marc.vic.max.elliot

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.

Yesterday my friends Jay, Rico and I met in town for a morning of photographic exploration.  It’s been ages since I’ve had a morning/day where all I’ve done is take photos and it was great to get out there.

The only rule we had is that we all used a fixed focal length lens of 50mm.  The day was grey with intermittent rain and it took us 2.5 hours to walk around a block.

Here are some shots of mine

5 more after the link below:

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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

Elliot hasn’t quite got the hang of ear protectors yet….

This is Max’s first picture of a person.  Vic wandered over to him at playgroup to discover that he’d been sitting there drawing this.  When asked who it was he repied that it was a picture of his best friend Freddy

The hair was an afterthought added on when he got home….

So It’s two weeks later and not a lot has happened.  My brother and his wife went back to the UK (boo!) and my Mum has just got back from 10 days in Thailand.  The highlight of her trip? Riding an elephant! I am so jealous….

As for us it’s just life as usual with no great stories to tell.  I eventually got around to updating my brother’s tattoo website after a year or so of promising. We have also been given a photo of Elliot that was taken at Freddy’s party mentioned in the last entry.

So cute!  Elliot the rocker

Today was a busy day!  The beginning of the afternoon was spent at an end-of-football-season team and family BBQ which was a rushed affair for us seeing that we had to head off to a birthday party.  Max has a way busier social life than Vic and I put together!

The morning was spent finishing off Max’s magician costume for his friends Freddy’s fourth birthday party which went from two until four this afternoon.  Vic and I made the whole thing from scratch, including the wand, and I reckon it would have been cheaper (and certainly easier) to just buy an outfit.  In saying that it was quite satisfying to see that Max was the only kid in an outfit that was hand made.  Elliot went as a rock star with a little sleeveless denim jacket that Jason and Selena bought him from the UK.  We didn’t get a picture of Elliot but hopefully someone at the party did ‘cos he looked so cute.

It was a nice day today and the boys made the most of it by playing in the sandpit and baring their legs for the first time in a few months!  Here they are taking a break and having a spot of morning tea