

About three weeks ago I had another kickoff in Sydney.  Sounds exciting but y’all know what business travel is like – exotic until you have to do it on a regular basis.  The one redeeming feature this time was that the sessions were held overlooking beautiful Manly Beach so at least the view was nice From Sydney I flew to Auckland to spend a couple of days meeting our new country General Manager.  Not the most exciting way to spend the week…

Exactly a week after getting back from that trip Vic and I were heading off to Sydney again to see U2.  The concert was great and the seats we had were pretty good.  U2 really do know how to put on a show although the choice of Kanye West as supporting act was odd to say the least. The shot below was taken from where we sat – it was taken with a cellphone with a very wide lens so the stage looked a lot closer than the shot suggests.

Besides the tickets we got flown over there, put up at the Sheraton, given a five course meal during the concert and had a constantly stocked fridge in the corporate box.  All up very nice

While we were away the boys were looked after by almost everyone we know Vic’s Mum looked after them at night and stayed at our place.  Friday afternoon my Dad came around to watch them, Saturday Max went out with our friends Ian and Ngahuia and on Sunday both the boys spent the day with my Mum – phew!  Thanks to all those that helped out over that weekend, Vic and I appreciate it.

In other news I have completed two tests after my vasectomy and I failed/passed them both (depending on how you look at it) I am now officially shooting blanks

I’m sure there is a whole lot of other stuff and no doubt it will come to me at three in the morning.

Remember this email?

Today I got this:

Hi Marc

We are thinking of opening up the DELL U2 Sales incentive to partners.  If so, would your partner be interested in coming across for the concert?  We would pay for their flights and accommodation.

The catch is I NEED to know by today whether or not so that we can make arrangements. 

Sweeeeeeet