Forever and a day

It feels like it has been forever and a day since I last posted. Apologies. I'll lay the blame squarely on work. Like I noted in my last blog post, I had been doing a bit of traveling for work. Which was GREAT! but for the past month I have been stuck at my desk doing analysis and though I have one of the final presentations tomorrow, I figured I should stay up just a bit later and give you an update of what has been going on.

I'm looking back through my calendar now, because it's been so long! The last time I wrote a proper update was the end of January so...

February was fun. I did some more climbing. I conducted an alumni interview for Tufts. A kid from Sydney was applying to enter Tufts as an undergrad. He was about as interesting to talk to as a potted plant and it seemed pretty clear Tufts was safety school for him anyway, but I think he was setting his bar a wee bit high. I digress. I went go-kart racing at a place called Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway which was crazy. The karts are about 5cm off the ground, there is no seat belt, and they go up to 60k an hour (40mph). Reeee-diculous amount of fun. I went with a group of 4 guys and one of the guys and I got our name on the weekly list of fastest laps.

 

Soon after that I also participated in a 5k race called Warrior Dash.It was my first 5k of any kind and to be fair, i wasn't exactly racing hard (5k in 45 minutes) but it was an epic 45 minutes of slogging through mud like you would not believe, climbing walls, going through shells of cars, and jumping over fire. Yes. Jumping over fire.

 

and we finished it off with a celebratory turkey leg. as you do.

 

The next several weeks were taken up with the work travel which I will finally get to writing about in my next post, but following that, I have felled back into sport. So I went to see an Asia Champions League game of Sydney FC vs. Korea something something. It was mostly forgettable, but I ended up with a new hat. I went to a Rugby League game between the Roosters and the Rabbitohs. This is a Sydney rivalry if there is one because the team's home base neighborhoods are about a kilometer away. I was able to borrow a Rabbitoh jersey from a friend at work who was also going and another friend, a dyed in the wool Roosters fan came along as well. Roosters were on fire in the first half. The bunnies came storming back in the second and went up by one point with 2 minutes to go. And then promptly let the Roosters score 2 tries and lose it all. League is no where near as fun as rugby union, but a game out with friends is always a good time.

And lastly, I'm back in uniform as well. I joined a soccer team with a mate from work and have been training on Wednesdays and Sundays. Games will be on Saturdays starting in April. I think I've already slotted myself a spot in the back line, as per usual, Proud to be a Canterbury Juniors FC member.

I'll have a pic up from a game as soon as I have one.

And lastly, in other interesting news, I submitted a proposal just today to speak at UX Australia, the local user experience (what i do) conference for Australia/NZ and folks from Singapore and Hong Kong as well.Not sure if I'll be selected, but fingers crossed. If I get in, I would be able to travel to balmy western Sydney (a 15 minute walk from work) but it should still be a fun conference knowing as i do, that most social opportunities lead to drinking opportunities. 

So, big preso tomorrow. Once that is nailed, she'll be apples and I'll have some time to post on my fly-about.


Back in the US in under a month.